Tunnel vision on three games in 21 days

Time to oil the spanners of Truth and Justice

trying to be as objective as possible about their UEFA cup run and whilst no football purist will enjoy watching them, it can't all be down to luck. they have a very well organised defence behind a very hardworking midfield and have a choice of strikers who can play the lone striker role quite well....it's just a mentality to football - rangers have traditionally been a win at all costs team and no one is more of a rangers traditionalist than walter smith....it's up to team to take the game to them if they need to beat them (as we have done in the last 2 games agaisnt them)

the good news is their team is built to get 0 - 0 draws...that suits us perfectly as a result in their remaining SPL games and i suspect it will suit most of their opponents...rangers are find when they want a 0-0 and the opposition wants to beat them...let's see what happens when their opponents want a 0-0....you might even have to play 2 strikers mr smith!

we'll see how smart 'Scotlands shame' owner David Murray is now.

Are you buying all the away tickets again David?

Ooops - hang on theres more than a couple of thousand this time and I cant recoup it buy putting a fiver on the home leg tickets.

Go on Mr Ego - stand up and be counted - we'll not hold our breaths eh.

PS - A must win tomorrow.

Re-post from previous thread.

Giz a Huddle:

Thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings.

Ok, as to the spawn of Satan:

They have to be the luckiest team in the history of football. They have got to 2 cup finals by winning penalty shoot-outs and have won a trophy by a penalty shoot-out. HUN-believeable.

Still this could well work in our favour, particularly if the huns take their eye of the ball in the SPL, a win for the 'tic tomorrow and anything other than a win for them on Sunday and it is game on.

A defeat in the UEFA Cup Final (and my, hasn't that competition gone downhill recently?) will hopefully damage moral sufficiently so that they fall at the last couple of hurdles.

I genuinely cannot offer Rangers my congratulations, it may be churlish but they epitomise everything I despise. James Forrest summed it up perfectly with his quote from the film "Michael Collins"; I feel exactly the same way. It is also horrible to watch the beautiful game being so distorted and to see such negativity rewarded and celebrated.

Keep the Faith

First of all Congrats to You ED...Not to your Team tho...Hope you took the 25/1 guess who i bet...cheers ED

Today I am so Proud I Support Glasgow Celtic Football CLub...

Why...?

A Quote from Gair Henderson Evening Times Correspondent...Wedenseday 23rd MAY 1967...Last Night Celtic not only Won the European Cup...Stonewall Football was Killed for All Time by a Solid Gold Bullet made by JOCK STEIN and fired by his CELTIC Commandos...Lets not underestimate the Importance of the Deeds done by Celtic...Every Football Manager throughout the World must now Reconsider His Position...

Not one Manager can say - and expect a solitary Fan to Support His Team:"we're Not Here to Entertain...We are here to win a trophy..."

In my Opinion...Celtic Last night Saved FOOTBALL...from Glasgow to Rio De Janeirio...from a creeping Paralysis and Eventual DEATH...

last nights result European Cup Final: CELTIC 2 INTER MILAN 1...

That is WHY... CELTIC CELTIC THAT'S THE TEAM FOR ME...

o1bhoy

I wouldn't be too upset if McManus doesn't make it tomorrow

What is it about the huns that is so unpalatable? After the shoot-out last night my wife asked me why it was that we so passionately want them to lose? She understands me roaring my lungs out for the Hoops but as the Celts weren’t playing, why was I bothered? As I thought about it, the answer became more and more apparent. Apart from sporting rivalry, there’s far more at stake. It’s not just their agricultural, repugnant style of play and the media glorification that’s heaped upon them by a lapdog press.

For me, it’s their triumphalism which is hardest to take. Their inbred notion that they are some sort of supreme race. The difference is most apparent in looking at how we celebrate our festivals. Consider St Patrick’s Day. A day to celebrate Ireland and Irishness, a day when we make the whole world stop and smile. A day when many who have no connection with our wee island can celebrate and enjoy a party. Compare this to the 12th, which despite all their window dressing is nothing but a show of triumphalism. A day for the ‘peepil’ to strut and snarl and twirl their wee batons. To remind the world that they defeated the Croppies, and of their alleged racial and religious supremacy. This constant preoccupation with asserting this supremacy is encapsulated in their “famine’s over” chant, and God love them, they think it’s witty. Similarly with the Nakamura banner. He’s not one of the peepil so he must be a savage. Isn’t that what all those Japanese do?

Consider also the games against the huns. When the Hoops win, how many of you would text friends to gloat? How many of you would come out of the woodwork on the Monday at work to say what a great result it was, although you’d previously declared that you had no interest in the fitba’ or were a Thistle fan? Compare this to the reaction to their win. For them, it’s a reassertion of their superiority. Personally, I wonder why it is that they feel this constant need to prove themselves. I’m sure many more prosaic posters than I would have some interesting theories as to why this is so.

As for Manchester, I predict that they will disgrace themselves yet again. The fact that Manchester is easily accessible means there’ll be no problem getting there and they’ll assemble a collection of National Front reptiles from all corners to shame themselves in front of the world. There’ll be no issues with border control and the police will be powerless to prevent them descending upon the city. Whereas Seville was a party, Manchester will be a battle. And for those posters who are worried about losing our ‘Seville goodwill’, the final proof will be what UEFA and FIFA think. Do you expect any awards for their fans’ exemplary behaviour? I thought not. I remember as a child watching the Bayern v Leeds 1975 European Cup Final and the riot that followed. Methinks this could be similar.

For the Celts, as others have said it’s very simple. Win the three remaining games. Full stop. Beyond that there’s nothing we can do. I run my own company (which is why I don’t have the time to post very often) and always tell my staff to only worry about things over which they have direct control. If you can’t change the outcome of something, then worrying about it is a waste of time and energy. Play the game, play it properly and either way, we’ll still have dreams and songs to sing.

