![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i1073.photobucket.com\/albums\/w400\/raeliak\/9a872bebb6dae7b59834039b1796ca25.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAdam Matthews has had his operation, and apart from feeling “a bit stiff ” , he says he’s okay;<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Though what he is feeling thats a bit stiff doesn’t bear thinking about.<\/p>\n
The standard of post op care is a little worrying-no cards, no cans of beer and the ashtray is right up at the top of the wall. And I’m not too happy about the nurse who is looking after him, either;<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Still, she has offered to sort out that niggling ankle injury of his;<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Barcelona, or the other half of the “New Firm ” as some see them, have added Georgios Samaras to a christmas shopping list that apparently already includes Fraser Forster. Having already lost out on Victor Wanyama , who went to Southampton to join the other exiled Celts down on the coast, the Catalans are determined to get at least someone from Celtic Park, presumably because several offers for the support have already failed.<\/p>\n
Samaras could be available on the cheap as his contract is up at the end of the season, whilst Forster could be the man who is sold to pay the bills.<\/p>\n
All depressing stuff, but if the big Greek and the giant Englishman want to know what life would be like for them at Barcelona, they should ask for a copy of the Catalans training video, which outlined how they intended to deal with Samaras last time out.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
With no domestic football to look forward to this week, focus has shifted slightly to the upcoming double header with Ajax in the champions League.<\/p>\n
Danny McGrain, the former Arbroath manager , now on the coaching staff at Celtic, has given us his thoughts, something of a rarity these days, as the man concentrates on improving the first team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to aim for second spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means beating Ajax twice and AC Milan here. It\u2019s possible and nine points might be enough, but we don\u2019t think it will be easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe loss of Adam is a blow, but not a big blow. He is a quality player and we\u2019ll miss his marauding runs up the line.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Mikael Lustig is equally as good at right-back and Efe Ambrose can play there as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re certainly not naked for full-backs. We have great power down the right and we might have to change that, but we have enough players to beat Ajax.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to say too much about Scott\u2019s red card.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has been a great captain and his energy and devilment \u2013 which can sometimes get him into trouble \u2013 helps drive the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you see it live it\u2019s nothing, but when you see replay after replay of the incident he did move his foot, although I don\u2019t think he even touched him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, the referee was right behind him. He might have got away with it had the linesman been up the other end of the park and the referee hadn\u2019t seen it.\u201d<\/p>\n
McGrain is currently spending time helping Portuguese forward Amido Balde to improve his game;<\/p>\n
“Big Amido is only a young man and he wants to be better,” .<\/p>\n
“I give him some exercises with the ball. I enjoy doing it, rather than standing about seeing the other boys working with the sports science people.<\/p>\n
“He enjoys doing it, he enjoys kicking the ball and heading the ball. He hasn’t had many games but he is getting better.<\/p>\n
“He came here with a good record of scoring goals. He scored against Liverpool in pre-season and against Kilmarnock.<\/p>\n
“That is his job, to score goals, and if he does that we will all be happy.”<\/p>\n
I like the back to basics thing, pushing the sports science thing-important as it is to the background, and concentrating on working with the ball. After all, thats what the game is all about. With McGrain becoming his mentor, Balde will succeed. As long as Danny doesn’t spend too much time passing on his own goal scoring tips, and just trusts the big mans own instincts on that one.<\/p>\n
McGrain also mentioned his own time learning his trade-playing in practice games.<\/p>\n
“When we trained with the first team I played against wee Jimmy and it was a nightmare. I hated playing against him because he always roasted me. I was 18 at the time and I was stupid enough to try and kick him.<\/p>\n
“Sometimes I was unlucky, sometimes I got him, but if I did he would just get up, rub his head and get on with it. And again, that taught me, I was learning things without realising what I was learning. \u00a0”<\/p>\n
Get up and rub his head ? What sort of tackle was it ?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Foot over the ball there, Danny.<\/p>\n
Anyway, the legend was publicising the release of a new Celtic book, much to the relief of women everywhere struggling to think of a christmas present for their partners who have already got the Celtic watch-I have, it tells the tim- the Celtic mug, the celtic ashtray-handy if you are thinking of taking up smoking,-the celtic wine glass, the celtic toothbrush …the list is endless.<\/p>\n
