{"id":7681,"date":"2015-08-25T09:39:40","date_gmt":"2015-08-25T08:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=7681"},"modified":"2015-08-25T09:39:40","modified_gmt":"2015-08-25T08:39:40","slug":"celtic-diary-tuesday-august-25-and-now-some-optimism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=7681","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Tuesday August 25: And Now, Some Optimism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, someone has to do it.<\/p>\n

Lets start with the ginger ninja himself, current Scotland and former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan. Never one not to ofer a short of a quick word ( velocity ) about Celtic, he chipped in with the unthinkable for the rest of the media.<\/p>\n

Believe it or not, this is from the Evening Times;<\/p>\n

Strachan: Celtic qualifying would be just<\/h1>\n

Champion for Scotland<\/h1>\n

It’s by Sports Group Writer Scott Mullen, if you look closely at his picture, you can see he didn’t have time to comb his hair after the editor hauled him off for an explanation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Strachan, ahead of tonights crucial play off decider in Malmo, said;<\/p>\n

\u201d I think they\u2019ll win. I don\u2019t want to be like the Malmo coach and tell you what\u2019s going right in the world and what\u2019s going wrong.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI just believe they have a good chance of doing it because they have good passers of the ball, Celtic. They have good counter attacking players.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a boost for us all because it\u2019s a new journey, new games, a new focus. There\u2019s a freshness and that\u2019s what the players like.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIf not, we\u2019re off to \u2018that place again\u2019 and even the guys in the media have to write about that and try and make it interesting. It\u2019s the same with the players.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt can only benefit everybody.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Strachan was speaking after announcing the Scotland squad to face Georgia and Germany in the upcoming Euro qualifiers, which included six Celtic players, Gordon, Mulgrew, Brown, Armstrong, Forrest and Griffiths, which could see more Celts start in the Scotland team than o in the Celtic one.<\/p>\n

Ewen Murray, the Guardian golf correspondent who occasionally, and mysteriously, \u00a0shares his thoughts on football, tweeted;<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ewan Murray<\/strong>\u00a0\u200f@<\/s>mrewanmurray<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/a>\u00a020h<\/span>20 hours ago<\/span><\/a><\/small><\/div>\n

Repeating myself but find it odd there are 10 midfielders deemed better Scotland squad options than Charlie Adam.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

That’s because Strachan only picks ten midfielders for his squad. The manager wouldn’t struggle to find twenty better if he had to.<\/p>\n

Mind you, Murray has tonights in depth analysis sorted;<\/p>\n

Ewan Murray<\/strong>\u00a0\u200f@<\/s>mrewanmurray<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0Aug 20<\/span><\/a><\/small><\/div>\n

Analysis plus analysis of Celtic v Malmo can’t hide fact that Malmo aren’t a very good team. Highly damning if Celtic eliminated by them.<\/em><\/p>\n

Which is pretty much the line taken by the rest of the media. It’s all about the consequences of defeat, and not the spoils of victory.<\/p>\n

We need some positivity, and where else to look but the man of the moment, Ronny Deila. He’s confident.<\/p>\n

You’d have thought David McCarthy would have echoed that in his story;<\/p>\n

\u00a0Ronny Deila last night insisted Celtic WILL win the biggest match of his life in Malmo to crash into the Champions League.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Hoops boss led his squad to Sweden yesterday convinced his players are good enough to survive a \u00a320million shootout in Swedbank Stadium to rub shoulders with Europe\u2019s elite in the world\u2019s biggest club competition.<\/em><\/p>\n

Deila has no doubt his team, who lead 3-2, are better than Malmo<\/a>\u00a0– despite the confidence exuding from the Swedish camp after Jo Inge Berget\u2019s last minute goal at Celtic Park changed the complexion of the tie.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Insisted ?<\/em> Against a tide of negativity from the hacks, no doubt.<\/p>\n

Convinced ?<\/em>\u00a0 Even though the ” experts” are trying their best to tell him otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Despite the confidence exudiing from the Swedish camp? <\/em>Confidence ? They’re sqeualing like stuck, er pigs.<\/p>\n

I’m going to rewrite that for him. To change the mood a little.<\/p>\n

Ahead of Celtics clash with Malmo tonight, Ronny Deila reassured nervous \u00a0Celtic fans that it will be his side who triumph and take their place in the Group Stages. The Norwegian maestro roared ahead of the game;\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c It is the biggest game for me and then the next one in Europe will be even bigger. This is a big game for the club and everyone, of course it is.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to get to the Champions League group stage. If we win on Tuesday, we have succeeded in one of our first goals. So it is one of the biggest games of our season. It is very, very important.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like a final. But for me it is about getting better and better, If we get through, we can then show we have taken another step as a team.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are well prepared and looking forward to the game. The goal is to win, of course.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to win this game. That\u2019s the only thing I\u2019m thinking of. We are going to Malmo to win.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can talk about the positive things. We have a very, very good chance.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

