Sacred cows at risk

Hi There!

Sorry guys, couldn't resist it.

2nd? HAIL HAIL

Wow Zetabhoy you left a post before the article was posted!

ctb!

Yahoo my closest yet, Paul67 any news on signings?

I thought it was time to summarise where the Club are during what is a crucial close season.

1. We blew the league to a very poor Rangers team as a DIRECT result of the parsimony of the Board - who refused to invest in the side both during last summer's transfer window and perhaps even more criminally when we were starting to struggle to score goals, during the winter transfer window.

2. I see no apologies from the Board for this - all I hear is mealy mouthed nonsense about us spending everything and fighting back. But worse than that we have learned NOTHING from this.

3. We (eventually, despite knowing that GS was leaving) got a new manager. I like TM as a person, but he does not have a good track record in management - but to all of us we knew that the top priority for the board is not football success - but keeping the costs as low as possible - so he ticked the right boxes. Plus he is someone they can control.

4. One month into TM stewardship and we have signed absolutely no-one - we have lost a few of the more hefty wages on the wage bill and quite a few players leaving. We do not appear to be particularly active in the transfer market despite this and despite the fact that the team are ailing badly.

5. Even worse than that we find that the stories coming out of CP are all about playing reserves, wondering who is going to be captain and nice stories about players who are leaving. There is no focus whatsover on whats important. We even find many of the supporters/customers on here saying they would be happy not to get into the CL.

6. The clock is ticking both in terms of our upcoming crucial qualifier and indeed the transfer window closing itself. We are showing no urgency - none at all. We need to bring in several important key players if we are to hit the ground running - i.e. we need a big spend this summer. There is no sign of that - instead we are caught up in a farcical debate about Fortune - where we have offerred less wages than our other competitors - it strikes me that this is simply a distraction to keep us busy while they do nothing.

7. Financially the club is in rude health - a few predications for you for our accounts. We will miraculously hang onto some debt again (it may even go up a wee bit) - this is just to keep you on your toes and allow them to use the bogey man. We will again make a small profit - but there will be one or two write downs or reserves to make sure you dont get the full picture. Celtic have been doing this for years.

8. Dont expect a change in direction here - as I said earlier NO lessons have been learned - in fact losing the league for the board was simply a minor distraction. This club is about protecting one man's investment.

9. I dont expect ANY major signings now or in the foreseeable future - spending money just isnt on the agenda for Celtic.

10. The contempt for the support grows - all the spin around spending and season tickets etc - they dont want us to know the truth - as low as we are docile cash cows they will continue to treat us this way. Furthermore they are uncomfortable with any reactionary element in the club - hence their disgraceful treatment of the Green Brigade last season. All dissent will be crushed. Remember Paul used the term Regicide - well thats exactly what we have at the club - a ruling monarchy and the poor huddled masses. If the continue in the vein we will find revolution being whispered early in the season and poor TM wont last long.

Remember - as we sit here we have two recognised strikers - one average and the other disinterested. We are feigning interest in Fortune - but we would need at least two other top class strikers - but we clearly aint looking elsewhere.

What does all this tell you about Celtic?

It tells you that as supporters we have got work to do with our current rulers.

It tells you we are in for an awful season.

Its tells you the Board have no ambition.

NA

neganon

aint is a urine extraction when paul puts a link up just before you post a longin. :o)

MWD

Everyone else asleep? LOL

Paul67,
Abilty yes, but character is also important.

Dubaibhoy (nee LondonBhoy) FTLT @ 9.18am

I am an ex-Coltness Bhoy now living just up the road in sunny Carfin.
Attended St Aidan's 82-88.

As has been mentioned on here before other St Aidan's Alumni include WG,NAFOS,SOAL,bjmac03, This Charming Bhoy etc.

Know more than a few from Camby, but depends on your era as to whether we have some in common.

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

Anotheralexfraegovan,

sad loss for you. hope your memories keep you strong and smiling through your heartache and lost love.

take care.

haven't been on for a couples of days due to spending quality time with my nearest and dearest wife and son.

MWD

Assuming Mick stays at Celtic why not make him Club captain. I think Man U have a Club and a team captain, why not do something similar?

hi paul

i agree on the captaincy,for too long it seems whoever is made captain is deemed undroppable,which in my opnion is the wrong way to go,it was quite clear last season that stephen macmanus should have been dropped long before he was injured,he was playing poorly and was not contributing anything positive to the team.

i dont think that hes is good enough to play first team football at celtic,nevermind being club captain,i would like to see caldwell get the captaincy,to me he is the real leader out on the pitch,he leads by example,whilst doing his own job,something macmanus has failed to do.

hail hail

on another note...

sky espn £60m offer for 5 years spl rights sounds about right.
say 100k subscribers (just below setantas) a £15 per month on their
sky sports subscription X 12 months X 5 years = £90M
sky/espn making 6M per year and spl making 12m

hopefully its included in the present sky sports full package

and wheres the flippin signings...transfer window after transfer window it gets worse.

Of course it is Moonbeams - but it is easily solved!

Neg Anon,
We cant compete with the big leagues so we wont be getting any top clas strikers as they command 6 figure wages and huge transfer fees which we simply cannot afford. That is the reality we are in.

On Fortune. If does sign I wil be relatively pleased to be honest. Having seen the guy 'live' and on the local football highlights the guy was consistently a head and shoulders above his team mates at Utrecht. Sure, Utrecht are only a mid-table and at the best of times barely more than a mediocre outfit, but the guys strenght, application and attack-minded play was always impressive.

Hope he joins us.

As for the Captain issue Paul; Stephen McManus is a credit to Celtic on and off the park, although as myself and many others think he is not forceful or vocal enough during matches.
With a new manager in place and having lost the title, it would be no shame for TM wanting to try another personality to revitalise the Team. Gary Caldwell is the obvious choice but if he does change the captaincy, I'm sure TM wil make the correct choice for his Celtic.

Hail Hail

i think big mick is taking a bit of an unfair beating this weather
im not his biggest fan but a back 3 of
caldwell mcmanus loovens (odea as back up) would be the best defence by far and easily deal with most sides (decent CL sides not included)
in fact id go as far to say the team missed big mick at the end of last season.

snyde have said that scot mcdonald will captain Celtic on the tour of Oz...

Wishaw Tim - We aint even trying

RyanOD from previous post, would go with Juan's recommendation, Big Sleep is fine , fairly central and reasonable. Make sure you go to Dempseys on Castle St, facing Cardiff Castle, home of South Wales CSC. Sadly I will be in sunny Cumbernauld visiting family so will miss the game !

Neg Anon at 12.25 - have to agree with your post mate , until DD gets his money back out we will be in the slow lane.

bt

Not surprised with Mick being injured and Skippy returning to his native land.

Doubt that he'll be the regular captain come the start of the season.

Mort

Where are our other signings?. Ideally it should have been a full plane of next years squad going out to Oz.

SSN says Lennon is in talks with Stockport

Not really shocked by that one

Mort
I agree with that,

I also agree with most of what Negative anon and DD(previous article)have said,
I can see myself moving my seat to beside these two bhoys this season..

MWD,

what date did you say was no good for you mate? I tried to look back but couldnt find it.

just want to try to get something sorted asap.

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

I just cant see how the board can finance the sort of deals we would all love to see without getting into massive debt.The reality is that teams like Hull City Wigan Stoke and a good few championship teams can now pay bigger, much bigger wages and higher transfer fees than we can.

Paul

A very smart post, you should have considered a career in diplomacy

I could be wrong, but it wouldnt surprise me if our next Captain isnt even at the club at the moment

I honestly believe that Garry Caldwell is the only natural leader of men, who is certain of a start, in the current squad, it really wouldnt surprise me if the managers surprise signing isnt asked to carry the armband

more to be revealed soon I suspect

Ming

Congrats on the golf day BTW, maybe next year with a bit of planning......

3 weeks until the Champions League qualifier : Y'all Ready For This ?

TTT

Friday 7th of August,

I fly out for a weeks holibags on the 6th and return on the 14th so probably best to rule out the 14th too.

take it this Friday is defo a no no.

MWD

bhoy sean

The worrying thing is that the current batch don't to have anyone with any hope of making it in the first team. Aside from the foreigners brought in you have Ferry and that's about it.

The boy Tidsder (or was it Towell... always confuse the two) was the captain of the U19s and one of the better of the current batch but was released for some unknown reason. There's a few decent players (like Conroy) but none that I can see being Celtic class - they may be able to make it at Motehrwell or Dundee Utd but not Celtic.

I would only hope that one of TM's new signings gets the arm band...I have nothing against Big Mick..he tries his best but is simply not what I would envisage as the man who leads us on the park. A completely new face will allow others such as Brown and Caldwell to get on with producing on the pitch without potentially any in-fighting over the captains arm band.

Neg Anon - surely we are working behind the background for new signings. My initial thought was that Fortune and Flatcher stuff was always a front to go for the real targets and I agree with Wishaw Tim...we just can't compete with the big leagues, the reality is we are competing at high end end championship level and low end prem but on championship money....it will continue to be a struggle.

Why don't we have a Club Captain & rather than a captain on the pitch, we initiate a new practice where a season ticket holder is chosen at random to lead out the team on match days. To me this captain charade belongs to the 1970s & Roy of The Rovers. It would also instill a new mentality where we have 11 captains on the pitch & would help strengthen the bond between fan & player at a time when many supporters feel dissillusioned at the lack of players attending supporters club functions & struggle to identify with some of the players on the park. That's the reason that Tommy Burns is remembered so fondly. His body language & the way he conducted himself ensured that there was a genuine connection with the support. The fans will be more forgiving to a player not blessed with natural ability, if they see a man playing for them. We need to get that back!

Paul67

Very surprised that TM went public on a number
of issues, and the Captaincy should have remained
out of the press. Whether you love or loathe McManus
these things should be kept out of the papers, and my
bet is he'll feel very undermined.

More importantly why are we now having another Summer
of transfer misery, no signings as usual, I predicted we should not go down
the line of trying to compete with EPL teams.

It's a waste of resource, and so unfair to the faithful support.

Paul67,
Any idea if we are any closer to getting caldwell to sign a new contract at all?

I only ask as I thought BTM might use the captaincy as a deal maker with him on this one.

/Bishop B

ibleedgreenandwhite

Will you still think that while Gary Caldwell works his way to a Bosman this season?

Its Open Season on Mc Manus I see. No surprises there. We as a support seem to delight in choosing a victim and bullying him to a bloody end.

I have a lot of time for Anton Mor. If however he is starting to pander to the crowds by a public execution of our hard working, talented and dignified captain I would be extremely disappointed in him.

53

Afternoon Bhoys,

This is my first chance to come on since playing at the Golf Day on Friday.

Just wanted to pass on my thanks to everybody involved in what was an excellent day and night. We were made to feel very welcome right from the moment that we pulled up at the golf course until the late hour that we staggered out of the Cedar :-)

If Kev/John or any of the organisers are on can you let me know who and were to make payment to for the Aberdour golf package that we purchased in the charity auction.

Thanks

BB

l'equipe have reported fortune did not train with nancy yesterday "...prior to joining celtic"

DubaiTim

'Neg Anon - surely we are working behind the background for new signings.'

With the greatest respect I have heard this so many times over the last few seasons it really makes me laugh when people still think we actually are. Hasn't the past shown us anything?

If Rangers don't strenghthen there is very very little chance we will. We will go with mostly what we have bar some faces drafted in from the SPL, I still think Jones from Hibs and possibly even a couple more from HIbs past in the shape of Zemamma, Benji or Beuzelin but bar that I do't think there will be any signings of note.

We continually hear the 'we can't compete with the premiership' line yet where do we always go to attempt to sign players? Thats right - England.

I aslo see some rumours on the web that this charade of a siging press conference for a second chice keeper we signed on a pre contract in january will some how inolve other sigings?? I really do wonder what plaent some fans live on if they think we'd unveil other sigings - doesn't everbody know it takes Celtic at least a couple of long drawn months to sign (or more likely valiantly miss out then use the we can't compete line) when it comes to transfer business.

DD

WishawTim/NegativeAnon

Time to wake up. To suggest "The reality is that teams like Hull City Wigan Stoke and a good few championship teams can now pay bigger, much bigger wages and higher transfer fees than we can" or "We cant compete with the big leagues " is simply factually inaccurate.

Look at the much touted figures, Celtic has a larger income that every Championship club, lets see how it affects Newcastle, and they have greater income than at least 2/3rds of Premiership teams.

To say we can not compete is simply wrong, we choose not to because it is not part of our strategy. Now i am not saying it is right or wrong but it is simply not true to say we can not compete and it is so frustrating there are so many like you who use this as a party line much like PL and GS did for some time.

We choose not to pay big fees or wages, that is our choice and in reality it is probably the right one but it does not mean we could not. It is like saying someone on £20k a year can afford more than someone on £50k a year.

howdy to all of you today

i am on my hols in the good ol U S of A

was just surfin and couldn't help but post a comment re neganons post which i have to say i agree with most of it, however his assertion that we are doing nothing on the transfer front is baffling me somewhat for the following reasons

1. based on what info are we doing nothing?
2. does he expect us to do our transfers via the press?
3. TM and MV have already stated we need the right people not a quick buy who is wrong in the long term

off now to get my brekkie

oh say have you seen, by the dawn;s early light.....

Hail Hail

God Bless Kano

donegaldanny

Surely the fact that we have a 3m+ offer for Fortune accepted is a sign that we are trying to sign players?

Afternoon Bhoys
Sorry to deviate from topic so early in proceedings, but could i possibly please pick the brains of some of you well travelled ( not to say, urbane) chaps? Going to Nice next week and staying at the Brice Hotel on Rue du Marchal - Joffre. Wondered if you could recommend any hostelries for purposes of refreshment etc where we won't get absolutely fleeced, exchange rate notwithstanding?

Many thanks

Goggsy

DD - correct - but worse than that we are doing nothing behind the scenes.

Anstman - also correct - as I say we aint even trying.

Whilst lots of folk like to be optimistic to the point of delusion - we must have learned now that this Board are simply not going to compete?

Bhoy sean

Yes but haven't you noticed that 3.8m is remarkably close to the figure of a combined one years wages for Balde, Naka and JJVOH?? In fact in nigh on bang on!! Funny that eh?

Antsman

Spot on!

NegAnon

Ditto.

DD

vargas shampoo

i agree with on the captaincy issue,it is an outdated idea,if you are a professional footballer you should have an mental strength about you,you should be able to play the game and not depend on a team0mate to drag them through a match.

my pet hate about the captaincy is that in the past whoever holds the position is seen as undroppable,a situation which has to change,players must be picked on merit not because you wear an arm band.

hail hail

NegativeAnon on July 6, 2009 12:25 PM
I thought it was time to summarise where the Club are during what is a crucial close season.

1. We blew the league to a very poor Rangers team as a DIRECT result of the parsimony of the Board - who refused to invest in the side both during last summer's transfer window and perhaps even more criminally when we were starting to struggle to score goals, during the winter transfer window. ......................

Agree in part with that.....we lost the league due to 3 factors.....

1..the CEO failed to do his job properly and use the budget allocated by the board
2. The manager did not have the motivational skills required
3. The players underperformed

2. I see no apologies from the Board for this - all I hear is mealy mouthed nonsense about us spending everything and fighting back. But worse than that we have learned NOTHING from this.

I don't necessarily want an apology, I want an explanation.....The culture of arrogance that was prevalent at the Club during GS's tenure as manager, has resulted in the CEO and others appearing to believe they are above explanations to ordinary shareholders and fans

3. We (eventually, despite knowing that GS was leaving) got a new manager. I like TM as a person, but he does not have a good track record in management - but to all of us we knew that the top priority for the board is not football success - but keeping the costs as low as possible - so he ticked the right boxes. Plus he is someone they can control.

Disagree, you can only be judged as a manager based on your achievements against reasonable expectation...Control is relative....I have long argued the manager should have full control of the football budget....The CEO, any CEO, is the wrong person to make football judgements

4. One month into TM stewardship and we have signed absolutely no-one - we have lost a few of the more hefty wages on the wage bill and quite a few players leaving. We do not appear to be particularly active in the transfer market despite this and despite the fact that the team are ailing badly.

Ridiculously early to rush to judgement. I am more interested in who we sign than the fact that we haven't got anyone in within the first week ....We have taken football related decisions not to renew Bobo, JVOH and Paul Hartleys contracts....i doubt anyone could seriously disagree with those decisions...We tried to get Naka to extend, which i would agree with.....Not our fault he prefers to Live and work in Barcelona for the next 2 years

5. Even worse than that we find that the stories coming out of CP are all about playing reserves, wondering who is going to be captain and nice stories about players who are leaving. There is no focus whatsoever on whats important. We even find many of the supporters/customers on here saying they would be happy not to get into the CL.

Ridiculous point.....The media will write what they want to write about

6. The clock is ticking both in terms of our upcoming crucial qualifier and indeed the transfer window closing itself. We are showing no urgency - none at all. We need to bring in several important key players if we are to hit the ground running - i.e. we need a big spend this summer. There is no sign of that - instead we are caught up in a farcical debate about Fortune - where we have offered less wages than our other competitors - it strikes me that this is simply a distraction to keep us busy while they do nothing.

Just because we don't go rushing to the red tops, doesn't mean we are showing no urgency. On this and your other points you provide absolutely no evidence to back up what are generally wild statements

7. Financially the club is in rude health - a few predications for you for our accounts. We will miraculously hang onto some debt again (it may even go up a wee bit) - this is just to keep you on your toes and allow them to use the bogey man. We will again make a small profit - but there will be one or two write downs or reserves to make sure you don't get the full picture. Celtic have been doing this for years.

A statement of incredible naivety ......plc's can't just write off balance sheet items without sound and legitimate reasoning....legitimate does not include duping the shareholders to avoid appropriate investment

8. Don't expect a change in direction here - as I said earlier NO lessons have been learned - in fact losing the league for the board was simply a minor distraction. This club is about protecting one man's investment.

If thats the case, then DD would be justified in firing the CEO and the rest of the board , as his investment isn't doing to well.....he of course has no power to fire the board, he doesn't even have the power to force an EGM.....

9. I don't expect ANY major signings now or in the foreseeable future - spending money just isn't on the agenda for Celtic.

In which case they must be praying fortune says no.....as our bluff of bidding nearly £4 million would be mightily exposed

10. The contempt for the support grows - all the spin around spending and season tickets etc - they don't want us to know the truth - as low as we are docile cash cows they will continue to treat us this way. Furthermore they are uncomfortable with any reactionary element in the club - hence their disgraceful treatment of the Green Brigade last season. All dissent will be crushed. Remember Paul used the term Regicide - well thats exactly what we have at the club - a ruling monarchy and the poor huddled masses. If the continue in the vein we will find revolution being whispered early in the season and poor TM wont last long.

I'm not sure it is contempt, however there is a culture of arrogance that needs to be removed. The new manager is a great start, he is somebody who is the antithesis of arrogance...The CEO needs to start to communicate much better, and remember he is at best a competent administrator....at least thats all he has shown so far at Celtic......i believe the culture of arrogance stems from some of the non execs.... in particular one with close links to the CEO .....of all clubs , CEltic should never be arrogant......Brian Quinn was the embodiment of a top Celtic Director for me.....Intelligent, capable, humble and with a real sense of connection with the support and the heritage of the club

Remember - as we sit here we have two recognised strikers - one average and the other disinterested. We are feigning interest in Fortune - but we would need at least two other top class strikers - but we clearly ain't looking elsewhere.

Once again you mistake silence for inaction. The time for judgement is initially on 28th July and then 1st September

What does all this tell you about Celtic?

It tells you that as supporters we have got work to do with our current rulers.

It tells you we are in for an awful season.

Its tells you the Board have no ambition.

