Charity auction raises £1550

let the people sing

UC

?

3rd?

Top 5?

Lovely - well done all.

An honest tim

How much would you bet on whether Rob Jones is still a Hibs player?

Here is my team for Wednesday:

Boruc, Fox, loovens, O'Dea and Hinkel
N'Guemo, Donati, Brown, Maloney
Samaras, Fortune

subs - Crosas, McCourt, McDonald, Killen, Naylor, Caldwell, and the Polish Goalie who's name I cannot spell.

Got to play Samaras. McDonald plays, we will not go through.

we need to go for it on wed -hope to god we don't sit in and try to be clever - even if we do get an early first or second we could not sit back for 30 mins defending that lead

if we lose an early goal due to our presing tactics it makes no odds..... we will need at least 2 goals to win this (god forbid we win 1-0 and then suffer penalities........)

so no MON & WGS caution tactics pleez---go straight for them from the off

but --who can score? --interesting to see if anyone can forecast the correct score and goalscorers---that would be a legendary shout

Ned Kelly

I've missed the last 2 games so forgive me if I'm missing the obvious

Is McGeady injured ? or has he dropped so far that he doesn't even make the bench.

ned kelly

good team - but i would swap Crosas for Donati

McGeady is fit, but I dropped him. I think he is an amazing talent up to a point and that is when he has to pass the final ball and the net result is possession to the opposition - it reminds me of the opening batsmen in the Australian side recently dropped because of a technical deficieny to the inswinging bouncer.

Australia dropped him as soon as they knew the game was up. Ruthless.
McGeady needs to be coached on how to look-up, pick out a man and put it on his noggin, or right in front of his boot. Otherwise the opposition will work him out as happened last year in SPL. So, it was Donati or Crosas. I love Crosas, but I think Donati has the experience

N Kelly
I dont think Brown is ready, based on yesterdays preformance. Our reserve goalie looks very capable but we have to stick with Boruc.
What happens if McDonald plays and scores the winner?
Being realistic though the odds are against us going .

Ned Kelly i know where you are coming from. Gordon s tried the same. Only problem is he is our greatest talent, and one of these days he is going to show it. Just too big a risk to drop him i think.
Bhoy from county hell, i just got fed up and logged off, was not in the mood to argue over nofin, yes try again :)

Gold coast, i wont watch it live, i will record it and watch at 6:30 in morning with my mobile switched off.

mon the hoops

ST

Ned Kelly

Why not try a midfield Donati and Crosas ,N'Guemo and O'Dea?
This is a blend of skill and power. We hold back Mcdonald and McGeady and Maloney in case we are are chasing a goal in the second half!

The last time we visited Moscow, we scored an excellent goal, Broonie had a one on one with the keeper only to let the ball get tangled between his legs when he had a tap in, and we lost a poor goal to a goalkeeping error by Mark Brown.

Remember all the chances we squandered vs Aalborg in Denmark.
Could have been 3 up in first 15 mins.

We will create chances, so therefore I am hopeful.

Sydney Tim

I agree, yes indeed, he is our greatest talent. You could argue that Phillip Hughes is the greatest batting talent Australia have unearthed since Ponting - and they dropped him.
So, what do we do, Sydney Tim? I also witnessed him rip Rangers apart in the Cup final and there is no doubt when he gets the better out of his marker, he can be a match-winner. My fear is that opposing teams have worked him out. Mark him inside and outside and restrict his movement, wait for him to come under pressure and he will release ball to...

So, do we go for Brown or McGeady? Brown can support the strikers better in my opinion, tracks back, box to box etc.

I will probably get slaughtered for this but their you go...

Ned Kelly course i will no slaughter you, but dont you think if he is given a free role he could cause damage and create chances.

as for the guy Phillip Hughes, Dont know who he is, i am sorry i tend to turn over at cricket incase i fall into a deep sleep.

Ps the greek in newtown was mince :(

Bamboo

O'Dea is too cumbersome for the midfield and I fear would not be fast or nimble enough. I love Crosas, I really do but remember Love Street or whatever it is called now and he had a mare. bench for me, replacing Donati if he doesn't perform.

By the way, I think this maybe the final order in the Last Chance Saloon for Donati. It is now or never for him and must reward BTM for his faith.

Sydney TIm

"Only problem is he is our greatest talent, and one of these days he is going to show it."

Think you've said it all there. One of these days isn't good enough. I made the point yesterday that at 22 JJ was playing in the European Cup Final and then went on to tease and destroy Real Madrid in the Bernabeau. No-one had any doubt about his ability only the situation with Jimmy was it was only now and then he didn't show it.

Ned Kelly -

I'm pretty sure Caldwell will play in defence, probably at the expense of O'Dea. Unfortunately O'Dea put his development back a couple of steps yesterday, I'd go with the experience of Caldwell and the general consistency of Loovens. Rest of the defence picks itself, hopefully. I'll be livid if Naylor starts at left back, even if Mowbray wiped the slate clean this season on the basis of pre-season he's surely seen that Fox is a better option, both going forward and in defence.

Midfield is where we have options. Realistically, I can't see McGeady and Maloney not starting, any other options on the wings just frighten me (apart from Fox, but then Naylor starting left back frightens me more). I also suspect that N'Guemo will get a start, he's Mowbray's choice of player after all and has looked assured in pre-season. This will probably rule Crosas out as two defence-minded midfielders in a game we have to win wouldn't work. Also, from what I see N'Guemo tends to be happy to venture forward more often, giving that slight attacking factor (please don't quote Crosas' goal yesterday, first time he's crossed the halfway line in 6 months).

Donati is an infuriating enigma. If he could promise us 90 minutes like he played for 30 yesterday, he'd be in the team every week. The trouble is he can't make any such promises, Donati himself doesn't seem to know which Donati will show up. We need to assess his consistency in easier games, so he may be too much of a risk.

The last midfield berth may fall to Scott Brown by default, we know he's capable of consistent performances better than that of yesterday.

In attack I suspect it will be McDonald and Fortune, I reckon Mowbray fully expects this combination to fire at some point. Samaras is just too inconsistent, he looks motivated and skillful just as often as he looks lightweight and clumsy. With Killen I feel we are fated to go through the same frustrations as we did with Heselink. A big immobile, injury prone target man who can disappear in games for 70 minutes, but can score the odd goal just to let you know he's still there.

Sydney Tim

Try the Greek one in Pitt Street close to World Square, best in town.

re Ned Kelly's team 9.57.

I do not think Scott Brown's best position is right-wing (I'm assuming that's where you're playing him?). We tried the holding/attacking midfielder's last week; N'Guemo holding and Donati attacking - that patently didn't happen (Donati was invisible as a potent attacking force). Why would this week be any different?

I'd play Brown (if fit) in the attacking role - he'd get up and down the park for you - I'm also aware of his shortcomings.

Has to be 2 wingers; McGeady/Caddis one wing, Maloney the other.

Strike force is huge problem.
MacDonald is so frustrating and Fortune has done very little. With Samaras you just don't know what player will turn up on the night. Not even mentioning Killen.(I know I did).

I'd go with the same strike force as last week - MacDonald is the most likely to score and we have to trust Mowbray and allow Fortune some time to gel.

Still think we'll lose out though ...

(Of course if you're not playing Brown wide right then this rant had no real purpose).

Sid Tim
Yesterdays test match action summed up cricketing excitment . Who were the men of the match.

Ned - OK maybe O'Dea is a bit slow for mid-field .
Donati was not been bad since his return and he should improve if given a run in the team.
Fox is a bit of a gamble though as he is just adjusting to a higher standard of football.
Naylor might confuse to Russians with his crossing . He certainly confuses me!!

the next big thing they said! ha ha ha ha ha

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_news/431838/Rangers-John-Fleck-was-sent-home-from-German-tour-in-disgrace.html

Sidney Tim

agreed - wee jimmy was firmly established at the same age a wonderful entertainer - but he had an end product on top of the virtuoso stuff

he could have the odd howler and disappear in the odd game - our aiden seems the exact opposite (apart from the established bit..)

SonofErin
Ordinarily, I would put Brown in centre of the park, but he is coming back and has played in the right side for Hibs to much acclaim. It will give him the freedom to bomb forward and he can defend the right side which did cause Celtic a lot of problems last week.

On the subject of McDonald, i think it was Kojo who made the pertinent point that he is a s-l-o-w starter and I agree. Personally, I think he is average and I say that having witnessed all his Austrlain games as well as Celtic for the last two seasons.
Samaras can create something from nothing and has the X factor and is bang on form
Caldwell? i refer to last weeks game. Can't mark properly. See Cousin

Skippy can be infuriating, often a poor first touch, and a moaner.

But bottom line he is the best striker we have at the club. Top scorer last two seasons. Best chance of a goal we have.He must play.

Reading though some of the appraisals of our first team players over the past 24 hours I suddenly had what can only be described as a psuedo out of body experience...

I was watching myself lose the wood from the trees while trying to decide what our best options would be for Wednesday and realised that Donati was actually part of the possibilities! As is Killen!

What the hell has happened to my Celtic??

From Larsson and Sutton, Hartson and Petrov, Lennon and Mjallby to a debate on whether Massimo Donati should start and whether we should go with Chris Killen in a must win away from home European CL tie??

Honest tryers, but not Celtic first choice players. Never in a month of Sundays.

Lisbon Lions Upper

Top scorer? His competition was JVOH for Ghod sake. Samaras got injured, Killen was never played, we hadn't signed Fortune yet. The guy reminds me of Andy Payton. He also got a barrowload of goals as well, but he was average - most players playing consistently with Celtic will score 20 plus. How many has McDonald scored for Australia against mediocre Asian opposition? zero!

Play Samaras - more mobile, gets stuck-in, aerial threat, more skillful. Fortune is a no brainer.

U2_1888

Lets forget about Killen for this game.
Possession and cool heads will be required in Moscow .
Of course we must score a couple of goals too.
Maybe we should surprise them with all out attack in the first 15mins then after we have our 2 goals we shut up shop. Cunning Plan??

U2-1888

I said earlier today - name me someone from our team that would make the 2001-2003 team? Boruc!

We maybe back to late 80's and early 90's standard SPL fayre unless BTM can arrest the decline. Mon called it returning to the slow lane and he was on the money (as usual)

Still, we have balanced the books...

Ned, I couldn't care less what he does for Australia.

You may give valid reasons why someone else didn't score more goals in last two seasons, but end of the day no one did. Without him things would have been even worse than they were. How many games did Samaras play when he came back from injury before he scored? Can't remember but it was a fair few.

Start of last season Samaras was red hot, brilliant. He hasn't come close to that since.

McDonald, faults and all, and there are many, is IMO still the best striker at club. You sadly will never convince me in a month of sundays Samaras is a better option.

Lisbon Lions Upper

Fair points you make, but I don't think he is on form and started last season the same way. Samaras is hot to trot. I am thinking the definition of insanity cliche...try the same thing again and again and expect a different result.

We probably need two goals minimum so lets try something new

unhappy clapper?

Chris

Hi just returned from Wembley last weekend what a wonderfull stadium it makes Hampden look like Shawfield dog track!! It was amazing walking down Wembley Way to see the statue of the late great Sir Bobby Moore im going to show my age now i was at his Testimonial at upton park that ended 3-3 what a game now to my point, We have got a Scottish Prime Minister & our chairman is still a big wig in the labour goverment so mr Reid get together with the goverment & give big Billy a nighthood after all he was the first Briton to hold the European cup the first time it had been on Brittish soil, just like Sir Bobby they come the era so mrReid do something about it big Jock missed out so lets make sure big Billy does not miss out!!!! HOWS THIS FOR THE HEADLINES "KING WILLIAM GETS KNIGHTED AT THE PALACE" after all theres only one king Billy thats McNeil hail hail!!!!!!

The News Of The World certainly got their 'Fleck' quote right..
"the decision to send him to Northern Ireland had been made because of the teenager's general behaviour.".......should be in good company with the rest of their hooligans over there, eh !! ....LOL...!!!

Subterranean,
I'm nicking that.

Mungo Bhoy

Love yer work. Sir King Billy sounds good to me. I think he deserves it as well...he is a legend, an overused word these days I grant you, but to me he is the biggest legend after Mr Stein our football club has produced (Brother Walfred wasn't produced, he was the producer and THE other legend)

...the hand of GOD?

Chris

67 heaven

Flecks mates were in good voice at Highbury yesterday going through their full sectarian a racist repotoire of songs full blast . No pope- TFS and all the others . No comments in the scottish press though.

Sons of Erin......you're so right about Samaras...he didn't step up to the mark at the end of last season and he is generally so inconsistent......I'm afraid we really should be trying to move him on ??

...keep the faith?

Chris

but not that one

Ned Kelly,

I believe in the future years we will look back Henrik Larrson as being the greatest of all Celts.
Can we knight a Swede??
Big Billy deserves to be knighted as much for sticking one on Gerry McNee as lifting the Euro Cup.

...pre-season training?

Chris

Bamboo.....correct, and the Board should be taking this up with SFA, Scottish Parliament etc.......it's ridiculous.....they should add this incident to the portfolio for the review meeting that DIDN'T take place last season....it's a joke...and it's only going to get worse as this new season progresses.....

Big Billy could not be any more respected by me.

Putting a Sir in front of his name and joining in with all that royalist nonsense could only embellish royalism; it would not improve Billy.

Jock was a hero to us before he was knighted; he was no more of a hero with a Sir in front of his given names.

Why are we debating giving a True Celt a knighthood..!?

Bamboo

Celtic's greatest team was the Lisbon Lion's team and their achievements are unique as well as remarkable. Billy McNeill was our captain and deserves every accolade he gets. A legend.

I love Henrik, but no, he is not the greatest of all Celts. Yes, best of the modern era, but he is no Stein, McNeill, Johnstone or Brother Walfred. Right up there with Jimmy McGrory and One of the greatest of all Celts.

Remember this Bhoys, we won the big one and the huns have not come within a coo-ee of it. When we pick our legends, THAT team should come to the front everytime.

Subterranean

Unfortunately your link is true about so many Churches.

These verses are important IMHO.

Matthew 22:19-21

19Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

20And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

21They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

My team I'd play on Wednesday -

-------------- Boruc ------------

Caddis - Loovens - O'Dea - Naylor

Flood - Crosas - N'Guemo - Maloney

------ McDonald --- Samaras ------

Ned

Henrik was a more consistant top-level performer week-on week season on season than the great Jinky and we will, in time realise how lucky we were to have him for his prime years.
I'm only going on players I have seen in the hoops from 1965 till now.

