{"id":4522,"date":"2014-01-29T10:22:57","date_gmt":"2014-01-29T10:22:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=4522"},"modified":"2014-01-29T10:22:57","modified_gmt":"2014-01-29T10:22:57","slug":"celtic-diary-wednesday-january-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=4522","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Wednesday January 29"},"content":{"rendered":"

The general opinion seems to be that records don’t matter, and are of less importance than winning trophies. well, of course thats true, but when theres a chance of making \u00a0history, then you grab it with both hands.<\/p>\n

A clean sheet against Kilmarnock tonight will equal Celtics club record of ten successive shut outs in the league. Those of us who grew up watching assorted diddies playing at the back for Celtic should especially relish this one, a feat that has been unequalled for one hundred years, 1913-14 , when teams played in black and white and it was easier to confuse forwards.<\/p>\n

Five more after that, and Edwin van der Saars British record is up for grabs.<\/p>\n

\"Invincible:<\/p>\n

Neil Lennon took a break from perfecting his teapot routine yesterday to explain;<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019ve been pretty consistent and winning, first and foremost, breeds confidence,\u2019 Lennon said. \u2018We\u2019ve really tightened up at set pieces against us and the reaction we got after the 6-1 defeat to Barcelona saw us concentrate a lot more.<\/p>\n

( He’s obsessed with that club. even when they beat us he harps on about it. )<\/p>\n

\u2018The two centre-halves have played really well together. I don\u2019t know whether we\u2019ve come up with a special remedy but we do work very hard on the defensive side of the game.<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019ve also got good players in those positions and don\u2019t forget Emilio Izaguirre, who\u2019s been so consistent and played a huge amount of games in the past 18 months.<\/p>\n

\u2018So there is a comfort there because we haven\u2019t changed the back four much, apart from the right-back position due to the injuries to Mikael Lustig and Adam Matthews.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Consistency of selection has probably helped us build this record more than anything else.\u2019<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
So, with Kelvin Wilson a distant memory, and lets be honest, his move has worked out well for both player and club. Well, it might have for the lad, but I can’t be bothered looking. \u00a0Virgil van Dijk came in , and we got arguably the best centre back at Celtic since, er, since probably Marc Reiper. Or Billy McNeill.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Lennon continued;<\/div>\n
\n

\u2018We thought he\u2019d be a big miss because he showed his qualities in the Champions League last year,\u2019 ( on Wilson )<\/p>\n

\u2018Virgil has been a more than adequate replacement. I think he can play for Holland and go to the highest level.<\/p>\n

\u2018I enjoy watching him play – he\u2019s brilliant. The first day I watched him I thought: ‘We\u2019ve got one here.’<\/p>\n

\u2018He showed composure and strength. We felt we had young, strong boys running into him and they basically bounced off him in much the same way they did with Victor Wanyama.<\/p>\n

\u2018At that point we knew we had a specimen. But his ability and technique is excellent. He has quick feet and can move the ball into midfield by sidestepping people.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s graceful on the ball and, for a Dutch centre-half, he can head the ball – in both boxes. That\u2019s one of the first things you look at in a centre-half.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018He hasn\u2019t disappointed us,\u2019 Lennon said.<\/p>\n

\u2018He has so many attributes to his game and the goal from the free-kick against Hibs didn\u2019t surprise me.<\/p>\n

\u2018I see him doing it in training but he\u2019s just not had the confidence to do it – that\u2019s another string to his bow.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s really hungry. I saw him play for Holland under 21s and Groningen and I felt he could take that step forward into midfield just as Victor did.<\/p>\n

\u2018He has an all-round game and I think we\u2019ve won a watch with him. He\u2019s worth a lot more now than we paid for him.<\/p>\n

I wanted a watch for my birthday when I was about eleven, so my dad let me.<\/p>\n


\n<\/a><\/div>\n

Anyway, on to tonights game, which is the re-arranged fixture from when the club went out to Turkey for a much needed break to play two games instead of one. Since returning, everyone at the club has spoken of how much it has improved the players, and sharpened them up, and having seen this picture of one of the youngsters-not sure which one, then its hard to disagree;<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Re arranged fixtures are a nightmare, and the decision to go to Turkey has backfired a little when news broke yesterday that the upcoming game against St. Johnstone has been moved as well, put back twenty four hours for the benefit of that lucrative four pounds eight shilling a week tv contract. That will affect travelling fans, such as the Lennon CSC in Stoke who will be missing another game that they have already paid to see, and re-arranged work shift patterns for.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0This time, the club moved swiftly to apologise;<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
CELTIC Football Club would like to stress its disappointment with the most recent fixture change involving our match against St Johnstone FC.<\/p>\n

We apologise to our supporters for this late notice and the inconvenience this will undoubtedly cause. However, the matter is outwith our control.<\/p>\n