NA

Your post doesn't tell us anything about Celtic, but it tells us a lot about you

Like me I am sure you ghuys have no clue as to what is happening behind the scenes. You are going on past experience which sadly does back up your opinions. I live in hope that with a new manager on board that the board who failed us all in the last 2 transfer windows (maybe more with regard an LB) will this time put their money were their collectives mouths where on TB Thursday.

believe me, if they don't then I certainly won't be holding back. Before that time comes I can only wait in hope that they have learnt their lesson the hard way.

I will however not hold my breath.

MWD

Neg Anon

Spot on as usual.

Almost spat out my breakfast when I read TM's comments the other day about how we couldnt spend big because we didnt qualify for the Cl groups.

I was waiting for this one but didnt expect it till August so it still took me by surprise.

Of course what wasnt said was that we didnt qualify for the CL groups because we didnt spend money.

Failure used to excuse failure.

Neg Anon

I think we are just treading water at the moment.
The spectre of AMB2 and a T/O of £55mill looms large in the boards thinking.
That is the board and not just PL.
We have got ourselves into a very sticky situation and it will be mid August before we know where we really are.

On the specifics, if MAF is the answer I probably don't want to know the question.
Seems over priced and under motivated.
If the delay is being played out for the media then fair enough.
However it doesn't feel that way and we are now 23 days and countiong.
My probality of AMB2 is currently going up by 1% per day until we get news of player investment.

Something needs to give:

Squad too big and under-motivated.
Wage levels too high all across the board - £33-35mill in 2008/09?
We need a captain, if we don't have one and I don't think we do then we will need to buy one, simple as that.
PL needs to up his game, a tour to Aus is an end of season affair not a pre-season jaunt.
This mistake has to be added to all the other pre/early season disasters he has been responsible for ovr the years. Brand building is not his strong point.
Asset management is shocking, 4 players, first team quality all have gone at a net cost to the club. That is just not good enough.

The only positive I can see is that BTM will get the squad up onto an even keel, where they start to perform at a level in keeping with their wage level.

Consequently all to play for.
Hopefully DD will have learned his lesson that it always cheaper to build from a position of strength.
Last season was a shambles all round.

rt rev david hay (preaching pure football)

i cant see how you think we missed mcmanus, in our last 7 games that mcmanus didnt play we only lost 4 goals and looked far more solid at the back with loovens, losing goals in the run in didnt cost us the league it was our inability to score them,
i appreciate mcmanus is celtic through and through and would run through a brick wall for the club, but the bottom line is that he is not good enough, simple as that, it is not his fault he was wrongly made captain, i believe it severly affected his form. TM should do everyone and most importantly stephen mcmanus a favour and give the captaincy to someone who is up to the job and let stephen mcmanus concentrate on football and finding a bit of form that saw him almost hit double figures in goal terms a few seasons back.

Michael Collins

Didn't see the comment you mention but if it was said then it flies in the face of the drivel our CEO usually trots out that we always budget for the UEFA cup. Not that I believed that anyway but it does make me chuckle when its shown up like that.

DD

Antsman on July 6, 2009 12:56 PM

Completely agree. It is a huge frustration when the media peddle the myth of the power of the Championship. I posted a while ago about the relative sizes of CEltic and the top Championship clubs

Celtics turnover and spending power is greater than the combined numbers of West Brom, Wolves and Sheff Utd......when they are Championship clubs, and they were the 3 largest championship clubs 2 years ago

blantyretim

It's been known for several days that McDonald is going to be captain in Brisbane, wouldn't read too much into it, it's most likely only being done for commercial reasons.

Antsman,NegAnon DD,

Are we to take it then that top class players are ready and willing to sign for us and play in the SPL but the board dont want to pay them the money which they have stashed away for Dermot Desmond.
Can I also ask how much would we have to spend in total to bring the team up to a standard to qualify for the KO stages of the CL.
30M? 40M?

barcabhoy - an excellent and very balanced retort to NegAnon's opinions.

I wonder what people will batter on about when Fortune and a Left Back sign this week and the news breaks of the "big" name we are in talks with.

The stance will change from not doing nothing but to not good enough (Fortune), unknown quantity (left Back) and too old (big one).

As you say it is ridiculously early in TM's tenure to criticise for no signings yet. There is a new man at the helm, a very different man, why don't we give him the benefit of the doubt and see if he can perform a little better with his bosses and the transfer market before jumping the gun....

Token,

I was starting just as you were finishing so you were probably one of the big giant feckers who i was terrified of when I got there! :)

Anyone know how to get tickets for the Celtic end at Cardiff. On their site there is a general sale 13th July. Nowt on the Celtic official site.
Thanks

RogueLeader

Which position does the big one(too old) play in?

Negative Anon,

Did you really need to post something so, well negative, twice.

On your points:

1. The Board did not blow the league. They gave the manager a better pool of players than our rivals.

2. See above.

3. A bit unfair to Tony Mowbray. Why do you think he can be controlled?

4. Our new manager has been in charge for a few days, not a month.

5. Should we be outlining our transfer targets to the media?

6. Did you not read out manager stating that four players would be bought in. Is he lying? Or telling the fans what he was told to say?

7. Having no debt would be wrong? But having some debt would be wrong too?

8. Do you not believe that the Board is made up of Celtic fans? Or that they were unaffected by losing the league?

9. See 6.

10. How could the Board show that it does not have contempt for the fans in your opinion?

Rogueleader

Ok say we sign Fortune for 3.8 and Robinson for 750k as seems likely thats covered by the wages of the players who have left. I take it you have inside information of this big name then?

Who are we to expect Kanu? Campbell? who I wouldn't mind.

Or is it to be our new captain Jonathan Greening?

DD

First day back on the blog for a wee while.

Negative Anon at 12:25pm. As usual you are spot on. Keep posting, despite everything. Oh and I notice you aren't allowing your views to be buried under the 'new article posted' trick.

You are correct about the club's treatment of the Green Brigade last season. The Helicopter and Horses Day in Janefield Street will not be forgotten. It could easily have resulted in fatalities. And those fatalities would have been Celtic supporters. All over a side drum being beat to encourage support from the terracing for the players in green and white jerseys. They'd laugh at us on the continent.

We're told to leave our politics at the door. Does John Reid give up his Friends of Israel membership when he walks through the front door at Celtic Park ? When he is inside CP does he stop being a consultant for GSU Securities who guard British interests in Iraq and Afghanistan. If an urgent phone call come in from Baghdad or Kabul or even from the North of Ireland does he refuse to answer on the basis that he has left his politics at the door ?

Paul67, have the club any plans to tarmac the piece of land behind the Jock Stein Stand where the supporters buses are parked ? One shower of rain and the ground becomes a mudbath which the fans have to trudge through after a game. The land may be Council owned (New Labour) but I don't think they would object if the club picked up the bill as a small thank you to the millions of pounds that the same mud splattered fans put into the club all year round. Perhaps the Good Doctor could use his rottweiler tendencies in this matter. If he does it would be welcome to see them. No sign of them re Famine Song being sung at Celtic Park.

The bhoys and ghirls of the Green Brigade are an easier target of course.

hi folks

personally, i'd like to see 11 captains on the park. They ALL have a part to play. What does the captain actually do on the park ? call the toss at kick off seems to be the only thing asigned to them. If mick is still with us, being club captain for off field events is appropriate.

rogure leader

who is this big name signing you refer to????

this is the first ive heard about it,tell me more:))))

hail hail

Barcabhoy @ 1.06pm

Excellent post.

I just wanted to post that I have had an excellent weekend- the Sweetheart got the new job she was interviewed for on Thursday; I had an excellent day at the golf ie I sat in the clubhouse with some excellent CQNers watching the tennis, and then in the evening I met a lot of old and new [001Bhoy, rintintim, Burnley78, bigJoe] comrades.

I got the train [which was a bus] back into Edinburgh with Old Tim and managed to get an earlier connection so I was back home at lunchtime. I fell asleep in the garden and was woken up by a tremendous sound which turned out to belong to a Spitfire!
The pilot had the good grace to fly over the house again before disappearing into the wide blue yonder.

Anyways, what I need after all this upbeat elation and positive emotion is a wee dose of reality so I would be grateful if anyone could point out a post I could read which would bring me back down to earth with a bump; ideally with a cold shower of hopeless despair thrown in for good measure.

DBBIA/FotheringtonThomasCSC

DD,
I think that Jonathan Greening could be a good shout for a sgning and the captaincy.
BTM mentioned him the other day when he was discussing how he made him the captain at WBA.

Thought it was a bit odd at the time to mention him by name, but you never know.

/Bishop B

Not sure if it's been said before, as I haven't been on the boards in a while, but my gut feeling is that TM has not signed anyone yet as he is waiting on a response from Fortune.

I believe he wants Fortune to be his 1st signing, as this, he believes, will be the legacy signing on which his career as Celtic manager will be reviewed.

After the Fortune saga concludes I see a few rapid signings following on.

How excited we get about them when they happen is likely to be about as exciting as it is on us waiting on an answer from Fortune!

Wake me up when something happens!!

DBBIA

did you explain toilet duck to 001 bhoy, he doesn't understand...

BT

DD - I heard a wee sniff over the weekend about who it is but not wanting to say as I personally find it unreal but it is from a usually very good source. According to him you won't have to wait long as the papers have a sniff too now. I think it might be shampoo so if it doesn't break by this time next week I will say. Big name and far far from cheap on the wages front but as you point out, we have dropped alot of big earners off the bill....

I feel we are owed some excitement from the board, something to get our teeth into, this guy would do that but it depends big time on who else is interested, I suspect a few will be, and where his motivation is at at this stage. Money may not be a huge pull for him anymore, he should have plenty of that! Let's see if he wants to end his career with a final huge contract or a last hurrah in front of 60,000 every week.

Wishawtim

Who mentioned Dermot Desmond? Who said Celtic should spend? Who said all these players wanted to come?

You made a completely inaccurate comment based on the media hype without even considering the reality, which is Celtic can afford alot more than these clubs your claiming we can not compete with. You said and i quote "The reality is that teams like Hull City Wigan Stoke and a good few championship teams can now pay bigger, much bigger wages and higher transfer fees than we can"- on what do you base that? A column in the Daily Record? Other people saying it? The fact they have less money than us?

Looked in to see if there was any news at all, cos this used to be the most readable Celtic site out there....

But I despair! Why do you miserable, whining, whinging lot bother inflicting your negative negative negative drivel on the rest of us? Don't say because it's true or it needs to be said blah blah, because it's not true it's your opinion. What do you get out of it?

Negativeanon, you and your little clique of followers are destroying this site. Paul has put so much into this over the years and you feel the overwhelming all-consuming urge to despoil it with your broken-record whining. Why? Do you really feel that you are so so important that you just have to come in to Paul's hoose and wipe your feet all over his carpet, scribble on his walls, pee in his plant pots? Well you're not that important pal, talk to your dog, cat or whatever, give the rest of us peace, let us feel good about being Celtic supporters on any given day.

Here's a thought NegnegnegnegAnon, set up your own site! Seriously I bet Paul will give you free advice on setting it up, and how much it costs in time and money. Go on, why don't you?

What would be the only thing worse than being stuck in a lift with Negnegnegnegneganon?
Being stuck in a lift with him and P&ddy!

RogueLeader

I hope you are right.

One question is he based in england?

Is he left footed, blonde haired, a celtic fan, from a wee island west of wales, and has a fictional cartoon beer of the same name?

Just a thought...

DD

Neg Anon 12.25.... The old adage says that Consistency Commands Respect. You are certainly consistent, or more accurately... PERSISTENTLY PESSIMISTIC.
The board DID NOT lose the title.
They were CORRECT to assume that having a 7 point lead over a poor Rangers team was a situation that did not require any correction or investment. That was a reasonable assessment. It was not the board who threw away that lead. The board has NOTHING to apologise for, other than for putting us in the soundest financial situation in our history & indeed, in one of the most successful decades ever.
Tony Mowbrey has had only one full week in the job & is in the process of assessing the staff he has inherited. He has already started pruning the deadwood & made a £3m+ offer for a player he rates highly.
How much more would you like him to do ?
For God's sake give the man time to do his job.
It is bad enough to have our jaundiced media trying to find fault with everything Celtic does, without Celtic men giving them the ammunition.
Lighten up & get behind Anton Mor, the players & THE BOARD.

Good luck.

DD - surprisingly no, he is not based in England

But I am not playing 20 questions with you! :)

I meant to say form your previous post that I would like to see Greening at Celtic and I too thought it odd that BTM mentioned him like the Bishop Brennan said. Odd, but not unexpected, he is one of the trusted lieutenants, managers like them!

rogue leader

i think im going to have to use the jedi mind trick on you,so as we can find out who this big name is.

give us a clue,what age is he,what position does he play,what nationality,what league does he currently play in,come on mate suffering from a sever case of pre season boredom

give us a clue,please:))))

hail hail

may the force be with you CSC

When the horribles exited Europe last season there were scarves being sold outside Celtic Park which said, NO HUNS IN EUROPE. Unfortunately those who purchased them at a fiver then walked fifty yards to the Park only to be refused entry unless scarves were binned.

For me, this served to encourage those attempting to balance out the racist Famine Song with the contrived 'sectarianism' of the word HUNS.

Perhaps a new scarf will herald in the new season. One which truthfully says, NACHO NOVO IS A HUN. What ?

Barcabhoy @ 1.06pm

You ruined what was an otherwise excellent reply to negative anon's state of the nation post by your parting below the belt cheap shot at the guy, which was personnel and uncalled for imo.

Good afternoon Ghuys

Has anyone else heard the rumour about Kevin Thomson signing for Celtic.

that would be a kick in the bhaws. new captain??

It might be Vidal sasson, but hey..

RL,

does the guy in question have an equine connection, albeit a very very loose one :-)

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

RogueLeader

As you can imagine most will be suspicious about anyone who talks about a potential signing they have heard about from a reliable source.

The reason I mention this is that your post reminds me of a similar one last season from Joe Parkhead who had information from a journalist friend of his that Celtic would sign someone very big and if it failed he would come on and tell us who the player was. We didn't sign this mystery player and Joe Parkhead didn't come back to tell us who it was.

Hopefully your tip does come up but if not, I hope you will fill us in on who the target was.

Hail Hail

Mort

RL

I don't think anyone will hold anything against you if you mention the name and nothing comes of it.

It's easy to do.

Patrick Viera?
Eidur Gudjonson?

See :)

Haloha all..

Barcabhoy...I agree with your comments; but understand Anon's frustrations.

Is there truth is this Greening rumour? If so, how much will this guy cost roughly?...Im concerned about the small scale of the scouting going on here; it seems to be either SPL based or former club players.....

Hopefully TM/PL are secretly scowering the Eastern European market for some explosive bargins...

Gallowgate
tell me you don't seriously believe that Paul waits for neganon to decide we must read his thoughts, then posts a new article? Presumably while stroking his white cat and cackling maniacally?
Tell me you dont believe that, c'mon!!
Because he just reposts in the new thread doesnt he??!!! Good grief.

Whoyoo

More chance of Emma or Antony Worrell Thomson signing for Celtic.

I said I wouldnt post again.

I feel the need to after reading some idiot posts.

first of all NegativeAnon

your post reads like someone who has no real knowledge of football or Celtic. To say that Celtic are not looking at players is beyond belief. We have a 4 million bid in for a player as it stands. what world are you living in? We are also speaking to a left back by the way.

Celtic are ready to spend money and they will spend it.

To the other idiot who doesnt even deserve a mention.

Apparently Tony Mowbrays record as manager is not very good. IDIOT.

This site is becoming a laughing stock because of idiot posters who dont no nothing about Celtic.

read this and tell me if Tony Mowbray hasnt done well.

In May 2004, Mowbray was appointed manager of Hibernian, replacing Bobby Williamson.[3] He gained much acclaim for the job he did, winning the Scottish Football writers' manager of the year award in his first season.[4] Hibs finished in the top four in the SPL in his only two full seasons in charge, which was the first time that Hibs had done this in the top division in consecutive seasons since Eddie Turnbull was manager. During his tenure, season ticket sales at Easter Road almost doubled.

Hibs progressed to the later stages of every domestic cup competition in his tenure and made two appearances in European football. Hibs lost heavily to Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the first round of the UEFA Cup and on the away goals rule to OB Odense in the 2006 Intertoto Cup. During mid-2006, Mowbray was interviewed for the vacant managerial position at Ipswich Town, but he rejected their approach.[5] In September 2006 he signed a 12 month rolling deal with Hibs that was due to take effect from July 2007.[6] Just one month later however, Mowbray moved to West Bromwich Albion.

[edit] West Bromwich Albion
In early October 2006, media reports linked him with the vacant managerial position at West Brom. On 10 October, it was confirmed by West Brom that they had asked Hibernian for permission to interview Mowbray, which was granted the following day. On 13 October, West Bromwich Albion announced that they had appointed Mowbray as their new manager.[7]

Mowbray replaced Bryan Robson as Albion manager, and immediately faced the task of returning the Baggies to the Premier League after relegation under Robson the previous season. Although he managed to turn around the club's poor away form, an indifferent run of results at home towards the end of the season meant that Albion finished fourth in The Championship table behind Sunderland, Birmingham City and Derby County, and faced the lottery of the Play-Offs. Despite two famous victories over old rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in the semi finals, Albion lost 1–0 to Derby County in the Wembley final.

As a result, during the close season, Mowbray set about restructuring his squad, moving out several of Robson's players for multi-million pound fees, after press reports of dressing room division.[8] High profile players such as Jason Koumas, Diomansy Kamara and Curtis Davies were sold to Premier League clubs for large fees, in addition to the departures of Paul McShane, Nathan Ellington, Darren Carter and Steve Watson. Mowbray replaced them by signing a total of 14 permanent and loan players in the summer transfer window, making an overall profit in the process. His most expensive signings were Chris Brunt from Sheffield Wednesday for £3 million, Leon Barnett from Luton Town for £2.5 million, and James Morrison from Middlesbrough for £1.5 million.

Despite the large changes in his squad, Mowbray won the Football League Championship Manager of the Month award in September 2007, after Albion gained 13 out of the maximum 15 points and climbed to 2nd in the Division.[9] At the turn of the New Year, Mowbray's young Albion team topped the table, receiving growing plaudits from the media[10] and supporters[11] alike for their attractive brand of attacking one touch passing football, a reflection of Mowbray's staunch footballing philosophy.[12]

Mowbray guided West Brom to the Football League Championship title, meaning promotion to the Premier League and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup. The semi-final, the first to be played at the new Wembley Stadium, pitted West Brom against Portsmouth, the only remaining Premier League team left in the FA Cup. Portsmouth won the match 1-0 with the only goal of the game coming from Kanu. Mowbray won the Championship manager of the month award for April,[13] as well as the League Managers Association manager of the year award.[14]

Barcabhoy on the Neg Anon's 11 points:

Some thoughts on your responses.

1) Agree on the jist of your comments.
Board / CEO / WGS not working productively on this.
SM @ £2.5mill = MON laughing all the way to the bank.
GL @ TFOD flop money = CEO macho signing with WGS not in full agreement? Something wrong somewhere.

I fear the spectre of BB looms large over this.
One other mistake which was CEO led was the "Fat Boy Three" contact improvements. I fear PL was just getting greedy.

3) BTM is a thrifter / asset manager by nature, consequently he suits the boards current strategy.
OC by way of a contrast is (IMO) more of a builder.
I fear JMcC will follow SF just to prove a point.

4)Rebuilding is not going well.
We are hamstrung by a lack of money and a need to ship out two of our Big4 assets.
The SN offer was typical of PL, last gasp, little hope of success but it will / did generate a headline, see SF - 29th Jan 2009.
Given the four who did leave what was there value one year ago?
Looking at £10-12mill?
That is what PL's lack of asset management skills has cost us.
He is currently infusing too many of his bodies excretions.