KTF,

Fabrizio

God here we go. Congrats Ed crap.

I want his team pumped at every turn from here till the end of this month. Nothing on this earth could make me wish a 'scotlands shame' supporter all the best or heart felt congratulations.

anti football and they are falling over themselves.

you're damn right i'm hurting.

Woke up and they are still in a Euro final. I had hoped UEFA would kick them out for having the ugliest fans ever to grace the competition but no, it is still very real this morning.

We contested the UEFA Cup against the following season's Champions League winners. Dundee Utd contested the UEFA Cup against a team that had won the competition 5 years previous. We both beat future Champions League winners at the quarter final stage. Rangers will contest the final against a team few journalists could even spell and have not played a single top tier European side along the way.

I'm learning Russian over the next few weeks so I can either say GIRUY in Russian to the minions if they lose or move to Siberia if they win.

giz a huddle - I have had a similar experience to yourself and the pain eases with time and the memories become clearer. He'll be cheering them on Saturday morning from an excellent seat.

James Forrest - Couldn't articulate how I felt about them last night so I am very glad that you did. Superb post.

Craiginho

The only good thing about last night is that I will be back from holiday to see us win the league at Tannadice.

Paul well said let us get behind the team and focus on the big prize. The recent victories are a bench mark for next season we can beat Rangers and will do so again in the future. I wish to apologise for mistakenly indicating that Mizuno is a teenager, he is in fact 22 however he is still young and inexperienced and Nakamura being his mentor (senpai) remain valid. The Celtic players can be motivated by Rangers acheivements in the UEFA cup to move to the next level. As Mark McGhee said at the weekend Gordon Strachan having qualified for the last 16 twice wants to take celtic to the next level....the champions league quarter finals. Get behind the bhoys and however disappointed we feel this morning lets not pollute this excellent site with copious anti rangers posts. The eloquent post from Gis a huddle puts things in perspective....i was fortunate enough to see Bobby Lennox play and score against a Hibs team containing George Best and my father and grandfather both said that lennox was a very i important player for Celtic in the 60s and 70s. Keep the faith and get behind the bhoys and celtic management

Feeling a little down this morning and always finds this cheers me up somewhat. Hope it does the same fro some of you!

NEVERBETEN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfYWMdqILiU

If memory serves me correctly the Bully/Ned was fighting with mixu the hibs manager a the recent cup game at there place.
Hope this fires up the big Finn to GIRUT on Sunday.
Still not sure i trust our own lot to take care of biz tommorow.

Still in agony at that load of p1sh surpassing the achievements of our best team of a generation.

How we laughed at the ned's signing Darch,b'foot,cuellar, cousin,weir,dailly etc. But as much as i know we all hate the bully they have been successes.

Paul,
Well said. It is indeed time to focus on what we can achieve as a club and a movement. We have the ability to be the 12th man. We proved that at Fir Park last time round.

There are also silver linings over rangers cup final appearance. Most notably, their eye will be taken off the ball as far as the league is concerned.

Also for those of you unfortunate enough to be residing in Scotland at the moment and unable to bear the horribles, have a good look in the eye of a loved one and remind yourself what is really important in life. whilst you are doing that picture in your minds eye the Big Cup.

How many diddy euro cups would it take to equal the big cup...Pick a number.

Fabrizio,
That was a fantastic post. It pretty much says everything.
I do think though that they will be doing their utmost to have a love-in in manchester as this represents their best chance of deceiving Uefa into believing that they are a decent bunch.....(Collective noun suggestions for a grouping of rangers fans please..) and honourable support.

Bhoys I have a confession to make

I watched the game in a pub last night

Ok Ok not the crime of the century but I watched it with two friends one a Ghood Ghuy the other a Hun......a decent upstanding Hun. (there is such a thing)

I was told that this place was a "nuetral" venue so I agreed to go.

When I got there It was packed, mainly with Huns.
It gave me an interesting insight into their behaviour.
For a start I think that they are now more paraniod than us chants of cheats when Cousin was sent off could be heard along with various mutterings about the Italians having bought the referee were made throughout the game. Fair enough so far but then they won....... and all hell broke loose they launched straight into f**lo* f**lo* and when it came to the FTP part the venom was there for all to see they then done the "bouncy" after which they had wrecked two solid wood tables and several chairs and then without pausing for breath straight into h*l*o h*l*o with extra emphasis on the fenian blood part.

Having seen them at their finest my friends and I left. Incidently mjy hun friend was disgusted and said and I quote," People like that ruin it for everyone, I should be happy right now, I was initially, but now I feel sick, they are going to ruin the cup final, they don't now how to enjoy themselves without spilling bile, preaching hatered and trashing the place."

I have to say at this point I felt sorry for my mate, what his team have achieved so far, regardless of how they have achieved it, is a great achievement and he can't enjoy it........

.....and then I snapped out of it and turned my attention to Three points at Motherwell and the warm thoughts of Walters demise from a wee Dic.

The League Will Be Ours Bhoys Chins Up, and Onward to Victory So Sweet!!!

A third chapter is right now being added to the rewritten history of Scottish football.

"UEFA 2008 run was better than UEFA 2003 run."

If anyone thinks chapter 3 is far fetched, here is chapters 1 and 2.
Chapter 1. Barcelona 72 was a bigger achievemen than Lisbon 67
Chapter 2. Rangers NIAR was a bigger achievement than Celtic's NIAR.

The Scottish football press are up to their old tricks before Chapters 4, 5 and 6.

