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<\/p>\nDon’t you just love this guy ?<\/p>\n
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Just thought I’d mention it<\/p>\n
Anyhoo, Celtics “other” big signing in the last window-if you count Leigh Griffiths as a big signing-has told fans he wants to entertain us during the run in at the end of the season.<\/p>\n
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In a direct contrast to Ian Black, of Second Rangers who arrogantly assumes that fans will turn up anyway, the Norwegian midfielder has offered his views on the way the game should be played;<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people are saying there\u2019s nothing more to play for but I don\u2019t think so. The competition to get into the team is hard and if you want to play, you have to play well every game.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to entertain the fans \u2013 they pay week in, week out to come and watch you. Football is an entertainment business and you need to entertain them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe lost our last away game but we want to win the rest of them this season and the team is good enough to do it. We have to keep up the hard work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a pressure to entertain. A club like Celtic should \u2013 the people who watch us have not come to see 11 guys playing in 30 metres of the pitch. They want to see us attacking and I like that style.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Norway a lot of teams don\u2019t play that way but my former team did try to. One of the reasons I wanted to come to Celtic was that I had seen some of their matches and they play the football I want to play. I can improve my game here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Refreshing, but will it catch on ?<\/p>\n
The inevitably of a third successive title may prove a little dull for some fans, bearing in mind the cost of a day out at the game, but nobody was put off going to see the film about the Titanic just because they knew how it would end, so there is definitely a case for trying to make the ninety minutes of action filled with, well, action. And perhaps a few special effects.<\/p>\n
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Johansen had picked up an injury, but is raring to go again, and even found time to express a bit of sorrow for fellow new bhoy Nir Bitton, who looks like he will be out for the rest of the season, just as he was beginning to settle in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fit now and I played in the first half for my national team against the Czech Republic last week and it felt good. I\u2019m ready for action on Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe team has played very well while I have been out so I have to fight my way back into the side and hopefully I will be able to do that on Friday. That\u2019s the main thing for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel sorry for Nir because he has been absolutely fantastic for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been impressed with him and not only him \u2013 the team has been playing very good football.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is difficult to get into the team but as I said when I came, I knew it was a big club with big competition in the team. I think that\u2019s good for everybody because you need to improve every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the pleasing aspects about Johansen -and Griffiths-is that they don’t appear to have the attitude that they have made it, both claim to have something to prove, and on the pitch both of them are putting in the kind of effort that hopefully will lead to a much improved European campaign next season. It certainly should see a shift from the sidieways passing and reluctance to have a pop at goal that has helped insomniacs find a haven at Celtic Park, and might be the biggest selling point for season books come renewal time.<\/p>\n
After all, the best advert for a product is to see it in action.<\/p>\n
Johansen is relishing life at Celtic. He continued;<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you can\u2019t handle the pressure, you are working in the wrong job \u2013 or maybe you need to find a smaller club.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things I like about Celtic is that you can feel the pressure. The club means a lot to people and it is our job to win so if we lose we can expect to hear from the fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a footballer, you can\u2019t think too much about it because it will affect your game and you\u2019ll be scared to make mistakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I believe in myself and I don\u2019t care about the people who want to talk s*** to me. Just let them do it because I always put the pressure on myself to do well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew it was big but when you first come here you feel exactly how big it is. The people recognise you away from the pitch but they have only been good. You can feel that Celtic means a lot to the city and playing for a club like this is what every footballer dreams of.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of Europe\u2019s biggest clubs and you feel that when you first come here. It\u2019s different here \u2013 a different pressure. That\u2019s not only from the media but from the supporters as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere can be 50,000 at the game every week so it\u2019s important you can handle it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am the type of guy who puts pressure on myself to do well. I don\u2019t feel the pressure from the media or supporters so much because I expect so much from myself. I think it is important in football to have self-belief.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the Champions League ?<\/p>\n
\u201cYou always dream as a young kid of playing in the Champions League. Celtic have been there and it is important for us as a team to improve and experience the Champions League \u2013 especially for me, as a young player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have never been there but I\u2019m starting to get some international games now and playing for a club like Celtic will help me a lot now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Compare the attitude of those two with that of exiled superstar Tony Watt, the undeniably talented but undoubtedly dim forward who is on loan in Belgium, which is an interesting idea for one of those BBC sitcoms featuring a vicar, a middle aged couple and some awful furniture.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThey don\u2019t know how to deal with me at Lierse,\u201d complained Watt. \u201cWhenever we lose I get the blame, and they always say I do things wrong. At Ostend last month I just played for 20 minutes, yet Menzo blamed me. I can\u2019t score goals if I am sitting on the bench. Menzo has two sets of rules. But you can\u2019t have different rules for different players. He clearly doesn\u2019t like me.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI was disappointed not to start that game. It is the coach\u2019s decision and I have to respect it, even though I don\u2019t agree with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve no problem with training, even though I am not always the best player during the sessions. I haven\u2019t yet reached my best level in Belgium. I need to play 15 games in a row to reach my top form \u2013 and if I don\u2019t play I\u2019ll just get fat.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Just when we thought he was approaching adulthood, Watt shows he is still capable of petulance. If he’s not careful he will be buying a house on Obscurity Avenue, and Celtic will look elsewhere for a partner for Griffiths.<\/p>\n