5) Have to disagree, the mood music from the board groupies on here all suggests, thrft, sell, grow your own.
I have heard nothing from official club sources to go against this hunch.

6) 22 days and counting.
Where were we on the 6th July 2005?
We are behind on what needs to be done this year.

7) Disagree, you need to pay your accountant more.
We have asset impairment charges coming out of our ears at the moment.
SM @ £2.5mill, only in JR's dreams.

8) DD runs the show.
He is into arbitrage, he is not a brand builder.
All he wants to do is changes the rules of the game and them count his winnings.
We are currently in thrift mode.

9) MAF @ £4mill = AB + AN Other out at £14mill.
As always only time will tell.

10) There is a growing gap between the support and the board.
BTM will help to bridge it but he can't do it alone. JR needs to stop playing to the gallery and do a bit more in the real world.

As for BQ, debt nutter who was ill equipped to run a PLC board and work a mobile phone at the same time.

However in his capacity as a central banker he is head and shoulders above the idiot/busted flush formerly known as MK. He is so far up DC's back pasage all he can see is the toenails of the Guardian's chief leader writer.

Consequently interesting points but as always I have some issues.
Any thoughts on how to move on?

Guys upon relflection I am being very mean and a tad silly. It isn't fair to say what I said then not follow through.

As I said I think it is shampoo, but my man says us, Ajax and 4 EPL clubs are discussing terms with the now "surplus to requirements" Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

Barcabhoy

Celtic have played there part in it as well. There will be many quotes out there from Gordon and Peter about how we can not compete with the EPL and at times Champioship.

The media just write it at will now.

The media also said Celtic would necer spend Larrson style money on wages or pay fees over £2-3m again. We bought Jan and Gravesen. Now we are in for Fortune - who i personally think lookes like a bad 'investment' at the estimate of £3.5-3.8m with circa £20-25k wages to match at 28. I keep saying it but 6 months ago he was a £1.5m player - has 5 goals in prem added this much value?

For me the Board is tryng to send a message - we are backing our new manager

I don't think we have 4m to give away on potential but if he was cheaper I wouldn't mind us signing Driver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWt6PF4qKR0

doonhame del @ 1.36

Have you treid the Celtic View? With all due respect all blogs including this one needs perspective and balance if they are to remain interesting. One way to achieve that is to allow people to voice their opinions uncensored. Paul does that apart from the swear words and full credit to Paul. You may have already noticed that not everyone agrees with neg anon, and that's what keeps this blog going, different opinions. No offence meant mind.

Dubai (nee Londonbhoy),

You will no doubt know at least one of my wee bros. 1 aged 34 and other 30. Initials MS and AS respectively.
As for me being one of those big giants, hmmmmm, unlike these days I was but a slip of a bhoy and hardly the tallest either!

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

Mort,
was Samaras not our "big" signing last season at 6ft 4ins?

I also have it in good authority that we will definitely be signing someone "disctinctly average" before the end of next week.

If this doesn't happen by 17th July I will name and shame my source and also reveal the player.

Obviously I meant "distinctly average".........as in, "your spelling is distinctly average"!!

doonhame del at 1:49, of corse I don't believe that. It's not as if there has been any evidence of it in the past. Has there ?

RogueLeader

Tah for that.

Can't see it but you never know I guess.

RVN would certainly excite, remember when Man U was first interested in signing him. He played against Rangers I couldn't wait to see him put them to the sword, before moving to OT.

After watching the game at Ipox remember thinking what a mistake Man U where about to make. He was awfull at Ipox, thhougt he was an over hyped diddy.

I'm a good judge Aye!:))

Mystery rumour sounds like RVN (low transfer fees, mega wages, nearing end of career).

Also sounds like the usual pie in the sky nonsense.

RL

Always good to have a name to go with the speculation even if 90% of the time it won't come to fruition.

If RvN would be willing to come for a low basic wage and higher appearence and other performance related bonuses it might be a good deal. His arrival would certainly give the other strikers a kick up the backside.

Saying that if we are in the market for a top paid striker i'd go for someone younger with more to prove but then that too could be a risk.

oisin71

A "distinctly average" player. i like the sound of that. Seems quite reasonable for us at the minute. :-)

Mort

Negative anon

I'm just back from the green fields of gweedore and back at work, saw your post, have to say great stuff, and if you don't mind would add my comments to it.

I thought it was time to summarise where the Club are during what is a crucial close season.

1. Have to agree for the wont of a nail the horse was lost etc. We had the chance to bury the Huns and the biscuit tin mentality of the board blew this. We all knew we needed a striker and nothing was done apart from a half arsed attempt at damage limitation with the Fletcher bid.

2. I would hope even they have learned from this and will support Anton Mor in his team building. The proposed HP deal for fortune should at least mean if we get him we have not blown all the kitty.

3. Celtic is not an attractive proposition to the big boys in management. This is no slight against us we are in a garage league with teams that can't even beat pub teams in Europe. As the big yin says, the arse is out of the trousers. Anton MOR is the best we can hope for.

4. Our board will not pay wages for men who are not playing (well bobo apart) Now the team is back action will take place. We will get some championship and eastern European lads. Enough in my view to win this league.

5. Big Mick is not good enough to be a first choice player which sadly means a gentleman and good Celt should not be captain. It aint personal it's just business.

6. We should walk away from fortune.

7. Agree

8. Dermot is no daft and it is his toy.

9. I agree with you but hope we are both very very wrong.

10.Good celtic men and women have walked away. This will continue. Spin is a fleeting process it has no long term sustainability if the emperor has no clothes.

I would say sammy is more poor than disinterested.

It tells you we are in for an awful season. Agree but we will win this league as its nearly as bad as the league of Ireland.

Its tells you the Board have no ambition. They never have had, apart from when they went for Mon.

Hail Hail and keep the good fight going mate.

i have it on good authority that tommorrow is tuesday,i cant reveal my source but he told me yesterday that today would be monday and he got that one right,so i guess i will just have to take his word for it:)))))

hail hail

ifeckinhatepreseasongossipCSC

Zeta

I have to say I fully endorse your comments. I rarely agree with Neg Anon's viewpoint but I most definitely enjoy reading his opinions.

It would most certainly be a lot less entertaining on here without his input.

And the fact that he rarely (to my knowledge) gets his posts removed, means Paul 67 must be quite happy to allow him the opportunity to voice his views, and finds no offence in them.

well according to the always on the ball website wikipedia

"With the influx of attackers to Madrid this summer Ruud is surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu. He is in talks with several English Premiership Clubs, Ajax and Celtic over his next career move."

Would be sweet but it's hard to see

doonhame del

First time I have read any of your posts.
Hope you have a long and productive career on this blog.

There are too many one hit wonders on here who post "board groupie" nonsense when the tone moves towards reality.

Consequently welcome on-board.
As in all things only time will tell.

Should have read on before I posted that.

Is it 'negative' Monday or something?

The blog should come with a health warning these days!

Zetabhoy
thanks for coming back to me, mate.
Of course I agree that a range of views are possible and welcome on any subject.
I just feel lately that the shark's been jumped, the rubicon's been crossed and the die cast. What I mean is that it's the same thing over and over and over from the neg man and his 'coterie' so much that the whole feel of the blog, the whole well balanced feel that is, cos most on here are no mugs, yersel included ;). Now it's becoming less of a pleasure to find reasoned debate.
Anyhoo....
cheers

WhoyouLoovenat

I read that rumour.

At 1:47 today.

Feisigh leat!

53

Ellbhoy - I don't think it would come to fruition and my reticence was due to this. In our favour though at 33 years of age, he may not fancy tarnishing his English reputation by playing back there when he clearly is not at the level he was. So if he is thinking like that he may be looking towards Holland or here for the "easier ride". If that scenario was correct it would be interesting to see if he would go home to Ajax or try a swansong with us and he would know neither of us could match his wages, in fact none of the EPL clubs will be likely to match his Real wages so he will already be looking at a wagecut.

As I said, I don't believe it hence my reticence, hwoever if it did come off i think that is something we would all get excited about.

I could swear i've just seen Ruud Van Nistelrooy reversing a metallic blue Opal Manta out of Harry Ramsdens. No hold on - wait a minute it's big Davie from my work.....

This site is very educational due to the fact that language needs to be moderate, or, the moderator will moderate it for you. So you need to find alternatives for sweery wurds, and I'd like to be the first to advocate the return of the auld Scottish favourites as used frequently in the Broons and Oor Wullie;

Jings Crivvens and Help ma Boab

So, all around CP when we are losing 3-0 at HT in our league opener, there will be no obscenities, just disgruntled punters shouting Jings, Crivvens or Help ma boab.

I remember when the 5th went in in Bratislava, shouting, Crivvens it's 5-0.

Jings! I'll need to run. Somebody has just pranged my new Jag and drove off. Help ma Boab!

Much more civilised don't you agree?

Madmitch
I'm happy to accept your welcome, but have a nagging suspicion of the faintest hint of sarcasm there. Sarcasm on blogs is a minefield. Would I be fair to say that you're on the sceptical side of the fence here? All I would point out is that your point of view is not necessarily "reality" as you claim.
By the way I love your posts, working out who the initials belong to. Really do.

Gallowgate
so you DO believe that Paul puts up a new article to hide Neg's posts, even though he can, and does, just repost in the new article????????? Ay carumba! Are your walls lined with tin foil by any chance?

doonehame del @ 2.09

You no what they say about a leopard! I think generally most of us still have a bad taste in our mouth with the way in which we lost the league last season, until we change that or have something positive happen on the football park most likely CQN will be in a kind of downbeat mode. Personally I'me quite optmistic, I think BTM will get the best out of the likes of Aiden, Crosas, Robson (hope he's fit) Brown and Skippy. Hope so anyway.

the reason for the blog feeling negative is because the last few seasons have been so negative, the team has been mostly awful to watch, and it was allowed to trundle along like this, all this prudent talk means if we spend 6 million we will be wetting ourselves at such a big outlay, we have been conditioned for this, the supposed money that gordon had to spend but didnt is this gonna be added to this seasons budget? until the deals are done then i cant help but be sceptical of this board, i am not building up my hopes as we have been booted to many times in the [#####] before and it does hurt.

RogueLeader on July 6, 2009 2:13 PM

I agree RL.

Kudos for telling us about this.

nistelrooy...jees
will none of you ever learn.

gudjonsen
pavlechenko
robbie keane
the return of the king
im sure there was a torres one too

get with the programme people.
we are in the "slow lane" and remain
there until something changes the league
we play in, no time soon.

Football-rumours.com:-

Kevin Thomson to rejoin Mogga at Celtic for £5m??

Flaps

twists n turns @ 2:03

To be honest I was being selfish there. A really big part of what attracts me to this blog is the diversity of opinions amongst fellow Celtic fans. Can you imagine what it would be like on here if we were all mates, all played golf together and were drinking buddies! No offence meant to any CQN golfing persons.

Fixture congestion problems over at Ibrox

The second games in the Champions League, fall on the same night that Weir and Dailly are playing in the Masters sixes.

Quandry what quandry

ZetaBhoy on July 6, 2009 1:43 PM
Barcabhoy @ 1.06pm

"You ruined what was an otherwise excellent reply to negative anon's state of the nation post by your parting below the belt cheap shot at the guy, which was personnel and uncalled for imo."

I'm sorry you think that. what i said is posted below. I don't think it falls into the personal abuse category, as i try and avoid that, although i will plead guilty to a little jab of invective.

NegAnon's post was so negative and critical that saying it" tells us a lot about him" was hardly over the top in my opinion. I accept that everyone is entitled to their own view, but when you post points as controversial as NA did then you have to expect some kind of rebuttal.

I don't think my reply would have had him running for the bomb shelter. In my defense i will quote the late Frank Lloyd Wright and Martin Luther King

I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters."

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

If i've insulted the entire blog , including myself, don't take it too seriously....it's merely light hearted sparring

"Your post doesn't tell us anything about Celtic, but it tells us a lot about you"

doonhame del

Not sarcasm, just wary.

There have been a number of one post wonders who appear when "reality" begins to grow legs / support.

Reality is not my viewpoint, it is a counterpoint to the prevailing we are doomed by SKY + EPL money / board is doing well in difficult circumstances narrative that some on here push with an un-natural devotion.

Consequently apologies if I have called this wrong.

Times are tough but we need to grow our way out of it.

Last season was hard, doubly so if you posted your issues only to be swamped by a blizzard of Last 16 (Twice) / Three in a row is the start of something big / seven point lead / TFOD are in meltdown / bargains to be had in the next transfer window not this one / G.O.D nonsense.

Last season was a train wreck in slow motion.
The emporer really didn't have any new clothes.

One thing for sure is that only a couple of last year's "Board Groupies" have started to notice.
Old habits die hard.

BarcBhoy/Gordon_J,

Thought the posts from you both were a breath of fresh air in comparison to the comments coming from Negative Anon. Whilst everyone is entitled to an opinion the lengths you have gone to in order to truly reflect your ever so pessimistic user name is quite astonishing.

There are so many negative and quite bluntly speculative comments from your initial post I'm not quite sure where to start. To re-itterate someone's previous point, would you rather the board came out and gave comment to every little transfer rumour just to keep people like yourself happy - surely calling a press conference once any transfer is a done deal is a far more professional way to go. Like you I used to get frustrated during the close season and yearn for a new signing - somebody, anybody - but after leaving primary school and heading up to the big school I learned to control these emotions.

On the subject of BTM being "someone they can control" - I dont see any basis for this comment at all? Time will tell of course, but from the outset Tony Mowbray just does not seem the type of man to be controlled personally or professionaly. The way he conducts himself, and has done throughout his career, just does not lend itself to this theory.

But hey, what does all this matter - we're "in for an awful season" anyway. I'd better go for now as it seems my coffee cup is half empty, oh well.

RL etc

I have some serious doubts about RVN's desire to be playing in falkirk in february, call me a cynic, but I just cannae see it

I hadnt heard the Greening stuff, in todays madness he would probably rate as a top quality signing, since he was capable at the mancs, and has been above average since, again not sure about whether a trip north of Stringfellow's would really appeal, but we can but hope,

I think your probably fishing in the right pond though, Tony Max is going to want his first signings to be groundbreaking and an indication of where he sees us going, I think a top end EPL player whose just passed 30, on a free and looking for a last hurrah could be a good bet

Suddenly feel slightly sick, have just realised I've described Viduka.....shurely not ?

Ming

Barcabhoy @ 2.32

It just caught my eye as it was out of synch with what you had said up to that point, but yeah agreed, certainly not a contender for the most abusive CQN insult of the year.

Was reading at lunchtime, that there are now more overweight people in this country than there are average weight people.

Surely this means that being overweight is actually the average now.... and that what was average weight is now underweight?

So... before I read that article I assumed I was overweight. Now I believe I am average and I found that out straight after a double burger and chips as well.

So if me and all the others my size keep piling intae the chips, surely we can keep the average weight moving up, and drive the rest of you to being virtually anorexic?

Naw? Whaurs ma logic flawed here?

NegAnon
Agree with some of your comments to a certain degree mate but I think you are maybe a bit overly pessimistic on some points.
Lets take Big Ton...I think he has a pretty decent track record bearing in mind the resources he has had at his disposal. I think DA summed it up pretty well at 1.51pm.
He sure had Hibs playing a decent game and I think he did an outstanding job at WBA. OK so they got relegated but at least in the few of their games I saw they at least tried to play football. One of their problems for me was their ability to concede stupid goals - I know that sounds familar and I'm hoping that we don't see a continuation next season. Now some of the teams who did escape relegation (Stoke, Hull, Wigan, etc.) were absolutely apalling to watch, I suppose BTM could have adopted the same tactics and maybe survived but I admire the man for sticking to his philosophy. I don't want to say that style is more important than results but there can be a happy medium and let's be honest WGS was never going to achieve this again.
Let me ask you - how many trophies did Big Jock win before arriving at CP? And let me give you a hint-it was pretty low number. Let's give Big Ton a fair crack at the whip and see what happens.
One thing that does concern me is this "assessing the squad". How long does that take? I hope this isn't another excuse to delay doing anything until it's once again too late. If that happens again this year then that's it for me..I'm fed up listening to excuses and spin when the real underlying intent all along is to do nothing and treat the fans like mugs.

NegAnon
Agree with some of your comments to a certain degree mate but I think you are maybe a bit overly pessimistic on some points.
Lets take Big Ton...I think he has a pretty decent track record bearing in mind the resources he has had at his disposal. I think DA summed it up pretty well at 1.51pm.
He sure had Hibs playing a decent game and I think he did an outstanding job at WBA. OK so they got relegated but at least in the few of their games I saw they at least tried to play football. One of their problems for me was their ability to concede stupid goals - I know that sounds familar and I'm hoping that we don't see a continuation next season. Now some of the teams who did escape relegation (Stoke, Hull, Wigan, etc.) were absolutely apalling to watch, I suppose BTM could have adopted the same tactics and maybe survived but I admire the man for sticking to his philosophy. I don't want to say that style is more important than results but there can be a happy medium and let's be honest WGS was never going to achieve this again.
Let me ask you - how many trophies did Big Jock win before arriving at CP? And let me give you a hint-it was pretty low number. Let's give Big Ton a fair crack at the whip and see what happens.
One thing that does concern me is this "assessing the squad". How long does that take? I hope this isn't another excuse to delay doing anything until it's once again too late. If that happens again this year then that's it for me..I'm fed up listening to excuses and spin when the real underlying intent all along is to do nothing and treat the fans like mugs.

doonhame del at 2:20, firstly you want people thrown off the blog because their views do not conform to your own. Now you resort to personal abuse.

Regarding your question. I thought I had already answered it but if you are not satisfied then I suggest a trawl through the archives. You never know, you may be surprised !

Just a quick shout from she who must be obeyed and myself to say thanks to all of you at Aberdour on Friday for a brilliant day.

The Boss is chuffed at winning the bottle of Isle of Jura, and has allowed me to place it in the bar for later use. She was even more delighted with everyone taking the time to talk to her, and for being so welcoming.

I was delighted at playing my best ever round of golf, and of course for winning the Toilet Duck (plus some hidden vouchers for the Celtic Shop)! Best of all though, was herself placing the winning bid for the signed Celtic top! At least I think I will be chufed, if it is indeed for my birthday. What if it is for another man????

Quick question, who won the Celtic picture in the raffle, and then left it for me behind the bar at the Cedar Inn? It will have pride of place in the bar, alongside my Lisbon Lions signed top, and the one referred to above. A big thanks to you for that.

Off to do some work, later dudes!

Lurcy

ZetaBhoy on July 6, 2009 2:29 PM

Be careful ZetaBhoy your going to start a cliques debate with those comments :)

I think the reasons for a lot of the negativity lately is due to throwing away a championship last year, for whatever reason, and the lack of transfer activity or the percieved lack of activity so far.

As some have mentioned TM has to assess the team first and move on from there, he has started this process he has spoken to or tried to speak to those who are surplus.

I believe as Celtic supporters we have been happy with the "not a word to the meeja" approach Celtic have adopted over the last few years, so if there is no news coming out of Celtic Park right now I'm happy about that. It can be frustrating but, that is the way to do business.

As for Fortune, let's see when it's done and dusted.

gsu

Thankfully NA's summary of our Club is wholly innaccurate and his pessimistic view is a shame.

Tony Mowbray

Tony Mowbray's former club demanded a large sevarance fee & I'm sure his wages are similar to those of previous staff. If performing on a shoestring, our new manager would have been promoted within - Willie McStay.

Also, give the man a chance to at least play 1 game before you judge him!!