We are good enough to do it. It\u2019s just about going out there and doing it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI am very, very positive. We haven\u2019t lost away from for six months. We are coming here with a lead and we showed at Celtic Park we can cause Malmo problems. That\u2019s what we are going to do.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It’s been a long campaign. Stjarnan and Qarabag seem so long ago, and it’s credit to the players, that apart from a brief spell at the end of the first Malmo game, that they have kept to the required level of performance, both physically and mentally. With each passing game, the Hoops are getting stronger, quicker and more confident.<\/p>\n

\u00a0There’s no reason Celtic should lose tonight, not only on aggregate, but the game itself.<\/p>\n

The much maligned defence has played five games, and only conceded three goals. All of which were down to a lack of concentration, and the Qarabag away game showed that they can concentrate fully when they need to. Tonight, of course, they will need to.<\/p>\n

But what about the pressure , wailed the hacks, now genuinely worried that Ronny actually knows what he’s talking about, giving him an immediate advantage over them;<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I feel pressure all the time. When you have big goals the pressure is unbelievably strong. But that\u2019s what you have to cope with when you are a player and a manager. You have to use your energy to get the best performance possible.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>But what if you lose etc, etc ?<\/div>\n

\u201cWhy should I be negative? I know the situation very clearly \u2013 we are 3-2 up! We showed in the first game we know how to cope with Malmo. If we get the best performance we have a good chance to win. That\u2019s what I see and that\u2019s what I go for. We are going to play a team that we\u2019ll have chances to beat. We have a very, very good chance.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe showed at Celtic we can cope with the team and we have skills in our team to win this game. That\u2019s what we have to focus on. I think we\u2019re a better team than Malmo. If I didn\u2019t think like this we wouldn\u2019t have a chance of making the Champions League.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe will go to win the game, of course. But it depends also on the picture of the game and how the match plan is going. We have to defend well but also cause them problems.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Deila continued, because, of course, the press commented on accusations from the Malmo camp that Virgil van Dijk may be a little less focussed than he should be with all the transfer speculation;<\/p>\n

\u201cHis head is here with Celtic, that\u2019s for sure. He has played very well in the recent games and he will be very motivated going into this one. I have no worried about Virgil whatsoever because I haven\u2019t seen anything until now.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe is focused. In the home game he was very good, especially in the first half. He was vital for us and he\u2019s going to be very important for us in this game also.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need to sell Virgil. Celtic is a big club and hopefully we\u2019ll have van Dijk and Champions League at Celtic Park.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Anyone who has seen the Dutchman’s reaction to Celtic’s goals in this campaign needs no re assurance on that issue.<\/p>\n

Critics have said that van Dijk should have come clean and said he is staying, and his refusal to do so means he is away. Of course, there is the possibility that the manager is telling the truth, and that the defender just wants to concentrate on his game.<\/p>\n

And the rest of the defence ? Ronny gave them a vote of confidence, as the vultures tried to imply it was a problem;<\/p>\n

Our defence was the best ever in Scotland last year so it’s strange that I get these questions about the defence.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

There is a doubt over Mikael Lustig, who trained with the team last night. Ronny was forthright about his chances;<\/p>\n

We will see tomorrow if he is ready or not. But we are taking him with us because he has a chance.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe hasn\u2019t done any work since he got the injury last week, just rest and treatment ”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

It looks like every opportunity will be given for Lustig to start. He is a class act, and for the biggest game of the season , it might well be worth the risk. There is a danger he will break down, but if he thinks he’s ready, we should go for it.<\/p>\n

It’s not like he just stepped off a plane from South Africa or anything. At least if he plays the man who did just step off a plane will be on the bench, and to be fair to big Efe, he will give us his all if called on, and I feel a little better knowing there is someone of his experience ready to stand in if Lustig doesn’t make it.<\/p>\n

Rather have the big Swede though.<\/p>\n

The team , Lustig permitting, is pretty much set in stone for tonight;<\/p>\n

Gordon, Lustig van Dijk, Boyata, Izaguirre, Brown Biton, Armstrong, Johansen, Forrest, Griffiths.<\/p>\n

We may see Charlie Mulgrew at left back, offering a little more solidity, but he doesn’t have the pace to deal with Djurdic or Berget. He’s more likely to be added to the midfield later to calm things down and try to control the latter stages of the game. Gary Mackay Steven could also contribute later, as James Forrest will be tired and bruised towards the last third of the game. Kris Commons is another with a vital role to play, his guile again could be used to produce a goal or to hold up play.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Nadir Ciftci has too much on his moind to be expected to start. He will be worried he hasn’t hit the ground running, but with so many interruptions due to suspension, he;s better left on the bench.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Although you won’t need to check twitter for the team news. If he is picked you’ll just hear the howls of anguish. Ciftci may have something to offer Celtic yet. But not tonight. Perhaps he’ll step up a level when Libor Kozak gets here. Currently a rumour, but the Aston Villa striker, who hails from the Czech republic, has scored four times in fifteen games for villa over two years, is on a free and is usually injured. Seems like the usual junk we bring in at the usual price.<\/p>\n