Anybody want to buy a Paul Weller ticket for the 22nd May. It's a slow Thursday night and there is nothing else happening.Honest!

Walters Demise,
Is your friend Edward Ursus by any chance.
There cant be more than one decent hun surely.

I'm flicking through the Sunderland BBC messageboard and they're miserable about potentially spending 10m on McGeady. Their ignorance makes me laugh, if he was an Englishman playing at some lowly Premiership or Championship team he would be getting hailed as the next international superstar with 10m being a steal. I'd be depressed at the thought of us selling him for 10m if I didn't see it as being the ridiculous rumour it really is.

Walters demise,

Has your mate not got the gumption to do the honourable thing and walk away from that hideous, vile organisation.

By continuing his support, he and any other "decent" supporter are perpetuating the obscenity.

"Evil triumphs, etc."

The knuckledraggers are NOT the problem, only the manifestation of a deeper evil.

keep in mind that cuellar and mcgregor will be in the premiership next season with newcastle united likely to take cuellar and mcgregor to join his pal hutton at tottenham. the rangers defence without cuellar next season will be much weaker. On the otherhand we can expect garry caldwell, scot brown and scot mcdonald to improve next season at celtic

bhoy sean,

£10m for Aiden?

Would that be for his right or left leg?

Back to the extension issue. Will Celtic challenge the SPL legally over this??

then there is koki mizuno, ben hutchinson and Paul Caddis to lookforward too as well whilst Andreas Hinkel will also benefit from a full pre-season with celtic. If McManus doesnt make it against motherwell i expect to see Gary Caldwell take the captains armband which could be an indication for the future as well. Caldwell has matured and improved immensely we all learn from our mistakes and I am pleased to see how Gary Caldwell has come back stronger towards the end of this season. Focus on the future and continue to support all at celtic park

We should talk about the merits of the good hun (bloo nose very rare see ed and other decent folk)the bad hun (common and vulgar) and the ugly hun (includes both previous groups) AFTER we win three in a row. Until then forget about them , but sparing a moment of pity for the good people of Manchester is allowed.

Motherwell is the key. Win that game and Celtic will have a good shout. Look at our history , our club , our family and our future is bright.

Temper the optomism for next season with the likely departure of AB, potential departure of SN and who knows what the PLC board would do with a 10M offer for AM especially with the likely possibility of no guaranteed CL income.

Corrib 04 I don't think so I will investigate further.

thomthethim I'm not just saying this but I think he is considering it, he was genuinley gutted, and could'nt muster any form of enthusiasm prior to the game.

I already know one guy who has converted from the dark side to the Ghood Ghuys maybe in the near future I will know two.

As the the MAN said " you are either for me or against me ".

Right Chaps.

That's enough about .......... well you know who.

We have the prize to win.

Keep our eyes on the prize.

Don't blink!!

Three points tomorrow.

Don't blink!!

ceasar 1967 i have already emphasized on several occaisions that SN shunsuke nakamura will remain at celtic for the next 2 seasons to nurture and play alongside koki mizuno

If Boruc did this to the Rangers fans he could have caused a full scale riot.

http://www.nancarrow-webdesk.com/warehouse/storage2/2007-w41/img.30055_t.jpg

I have a dream…..

100,000 huns descend upon Manchester in a good natured drunken frenzy, only to see their team get humped by Wee Dick's Russian mafia. Suddenly the mood changes and mob handed the huns head off on a blootered rampaging riot thru the streets of down town Manchester. Riot police move in with batons drawn, biff bash bosh boosh, truck loads of huns taken away and locked up, the media have a field day, world wide shame and a ban from Euro competition looms large on the horizon, the fallout affects their league form so badly they hand us the title on a plate.

That’s far better than having nightmares about them winning it.

CaltonTongues, I think it's for a pair of his old underwear to be honest.

I hope to see O'Dea line-up with Caldwell tomorrow.

Motherwell are not a side who will bombard the box with high balls, a la Dundee United. An aerial presence is not essential but positional and marking qualities are. O'Dea fits the slot better than Balde and he can lay down a marker for next season should McManus miss the rest of the campaign.

Once more, 3 points is a must. One game at a time, Bhoys. A similar show to our last visit to Fir Park would be a delight.

Congratulations on the new site, Paul. A big thank you to all who make this wonderful resource possible.

I don't for a minute think that the board will let Aiden go , we are not a selling team , Stan wanted to go. If Artur goes it will be his choice not the boards. This Celtic team has under acheived. No doubt in my mind that they are far better than any team in Scotland and winning the SPL will show this. We do need to strengthen , we have this years CL money and can get in with the extra revenue of a prelim for next year CL , if , and its a big if now , we don't win the next three games and take threeinarow, so no panic on the financial side. I am sure some of the CQN beanies can tell you that we are still successful on the accounts sheet. If you forget about the silverware , strange but do it... who would you rather watch , us or them. Robson has added a bit of steel to the middle with Hartley and Caldwell is enjoying himself and Naka is class on his day. Hinkel is solid and skippy and JVOH ( still not convinced but please prove me wrong) have scored a barrowful. We have Aiden , we have Artur. This is a good team and they will get better. They have a long way to go together yet. Playing last sixteen in the CL is a better class of games , a big step up , than the UEFA. Thats where we need to be aiming every year. SPL ...they gubbed us when we had every player hamstrung with a yellow first game , we hammered them second time at Mordor but they came up with all three points and totally dominated them at Celtic park twice even if the scores did not reflect that one team plays football the other doesn't.

I live in New Zealand , they have the best Rugby team in the World , very few disagree on that. They got spooked in the World Cup , national disaster but for once the Country took a step back , took the pressure off the players , stood tall as real fans and said we are still the best in the World . they are right.