Transfers

Thankfully our Club perform their transfer activity in a professional & dignified way in the background. There is clearly no evidence to backup your views. Do you think that TM should just sign the first couple of players that come into his mind or try to work within the budget & sign the best he can possibly get for the money he has? I for one have no issue in TM requiring a little bit of time to bring in the players he wants.

Instant success does not guarantee continued success. TM will be looking for targets that will fit in to his project - our team has the foundations but he must buy the fruit that will bring a more attractive style of football back to our club, but continue to be successful. it's a hard task!

Financial Status

It is entirely illegal to remove any data from a PLC's accounts therefore if you have any proof that we have been been performing "write downs" I suggest you inform the FSA for further investigation.

Dermott Desmond happens to have a healthy investment in our club, but you must understand that he is not a ruling figure like Abramovich or a Sheikh at City. Mr Desmond is part of our board & no action can take place by him, or by any other figure for that matter, without the full agreement of our board.

Our club are a PLC, not a monarchy.

The Green Brigade - IMHO they sing wholly inappropriate songs & decided to make a political stance at a football match which quite frankly was embarassing. I'm scottish, have irish ancestory, but british troops have died on our behalf to defend this great nation. Outside the ground I walked past the congregation singing political songs & it was broadcast on national television.

Neg Anon,

On the basis that a solid argument holds on it's own merits, it makes you wonder why a person making an argument needs to embelish, exaggerate or alter "facts" it to get the point across?

Perhaps it indicates a weak argument requiring "facts" to be altered in order to support the argument?

Perhaps it indicates that the conclusion of the argument is in place before the facts are properly evaluated and a shoe-horn job is taking place?

Point 4....

"4. One month into TM stewardship and we have signed absolutely no-one - we have lost a few of the more hefty wages on the wage bill and quite a few players leaving. We do not appear to be particularly active in the transfer market despite this and despite the fact that the team are ailing badly."

It may appear to be a minor observation initially, but it may offer more of insight into the manner in which you make your points on this website. Tony Mowbray was appointed on 16th June. Today is 6th July. I make that 10 days short of 1 month. Or, put another way, 33% inaccurate - which is quite high in anybody's measurement. Would it have been soooo haaard to just say "nearly three weeks"?

Would that have weakened your argument? It would appear you may think so, or you just didn't bother to check basics.

On your other points - all nine of them - they are all tainted with a predifined angle. Most are conjecture, some are nonsense, some are pure guesswork on your part (negative guesswork, of course) and a few are very pertinent.

Pity there is nothing positive there. I'm sure there are some positives around somewhere...

curly

it was none other than your fellow sheepy and my playing partner LFT....

BT

Just back from 2 weeks in Spain,sick of spending a fortune,pardon the pun,on newspapers trying to find out about new signings.
Have anyone any knowledge of a bid by Fulham for Loovens @ Brown
Slan

RogueLeader
PAUL SCHOLES?

By gallowgate on July 6, 2009 2:45 PM
doonhame del at 2:20, firstly you want people thrown off the blog because their views do not conform to your own. Now you resort to personal abuse.

Regarding your question. I thought I had already answered it but if you are not satisfied then I suggest a trawl through the archives. You never know, you may be surprised !

------------
Blimey man, very very poor show, where did I say anyone should be "thrown off the blog"? If in doubt make things up, eh?

------------
By gallowgate on July 6, 2009 2:00 PM
doonhame del at 1:49, of corse I don't believe that. It's not as if there has been any evidence of it in the past. Has there ?
-------------
So this sarky comment is you answering my question is it? Can't have it both ways pal.
Contrast and compare your hysterical reply with that of Madmitch@ 2.34, clearly a gent and a scholar there.

Madmitch - I am not sure it is just as black and white as you call it.
Sure, in the mayhem that was last season some of us, myself included, defended the club/ manager/ team just as you and others criticised them.
At the time a 7 point lead against a team that WAS in meltdown led me to believe that January wouldn't be that important. The evidence that we were heading for more success was pretty strong. The team messed up for whatever reason. I was wrong. hands up.
However, I do not know the reasons Celtic did not sign anybody significant in January. There may be several reasons. GS teling the board he was for the off? The board being duplicitous with the support? Misguided belief that the huns were indeed dead in the water on the playing front and were about to offload their top goalscorer?
Perhaps the truth was that we couldn't get the right people in at the right price at the right time. But far be it from me to cheer lead for the PLC and speculate that they might actually have been telling the truth about being prepared to spend but having found nothing to spend it on kept the cash in the bank????? Is this a 'conspiracy' too far?

Again, I do not have the FACTS in my possession. I am not a cheerleader for the Board but unless I see PROOF that they have been leading me and you a merry dance then I see no reason to get annoyed with them. If you can PROVE to me that Celtic PLC have some kind of twisted plot to play russian roullette with the league title and CL then I will join in with the doom and gloom.
Until then I will just have to take at face value some pretty stark truths - we are not massively wealthy as a club, we cannot compete financially with the EPL clubs, we must cut our cloth accordingly. Many of us were born in to the Celtic tradition, some chose it. either way we can only support what is put in front of us.

When the end of the transfer window comes I will judge the performance of the new manager and his PLC bosses. If we are misled then it will point to evidence that backs your position. If significant funds are spent on decent players then I wonder how many mineshafters will be on between then and our first defeat or bad performance?

Opinions are a marvellous thing, the basis of sites like these. No acrimony, just one Celt putting his points to another. It's what it's all about. this next six weeks will be telling in terms of our boards intentions. I am teetering on the brink of giving up on them (but never on Celtic!). they have to prove themselves to us all, but I am still giving them the benefit of the doubt until the fat administrative assistant at UEFA sings time on the transfer window.

I am easy enough to please. 4 good quality first team players and I am all theirs again.

masty,
If you scroll back you'll find RL said that it was Ruud van Nistelrooy he had heard the rumour about mate.

/Bishop B

RL @ 1.52,

Ha! I was correct in my guess in my post to you at 1.48 :-)

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

Damo

I respect your views but disagree in respect of the green brigade, they may not represent the majority or even a large minority, but, they represent a view and opinion that many others have some sympathy with.

I see no harm in politcal expression, as long as it doesnt descend to little more than rabid bigotry, I completely agree that has no place in a modern Scotland, nationalism and republicanism, both Irish and Scottish are valid and well supported political views, however if the only expression of that view is singing songs at a football ground then I doubt the views are particularly deeply held.

Without engaging in a political debate, and I genuinely dont wish to upset anyone, I think you are right to point out that we live in a country where the right to political expression has been fought for by many in our armed forces, and many have fallen defending it, they deserve our respect too.

Celtic is a broad inclusive family, there is room for everyone

M

Twists and turns - good idea re the use of 'expletives'. I have an uncle who substitutes some of the consonants in the 'F' word so he can use it in polite(ish) company. Not as funny as 'Help ma' boab' but to hear someone say 'For Fup Sake' on a regular basis does raise a smile.

'Crivvens, I was stoaped by ra fuppin polis the ither nicht, help ma Boab CSC'

I am away for a cup of fuppin tea

greensideup @ 2.47pm

It goes against the grain for me to say this because I honestly believe its all the opposing opinions on here that keeps this place going, but I agree with you. Not sure about the Fortune delay though, would be interesting to know if there is an expiry date on our offer, surely it cant be indefinite. Guess we'll just have to be patient a wee while longer.

easy way out of the McManus Captin issue - make him club captain and appoint a new team captain. tell the world it is to take pressure off him and let someone else share the burden of captaining a huge club like Celtic.

greensideup - was going to post something similar about the lack of news from Celtic about transfers. SOme of us seem to want our cake and eat it - we want to be in the know but we want the media to know Fup all (jings!).
In a strange way I am encouraged by the lack of speculation on other possible signings. I am hoping it means a genuine 'Nike Name your Day of the Week' and the unveiling of multiple new guys out of the, erm, blue (should that be green?)

But then, I am an opTIMist this week.

Some of you need to chill a wee bit and understand that life is not much fun if we all agree - all this gnashing of teeth if someone so much as raises an eyebrow really is a bit much.

Barcabhoy - the one response that I really had to come back on was this:

"Just because we don't go rushing to the red tops, doesn't mean we are showing no urgency. On this and your other points you provide absolutely no evidence to back up what are generally wild statements"

Two things about this- the stuff about captaincy etc etc is coming from us directly - so we cant blame our media for that.

My main concern is that we just arent doing enough. There are no signs of improvement or ambition.

Doonhame - destroying the site - of for goodness sake! Paul - do you feel as if I am destroying your site? Please speak up if you do.

D'you know the real problem is how bad things are at Celtic right now.

Damo - financial status - c'mon thats how companies operate and it is not illegal.

Gordon J and Kilbowie - so it wasnt the board's fault? If we had another striker we would have won the league - so why didnt we get one?

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. Damo..( Right away..ye impress, wi' yer choice o' a Two Syllable Name..as it is in complete harmony wi' Kojo's sound advice, oan the Practicality of adopting ...well. a Practical Nomme de Blog.) 2.48.

Man.. ye ur far too logical and sensible fur me, pal.

Ah kin see right away that ye hiv yer Heid screwed oan frae Left tae Right, which is Right and Proper.

In reading your recent dissertation.. I kin find nae opportune opportunity tae Bicker or impart Dissention.

Looking forward tae many mair examples,o' yer Thoughts, fae ye..

which, ah hiv nae doot..wull Display an Abundanza..

O'...

Uncommoan, Commoan.. Sense.

Maks sense tae me!

Kojo.
yer pal.. who likes ye, already.

Len Brennan
thanks mate, but i was meaning had he heard about PS, as it seemed to be a topic that was being discussed yesterday in my local...dont know were it originated though.

Neg Anon
as I said earlier, I hope you continue with your opinions, and fire the bullets, but you will be aware by now that you will always get some ricochet.

Some people will respond in a calm and measured manner, and some will fire straight from the hip. But hey, what does it matter as long it does not get personal? And I hope it does not.

We all boil at different degrees but there's no place for personal insults.

doonhame del at 3.00pm.

You ask, 'where did I say anyone should be thrown off the blog?'

From your post at 1:36. 'Why do you miserable, whining, whinging lot bother inflicting your negative negative negative drivel on the rest of us ? Negativeanon, you and your little clique of followers are destroying this site.....you're not important pal, talk to your dog, cat or whatever, give the rest of us peace.....Here's a thought NegnegnegnegAnon set up your own site...what would be the only thing worse than being stuck in a lift with Neg, neg, neg, neganon ? Being stuck in the lift with P&ddy !'

Now that's what I call hysterical.

Peter Grant was the subject of an editorial here for talking about a transfer target. But Tony gets no criticism for publicly stating that Stephen McManus might lose the captaincy. Personally I don't like it. He should have kept quiet and dealt with this matter in due course as he sees fit. Whatever you think of Stephen McManus as a player and captain, he does not deserve to be treated like this.

twists n turns,

What a load of tosh.

We all boil at different degrees but there's no place for personal insults.

Have you never been to a junior game in deepest, darkest Ayrshire?

I put it you m'lud - that, surely, is THE place for personal insults. I have over five hundred witnesses I could call - mostly overweight referees, overweight midfielders or very overweight linesmen who are frequently some kind of club official or other.

Yip, that's the place for personal insults if ever there was one:)

Neg anon batter in mate! Your more than entitled to your opinion! If we all agreed the blog would die a quick death, diversity of opinion is the life of this place, and it's all the better for it! We may not always agree but I'd hate to not have that option.

U2

hee hee

I stand corrected. And in that very environment that you cite, I plead guilty.

I shall rephrase;

The CQN forum is no place for personal insults.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. NegAnon

Why dinna ye keep yer Big Mooth Shut.. Palomine?

Ah want tae see, nae issuance o' Phoney Palliatives and Excuses tae lighten the effect o' yer Rapier Wit, frae you..( Whit.. Wit?..ed)( Oh, its there,awright..ye jist hiv to find it!)

If yer readers, dinna figger oot fur themsels,whit.. Ah figgered oot.. Near Five Years Ago..

That yer Bark is really a Hosana.. tae yer Luv Fur the Cel'ic!

Keep oan sending yer entertaining and Thought Provoking.. well.. Provocative Provocations.

Ah hope naeboady reads this communication, pal..fur it is strictly fur yer ain eyes.

Or the Jig wull be.. well.. Jiggered!

Kojo
yer pal.. who aywweys hiz time fur .. You.

NegativeAnon,

How do you know that buying another striker would have won us the league?

He could have taken a long time to adjust to the club, or the country if abroad, he could have failed to score at all, hell he could have broken his leg in his first game. Or he could have scored 15 goals in the second half of the season. But it is all speculation.

If we are being hypothetical, we could argue that signing a better goalkeeper, another centre back, a left back and two more strikers could have won us the league. So should we have spent £15M rather than, say £3M for one striker?

Do you agree that we had a better squad than any of our rivals? In my view if the Board has achieved that then it has done its job.

Gallowgate
Hysterical, mibbes aye, the way you've spent half an hour presenting these quotes, but sure doesnt provide the answer you seem to be suggesting it does, does it, even when you've cut bits out of sentences. No need for that.

So where did I say anyone should be thrown off the blog?

How about just saying sorry I was wrong you didnt say that? And I'll shake your cyberhand?

The BBC is doing its usual PR job for the Horribles. Commenting on the transfer of Charlie Adam it says their players are all available as the club seeks "to compensate for the effects of the economic downturn". And I naively thought it was because they have unmanageable debt!

I think that quite often what people read is not always interpreted in the way it was intended when written. So, caution is advised before launching into an attack!

Very easy to be mislead. And not only in print. Your eyes can deceive you in more than one way

eg

When I go into town with Mrs Twisty, I always hold her hand.

Aaahh, yer thinkin', isn't that nice?

In actual fact I only hold her hand.......cos if I let it go.... she shops.

Neganon ,

Keep it up mate , don´t let the flat-earthers get you down !

I am now away to take my prozac, play with my balloon and sing the praises of our esteemed board and anyone who has ever ;

Played for the Club
Worked in the pie-stall
Done a three-point turn in Kerrydale Street
Worn an item of green clothing
Has the right-sounding name
Plays Golf

For that is the Celtic way dontchaknow.

Twist N Turns and RATM - cheers

Kojo - dinnae tell anyone - sshhhhh!

Gordon J - we didnt win the league so no we didnt have the best squad - we couldnt score goals and we did nothing to fix that (despite having a full season's warning).
Therefore - following your logic - the Board failed and its their fault. I want my apology from them - because at least it will mean they are admitting the error.

Paul,

’….but can you imagine the focus Stephen and his team mates will have on reading that the position is under review?’

This is another positive tick for Tony Mowbray, it’s sometimes easier when you have a lot on your plate to leave the awkward things alone – TM has declared the Status Quo is not an option.

While I'm paraphrasing (and you could call it a nuance,) I read TM’s words t’uther day that the omission of our team Captain was no big shakes

BUT

He had a strong desire to have Scott Brown back in the team.

'We won’t be rushing anyone back to play in certain games. It’s a long season ahead of us.... I don’t know if Stephen will be ready for the Champions League games. If he is? Great. If not, we’ll give him every opportunity to get himself fit.........' While he says much the same about Scott Brown there seems more desire to have him in the team 'He’ll be ready when he’s ready. We do want him [not them] available because you need your best players....”

I for one would be surprised if SMcM was TM’s Captain.

if we all agreed the blog would die a quick death

if we all continually post the same things, use it just as a platform to broadcast our personal viewpoint to the world then it will die a slow, boring death.

Could anyone let me know how Robert Kovac has got on at West Ham so far as I didn't get to see any of the West Ham games. I was quite disappointing that we missed out on him in January.

masty,
Sorry mate.
Just thought you might have missedit as he immediately started being referred to as RVN.

Easy one to miss!

/Bishop B

nafos

do think scott brown should be our next captain.. ;o))

BT

robertressell, I have an uncle hows says fluking and a pal who says bucking to take the edge off, my own preference is just to say a long drawn out ............sake.

On the negative and positive outlook, there seems to be a shift in some happy clappers towards the centre and same with the mineshafters, though a few in both camps entrenched in their boltholes. Hopefully, success in a free flowing style makes these outlooks less of a talking point.

bhoy sean

i read somewhere they released him at the end of the season. i think they took him on loan with a view to a permanent move and then decided against taking up the option.

i might have dreamt it all though.

madmitch on July 6, 2009 1:51 PM

Moving on, and how to go about that?

For me the issue is more about execution than strategy. The overall strategic possibilities are limited by our involvement in the SPL. Moving to a league outwith the SPL has so many obstacles that it falls into "fantasy" category of strategic planning.....although it would be desireable

We move forward by getting value for money. That means better quality decision making during the recruitment process....that means empowering the manager, and taking the final decision away from the CEO

It means selling players when they still have a value.....we have to be firm about this....if they won't sign a contract extension when offered, then put them up for sale without delay

I think the balance between risk and prudence needs to be redressed....it's disingenious to quote Leeds and Rangers every time there is a need for investment.....

I don't think there is too much wrong with our business model at the present moment. As i said previously the SPL is such a restrictive factor that we can't go for a complete makeover until we move on from there

By better execution i mean getting the big decisions correct....Last seasons debacle in the transfer windows would not have happened under a dynamic top class CEO.....the benefits to us of winning the SPL were so overwhelming that a top class CEO would have fully realised that and would have made the difference

I think the club demonstrated it's potential under MON.....filling the ground, selling a ton of merchandise and competing in Europe....the feel good factor was tangible .....the financials were indicative of what you would expect in the development stages of a major project

That feel good factor has been missing for 3 years, and the current board have waited far too long to remedy that

Credit to PL and the board, imo they have made a positive step in getting that feel good factor back

NAFOS

sorry for that, bored at work, off home now....

BT

and i think it was radoslav kovac, not robert.

radoslav kovac was suspended from internationals along with 4 or 5 other czech footballers when they were caught with ladies of the night while on international duty. it seems to have gone unnoticed by the english media, if he'd been a celtic player i think there mught have been a bit more interest.

so what if losing the captaincy might upset SMcM. Not his fault that WGS appointed but but it aint worked. The new Motherwell manager had a right go in the press at his captain Stephen Craigan
whose reaction was to take it on the chin and battle on. Craigan comes across well on tv. Does the spelling of his Christian name tell us anything ? SMcM might improve without the pressure. Paul McStay wasn't suited to the captaincy either. Maybe Paul Le Guen was right that we place too much store by the captaincy.After all, unlike cricket, the manager works out the game plan beforehand, the captain tosses the coin , claps his hands pour encourager les autres and arrives last in the huddle.

celtic4orme

Yeah you are right, I don't know why I Robert! Maybe it's good that we didn't sign him. We had enough stories in the press about McGeady and Boruc without further stories about Kovac falling about Glasgow with the birds.

My mate, who's a WHU season ticket holder of many years standing, and a decent judge of a player, described Kovac as 'nowhere near good enough' and declared that he'd be glad to see the back of him.

That's enough for me. If he's not good enough for them, he's not good enough for us.

Negative Anon - the majority of companies do not operate this way (Enron did as did a few others & look at them!!). If you read the statement from the Chairman & the Chief Executive, they may simply describe a particular aspect of the balance sheet that they are proud of but if you read all the information then you will find that nothing is indeed "missed" from the figures

ExhiledBhoy, I agree with your right for all views of expression & opinion.

I would be astonished if we signed Ruud, but I'm willing to dream for a while of another big name player to replace JVOH. Clearly this is a potential signing the Celtic shops would love - ability to add another £20 to the price of a strip for all the letters of his name on the back of the top!! I think his full name is Rutgerus Johannes Martinius Van Nistleroij. Madrid have just signed another mammoth named player - Ricardo van Ijeksson dos Santos Leite (Kaka)

nakamura-san

I liked him when he played for Spartak Moscow, he was their captain as well. I would still be interested in him personally: he is experienced, affordable, a bit of a leader, has plenty of caps for a top nation as Cech Republic most certainly are and would be an upgrade on Hartley in that holding role within a three man midfield.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. ChairBhoy. @ 3.48.