I was a consistant critic of Mr Strachan.

I never once criticised his team selections.

He did not lose us the SPL title by not playing Aiden at Ibrox.

Aiden has had one decent game against Rangers in 5 years.

His final ball is more often than not ineffective.He is 23 now.He is not improving.

It is going to take Mr Mowbray some months to discover what many already know.( Not only about Aiden)

Mr Woo,indeed.

WGS:

Sometimes, some of the stuff you write is fanciful at best, sometimes some of the stuff you write is pretty neat, sometimes some of the stuff you write is utter tosh, but I read it and your knowledge shames me. Now dare I say it, you just might think the same of my offerings, (Disregarding the knowledge bit) and mate… if you do, who cares, I don’t doubt your credentials and I doubt very much that you doubt mine.

Dig in mate, you have your way of putting your support across, and although at times it burst’s my nut, it is still your way, and you are transparently green to the marrow.

One day, maybe soon, hopefully sooner, Celtic just might take your advice and sign one of your tips, they could do worse. Hell they have done worse, we’ve all done worse; one day we will do better.

However, your choice or not, if I were you, I’d be into the armoury as we speak and on would be the studded war bra and out of the WGS boudoir would be a bag swinging ML2 devil and anybody that got personal without foundation… I’d have a go. You’d be surprised by what support you might get.

Anybody gets personal with me and their point is a poke of puke then even if I was a two foot four midget I’d fight my corner.

I think Scott Brown never gets in the face enough, that’s the way I play football and every hun I ever played against, and still do, HATES me for it.

There is too much Celtic in you not to don the war bra WGS. Be proud of who you are.

For all you dicks that say we can’t win in Russia… well all I can say is… YOU’RE DICKS. Nothing personal like; just like you think our players aren't capable of it, I don't think you were ever capable of it, not even in your most colouful dream.

Well WGS, I’m glad I got that off my chest.

In English - ONE DAY… OUR DAY WILL COME.

It’ll come sooner if we all give our all instead of talking brown.

.

p.s. My team for Moscow… any eleven players whose shirt has not shrunk backed up with supporters whose heart is in the wearing of the green and not wrapped in glass.

Bamboo / Ned Kelly.........JIMMY JOHNSTON is, and will always be, the best ever Celt...Henrik was a present-day GOD, and must never be forgotten for his loyalty to Celtic.....(incidentally, we are already missing NAKA...!!!)

Here I go again, I am going to get slaughtered for this one...

A knighthood for Stein and McNeill would be an honour to our club and reflect the incredible of achievements of the European Cup and Nine-in-a-row. Whether you are a monarchist or a republican (I will put my cards on the table right now and tell you I prefer the Westminster system - no love of the royalists, just prefer it)it is our right to be rewarded for these achievements and should have been by now.

67 Heaven
I just flicked over to the Rangers game yesterday during a lull in our game and No pope was being belted out and the Sky commentator was saying that the "Rangers fans are now in good voice!!"

I recorded the second half of their match and listened to it this morning . Hello Hello got an airing along with all the rest of there poison songs.

kitalba

I think we also can win in Russia.

Stop the name calling please

RD

RD:

Nothing personal and sincere apologies. But it I were you I'd be Googling 'deed Poll'.

67 heaven

No argument from me!

Ned Kelly........

The Empire is finished, no foreign lands to seize..

So the greedy eyes of England, are turning 'twards the seas..

200 miles from Donegal, there's a place, it's called Rockall...

and the groping hands of Whitehall, are grabbin' at it's walls..

ETC

You should not be slaughtered for any comment/opinion, just need to introduce the perspective of history to get that balance, young man...!!!!

67
J. J. was our quietest forward in the Euro final 67. And he had many games like that .
Of course when on form there was no greater sight in football . When Henrik was occassionally a bit off the pace he still ran his socks off for the team for the full 90. Exceptional skill allied to a great work ethic.

Walter Smith is quoted to day as saying that his experience at Everton was that EPLclubs would never vote to invite Celtic and Rangers into the EPl.

With this in mind what would be the best English club for Celtic to buy to gain entry into the EPL?

Wicket

143 for 3

MAW

67 Heaven

love the comment, brought a smile to my face and the encouragment to make comment without fear or favour. I appreciate it.

History, you mention. Weimar republic springs to mind.

Ned Kelly

"It is our right to be rewarded for these achievements"

We were. We got the Football rewards from Football organisations.

Knighthoods, MBE's etc; are irrelevant. Let those that want them get them. If Billy wants one, good luck to him. I'll think no less of him. Just as importantly, I would and could not think any more of him.

Personally, I'd be prouder of the Lisbon Lion who said no when the offer was made

MAW

The umpire is a dill! Should be four out

Kit

Keep telling it

Bamboo.....Whhhhhhaaat ???????????????????????????????

Apparently F@@K was being sent to play in NI all the time
according to the sunday express,not as has been suggested by some
that it was due to his ned like attitude to coisty

More press mince in the sundayherald match report on the huns games full page 14 paragraphs produces this

but the place would have been as quiet as a morgue were it not for the din created by the Rangers fans. Depressingly there were renditions of some of their dreary party tunes

Mon celtic a win on wednesday would be a real tonic to lift the spirit,and give the whole support a boost going into the new season I think its a doer

Moscow is going to be tough to get the desired result, theres no doubt about that.

We have nothing to lose because as it stands we are out. We still have a decent chance of qualifying and I reckon the best price of 5/2 for a Celtic win is fair but would expect those odds to shorten as we get closer to the match.

Dynamo 1

Kerzahkov (56)

Celtic 3

Maloney (7)
Fortune (49)
Samaras (67)

:)

Come on the Hoops!!!

Setting free the Bears

I know I am in a minority with my views on this.
The rewards you mention are football rewards only.

Government have not recognised our achievements properly and Government is a reflection of our society. It is not a question of wanting the knoghthoods, MBE's etc. It is a question of being chosen and as such recognised by the citizens and people of your country for the achievements you have made. Mr Stein and Mr McNeill deserve this. It is then up to them if they want to decline the honour.

Totally off topic, I met Laurie Ann Brown and Stuart Lovell on Friday.

Hes a really good guy, and defo not a hun. He was saying that no one at Setanta liked scott booth. Said they got use of whatever clubs gym they where at and booth used to turn up just wearin shorts and nowt else.

booth also knows we hate him and he loves it, deliberatly talks lillian just to wind us up.

Hope Lovell gets back into work soon, as I said, really nice guy.

I didnt think it was possible but I think in a week we have managed to complete the writing off of a full team though various comments here.

We have played one competitive game and a half hearted friendly since the glousious Wembley wizards of last week.

Last week there was talk of building a defence around Darren O'Dea, today he has had his chance and is not good enough.

Crosas wasnt going to make it in our team last week, he is now a star again.

Caldwell was our best defender now he should be sold.

The ubiquitous McManus baiting continues despite him not playing yet for our new management team.

Our most skillfull player McGeady should be dropped after a 20 minute appearance late in a friendly.

Fortune has been wrote off after one competitive game, he may not be a natural finisher but we need to give him a chance, leave it to the media to slate him so early.

Our only goal scorer should be sold then go and find a replacement, Im not one for going out my way to sing the praises of Scott McDonald but he is the best finisher in our league.

Samaras was a dud the other week he is now our saviour.

We are facing a difficult season of re-adjustment to our new lower quality of team, none of us can be happy about it but its not going to help if a mistake leeds to a player getting wrote off a few hours after a bad game. This team need our support if we are to win the league.

I think we face a very difficult game on Wednesday, I would not post that we will get beat even if I thought that.

Remember Ajax? our team is may not be as good as the team we sent there but I didnt see anything last Wesnesday that tells me we couldnt get a similar result this week.

Operation RAW starts here.

Kitalba 12.33

Calling people DICKS is pretty thoughtless.

I think that you can express yourself better.You have in the past.

I find it kind of playgroundish.
It's what i came to expect from the likes of Joshybhoy,not you.

It may not be swearing ,but it is pretty offensive.It shows a lack of respect for others point of view.It lacks a bit of class.It is undignified.

Are you high?

For the record ,i think we can win in Moscow.

Bamboo

I thought I was being brave tonight, but having a crack at Jimmy Johnstone for his European Cup performance, that takes guts.

Paul67

Forgot to add, great work by all involved yet again with the money raised.

EN

bazzabhoy

you live near edinburgh

Ned Kelly

The football rewards are worth more than the governmental ones.

They are more honestly earned.

bazzabhoy

I thought Stuart Lovell was an accomplished analyst. Setanta used him as a pitch side provocateur to ask the embarrassing questions of coaches. I hope he survives that experience to go on to something more worthy of his talents.

Wicket

159 for 4

Maw

blantyretim -

aye, not far from edinburgh, work in the centre.

Estadio

It has always been thus.

This website, phone-ins, etc, etc. Full of the Immediate Gratification Society.

I for one hope for another Amsterdamesque performance. Even if it doesn't materialise Mr Mowbray deserves time and the patience of the so called GSITW. Sometimes that title befits us not one jot!

Hail! hail!

Men At Work

Game on.

Rangers at the Emirates?

Is that the first time a Rangers supporter has been spotted inside a library?

Bazabhoy,
cheers, trying to get a mate a lift from Edinburgh
to Pit for 1st game of season..

BT

Aiden McGeady may be our most skillfull player, however, he is not our most effective player as his final ball is shocking and also his shooting normaly ends up high in the stand. In his defence however, he often has two or three players to beat and must learn to on occasion make the simple pass. Another failing of the team is that our other players make no effort to exploit the space when there are two or three men on aiden.

aiden McGeady.. give me Thommo the hunslkelper at his peak, far more effective than Aiden has ever been for Celtic.

Kenwyn Jones

Yesterday highlight that when our centre halves are faced with a big powerfull Centre forward ,they really struggle.

We still require a Big powerfull centre half for our squad.Someone who will every header.
Someone in the Varga,Vega or Bobo mould.

Built like a tank,around 6'5"ish.

Blantyre -

We dont have a bus going to aberdeen mate, sorry.

Kitalba,

We can win in Russia.

Personally I hope against hope that we will, but in all honesty I don't think we have sufficient quality to do so and I fear a confidence hitting defeat.

We have not yet had sufficient time to balance the team with workers and talent, energy and guile, passing quality and confidence, chance making and taking.

My mind was made up some time ago about a few players - Massimo is a liability, Chris Killen is little more than an honest tryer (which will have it's uses away from home in the SPL), Samaras has the heart of a mouse. If these players are serious contenders for all starting an away Champions League match which we must win it rings alarm bells for me that we need Tony Mowbray to be a quick learner and get to work on the transfers before the end of the month. Individually we are short on quality and as a team we are short on finishers. Genuine goalscorers.

There are many, many positives - O'Dea, Crosas, N'Geuemo and the renewed Artur Boruc - and many possibilities in McGeady, Brown, Maloney, Caddis, Fortune and Fox - but as yet the manager has not had time to mix the recipe and I reckon Moscow is a bridge to soon.

Praying for some luck, praying for some shrewd transfer business and hoping for someone we can rely on to score when he gets the chance.

cheers Bazza

i will contact jim ward...

BT

Memo to me.

Proof read before you submit.

......Boruc......

..Hinkel..Heid..O'Dea..Fox..

....N'Guemo...Crosas....

.........McGeady.........

Sammi............Skippy

........Fortune.........

2-0 Celtic
Skippy (34), (72)

my team for moscow, first half anyways

boruc

hinkel caldwell loovens fox

brown nguemo donati mcgeady

maloney

mcdonald

if we are going 4 4 2 then id bench donati, put brown in the middle and shaun out wide and bring in fortune.

also anybody that thinks odea is the answer at cb is delirious. makes to many mistakes, isnt aggressive enough in the air. if caldwell or loovens had made that error yesterday, they would have received alot of stick.

also my ace card for moscow to bring on late in the game..... wee koki.

I'm just back from holiday where i've missed the Moscow game and i'm furiously reading back and trying to catch up. Not convinced about the perceived personnel problems, the CL game falls slap in the middle of pre season stuff, so it's too early to pass judgement.

These games are a fitness exercise, and by the time we are fit we could already be in the Europa, I did see a glimpse on BBC ALBA and while TM has to give a chance to players such as the previously discarded Donati and Killen, I'm more concerned about formation than who is actually selected.

If you can play a fringe team and beat Spurs, it makes the Sunderland game even more odd, where some momentum was lost and my worry is, that it seems TM is unsure on how to set out a team on the park with the correct formation, and tactics. Or does he know? as he refers in his comments to his 'best team'.

It's not his fault yet, and he may have been left a very imbalanced bloated squad, which the last manager struggled to combine correctly, even for long spells in seasons where we won the league.

Not too worried about Wednesday as the second qualifier on the evidence so far is
a no win situation. John Barnes won 5-0 at Pittodrie in his first league game, any TM victory will do for me.

santaponsa on August 2, 2009 1:16 PM ,

I believe we will need a bit more height upfront than that

I would have at least one of Killen, Sammi or Fortune in the mix, I know McDonald is good with the heid for a smallish player, but you still need some height in there.

gsu

imo henriks the greatest celt to don the hoops in my lifetime, not many celts leave paradise & continue their career at the nou camp/old trafford. on top of his increidble skill he was a team player who was second to none.

It has gone very quiet on the transfer front have Celtic put the biscuit tin away or does it depend on us selling players after Wednesday? We are right to try to remain optomistic about the Moscow game but our European away record in the CL is more likely to be a pointer to the outcome.We normaly have one or two posters on here telling us there transfer rumours but even they have gone quiet.One telling thing about the quality of the current Celtic squad is there appears at the moment to be no real interest in any of our players from other clubs. May your day be Blessed.

Afternoon.

Any cricket buffs out there?

Can anyone tell me what the numbers mean on the England shirts?

Paul 67,

Would you please put notice on and allow contact to access my e-mail.
He has lost his season ticket which I have found and if he can collect it it would save him the replacement fee
Many thanks

LOST & FOUND
Would K Gallacher who attends at the North Stand
Area 412
Have personal item which may be of interest to you
Please contact the site for info

DundeePerth

I'm no expert on these passtimes but I believe it is their 'handicap'

Tiny Tim:

I beg to differ; calling people dicks was quite thoughtful. Well, if you were really to twist my arm, only just, I didn’t really expend a lot of brain cells on reaching that conclusion.