Keep the faith. We are still going forward and the finished team will shine brightly. Twelfth man stand up and be counted.

Paul67,

Is the blog borken already?

Was it Big Joe again.....

Corrib,

I agree with you that they will do their level best to show the world their 'good' side but I reckon that the fact that it's in England will be their undoing. I'm confident that a lot of the Chelsea supporting nutjobs won't make it to Moscow and instead will join with their 'brethern' to descend on Manchester. No doubt the police will be expecting them and will hopefully have their batons at the ready. As Walters Demise said in his post, there are so many of them who just can't help themselves.

Also, belated congrats to James Forrest for last nights post. If you haven't read it, you should.

Fabrizio

Well said Paul!

Stop whingeing!

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high!

I endured several gloating e-mails today – most were facetious and barbed. Their sole intent was to ridicule me.

I replied with congratulations, well done guys, I hope you have a great final because you’ll never know if you’ll ever see another in your lifetime. (Just like us).

I also included that although Rangers were dire and that Fiorentina were a class above,b the point of the game, (in knock out competition), is to put the ball in the net more times than the opposition.; which they did.

Three other Rangers supporter friends went further, they phoned and asked if I would be about for a beer at lunch time.

I obliged. Better to get it over and done with I always say.

All three of those guys are good guys and they did want to enjoy their moment; and if the truth be known, I cannot begrudge them of it. The teams they have played so far, although on paper – good teams – were not good enough to beat them. So anti-football or not, they are there on merit and merit alone.

Unless there is an European wide Masonic conspiracy to benefit Rangers.

All three of those Rangers supporters admitted their team played crap but they were loving the moment.

I cannot blame them; I envy them their final.

It wasn’t that long ago that all and sundry lauded the ‘great’ Italian teams for achieving similar results… with similar tactics.

I hope they have a good time at their final as I do you too Ed. But I will not wish your team luck and if Zenit are good enough, on the day... all those facetious e-mails will evaporate and I can get on with concerning next season.

I don’t care what Rangers do… or do not do.

I care only what Celtic do.

The Politics of bigotry and envy? Well I'll leave that to those far more adept than I am.

I don’t feel sick in the slightest. We’ve got a game to play and a CHAMPIONSHIP to retain. That is enough football for me. That is all that matters to me. If we don't achieve it, then I'll fell sick.

Oh! Is there a doctor in the house… my fingers seem to be stuck crossed.

Paul, well done for the new-look site!

Like everyone else here, I was very disappointed with the travesty that unfolded last night. However, we have still have three cracking games of FOOTBALL to look forward to, starting tomorrow.
As we know, Mark McGhee's team are no pushovers and their pitch is not fit for the beautiful game. We need to be up for this as much as we were last week: the focus needs to be on 3 points.
I'm sure we'll get them - playing FOOTBALL.

Also, whenever I hear anything being mentioned about quadruples and the like, I just think about a certain QUINTUPLE we won by playing football: pure, beautiful, inventive football.

Paul,

I've seen a lot of good comments on James Forrest post in the last article, but I can't open it to have a read. Is it me or is it broke ?

Regarding the McGeady rumours, simply put it is not going to happen - not now anyway.

Our next asset to go will be Boruc. We'll get £10MN plus for him this summer which should enable us to purchase a replacement keeper and another player of good quality (If you were asking, Stipe Pletikosa and Santos Mozart of Spartak Moscow would fit the bill perfectly, but anyway...).

Certainly McGeady could be the next one to go in a few years although McDonald or Brown (if they progress accordingly) could also work the same way. The difference between selling Aiden now and in 2 years is the difference between £10MN and £15MN plus.

Like politics, its a question of timing. Undoubtedly, we let Stan Petrov go at the right time and for the right money. I reckon Boruc is not going to get any better so this summer might be wise.

McGeady has alot of winning football to play for us yet.

ZetaBhoy 10.47am, I agree that the scenario you describe could happen, and in a perverted sort of way I hope it does. I can already see the next day's newspaper headlines:

OLD FIRM BRINGS SHAME ON SCOTLAND (Daily Telegraph)

MANCHESTER WRECKED BY OLD FIRM HOOLIGANS (The Times)

UEFA CONSIDERS OLD FIRM BAN AFTER MANCHESTER RIOTS (Grauniad)

(Check out the headline and final paragraph of the article linked through my monicker, above!)

Cad- any chance Mrs Cadizzy will be lurking? Has she forgiven your Ronaldo-esque adventures with the Ladybhoys?

I'm sure Paul Weller will read out the SPL scores as they come in..

Oh Lord?????

Hello all on this fine May morning. Orangeism is dying, and its adherents are ignorantly bouncy bouncing themselves into history and hell. They have reached the final of, what's it called, oh aye the "diddy cup." Let them have their reaction. Meanwhile, the Bhoys have a job to do tomorrow. I fully expect nine points from our next three games. Our attacking play is a joy to behold and now is the time to see it in full flow.

Prediction: Motherwell 0, Celtic 5

Is Blogger back? No comments in over an hour?

larsson

WG - the gout continues

Oh, there you are - gremlins?

Need to post to get updated blog?

Clury

DBBIA, she does not lurk on and anyway she still thinks she is Mrs Archiewasbetterthanarchie.

Paul may well(er) read out the scores. I remember going to see Family (remember them?) in September 73 at Greens/Apollo on the night Scotland played Czechoslovakia. Chapman said "I have good news and bad news for you. The bad news is that Czechoslovakia won.... pause....the good news is Scotland two then straight into Burlesque (that's the song, not the entertainment associated with Ladyboys).