Wull we still Luv Big Mick in Late Aug. as we did in Late May?

Wull he be Stripped o' his Rank?

Wull his Epullets. be PULLED? Wull his Pips be Pitted?( That's no how ye spell, Epaulettes!..ed( Ah know that!..gie us peace! Otherwise,Ye wull ruin Ma Poetic/Destructive?, use o' the Language.)

Oh, I hope he is no reduced in the Ranks.. Ah really,really dae, dae.

Those Fears, Notwithstanding..

Ah say..

No way,pal..

Mr. Mowbray, is jist bringing up the subject.. so, as when He

Leaves Big Mick in the Captaincy Role..

We wull hiv nae room tae complain.. as efter awe..

Mr. Mowvray, did say...

That He did Give the Maitter some Thought!

Which is the same as Opening a White Paper Study, regarding the matter.

A wily, Ploy. often used by Politicians..and in doing so, inevitably, disnae Solve the Problem wan way or anither

Na..

Big Mick's Ranking is as Safe, as a Bank!

Oan second thoughts..

Big Mick's Ranking is as Safe... as Hooses!

Oan Thoid Thoughts..

Mebbe, Big Mick's Ranking is No sae Safe... as Ah foist Thought!

We'll leave it a that!

Kojo.
yer pal..who likes ye loat.

In season 2007/8 Rangers got to the UEFA Cup Final with a run that saw them defeat Panathonaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina. In the final itself they were drawing 0-0 at HT and lost by only two goals to a Zenit team comprising the likes of Arshaven. Earlier in the Champions League they defeated Lyon 3-0 in France and drew with Barcelona at Ibrox.

Season 2008/9 beckoned. The league of a lifetime drew near. In the transfer market we bought Maloney, Samaras and Loovens. The Huns replaced Cuellar with Bougherra and then bought Miller, Edu, Mendez, Davis and Lafferty. In Jauary they did not sell and after arduous negotiations we bought Willo Flood.

For Rangers, Miller scored 2 goals at Parkhead, Davis scored the winner against us at Ibrox with four games to go and in the final crucial game of the season Lafferty and Mendez netted for them at Tannadice before half time.

Samaras scored against Rangers earlier in the season, a game in which Mendez also scored.

Did we have the better squad last season ? For me, we had the better first 11 but they had the better squad and that's what's important when it comes to a 38 game league. In the end they won the Title and can look forwatd to automatic qualification to the Champions League. We play qualifiers in a couple of weeks.

In my opinion the Celtic Board did not do enough. They couldn't sack GS so they sickened him. Two transfer markets, particularly January, went by without any substantial strengthening of the team. This current Board, have lost the trust of Celtic men of many seasons, including myself.

Probably putting 2 + 2 together and making 5, but do you reckon that there might be substance in the rumours that Stephen McManus might be for the offski?

That would certainly explain Tony Mowbrays reluctance to endorse him as team captain.

It wouldn't surprise me to see BTM pull out the stops to keep Caldwell, but maybe he just doesn't fancy McManus much as a player?

heatleader
"so what if losing the captaincy might upset SMcM?" That is not the point. The point is there was no need to air this matter in public. How do you think SMcM feels reading the headlines about his captaincy being in doubt - while he is recovering from an injury. I think he is being treated discourteously.
So here's a question for you, Paul. If you criticise Peter Grant for talking to the media about a transfer target, why is it OK for Tony to start tittle tattle about who is going to be the Celtic captain?

Even if we had signed a goal-scorer in January the chances are that he would have struggled to make an impact- not because he would have been a bad player but because there was something seriously wrong with the team. They went through the motions; like they knew the Ginger helmsman was for the off.

A bit of positivity might work wonders round the place; and crikey! if it infected the support, who knows where that might lead.

I can’t remember what game it was, but I do remember Craigan telling the world that “as usual Celtic get every decision from the ref” sounded like a total Hun to me, but I could be wrong.

doonhame del, please read again your rant of a post at 1:36pm.
Do you not see that in your hysteria you were inciting someone to be taken off the blog ? Obviously you do not agree with a voice of dissent to be heard. As a result, perhaps your next tirade should be aimed at Paul67. At the very least you owe NegAnon an apology for trying to silence him.

Go on. You know you want to !

According to minefield of truth that is wikipedia, Mr Craigan is a blue-nose

Barcabhoy

Thanks for the reply.
My thoughts are that we have become "lazy" at times.

MON = Not working the squad.
WGS = Tried and trusted with little thought for innovation.

PL = Should take a lot of the blame for the dip in the past two years.
However in his defence I think he works at times on a short leash. DD, when he can be bothered gets too involved.

We need to work the squad.
£100K squad win bonus in the SPL.
Two new first team squad members -- Wee SM or better every year from the youths.
If we don't have them in that particular season then raid the SPL for the best 19/20 yr olds.
£5mill at least, net investment every season.
Buy at 22-25 years old max.
Big transfers + low / middle wages.
Link up with a FA Championship side - loan players.
Big moves in the US, support + players
£60K+ pw wages for the new HL.
50% of the squad on a basic of less than £10K pw.
24/26 max in the squad.
Bring in 18yr olds from outside the EU on a half education / half football scholarship.

Who should be Celtic captain.Mcmanus put Scotland before Celtic,playing for them when he was injured,so in my opinion he doesnt deserve the honour.Caldwell no way,he should not be in the team ,if he went down south i would gaurantee he would disappear from view,no pace,no presence.I think we will find ,a player to be signed will become our new captain.Slan

Still too much negativity on here sometimes!

Yes we blew it last season and gave them the League, as we also did in Motherwell giving them the League under MON, so Strachan is as bad as Martin was!

Martin had his favourites that he played all the time as did WGS, only difference is that Mick is our Captain. I totally agree with most of the comments as to his stature to be our Club Captain as he is one of us but unfortunately doesn't yet have immeasurably more skill than most of us!

On the signings front, we all agree that we have better players than Rangers, we all agree that the Board seem to be willing to spend on the likes of Fortune and others (albeit in some eyes too late!), so if we are better than them AND we are investing when they intend to get weaker wht y are we panicking?

Yes the Champions League should be a must, but we need to acept that our medicine comes down to pure luck as to who we draw, spending 20 million to draw someone like Arsenal might not be in clubs best interest as it is surely more important to buy for the next 3 or 4 years of automatic qualification, not that I don't want us to get back some TV money off Rangers!

This has to be a new beginning and hopefully the beginning of a successful manager staying with us for a good period rather than a couple of seasons.

We will sign players but even if all Mogga did was to get Boruc playing as he did a coule of years back, got McGeady to deliver balls that hurt and to maximise his undoubted ability, even if he made Donatti into half the player AC Milan invested so much in, even if he can get Scott Brown to score as many as he did with Hibs, even if he can accept our constructive criticism then yes he is the man for me!

Hail Hail from Sunny Irvine

Kojo,

Not unusually - you have got me pondering - My initial thoughts were - why broach the subject? If you don’t intend to make the change!

BUT

You have of course answered that – maybe TM is saying - I have considered & deliberated……….. & Stephen for now you are the mhan, BUT...........

My concern is, in the second half of last season, over the 90 mins, we oft’ seemed aft' a wee bit rudderless. Some on-field leadership would not have gone amiss!

Chairbhoy:asalwaysakojofhan!

Dubaibhoy (nee Londonbhoy)

I'm a few years younger than Token and went to St.Aidan's, sounds like you might have been in my younger sisters year, she is 33 (I think!)

I'm 35, Token is almost 50! Thin he went when Joe Jordon was a pupil:-)

bjmac

Is John Kennedy training pre-season?

I'm a St Aidan's old bhoy, in fact a VERY old bhoy, I was in the very first 5th year 73-74.

Damo - speaking as an accountant I disagree with you - in times when profit is being made reserves against future "events are often created. This is accepted accountig practice (if you can justify the reserve). Enron on the other hand was about taking debt off the balance sheet and hiding it - a different thing entirely.

Just had a phone call saying Mr fortune has agreed to sign has anyone else hear this

412K26

You could be ma da' !!!

:-)

carrot1969 - I believe Celtic were made aware of that decision yesterday afternoon

Let's hit this subject on the head.

Stephen McManus, although a nice big lad needs to get replaced, end of story. Nice big lad but i'm a nice guy, does that mean i should get a game for Celitc? Of course it doesn't.

Although people might not like me saying this, but the reason Stephen has lasted so long is like GS, many were blinded in the fact that the guy came up through the ranks etc.. as well as his likeabilty as a person.

Nothing wrong with the that, however, if we all looking at a bigger picture then they guy needs replaced in the team for the team to move on. A better player must be bought or introduced.

No time for sentiment or passengers. In the past two weeks i have senn Peter Grant gettting pillared for suggesting we were in Fortune. Now the manager is getting pillared for basically saying what we all know.

Last season GS got pillared for not inetracting with the fans and trying to pull the wool over the fans eyes. Now we have a manger is straight up with us and yet he gets it in the neck. I for one commend TM for taking decisions that should have long ago.

Like Stephen, everybodys position should be up for grabs and under threat not matter who they are. Artur and Aiden included. Time to shape up or ship. Tony Mowbray wants to to try and and acheives the fans expectations, if certain players have to suffer or sold so be it.

Fortune will be confirmed in 48-72 hours.

carrot1969, I sincerely hope you are right about MAF. I saw him play against the Mothers last season and I thought he was outstanding. Could come short, turn an opponent and then, head up, spray play left or right. (particularly left). He and the poacher than McDonald is would be an ideal front two, IMO.

blantyretim -

Thanks for that info. I will thank him later on. I suppose that means that he will be expecting a wee drink frmo the bar once his picture is hanging on hte Cletic wall? 8-)))

Off home guys, later.

Ulryc

Funnily enough the same guy who told me about Fortune told me about Ruud....he was spot on about Fortune it seems. He also said we will get a Left Back this week.

Token, stumped on the initials but your older wee bro was in the year above me.

BJmac, Sounds like she was in my class....give me a first name and I'll try to guess!

By FergyBhoy on July 6, 2009 1:20 PM

Did you have any luck with Tickets for the Cardiff Game ?

Ive tried calling the number given on the Celtic website and they are unaware of Celtic playing in Cardiff....

I have also tried the number given on the Cardiff website and they are not answering their phone....

Maybe its not meant to be, but id imagine with the moving of the Jock Stein plaque from the old stadium to the new stadium there might have been a few fans at the match, and at £20 a ticket it seems alot cheaper than the Wembley Cup tickets which will be on shown on Sky.....

Ps. Does anyone remember the trouble before and after the match last time Cardiff were in town ?

Dubaibhoy

Joanne

RyanOD - Cardiff tickets go on sale on the 17th July:

http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/HomeTickets/0,,10335~1686720,00.html

No mention if the general sale will include 'celtic end' tickets. By way of massive coincedence I happen to be working in the Cardiff office for a few days that week ;-)

Kurt Cobain - this is the 4th 72 hour extension of the transfer - I'll wait till I see him in the hoops.

I am concerned about what is on and what is not on the Official Celtic website. I think the club could be more transparent and give out some real news to the support.

Paul Hartley, Shunsuke Nakamura and Jan Vennegor of Hesselink have been removed from the list of "First Team" players and several players, including Michael Tidser and Kevin Cawley, have been removed from the "Reserve and U-19s".

So it seems that someone is paying attention.

Now, why is the name of the new goalkeeper missing (as well as Dominic Cervi)?

What has happened to Milan Misun, the two young Latvians and the Czech twins who are all conspicuous by their absence from the lists? Have they been released ??????????

The Official site should have already provided information on the nine u-19s who have been freed plus the same information as to whether the central Europeans have been freed (or kept). Also missing is the name of young John Marsden, who had a big feature in one of the last Views of the season.

If someone from the View is reading this, could you clarify this situation once and for all.

If all the above mentioned have been released, there is indeed trouble at t'mill.

Don't know if this has been posted as not checked, but Fortune arrives tonight

Thank-you TrueTim

Welcome to Paradise Mr Zaluska.

http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories/news_060709155559.aspx

Ayrtic

I hear Fortune is at Ross Hall right now

Ayrtic

great news, is it true we have a hp deal on him i.e 1.1 million a year for 3 years. If so not a great risk and more cash in the kitty for the other players.

A good fast addition to the team.

Now for the 20 goal striker we need.

Hail Hail

Brummoebhoy

re 4 ball at Aberdour. Can you send me an email, I can't remember your real name?!

Stv news confirm he is in glasgow,hope this is the start of many signings

Dubai (nee London)

hmmm, only other "clue" I can give is that there are 4 brothers rangin in age 38 - 23 from Coltness (well branchalwood to be exact as that may make a difference).

As for bjmac.....ignore him, he is jealous of my youthful good looks and general intellect so attempts to play upon the fcat that I am his elder.....and better :-)

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

WGS.

With respect but surely you're contradicting yourself. You state that" Stephen McManus needs to get replaced. End of story" You then state that" everybody's position should be up for grabs and under threat". There's a world of difference between those two statements

I would be absolutely amazed if Anton Mor has taken that decision at this stage. Surely when a new manager arrives everyone starts with a clean slate? That privilige should be extended to our captain as well as every other player on the books. In that way they all have an equal opportunity to impress the manager and get selected.

It seems that many won't be satisfied unless Anton Mor makes a decision to drop Mick. I think he is too much his owm man to drop or sell any player just because the fans want it.

As I say. With respect.

53

Stv saying fortune has flown to glasgow!

I'm glad we've got Fortune. I don't know much about him but I trust Mowbray's judgement and he clearly rates him. It's also very nice to see Celtic beat some Premiership teams to a player's signiture. Let's hope for some of the following in the hoops

http://www.goalvideoz.com/watch/475-nancy-auxerre-marc-antoine-fortune-goal/

BigYinMilan

Good point on the missing players - perhaps its intentional in order not to draw attention/pressure on them?

http://sport.stv.tv/football/107220-fortune-in-glasgow-for-celtic-talks-nancy-director-confirms/

By Malone19 on July 6, 2009 6:02 PM
BigYinMilan

Interesting thesis, but at least Misun was there last year. Why has he disappeared?????

If indeed Marc Antoine Fortune has decided to put pen to paper, then I welcome him to the Celtic family and wish him well. I had some reservations, and expressed them, but those reservations now get positioned firmly on the back burner and I look forward to seeing what Tony has seen that some of us have not yet had the privilege of seeing. I hope that he is being brought in as the spearpoint of an attack minded midfield, and will also add some goals to boot.

A quality signing? Well depends on your definition of quality. "Fitness for purpose" is certainly one definition, and if he has been recruited to link play from middle to front and add a few goals, then he may well prove a quality buy.

It appears that the time for the "is he isn't he" good enough for the Tic argument is over, until we see the man with a few games under his belt. If he shines, feather in the cap for TM's conviction. I hope he has called this one correctly.

Bjman, I must have got my sums wrong, just double checked my year book and as I thought there was no Joanne in my year. There was a Joanna but don't think she's got any brothers.

TTT, i'm still stumped.....

My name is Chris Johnstone but I doubt if anybody would remember me from high school! I was a bit quiet!

Who is this Ross Hall and why is he with Fortune? Is he a Left Back or a striker, maybe an agent? Maybe I should ask Mary Hill.

The old ones are not necessarily the best

Is Fortune signing? Is there white smoke or smoke screen?

madmitch 4.32 "

"DD when he can be bothered gets too involved."

Can you give me an example of this,and some proof to go along with it?

Robert

If he's in Glasgow, he's either signing.........or......badly lost

If Mr.Fortune, does.. ACTUALLY SIGN..for us.. then..

His next job, is to CONVINCE me.

If he is the Genuine Article, then He should have not the Slightest Trouble,in Making of me. .

His Number One Fan.. Nae Bother, at awe..

Everyboady, who is Anybody, knows that I..Shall always mak Ma Judgments of a Player's Woith tae the Team..

Based oan his Performances, during, the PRESENT Time.

Whitevah, He did or NO Did..in the Past.. wull hiv no the Teeniest, Tiniest, Bearing Oan Influencing....Ma Judgment, of
whit he Brings tae Us.

Howevah......

Remember, at awe times.. That Ah, Kojo..

Come Fae, Missouri ..Oan THIS, Wan.!

As ye know,or mebbe, ye dinna know..

The State Motto of, Missouri..

is

"The SHOW ME, State."

So, Mr. Fortune, if ye Really Should Sign for Celtic..

Then..

Show ME... whit ye Hiv Goat..pal.

and we wull tak it frae There.

Sounds Fair tae Me!

Kojo.

Great News if True.
Its good that Mowbray has worked with him before and knows how he is going to use him, also great that the board have backed him for that amount.
Do we have any money left for a left back and a striker that scores goals?
I think we need one more than for defense and another in Midfield.
Surely we must have freed a lot of cash from Bobo, Naka, Hartley and big Jan to buy some of them, but i would look forward to seeing some young guys coming through too this year.
I think we will walk the league, just like we should have done last year and with some decent football to watch again.
Even the CL qualifiers i think Mowbray will put out a team that will fight and have aa real go, i would not be surprised if we made it into the groups.
Lots to look forward to!

TonyInRiga
it's on the never never mate...£1.1m a year over 3 years.

Too many Dubaibhoys on here!!! Must be the credit crunch...

Whats the chances for a double swoop
M Fortune & his teamate Landry N'Guemo

Tiny Tim

DD wanted WGS to stay on.
He refused to accept he was leaving.
Possibly the reason why we still had so much work to do after WGS made it official.

Gossip was DD tried but failed to keep WGS at the last minute.
Cue temper tantrum, many oaths and PL hitting his mobile.

If the Fortune signing is true, then it speaks volumes for Tony Mowbray that he can command that sort of loyalty from a player who could have gone elsewhere for more money - particularly as he only worked with the guy for six months.

I don't know much about Mr. Fortune at all, but if he is fast, direct and deep lying then he probably gives us the option through the middle that we have lacked since Chris Sutton and Henrik were plying their trade for us.

I would still expect us to sign another striker?

doonhame del

Looked in to see if there was any news at all, cos this used to be the most readable Celtic site out there....

But I despair! Why do you miserable, whining, whinging lot bother inflicting your negative negative negative drivel on the rest of us? Don't say because it's true or it needs to be said blah blah, because it's not true it's your opinion. What do you get out of it?

Here's a thought NegnegnegnegAnon, set up your own site! Seriously I bet Paul will give you free advice on setting it up, and how much it costs in time and money. Go on, why don't you?

What would be the only thing worse than being stuck in a lift with Negnegnegnegneganon?
Being stuck in a lift with him and P&ddy!

What an odd comment. BTW this is p8ddy, someone has registered my old name so I ave revised my moniker slightly.

You accuse NegativeAnon of repetition, yet at the same time you reference a poster that hasn't posted on here for over a year! You have to see the irony in that?

I'm sure NegAnon can bat away your points more than easily, but seeing as you referenced me, I'll offer my opinion. It continues that the people who adhere to a minority view on CQN are the subject of repeated ad hominem attacks.

Again, it's somewhat ironic that a club set up to give shelter to a minority suffering intimidation so should be home to some of the most vitriolic bigots (and I make no apology for the word) I have ever came across. People who dare to pop their heads over the parapet and contribute to a forum where they should feel more than comfortable holding a minority view are routinely trashed. Routinely insulted. And routinely told if they don't like it they can leave.

Don't you think your view that NegAnon should set up his own forum rings very similar to the "Why don't you go home" song that our less enlightened cousins sing true?

