{"id":4249,"date":"2013-12-18T11:06:34","date_gmt":"2013-12-18T11:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=4249"},"modified":"2013-12-18T11:06:34","modified_gmt":"2013-12-18T11:06:34","slug":"celtic-diary-wednesday-december-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=4249","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Wednesday December 18"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celtic will face Trabzonspor in the Antalya \u00a0( pictured above ) \u00a0Winter Cup on January 9. The winners will progress to a final against Galatasaray or Ajax, and the losers will drop to a third place game against Galatasaray or Ajax. It will no doubt be described as a vital training camp for the players;<\/p>\n

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and hopefully their wives will believe them.<\/p>\n

Supporters who had already paid to attend the now postponed game against Kilmarnock are waiting to hear if the PLC will exchange their ticket, travel and accommodation costs for a similar trip to Turkey.<\/p>\n

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So, not only will the players be “working ” through their hard earned break, any fan who wants to watch them will have to travel to the most hostile country on Uefas list, and theres a chance of facing the only club whose fans \u00a0have had running street battles with Celtic fans in the last hundred years or so.<\/p>\n

Peter Lawwell needs to take his head out of his arse and have a look at himself. Then he can see what the rest of us see, and it sure ain’t pretty.<\/p>\n

On the fifth of December this year, Nelson Mandela died during the London Premier of a film about his life. Today, Ronnie Biggs, the Great Train Robber has passed away just before a documentary about him is aired.<\/p>\n

I’m looking for backers for my new movie, called the Peter Lawwell Years. Until then, I’ll be watching the Miranda Hart Call the Midwife Christmas special with more enthusiasm than is usual.<\/p>\n

With supporters already feeling discontent at the attitude of those running the club, it looks like the man in the sharp suit has yet again stood splay legged over the fans and emptied his bowels.<\/p>\n

Still , he must have been thinking of us when he chose to take part in the tournament. Turkish fans have a habit of stabbing opposition supporters, and Ajax fans will get a chance to show their banner again.<\/p>\n

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The missing words are not “record player ”<\/p>\n

Meanwhile , the BBC have noticed \u00a0another serious issue that courts will have to deal with;<\/p>\n

Seven members of the Green Brigade group of Celtic fans are to stand trial next year for allegedly singing a song in support of the IRA.<\/p>\n

They are alleged to have behaved in a way that “is likely or would be likely to incite public disorder” by singing the Roll of Honour at Celtic Park.<\/p>\n

The singing is said to have taken place at various home games at Celtic Park in July and August.<\/p>\n

All of the men pleaded not guilty when they appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court.<\/p>\n

Paul Duke, 37, and Ross Gallagher, 29, from East Kilbride, Christopher Bateman, 28, from Irvine, David Gallacher, 22, from Glasgow, Sean Cowden, 21, from Rutherglen and Kieran Duffy, 18, from Coatbridge, are accused of singing the song at the Champions League qualifier match against Elfsborg on 31 July.<\/p>\n

Mr Gallagher, Mr Bateman and Greg Robertson, 28, from Glasgow, are accused of singing the song on 3 August at a league game against Ross County.<\/p>\n

Mr Robertson faces a further charge, with Mr Gallacher, of singing at a home game on 24 August against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.<\/p>\n

The men deny all the charges against them. A trial was set for next June. ”<\/p>\n

Mr. Robertson and Mr. Gallacher face a further charge of “singing at a home game ” , which is a damning indictment of the atmosphere at Celtic Park these days. Thats to go with their other offence of “walking on the cracks in the pavement ” on the way home. No wonder we are paranoid.<\/p>\n

Good luck to all of them.<\/p>\n

The crossbar challenge, a half time entertainment designed originally by Charles Green to fleece Second Rangers fans, was spectacularly met by a Celtic fan who, \u00a0presumably bored at half time and and refused payment terms for a pie, had a go from the Jock Stein Upper;<\/p>\n

celtic fan hits crossbar from the Jock Stein Upper<\/a><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the official website has a plug for the Celtic View, still being published and still being read, just not by many people.<\/p>\n

” THIS week\u00b4s Celtic View is a special Christmas issue and it\u00b4s packed full of great features, interviews and competitions, with fantastic prizes up for grabs.<\/p>\n

It\u00b4s on sale from tomorrow, Wednesday, December 18, and there\u00b4s a FREE giant A2 poster celebrating Celtic\u00b4s successes during 2013, and a FREE 32-page 2014 Year Planner.<\/p>\n

It\u00b4s also competition time in the Christmas View, with the chance to win, amongst other things,\u00a0matchday hospitality for four people in the Number 7 Restaurant at an SPFL game, the new Olly Murs album and a \u00a3360 Honda lawnmower. ”<\/p>\n

A lawnmower and an Olly Murs album. In fairness, I suppose the noise of the mower would drown out the racket from the record. It continues;<\/p>\n

”\u00a0We\u00b4ve also caught up with many of the first-team squad. Virgil van Dijk answers supporters\u00b4 questions, while there are exclusive interviews with Teemu Pukki and Tom Rogic.<\/p>\n