We have made a complaint to the SPFL to record our disappointment regarding this issue and, going forward, we hope this situation can be improved to take greater account of the interests of supporters.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u00a0Fair enough, but it doesn’t help your case when you’ve just come back from a boys weekend away and already cancelled one game.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Kilmarnock Supporters\u2019 Association chairman Sandy Armour said Celtic should practise what they preach.He said: \u201cIt\u2019s hypocritical of Celtic to complain. They chose to play meaningless friendlies in Turkey which didn\u2019t just inconvenience us but also their own fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis fixture has been moved to a Wednesday night which is far from convenient for Kilmarnock fans so I don\u2019t believe the supporters have ever been a consideration for Celtic.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoney talks and that is the key for this. It\u2019s never about what\u2019s best for fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

( This coming from a club who a couple of years ago thought so highly of their own fans that they turfed them out of their own seats , to fit more away fans in . Hypocrisy isn’t unique to Celtic. And its a bastard to spell. Four goes at it now, and it still doesn’t look right. )<\/p>\n

Kevin Graham, of the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters, said: \u201cIt\u2019s fair criticism by Kilmarnock fans. The armchair fan is yet again put before the paying customer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Except tonights game, which isn’t on the telly.<\/p>\n

Actually, the club seem more perturbed than usual about this change, and with the new SPFL taking more control of clubs affairs, there is hope that this sort of thing will be eradicated….<\/p>\n

So, with a clean sheet record there to be taken, Neil Lennon is wary of the threat from Kilmarnock in the shape of forward Kris Boyd, who averaged around four goals a game at First Rangers, and was the subject of offers from Barcelona, Milan and a team in America, where he became a sort of role model for the kids over there.<\/p>\n

“Kris Boyd is a goalscorer and we all know about him,” said manager Neil Lennon “He\u00b4s always been a very good footballer and you never lose that knack of scoring goals.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

“I think there is a more mature Kris Boyd these days in terms of his leadership qualities with a young Kilmarnock team.<\/p>\n

“They had an excellent win at the weekend and they have really had a resurgence. I know they got off to a poor start but Allan has really steadied them and they have had some really positive results of late.<\/p>\n

“But we\u00b4re at home and we want to take the game to Kilmarnock as much as we can and limit them, particularly Kris, to minimum chances as possible.”<\/p>\n

Lennon had to praise the Ayrshire side a wee bit. Like the rest of us, he’d forgotten they were still in the Premier League. I’m sorry for still calling it the Premier League, but if you say Premiership, then the English league springs to mind, which says a lot for the branding of the new set up the marketing men had when naming it. If only they had put as much effort into finding an original name as they did into persuading the SPFL that their \u00a0their services were needed…<\/p>\n

Anyhoo, back to tonight, and James Forrest will be back, to give us the pace and trickery that we will need to break them down. Stefan Johansen played -and scored -in an under 20 game last night and won’t start, but might feature on the bench.<\/p>\n

Lennon confirmed;<\/p>\n

“We are playing well,” added the manager. “James Forrest is fit now and will come back into the squad and will give us an extra dimension with his pace and quality.<\/p>\n

“Commons and Pukki will have got a big lift as well, so we definitely have a goal threat in the team as well. We have no fresh injuries from Sunday and we are hoping Adam Matthews will join in training sometime this week but obviously tonight will be too early for him. ”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Speaking of records, is Michael Schumacher trying to take Nelson Mandelas crown as the worlds slowest dying man?<\/p>\n

Word reaches us that Amido Balde is unhappy with the song that supporters have put together for him, the structurally superb “amido amido fucking balde ” , though I have to confess I’ve never heard it.<\/p>\n

So, before he disappears on loan to an English lower league, as reported in a couple of papers today, we’ve come up with a new ditty;<\/p>\n

Amido, amido, he plays up at the front<\/p>\n

Amido amido, seems like a miserable …<\/p>\n

Struggling for a rhyme again, anyone help ?<\/p>\n

As well as Baldes disillusionment with the lyrical creativity of the support, it appears that Holmbert Fridjonsson isn’t happy with his nickname of “the Fridj “, which is even more surprising, since its about as cool a moniker as you can get. Maybe he’ll prefer ” the moaning git ” instead.<\/p>\n

Wolves manager Kenny Jackett has proved he’s on the ball, after Celtic had a second bid knocked back for Leigh Griffiths;<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does seem that Celtic are very interested.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The second bid, probably about forty pence higher than the first, has been knocked back as well, prompting Stevie May to make sure his phone is charged up and there plenty of petrol in the car.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Lee Wallace of Second Rangers has been the subject of a \u00a3900,000 bid from Nottingham Forrest as the old boy network springs into life to save their old \/new club. Thats if Billy Davies is still in charge there. I can’t be bothered looking, because Ill see the name Kelvin Wilson again and start giggling.<\/p>\n

The bid, which has been rubbished by everyone except the MSM, is suspiciously similar to the \u00a39m bid they received for Nikita Jelavic a couple of years ago in a) the figure \u00a0and b) its fictional content.<\/p>\n

The MSM are trying to drive the price up, to avoid him moving across the city to a bigger club, where he will provide cover for Emilio Izzaguerre, in case he needs to go shopping or something.<\/p>\n

Fernando de Orneales was the player in yesterdays picture, the Venezuelan who featured even less than Stephane Bonnes.<\/p>\n

This guy was highly rated when Jock Stein signed him, only by Jock Stein , right enough. who is he, and who was he supposed to replace ?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n


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