In a final irony, your words have caused me to join Negative Anon, but probably not in the manner you imagined. Still, you can now look forward to sharing cyberspace with p8ddy AND neg anon.

;-)
/p

FYI - DONT CLICK

My PC picked up a virius (worm/feebs) from this link SO beware-

dailyrecord.co.uk/.../celtic/.../celtic-set-for-transfer-fight-with-birmingham-over-arsenal-starlet-amaury-bischoff-86908-21... -

doonhame del

Looked in to see if there was any news at all, cos this used to be the most readable Celtic site out there....

But I despair! Why do you miserable, whining, whinging lot bother inflicting your negative negative negative drivel on the rest of us? Don't say because it's true or it needs to be said blah blah, because it's not true it's your opinion. What do you get out of it?

Here's a thought NegnegnegnegAnon, set up your own site! Seriously I bet Paul will give you free advice on setting it up, and how much it costs in time and money. Go on, why don't you?

What would be the only thing worse than being stuck in a lift with Negnegnegnegneganon?
Being stuck in a lift with him and P&ddy!

What an odd comment. BTW this is p8ddy, someone has registered my old name so I ave revised my moniker slightly.

You accuse NegativeAnon of repetition, yet at the same time you reference a poster that hasn't posted on here for over a year! You have to see the irony in that?

I'm sure NegAnon can bat away your points more than easily, but seeing as you referenced me, I'll offer my opinion. It continues that the people who adhere to a minority view on CQN are the subject of repeated ad hominem attacks.

Again, it's somewhat ironic that a club set up to give shelter to a minority suffering intimidation so should be home to some of the most vitriolic bigots (and I make no apology for the word) I have ever came across. People who dare to pop their heads over the parapet and contribute to a forum where they should feel more than comfortable holding a minority view are routinely trashed. Routinely insulted. And routinely told if they don't like it they can leave.

Don't you think your view that NegAnon should set up his own forum rings very similar to the "Why don't you go home" song that our less enlightened cousins sing true?

In a final irony, your words have caused me to join Negative Anon, but probably not in the manner you imagined. Still, you can now look forward to sharing cyberspace with p8ddy AND neg anon.

;-)
/p

masty

Where does the £1.1mill pa for 3 years come from?
Interesting way of doing business.

Wonder what figure will be used in the accounts?
Interesting to know why we need to structure the deal in this way?
We surely can't be skint.

why do people keep refering to tony mowbray as anton mor????

i must have missed something here,because it makes no sense to me!!!

hail hail

scratching my head CSC

madmitch
someone on here posted it last night on here!

Welcome back P8ddy - as you can see its as welcoming as ever!!

masty

It appears that we are living hand to mouth.
A case of JVoH's wages being re-cycled while BB's wages pay for the fee.

Madmitch,

I don't know if 1.1 million over 3 years is true or not - but I can't see the problem in doing business like this if we are looking to bring in 4 ( BTM's own words) - why would anyone use this to say we are 'skint'?

How many transfers do you think are actually done with all money paid up front in this day and age? - not many I would venture.

Still, I suppose that if there is any negative spin to be put on Celtic's dealings, then someone will always see the black cloud rather than the silver lining.....

madmitch
someone also posted that last night

Kojo

I know a wee bit about the "show me" State. I spend some time every year in St Louis, and travel down to Farmington and Park Hills.

Interesting place Missouri. Esp down the Ozarks, real hillbilly country.

I have every reason to believe that the toothbrush was invented there, which is why it was called the toothbrush, and not the teethbrush.

True story Kojo

Was in a store down there last Sept, and the shop assistant was coming on strong. "Gee, I luv the Scottish accent" and the usual stuff. She never held back trust me. "Where ya all going tonight honey?" Blah blah

When we left the store, the Yank who took me in was all "Man she had the hots for you, why don't you go back in and fix it up"?

I said to him "Jim, honestly I'm not too fussy when it comes to women, but one thing I insist on is teeth"

I kid you not, this broad could've ate an apple through a letterbox. One solitary tooth right in the middle of her mouth!

And no...I didn't....

P8ddy,

It's been a while - if I can be so bold, I've missed your unique contributions

Welcome back!

Real Madrid TV has a two and a half hour live special for the Presentation of C. Ronaldo. I think the medical was also covered live on RMTV.

Presentation taking place on a huge stage set up on the pitch for a full house attendance, Kaka brought 50-60,000 supporters last week.

Just started Sky 446.

Id be happy at the sight of a couple of players holding green and white scarfs up on the steps of the main stand.

MWD,

You Have Mail!

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

With respect to all the nonsense being talked, the answer to the question 'is a player good enough for Celtic' is answered ON the park IN a Celtic top, and not before.

So if Fortune does decide to shun the EPL megabucks and join us, good on him and he'll soon know all about the mighty Glasgow Celtic.

Then he can do all the talking he likes with his boots and I'll be happy to sit and watch him shut up the moaners.

Fortune's website gives good footage of what to expect and i dont think its much.

Puts me in mind of Henri Camara, a lot of industry, not a lot of technique and not the best goal scoring record.

To be honest deffo not the player i would like to see £3.5 mill spent on.

I thought BTM would have came in and signed a big strapping centre forward to replace Jan but from what ive seen of Fortune. I would pass.

Greening would be a great signing as he is a player with great skill and grit and would compliment our 'flair' midfielders of which we have a plenty.

Paul67...

Current ability is the only determinant on who should be Celtic captain, undue reverence of sacred cows will hurt the team.

And playing out this soap opera in the press will help who?

Stephen McManus may not be a suitable captain. He might not even be worthy of a Celtic jersey (I certainly think that he's a very limited player). But to introduce this to the press is an outrage! Stephen McManus deserves to be treated with compasion and dignity. Tony Mowbray has helped humiliate him by shouting his mouth off to the press. If Mowbray feels the needs to review the captaincy that's his right. He's the manager. But to tell the press that he's "considering his options" unfair.

The players should enjoy the public backing of the manager at all times.

Undue reverence of sacred cows may well hurt the team, but so will the failure of the manager to protect the players.

Why should any player trust the manager when he's already unleashed the media hounds on both McManus and Boruc.

Speaking of which, what was he thinking of telling the press about Artur's "personal problems"?

I despair. Really, I do. The "new broom" is turning out to be daft as a brush. And I don't like it.

/p

Neg Anon and P8ddy, (and Tony in Riga..there is a name from days of old!)
Great to see both of you on the blog.
I dont post much myself anymore but still log on daily.

It is essential to this blog that we have posters like NA and P. It is also essential that we have the full spectrum of opinions. This includes some slagging of so called 'negative posters' The happy clappers get plenty of stick also. I really think some of us should be a little less sensitive to a bit of a ribbing now and again. After all we are all Celtic fans and only want the best for our team.

Chairbhoy & Negative Anon...

Thank you! It's nice to be back. :-)

I don't think my absence has made me any sweeter either. :-)

/p

TTT

Don't for get i'm in St.Aidan's alumni aswell though i'm a bit younger than most of the rest of you only left 05!

On the subject of MAF being in glasgow for signing whats happening with the other lad N'Guemo that who is meant to be coming aswell.The news website are still saying he's interesting us but you would think they'd sort the both of them out instead of having to go back a deal with Nancy again.Unless the whole thing is head and shoulders.

MB

Not read through the rest of the blog yet but had to nip down to the bottom of the page to say,

To those of you who have the audacity to criticise Tony ALREADY

Im really really really glad i dont have to work with any of you, it would truly be an F'n sentance. your kind just aint happy until yer gettin stuck into someone, anyone.

Get a life!!

damo 2.48pm

With regard to the Green Brigade, what 'wholly inappropriate songs' have we ever sung? Any time any sectarian rubbish is sang, we do our best to drown it out and with respect to 'add ons' - we continually encourage the singing of our songs without the use of any these offensive 'add ons'.

As for poppy day - unfortunately it was not ourselves who decided to make a political statement that day - it was the Celtic board. Some fans agreed with the boards view, others didn't. You feel we embarassed the club, we feel the boards actions embarassed the club. I must point out that our protest that day was peaceful at all times.

As someone else pointed out - Celtic is a broad inclusive family - bearing this in mind, if they decide to wear poppies this year, perhaps they will wear 'white poppies'.

Apologies to the rest of the blog for bringing up what has been two contentious issues on here in the past, but sometimes things have to be said.

UTLR

Driving home there and I heard radio Scotland describe N'Guemo as a left back. Any truth in this?

Oh! and welcome back P&ddy/ p*ddy. What is the person who stole your original posting name doing with it since they don't post on here?

K.C

Some people are optimists and some are pessimists. I see myself as the former.

I stay up on Hogmanay to see the new year in, whereas yer pessimist, he stays up to make sure the auld year has defintely gone oot.

But don't be too tough on them. I like pessimists. I like to borrow money and things from them because they never expect to get it back.

p*ddy

Welcome back.

"The Why don't you go home" comparison is a good one.

setting free the bears

I heard and read that he was a DM but I also read that he was a CB so who knows..I think he might be a DM though!

£920 for the hospitality tickets.

gallowgate on July 6, 2009 1:42 PM

Brilliant!!

I gotta get me one of those!!

WheredidileavethoseknittingneedlesCSC

Fortune favours Hull

Fortune favours Portsmouth

Fortune favours Celtic?

Spot the difference

setting free the bears...

Oh! and welcome back P&ddy/ p*ddy. What is the person who stole your original posting name doing with it since they don't post on here?

Annoying me? :-D Maybe it was the thought of nixing any comeback? I was a little disgruntled and confused when it kept coming back telling me the name was registered.

Thank you, it's good to be back. :-)

/p

TinyTim...

Thank you! :-)

/p

From Wikipedia

On the 6th of July Fortune signed a 4 year deal with Glasgow giants Celtic to spark off a flurry of tranfer activity in the East end of Glasgow. In stark contrast, rivals Rangers are still awaiting firm interest in their star players(Boyd, McGregor and Fleckaldinho)in order to fund a raid on the 'Welcome Rest' nursing home where it is said the Ibrox club have had scouts closely monitoring Centre-back Tam Dixon, Winger Jeanie Samson and left-back Billy "nae hips" McCall. Accordingly, this would seem to fit in with Rangers long standing sponsorship deal with 'Stena Stair lifts' - a partnership that dates back to 1971.

On the 6th of July Fortune signed a 4 year deal with Glasgow giants Celtic to spark off a flurry of tranfer activity in the East end of Glasgow. In stark contrast, rivals Rangers are still awaiting firm interest in their star players(Boyd, McGregor and Fleckaldinho)in order to fund a raid on the 'Welcome Rest' nursing home where it is said the Ibrox club have had scouts closely monitoring Centre-back Tam Dixon, Winger Jeanie Samson and left-back Billy "nae hips" McCall. Accordingly, this would seem to fit in with Rangers long standing sponsorship deal with 'Stena Stair lifts' - a partnership that dates back to 1971.

from wikipedia, haha

twists n turns

it makes it doubley funny, hail hail

Whoyou

Silver medal is in the post!

Is Billy "nae hips" any good?

We are jumping the gun.

Until he signs on the dotted line,and sometimes even then ,it's not done.

I will celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary( to my first ) on Wednesday.

My honeymoon was ruined by Le Petite Merde.
My marriage has survived (she's still my first wife).

HAHA

do you always finish first???

UTLR,

At some games I have seen young people rushing to be near the Green Brigade's banner. Unfortunately, some of them have misguided views and indulge in the odd sectarian chant at the end of a song. I have witnessed the Green Brigade's efforts to put these young people to right. Sometimes a few youngsters drift off and carry on their inapprpopriate chanting nearby. That's when others come to the entirely wrong conclusion that the GB are involved. Of course, the very opposite is the case.

No doubt if it weren't for the Green Brigade's intervention there would be more young people involving themselves in sectarian chanting. Perhaps they hear 7,000 horribles belting out the Famine Song at Celtic Park and see that nothing is being done about THEM.

BTW, thanks for the magnificent Green Brigade display on the day we beat the huns at Hampden in the CIS Cup Final in March.

Fantastic, especially the banner with the quote from Willie Maley.

Good luck to you all in the new season.

Who you

Has someone been talking? Mrs Twisty perhaps?

I only ask cos we were out last week and the talk turned to "X-Rated" videos and one person asked if I watched a lot of it. Before I could answer Mrs Twisty interjected and said "Aye he does.... well..... usually about 2 minutes of it"

I see Mr Fortune has been capped by Cameroon. Are we going to be without his services during the African Nations Cup?

p*ddy

are you the real original bolder if so welcome back.

just to check your credentials DWWS or KOTWF? we have had this one before :)

We haven't signed him yet.

The club have not made a white smoke announcement yet..This is all just press speculation.

Brilliant,

just a little info to all, i have notd the "paltry" deal with Sky and Espn being reported to be 60m over 5 seasons.

I work for sky and i recieved an email re this, something along the lines of 6.5m per season MORE than setanta were paying, espn put up half of the moey and get all of the games bar the celtic huns games which sky get for half the money..

Also watching the Real Madrid tv and i am amazed at how dramatic the Spaniards are, great stuff though

Disneys wide world of Sports or Kings of the wild frontier?

Yes?

No?

Twist, that brilliant was for you,

Stevienobread

finaly took the plunge and went into the piory, spoke to yer da and shug...

BT

K.C. :0) Knit me one too. Hope vendors read CQN.

1st time poster maybe a bit naive, cant beleive the stick big mick gets on here, am i the only one who thinks big mick not playing in the run in was a contributing factor to us losing the league, you can say what you want, but his driving force & his attacking contribution (got us out of jail a few times)where missed big time.

Thanks whoyoo

2 mins IS pretty impressive even if I say so myself.

why do people keep refering to tony mowbray as anton mor????

i must have missed something here,because it makes no sense to me!!!

hail hail

scratching my head CSC

Le Petite Merde.

On the subject, it was one of those "Remember where you where" days.I lived in London at the time and it was Headline News down there as well.

I had nearly forgotten about it until the Radio announcement that the Sun was re running the Story.

How could he?I remember the Cup Final when he got sent off against the Huns and he blessed himself as he left the field.Although gutted about being reduced in numbers for such a stupid act I kind of felt proud of him.

Apparently Celtic are still his Team.

children about lads....

ibleed

Like you I'm not sure..I assumed (wrongly?) it was a shortened version of "Anthony Mowbray"

Big Mick is a true gent.

His behaviour on and off the field is worthy of a Celtic captain.

He's not as good a centre half as Vega,Varga or Bobo,in my eyes,but he is a leader.

twists

2 minutes is usually long enough for me to have a smoke also...

twists n turns

thats what i thought it was at first too,but obviously not!

hail hail

ibleedgreenandwhite

Anton - from Anthony - Mor - Gaelic - Big masculine
perhaps

Lubo

Is he from Cameroon? I thought it was French Guiana. Ah, the same place as Jean-Claude Darcheville, but only in a geographical, not footballing sense.

just watching sky sports news at the moment,wow the spanish sure know how to put on a show

hail hail

blantyretim

apologise, caught up.

Blantyre Tim

If that was for me, I do apologise. Consider the "risque" stuff dead. (never gave it a thought to be honest).

Tiny Tim re Big Mick:

Well said that man!

Whoyoo

See whit ye'v dun noo....goat me intae soapy wi yer daft nonsense!

no probs guys,

Anton Mor Gaelige for "Big Tony".

53

stevie no bread

is that what it is!

cheers mate:))

hail hail

Lurgan 53

Thanks for that...good to know.

Cheers

Juan Arango just signed for Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Nelsbhoy

I was married on the 8th of July.I think he signed on the 12th.

My stag night was on the 30th of June.

My Rangers daft business partner,wanted to bet my best man £10,000 ,during my stagnight that Le Petite Merde was going to sign for the Darnel.

I knew then something was up.I refused to let my best man accept the bet.

To this day he has never told me who told him.

He was a neighbour of CR Smith owner Gerry Eadie.I think it came from somewhere in the CR Smith workforce.

ibleedgreenandwhite

Try it backwards and you get " rom notna "!

lurgan53

agian thanks for the info mate,you learn something new everyday:))

hail hail

Stevie

sry mate, missed your explanation earlier.

(I was too busy trying to keep whoyoo in check)

Anton Anton:-

Celtic for a mad run and a cross into or near the box

BT

Good to hear you survived it ! are you still a doonin man or are ye thinkin of convertin?

Ronaldo will have to be flown out of that staduim, his heid is ginormous....

The only thing that will keep him grounded is his wallet,..

Blantyretim 8.14pm

I have been called many things,but really.

StevieNoBread

haven't been in doonin since january, web man now, i stay in the scheme built on wilkies farm so not far to stagger home...

Priory is a bit noisy but ok, parkville too of course...

BT

hi all, first time poster, long time lurker .

if the sky/espn talk is true will it mean the return of the bonkers evening kick offs?i guess the glasgow stasi will have something to say about playing der hun at sunday tea time.

whitedoghunch 8.23

That had me laughing.

very good.

Twist

Im not allowed to play anymore the missus has barred me from speaking to you, something to do with bad influence... who knows

whoyouloovenat

ronaldo is the messiah,,

no hes not hes a very naughty boy:)

hail hail

TT

aye,, ;0)

what did you do on friday, stay much longer than us?

bawheid

I know that they are very inconvenient for fans travelling from overseas,but i have always enjoyed a Friday night kick off.

ibleedgreeandwhite / twists n turns.

Falite romhaibh (you're welcome)

53

TinyTim

Its kind of like Neill Lennon signing for them,that was the magnitude.I heard from a current work colleague of mine who was a Souness signing that there was an incident were Big Billy belittled Souness at a Function,and that he made this his number one priority to return the favour.

I suppose he paved the way for Amoruso/Novo etc.Wonder if an Irish Catholic will ever wear the Jersey?

BT

About another hour.i got home about 3.30am.

The O'Donnell brothers i was with,were brilliant company.

Nelsbhoy raises an interesting point re Maurice Johnston. 20 years on is he still a Judas or have we forgiven him. If you were sitting in your seat at Celtic Park and he arrived and sat down next to you would you share a joke with him or move seat? I'm not sure, 20 years is a long time to hold a grudge.

Here, did ye ken that an anagram of "big tony mowbray" is;

Bhoy grab minty - A Won!

(I'm really gonna try and get out more when the footy starts again.)

BT
Last time I was passing the WEB had gone all Gaelic - i'm sure it had Failte gu WEB or something over the door - was in a motor so didnt pop in. Has it gone all upmarket and selling single malts noo :)

Wilkies farm, i remember being chased by his geese many a time as a nipper when comin back up from the Calder behind his gaf'.

Bloke_109

According to the BBC he's been capped by Cameroon. Don't know how reliable that info is.

Bawheid

in the email which wasnt too longh, just a really bad memory,

apparently the games will be included in the sky pack with the price as is. all away games on ESPN, whenever, probably Monday night, and "der hun" on sky sunday morning?? dont hold me to that. i will bring it home and type it up for you ghuys.

Yes, i enjoyed my dinner with them, big joe and my 2 playing partners LFT and FOD ;0))

StevieNoBread...

are you the real original bolder if so welcome back.

just to check your credentials DWWS or KOTWF? we have had this one before :)

I am the original. :-) Thank you.

pablophanque sent a really nice message to me via YouTube of all places and with that and Kano's enforced (for now) absence I thought it was time to return to the fold.

Well...That and I'm an opinionated pig. :-D

The acronyms are flying right over my head! Are you confusing me with MadMitch? :-D Sorry, it's been a long time since I posted, so I'm a little slow (a single digit IQ has been a permanent hinderance to me!) :-)

Regardless, Im sure over the coming while you'll more than recognise that it really *is* me. And remember why CQN was better during my retirement.

Finally...If Kano is reading, or if someone can pass on a message - Let him know that he's in my thoughts and that I'm rooting for him.

I really should have posted that first on my return.