I won’t apologise if you find my post, or posts, rather “playgroundish”, I won’t apologise in believing we can beat any team on our day, and I won’t apologise for being a Celtic supporter who knows what support means.

Now, I will ignore your pathetic ‘Joshybhoy’ insinuation.

I will ignore your innuendo as to my lack of class and dignity, I will ignore your inference as to my lack of respect to those who have no respect for Celtic, I will ignore a lot of things. Even your thinly veiled insinuations of Hunnery.

BUT WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO ASK THE QUESTION OF ANYBODY IF THEY ARE HIGH OR NOT.

WHO THE HELL DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU ARE.

I DON’T REALLY GIVE A TOSH WHETHER A TOWEL THROWER LIKE YOU THINKS WE CAN WIN IN RUSSIA OR NOT.

And I don’t give a tosh whether that is Joshybhoyish or not. You stepped over a line.

Now I am not really annoyed, not really, but you ought to be careful with your innuendo Richard Tiny Tim.

Was that classy enough for you Mr One game into the season and I've lost my towel.

Father Tim.....are you putting up any of your Sunday collection for a player or two.....does your 'Dark Side' comment on the "Biscuit Tin" give us a hint !!!???

Dundee Perth
It is the order that they have been first capped to play for England. For Example, Flintoff is the 591th. Hope this helps.

Kitalba.......you could always say "Advocats".....

100% true, Massimo is a liability, Chris Killen is little more than an honest tryer (which will have it's uses away from home in the SPL), Samaras has the heart of a mouse.

Caddis, O dea, Fortune, Boruc, N'Guema, Brown, Mc Geady, Maloney, Mc Donald are all good.

Just need the defence ripped open and gutted. New centre halves soonest Mogga

Sir Paul

Hurtin', pal?

So wiz Ah.. until Ah spoke tae Lou.. you know Lou?

No THAT, Lou.. but, OUR Lou.

And..

Lou said tae me, during oor Conversation, regarding the Sunderland Result.. and Lou had jist come back frae Scotland...where He and collie,had saw the game.

"Perspective,pal.. ye must aye keep .. the "Perspective Thingymie"...and Keep it Switched oan.. awe the time."

Noo, when Lou says something like that.. Ah cock ma Ear.

PERSPECTIVE?

Aye, Lou is right.. as usual..Perspective~

That is the wan Thing that is Missing frae maist of the Gloom and Doom Prophecies,which we ur presently reading..claiming, a Dismal future being predicted for this Celtic of Mr. Mowbray... Based, oan a couple of Pre Season KICK ABOOTS!

And the Celtic Team that wiz defeated by Sunderland.. wiz soitenly far,far from being Representitive of our Best Selection, as Aberdeen is frae Timbucktoo~~

Again... Perspective,chaps.. Perspective~

The Celtic Support.. NO the Celtic FAN BASE..to which my Great Freen..and fellow contributer to this sainted Spot... WGS... are Baith CHARTER Members.

See things entirely different.. fur.. Like the wise Lou says..

Real Celtic Fans.. instinctively..

Look at Awe things Celtic..

Thru that Magical Mirror.. Called...

Perspective, lads..Perspective~

Sure we loast the Foist Game agin the Russians.. but.. we soitenly gave as guid and mebbe even, Mair, than we goat in that game.

We wur faur from Disgraced.. and ...again.. Using the Magic Mirror of oors.. ye must remember..

this

Celtic, are a Team not only striving tae get in Top Shape for the Upcoming Season.. but also a team that is in a Flux, owing to the Very Recent Take over of a Brand spanking Noo .. Manager...And Chief Chef.

If that is no enough fur ye.. These Same Russians.. are in the MIDDLE Of their Playing Season.. and are.. well.. WELL SEASONED, because of the Simple Fact.

In long or in short.. Ah prefer the Lang.. but we canny get everything that we want!

In short..

Celtic, are like a Brand Noo SKILLET.. and ye know or mebbe ye dinnae..But, Gabriella tells me..

That A Good Chef,( Mr.Mowbray) Must ayeways hivtae..

SEASON HIS BRAND NEW SKILLET..afore, he wull get that special Flavour oot of his Chops and Liver and Onions..that jist sets yer Taste Buds A Twitter.

SO..

As Ah said.. Guys..

Ye Must ayeways look at things as they ur.. no as ye waaant them tae be..

Meantime, back at the Ranch..

Mr. Mowbray, is beginning tae get..

HIS PERSPECTIVE ... in FOCUS.

So...

Looking at awe of this..some may ca'...JABBERWOCKY, which I hiv written, in the Proper..weel.. Perspective...

Tnen Things may not be as Black as they Seem for Celtic's Chances oan Wednesday..

Progress has been made, in Mr.Mowbray's settling in Period..and he is Learning ,and naturally, tuckin, away awe this new information aboot this Celtic Cadre that he his Inherited, in his Mental Hard Drive..

It wullnae be long afore Mr. Mowbray commences to get a grip oan things..and wull soon be able tae put his ain personal seal oan the Celtic Envelope.

A Celtic Win oan Wednesday...is Far from being Impossible.

A Joyful Surprise,Possibly, Mebbe,Perhaps.. but..

Soitenly... No IMPOSSIBLE.

Maks sense tae me, Kiddo.

Kojo

I'll give you 100/1 on this pal:-

By petec on August 2, 2009 12:59 PM
Moscow is going to be tough to get the desired result, theres no doubt about that.

We have nothing to lose because as it stands we are out. We still have a decent chance of qualifying and I reckon the best price of 5/2 for a Celtic win is fair but would expect those odds to shorten as we get closer to the match.

Dynamo 1

Kerzahkov (56)

Celtic 3

Maloney (7)
Fortune (49)
Samaras (67)

67heaven I was asking the question as all has gone quiet on the transfer front.The situation would appear to be looking from the outside. Is that we have far to large a squad filled with very average players and this is draining our financial resources and these players will all see out there contracts. The Board has sanctioned the signing of these players and given them there contracts but now find they cant move them on.Thus in my opinion making them very wary of spending any further monies. May your day be Blessed.

The cricket number is that players unique number -

An honest tim 2.10 Petec usualy contributes very good articles to this site.In fairness to him this time I think he has let his heart rule his head. May your day be Blessed.

Kojo - 100% we are not oot yet

and much to play from from the 'off' -great to have a good goin ' debate on the best team to get us the 2 goals- min.- we will need in Moscau (we can still afford to lose one and expect we will at some point ..)

"meanwhle back at the ranch" - a statement I have used often ... and picked up from my mum and my gran -

you know the origins of that wan? -I don't

M

Father Tim....now that's a more 'studied' comment....just didn't like the 'biscuit tin' comment favoured by our unbiased media etc.....and, your right, we need to get a more streamlined squad as we move forward...

Kitalba

You don't care for my view ,but i will post it anyway.

Nowhere in my post did i infer or state that you were a hun.
How stupid would that be.Did i not provide you with a ticket for the Celtic end,at Ibrox?

I know that you are a died in wool Tim.Wake up.

There is no need for insults or calling fellow Celtic fans DICKS.

You are well out of order.

I will now leave it for others to judge your comments.

I am bored with the SPL competition.It is a two horse race,with low credibility and financial attraction, outwith Scotland.If Celtic are to truly regain their place amongst the worlds greatest clubs ,we must get out of the EPL.

I have attended around 90% of the matches Celtic have played since 1977.

I will continue to do so.

Whether i feel optimistic or pessimistic about Celtics form,my support is unconditional.

There is absolutely no need for you to insult others ,in the manner that you have.

I was hoping that you were going to post that you had been on the booze and that your posts had been fuelled by alcohol.

As for chucking my towel in.

I'm there week in and week out, no matter if i think we are going to win,lose or draw.
I think that is what you can call support.

Try and be a bit nicer to people,and a bit more understanding of others.

Kojo

We will win...if we play Samaras instead of McDonald. We need to maybe score MINIMUM of two goals, especially considering our track record away from home and the perspective this tells us - hope I have used the word correctly.

I really hope we can tank the russians and get into the CL, but our away form dictates the usual choice of two options:-

A dreadful 2-0 nil defeat
or
a herioc 1-1 draw

I would like to see:-

Boruc

RB Caddis CB HEid CB O'Dea LB Fox

RW Mc GEady CM N'Guemo CM Brown LW Maloney

ST MacDonald ST Fortune

Hopefully we can get a couple of goals before 60 mins then i would take off Maloney for flood

If the preliminary game against Dinamo is counted as a champions league fixture then we have won twice away, and both times by enough goals to take us through, however we will get stuffed in wednesday by a better team

Tiny Tim:

you sold me a ticket for the huns game.

you tried to infer I was Joshybhoyish.

You've thrown in your towel and the league has not begun.

I'll leave others to make their own minds up.

BY THE WAY DO YOU NORMALLY ASK PEOPLE IF THEY ARE HIGH, OR IS THAT JUST ONE OF YOU JOSHYBHOY TRAITS.

Kitalba 1.55pm

Is the following a threat? Why should i be carefull?

"Now i'm not really annoyed,not really but you ought to be careful with your inneundo Richard Tiny Tim."

Secondly there is no innuendo.You are looking for something that isn't there.

INANCIENT ROMAN TIMES THOSE THAT SHOUTED THE LOUDEST WON THE DAY.
THANKFULY WE HAVE MOVED ON FROM THIS.YOUR BOLD TYPING,SHOUTING KEYBOARD BULLYBOY TACTICS .

Reveal quite a lot about your present state of mind.

As previously asked please explain why i should be carefull?

I'm unsure where this desire for Caddis to play in place of Hinkel has come from. Caddis looks like he has the _potential_ to be a decent player, but he's no Hinkel. He hasn't been tried in a run of SPL games, but we want to throw him into an important CL qualifier?

I didn't catch Caddis' games for Dundee Utd on loan, but I don't really remember anyone raving about his form there.

Hinkel was our only consistent performer at the tail end of last season, truly looked like an international fullback, yet people seem ready to drop him on a whim.

Oh! in a whisper just in case you don't make yourself out to be a more pretentious dick than what you are.

No threat at all Tiny Tim. Why do you feel threatened?

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. Ned Kelly.

Yer Use o' the woid .. Perpective, wiz right oan,pally.

Correctomundo..

The meaning of this woid.. given by some. tells ye a loat aboot whit it is.. but, in the end.. leaves ye still scratching yer heid,in askance.

Here is my meaning of the Woid " Perspective"

It comes frae the Latin verb.. "Perspicere"

Which means...

"To Look at things in an Extremely VERY CLOSE MANNER"

That is the meaning that You and I have just used,pal..

Ye ur right.

And.. ye ur also right aboot Celtic's excellent chance of gien us awe a rather Welcome Surprise oan Wednesday.

Kojo.
yer pal...who likes ye aloat

looking like a real hammering for donegal in croke park.

Kitalba 2.25pm

I could have sold that ticket to anybody.
What i wouldn't have done was sold it to a Rangers fan.
Get sensible.

I am of the opinion Joshybhoy is a Celtic supporter.

My comparison to him was because he has insulted fellow Tims on here with similar language to what you used.

I thought your post was out of character,and genuinely thought that you may have been on the booze.That is why i asked the question.

As for one game into the season and i've thrown my towel in.

I think that it is 50 50 if we will win the league.

As stated before i will be there ,most weeks home and away.

I am a very devoted Celtic supporter.

Maybe its my age, but I genuinely belive that we will go through on Wednesday.

I have no particular reason for this belief other than the amount of chances we created last Wednesday, allied to the fact that Artur looks back to his best.

jvoh67whowillholdhishandupifheiswrongbutwontneedto

1-3 Celtic

if mogga can get two centrehalfs in, yes we will win the league

Ghuys and Ghals, it's that time again...

Michele Cocozza has invited you to play in his Fantasy Premier League called CQN.

If you aren't already playing the game then you can register at http://fantasy.premierleague.com

Once you have logged in and entered your team, click on the 'Leagues' link you can find on the right of the page.
Now enter the code 81686-24215 to join the private league.

Anyone who was in last season's league will automatically join again when you re-register for this years game.

Everyone is welcome

Michele

KItalba

I don't know what the remitt for the sensors on here are ,but repeatedly calling someone a Dick is pretty futile.

Yes i did feel threatened but your post.

Please explain what i should be carefull about?

Or have you had time for the alcohol to settle and now realise you may be on ropey ground.

for hinkle being a international full back his defensive abillities are very poor, he gets caught out of position time after time, wed against moscow & last season against rangers when he allowed miller to cross for the goal are two prime examples, any offer for him we would have to accept in my opinion.

Tiny Tim:

I am meant to be at work just now, as it is, following a phone call, I have driven the equivalent of Manchester to Glasgow to take my boy to hospital. At the moment I am waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

Drink nor drugs are not part of the equation and joshybhoy is a HUN.

And as for that game where the Huns beat us 3- 0, I had lots of tickets, I accepted and paid for yours out of courtesy.

Thank you.

I’ll not hold my breath for another one, but tell me, if I am so ignorant as to call other Celtic supporters – DICKS – for having no faith in our ability to win in Moscow, how does that compare with you asking the question whether I have been taking drugs or not.

Well?

i agree, when exactly has he played for germany?

Kitalba - all the best for your wain. YNWA!!

An honest tim

I'd say we need either a quality goalscorer or a goalscoring midfielder, otherwise there will be games where we struggle to kill teams off.

McDonald's a limited footballer.

Samaras could be the best striker at the club but 90% of the time is not interested.

Fortune looks like he'll hold the ball up and bring others into play but isn't a natural finisher. He'll undoubtedly play most games this season and will need someone who can stick crosses away and feed off him - McDonald has never once formed a partnership with a co-striker since he arrived.

Killen is a very average player.

We don't seem to have anyone who is a good all-round player and can also put the ball in the back of the net. McDonald doesn't get on enough crosses/through balls even though he scored a decent amount.

We also don't have anyone breaking from midfield and scoring every few games.

We need to solve at least one of these problems or way may struggle.

Comparisons between last night/todays posts and last Monday,
Love fest to hate fest?
What a difference a result makes.
Are we all guilty of overeaction?
Frustration causing us to turn on fellow Celtic fans/posters.
Still early days so chill out.

Kojo

Thanks for the education and I mean that sincerely and not as a sarcastic remark (noting your hostility towards previous sarcastic remark from poster) - sometimes after a post from yourself, I have to look up my Penguin book of English Grammar, no kidding.

Back to football matters -What is your view of Master Brown. I noted that you thought he is not ready yet. Would you put him in the mix on Wednesday?

