{"id":4861,"date":"2014-04-15T10:45:18","date_gmt":"2014-04-15T09:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=4861"},"modified":"2014-04-15T10:45:18","modified_gmt":"2014-04-15T09:45:18","slug":"celtic-diary-tuesday-april-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=4861","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Tuesday April 15"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today is the anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy. At six minutes past three, spare a thought for those who never made it home from the game.<\/p>\n

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Co Adriaanse, described by the daily Mail as a “Dutch coaching legend “, has urged national team boss Louis van Gaal to take Virgil van dijk to the World Cup. Ralph Malph, of Etims, has backed this claim, amidst fears that the big defender is about to embark on a career in the teenage music industry.<\/p>\n

\"Option:<\/p>\n

Adriaanse is currently without a club, but has been in charge of more than most during a colourful management career where he is remembered for calling a PSV Eindhoven chairman a “talking lampshade ” and telling Marco van Basten, who was being touted for a coaching position with Ajax, that a “good horse does not make a good rider”.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2018Virgil van Dijk is a good option for Holland,\u2019 said Adriaanse of the former Holland Under-21 star.<\/p>\n

\u2018He has the height, the build, the temperament and the speed for that position.<\/p>\n

\u2018Van Dijk has been consistently good for Celtic and he is also a threat at set-pieces.<\/p>\n

\u2018I believe Holland would have a good defensive partnership with Virgil van Dijk and Terence Kongolo of Feyenoord.\u2019<\/p>\n

Maybe its too early for van Dijk to be a first team player for his country, especially one that usually makes the latter stages of tournaments before self destructing, and although you want the best for your players, I’d rather he stayed away from possible destructive and destabilising \u00a0influences for a while yet.<\/p>\n

But I’m no Co Adriaanse.<\/p>\n

Brad Walker of Hartlepool, a seventeen year old midfielder is the latest youngster to be linked with a move to Celtic, although other top sides such as Stoke and Norwich are interested. Colin Cooper, the boss at Hartlepool, says the six foot three lad is amongst the best players he’s ever seen at that age. And he’s got a job.<\/p>\n

From what I’ve seen of the boy, he can stand on one leg unassisted for ages, which is useful.<\/p>\n

\"Brad<\/p>\n

Hugh Keevins has left the Record, and the search has begun to find another quality commentator to help Scottish football fans understand fully what the game is all about north of the border. The competition, known as the “hotline ” has already unearthed a couple of prime candidates;<\/p>\n

” Lyndsay Archibald, Glasgow, reckons Rangers could have done with the striker ( Stevie May ) on Saturday against Dundee United. He said: \u201cIf we\u2019d had May it could have been different. But we shouldn\u2019t be too down \u2013 we proved we can live with one of the best Premiership sides.\u201d<\/p>\n

Until they have the ball.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Colin Campbell, Paisley, also thought Ally McCoist\u2019s side proved the critics wrong at the weekend.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cThat was the best display I\u2019ve seen from Rangers since they beat Motherwell last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Dean Shiels had scored with his early chance, I\u2019m convinced it would have been a different outcome.<\/p>\n

3-2 ?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt shows what the players are capable of when they put their minds to it. With another two or three additions this team will be good enough for second place in the top flight before we then take the next step of adding a bit more quality so that we can win the title.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite being easily beaten by a side playing at half pace at their own ground. A side who are currently fourth in the Premier League. Thirty six points off the pace. Having won less than half of their games.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

We’ll try to keep an eye on this new reality show, although reality doesn’t seem to feature very highly amongst the entrants.<\/p>\n

There is a bright young prospect in the media, Michael Stewart…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But his career is expected to be cut short after he checked his hotel room after the game;<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Eoghan O’Connell, the young centre back who made his debut a couple of weeks ago, has popped back down from cloud nine to talk about it;<\/p>\n

\u201cThe manager has shown in the past with players such as James that if you work hard and are good enough he will give you the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then he decided to talk about Liam Henderson instead, showing a commendable humility and a genuine respect for his team mate;<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to think players such as Liam can give the manager something to think about when it comes to signing new players and hopefully save the club some money.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is brilliant what Liam has achieved this season and everybody in the development squad looks up to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn most of the Premiership games that Liam has played he has been the stand-out performer. So I don\u2019t see any reason why he couldn\u2019t take that step up and hold his own in the Champions League.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe likes of Liam and myself will just keep working hard and see where that takes us.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is up to the manager what he wants to do with regards to signing players in the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is an ethic coming to the fore with these young players, an ethic of hard work. Previously, under Kenny McDowell ( whatever happened to him ) youngsters didn’t make the final step to the first team, but in the last twelve months we have seen Darnell Fisher, Liam Henderson and now O’Connell slot in alongside more experienced players and learn from them. Its all good, and theres nothing better than watching a youngster make the grade.<\/p>\n