/p

gallowgate - i reckon i could mass produce about 10 a year of those bad boys. Over to you with the marketing!

nelsbhoy on July 6, 2009 8:13 PM

I actually swore out loud when i seen the front page of the scottish Hun today. (i was in the papershop and it was really embarrasing)

Wattie puts the whole squad up for sale (again) over the weekend and not a collumn inch to be found on it, instead......Lets annoy the Tims by dragging up this one!

*
KC DIDNT BUY THE SUN TODAY BTW

SNB

Big Mick McCormack now has the web

as an ex-pat armchair afficionado i would enjoy the odd friday game on the gogglebox, but it isnt really fair to send supporters to paisley,motherwell,dundee etc .

Nelsbhoy

During the immediate aftermath of the Scottish cup final win.The Rangers squad had to endure listening to the Celtic players celebrations,from there dressing room.

Souness famously told the Rangers dressing room ,"they'll no be laughing soon".

He knew then.

Him and Murray took great pleasure in GRFITU.

I am gutted that we didn't return the favour last season.It was a dark abyss that they were staring into.

P8ddy

dirk wears ws Vs kings otwf. was in reference to something on your blog - and we got into some front242 and other 70s80s music chat.
Do you still post your blog?

TT

no et xiulaven les orelles ?

Mine are. Tinitus.

lurgan 53

im taking notes here,i hope you dont mind if i use your "anton mor"name when speaking about big tony,i think its great:)

hail hail

I just hope we can get rid of the 12.30 kick off's v the FOD. I'm not sure of the stats but surely we've lost more of those games than we've won?. Apart from that, it's a ridiculous k.o. time.

StevieNoBread

Front242

now there's a name I have not heard in a long time!!

Lubomiraculous,

Think Landry N'Guemo - is the Camaroon international, believe Fortune is French, but as he has not been capped could also play for French Guiana!

Anyone confirm!

tnt
agree that the 1230 kick off is stupid .If they made it 1.30 the majority of fans would get a couple in the boozers rather than many standing in the street drinking from the bottle which could then be used as a weapon .
Me aside I don't think many would get legless in an hour
hail hail

Zetabhoy 8.31

True story.

When he signed for The Darnel he stayed in Edinburgh.( I think)

Anyway I was in the George hotel in Edinburgh on business,after our meeting had finished we ajourned to the bar.I had a great affinity with a died in wool Jambo who was a devout RC and strangely had a real soft spot for the Hoops.

He simply hated all things Rangers,even more than Hibs.

We were 7 sheets ,and went to the loo.

Who comes into the loo?

Nae prizes.

The bold Charlie( my jambo mate)(His big brother was Gary Mackays best man)

Throws a punch at him.
His body guard ushers Charlie out the bog door and we scamper before the bobbies are called.

I rarely see Charlie now ,but when i do, we have a laugh about how drunk he was ,and how his haymaker missed.

That's two post's now about missed opportunities.

TinyTim

Correct,that was it, at least one of our sources is spot on.BTW I would have Captain Barry in a minute.

Evening all. Was in Co Sligo last week on a very enjoyable holiday and watched a fair bit of Wimbledon as well as the odd dip in Rosses point.

I reckon Andy Murray will be a future Wimbledon champion - very impressive. Anyone notice that mosly old to elderley people populate the stands at this tournament while the youngsters scramble for a view outside on the hill.

Perhaps this explains why England has failed miserably to produce a Wimbledon champion in yonks.

Looks like the Fortune saga threatens to get interesting again.
Rather strange that no French club is showing any interest in the 28yr old. Let's hope he's not another one of those injury-prone hamstring Harrys.

Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune is poised to sign for Celtic and could be followed to the Scottish club by team-mate Landry N'Guemo.

Hull thought they were in pole position to sign the 27-year-old Fortune, whose loan spell with West Brom led to interest from several English clubs.

But Nancy director general Nicolas Holveck told his club website that he was in Glasgow to speak with Celtic.

He said the Glasgow club are also interested in midfielder N'Guemo.

The 23-year-old, who has been capped by Cameroon, is also said to be being tracked by a number of other clubs.

Celtic are believed to have agreed a £3.8m fee with Nancy for Fortune, who is also mulling over offers from Fulham and Portsmouth, and could have a medical with the Glasgow club on Tuesday.

Nancy's website stated: "In contact with several British clubs, Marc-Antoine Fortune is currently in Glasgow to visit Celtic."

ZetaBhoy@8.31,surely you jest,the statute of limitations on his betrayal has no amnesty,he stabbed us in the back,i have often consoled myself with the thought that,once he is completely gone from the public eye,he will want to come to Celtic Park,as a fan, and this,he can NEVER do,the punishment ahould fit the crime.

tinytim

Reminds me of a story about judas when he signed for the huns.

By the way he did indeed stay in edinburgh we once put his tyres down outside gordons trattoria on the high street. Very immature i know but we were just kids. Feel bad about it now but was fun at the time.

About a year after he signed for the huns. I used to work in george street next to the mad dogs wine bar in edinburgh.

We had a brilliant wee mail man we called jim the tim.

Great guy very passionate

Anyway lovely hot day street level window open and as i walked in to pass some mail. All i saw was jim the tim clambering through the window and running down george street shouting f this and b this to judas who was walking into the wine bar with the beast.

Very funny didn't know wether to laugh or go after him.

In the end the beast and judas legged it very funny.

Hail Hail

Chairbhoy,

Yes, I believe now that the BBC has got it wrong. Their report says he has been capped by Cameroon. However, it seems he was born in Cayenne, French Guiana.

Tiny Tim @ 8.50pm.

Thanks for that, if I saw his wee chubby face grinning at me now from close quarters I think the punch would be thrown before I could stop myself. Not sure if I'd be to proud afterwards mind you, finding it hard to accept that after 20 years its still an open wound.

K.C. Mass produce ten a YEAR ? whit kinda knitter ur ye ? Did ye no learn aff yer mammy ? :o)

johnyquest @ 9.01 - you've convinced me - agreed.

whitedoghunch 8.42

My ears are ringing too. i do wash them.

Nelsbhoy

I have always been a closet admirer of The Ned's fitba ability.I think that his best days are now past him,but there was a time.

The full story of the strange smelly merde episode is yet to surface mainly because the media was always too supine or too lazy to investigate properly. Plus ca change etc..

With Agent Orange - the very creepy Bill McMurdo - at the heart of the negotiations the re-signing of Johnstone was never going to be straightforward. McMurdo was the kind of agent Souness and Murray dreamed of.

The media, north and south of Berwick had a field day... bigotry banished at Ibrox ... Murray and Souness are philosopher kings etc.. Not one paper had the guts to point out that the signing of this very nominal RC had everything to do with expediency and fear of UEFA and nothing to do with a genuine change of heart.

Incidentally, on the day Johnstone signed a knowledgeable BBC sports reporter mused: 'Well Rangers have just signed their first Catholic, I wonder when Celtic will sign their first Protestant.'

just an aside for anyone missing the old country great new addition to the rte website

http://www.rte.ie/player/

Hail Hail

Celtic need a 25-goal per season striker.

Kris Boyd is transferable.

Celtic should sign Kris Boyd.

As well as solving one of our greatest problems, what a GIRUY that would be.

BigYinMilan, I would have given them £3m in January.

And we'd have 4 in a row.

Eustace

Not available outside Ireland?

By nakamura-san on July 6, 2009 9:22 PM
BigYinMilan, I would have given them £3m in January.

And we'd have 4 in a row

I proposed this here in the January Transfer window and still think it would be a great idea.

Good for the team; good for the supporters; and cue mass burning of sashes and season books in Govan.

Oh lordy, lordy.

BigYinMilan and nakamura-san

I take it you are both living outside scotland?

He plays for the huns because he is a hun and a very good one at that.

Hail Hail

Evening All
Posting this again from earlier today due to the overwhelmingabsence of response, hoping all the urbane bhoys don't log on until after 9 p.m.!

Afternoon Bhoys
Sorry to deviate from topic so early in proceedings, but could i possibly please pick the brains of some of you well travelled ( not to say, urbane) chaps? Going to Nice next week and staying at the Brice Hotel on Rue du Marchal - Joffre. Wondered if you could recommend any hostelries for purposes of refreshment etc where we won't get absolutely fleeced, exchange rate notwithstanding?

Many thanks

Goggsy

You can't be serious thinking Boyd would ever sign for us?

Even if we had paid Der Hun £5 or 6 million I doubt he himself would want to play for us......snarling faced wretch of a player.

Interesting who if anyone comes in for him............

Kenny Miller's a hun as well - through and through. Didn't stop him signing for us.

I saw Bill McMurdo about a year ago. I was walking along when his fancy car drew in beside me. I recognised him right away when he got out. Same piggy eyes, same daft grey beard and same arrogance which typifies the peepil.

'Where's the Masonic Hall ?' he says, as if everyone automatically knew the location of raised trouser legs and funny handshakes.

As it happened, I did know and so replied, 'Three miles straight ahead. Keep going.'

Of course I had to go to confession the next morning.

bloke 109

Try linking from main rte site

click on rte player on tool bar of main site

I'm no the best with links

works for me

Watching programm about oliver cromwell another hun

Hail Hail

Disappear for a few hours and news breaking about signings and Lurgan saying i'm talking nonsense (not fo the first time, i have been told this of many people) ):)

Fortune is in town then.

RougeLeader and Ayrtic,

Is N'Gumeo int own as well? Castillo? Any news on the Icelandic guy. Are we going to be making a bit for him. I keep hearing Sean St ledger's name getting mentioned. Davie Moyes keens as well apparently.

Zybsek,

Any news on Shabrini or the guy i posted last night?

Just online, news beginning to creep out I hear....

20 years on and the red tops had to bring back that story about you know who...it's a weird one...it gave us the inspiration to stop the treble...but his name has never passed my lips since that day!!

And for me..what really stunk and I still remember it very well..we signed Mike Galloway not long after it...it was another slap in the face to the fans..sorry boys we couldn't be bothered paying the extra dosh but no worries...we got Mike Galloway!!!

A trier but not the same as the man we missed out on...

By Eustace P Merryweather on July 6, 2009 9:26 PM
BigYinMilan and nakamura-san

I take it you are both living outside scotland?

I live ouside Scotland now but this was not always the case. Butny, Butny uber alles.

Since when did Celtic not sign Huns? Dixie Deans seemed to score goals for fun with us and he was not, ehmm, Celtic-minded when he signed. So was, sotte voce, Kenny Dalglish ..... and Willie Wallace.

Still, Boydchenko lining up in the Hoops would cause mass hysteria in half of Glasgow. I would be prepared to donate a case of Monster-Munch to help cover his salary.

nakamura-san

My brother worked on kenny millers flat a nice lad poor football player.

Boyd is a hun and let's say revels in it.

That man is in the best place for him.

But I do agree a striker would have won us the league

Hail Hail

nakamura-san

fair point but I see Boyd as a snarling hun....bitter twisted sonofafemaledog.

Miller never ever came across that way....

Don't get me wrong having a guy who scores the number he does would please me greatly but somehow just could never see it happening.

Eustace P Merryweather
Is he dying?

Maybe we should Coooooooooozzzzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan (copyright Scott Booth) instead and let him knock hell out of Weir & Bougherra with his head/elbows/knees... ;-)

Reckon he'd get away with it in the hoops?

Nah, me neither...

tinytim

good one

Boyd is no wallace, dixie or king kenny

I'm sure he will have a fine day this saturday and sunday.

Hail Hail

Paul67
Yes, Mo Johnston as signed for Rangers.

Paul67

Have you any idea if the deals a goer or if Fortune is just hear to have a look around and we're still waiting on a decision?? Was the guy at Ross Hall for a medical?

So many questions...........

Celtic has done well in the past with players who began their careers in French football remembering the excellent Didier Agathe and of course the mighty Bobo Balde. Yes we could be on a winner with Mr.Fortune if Tony M fancies him.

Paul67, any chance of a 'new article posted' tonight? In a 'beating the old media' kinda way?! :-)

WGS!!!!

Did I say you were talking nonsense? Apologies if I did. We disagreed thats all. No-one talks more nonsense than me.

Well except 57 maybe.

53

Molly Malone

I can't for the life of me remember the name of the young French player who signed for us and flopped.I think it was during KK era?

Of ideas yez must be devoid
If yer serious boot Krissy Boyd
He's a twisted face hun
n' yev aw hud yer fun
pleeeze stoap noo, am gittin annoyed

TT
bonnes,?

Stephan Bonnes

Go tell the Spartim

Thanks,this has enabled me to remove my nuts from my ear.

BT

Just scrolled up and saw that you also helped.Thanks.

Mrs TT will be happy.

Add Doumbe to the Bonnes (fire) list.

Has N'Guemo ever played left back or are Radio Scotland as misinformed as ever?

did maf not score against murderwell at fir park last year

TT

glad to be of some help ;0)

I see the huns have been messing with his wiki entry

Landry N'Guémo (born November 28, 1985 in Yaoundé) is a Cameroonian professional football (soccer) player, currently with AS Nancy. It was reported in the french press that N'Guémo dared teammate Marc Antoine Fortune to sign for Celtic FC on Friday 3rd of July.

[edit]

Wonderful middle names:-

Joël Landry Tsafack N'Guemo

stephan bonnes, dsid he not end up at thistle?

Noo Judas, he wiz the wurst
he said he'd re-sign fur us furst
but with no sense of pride
he crossed the divide
now his life will forever be curst

Just pulled a filing out eating a M&S milk chocolate toffee eclair.

it makes good business sense to take n'guemo on loan as it seems to be suggested, generally the price agreed for the full transfer is generally lower than expected if he has a good season. is he a central midfielder?

masty

Yes,now at Tesco's Milngavie.

at least it wasn't just an ordinary chocolate eclair...

no this was an M & S chocolate eclair ..;0(

Tiny Tim

after doing the same thing, twice, I have never eaten another one. Nightmare they eclairs.

(Noo..... ah betcha yev got a sharp bit of tooth shell noo that will be like a magnet fur yer tongue?)

TinyTim, no chance, they’ll never sign a.....

Does that mean it is close to 20 yrs ago?

PjDali, I hear there is a bit of work still to do.

nakamura-san, no news tonight, alas.

Hopeful of news on N'Guémo too.

nelsbhoy
HA!HA!

BT

Very good

twists n turns

Ma tongue is scouring it right now

My goodness,

that was traumatic viewing on the news just then about that poor mother and 2 kids who died in the fire in the tower block. The pain in the poor fathers voice as he re-lived the phone calls to his wife as the flat burned was heart breaking.

God rest their souls.

looks like we will sign Fortune after all

I would now like all the idiots who said we wont spend any money and we have no ambition blah blah to apologise now.

You are all quick to put our great club down but not so quick to praise.

We cant compete blah blah,

Fortune will sign tomorrow and that will be 4 million quid.

Well done Tony Mowbray and the Celtic board.

.

Aberdour CQN Golf Day....

To All Participants Large and Small....My Day Was Superb....My Weekend Has Just Finished....Special Thanks to All....Playing Partners....Orqanisers....Kindly Offered Lifts....Dinning Partners and Many Many More....One More Word....Celtic....

001Who'sHadaLongWeekendCSC

Says in one of the links found for Nguemo that Wenger was sniffing about in Jan 09

Everton also quoted at the time as keen on his services

Not mentioned above another celtic Frenchman was Stephan NUTJOB Mahe

Johnnyquest and Zetabhoy.

You're confusing civil and criminal liability, re Le Petite Merde.

In sunny Scotland, there time limits on CONTRACTUAL disputes.

So, for example, if Judas had not paid his agent the required commision of, oh, I dunno, say.. his first born child, the blood of a virgin she goat and what remained of his immortal soul, within 5 years, then, mumble incoherently into his goatee all he liked, the bold McMurdo would be a busted flush on the legal redress front.

However, in relation to most CRIMINAL conduct, there aren't any limits.

If you were the type of person to lie, cheat, backstab, turn your back on your hertitage and go back on your promise before causing a mass breach of the peace by wearing a deliberately provocative blue thing in the presence of the lieges (us), then, no matter how long it took, the law would get ye!

Then there's always the Last Judgement. I can't for the life of me think God'll ever forgive ANOTHER thirty pieces of silver outrage.

Nope, if JJ can read, debatable I know, he'd do well to cast his eye over what Dante says happened to the first Judas!

Ha! Hope that 100 k tax free feels worth it when you're at the bottom of the ninth circle of Hell getting eaten, forever.

Long time to bear a grudge? Ask Vito Corleone.

Ach, I suddenly don't feel like joking anymore tonight.

(Give your home an extra wee safety check tonight before you settle down)

Goodnight all..take care

TnT

Ive been saying long enough we needed a Big Black centre forward.If he has PACE and a good touch then he will do well.Dundee United have benefited in the past from these players, its time we did the same.

hers link

www.eyefArsenal-chaseootball.com/news/.../-Landry-Nguemo/

Paul67

Whats your thoughts on Fortune from an asset management perspective?

28 years old

£3.8m (approx)
£1m+ a year wages
Valued by his club at £1.5m (agreed fee) less than 6 months agp

Seems more like a 'quickfix' than well planned purchase. Perhaps that is what TM thinks we need given he needs to get the title back

disgruntled again

You will find it's 1.1m ish over three years but that does not deflect from the signing of a good recruit to the cause.

Hopefully we will have a great player on board and more cash to spend.

This is a good piece of work by anton mor and peter lawell.

Pity you have to turn it into attacks on fellow celts.

pretty sad really.

Hail Hail

Lurgan 53,

Ended up in Lurgan yesterday and after a pint in the bat cave, moved on to Reid's and made a pig of myself.

I suffered in work today, and am now having a glass of red wine to help me sleep tonight.

Ard Macha

Antsman, from an asset management perspective, Fortune is great business. For Nancy!

My rule on these things is simple, sell them for top price before it’s too late. However, at this stage of the season, you have to back your manager’s judgement.

Eustace P Merryweather

whatever Pal,

This is the same fellow Celts who critisise Celtic

So I critisise them

not sad at all mate.

And 1.1 million is not the figure at all son.

i believe i brought the news of the van nistelrooy story about a week ago to you all?

paul 67 can you confirm?

hail hail

Paul67

back your managers desicion? is that what you are doing?

Im sure you and the other part timers on this site will find a way to blame it on Peter Grant or something

tomc , what story was that?

hail hail

disgruntled again

Well you may know different fair enough its all about opinions and sources. Mine says he is coming and it's 3 yearly instalments which allows more initial investment.

He also says we are sniffing around wallace from hearts.

but to call fellow celts idiots is pretty poor.

Hail Hail

Paul67

I agree the club want to be seen to be backing their manager.......but is this a smart move? Is the oputlay worth it to help get title back but at a potential long term cost?

The deal is reminicent of the JVOH purchase although he was a bit younger and more proven. Ultimately the club were happy to offload him.

Will Fortune look for a 4-year deal to clinch move........

Based on your rule we should perhaps look to cash in on the likes of Robson and Caldwell now - something i agree with. Additionally another good season would see us looking to cash in on Hinkel.

I think the selling age should be 29-30 and buying age for 'big' purchases 26.5-27.5

Nelsbhoy has nailed it. The one thing we need to get any undecided fans renewing their season cards is a "Big Black centre forward"!

Who is Fortune anyway? Are season ticket holders meant to get excited by this potential signing?

Curb your enthusiasm!
TTTT

PS Tiny - to be on the safe side, you might have to gargle with single malt for the rest of the night to avoid infection....

Eustace P Merryweather

again

To the people who spout negative views on this site without any real knowledge I call them idiots.

you my friend are not one of them. I will continue to support TM and the board and shout down these idiots who only cause harm with their uneducated negative views

I include Paul67 in this as his articles at times are poor and read like someone who is fed up writing articles.