Kitalba 2.47

I asked if you were high because ,i thought your comments were out of character.I have already explained this.

I am sorry to hear that your son requires an ambulance.

I was unaware of the fact that you had plenty for tickets for the Rangers match,when i offered it to you.
I did it as a gesture of goodwill from one Celtic supporter to another.

I always have several tickets for Ibrox ,as i have earned them through my regular attendance at Celtic away matches ,and as a benefit of my own season ticket at Celtic park.

These tickets are always in demand there are no shortage of takers.

You did not do me a favour by taking it.

I thought i was helping you out.

If you required one tomorrow ,i would still offer it.

I am not a spitefull person.

Just now have more important things to deal with.

I am off to play with my Dictaphone.

TT

So we've missed the boat on Sharbini then...

Reading that SPL Chairman Lex Gold has confirmed that he will be leaving his post in October.

"Gold recalled the abuse he faced. 'I had that big style at the Rangers UEFA Cup final.' The dignitaries present were looking at each other asking 'whats this all about?'. I came out and was nearly physically attacked by a man."

.

I Had the Pleasure of Chatting to a Couple of These Well Mannered Young Hoops on a Flight to Amsterdam Recently....Very Professional....Ah What the Fleck!!!!

Mcintyre: lessons learned in Eurofoot

THE Under-19s were just a whisker from a place in the final of this year’s Eurofoot Tournament in Belgium.

A defeat to PSV Eindhoven in their final match out paid to those ambitions, but as Tommy McIntyre looked back on the two-day competition in Belgium, he saw plenty of positives.

It is a particularly young group of Under-19 players that has travelled to this season’s event, featuring many 16 and 17 year-olds and they have more than held their own against continental opposition.

There have been several stand outs, including Philip Twardzik, James Keatings and James Forrest and, with manager Tommy McIntyre and coach Stevie Frail still easing into their new jobs, it has been an invaluable experience.

“In a competition like this you are playing against the cream of Europe,” McIntyre told celticfc.net.

“So the education the players are getting here has undoubted value, particularly when you place it in the context of educating players who can compete at European level.

“At no time in this competition have they been second best, they have really challenged.

“This is the level we have to be ready to compete at and don’t get me wrong, we still have a bit to go, but what they are getting here is invaluable experience and the more they play in this kind of environment, the more they will learn and the better they will become.”

Celtic won their opening game against Cercle Brugge 3-0, before losing 2-0 to Eintracht Frankfurt in the second round of group games.

They then beat Standard Liege 3-1 before a draw with Germinal Beerschot put them in contention for a place in the final.

However with Celtic needing a win to edge them through, they slipped against PSV Eindhoven, losing two goals in swift counter attacks as they chased a crucial goal.

“By no means are we the finished article and this is very much the start for us,” continued McIntyre. “We are well aware of what we need to do and what we have to develop.

“Like every aspect of youth development, it’s a long-term project with long-term gains.

“But we have seen positive signs and, for example, Philip Twardzik has been exceptional. Now Philip is just 16 years of age, but we are putting players in that age group on this stage and are challenging them.

“You can talk all day to players, but until they personally experience it and the highs and lows that come with competing at this level, they will not fully appreciate it.

“They are in a good learning environment and they have learned a lot from competing against older players, but they are still developing and it might be 18 months to two years before we finally get to where we want to be.”

Friday, July 31

Celtic 3 Cercle Brugge 0

(Philip Twardzik, Toshney, Keatings)

Celtic 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 2

Saturday, August 1

Celtic 3 Standard Liege 1

(Forrest, Keatings, Philip Twardzik)

Celtic 0 Germinal Beerschot 0

Celtic 0 PSV Eindhoven 2

The Official Site....

OsioTens001....

I guess Dave is still sweating!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/aug/02/lloyds-banking-group-banking

honest tim
Hinkel has figured in the last few German squads,He played the 2nd half of recent friendly.
He could do better at being a little tighter to cut out crosses but the rest of his game is excellent.
On wednesday he was caught a little forward as our forward lost the ball carelessly but Caldwell was the real culprit by ballwatching and letting his man goalside

Kitalba

My last post should say "You have more important things to deal with."

Paul67

Don't know if this has been answered yet but do we need to wait until next summer to sign N'Guemo?

If he continues to play well EPL clubs will come in and he'll not look back.

Paul 67
Congratulations on the Auction outcome...good job.

In general , all eyes are fixed on Wednesday( understandable)but is nobody as concerned as me re. yesterday's performance against Sunderland? The first hour of the game was shocking and I couldn't understand what we were trying to achieve.
Apart from the "system" we were playing ( what was that all about?)
I thought we were trying to square -pass and buck-pass Sunderland to death. The most worrying thing for me , however, was proof that certain players "on the fringes" have no chance of making it into the first team...if this was anything to go by. An earlier post spoke about bringing "wee koki" on on Wednesday later in the game?From what I've seen of "wee koki" he has no chance.He is physically miles short of making an impact and gets his pocket picked far too easily.I also thought that Paddy mcCourt was "invisible" and was most disappointed in him...here was a chance to "shine " and he blew it.I feel really sorry for Darren O'Dea as I've always thought him to be an outstanding prospect and I just hope that yesterday's "howler" doesn't set him back.The jury is still out for me with Willo Flood.. sometimes he looks a really good prospect and other times ...he doesn't.As for Chris Killen... he only has one strength and if he doesn't get quality crosses to attack ...then he's a waste of a jersey.However...one bright note ...Paul Caddis looks a really good player and I wonder if he could do a job for us in the mid-field...as I don't think he'll get the nod in front of Hinkel( 'though he should IMO)..
Other than that.....I've no complaints !!
Hail hail
Hail hail

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. JustMeghera

The Term...

"Meanwhile, back at the Ranch" is taken from the introductory words that were written on the Blackened Cinema Screen,as a Caption,during the Silent Era of the Movies... prior to the next Scene which would be viewed by the Audience.

This term is used Nowadays, by the writer who wishes to return to the MAIN Theme of his submission.. from which he has left, momentarily.

Kojo.
yer pal... who likes ye loat.

Malone19

Id be interested to know if a 'future fee' has been agreed for N'Guemo, its worth pointing out that he really impressed me in the Moscow game but didnt really do it for me in the friendlies.

If he continues as he did in the Moscow game we should move fast to tie him up.

EN

I also meant to say that , although he wasn't playing yesterday, I think N'Guemo is a really good player and I think this has been an excellent piece of business by TM.
Hail hail

I enjoy the different ways in which each of us deals with ANXIETY.
We ARE all anxious about what happens in Moscow.
We all know that the percentages are now not in our favour.
The Russians now hold all the aces.
Some of us refuse to accept that we are likely to exit the CL.
They argue, quite validly, that ANYTHING can happen in sport,..
odds on shots get beaten every day.
Like a drowning man they will grasp at any straw, the reality being too unpalatable to accept.
Others, including myself, will consider what is the worst that can happen, & then try to deal with it.
I don't think that survival on Wednesday is vital to the club.
We have a very acceptable parachute in the shape of the Europa Cup. I am of the opinion that this competition is much better suited to our new manager & his embryonic squad.
This is not defeatism,. It is simply my own way of dealing with unpleasant realities.
I will still be kicking every ball & diving at every shot that comes in on Artur.
Win or lose this week, I am completely confident that we will have a GREAT season ahead of us.
God Bless Anton Mor & the great Glasgow Celtic.

Well Done to everyone concerned with the Loch Lomond auction.
£1550 was a magnificent winning bid.

Early days -so far we have the following predictions:

Moscow Dinamo versus Celtic 5th August 2009
Name Dinamo Scorers Celtic scorers
Petec 1-3 Kerzahkov (56) Maloney (7);Fortune(49);Samaras(67)
Magherareagh 1-2 Kerzahkov (44) Samaras (26); Loovens (78)
po1888 0-2 Skippy (34), (72)

Estadio Nacional

I'm pretty sure there is a 'future fee' agreed but having first choice doesn't mean it's the only choice... if we've agreed £1.5m for him next summer there's nothing stopping Nancy accepting bids of £2m from Premiership sides. All it means is that they can't turn round and ask £10m for him. If we leave it long enough for 3rd parties to get involved we'll lose him.

FT Khimki [0 - 2] Dynamo Moscow

Aguiar and Kerzhakov with the goals.

Khimki are at the bottom of the league, 16th. Dynamo 5th.

bad day for donegal. well done cork.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend..Ned Kelly

I accept that you were not...."At it~",pal.. to use the vernacular.

I am, you say, a trifle sensitive, to anything the I interpret as Sarcasm, that is being directed at, "Yours in Celtic ".

Unfortunately...Many a time I have been hasty in coming to that judgment.

Howevahhhhhhhh.. let's move on.

Concerning Scott Brown:

Not an easy answer,pal.. not an easy answer.. as to whether he should Play Master Brown, oan Wednesday or not.

Oh!.. I believe that .. FITNESS WISE..he probably could make an appearance..

Howevahhhhhhhhh...

On watching his recent appearance,against the Sunderland outfit.. I have to admit.. that, to me..

Scott, is still the same old/youthful Scott.. and that Scott is not my cup of Tea~

I jist don't think that he warrants a place in ANY CELTIC TEAM.

He has too many Flaws in is Make up...fur me.

Here is a Short List of These...

He is Too Hot Heided.. He Canny make a Telling Pass.. He let's the Ba' run too far ahead of himself...and maist of his sallies intae enemy Territory, come to an Embarrasing Halt, because of this extremely vexing failing.

He can Gie away too many Cheap and Silly Free Kicks.. and .. unfortunately..Right in the Maist Dangerous, to us.. Part of the Field.

And...like a said..

I hiv gien ye .. The Short List of his Drawbacks.

So..

Boattum line.

Ah widnae Play Scott,agin the Russians.

Kojo.
yer pal who likes ye a loat.

Kojo on August 2, 2009 3:11 PM

ahaaa - maks sense tae me -

Ah jist knew ye would have the answer to that particlar wan

cheers

My Mid field for Wednesay?

Ah thocht ye wid nevah.. ask!

Molly,CADDIS, N'Guemo, McGeady.

I wid play .. Molly, oan the Right~ Aiden, oan the LEFT.

Why?

Tottie Why!

AH JIST wid!

Kojo.

TinyTim

please keep me in mind for tickets for the next game at fort apache,por cierto.............

never bothered with the game yesterday, was the support good?
no even bothered looking throught the autopsy, I know what it said,
"the player's I like were good, it was evrybody else's fault".
I hope we do well in russia dont care what team he pick's.

hail hail

Hellow all.

I noticed a few comments further up regarding N'Guemo. Does anyone know if we can invoke our right to buy at £1.5 mil at anytime, or only after season? Also, can he say no, or has he already agreed personal terms etc, whether its for the 1 year loan or for permanent deal?

Been away all weekend and just found out the score. Absolutely garbage.

Kojo,

I agree with your midfield pal

WHY?

I'll tell you why-

N'Guemo has got his part of the field covered - too make the most of his undoubted talents we need a box to box midfielder, as Robson is unavailable & Brown is NOT match fit your bold choice is a good one.

BUT

TM is not going to play him, my only hope is Crosas gets the nod before Donati!

Malone19

Aother couple of performances like the one he had against Moscow and Id tie him up.

EN

kitalba

I'm very sorry to hear your boy is unwell and hope everything works out OK.

Tiny Tim has earned the respect of each and every one of us on this board. There was a time when I found some of his contributions to be overly negative but that feeling passed long ago; he now brings a balanced, committed, thoughtful voice to the blog (along with a talent for brevity I would do well to learn from) that invariably makes for good reading.

Normally, so do you, but today 'balanced' and 'thoughtful' are regrettably absent from the list.

With or without extenuating circumstances, I can understand your ire; at times, I find some of the carping and negativity that emanates from our mineshafting colleagues trying in the extreme. The only thing I have a real issue with, though, is the acute personal criticism some of them levy at individual players and managers. For the rest, and in particular when it comes to a view as to whether the team will or will not succeed in a particular game or competition, we're surely all entitled to our opinions, whether those are well or badly thought through or expressed.

There are many Celtic forums on the net and the thing that most sets CQN apart from the crowd is the good humour and mutual respect that generally reigns on here. That has been eroded somewhat in recent months, which is perhaps inevitable as the site attracts an ever wider range of contributors. For as long as the main contributors maintain their own standards though, CQN will continue to stand out from its peers. It's therefore particularly disappointing to see a stalwart of the site undermine it in the way you've done today.

I'll close as I opened; the real cause of your angst is clearly nothing to do with Tiny Tim or any of the other contributors that you've maligned. Please let us know how it works out, we're all hoping for the best.

Kojo - can you put my mind at ease & tell me that Anton Mor will at the very least secure us a replacement for Naka & a proper Centre Forward for the coming season. Fill these 2 positions & i reckon we'll do just dandy

Danny Fox & N'Guemo look very able & regardless of Fortune's miss against Dynamo Moscow - i think he's a guid yin

Kilbowie Kelt

One of the reasons that many of us on here remain positive about Wednesday's game is the realisation that it does offer a guaranteed route into the very Europa League into which you aspire. As Kojo has stated success is unlikely, but not impossible! As others, myself included, have noted, a furhter play-off for entry into said Europa could involve us playing a team as good as Dynamo, but without a fallback scenario. Of course we all know the match is way too early for us, but we know a bit about them. If they play better at home, we are out, if not we have a chance. It is true our away record is not great, but if I am not mistaken, Celtic qualified once under Martin O'Neill and once under Gordon Strachan, both against good teams. Sure it is a big ask for Manager and Players, big opportunity too.

Tiny Tim

You have fashioned a hefty stick for your own back today. Expect a large and disorderly queue to form in your inbox as the next Ibrox game approaches!

Here's hoping for a victory to guide us into the playoff round and here's hoping the hoops fans that are travelling to Moscow, and the ones that are already there, stay safe.

.

For Fhans of Fhanzines....A Wee Sunday Celtic Slow News....Read....

Glasgow Celtic circa 1961 BI....(Before Internet)....

Courtesy NTV....

The Shamrock....

Not The View is proud to say that we are among the venerable old fanzines on the Scottish football scene. However, some fifteen years and a hundred issues old as we may be, we ourselves were predated by some 26 years when it comes to Celtic fan publications.