Oh, by the way, did I mention about the dream I had the other day, one that caused me to scream into the darkness and stumble downstairs for a sedative ? Its only fair to share the nightmare image. Don’t look if you are under eighteen, and certainly don’t look if you read this before 9pm.<\/p>\n
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Georgios Samaras is looking forward to Friday nights game at Rugby Park, and the match against Kilmarnock, which is apparently a ground where he has the midas touch;<\/p>\n
“I scored my first goal there and I also scored one of my best-ever goals for Celtic there \u2013 a header after we had about 22 passes,” he told this week\u00b4s Celtic\u00a0View in an exclusive interview. “It was just a tap-in, but football is a team game.<\/p>\n
“I don\u00b4t know what\u00b4s going on against Kilmarnock but I hope it continues. I need to speak with my magician to see what is going on, with all these positive things that are around Rugby Park.<\/p>\n
“It was probably because I scored my first goal there and it\u00b4s also the club I think I have scored the most goals against in domestic football. I can remember at least 10 goals I have scored against them \u2013 they are my favourite.”<\/p>\n
Who’s going to tell him ?<\/p>\n
“We need to keep the reaction we have had since Aberdeen,” he said. \u201cThat was a bad night for everyone. We had a really good start again last weekend and we want to keep that momentum going.<\/p>\n
“We didn\u2019t deserve to lose that Aberdeen game but you still need to find the character and mentality to go and start again. ”
\n“We have another eight weeks until the league is finished so we cannot relax. If we win the next few games, I know there might be a small party on the pitch and for the fans, but we still need to stay focused to have a really good finish to the domestic season.”<\/p>\n
Reading that I thought of Neville Chamberlains “As of eleven o’clock , we are at war with Germany. ” We ? He meant “you ”<\/p>\n
Samaras needs to make up his mind if he wants to stay-or at least tell us honestly why he wants to go. This current situation is doing no-one any good.<\/p>\n
He might yet start because James Forrest is injured again, having picked up a groin strain while training with Scotland. His family doctor has written to the NHS, asking them to remove a few hundred patients from his list, as he can no longer cope with the workload.<\/p>\n
One of the criticisms levelled at Celtic is that they have moved away from the clubs charitable roots, but part of that could be that very often , the work done by the clubs charity arm goes un-noticed , except for a few lines on the website or a column in the Celtic View.<\/p>\n
What was that about the PR man again ?<\/p>\n
The official website tells us of another event; ( there are a few, we just don’t seem to hear of them. )<\/p>\n
SCOTTISH Disability Sport and Celtic FC Foundation have formed a unique partnership to increase opportunities for children, athletes and players with a disability in the West of Scotland to access sport.<\/p>\n
Celtic has made a donation to SDS of more than \u00a320,000. The funds were raised from the 1888 Charity Shield seven-a-side tournament last year, which was sponsored by Ace Refrigeration. The event will be repeated in 2014 and will be launched soon.<\/p>\n
One of the flagship events within this partnership is the running of the fifth Scottish Disability Sport West of Scotland Para-Sport Festival on Tuesday, March 11, 2014.<\/p>\n
The festival is being held at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell and is open to pupils with a Physical Disability or Visual Impairment from mainstream secondary schools from across the west of Scotland.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the partnership, Gavin Macleod, CEO of Scottish Disability Sport, said: \u201cThe West of Scotland Parasport Festival has become an important event on the Scottish Disability Sport national calendar and allows us the opportunity to offer young disabled pupils from across the West of Scotland access to quality sporting opportunities across a range of sports.<\/p>\n
“Scottish Disability Sport is grateful to Celtic FC Foundation for their vital support of this event and for the wider support they are showing to disability sport in Scotland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: \u201cWe are delighted to team up with Scottish Disability Sport on this great initiative which will give so many young people the opportunity to get involved in sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cCeltic has a proud record of ensuring opportunity for all in sport and we are sure this partnership will be a great success.\u201d<\/p>\n
The diary is going to keep an eye out for more of this sort of thing, and it will help us to decide whether or not the club is being unfairly criticised, because in their defence, this sort of thing rarely hits the headlines.<\/p>\n
Unless someone redistributes ( nicks ) the takings, perhaps in a charity game, in which case it instantly becomes news.<\/p>\n
Unless it happens to be a particular club those accusations are levelled at.<\/p>\n
A club which soon won’t be able to defend itself against any accusations of wrong-doings or shennannigans -not that too many came their way publicly-as they have parted company with their PR man , “Black ” Jack Irvine, the Dark Lord of Media Manipulation-I think thats his full title- the said \u00a0company Mediahouse has been mutually consented by Second Rangers<\/p>\n
Whisperings that Irvine doesn’t want to hang around for the insolvency event he said won’t happen are gettting louder, but more likely he’s noticed that the chances of getting paid are low, as with all creditors at Ibrox, and he’s decided to look for pastures new.<\/p>\n
He might find them at the SFA, currently being pressurised by campaigners led by Auldheid, on TSFM, who wants some answers;<\/p>\n
He started with this article a couple of weeks ago;<\/p>\n
Harper MacLeod
\nThe Ca\u2019d’oro
\n45 Gordon Street
\nGlasgow
\nG1 3PE
\n19 Feb 2014
\nCopy sent to SPFL CEO and Board Members *
\nDear Mr McKenzie
\nWe the contributors to The Scottish Football Monitoring web site write to you in your capacity as the legal adviser employed by Harper MacLeod to assist the Scottish Premier League (now the Scottish Professional Football League) to gather evidence and investigate the matter of incorrect player registrations involving concealed side letters and employee benefit trusts as defined in the eventual Lord Nimmo Smith Commission.