The one critisising Peter Grant was the best one.

tommytwiststommyturns

Thanks.

Tiny Tim

Had a laugh at your story about your mate Charlie.
I'm friendly with Gary and his wife (Ex) is a mad hoops fan

First post from me - a few thoughts to be going on with:

Paul67 and ALL contributors - you should be proud of yourselves as again over the last few weeks and over the weekend you have all demonstrated what an unrivalled spirit prevails within this community - from Kano to Another Alex in Sweden, to the golf and the auction - not forgetting Friday night's 'empty' - top class - keep on being special.

Negative Anon: keep posting the way you feel it - lang may yer lum reek!

Fortune: seems to me he is another Kenny Miller - talk of him being a striker is setting everyone up for disappointment - he may be a FORWARD but a striker he ain't - seems we should be guided by Peter Grant on his potential contribution.

Green Brigade: fan groups like this have the potential to be Agents of Division within the support. Back in the day in the jungle the chant to the last visible loosely organised group was "Send yer casuals over here...!"
Mind you we used to sing back in the day...

MS

disgruntled again, I think you'll find that it was the club who were saying they could not compete with the EPL. This was in January when the support were disappointed when there was no spending on team strengthening.

If MAF is signing then it is good news for us all.

I'm honestly at a loss to understand why you are referring to fellow Celtic supporters as idiots and demanding that they not only apologise but apologise NOW.

Antsman

you wrote

"Based on your rule we should perhaps look to cash in on the likes of Robson and Caldwell now - something i agree with. Additionally another good season would see us looking to cash in on Hinkel"

Yeah mate, its a poor signing and you are right, lets sell Caldwell and Robson and Hinkel, 3 of our best players

spot on.

I am being sarcastic by the way

disgruntled again

Best night with peter the pointer was the leith celtic supporters dance 1988.

What a chanter peter is.

No called peter the provo for nothing.

A celtic great and the passion we need at the club after clip boards and flip charts.

Hail Hail

Antsman and Paul67,

While I agree on the asset management, from a footballing point of view i think we need a few guy's with experience and right age to bring through the younger guy's we have in the team. I don't think we have the balance right just now or under GS last few seasons, maybe first season being exempt, as i happen to believe we had good blend with Lennon, Hartson, Petrov, Balde, and laterally Keane to help the new comers in and guy's like Shaun, Craig, Aiden, Stephen, Ross etc..

Althought we tried this by getting guy's like Paul Hartley, Steven Pressley, Tommy Gravensen, JVOH, they weren't as goos as the guy's above. Think we a bit of experinced very good talent is badly needed just now for us.

Just a pity Jiri still isn't around. I still believe to this day GS never played him in his proper position in the centre of midfield where he made his name for CSKA and Chelsea. I was delighted when he signed. But we never got to see the best of him. Seen glimpses, especially in the Shaktar game at Parkhead.

I remember his debut, and i thought here we go when him and Stan were playing. Never seen him in that position again.

What I really meant was a Jason Scotland,Colin Samuel.Ricardo Fuller type player.

Athletic,Pace,and Composure in front of Goal.

ArdMacha.

Well you deserve to suffer!! Both my sons were in the Bat Cave too and got talking to Andy Mallon. Several of the supporters club members called in too on their return from the Irish Association Dinner in Dublin. All worse for wear I might add!!

My eldest lad (Lurgan/Manchester) might have called in to Reids. He worked there for a couple of years when it was Morgan's and he usually goes to catch up with some of the n'er do wells that sup there.

I stayed at home - on my own. Mrs53 in Teneriffe with her sisters.
Nice bottle of Shiraz and The Sunday Game,

Bliss!!

53

any truth in us getting rid of mark brown to hibs, this has been mooted for a while now, fingers crossed, more freed up wages

TTTT

I'M GARGLING WITH POPCORN RIGHTNOW.

gallowgate

read posts mate.

There are plently of posters saying the same thing.

Its not so much this but the folk who have posted saying Celtic have no ambition and they will not spend money

Now that we have proven this is not the case they will go on to find something else negative to write

Dont you see this site has many posters who only come on to write negative articles to get a rise out of their 'fellow Celtic fans'

These are the folk I call idiots

I am just glad this site is only read by less than a minority of our support

I would worry if this were not the case

I still don't believe we are going to pay 3.8 million for Fortune. Remember the figures bandied about for Boric, Naka, and Donati. They were not even close. I would say if it is a double deal it will be no more than £4.5 million - £5 million euro's.

Paul67,

ASny word on that Iceland defender? Rouge, Ayrtic, the Iceland bhoy. Any news?

Paul67 and Zybszek,

Semir Stilic, Was TM not after him at West Brom in January? Are we likely to see a couple of Bosmans coming in ? Few good ones out there that might be worth a punt.

Eustace P Merryweather

Touche mate

He is one of the biggest tims there is and will ever be.

A boy with limited ability who fulfilled all of our dreams and played for the hoops.

Legend comes home.

disgruntled again

I do not believe Robson is one of our best players or will feature much this season.

I believe if we got 'top dollar' for Caldwell we could pay less for at least equal

Not even the worlds best player is immune to being sold for 'top dollar'

WGS

I agree Jiri, like many under Gordon, never got a fair crack. However i would suggest someone at 27.5 should have decent experience. It depends what you want experience of.

Think of this

CB, captain of major scottish club and at times national team captain. Has won leagues and cups, has played in the CL in cluding last 16. That is McManus on paper - you would not be desperate to sign him.

Chaplin

Charlies big brother was Gary's best man i'm told.I guess that would have been to his first wife.

tomc

Where is there a story about Van Nistelrooy signing for Celtic?

Talking of mcmanus may get us of track the biggest weakness we have to address is the lack of goals when it counts.

This is down to a number of factors in my view.

1. We do not get enough crosses into the box
2. We have no one of any quality to finish them if they did arrive
3. We do not have a 10-15 goal attacking midfield player
4. Aiden and Brown do not deliver enough goals
5. We lack a true play maker for the killer pass or holding midfielder with that streak of evil every good team needs.

Anton Mor your task in my view is to address this.

If we get a left back brilliant but i would rather we sorted the midfield and forward line.

Hail Hail

disgruntled again, thanks for the clarification. However have Celtic spent any money yet ? I'm talking about money that wasn't freed up by the wages of departing players such as Naka, JVOH, Zico and most of all Bobo Bee. After all, the chairmen stated that the previous manager had spent 34m and did not take into consideration the money brought into the club in transfers.

A little consistency would be nice in club/support relations.

I believe Fortune is going to be an excellent player for us so we should all be happy if this signing comes off.

madmitch on July 6, 2009 6:54 PM
Tiny Tim

DD wanted WGS to stay on.
He refused to accept he was leaving.
Possibly the reason why we still had so much work to do after WGS made it official.

Gossip was DD tried but failed to keep WGS at the last minute.
Cue temper tantrum, many oaths and PL hitting his mobile."

MM i think the more accurate story is that GS was prepared to resign after we lost 4-2 at Pittodrie, in fact he appears to have gone as far as telling some squad members he was going

He was talked out of this by DD and PL, and agreed to review his situation at the season's end

I'm not sure anyone tried to talk Gordon out of it once the season was over

Just when we all thought the team needed toughening up with a bit of steel, it seems we are about to sign a load of Nancy Bhoys.

Marc-Antoine Fortune will have to do the business to prove that he is worth the reported £3.8M outlay, more than twice the combined fees for Scott McDonald and Giorgios Samaras, the second and third highest scorers in the SPL last season. So at that price we should reasonably expect Fortune to be the SPL's top scorer next season.

As for Landry N’Guemo, the Nancy midfielder... I know more about the wife of President Hu Jintao of China. If anyone else can enlighten me with some impressive info about the guy I'd be grateful.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. Twists n Turns. @ 7.04

I am glad that you understood the reason for my reference to the State of Missouri,pal.

It always goes against the grain,when Ah am Behooved, to give an explanation, of a phrase, that I have used in the text... and may ah
add..

I nevah appreciate it, whenevah..

Ah Am.... BEHOOVED...fur ah Dinna BEHOOVE, Easily~

The Foist Rule of Creative Writing is. .

Never, underestimate the intelligence factor of yer Readership.

So..as...

Ah nevah dae... that is why it Peeves me,greatly, when Ah hiv tae dae,just that,and feel that I must furnish an explanation.

Yer Revelation as to the reason why A Toothbrush is ..in fact.... NO.. ...Called, A Teethbrush... wiz.. well.. very Revealing'!

Mind if Ah use that Line..?

If ye dinnae..

Look fur that Phrase tae be included in the Dialogue, of a Movie.. at a Theater Near You~ Soon!

Fir ye see.. Ah help oot, Lou.. whenevah ah Kin.

Kojo.
yer pal.. who likes ye a loater.

nelsbhoy - as you gathered, I was taking the pesh. Do you not want Ruud then?!
Just shows you how far we have down-sized, when a former Hertz player would do a job for us in the SPL.

TM will need to have the team playing a fast, attacking game from the off to capture the fans imagination. How long to the first CL qualifier....? :-(

TTTT

ZetaBhoy,

The Fatwah will NEVER be lifted from that Judas scumbag!
Think that settles my feelings on the matter.

It signed for them the day before I was due to head off to Magaluf with the Bhoys, what a downer!
In saying that it did give me the opportunity to witness what can only be described a typical hunnish behaviour.

One night we were heading from Palma Nova into Magaluf centre and I was wearing the Hoops, as is my wont on hols and on the route we had to pass a pub I think was called the Prince of Wales or something like that. Needless to say we never partook in there, but on this particular night there was a group of huns standing just outside the pub. When they saw my hoops naturally they proceeded to verbally abuse me. A couple of them started to sing the song we used to sing for It.

This produced a fanatastic reaction as 3 or 4 of the other huns then turned vociferously on the 2 or 3 singing and had a go. As I wandered on down the road laughing to myself they were almost coming to blows with one another as manys an astonished bystander watched with bemusement the antics of these reprobates

Only them!

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

gallowgate

hmmmm

Kojo and Ned Kelly

On the mysterious linkage between injuries of the pubic bone, McCallums and ice cream I posted this this morning where all is revealed at the link. My faither used to take me for a MaCallum but I never knew until this morning there was a link to Celtic in the name.

By Auldheid on July 6, 2009 8:29 AM
By Parkheadcumsalford on July 6, 2009 8:15 AM

I was wondering that myself as I posted. I just Googled and Lo and behold there is the Celtic connection to injury. Amazing the Internet!

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/features/display.var.1285905.0.80_years_of_sundae_service.php

Somebody tell Kojo!

barcabhoy 10.59

How do you know that?

TinyTim - is that a Speyside or an Islay?!

TTTT

Etims back with a bang.

They expect N'Guemo and Castillo to follow Fortune this week. Two more Celtic players to be punted, plus another four to arrive on top of this.

A total of 7 new players this window. Hold on to i grab that oxygen mask.

What are the origins of the Ruud story?What age is he?Would he come to us?Could we look after him Financially?

Pure Fantasy.

Whooooooof,

it didn'y take long for the slightly upbeat mood on here to go belly-up did it????????

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

wgs

cant get into e-tims who is for the off?

Never said, but i could hazzard a guess. I would say Donati and possibly Naylor.

Could be very suprised though as well.

Fortune Favours The Brave & Other Updates Print E-mail
Written by ETims
Monday, 06 July 2009
Digg!

After what appears like an eternity Marc Antoine Fortune (pity his middlename isn’t Ulysses – Ed!) arrived in Glasgow today and appears destined to be new gaffer Tony ‘Mogga’ Mowbray’s first signing.

We hear MAF’s agent has agreed a better cut of the transfer fee with Nancy (there’s something quite surreal about this post – Ed!) thus making up some of the major financial difference between what Fortune was offered from a handful of EPL clubs compared to Celtic and therein lies the reason behind the longer than expected delay in his arrival in Glasgow.

We hear the amount offered up front is in the region of £2m with the remainder payable over the following two years and based on games played in the hoops.

All going to plan Marc should be confirmed as a new Celtic player tomorrow.

In other news we hear that deals are very close to be being struck for both Landry N’Guemo and Xabier Castillo with a reasonable chance one of them will join Fortune in Celtic’s flight this week to Brisbane.

We also know of two additional players leaving Celtic with four more coming in. News on this and many more bits of nonsense due in the next week or so from the Wee Man’s sponsored ETims Rumour Mill.

Eustace

Just keep trying I got in eventually.

Promise of a Rumour Mill very soon too!!

Don'tchajistluvit?

53

Check this out - Frightening but funny

Help ma boab!
TTTT

lurgan53

Just keep trying I got in eventually.

Sounds like an old flame of mine lol

Hail Hail

Antsman on July 6, 2009 10:51 PM

"Not even the worlds best player is immune to being sold for 'top dollar'"

He is immune to it.....unless his contract only had a year to run and he was refusing to extend

I am referring of course to Messi, and not to Ronaldo, who is suspect was your reference..... he wouldn't make the top 5 in my list of best players....just to save you asking
1..Messi
2..Xavi
3...Iniesta
4..Gerrard
5..Torres
6..Kaka
7..The portugese brian phelps

The ownership model, and the election of officials at Barca make it very difficult to sell a player who the membership want to stay....Laporta isn't able to run for President again, but would not want his legacy to include being the guy who sold any of the holy triumvirate of mess, xavi or iniesta...nobody standing for election would even contemplate putting this as a possibility on his election manifesto

The only way it could happen was if the buy out clause was exercised...as was the case with Figo

Barca have learned since then, and i think Messi and Iniesta's clauses are in excess of €250 million......

Tomc, I have no idea who brought that particular story, or where they left it.

disgruntled again, I gave an honest answer to an honest question. There is no point in me banging on about asset management and then ducking a question about it when a scenario contradicts what I suggest (as this one clearly does).

Fortune does not meet my asset management criteria, but as I say, I am happy to back the manager’s judgement. Quite how this has riled you I am not sure. The theory of asset management makes no assessment of a players ability.

Nor am I sure why the honest answer to an honest question casts any doubt on the quality of a player I have already written an article about how well he is known by his prospective manager.

Perhaps time for a deep breath.

Antsman, signing Fortune is a smart move if the player is up to the task.

Welcome Mein Schaft.

WGS, you make a good point, too many young players are unlikely to work.

No info on your other points.

Regards the question of Judas Johnson: Does one still hold a grudge after 20 years?

A grudge? No, don't be so infantile.

A desire for cold hard merciless vengeance? Yup.

Lurgan 53,

Good choice!!!

Am lui anois. Oiche mhaith.

Ard Macha

Would like to add.......

My thanks to those 8 souls who have bid for our charity auction.

I am not sure that I see that much of a problem with Fortune and asset management.
He might be a risk, but a very calculated one since Mowbray knows him - plus other decent managers (Zola and Hodgson) are after his services.

Decent forwards won't come cheap unless we are buying from inferior leagues and that would be an even bigger risk - £3 Million for a decent forward playing in a good league is not a lot of money.

We will recoup our money if he is half decent and we sell within two years. Problem is, if he is good, then the same people questioning his signing on this blog won't want to sell him at all.

I still reckon that we are in the market for a goalscorer.

TinyTim on July 6, 2009 11:07 PM
barcabhoy 10.59

How do you know that?"

Tiny Tim

It was on the Celtic Underground podcast.....i also heard about it from someone who is in the Celtic Ambassadors club........

can't guarantee the accuracy, but i think it's plausible

ROBERT GRIEVE

Published: 07 Jul 2009

MARC-ANTOINE FORTUNE flew into Glasgow late Monday night and will clinch a move to Celtic in the next 24 hours.

The Nancy striker looks certain to complete his £3.8million switch in time to jet out with Celts to Australia on Thursday.

Fortune has snubbed bigger offers from Premier League clubs to be reunited with his old West Brom boss Tony Mowbray.

Fortune's agent, Michael Manuello, will join him in Glasgow to put the finishing touches to a deal that will see the hitman become Mogga's first Hoops signing.

Manuello said: "Marc has made his decision and he will be in Glasgow on Tuesday.

"He will look around the club and do some things which I do not need to be at.

"We still have some details to discuss with Celtic. It is nothing major but with every transfer you have to take care.

"There are some discussions to be finished but if things are normal he will sign for Celtic.

''I'll arrive on Tuesday night and I expect that by Wednesday night everything will be okay for him to sign. We are aware that the squad is going to their training camp in Australia on Thursday."

West Ham, Hull, Fulham and Portsmouth were all desperate to land the 28-year-old but Fortune has decided his future lies with Mowbray at Parkhead.

He was on loan with Mogga's Baggies last season and was identified as his No1 target after he took over from Gordon Strachan.

Mowbray feared Fortune would turn his nose up at the SPL in favour of a bigger pay packet in England.

But those fears have now eased and Fortune looks set to make his Celts debut against Brisbane Roar on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Fortune could be joined at Celtic by Nancy team-mate Landry N'Guemo with the Parkhead side formally opening talks on a loan deal with the Ligue 1 side.

N'Guemo, 23, has been capped three times by Cameroon and is a defensive midfielder who will prove an able replacement for the departing Paul Hartley.

Don`t know if it has been posted tonight.Mr fortune`s squad number will be 10 when he signs(not if).

The Token Tim

mail back to you.

MWD

johnnyquest on July 6, 2009 9:01 PM

I amin complete agreement with you. He betrayed us.

NegativeAnon on July 6, 2009 3:19 PM

Barcabhoy - the one response that I really had to come back on was this:

"Just because we don't go rushing to the red tops, doesn't mean we are showing no urgency. On this and your other points you provide absolutely no evidence to back up what are generally wild statements"

Two things about this- the stuff about captaincy etc etc is coming from us directly - so we cant blame our media for that."

Couldn't it be the case that we are still in a state of shock at having a manager who answers a question in a civilised manner and doesn't duck the issue

Zetbhoy @ 8:31,

I think I would excrement on him just the way he did on us.

Snydy little Judas le merde.

That are not many things I detest in life but that little le merde bag made my life hell for months.

I can't stand the sight of the little... Even now.

Hope he rots.

MWD

bigchipsuk

N'Guemo is a hard tackler, sometimes even brutal...

He's known as dirty Landry in public.

Chaqueta...

Barcabhoy

I referred to Kaka and Ronaldo. Ronaldo being of course the 'official' holder and Kaka being his predecessor. His predecessor, Cannavaro, was also sold although under unusual circumstances

Heard today Donati won't be on the plane for Oz. Dunno if its been mentioned.

Training apparently has been interesting , several 1st team footballers are struggling with Mogga's new passing routines/drills. Others however are thriving.

Tony , we could have told you that some couldn't pass the ball!

New formation , tactics , players.

Can't wait till our first game.

MWD,

Right Back At You Mate!

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

PS - I see we are of a similar mindset on The Betrayer!

TTT

and back at you again.

MWD

P.S. I struggle to enjoy watching Love St victory because of that horrible little git. Fast forward any part he is involved in.

MWD,

Thats it sorted then mate.
Will be in touch later.

Bed calling now.

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend... Auld Heid. @ 11.03.

Aha.. Mystery solved..

Trust, you, pard...tae come thru wit' the goods!

So..

The ingredients of the Dreaded McCallum, seem.. oan the surface, innocuously innocent.. although, there must be a Rub, somewhere!

Let's investigate and see if we kin find that dampt Rub.

Red Raspberry Flavoring, poured over a Dollop of Vanilla?

Nothing there.

Howevahhhhhh... it is no the Ingredients that wull Hoit ye.

It's awe that sitting aboot..oan those Shoogly, and Unpadded, Cane Chairs..which
used tae be the Chair o' Choice in every Glesca Ice Cream
Parlor!

Plus the added burden tae yer Fundamental, o' tryin tae look swan