My first thought on seeing the result of the other UEFA semi was that Rangers wouldn't have a chance in the final... but on looking at the match stats for the Zenit v Bayern game, it seems remarkably similar to the Rangers result in Lyon, so maybe the final isn't going to be so much of a foregone conclusion. Man for man, the 2003 Porto team were probably far superior to this Zenit side, and with Mourinho in charge they were cocky enough to be unaffected by the opposition's huge support. I don't think the Zenit players will be quite as unaffected when they take to the field in front of 40,000+ baying Rangers fans.

We can only hope that the stats highlighted above are evidence that Zenit can "do a Rangers" on Rangers in the final, and win 1-0 by virtue of a breakaway goal deep into extra time.

Team selection is vital again tomorrow on that pitch against a good Motherwell team, with a share of flare and of muscle, with all to play for, just like us.

I expect the unexpected, but as I am barely in control of my own work, I'm not about to tell wee Gordon whom to pick.

Whoever gets the nod, and the taste of immortality that pulling on the Celtic shirt implies, I hope they shine.

Play up Glasgow Celtic, stand up and play the game.

Come on the Hoops.

Anti Football Vs Uncle Dick

The beautiful game it is not!

Well we better be aware of the Mothers, no room for slip ups.

Robbo & PH driving the Ghreen Pharty onwards with O'Dea in at the back.

TGP

Any weather updates from Motherwell? Is the game still going ahead or would a bit of rain mean the game would have to be postponed thus allowing the SPL the opportunity to extend the season once again.

Bigchips

There is no comparison.

For a better comparison, look at Zenith's quarter final away to Bayer Leverkusen.

The difference between Zenith and the teams Rangers have played of late is their directness. Unlike their recent opposition, with Fiorentina being the nadir, Zenith don't see the point in trying to dance The Drops of Brandy in the box before you bang the ball into the net.

More power to them.

Probaly just me... but all I can think about is the financial gain for Rangers from this run... If they win it... it could be an absolute disaster for us.

Not only do they get the monies from a sweet trip for the 'Super Cup' thye would probably get an invite to that money spinner the World Club Championship.

Then all this GoD stuff is going to seem like a distant memory. If they bank 20 mill from all this... well lets just put it thisway teh'll be outspending us quite happily... worse they seem to have a better wage structure than us at the moment so they probably have the capacity to grow their pool of players without busting there large bank balance...

I am not a happy camper at the moment... Failed to sleep at all last night.

Paul67 any chance of an article to allay these fears or are you starting to see worrying pound signals from the Dark Side as well?

B

I managed to watch the second half, extra time and penalties of the Rangers game last night. Firstly I'd like to say, despite what St-Gris @9:52am says; a big, sincere, congratulations to Edward Ursus at his team's achievement in getting to the final of the UEFA Cup. I hope to God Edward that you enjoy the Manchester experience as much as I enjoyed my (result apart) Seville experience.

Whatever I may think of the football last night I will not belittle myself by not acknowledging that it was a fantastic achievement for Rangers last night; you can only beat the teams that are put in front of you. I also have to acknowledge that put in the context of the 'limitations' of the Rangers players, last nights result speaks volumes for what can be achieved from good organisation, heart and teamwork. I also remember one commentator on here laughing at Ally McCoist's appointment and commentating on his 'lack of vision'. I can assure everyone on here that Ally McCoist has vision in spades. (Jack Black anyone?)

I must admit however that I am still bemused that, from what I saw of the latter part of the game, a Fiorentina team who were so technically better, so much more enjoyable to watch and who enjoyed so much possesion, contrived to lose the match, even after Ferguson's penalty miss...

However, back to things Celtic... 3 huge games ahead of us; we can only try and win these and see what happens elsewhere. Whoever wins this league will deserve it.

Keep the Faith!

Yours in Celtic,

Jim.

KeepTheFaithCSC

Cad- I don't blame her. I here AWBTA was much better looking..

Family- the Mark Reid of prog rock, underrated and unfairly forgotten. The description of Chappo as the 'electric goat' is spot on.

As a member of the 'SweetheartoftheRodeoCSC' you may wish to investigate Mescalito by Ryan Bingham- it's how Led Zeppelin may have sounded if they'd come from West Texas. Led Cropduster?

It is interesting to note that Bayern are 11 points clear of Werder Bremen (who should have beaten Rangers) and 18 ahead of Leverkusen who Zenit beat. Zenit have only played 6 league games this season, coincidentally the same number as Rangers have to play this month!Their league form is not great and they are 14 pints off the leaders with a game in hand. This is a very good time of the season for them to play Rangers. Not tired, but well enough into their stride to have reached peak match fitness.

Come on Dick! We love you, Dick

On another note...

On this season extension... Is it just me? Or is it fair;y obvious that SPL would happily have extended the season as far as Rangers wanted BUT they could not due to international commitments from the Euros?? They extended it... quite literally to the last day possible... so why have Rangers got any complaints at all???

B

BigChipsUK,

This Zenit team has scored 10 goals against quality German teams in the last two months.

They are no mugs.

Any team which scores 5 goals over two legs against Bayern Munich knows their way around a football pitch.

STAND UP FOR THE CHAMPIONS.

Martin

Celtic First, I agree that Zenit look far more direct going forward, and with their emphasis on "penetration, penetration, penetration", Ghod willing they fill *£@% the huns halfway into next season... and in the process so demoralise them that they blow the devalued & corrupted SPL too.

I had another thought on this year's showpiece UEFA finals: They're not very green, are they?!

We have two teams from Britain playing each other in Russia, and a team from Russia playing a team from Britain, in Britain. So around 30,000 fans are going to travel about 2,500 miles from Manchester to Moscow and back (plus another 30,000 from London), while 10-20,000 travel a similar distance from St Petersburg to Manchester.