We hear theres another starlet in the making, who could explode onto the scene next year,<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Stefan Johansen is someone else who has been spending a bit of time on cloud nine. Statistically Celtics most decorated player-he wins a title every six months- has decided he is not going to use Celtic as a stepping stone to England;<\/p>\n

“From my first day here, people have been asking me about the English Premier League and things like that.<\/p>\n

“But, I have a two and a half year contract with this club, and I am enjoying Celtic and I am enjoying Glasgow.”<\/p>\n

“Celtic are in the Champions League because we won the championship again this year,” he said. “So, the expectation for the club is what is intriguing me.<\/p>\n

“Winning is what football is all about, and it is what it is all about at Celtic.”<\/p>\n

There have been players-Joos Hooiveld springs immediately to mind-who have talked the talk at Celtic, before underperforming on the pitch. Johansen talks and performs. a rarity these days, and his atttitude is second to none. But that contract needs extending while he’s still in a good mood….<\/p>\n

Johann Mjallby likes the lad too, and has been impressed with how quickly he has settled in Scotland;<\/p>\n

“Sometimes you can be a bit unsettled. But the main thing is not to show that on the pitch.<\/p>\n

“If you are a footballer, you should love it always to be able to play football.<\/p>\n

“Obviously, you can be effected by family situations, or if you are not playing well, confidence-wise, and stuff like that.<\/p>\n

“But, if you want to make it at the highest level, it’s really important you are strong mentally, and I think Stefan has that in him.<\/p>\n

“He has started well enough to show he can become a really good player for Celtic.”<\/p>\n

The midfield is taking shape, and with the defence sorted, then next season could be one to remember… as long as everyone turns their phones off when the transfer window opens…<\/p>\n

Celtic fans have a lot to look forward too. The Champions League, a possible four in a row, solvency, and so on , so spare a thought for those on the other side of the city who face a summer of uncertainty as the vultures gather to compete for their season book money.<\/p>\n

Dave King, who already has multiple convictions for fraud, has offered to look after their money for them, releasing it to the Ibrox club only when they hand over security-the stadium and anything else he can get his hands on.<\/p>\n

I’m thinking of a similar scheme for our CSC, the Lennon, where members give me their season book money and I put it into a new car or something.<\/p>\n

It might be difficult to persuade them though…I mentioned it at the last meeting and they haven’t stopped calling me names yet.<\/p>\n

It would be unfair to criticise the Rangers support, as they have given no indication of falling for this bullshit, although their track record isn’t great, one would like to think they can see through this latest scam to relieve them of their money.<\/p>\n

If they truly want the current board out, they just have to refuse to renew. Like Graham Wallace, the CEO, has reportedly refused to renew the lease on his current house…..<\/p>\n

John “Bomber ” Brown is the latest former player to jump on the Dave King bandwagon;<\/p>\n

\"John<\/p>\n

The handsome, articulate and cultured former defender said;<\/p>\n

\u201cDave King\u2019s plan is the only show in town now,He is 100% right in asking for the money to be put in a trust and released to the club only in the right circumstances.<\/p>\n

Right circumstances…. presumably a court order.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIf he can set up a trust and gain guarantees that Ibrox \u2013 and, to a lesser extent, Murray Park \u2013 will never be used a pawn to broker deals and be safe in the fans\u2019 hands forever, that would be a good thing.<\/p>\n

Its probably too late for that..<\/em><\/p>\n

If the board get all that season-ticket money up front, the club maybe won\u2019t last until the end of next season.<\/p>\n

Next season ? They are struggling to make the end of this season.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRemember what the board has done in the last two years. From what I can see, all the money has dis\u00adappeared and the chances are it could disappear again.<\/p>\n

Wouldn’t they have to find it first, so they can make it disappear again ? Oh, sorry, he means the next lot of money. This lot struggle with the correct usage of the word “again ” . such as entering administration “again” . For the new club, administration will be a first.<\/em><\/p>\n

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I would never ask Rangers fans not to support their team, but they haven\u2019t been happy for\u00a0two years and they need to do something now.<\/p>\n

Buy their grandchildren a Celtic top ?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI am 100% certain that Rangers are going to go into administration again further down the line unless the supporters move to take control of the situation. The faces have changed in the boardroom, of course, but I\u00a0would question who really is running the club behind the scenes.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Still, there is some good news for them this week. The five day Ibrox weather forecast has sunshine and temperatures in the low twenties, although towards the end of the week it is expected to reach around ten million degrees centigrade…<\/p>\n

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Yesterdays caption competition had Jimmy Bell, the kitman at the Death Star, musing on his clubs latest humiliation. Jackie MacNamara didn’t help with his handshake at the end of the game either;<\/p>\n

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Which reminds me-what has the former Celt noticed here….?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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