{"id":6534,"date":"2015-02-06T11:07:14","date_gmt":"2015-02-06T11:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=6534"},"modified":"2015-02-06T11:07:14","modified_gmt":"2015-02-06T11:07:14","slug":"celtic-diary-friday-february-6-i-have-in-my-hand-a-piece-of-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=6534","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Friday February 6: I Have In My Hand A Piece Of Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kris Commons stood on the steps of Celtic Park last night , waving his new contract in the air, to the cheers of an adoring crowd. Well, he didn’t, but he could have.<\/p>\n

\"Embedded<\/p>\n

The Celtic playmaker and goalscorer finally got what he -and the vast majority of the support-wanted when he penned a two year deal which means he will probably end his playing career in the hoops.<\/p>\n

He sounds happy enough;<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s awesome, a great feeling and a huge burden off my shoulders. Now I can concentrate on the proper stuff \u2013 playing football and winning more trophies for this club.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m absolutely buzzing. It has been a strange couple of months and speculation is never good for the mind when you\u2019re trying to play at the top level.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe contract is a massive relief to myself and my family.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0His landlord will probably be a little relieved as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore league titles would be wonderful as well as a few more cups in the cabinet.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, when you think of Celtic you think of Europe and it would be a huge achievement for us to make the Champions League next season and the season after that.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe club is in a great place. We\u2019re still in four competitions this season and already have a cup final to look forward to.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Commons has scored 74 goals in 175 appearances for Celtic, and he just might be the next player to join the goalscorers 100 club, after John Hartson, which is a tremendous achievement for a midfielder.<\/p>\n

Manager Ronny Deila, who has said all along that his priority was to keep his top men, added;<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI am really pleased Kris has committed his future to the club.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe is someone who has already made a great contribution to Celtic and I am sure he will continue to be an important player as we work to bring our fans the success they deserve.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have had a good week after reaching the League Cup Final and following the signings of Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven, Kris\u2019s contract extension is even more great news.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0We have, haven’t we ? Commons, along with Scott Brown and Charlie Mulgrew, is exactly the type of player needed to help the new lads get to grips with their new lives at the club, and the new contract is a clear message that if you do the business for Celtic, we will look after you towards the end of your career as well.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Commons secured, two of the brightest talents inScotland, and one of the brightest from Ireland signed up, an extension for the promising Eoghan O’Connell, a cup final, another cracking cup game to look forward to at lunchtime tomorrow, and of course the two matches against struggling Inter Milan later this month.<\/p>\n

Struggling ?<\/p>\n

Well, they just got knocked out of the cup by a late, sloppy goal, which infuriated manager Roberto Mancini;<\/p>\n

“You just can’t concede a goal like that, I’m shocked.<\/em><\/p>\n

“The goal we let in was absurd. We shouldn’t have lost this game.<\/em><\/p>\n

“We played really well throughout the game, but every time we go and hand the opposition a free goal. We were far too lax.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Higuain is a smart player and he nipped in there before anyone else on the throw-in.<\/em><\/p>\n

“We were like a bunch of chickens – it was five against one. It was a ridiculous goal to concede.<\/em><\/p>\n

“We did the same on Sunday against Sassuolo.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Smart player takes advantage of their mistake ?<\/p>\n

Where can we find one of them ?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0Wait until Peter gets back from his January break and sees whats been going on. Leaving the Khazak general in charge and hoping no-one will notice has backfired.<\/p>\n

\"senator\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Ach, thats unfair.<\/p>\n

Lawwell has backed the manager, he’s decided to ignore whoever was telling him that Scottish players weren’t good enough, and this could be the start of a fantastic run in to a special season.<\/p>\n

\u00a0We hear that the bold Peter has been happy enough with the acquisition of two people, and his next move is to ditch two who he feels haven’t been pulling their weight;<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0If he does that, and signs up to the living wage for Celtic Park employees, then I’m going to personally carry him on my shoulders to his seat at the following home game.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Or buy him a pint.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Whichever involves the least effort.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Lawwell is often slated by the support, and accused of not having the clubs best interests at heart. So its only fair that when he shows he does actually care, such as this last couple of weeks, he receives adequate praise for his actions.<\/p>\n

Although posting a selfie was probably a step too far.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tomorrows cup game won’t be easy. Dundee have already despatched Aberdeen, and will be more than up for the battle.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Their manager, Paul Hartley, has been in charge for a year now, and wants to celebrate the anniversary with a win;<\/p>\n

\u201cA win would be a nice way to celebrate a year in charge.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNot many managers last a year these at clubs these days so I\u2019m quite happy to still be in a job after a year!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just the way it is but I\u2019m happy here.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a good year and an eventful one too.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been exciting and a good challenge on and off the pitch.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have rebuilt the squad since coming up from the Championship and are now in the top-flight doing all right.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat has been satisfying since taking the job is that we have built a squad that\u2019s been able to compete.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s been the main thing for us, building a squad strong enough to play at the top level, then we can consolidate and build again like other teams have done.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to progress year by year.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNow we have another big game and I don\u2019t think the pressure is on us on Saturday.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCeltic are obviously the favourites but in the games against them so far this season we\u2019ve ran them close.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have given them two good games and we will give ourselves a chance on Saturday.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe will set a team out to be as attack-minded as possible.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI think the run we are on shows that we\u2019ve got good character within the ranks.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s all credit to the players.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Teams talking about beating Celtic ? Teams talking about a good run in the Cup ? Look, just because the trophies have been spread around in a more competitive environment since Rangers left the scene doesn’t give these clubs a divine right to win. Why can’t they just park the bus and go for damage limitation like they used to ?<\/p>\n