Given that football carries such influence over so many people throughout the world, surely those who run the game should be setting an example and be seen to be doing the right thing. And looking after the planet is one of the biggest "right things" that we should be encouraging right now.

So, given that both Manchester and Moscow are already geared up to host these finals at their respective stadia, why don't UEFA swap the finals over? They could let Chelsea and Man Utd play at The City of Manchester Stadium, thereby saving thousands of air miles, millions of pounds, and countless logistical problems, and avoiding a carbon footprint the size of Russia itself. And they could let Zenit play Rangers in Moscow, with similar significant savings for up to half of those attending that match.

And to deliver an additional benefit they could cancel the visas of all the Rangers fans while they are in Moscow, preventing them from returning to the UK, arrest them all, and send them all into incarceration camps in Siberia.

Just think how much that would improve Scottish society...

I'm hurting bad, can't believe the reaction of the press down here in England, all very positive the worst coment I heard was that their style of play was not pretty on the eye but was effective. Even here the media have their faviourts Man U can do no wrong but when Chelsea play poorly you know all about it. Just thought there would be small comfort in at least the english media saying the truth, how many times has Motty on the BBC said "lets be honest the game is awful"? none of that last night just how well they defended. Sad day indead. If we win the league now and they go on and lift the Uefa will it overshadow our acheivement?

Is it too early to start drinking?

Just realised. New arrangements means last day fixtures (22nd) clash with Springstein's concert at the RDS Dublin! Now that is a disaster!!!

re my last post, Zenit are obviously 14 points off the leaders and not 14 pints. Maybe the 14 pints is why they are 14 points behind.

Come on Dick! We love you, Dick!

3 big games for us, We shouldn't allow ourselves to get distracted by them reaching Manchester.
Still can't get over the fact however they have bored their way to a European final.
I would rather never watch another game in my life than be forced to watch that Anti Football dull backward version that they have.
How dull you must be when even the Italians are calling you defensive.

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli sumed it up.
"A team that has renounced to play has won, football is like this. Football sometimes awards teams that don't deserve it."

For the sake of football 3 straight wins please Celtic and if Hibs and Dundee Utd (or anyone else for that matter) fancy taking some points off Rangers that would go down a treat.

Lurgan53, if you don't want to see Bruce, would you like to buy my Paul Weller ticket for the same night instead? 0-)

Remember folks, it's about Celtic first. We have to win tomorrow, then things will become interesting.

And remember, the dream does not end if Hibs fail to take anything from Rangers on Sunday. We concentrate on our games. We only need, in addition, for one of their next five league opponents to get a draw to keep the dream alive until the last day.

If we win against Motherwell and against Hibs at Celtic Park, we crank the pressure up an extra notch.

Come on the Hoops.

Uefa win triggers delayed climax

Maybe there is a medical use for anti-football??

The impact on us is that our last game is now delayed for an additional four days. Two wins before then, starting with Motherwelll on Saturday, should ensure that there is still everything to play for on the final day.

Have we ever won the league on a Thursday night before?

Paul, noticed you're still carrying a couple of adds. I thought you had mentioned the revenue from them previously was not really worth carrying them ? Hope you've tied them to a "performance-related" payment this time as it appears the blog is more popular than ever !!!

pablofanque

Ps, DBBIA, let me know if you need a lift tomorrow as soon as. I think OT is going to meet YKW, YKW before the game. I've to meet Smashin' at 12:00 but I think the Auld yin could do with a lift from God's Country (© WG !?) to the game, so I'll probably be in there anol.

Cetic_First said "We only need, in addition, for one of their next five league opponents to get a draw to keep the dream alive until the last day"

I want 3 in a row wrapped up before the last day (that Paul Weller thing again)

Incidentally, Rangers have beaten us to their own 3 in a row
Cuellar v Celtic OFF
Whittaker v Celtic OFF
Cousin v Fiorentina OFF

I don't think they've had a run like that since they had Jim Steele on loan

Its looking like my week of Blue hell is coming to terrible conclusion. All signs point to everyones favourite racist Boris winning in London.

I'm off to plan my return to the peoples republic of Scotland

The UEFA final already has 0-0 draw and pens written all over it. Huns will sit back with 10 behind the ball as usual, and Zenit are a classic counter attacking team. You can't counter attack a team who are playing for pens.

Gordon J- believe me, no, definitely not.

UEFA have revealed plans for where the presentation will take place, if the Horribles win the Cup, given past experience in Barcelona

The symbols mean 1/ where the Trophy will be placed

2/ mirror- to be covered up before CCuellar receives his medal

3/ where CYoung will crouch, mic in hand

4/ where BFerguson will stand to receive the Cup

5/ where Duffield will stand to present the trophy[ MPlatini has arranged to be kidnapped by a psychopathic dentist that day]

At this moment in time I don't care if Rangers win 10-0 in Manchester with as pure a display of pure football as has ever been witnessed, and their fans are waved off with loving hugs and kisses from their Mancunian hosts... as long as Celtic win the SPL and get automatic entry to next season's Champions League group stage.

I would happily trade their Euro success for the league title right now.

Of course, I'd prefer it if they win nothing else this season, but if something has to give...

On another note, for all the negative comments we have made about their team, consider the following in the cold light of day. If they weren't huns, would you take:

Cuellar to replace one of McManus or Caldwell?
Whittaker to replace Hartley (long term view)?
Thomson to replace Nakamura (long term view)?
Ferguson to replace Donati?
Novo to replace JVoH?

Taking an impartial view, I think they do actually have some quite good players, and Wattie has certainly got them playing for each other and as a formidable unit, which rarely seems to have a weak link. Perhaps we could actually learn something from that...?

Cadizzy,
Hmmmmm? Tempting offer. But I'll pass.
But I 'm looking forward to hearing The Boss announce it from the stage!!