Then there is the Celtic Satnav, which will just tell you that you are on the road again.<\/p>\n
Sorry, I’m rambling.<\/p>\n
The book is called the Quality Street Gang, and Danny was in promoting it with another legend, former player and manager Davie Hay. Some of these players, apart from Hay and McGrain, also went on to do very well in the game, such as these two<\/p>\n
\u00a0
<\/p>\n
whilst at least one other failed miserably, and can still be seen hanging around the place wondering if its not too late;<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
From legends to legneds, and with rumours circulating of an impending financial disaster over at Scottish footballs newest club, Second Rangers, Walter Smith , who invented the famous Wattenacio style of football, has chucked in his tuppence worth. Unusual for him to be using his own money, but perhaps he is a changed man;<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no common business sense at a club such as Rangers.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, money is being lost. But what can you do?<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t sit on the board of directors at Ibrox and tell the Rangers fans, \u2018We can\u2019t afford to do this.\u2019 You have to go out and find the money to do it.<\/p>\n
No, he is still the same witless Walter who contributed probably as much to the demise of the First club as anyone, with the possible exception of David Murray himself.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you get into the Champions League you make a profit. Celtic have shown that. So Rangers have to use their money to create a situation where they put a challenge in to Celtic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the gamble you take. It\u2019s not a sensible gamble but that\u2019s what you have to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe financial bit of Rangers Football Club and common sense don\u2019t go together.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what would have happened if, during Sir David Murray\u2019s time in charge, he hadn\u2019t invested in the team?<\/p>\n
\u201cThey wouldn\u2019t have got to the Champions League. And the problems Rangers have at the moment weren\u2019t created by putting a whole load of money into the football team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Er, yes they were. Not this particular team, granted, but the ones that came before. The ones he paid for. Out of borrowed money that never got paid back.<\/p>\n
\u201cRangers are too big a club and too great an institution not to find an answer to the problems they\u2019re facing at the moment.<\/p>\n
The problem with great comedy movies is that the sequel is often the same joke repeated , and gives the old saying that nothing is funny twice.<\/p>\n
I have a distinct feeling that this current crisis, which will signal the end of the short lived Second Rangers, will be just as funny as the death of the first.<\/p>\n
Last word from Walter ?<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to feel a sense of optimism for the simple reason Rangers are a great football club.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So, did the press tear into him for his ridiculous ramblings ? Well, Hugh Keevins didn’t, but thats no surprise. Keevins has long since lost any credibility within media circles, and is simply kept on like the faithful old retriever, until somebody one day decides to do what is kindest……<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tom English didn’t pull his punches though;<\/p>\n
” This is the 2013 version of David Murray\u2019s freakonomics. \u2018We are Rangers and we\u2019ll spend what we like\u2019. Either through arrogance or stupidity \u2013 or both \u2013 that mindset hasn\u2019t changed all that much despite the torment. ” – was his opinion on Smiths utterances.<\/p>\n
You can just see the rest of the MSM going quiet every time he walks into the room from now on, and you’ll be able to spot him easily at press conferences \u00a0from now on<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But its not all bad news for the Second incarnation. There is a new chairman on the way.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Thats Dave King, an old pal of Dave Murray with Ally McCoist . He’s going to be the next chairman , as the current ones already been there over a week and its time for a change.<\/p>\n
There are absolutely no stories of any financial misdemeanours about this man.<\/p>\n
None at all. He arrived in Glasgow \u00a0and met the board for a chat.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
With yesterdays diary missing due to an urgent appointment that took all day while the jury deliberated, here is \u00a0Tuesdays quiz answer. They all went to Middlesborough after leaving Celtic, which must have seemed like a good idea at the time.<\/p>\n
Today, a little more cryptic..what links these guys ?<\/p>\n
\u00a0
\u00a0
<\/p>\n
Jack Wilshere, of Arsenal, has shifted the attention away from the Fraser Forster playing for England debate as his country get ready to face Montenegro in a crucial world cup qualifier.<\/p>\n
He has controversially said that he wants to keep the English team English, which considering the amount of Colombian he has in him is strange. He has also said that if he had lived in Spain for five years, he wouldn’t play for their national side. Well, he got that bit right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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