"The Shamrock" was a supporters' publication aimed directly at the real grassroots Celtic fans, and although it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when it first appeared, its heyday seems to have been between 1961 and 1963. A5 size and consisting of 8-12 pages of typed text which looks as if it might have reproduced by means of Gestetner skins, it was a hard-hitting piece of samizdat that proved to be remarkably ahead of its time. The period from the mid-sixties until the departure of Jock Stein might have silenced many of the club's critics, but when the Big man departed the scene many of the issues highlighted by this early fanzine reappeared to haunt a board no longer able to paper over the perennial cracks.

It was published by the Shamrock Celtic Supporters Club in Edinburgh totally unofficially and was sold outside the stadium on the approaches to Celtic Park. The lack of official sanction will come as little surprise to anyone who manages to get hold of a few copies; the magazine took a virulently anti-board stance and was almost rabid in its condemnation of perceived injustices suffered by Celtic at the hands of the SFA and Scottish referees. Needless to say, it was equally uncompromising when it came to matters relating to Rangers.

The magazine reflected the frustration felt by the fans at a time when Celtic had failed to lift a trophy since thrashing the Huns in the 7:1 League Cup final of 1957. One particular source of irritation at the time was the famous 'Youth Policy' - get a player for nothing, bring him into the first team then sell him for as much as you could get - felt at the time to be doomed to failure.

Though they did give credit where it was due, much of the criticism they directed at the players and the board was highly personal in nature (big Yogi and Bob Kelly were two favourite targets). however, it seems that the views they were expressing on these issues were indeed widely held among the fans at the time, particularly among the habitués of the Jungle. Quite possibly 'The Shamrock' may have been one of the understated reasons why the board were so keen to launch Pravda in 1965 as their official organ.

There were more than a few passing resemblances between this scurrilous rag of the early Sixties and NTV, its scurrilous counterpart of the late eighties. While NTV bemoaned lack of investment in a playing squad which had won the double during Celtic's centenary season, The Shamrock had been preoccupied with precisely the same issue in 1963. Following a cup tie against Eyemouth, which had been won by 3:0, its contributors were far from happy about the way things were going on the pitch: "This form will not take the team to the final. Murdoch and Divers were missed, but it's a bad job if they don't have reserves to take their places."

As in the 80s, this kind of criticism was given short shrift by the Celtic directors: "It is plain to see how this great club has come down. You get statements like, 'If you are not happy stay away'" (September 1963).

Like NTV, space for readers' letters was prominent in each issue. In the days before phone-ins and hotlines this gave fans perhaps their only channel to air what they considered to be their legitimate grievances, often with the wit of the terracing so noticeably lacking in po-faced and worthy official publications. One supporter, a Mr. J. Langan of Glasgow, wrote: "I agree with Jim Lappin regarding the present Celtic team. It must be galling for a man who can go back to the great Celtic teams of the past ... to compare them with the men who are wearing the colours today. There's only one thing in his favour; he'll not be kept long in purgatory after all he has suffered at Parkhead."

The dilapidated state of Celtic Park and its environs was another subject which vexed both The Shamrock in 1963 and Not The View a quarter of a century later. Parkhead in 1988 might have been a working Victorian museum and a monument to a bygone way of boardroom authoritarianism, but at least we had the luxury of a concrete terracing to stand on. Contributors to The Shamrock were still standing on banking made up of compacted shale faced off with disused railway sleepers. Inclement weather must have produced conditions reminiscent of the front lines at the Battle of Ypres: "Is it not time that Celtic did something about their terracing and get it concreted the same as a lot of clubs, some of them with a lot less money than us? The terracing in the Jungle is especially bad, so hurry up and get cracking ... The outside and inside of Celtic Park should be improved as in parts you are up to your ankles in mud on a wet day... If this is Paradise then we could do with a touch of the other place to warm it up a bit." (1963)

Needless to say, Scottish referees were as popular with The Shamrock's editorial staff as they are today. Laughing in the face of libel laws, the magazine dropped subtle hints within its pages that perhaps the Men in Black were sometimes apt to show a certain bias towards Rangers ("The Rangers gave their players a large bonus this week. Did I hear someone say what about the referees?" - 1963) while the statistically-minded were busy compiling evidence for a compelling argument that referees seemed more inclined to award spot kicks when the player tumbling to the ground was wearing a blue jersey: "Rangers have been awarded ten penalty kicks this season and have had none awarded against them. There is no need to comment on this as it speaks for itself."

The Shamrock advocated something more than passive acceptance of what they regarded as a continuing reluctance on the part of the football authorities to give the Celts a fair crack of the whip: "It is about time Celtic brought matters to a head with the SFA regarding the bad decisions given against them and never mind trying to be gentlemen. Willie Maley would never have stood for it, but then he was a real manager."

This was typical of the type of scathing criticism this forerunner of the fanzines reserved for the board, then under the chairmanship of Sir Robert Kelly. Articles and letters condemning the youth policy and the club's unwillingness to spend money on players appeared regularly while the magazine also championed the cause of a certain Baillie James Reilly, a noted critic of the directors in his day, who wanted to usurp power within Parkhead and actively encouraged fans to join the fledgling Celtic Supporters Association, which at that time was perceived as a potential pressure group for upholding the interests of ordinary supporters.

Ideas mooted in the magazine for taking away some of the influence of the board ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous (one writer actually suggested that Celtic should have elected members from supporters clubs present at team selection meetings) but some idea of the general tone can be gleaned from this editorial from October 1963 which was entitled "So Have The Mighty Fallen":

"The decline of Celtic has reached such a stage that it cannot be tolerated any longer. The supporters must organise and the lead must be given by influential business and professional men, although every supporter has his part to play and if they could get the backing of old Celtic players in support of Jimmy Delaney's outspoken criticism then they would certainly be making headway. They have been given a lead by Mr. Reilly.

"They could call a mass meeting on Glasgow Green on a Sunday and deliver an ultimatum to the Celtic board to get a real team on the park or get out.

"Otherwise they could boycott the games and that would certainly make an impression. After all, the supporters are the only part of the club that cannot be done without. They can replace players, trainers and even Mr. Kelly, but the support cannot be replaced, so I say to them;
Why should YOU complain
Who lead the club
Who finance the club
At what the club may do?
Why should YOU complain
Who are the club
THE CLUB MUST FOLLOW YOU!"

The extraordinary thing was that The Shamrock's agenda was to prove almost Nostradamus-like in its foresight. I only hope the fans who produced it were around to welcome the Bunnet to their beloved Parkhead.

TooRussiaWithLove001....

canalamar, spot on with "the player's I like were good, it was evrybody else's fault".

Rigidity of opinion is hilarious. Danny Fox posted missing on several occasions as Sunderland's right back tore us to bits down that side, but, hey, he's not Lee Naylor, so he must be brilliant, right? I thought Massimo Donati was good when he came on in terms of looking forward and finding spaces to pass into, and anyone still defending Aiden McGeady's best player in the squad/SPL/universe position when he does things like knocking the ball out of play after running straight into a ring of three opposition players wants to have a wee look at themselves. Oh aye, and we're going to build our defence around Darren O'Dea, are we? Stephen McManus would have been hounded out of Celtic Park for even one of those Sunderland goals. I know we all make mistakes, but my point's not about the validity of any of these opinions, more the lack of consistency of them.

My team for Wednesday, for what it's worth:

             Boruc
Hinkel - Caldwell - Loovens - Naylor (if fit, Fox if not)
             N'Guemo
Caddis - Crosas - Donati - Maloney
             Killen

NeilR

Possibly.

I have tickets for almost every away match.

If i can be of help to someone ,i try to.

Ain't i a saint!

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend..Chairbhoy

Thanks, for that welcome Concurrence,pally.

Nevertheless, although you and I agree tae agree, that does not Pay the Rent nor feed The Cat.

Mr. Mowbray, shall..have the final say.. and I widnae hae it any ither wey.

Fur...

That is why he gets the Accolades... if we Win.

And you and Ah get the Chance tae Heave the Bricks and the Bats..at him.. if HE Loses!

An all Roon, Sweet Deal.. Fur US!

I believe that Master Crosus, has Potential. but I dinnae think that he is quite ready fur Prime Time.. and The Game coming up oan Wednesday.. is
soitenly...

Prime, Prime Time!

Kojo
yer pal... who likes ye aloat.

Come on the gunners.

Saint TinyTim patron Saint of the ticketless..por cierto

Woo Hoo

oh yes....1-0 already !

Let's have 5 or 6.

That would be a most pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

And we have the first airing of Hello Hello. Nice bunch they are.

And now the famine song.

Henriks Sombrero

I believe that was also the "famine song"? Some things never change!

Old man Weir megged on the edge of the box. Two games in two days. I hope they put new batteries in his pacemaker.

Por cierto/NeilR

I have less chance of my tickets being available this season for Ibrox because the new years fixture is at Celtic Park.I am normally on holiday in America during xmas and new year.

That being said.I do not enjoy going to Ibrox.

There have been many occassions that i have given my ticket away,rather than face the tension and bile that emminates from the Ibrox stands.

I feel that it is sometimes better that a Celtic supporter who will enjoy the occassion gets the opportunity to ,than the likes of me who is actually ill when in attendance.

It is an endurance for me.Yet i often feel if i don't go i am not supporting the team ,so i go and endure it.

Contact me closer to the match if you need a ticket.

Alan Smith:
"Rangers need to settle down, find their passing rhythm"

Has he watched rangers before?

Thanks TT

NeilR:

I don’t do humour and neither do I do abuse. Not today, or yesterday either. In effect, and in fact… never, not without provocation that is; and then it is gloves off.

I will do re-active abuse to those who first abuse and I will be reactive to any abuse that unduly comes my way.

You know me mate, from one Southern Hemisphere continent to another ,but I give you this simple challenge in which I think you will not succeed… show me an instance, any instance, anywhere, anytime, with any blogger, where I initiate disrespect or abuse.

I have said it a dozen times or more… I am ‘re-active’, not ‘pro-active’ to abuse.

Somebody abuses our club, your club, my club, then by extension they abuse me, never mind the Paul Telfers, the Gordon Strachans or whomever in this, or their world, abuse is abuse is abuse and abuse in retort is ironic not abusive beyond maybe just ironic abuse, (or do we introduce hypocrisy) so I’m sorry mate, I appreciate your post but I did not let myself down today, I was consistent today.

Nothing more, nothing less.

I stand by my club and that it stands for, and I always will. If I didn't you would not even know who I am.

Thanks TT

loving it!! :-D

2-0, eduardo

Haha oh this could be fun!

I look forward with relish, if this keeps up, to the tabloid headlines tomorrow. After the mince that was in one paper today about them restoring pride to the nation by squeaking past PSG yesterday.

for anyone interested,BT? next years NORTH AMERICAN CONVENTION will not be in canada, it has been given to san francisco, dates will be available next week...

Tiny Tim

I wasn't angling for a ticket - I don't think I'll be back in the UK on 4 Oct - but many thanks for the offer of help.

The optimist says we are bound to win on Wednesday. The history of our away form and the difficult task of beating a team away after failing to beat them at home does not deter him. We are Celtic and we shall prevail.

The pessimist says that we have no chance of qualifying. Indeed, we should probably just concede the tie and save ourselves the trip. We have no chance, after all.

The realist accepts that we are second favourites and are unlikely to progress, but knows that the most likely outcome does not always occur in sports.

I see from the various suggested teams that a number of different formations are proposed. How we play is for me a bigger decision for our manager than who plays.

Do we stick to the 4-4-2 that the players know or try something different? Two holding players in midfield? One up front? Much to think about for Tony Mowbray.

masty

That will be great, you know where in SF? Is SF big enough :-)

Ah, this is more like it, when no-one is happy with anything at Celtic Park, it is lovely to be united in our other hobby of laughing at the rearRangers.

Rangers' support is as disgusting as ever.

The huns directors must be cringing, what a total embarassment their support is. Bigoted song after song.

I really hope we destroy them this season (sounding like Kevin Keegan now!!!)

Switched back to the ashes rather than listen to their bile.

bjmac03
committee still researching hotels at the moment. i will know next week..

bjmac03 on August 2, 2009 4:38 PM

"The huns directors must be cringing"

Why? they are part of the problem, por cierto.

Masty

We'll fill every hotel in Fisherman's Wharf!!!!

Watched 5 minutes of Arsenal versus the EU's team. Rule Brittania and TFS booming out from their "support". If this is their first team, they are really dire. Arsenal could win this by a cricket score. 2-0 when I last looked, if anybody's interested.

90 minutes of football.

anything can happen.

sendings off for the moscow mob?

injuries to thier key players?

Every chance that fall for our strikers taken?

a complete collapse by our russian opponents?

a performance on par with the 1-3 defeat we inflicted upon Ajax that contained the likes of Chivu,Mido,Yakubu,van der Vaart,Ibrahimovic and Arveladze

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h19jTUznqro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCDMOITHVGs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9LnrbmfmDs

anything can happen! im optimistic always keeping the faith!

hail hail

Por Cierto

Good point:-)

Minty is desparate to sell. What a great advert!

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend..Vargas Shampoo.

Glad to see that ye ur still around,pal.

We hiv missed ye.

Na.. Ah think that Mr. Mowbray,wull play the Haund that he his Dealt.. TAE HIMSEL',and wull no ask , Himsel'... fur any mair Cairds.

And stand Pat.

But...

It wull be in the Next Windae, where we shall see.. any Moves by Mr.Mowbray, to improve those Positions...

of which, as you rightly point out, where an Improvement is Demanded.

Mr. Mowbray has signed Mr.Fortune... therefore, He must Give this Man.. all of the Opportunities that are available to justify that curious,to some, selection.

I am extremely perplexed aboot Mr. Mowbray's election to select Mr. Fortune as the answer to our Striking Problems.

Again..

We have been Wrong,in the Past.. and this case, may only re inforce the fact.. that we can continue to be just as wrong as we have bin in the Past~

Kojo.
yer pal.. who likes ye a loat.

MARINELLO on August 1, 2009 9:20 PM last night,fare point a prolific striker may well be out of our reach unless we manage to secure an up an comer from wan ae the second or third tier leagues.

Then again its all about how a young player will settle an that is fraught with danger.

As i say good point,sometimes its easier to criticise without appreciating the difficulty involved in getting value for money.

Terry O'Neil

Do you remember Pat Cullen and Tuc?

do the media lapdog poodles ever learn by writing off the bhoys before that fat lady sings?

away from home? they will never get a result there!

never?
never ever?

football can throw up many surprises!

big bad john showed us exactly how...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iodsuIr1zDk

come on big man keep fighting!

The telegraph headline...