Hopefully the adrenalin crash wont be an issue as the Rangers game was a full week ago. It seems to be the midweek games were this is more of a problem. Hopefully it will be a major problem for Rangers on Sunday. I feel this is the game we need them to drop points. If they win that, I think our chance may have gone.

I wonder if Duffield will now refer to Zenit as the enemy. Any team with 'Saint' in their name and all that.....

Be interesting to hear how Uefa would view that type of viewpoint from the Chief Exec of a national association.

A generation of domination seems to be a statement without foundation. The hun are on the verge of a quad and there is nothing we can do about it.

It was stated here that they would not beat Fiorentina. It was stated on here that we were indeed in the middle of a GOD. We are not we are however about to play catch up both on the pitch and financially. Celtic will have to take extreme measures at the end of the season to off set the huns financial windfalls.

Hutton 8million.
Champions league 15 million.
Run to the uefa final ????.
Cueller 6 million.
Macgregor 6 million.

Yes anything up to 50 million going into the coppers of the hun in the last season.

How can we compete, we have to sell sell sell.

Artur 15 million.
Aiden 15 million.
Naka ?????.
Brown 6-8 million.

For a club in the midst of a generation of domination having to sell our prized assets just to keep pace will be an all time low.

Dont believe everything people tell you no badly how much you would like to believe it. The gods have deserted us.

BigChipsUK

You pose some interesting questions:

Cuellar to replace one of McManus or Caldwell?

Yes but would his transfer fee and subsequent plastic surgery been an expense too much.

Whittaker to replace Hartley (long term view)?

Nope, for me Whittaker is too defensive.

Thomson to replace Nakamura (long term view)?

Nope, Mizuno will replace Naka long term. It might have been nice to get Thompson in with Brown as he may have helped Brown develop faster into the type of player we expect he will become at Celtic.

Ferguson to replace Donati?

Begrudgingly yes.

Novo to replace JVoH?

Not in a million years. Big Jan is 10 times the player Novo is.

CelticMinded

You use the figure of £15m from the CL to booster Rangers perceived financial advantage but negate to include it in our figures.

Surely we would have made the same if not more from the CL as Rangers.

Cadizzy (12:03pm), not only have Rangers achieved a unique (and possibly unprecedented!) three in a row, as you have highlighted, but they have also now gone five games in a row without a win in normal play... something which I don't think Celtic have managed this century! Does anyone know when Celtic last went 5 in a row without a win? (I don't.)

BigChipsUK @11:43am This years finals are not very green? Have you forgotten already that we took 80,000 to Seville from all corners of the Globe? Let the teams and their fans enjoy the occasion as much as we did in 2003. Unlikely I know...

Yours in Celtic,

Jim.

KeepTheFaithCSC

Just back from Belfast to find a shiny new blog - looks great Paul.

It is now time to turn to our games - Motherwell - never easy. We need to treat this game the same as a Euro tie at CP - fight for everything and never give up. Our record in games after we beat 'them' is not great so a big job for the motivators (mainly Neil, I believe) and older players. Robson and Hartly have a vital part to play and if the correct version of Skippy and JVOH turn up we can win and pile on the pressure for the 'Negatives' at Easter Road.

Hail hail

Two English teams heading for Moscow? A Russian team and Scotland's Shame heading for Manchester?

Why don't UEFA just reverse the two fixtures? Makes sense to me. And it helps the SPL out too, as the fixtures can be completed as originally proposed with no need to extend the season.

Anyone agree?

Celticminded

Sorry to come back to this but you stated:

Hutton 8million.
Champions league 15 million.
Run to the uefa final ????.
Cueller 6 million.
Macgregor 6 million.

Yes anything up to 50 million going into the coppers of the hun in the last season.

So even if Rangers get £12m for Cueller and MacGregor, for them to have anything up to £50m, they would need to have made £25m from this season's UEFA cup run.

I think it's safe to say that we are all hurting today and its sore. But lets not dwell on them, hard as it may be.
We must quickly focus on what really matters and that is the 3 points down the road at Fir park tomorrow.

I had my doubts before last night about Hibs taking anything off them on Sunday and now I think it is a certainty the huns will win and probably comfortably so. Therefore it is even more imperative that we win - and win well - tomorrow.

We need to come out fighting an up and at 'em style tomorrow and an early goal should settle us and give the impetus to win by a few. Goal difference could still settle the league, lets keep rattling them in starting with 3 or more tomorrow.

C'MON THE HOOPS!
KEEP BELIEVING.

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

So you're comparing Rangers players to Celtic players and think that we would be better with anti-football . Cueller apart who is a football player. Are you the same people that scream about playing football the Celtic way when we are winning at a canter. Right now I would have all of our team over any rangers player. BF was crap the last couple of games but yes he leads in anger , we need a captain to put some blood and guts in the team and big Mick is not that type of player ...but would you take BF ..no way. I noticed the comparisons missed out Aiden for who ever is up front and Skippy for the same guy , must be novo whos up against JVOH . Stand up for the champions.

oops meant they would need £15m from their UEFA cup run.

Jim the Tim (12:22pm), when we went to Seville that was the greenest that Seville has ever been. And we only took 800 fans (not the wildly exaggerated 80-100,000 variously reported in the meeja), which is nothing compared to the fact that "half of Scotland" will descend on Manchester later this month (cf. The Daily Rectum's revised history of Scottish football... Rangers' 2008 UEFA Cup success* was way better than Celtic's abject failure in 2003).

* Note: even if they lose.

Jim the Tim (questionable) hun apologist more like.