\u00a0He’s probably been texting his mates about the move already….<\/p>\n

After Tonev, i think we should maybe delete the phone number of whoever it is we know at Villa.<\/p>\n

\u00a0No, the task of getting the goals will primarily fall to Leaping Leigh Griffiths. The man on form.<\/p>\n

As expected, he’s ready for it. and as for calling him names….<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThe only person who has called me a brat is my mum.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThey can say what they want about me or anybody else in the side, but we have got a job to do and we will go and do it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe was saying I was tugging his shirt, but there was nothing in it. I didn\u2019t touch him once.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the one pushing and pulling. I spoke to the ref and asked him to keep an eye on it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe assistant behind the goal also made it clear that if he saw him pushing me again he\u2019d give a penalty for it, so I don\u2019t know where their keeper was coming from with what he said.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Do the comments bother him ? Wouldn’t have thought so. He’s had a lifetime of being called names.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThey know how good side we are. We proved that.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll go over there looking to punish them with anything that comes our way.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThey are just trying to wind us up a bit. But we are looking to win the game.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThey are just trying to play games with us. We aren\u2019t going to fall for it. Teams will do that all the time. We have got to rise above it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe comments in the paper have just been silly. We know what we are. We are a good footballing side and hopefully we will go and prove that.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTeams will always try to manipulate you and try and do stuff to get you wound up, but the manager will be cool, will be calm and he\u2019ll have that instilled in us by the time we go out for kick-off.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew because we won the game that they would come out and say stuff about us, but we know we\u2019ve got a job to do and we will look to do that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Speaking of those comments, the Malmo boss has become the second visiting manager in this years campaign to have a go at the Scottish press.<\/p>\n

Lost in translation: Malmo boss Age Hareide berates<\/h1>\n

Scottish media over claims Swedes labelled Celtic as ‘pigs’<\/h1>\n

\u00a0“If you travel abroad and you are going to write about players from Sweden or Norway or Germany or Spain or France, you have to learn the words.<\/em><\/p>\n

“To play like a pig is to play dirty. It was a tough game but it was not a dirty game.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Thumping his desk, Hareide added: “A pig is something else in English than it is in Scandinavia.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

“It means something else in Scandinavia. It is not swearing in Scandinavia. So you have to have respect for other languages.<\/em><\/p>\n

“That is why I am upset with the press, you just translate things and then put them in headlines.<\/em><\/p>\n

“The only thing I want from the press is to tell the truth. You have to have respect for languages and the places you travel to, to pronounce things correctly.” \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

He might have a point. Scots -and English-are notoriously monolinguistic.<\/p>\n

I may have mentioned this before. Some time ago I was on a bus in Glasgow, and a fellow tried to tell the driver where he wanted to go. He asked first of all in \/french, but the driver shrugged. He had another go, in what could have been Spanish.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Still no joy. German-I recognised a word or two there, brought no result either, so he threw his arms up in despair and flounced off the bus. The driver looked at me , a little bemused.<\/p>\n

” You know, we could all probably benefit by learning another language. “, I ventured.<\/p>\n

” Didnae dae him any fucking good, did it ? “<\/p>\n

Or, of course,Hareided \u00a0could be panicking and deflecting….aware that he is about to make himself look a bit of a prat.<\/p>\n

Anton tinnerholm, Malmo’s full back , had a warning for the Hoops players when he referred to the atmosphere in the Swedbank stadium;<\/p>\n

“I don’t think Celtic understand what awaits,” he said.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Although they have good pressure at home, I think it will be something extra when they come here.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Here you sing for 90 minutes.” \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Well, that’s us fecked then.<\/p>\n

A lot will depend on the referee tonight. We saw in the first leg how Malmo would resort to kicking, tugging and whinging. We will need one who is strong and experienced.<\/p>\n

Milorad Mazic, of Serbia is the man appointed for the game.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A former traffic policeman ?<\/p>\n

No. Though he does seem rather more animated than most.<\/p>\n

And he doesn’t seem to be a shrinking violet either. There’s not many who would do this;<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

You might remember him from the Scotland- Ireland game. When he tried to pull Roy Keanes ears off when he felt the fiery Irishman wasn’t listening to him. I distinctly remember him saying<\/p>\n

“well, you’re not fucking using them. ”<\/p>\n

I think he’ll be able to stand up to any bullying from the Swedes.<\/p>\n

Right, who is Ronny getting last minute advice from, and what is it ?<\/p>\n

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

Well, someone has to do it. Lets start with the ginger ninja himself, current Scotland and former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan. Never one not to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7682,"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\/08\/Optimism-Quotes-8.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2J7If-1ZT","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7681"}],"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=7681"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7683,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7681\/revisions\/7683"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}