{"id":6870,"date":"2015-03-30T11:25:50","date_gmt":"2015-03-30T10:25:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=6870"},"modified":"2015-03-30T11:25:50","modified_gmt":"2015-03-30T10:25:50","slug":"celtic-diary-monday-march-30-scotland-in-seven-goal-thriller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=6870","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Monday March 30: Scotland In Seven Goal Thriller"},"content":{"rendered":"

Perhaps it was just the fact that its difficult to work up an interest in football these days, but that particular break seemed to go on forever. With television having somehow persuaded UEFA that theres seven days in a week, we’ve worked out why non countries such as Gibraltar, the Faores and northern Ireland have been allowed to take part.<\/p>\n

It’s so theres more games on the telly.<\/p>\n

Games which are stacked up like movies with the feature presentation on last. This meant that Scotland and Gibraltar kicked off at five o’clock yesterday, which is not usually associated with playing football.<\/p>\n

The Scotland game was on Sky sports, now in its notice period in the Malph household-0344 241 0266, for those who want to chuck it-which meant you had to pay to see it. On ITV, free to good homes-was Germany against Georgia.<\/p>\n

Something not right there.<\/p>\n

Scotland managed a comfortable enough 6-1 win, with Steven Fletcher hitting a hatrick, which added to the surreal feeling around the event. Halfway through the qualifying phase, having played all the teams in the group, the Scots are just one point off leaders Poland, which, er, adds to the surreal feeling surrounding the event.\"Embedded<\/p>\n

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Fletcher ‘s hat trick takes his international tally to four in twenty games, his\u00a0other goal coming against Iceland, in the three way Retail Cup, which was won by Tesco.<\/p>\n

Fletchers sudden return to form was explained on twitter by ” journalist ” Matt Lindsay,<\/p>\n

No surprise that Steven Fletcher has rediscovered his scoring touch with Scotland after starting to work with ex-Rangers boss Dick Advocaat.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Yeah, that’ll be it. Especially when you remember how the Dutchman worked miracles with Tore Andre Flo during their time at the now defunct Rangers<\/p>\n

All we need now, to complete the story of a strange weekend is an ex celtic manager saying he can’t get another job as a manager because he’s black…and not, as is indeed the case, because he’s fucking hopeless.<\/p>\n

The Guardian;<\/p>\n

John Barnes says being black has damaged his career as a manager<\/h1>\n

No, John . for the last time. Being shite has damaged you career as a manager. Oh, wait , it’s in the Guardian. perhaps its a typo, and it actually should say “shite ” .<\/p>\n

Barnes explained (again );<\/p>\n

\u201cA white manager loses his job and gets another job, he loses his job, he gets another job. Very few black managers can lose their job and get another job,\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Very few managers are as bad as Barnes. Which is probably a factor in his difficulty getting work.<\/p>\n

It’s a chilling thought that if Henrik Larsson hadn’t broken his leg, Barnes might still be in charge.<\/p>\n

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Nir Bitton aggravated a recent ankle injury while he was away with Israel, which caused alarm amongst the Celtic support. Bitton is a candidate for player of the year, such has been his improvement since taking over from charlie Mulgrew in midfield.<\/p>\n

Another midfielder in the news, well, thats news in the loosest possible meaning of the word, is Liam Henderson;<\/p>\n

Celtic midfielder Liam Henderson poised<\/h1>\n

for shock loan move to Norwegian side Rosenborg<\/h1>\n

It’s from the Record, so you don’t need me to tell you that its nonsense.<\/p>\n

More nonsense, as Celts are linked with Thiago Ilori, of Liverpool;<\/p>\n

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The 22 year Potuguese, born in London, is currently on loan from the Mersey club in France, with Bordeaux.<\/p>\n

The Liverpool Echo recently summarised his chances of making it at Anfield;<\/p>\n

How he\u2019s doing:\u00a0<\/strong>A promising start at the Ligue 1 club \u2013 three 90 minute matches in two weeks \u2013 was curtailed with an injury away to Reims in early October. Since then, he has struggled to regain his place in the side, with Nicolas Pallois and Ludovic Sane forming a partnership. Sane is now at the Africa Cup of Nations, however, which could give Ilori a chance; he played the full game Bordeaux lost 2-1 to Paris St-Germain on Wednesday.<\/em><\/p>\n

Will he feature for Liverpool in the future?\u00a0<\/strong>Hard to say. The Reds parted with \u00a37m for a player yet to kick a ball at the club, and there is little evidence to justify that decision – yet. Though he is quick, good on the ball and did well on loan to Granada last season, there is a long line of central defenders ahead of him.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Doesn’t look like the brave, fearsome type;<\/p>\n

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I think its time to sack the foreign scout.<\/p>\n

While celtic have had a chance to take their minds off the end of season pressure, if only for a week or so, its geting a little intense down at Ibrox, where the comedy soap opera continues to run and run….<\/p>\n

Keith Jackson, who does so much to bring a little transparency to the dealing down there is on the ball again;<\/p>\n

THE newly instated regime at Rangers is already facing a race against time to protect their own credibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Hmm. Perhaps “protect ” isn’t the right word here. You can only protect what you have.<\/p>\n

Directors Paul Murray, John Gilligan, Douglas Park and John Bennett have until Saturday not only to appoint a new nominated advisor, but also to convince the regulators of the AIM market this beaten-up business is in fact deserving of a second chance and readmission to the Stock Exchange.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now this will not be at all easy, especially given that over this last year Rangers have the dubious honour of being tagged officially as the single most complained about company on AIM\u2019s books.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

But, but, didn’t Dave King have a NOMAD all lined up ?<\/p>\n

There is a strong suspicion the top brass in the City are sick to the back teeth of this Ibrox odditorium.<\/em><\/p>\n

That they have been embarrassed by it once too often and, having already suspended their shares, would rather wash their hands of it good.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Which a cynic might say is what King wanted all along. No prying eyes, no regulators, just loads of supporters giving him loads of money…<\/p>\n

Of course, Murray and his men cannot be blamed for any of this. On the contrary they have taken on the job of cleaning up the mess others have left behind in the board room and are discovering now the full extent of the toxicity of their predecessors.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Out with the airbrush, and Murray and King had nothing to do with that other airbrushed director David Murray, who it would be fair to say is at least partly to blame for the mess over there.<\/p>\n

They ought to consider ditching the standard issue blue blazers and brown brogues for a while because, while this process continues, they\u2019d be better off in full-on chemical protection suits.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Chemical protection suits….perhaps there is a way to raise money quickly for them…<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

And they will need money, this summer at the latest;<\/p>\n

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There seems no reason to doubt they are acting in good faith but they are also operating in a quagmire which has been created by all manner of chancers and charlatans over the last three years.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Keith, just say it.<\/p>\n

Just once mention David Murray.<\/p>\n

He started it, you know.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Just like those stories on the web about certain companies refusing to sponsor the SPFL until certain individuals are removed from the corridors of power.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Where did all the good journalists go ?<\/p>\n

Anyone got a number for these two ?<\/p>\n

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\u00a0The last time the Lisbon Lions played together was the subject of Fridays picture-was it so long ago ? I blame the international break.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Right. St. anthony on twitter has to be given thanks for this picture. Probably the toughest one yet…<\/p>\n

Who is it ?<\/p>\n

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Perhaps it was just the fact that its difficult to work up an interest in football these days, but that particular break seemed to go…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":6871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/sleeping.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2J7If-1MO","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6870"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6870"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6872,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6870\/revisions\/6872"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}