I hope it pours from the heavens for 2 days before and all through the final on them. They are 'Scotlands shame'. I hope they all have a thoroughly crap time and their team gets skelped big time. I hope Zenit 'p' all over them.

Howdya like em apples?

Nothing personal of course.

Gordon_J @12:27pm
Hi Gordon, I don't agree I'm afraid. To me the logic is the same as in the League extension debate; the rules, and venues, are in place at the start of the competition and shouldn't change thereafter. Why should Saint Zenit and Rangers Supporters have to pay extra to make changes to their travel arrangements? Why should the authorities and tourist industry have to change their plans? You can't plan football competions in advance using hindsight I'm afraid.

Looking forward to this weekend's match! Go Celtic, Go!

Yours in Celtic,

Jim.

KeepTheFaithCSC

BromleyBhoy. You worry to much about things you cannot control. You have a team to support, so let's support them to the conclusion of this years SPL and to our own graves. On all fronts left this season we can only hope that football wins over anti-football.

I have this gut feeling that if we take care of ourselves and win our 3 games we will be looking at 4-in-a-row next season.

So here is to 3 victories for the hoops.

Oh yeah, nearly forgot.

C'mon the hoops.
C'mon Zenit St Pete's.
C'mon QOS (if only McGarvey was still manager).

stoir mha chroi - envy is not something I will ever have for Rankers. No matter their anti-acheivements. I only pitty those with problems.

Paul67, is anyone else having a problem with comments box not being displayed after log in.

Gordon_J

We've won biggest prizes than that on a Thursday night, my friend.

And it so happens that this year, in some places at least, May 22 will be the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Coincidence?

My ways are not your ways, says the Lord. In fact, my ways are as high above your ways as the heavens are above the earth.

Walter’s Demise
I could have written your story virtually word for word – except the tables didn’t get broken in the pub I was in.
We have (I think) a minority problem with our support – they have an overwhelming majority. They seem unable to celebrate victory without showing their pure hatred/bigotry.
As I said when I left the pub, when I wake up tomorrow, I will wake up happy. When asked why, I said – because I’ll be a Celtic supporter.

Regarding Boruc and the heinous crime of wearing a T shirt showing his beliefs: I have looked at the early day motion tabled by a DUP MP. It has 8 signatures, 7 of which are DUP members. The odd one out is Michael Connarty, labour for Falkirk East – my MP!
I’m going to e-mail asking why he felt the need to sign this motion. I also want to know his feelings about the various banners/songs that have been produced this season and ask if he feels an early day motion condemning these issues would be appropriate.
Let you know how I get on.

Whooshman

Jim The Tim,

I was joking ....

Celtic_First,

Oh I know all about Thursday nights. And 22 May could just be another very good one.

Last night!

Cure for Insomnia!

They have made it through. Deal with it. Ignore it just stop pandering to it. Gnashing of teeth, revisionist press. Honestly lhads and lhassies, we know what is coming so no need to kick it all off on here.

I am totally disgusted in the way that the SPL have destroyed the run in for this season by pandering to the mob. Complete lack of guts and leaves them open to the same level of intimidation each and every season from now on.

For a league to be finishing on a Thursday night which will deny a lot of supporters the chance to attend is a complete farce and makes a mockery of any claim they have in protecting or building the image of Scottish football. They have simply taken the step over the line of any honest dealings with the game in this country and have joined the SFA in capitulation and skullduggery of Farry-esque proportions.

BigChipsUK @12:31pm :-)) !!

The Token Tim (12:30pm), I am not hurting today. I just find it all mildly amusing. As others have said, it is Celtic first for me, and the rest can sort themselves out. As long as Celtic win the SPL (which is not actually in our own hands to determine, lest we forget) I will be happy. I will only be hurting should that eventuality not come to pass.

My greatest fear is that Rangers seem to keep weathering every storm, and even though we beat them twice, they still need to slip up twice more against lesser opposition in order for us to prevail... even if we keep our own end of the bargain.

Taurangabhoy, I was proffering straight comparisons between specific pairs of players, based on unbiased views of footballing talent alone, and in no way suggesting how Celtic should play as a team. And no, I would never welcome Barry Ferguson, even if he wanted to come to Celtic Park. I find the man quite repugnant. But he is a better all-round footballer than Donati, particularly in the Scottish environment.

Jinkyredstar, are you around for Hibs game..Sat night drinks and post match drinks?

BigchipsUK, "Rangers' 2008 UEFA Cup success* was way better than Celtic's abject failure in 2003". You and I are of the same mind (see earlier post). Lisbon was nothing compared to Barcelona and their NIAR was worth twice ours. In fact, it is going to be revised in the record books as 18 in a row so they can put an extra star on their overalls.

I can't say for definite but I'd agree that we have never gone 5 games without winning

Bigchips,

I am hurting and that will only diminish if the huns drop 4 points between now and 22nd May.

The huns will all have us believe that Manchester is there Seville no chance.

Close you eyes for one minute and think of your journey, your arrival, the sun the holiday the atmosphere of the holiday building up to that day.

Think now about a 3 hour train/car/bus journey to an everyday city centre where no one wants you, no one likes you, no one cares for you and they all want rid of you, hopefully pouring with rain and cold.

Never forget we had an adventure they have a trip.

Finally, after the abuse and filth my 5 year old son and 3 year old daughter and myself took from Man Utd fans on holiday watching the huns game (0-1)for being Celtic fans i prayed that they would regret that day, heres hoping the same 20 or so hardmen manage to meet up with their 'new friends' and get whats coming to them.

Dont be blue be green

Afternoon all,

the most annoying aspect of the game last night was having to listen Jim Beglin. The man should be ashamed of himself. I have never heard a player praised so much by a pundit(Cuellar).

Anyway, 3 points tomorrow and the pain