\nWe note from the then SPL announcement that set up an enquiry that the initial date range to be covered was from the inception of the SPL in July 1998, but that was changed to 23 November 2000 because, according to our understanding, that is the date of the first side letter supplied by Rangers Administrators Duff and Phelps. It is also our understanding that the SPL asked for all documentation relating to side letters as well as the letters themselves.
\nIt is a matter of public record that Rangers Administrators failed to supply the SPL all relevant documentation. Indeed the seriousness of not complying with SPL requests was the subject of an admonition of Rangers\/Duff and Phelps from Lord Nimmo Smith under Issue 4 of his Commission.
\nQuite how serious that failure to comply or concealment was in terms of misleading the Commission and so Lord Nimmo Smith can now be assessed from the information contained at Annexes 1 to 10 attached.
\nWe think that as legal advisers to the SPL (now the SPFL) you have a responsibility to make them aware that their Commission was misled by the concealment of documents starting on 3 September 1999, and signed by current SFA President Campbell Ogilvie, whose silence on the ebt matters referred to in the attached annexes* is questionable at the very least.
\nThis letter but not attachments is being posted on The Scottish Football Monitor web site as this is matter for all of Scottish football and support for the issue being pursued to establish the truth can be gauged by responses from supporters from all Scottish clubs once the letter has been published there.
\nA copy of this letter with Annexes has also been sent to the SPFL CEO and members of the SPFL Board.<\/p>\n
There has been little response from the beaks as I write, but you can sort of predict what it will be;<\/p>\n
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Thignis, though. They can’t hide forever, and articles such as this one are a step in the right direction. All Auldheid is calling for, like any other supporter, is for a level playing field in Scotland, and an end to the secret handshake style of governance that has in the past , and is continung to do so in the present, allowed the the Scottish game a laughing stock amongst professional circles.<\/p>\n
Oh, its still going on. And some -and their clubs- are benefitting more than others<\/p>\n
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Speaking of that lot, Dave King, the glib and shameles liar from South Africa, is going to ” jet in ” and have talks with the board. Perhaps they are looking for legal advice.<\/p>\n
After all, King avoided jailtime in his home country by paying a huge fine, having been convicted of imaginative tax returns, by paying a huge fine.<\/p>\n
Oh, wait. If the solution involves paying bills it will take a while to convince anyone at Ibrox of the value of what would be a novel and refreshing approach to business.<\/p>\n
Joe MacBride, the grandson of Celtic great Joe MacBride-arguably the finest goalscorer to wear the Hoops-is training to run the Paris marathon, which has commendably avoided the name change to Snickers.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout seven months ago I was looking for a way to get fit and I thought I could perhaps try a half-marathon.<\/p>\n
\u201cI happened to be on the Stroke Association website and they were looking for volunteers to take on a full marathon. They had various choices but I really fancied the Paris one as I thought it could be a good way to see the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew a lot about my Grampa\u2019s goalscoring record, of course, and the fact that he missed out on Celtic\u00b4s biggest ever game through injury, but when he died in 2012, the outpouring of grief and the messages of condolence through letters, cards, social media and Twitter etc was quite unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI ran the Glasgow 10K for Men\u00b4s Health a few years ago in memory of my Gran and to raise money for the Marie Curie charity,\u201d he said. \u201cIn fact, I did it with my Grandfather and my Dad, although Grampa Joe walked it, but we still did it as a family.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Marathon is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I like to think I\u00b4m in good shape but the long runs are really all about your mental strength. You\u00b4re out for\u00a0two or three\u00a0hours at a time and you have to keep your mind occupied.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat last mile as you head for home is really difficult. Hopefully, once I get to Paris, the adrenaline will kick in and see me through it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a donations page and there\u00b4s also my Twitter address which has been brilliant with the encouragement and messages of support that I\u00b4ve been getting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fondest memories I have of my Grampa are of him taking me to football every Saturday from the age of six right up until I played Under-19s for Queen\u00b4s Park. He always had a quiet word of encouragement for me and my brother or anyone else who would want to listen.\u201d<\/p>\n
To sponsor Joe McBride go to\u00a0<\/strong>www.justgiving.com\/Joe-McBride1<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0You can also follow him on Twitter, @JoeMcBrideParis\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n To raise more money, young Joe MacBride could also do personal appearances, and tell people he’s really Joe Ledley…<\/p>\n
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