” A\u00a0host of players, including Joe Ledley, Adam Matthews, Derk Boerrigter, Anthony Stokes, Emilio Izaguirre and Fraser Forster reveal some of their favourite childhood Christmas moments.<\/p>\n

And we\u00b4ve also persuaded a few of the players to give us photographs from yesteryear. See if you can spot the boys who have become Bhoys. ”<\/p>\n

Well, you won’t be spotting any of them down at the food banks or shelters this Christmas, using their high profile to publicise the good work being done by the Green Brigade, or the Celtic Trust in helping people who have fallen on hard times, nor will you be seeing the club actually give any money towards these causes \u00a0that hasn’t actually come from supporters donations.<\/p>\n

Thats because Celtic are a PLC now, which stands for Pound Leeching -do you know, I’m struggling for a word beginning with “c” to describe the current stewards of the club.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, here is a picture of the unfortunately named Play School presenter Brian Cant.<\/p>\n

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Elsewhere, Japan Today has this from its London correspondent, which will annoy nationalists everywhere;<\/p>\n

LONDON \u2014<\/p>\n

Japan attacking midfielder Hiroki Yamada is training with Celtic this week, the Scottish champions revealed on their website on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old, who plays for Jubilo Iwata in Japan, has won two international caps this year and Celtic manager Neil Lennon has expressed admiration for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking to bring him over to take a look at him,\u201d Lennon told Scottish newspaper the Daily Record earlier this month.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Head scout) John Park has watched him a couple of times and we\u2019ve seen some footage. However, it\u2019s always good to see him up against the rest of the players and how he copes with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can play left side or off the striker. He looks OK, but we\u2019ll not have a real idea until we\u2019ve seen him over here. I don\u2019t think there would be any money involved\u2014he\u2019s a free (transfer).\u201d<\/p>\n

No money involved-the more things change the more they stay the same.<\/p>\n

The Sun has Celtic in for Huddersfield midfielder Oliver Norwood as the MSM continues to try to explain the managers jaunt to northern England, whilst desperately trying to avoid using the words “Jordan” and ” Rhodes “.<\/p>\n

Oliver is a specialist in scoring goals when no-one else is playing.<\/p>\n

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Ghanasoccernet has us in for another striker;<\/p>\n

Ghanaian striker Mawuli Osei has claimed Celtic want to bolster their contingent of recruits from Israeli football by signing him next month.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>During his tenure, Neil Lennon has brought Efe Ambrose, Biram Kayal and Nir Biton to Glasgow and 24-year-old Osei, who plays for Hapoel Ashkelon, could be next.<\/p>\n

Osei is the top scorer in the Israeli top flight, with 13 goals in just 11 games for Ashkelon, and both the player and his agent claim there is interest.<\/p>\n

Osei said: \u201cThere are clubs interested in me. Glasgow Celtic is one, for example. I\u2019d like to try European football.\u201d<\/p>\n

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His agent, Michael Adje, confirmed the Scottish champions are monitoring his progress. He said: \u201cCeltic are interested in him, along with other sides in Israel. We will see what happens when the transfer market window opens again in January.\u201d<\/p>\n

Osei has been the most talked about player in Israel ”<\/p>\n

Lets hope they its not in the same way that we used to talk about Mo Bangura.<\/p>\n

Over at Ibrox its the day before the AGM, and whilst it will be a major surprise if it actually goes ahead, as the spivs usually dump a company before they have to explain what they’ve done with the money, its worth remembering that theres a transfer window around the corner, meaning there is still a few quid to scrape from the corpse of the club, so they might hang around for a while yet.<\/p>\n

Charlotte Fakeovers has the results of the voting already, and put them out on twitter;<\/p>\n

\u201cThe votes are in. Paul Murray is set for a place on the Rangers board just in time to fight Craig Whyte\u2019s legal claim. #AGM #Irony\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBrain Stockbridge will make way after a Stock Exchange announcement at 7am on Friday. His seat on the board will be taken by Paul Murray.<\/p>\n

\u201cCraig Whyte has won his Ticketus appeal. He is now ready to fund his legal claim over Rangers assets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see someone has tried to suspend my account already.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isn’t Paul Murray banned ?<\/p>\n

But, the Record says that Whyte has actually lost his appeal;<\/p>\n

FORMER Rangers owner Craig Whyte has lost the latest round of a High Court fight with ticket-buying firm Ticketus.<\/p>\n

Whyte appealed after being ordered to pay more than \u00a317 million to the company earlier this year.<\/p>\n

He asked Deputy High Court Judge David Halpern QC to overturn the ruling, made by a more junior judge, at a hearing in London.<\/p>\n

But Judge Halpern dismissed his appeal.<\/p>\n

So the saga rumbles on, but happily its the pantomime season, and this one looks to be a hit.<\/p>\n

The picture yesterday was the stadium planned to replace Celtic Park by the old Kelly board, which didn’t materialise. It was just one of a number of ideas that lot came up with for the good of the club, though none matched their eventual decision to bail out and leave Fergus McCann in charge.<\/p>\n

The bold bunnet may have been faced with this image when he went into someones office of a morning. Why ?<\/p>\n

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