"Sunderland claim victory as Celtic's pre-season struggles continue"

WTF!! Pre-Season Struggles?? - its the first pre-season game (not including the competitive CL qualifier on wed) where we have lost a goal never mind a match!!!

WTF!!

HH

I think the Russians will be more nervous about this tie than us.
Thay have never been in the CL group stages, so this is a big ask for them.
They may very well bottle it, regardless of how or who we play!..por cierto.

TFOD getting a football lesson from wengers troops..

2-0 going on ?

Por Cierto on August 2, 2009 4:51 PM sorry ah dont remember them,av got a memory like a sieve when it comes tae names,but ah wid rerecognise their faces no problem.

Wit stand did they work own ?

NeilR

I appreciated your supportive post ,and i know that you weren't angling.

Tuc is the bananaman and pat worked for Bill Kyle I had a shop in Erskine

Afternoon Bhoys - flicking back & forth between the Huns game & enjoying a football lesson being handed out. Noticed Molly Weir injured for a few minutes & started thinking (dangerous thing I know)- who do they have available if either himself or Bougherra get injured/suspended - McElbows, youngsters from the Minty Park talent production line..??

Think we'll see them "splash out" on a centre half before the season starts if nothing else - any hammer throwers available on free transfers..??

Hail, hail

Terry O'Neill

Marinello is a big tumshie.

I am astounded that he has made a sensible post.

He told me on Friday when i mentioned Rangers.

" I'm no worried aboot them.They're no a threat."

I have not spoken to him since then, but when i do i will be asking him.

Who else, has a realistic chance of winning the SPL this season?

They are our only threat in the SPL.

PorCierto/TerryO'Neill

I hope this isn't the begining of another debate about fruits.

Lazy Bhoy on August 2, 2009 5:03 PM

"Think we'll see them "splash out" on a centre half before the season starts if nothing else - any hammer throwers available on free transfers..??"

Hat to admit, but haven't they done quite well in buying Centre Backs? por cierto.

Lazybhoy

They seem to still have their eye on Tonel the Sporting Lisbon centre half.

Time will tell if they have the money.

Sorry TT, All Our Yesterdays,por cierto

Positives to focus on ...

EUROPE: We still have 2 chances to play European football. 'If' we go out of CL on Wed we drop into final qualifier for Europa League as a seed, then we have 2 legs to overcome a team hopefully not as good Dinamo Moscow. Altho prestige is nothing like the CL we would still get to play against good quality opposition.

STYLE OF PLAY: Its looking like we will play more entertaining football under BTM and once we get our strikeforce settled & sharp we should leave CP a bit happier than last season having actually enjoyed what we've seen

IMPROVED COMPETITION FOR PLACE: At last Naylor has someone chomping at his ass for a place. And its long overdue. Likelihood is that Fox will replace Naylor this season as first choice left back. Zaluska is a good keeper and Boruc knows if he slips up this season we have an able deputy ready to step in.

MIDFIELD OPTIONS LOOKING GOOD: It looks like we now have a decent group of midfielders to choose from inc. Brown, N'Guemo, Crosas, McGeady, Maloney, Robson, Donati, Flood, Mizuno, McCourt. Tho we all have views on who are the best picks I believe BTM will not stick rigidly to the same players if we are not winning hence the fringe players should get a chance.

MEDIA: At least we dont have to cringe every time a celtic press conference asks our manager a difficult question. Even at this stage a lot of fans already like BTM's honest and open style as well as his ideas on playing fast, fluid, attacking football.

Once BTM has a chance to see how we perform in competitive games and a couple more transfer windows - he should sort out the wheat from the chaff and move on the pretenders who will never play at a consistenly high level for celtic.

The future is bright green!

Hail Hail

Kojo - thanks for the update. If we don't sign a Naka player & a free scoring forward, then i fear that Anton Mor's revolution will just be a continuation of Wee Gingers fitba. 50 passes & nae goal!

From what i've seen so far, we've now got two good full backs in Hinkel & Fox. Caldwell & Loovens are without a shadow - the best 2 at centre back

In midfield the only one who is a guaranteed starter is N'Guemo & up front only Fortune looks as if he is in tune with the style of play. I appreciate he's not found the net yet, but

For whatever reason McDonald looks at odds with the quick passing style & for the bin should go - O'Dea, McGeady, Donati & Killen
They're no help to the team

VargasShampoo - agree 98% :) I think O'Dea has the potential to be a star

A Naka type player? Gomes Aye or Nae?

A Naka type player? Gomes Aye or Nae? por cierto.

Por Cierto,

Which Gomes?

Just reaG Waddles page in the Sunday Mail. Almost perfect. He pays tribute to Sir Bobby Robson and Phil McGribben, makes a sound argument for summer football and lambasts football authorities for protecting Livingstone from the consequences of their proflgacy (although not extending that to Rangers or the EPL). He then congratulates Celtic for making Billy McNeil an ambassador for the club, but simply cannot escape his mean sided mentality by saying it should have been done sooner and Billy doing the half time draw was below him. As I said almost perfect. Pity his petty mindedness got in the way of an otherwise reasonable piece of journalism.
ps Glad to see Andy Walker jumping on the club licensing bandwagon.

A Naka type player? Gomes Aye or Nae? por cierto.

If we are to move from 4-4-2 to 4-2-1-3 or some other formation, we do need to look at our striking options.

Fortun'e can play on his own: he has the strength and pace to do so. Samaras can give it a go on a good day. Killen could play it, but I really doubt if he is good enough to be a starting player.

But Scott McDonald is a different type of player. His game suits two up front, and playing one up may seem him become an impact sub.

Apoligies for the three submits. Having probs with internet connection.

Gomes Dundee Utd.

Also is Pablo Aimar still in spain or back in Argie?

TinyTim/Por Cierto, have to agree with you both on that one - just hope there's only so many CH's out there they could :

a) afford to actually buy given their supposed financial predicament
b) would want to play for them

P.S. Anyone just see Sky's cameras pan on to the Arsenal fan havin' a Kip in his seat ?? Now they know what we have to put up with when watching the Huns....

McElbows first contribution - halfs the Arsenal man in two with a typical grimace on his bug ugly dial (can you tell I'm a fan of his..??) The guys an imposter of a footballer IMO

Hail, hail

Por Cierto,

Gomis as a replacement for Naka - nope.

Aimar is playing with Benfica.

chris sutton is a legend.

Is that a no because he is not like naka or a complete no.

Thanks for the Aimar info.

Por Cierto

Pablo Aimar is with Benfica just now signed for them last year, if he was available and interested I would pick him up from Lisbon and give him a koki back to Celtic Park.

Thats the type of player we need.

EN

Por Cierto,

A no because he isn't a Naka type player. I don't think we would have room for him now seeing as we have N'Guemo.

Estadio Nacional

A wood gie them koki :+)

If we can get rid off some off our midfield players Gomis is a much better back up, but I think he could play alongside N'Guemo no problem, por cierto. But I know thats not a priority just now. I'm just debating.

Masty,may i ask,are you a member Of the SFCSC?

Well played Bougherra... :-p

3-0!!

3-0

Can someone get on the blower and ask Arsene if we can have Wilshere for the season please.

not watching the arsenal game, so what position does Wilshere play?

Wilshere is a left sided midfield player. Very fine left foot too and good composure for such a young player.

What did Arsenal do yesterday?

Does this mean that the Emirates Cup can be the first leg of an unprecedented ..........hee haw for them this season?

ggh

He plays on the right of midfield. In an advanced role. Probably plays either side just as comfortably or anywhere in an attacking midfield role.

afternoon Bhoys, not been able to get on here for a few days, Did I miss much? Nice to see the TFOD are getting a spanking!

Any news on new signings?

After yesterdays and wed game I really hope we are going to bring in a Striker!!

Another midfield player!!!! help ma boab...por cierto.

Off Message

Anyone have any strong views on the problems and challenges that Universities must overcome to fully commercialise their research expertise?

Many thanks in advance

TBB

3-0 flatters the Huns.

The Battered Bunnet

Do you mean that they want to fully commercialise their research expertise, and how do they overcome the problems?

Kenny Hodgart is apparently welcome back at the Sunday Herald: http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shfootball/display.var.2523478.0.0.php

I've already sent them my thoughts on the matter. I'm disgusted that he's welcome at the Sunday Herald after the column that got him thrown out last time.

johnnyquest
not unless they have a branch in the gorbals mate!

That should have said McGrillen. Not sure whther to blame my memory or the small Samsung Omnia keyboard.

Gregg
is that the dude that wrote the hoopy and bead column?

Reading a couple of posters over the last couple of days commenting on the age of Jinky at the time of Lisbon, it got me thinking about a couple of the other players.

Bobby Murdoch was the same age as Jinky but born a month earlier.
Jim Craig and Bobby Lennox were only a year older.

George Connelly was only 21 when he played against Leeds and John Collins was 22 when he signed from Hibs and was already an accomplished player.

Some of the guys we think about as "promising youngsters" are already reaching an age where we must be thinking that if they don't start performing consistently well soon, then maybe their time just isn't going to come.

It does concern me that with the amount of coaching a 23 year old player will have had over the years, they still make such bad choices in a game. I sometimes think that if they can't make the right decisions at that age, they either won't learn or don't listen to what they are being told.

I still hope we can make it through on Wednesday. A bit more luck in front of goal and good concentration at the back is all we need.

ggh

Por Cierto on August 2, 2009 5:56 PM yir right we have too many mid fielders thats ok if thir good yins but we could do with some more creativity/goalscoring threat but again that type a player is hard tae secure now.

Tinytim ah tuned in mid holiday and the debate was in full flight about the vagina decliners ah went back tae ma sun lounger effter wan euros worth ae the hotel computer.

masty,
the very same.

Dear idiot Sky commentator, Rangers are not "clear favourites" for the SPL. Get yourself to any bookies pronto, OK?

Not looking forward to these clowns for the rest of the season...

Emmanuel Eboue: The only player in a rangers shirt to lift a trophy this season.

Hi,

Has anyone bought tickets for Man City game online yet?

It has option for Area 1 or Area 2? Does anyone know what sections we're getting for the game and are any CQNers meeting up for a pint before hand??

Cheers, John

garygillespieshamstring

I'm fairly sure even Jinky made plenty of wrong decisions.

Bloke_109 from last night ...

I do think the squad is bloated with quite ordinary players - players who operate at a level that some of our younger players could reach with a clear run at the first team squad.

For example, at full back I like Caddis & Misun and think they could both do a job. But it will be hard enough to displace Hinkel and Fox respectively without having to get past Wilson and Naylor in the pecking order first.

If we are serious about the youth policy then lets trust it to augment a first team squad of real class (even in an injury crisis). That means clearing out the dross, moving 10 players on and replacing them with 4 players of real quality.

Sadies's Bhoy - agreed about the support. We genuinely want players to do well and this frequently clouds our judgement.

Hail Hail

P.S. - I've read lots about Paul Caddis (1.70m) being two small to be a full back. Oh how I wish he was an inch taller and therefore the same height as Ashley Cole and Patrice Evra !!!!

Por Cierto@5:09pm
They only look good playing in the SPL where refs tend to give them a lot of leeway.
Boughera's mistake for Arsenals 3rd would probably have earned him a free kick in SPL as opponent tussled with him as he shielded ball over line and knocked ball back into play.
In similar situation at Celtic park ref awarded him foul when Celtic player won ball.
Its often obvious how rangers central defenders play into backs of opponents without fouls called.
In Cuellar's last season for them i can think of at least 3 times he committed fouls in box yet no penalties given.
The scottish press also talk them up way beyond their actual talent.
How well have Cuellar +Boumsong performed since leaving?

Malone 19 :

Very true. I remember my old man saying that he should release the ball earlier rather than taking on the same man several times. However listening to what the rest of the lions said about him, they though that was great because it gave them a bit of a break.

I just feel that a player who is say 23 or 24 is not really what I would class as a young player but really at that age is almost esstablished player and should be showing some maturity in their play rather than making the same basic errors game after game.

When I see the same things happening, I just wonder if the coaches tell them and they don't listen or if the coaches are not drawing the right pictures on the wee pads.

ggh

Good evening everyone.

There were certainly positives and negatives to take away from yesterday's game and it was a useful exercise for the manager in gaining a good look at the so-called fringe players.

I am very pleased with Zaluska, who I reckon will be our regular keeper next season when Artur moves on.

Fox looks iles better than Naylor in all departments and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him.

I was disappointed in Crosas' performance against Spurs, but I thought he looked good yesterday and will give TM a bit of a dilema.

Alas, there were a few of our players who looked way, way, WAAAAYYYYY out of their depth and hopefully their days are numbered at Celtic Park.

The thing that was most striking yesterday was how bigger, stronger, quicker and athletic the Sunderland players looked in comparison to some of ours. Indeed, it was a bit disheartening when you think they are probably relegation fodder in the EPL. We really must escape to a better league.

Anyway, I'm still confident on the coming season and hopeful about Wednesday night.

Onward and upward with TM!!

I agree that there are some players who perhaps should be moved on from the club, but it will be difficult, in this financial climate, to remove players who have good contracts, with a few years remaining.

There is a glut of midfield players, but the trick is to find a successful combination to play alongside the captain elect, Massimo.

I know, I know, there are still some of us who do not recognise the great man's abilities. However, there were many who did not appreciate Charlie Gallagher when he wore the jersey.

It was only after he went to Dumbarton and gave us a football lesson in a League Cup semi at Hampden, that some recognised him as the gifted player he was.

Crosas looked the part, in the second half, when he had Donati anchoring the midfield.

Perhaps a fit Scott Brown could play a more advanced role between these two, with Aiden floating. One up front is adequate, in the modern game.

jack Wilshere ....... LEFT footed midfielder playing on the RIGHT side of midfield ...... Arsene Wenger is an idiot!!! imagine doing this!!! What is Wenger playing at!!! Just think what he would be like onhis natural side!!!

wonder if this is happening on Arsenal Quick News!!!

SarcasticCSC

SFFS

Tiny Tim
I am a tumshie. Does Henrik Larsson he will never be a player come to mind.I rest my case.

tiny tim

you asked earlier about buying an english club as a route to the EPL......i can see the temptation, and it might work, but i feel more than somewhat uncomfortable about depriving genuine football fans of the ability to support the team they grew up supporting

i would hate for Celtic to be responsible for the death of a Southampton, or a Chester or even a Carlisle

Football started as a community sport.....it meant and still means something to people in small local communities all over the UK.......when you see East Fife fans turning up week in week out, or Auchinleck or Raith Rovers...you know it's important

we have a history of supporting small distressed clubs, in the way we are about to support Cork...our role isn't to kill them off

barcabhoy at 7:33pm.