There are only six Premier League teams left in the competition, so there will still be \u00a0a lot of players dreaming of a day out at Hampden, and Dundees will be no different.<\/p>\n

We love it really, because it means that despite everything you hear from the doom-mongers, the game is actually thriving, and although no-one in the media wants to admit it, and no-one in the corridors of power wants to try to sell it, the game is doing very well.<\/p>\n

I’m looking forward to what will be a tense , exciting game, and whilst I’m confident, theres that little edge to the tie that means I can’t be certain.<\/p>\n

Oh, and by the way, if you are heading to the game, watch out for the new hi-tech police motors. They will be intercepoting busues and cars on the way to the game, and don’t forget, they hate weegies.<\/p>\n

\"Embedded<\/p>\n

Manager Ronny Deila seems to have fianlly settled on his first eleven-Gordon, Lustig, van Dijk, Denaayer, Izaguerre, Brown, bitton, Johansen, Commons, Stokes and Griffiths.<\/p>\n

That always helps, and he has shown that if you perform, and do things the way he wants you to do it, then you will get a shot in the team, and after that its up to you to stay there.<\/p>\n

Early in his tenure, I wondered if he had the man management skills to earn the respect and loyalty of his players. He’sproved he has, and proved a lot of us wrong.<\/p>\n

Now lets see some silverware.<\/p>\n

In the postscript to yesterdays Diary, I mentioned the video of a grilling poor Kenny MacDowell was on the end of, firstly because it was unusual to see an Ibrox manager facing difficult questions, and it means that we are actually getting a glimpse of what might happen next;<\/p>\n

\"Embedded<\/p>\n

A sign that the end game is upon us ?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Well, its starting to look like thats part of the plan as they start to tear apart whats left from within.<\/p>\n

Empires always crumble from within.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The papers are full of the rescue plan on the table from convicted fraudster Dave King, and his pals who helped the original club to die. He is going to call an EGM where he reckons he will drive Mike Ashley-still the only person to spend his own money on the club in the last thirty years or so, even if technically he’s lending it them, and an announcement needs to be made today in order to set this meeting up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I have to tell you, that as of the time of writing, no such undertaking has been received.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For all their spouting, for all their posturing, they actually can’t do anything that they have said they will. Whether the SFA “tips the wink ” to King and his merry men, the simple fact is that Ashley can deny them an EGM as he could deem it “frivolous ” because the men who sunk Ibrox once cannot serve on the board of another company, which means, in turn, the EGM serves no purpose.<\/p>\n

Its the law.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, MacDowell has been told to retract his claim that he isn’t picking the team, by the people who told him he was, and the whole thing is teetering on the abyss again. No-one really knows whats going on, and as the days pass, more and more people don’t seem to give a toss.<\/p>\n

In fact, Kenny shiels, who used to be involved in football somewhere or other, has criticised the Ibrox club for ruining his sons career. Dean Shiels, who joined the new club shortly after it was born, has been asked to help supporters park their cars at the ground, and its upset daddy.<\/p>\n

\"Embedded<\/p>\n

The player was the subject of a bid from Premier League side Hamilton, who presumably have never seen him play, and the Ibrox entity knocked it back. Probably something to do with loading the club with debt ready for when they have to sort their tax bill out.<\/p>\n

Shiels senior was raging, and , in what has to be the single most moved from reality statement ever issued, told the Record;<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t think Rangers not letting Dean go is as big a surprise as him not playing in the team.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s remarkable when you have one of the most creative players in Scotland \u2013 something Rangers are lacking \u2013 and he\u2019s not playing.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Looking from a neutral perspective with my football head rather than as his parent, he should be in the side.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRangers have had a problem fitting No.10s into their team as far back as Charlie Adam, John Fleck and Andrew Shinnie.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThey were all quality players but none got much football in rigid 4-4-2 formations.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDean is now in that bracket as well but if you look at his record, his goals and assists are very good.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe is Rangers\u2019 best player and one of the top six in his position in the country.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery other team in Scotland \u2013 perhaps with the exception of Celtic as they have Kris Commons \u2013 would take Dean.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThese last three years have ruined his career.<\/em><\/p>\n

“He has lost international caps because of what has happened but he trains hard every day.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt beggars belief he hasn\u2019t been playing.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Away from all that nonsense now, and its time to raise a few quid for charity. and so we should;<\/p>\n

\"Embedded<\/p>\n

The wee fellows an inspiration, and deserves our support.<\/p>\n

O. Dixie Dixie, Dixie Dixie Dixie Dixie Deans was the man in the picture yesterday, wearing the colours of the team that sold him to us. Just one of a number of great strikers to join the hoops from Motherwell.<\/p>\n

Heres another from Motherwell who did quite well for us. Who is he ?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

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