Good post.

Congratulations to Scotland's Catriona Matthew for winning her first "major", The Women's British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

She played quite superbly- her playing partner, USA's Christine Kim sportingly applauded her going up the 18th.

This was as good as Der Hun's pumping.

Seven fishes four steaks
Wilshere was playing central right.
That is different from left footer being wide right and only leaving him one option to cut inside,
It has no comparison to the GS tactic.

Have I any reason to be concerned? Tony Mowbray is talking of 2/3 transfer windows to get the team he wants. He's also talking of being understanding that he may not have the funds he needs. That he may need to sell before he can buy. Have I heard this somewhere before?

Many people told me not to be concerned when we had no manager in place with 48 days at that time to the first CL qualifier.

I was asked to believe that that the Board were in full control of a worldwide recruitment process and that a quality appointment was imminent.

I was assured that the then unknown appointee would have already briefed the CEO regarding his proposed targets and will have fully evaluated the existing personnel so that both parties are clear regarding those that the new manager was happy to sanction as dispensable.

I was asked to believe that the business of making our new manager familiar with the extensive list of available potential identified and shortlisted by the previous management team in conjunction with our worldwide scouting system would have long been concluded and our CEO would already be homing in on the players needed to re-vamp the first team squad.

I was asked too pity those clubs who were making deals for players at the time . Were they not aware that there was then an abundance of time until the first of July when apparently all prospects worth pursuing would be able to enter new contracts? Were they afraid they may not secure their targets at that time? What had they to be afraid of?

I had of course nothing but praise for all involved who had achieved such remarkable results with the new appointee throughout this extensive process despite having received permission from no-one at that time to speak to any candidate.

I rejoiced that our process had been so sophisticated and flawless that we were able at the time to laugh at the country bumpkins of Wigan in their pursuit of the unknown and unproven Roberto Martinez.

Consequently I was relaxed in my knowledge and the re-assurances offered by those who urge us all to Keep The Faith and so I looked forward to the new season confident that all is well, with the comfort that should matters not go according to plan I will be able to place the blame squarely where it lies - at the doors of the scurrilous media who had consistently misled and bewildered me to the extent that I might question that the process to that time might not produce a satisfactory result.

I berated myself for continuing to be such a simpleton.

I ask myself again - Have I any reason to be concerned?

fan-a-tic ...... Wishere was playing right midfield.

as for the GS tactic ....... i think Pep Guardiola uses the same tactic ..... messi,left footed, on the right. Henry right footed,on the left.

not wanting a debate on this but i feel this was a stick to beat Gordon with.

SffS

Does anyone else think that maybe Shaun Maloney should be our midfield playmaker?

TimMaloneWillTell, yes i do.

he's been our most creative player and most dangerous for creating chances. he has a good football brain, unlike mcgeady.

to me he's the most lubo-like player we have.

SFFS
BUT HE WAS NOT PLAYING WIDE .He was playing centre right.
To play a left footer centre right is a good tactic as every time he cuts inside he can potentially shoot.To play him wide hugging touchline is not as this limits his options.
So to imply that Wenger was doing the same as GS was wrong.
He played more in old inside right channel and frequently drifted inside.
He had 3 goal attempts.
1st He drifted from just inside Mcgregors left post just inside box and scored on pass just beside penalty spot.
2nd He picked up ball 25 yards out in centre with brilliant control using chest + feet and tried to chip McGregor who made good save.
3rd He comes across defender in middle of box from just inside left post again + scores on first time shot.
Again the Guardiola comparison to GS does not hold up as Messi + Henry dont hog touchline and Barca play through the middle.GS had his wide me play crosses to box when they got space.
Barca scored many goals from central midfielders last year we of course did not.

It's hardly a Gordon Strachan tactic. Man U have often played Rooney on the left cutting in, Joe Cole on the left for England and Chelsea, and even Saint Martin played McGeady on the left. I tend to find McGeady more productive on that side of the picture personally.

Terry O'Neill

I am still laughing at your Vagina Decliner tag.My wee yin has just asked me what i'm laughing at.

Homophobic ,but very funny.(:-])

Terry O Neil 4:47

Getting value for money. My impression is that as a support we are in denial about the value our money can buy. We treat explanations emanating from Celtic about the cost of value with scepticism at best disdain at worst.
I therefoee present the case re the cost of value for money from Mark McGee.
He said "I spoke to Mick McCarthy this morning about a player who would do Aberdeen.
He is not a top player and will not get a game in the EPL. In fact he only had one game in the Championship for Wolves but he is on £12k a week"

I had to laugh at John Hillcoat complaining that players in lower leagues could no longer command£500 a week and would have to go part time. Then you have Andy Walker advocate of squeezing out the best deal possible if a club was daft enough to offer daft money,suggesting licensing might be a good thing!
Chickens are coming home to roost big time and the only thing protecting footballers from the consequenses of their own greed and foolishness is the length of the foolish contracts handed out by foolish clubs.
The thing is the clock is ticking and these contracts will end and eventually the market will right itself.
Celtic just have to sit it out, which explains why we are in no hurry to deal with Gary Caldwell for example.

Fan-a-Tic

wilshere ------ fabregas --- song ----- arshavin

---------------------- merida -----------------

---------------------- eduardo ----------------

to me he played on the right!!! with license to cut inside.

and Aiden and Naka(oh i miss him!) cut in loads of times and were not restricted to "hugging" the touchline.

Bhoy Sean ... agree with you, aiden FAR more productive there, if only he could score more.

SFFS

Marinello

I'll see your Henrick Larsson and raise you a Di Canio,after his substitute debut.
This what i said about The bold Paulo.

"What a clown,he runs aboot like e heidless chicken.He'll not last 5 mins against Rangers.The mans a heidcase."

And what about my prediction in Barca."If we lose by less than 4 i will be happy."

Now in my defense if a wiz tae tak a pint aff yi,efter every wager weve hid ,a wid never be sober.

Kris Boyd,fantasy league teams,ah could go oan n oan n oan.

What shift r u on?

1-0 Espanyol against Liverpool

Anyone care to guess who got the assist...?

CSIAL

He got rave reviews for his debut I read. I do miss him, I think he would have flourished under Mowbray.

csial

with a deft curling cross from the right....with his left?

turningjapaneseCSC

Barcabhoy 7.33

You make a very good point,but it's not a strong enough one for me to close the door on this avenue.

There could be a way of buying a club and starting a new one in the local area in a lower league allowing it to regrow.Orgainc football.Celtic could be the pioneers.

It's there registered affiliation we require ,not their property or support.

gallagher,

Not quite. He's playing left mid. *shock, horror*

A lovely first time pass from a clearance from the Liverpool box that he put between the two CB's and Garcia took a fine first touch and buried it under the advancing Reina.

Showed his technique and speed of thought.

SFFS
I watched the whole game and he was never wide at any point 'Arsenal looked more like a 4 3 3 with Arshavin much further forward and full backs pushing higher up.
You said that you defended GS as people used players on the wrong side was a stick to beat him.
Fair play.
But then you chose to use a completley different example in support.
I also miss Naka but i still feel he could of been even better if he had played more centrally.

By the way,

that lad Gerrard can play a bit can't he? Hit the woodwork twice so far in this first half.

sorry to butt in on the winger debate but playing a righty on the left or the other way round has been a wenger tactic for many years. pires, overmars, ljundberg, reyes, arshavin, walcott and even hleb have played wide on the other side to their favoured foot.

csial
Ah the fluency of thought and movement in the continental game :)
Fair play to Nakamura

Tamudo makes it 2-0.

Another assist from...?

This is a very enjoyable match. Anything but friendly mind. Tackles are flying in. 4 yellows so far. 2 goals. Gerrard hits the woodwork twice and it isn't HT yet.

My mistake. Called back for offside. Horrible call.

csial

What channel is it on?

gallagher,

I'm watching it on the internet.

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links for live matches. Or is it just live matches involving Celtic?

csial

Best not to,imagine how i'd feel if you got a yellow card

I'm watching the highlights of the Emirates final...it's fun too :)

celtic4orme
Dont disagree that players on wrong side can be effective .But formation has to be right.
Also if you play them hugging the touchline like Gordon did you limit their effectiveness.
They cannot then turn to the outside and as the defender knows this he can concentrate on you cutting inside leaving you with only a backpass as an easy out.
How often did we do that under Gordon?
Guys like Wenger and Guardiola use the tactic but in a far less rigid system than GS did so that combined with better players makes their versions workable.

Chris Sutton is a legend

What position is Naka playing?

TinyTim,

He's playing left mid primarily but he is drifting inside now and again.

The first team squad has 32 players listed, probably at least 10 too many for an SPL side.

The extra 10 players are probably eating up between 50k - 100k per week in wages, quite astonishing.

A serious bit of pruning needs to happen, as far as I can see we could afford to lose the following:

1 x Goalkeeper
2 x Defenders
3 x Midfielders
4 x Attackers

Some are obvious for the revolving door.

At most we should have cover for all positions, but trying to have 3 players for each position is a luxury.

To be fair some of the players listed are youngsters, but with so many more experienced players in front of them they don't stand much of a chance.

If Celtic sold the 'deadwood' we could possibly bring in between £4 - 6 million, getting a buyer is the obvious problem!

WD40

WD40 : Would I be right in thinking that you would see Mark Brown as a prime candidate for a front seat on the Deadwood Stage?

Calamityjane csc

Tinytim

Have you got an e mail address? if so what is it? I need to ask you a question.

Hail Hail

Roccobhoy

Roccobhoy : Have not seen your name on for a while. Good to see you around.

ggh

garygillespieshamstring on August 2, 2009 9:18 PM

SOLD, to the man with the dodgy hams!

Stagecoach leaves for dodge city in 1 hour.

WD40

barcabhoy

I wrote a long post 2-3 years back outlining how Celtic could the takeover route to the EPL - I think I suggested MK Dons as a suitably unloved takeover candidate - which Paul promoted to an article to maximise discussion of the idea.

I don't remember whether I discussed how to avoid 'killing' a club in the article, or if it came out of the subsequent discussion, but there's no need for any club to go out of existence.

If we buy a 2nd Division (aka Championship these days) club for our own purposes - let's say Southampton and transplant Celtic into that vehicle, the principle would be clearly established.

We would then buy a 4th division club into which to transplant Southampton, a non-league club to receive the 4th division team, and create a new entity for the non-league club to start from scratch. Admittedly three clubs would be pushed down a couple of divisions in the process, but they could all retain their existing stadia, playing staff etc., and have their finances improved into the bargain. The logistics of doing this could be challenging, but the extra cost would be insignificant compared to the benefits - certainly less than £10M, maybe a lot less.

Your post the other day proposing a £50M rights issue was an interesting one, and raised a lot of issues that deserve further exploration.

I agree that further investment in the core business would be very desirable, but question whether a Celtic Village or car-parking facilities really can be profitable at this stage in the development of the East End. NCP would not make a lot of money if their car-parks were only full for 4 hours once every 10 days, 9 months a year.

I don't really go along with the idea of non-core activities such as investing in commercial property. I don't believe Celtic have the relevant in-house experise to be better than, or even as good as, competing property investment firms, and if so there is no economic case for entrusting this capital to the club.

Also, in a plc, the directors would not be entitled to give the football arm priority over the other businesses.

The potential upsides of the investments you suggest would therefore have to be set against both the potential loss of focus that threatens any conglomerate, and increased business risk to the football club. Arsenal illustrates the latter point, with the potential failure of its Highbury development resulting in a big and continuing squeeze on the cash available to Wenger.

It is also fair to ask whether the suggested capital raise is realistic. If we are not to depend on DD increasing further his % shareholding in Celtic (which most Celtic fans, including me, would oppose anyway), there would need to be £35M or so raised from other shareholders or new sources.

Regrettably I don't think the support's appetite for this would equate to more than a tiny fraction of that figure, and I doubt very much whether new investors could fill much of the gap either.

This gives me the chance for a little rant on a pet subject of mine. Anyone who wants to see Celtic lavishly capitalised and backed by its owners has to plot a route to making those owners the only people who will ever provide such support over the long term - the supporters.

If I could have access to a time machine and Fergus McCann's ear in 1998, I would try to persuade him to set in place mechanisms not only to make fans the owners of a large percentage of the club - which he did - but to increase that over time, which he conspicuously failed to promote.

At the time, he could have put in place as part of his exit package club-sponsored schemes to issue new shares to regular savers and fans with small lump sums. If these were taken up by enough people, we would gradually have seen the support's ownership of the club increase over time, and 100% fan ownership might not be the distant dream it seems today.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of Celtic fans seem to put little or no value on the idea of legal (as opposed to emotional) ownership of the club, and the current economic climate makes it harder than ever to change that.

Even amongst the minority of shareholding fans, most still see their purchase as a one-time event, more to provide a pretty certificate for the wall and a slightly extended sense of participation, than from any real intention to have an influence over the club.

Perhaps a fans' organisation will at some point start to pressure the board to move in this direction - but I can't see it happening for as long as most fans display next to no interest in owning the club they love.

If THAT idea ever catches hold of the wider Celtic community, you could raise twice your £50M and more within a few years. Until then, I see no way of bridging the gap between the expectations of fans and the actions of the board.

No Naka for the 2nd half but Ben Sahar, the ex-Chelski youngster doubles Espanyol's lead on 63mins. Still a good match for a friendly.

Garygillespie

Cheers mate!

How are you?

Hail Hail

Roccobhoy

The huns main problem next season will be defensive cover

Bougherra and Weir have played all of the match in both of the games this weekend and in the other pre-season games

they simply have no replacement CB`s ..a precarious position when you consider that Weir is 39 and will be expected to play twice pr week in the first few months of the season

imo their squad looks very thin

what is also interesting to note is that Boyd didn`t feature at all today ...Cardigan really isn`t a fan

Roccobhoy :

Doing well. All the family good too, thanks.

Glad the fitty has started again.

I am sure things will come together for us, hopefully starting Wed.

Hope to hear from you more often now we are back.

ggh

PF ayr,

They may have to be pushed into playing clubfoot again at CB. How good would that be.

In emergency cases I think Papac would provide cover.

PF ayr,

Clearly they are playing one up front this season - Miller or Lafferty. But if Boyd is out of the picture why not cash in, as he is in the last year of his contract?

I would have thought this was shop window time, unless something is already in the works?

Liverpool gubbed 3-0 by Espanyol.

English clubs doomed in Europe this season...

Garygillespie

Thats good you and family are doing well.

Yes Its great the footie is back. Its been a long summer!!

Yes I'll be posting a wee bit more frequently now footie has started back!!

Talk soon

Keep the Faith

Hail Hail

Roccobhoy

CSIAL

they`ve little or no full back cover

As Bentfoot is injured they`ve no RB cover

At LB they only have Smith who has looked a shadow of the player he was before injury ..also Papac is bound to revert to type this season ..here`s hoping

a hun team with the likes of Smith and Mcculloch in defence looks good to me

Evening bhoys & oneanton

just in and read back...

TT and saint? I was born on the !st of Nov mate..;0)

Masty, it's not Pheonix then? hmmmm

Rocco trying for Pit....

Kit, hope the wee man is ok...

BT

CSIAL..thanks for the compliments on the last thread..apparently only 2 out of the 3 made the game...one didnt...

PF ayr,

I agree. Whittaker at RB is a defensive disaster waiting to happen in each game.

awatr,

He arrived more than a little late. The hangover must have made the walk a lot longer than usual.

Hail Hail the Celts are here...

BT

csial..surprised he made it..had a feeling alba was his viewing choice for the day..

Has there ever been a full back called Whittaker who is not a defensive disaster?

ggh

PFAyr
When Arsenal put pressure on their defenders they panicked and gave the ball away most of the time.
Hope TM does the same.Their only out seemed to be long ball to right side.Did not notice any attack from their left side..
McGregor was terribly slow getting down on 1st goal

fan a tic

didn`t see the game ..good result

WEIR ..has to be on borrowed time ..they are surely asking too much of him

BOUGHERRA..a decent player but notthe world beater that we are led to believe

PAPAC.. has had a decent couple of seasons ..is reallya CB and hopefully will get back to his old self

WHITTAKER...a nightmare waiting to happen defensively

encouraging all round ...an injury or two and/or a drop in form for the above will result in big problems for the hun

PF ayr

We need to get our own house in order. Something we didn't do last season.

Bhoys, if anyone needs a further footy fix & to watch Naka's 1st game for Espanyol it's on Liverpool TV (Sky channel 434) & free for Sky Sports viewers. We really do need a replacement for the Japanese genius as he's still got it. Let's hope Anton Mor can find us a new star like he was.

Hail, hail
LB

PF ayr
Whittaker was beaten easily all day
Weir Slow
Papac was ok
Bougherrea was a cumbersome and at fault for 3rd.He trid to usher ball out by blocking the man but guy pulled ball back leaving him stranded.In SPL ref would have bailed him out and given him the foul.Definitely overated.

EDB

a fairly obvious statement ...but nonetheless accurate

however

it doesn`t detract from the hun`s deficiencies

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article6736178.ece

fan a tic

all good news

btw

whoever wrote the synopsis of the game on skytext must have been a hun ....it reads as if they were in someway unlucky..strange because cardigan didn`t seem to think so

NeilR on August 2, 2009 9:25 PM

"If we buy a 2nd Division (aka Championship these days) club for our own purposes - let's say Southampton and transplant Celtic into that vehicle, the principle would be clearly established.

We would then buy a 4th division club into which to transplant Southampton, a non-league club to receive the 4th division team, and create a new entity for the non-league club to start from scratch. Admittedly three clubs would be pushed down a couple of divisions in the process, but they could all retain their existing stadia, playing staff etc., and have their finances improved into the bargain. "

Neil,

My problem with that is we are still materially interfering with the emotions and future of a club and it's supporters.....all for our own ambitions

how would we react if Wrexham were bought by Welsh Billionaire (say Terry Matthews), who fancied our route to the CL and he then implemented your plan, except we played the part of Southampton and were transplanted to Scottish Div 2 ?

Your thoughts on fundraising and ownership are interesting...I think Celtic have greatly benefitted from Fergus and DD's involvement, however from an aspirational point of view i would love to see Celtic moving to a Barca and Madrid style of ownership. One member one vote...a president serves a 4 year term

There are obvious risks.....the presidential race would bring various hooks, crooks and comic singers to the ballot box.....without naming names, you only have to think of a particular individual who was a public agitator in getting rid of the kelly's and whytes....he had a high profile , thanks to a relationship with the media...he would have been the most inappropriate president imaginable, but he might have had a favourites chance 12 years ago

Barca have had mostly decent presidents, but the guy before Laporta was incompetent in a way that makes jack mcginn look like warren buffet....You could potentially remove a number of the chancers by making a serious non refundable bond, payable to the club, as an entry fee

The issue in my mind is really, how many supporters worldwide do we have.....how many supporters would be prepared to pay £20 a year for membership....i have seen many many estimates, ranging from 2 million to 10 million....with a take up rate of 15% of supporters to members, that generates from £6 million to £30 million a year in fee income.....even 15% take up represents a huge challenge, but if the annual fee is low enough it's possible

this of course is all hypothetical stuff, we have shareholders who have invested in their shares...they can't just be disenfranchised, they would have to be compensated for their investment, and none of this could happen without the approval of the shareholders, who may very well say no

Barca charge approximately €150 a year for membership...there are roughly 160,000 members.....we all get a vote on every constitutional issue....there is an ongoing debate about how many members the club could attract if the annual fee was dramatically reduced

The current shareholders have provided the financial foundations, and without them the club would be in a sorry state.....they, and i'm one of them, are legally but also morally entitled to shape the future........this takes me back to my original point....we need to find a way of providing more capital .....we seem to have maximised season tickets and merchandise....it seems to me our options are limited to asking the shareholders for an injection every 4 or 5 years or to look at something like an ownership/membership scheme

If we ask the shareholders for further support, it can only realistically be to fund opportunities which will generate income and profits...it can't under any circumstances be directly fund operating expenses like wages and transfer fees

Naka's 1st 45 mons for Espanyol - 2 1st time passes to forwards who know how & when to make a run (& what run to make) = 2 goals (1 given incorrectly offside). Oh if he'd been playing with Henke....

LB

I'm for laughing at the huns as much as anybody BUT...

As far as central defensive frailties go they actually do have a very promising young player in Danny Wilson. Fortunately he is only 17 at the moment but, in my book, he's a better prospect than Fleck.

I still think rangers are weaker than us but a league title has always been hard to win. Very few poor managers have managed it.

whitedoghunch on August 2, 2009 10:29 PM
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article6736178.ece

interesting article.....a lot of it was forecast on here as long ago as 2007 by a number of posters.....the penny seems to have dropped for the owners and the mainstream media......i posted a while ago that more than 50% of EPL clubs are technically insolvent...with owners unable to fund losses via borrowing as previously, the future is truly frightening for those who have been guilty of gross stupidity and have let their ego's rule their business sense

you reap what you sow......in govan every bit as much as in portsmouth

sftb..re poor managers winning leagues...according to many on here one did it three years in a row..

Bhoys of a certain age....need your help.

House full of mates trying to remember the brand name of the woolworth ball which used to have team names on it in each segment. Doing all our heads in - we think it began with "w" but too many empty Magners bottles around to be sure.

If you kicked it too hard it would swerve all over the shop 0 left, right, up and down all in the one shot! Ronaldo eat yer heart out.

Help!!!

Woolworths brand was Winfield.

u2 wembley??

...even more swervy if ye gave it a toe ender!!

Our resident goalie says you could dive left toward one set of jumpers in the goal trying to save a shot and before ye hit the deck the woolies baw had out manouvered ye and gone wide of the other set of clothing at the other post!

Oh happy days.....what was it called???

I was thinking winfield as well..

I went on to the woolworths online store out of curiosty and the for sale at £18 is the official rangers home shirt.

It appears to be the only club shirt they sell

barcabhoy
these things and numbers are out of my remit/ability/understanting.

I liked the wee bit on this piece today about shareholders:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/jul/31/scotch-whisky-vintage-glenfiddich-50

night all.

awatr @ 11.05

That's kind of what I was hinting at.

P.S.

I thought it was a Wembley Ball too

from memory..

The "Wembley" ball was actually quite good and a decent weight.
It came in white and orange from what I remember from back in the day.

huns new srip again

http://www.flickr.com/photos/solidgoldbomb/3758814980/

WINFIELD!!!!!!!

Thanks QF and RRC - ye probably just heard the roar there as I passed on the eureka moment!!

Awalk - we had thought of Wembley as well, but we think that was just the name of one of the balls they had out at sometime.

WINFIELD!!!!!

Gordon_J\TommyTwistsTommyTurns\Celticrollercoaster

mail to you all.

MWD

F.W.Woolworth's middle name was Winfield that's how they came up with the brand name

latenighttrivia.csc

U2
There were 2 plastic balls that took the place of rubber ones in the early 60s - The Frido which was dimpled and the Wembley.If you Google on Frido you can learn more. The Wembley was of better weight and kept its shape better.

Goalkeepers nightmare

http://soccersquared.com/images/thumbs/match-ball-05.png

Wee heads up if it affects anyone re their Sky Sports packages... the Aberdeen away game is on Sky Sports 3.

Also, thought this was interesting from TM, in The Herald:

Barry Robson will have to wait a while longer after trying too hard to overcome his ailment. "He's trained in the last few days and it's been something of an eye-opener. Everything he does, he does with more than 100%: he crashes into tackles, kicking goalposts when his team concedes a goal but I'd suggest he has slightly overdone it."

If we want to keep up interest in Japan and there's a worry over whether Koki is going to make enough of an impact in the first team this season then we could do a lot worse than taking a look at a guy called Keisuke Honda.

He plays as an attacking mid for VVV Venlo in Holland. Last season in the Dutch 2nd division he scored 16 times as his team won promotion. In the first game of this season away to PSV, VVV earned a 3-3 draw. Honda scored and setup one of the goals.

So we could get an attacking mid that scores goals and a Japanese int'l into the bargain. Oh, and he's only 23.

Have a look at the extended highlights from the PSV - VVV Venlo match and pay attention to the young Japanese lad with blond hair.

Honda

Bloke_109 i think barry robson is smashing player, he was sorely missed when gordon dropped him to bench after 1st game of the Season then to compund that he substained his hip injury.
haste ye back Barry, we need you drive.

ST

csial:

Good find. Looks a tidy, confident player with good drive and an eye for goal from midfield. He also seems to have an end-product. A daft kinda negative would be that tackling doesn't seem to be a strength, so he'd need to play in the right position, or with the right players around him.

Thought the big Swede for PSV looked interesting too, Ola Toivonen. Surely the kind of player we should be looking at - before he gets snapped up by a Dutch club! Bit of a handful in the air, especially from set-pieces. I'd have thought Scandinavia would provide rich pickings, more so with asset management in mind, as many would end up in England or Spain. I'd also have thought that Holland was a competitor for Scandinavian signings, but they seem to do it better than us.

ST:

Couldn't agree more. Clearly TM is better qualified to judge, but to suggest RObson has 'slightly overdone' is akin to saying your striker scores too many goals. Take the drive away from Robson and you take a lot from him. I'm being slightly facetious here as I know what TM is getting at.

Bloke_109,

I agree regarding Honda. That's what I like about that video though. It isn't a youtube highlight reel spectacular. It shows faults as well as positives. It did look like he was off on his defensive duties. Ball watching at times. Certainly not the finished article but plenty to work with and while he's at a newly promoted club like VVV Venlo he must surely be within our clubs budget.

Toivonen caught my eye as well. They signed him from Malmo last season. Only 23 and apparently did his reputation no harm with a good showing at the recent EURO U-21 championships.

csial

Have you seen his wiki page? 'Can also play left full-back'! Hysterical!

Seriously though, looks a real 'number ten' in the best traditions - 19 goals in 51, albeit in Dutch League 2 which, controverisally, I'd say would be better than most of SPL. I think he'd flourish with us, under TM, and playing in Europe would see his stock multiply. (Getting carried away, but there's something about his swagger in that short clip, which as you rightly say is not an agent-vid. The other youtube clips are interesting)

Check out the goal at 4.10... sign the boy!

I have to say I agree fully with what barcabhoy has written regarding "taking over" another club. We must respect the Smallest of teams as much as we respect the Greatest of teams.

This extreme imbalance will balance itself soon enough, sounds Kojo'ish hehe, the great guy has a much better way³ with words though. ;)

Patience is indeed a virtue because that Premiership is not at all sustainable, it is already right out of control and has too many people involved now that were looking to make money from it, the depression only just started last year.

I was amazed they took in the same TV money that last deal, it just didn't make sense with what was happening elsewhere in the financial world, it was akin to inflating a 95% maxed out balloon an extra 30%. It is gonna pop and theres going to be big casualties, unfortunately.

Now if we do indeed get asked (it's the only way) to go down South when Clubs start going to the wall we will go down there with the best possible foundations.

To quote Paul

"Our club is 121 years old, but some things never change. Keep it that way."

Keep being respectful and when we are needed they will ask us to come and HELP THEM out.

Bloke_109,

He plays LB as well!?!?

Surely it's a sign. :-D

Honda: Impossible Dream boom, boom. Night all.

csial

Weird one, looked clearly centre-mid in your vid, but other vids suggest he is left-back, and wiki suggests both. If true, as you say, it's a sign - or maybe this is what Danny Fox really is lol

I noticed on Saturday that the Sunderland fans sang Rule Britannia, which was immediately greeted by a crescendo of jeering and booing from the Celtic fans. I don't know whether the Sunderland fans sing this every week. I am more inclined to believe that they were merely at the wind-up. In any case, Rule Britannia is in no way sectarian, yet I read posts condemning the Rangers fans for singing it at the weekend.

Much as we would never dream of singing that or God Save the Queen, neither song is sectarian. We are happy to chant Argentina and sing The Soldier's Song at English stadia, so it's a bit hypocritical to complain about such songs coming back at us.

We know why the Gers sing these songs, but it still doesn't make them (the songs) sectarian.

Tom

You're making the assumption that those booing Rule Britannia were doing so because it is a sectarian anthem. It clearly isnt but that doesnt mean that people have to like it or agree with the sentiments within the song.

Rule Britannia happens to be an anthem of British Imperialism and celebrates an age when Britain tried to turn the world into England and anyone who resisted found themselves on the end of a bayonet. That fact that many of our fans are either Irish or of Irish descent, when the Irish suffered more than most under the boot of the Empire, means that the disapproval of this anthem is not only appropriate but entirely correct.

Crazy things we have done as Tims #1

My girlfriend and I were on a service bus from Blythswood Bus Station (long gone now) to Motherwell after an afternoon of shopping and a couple of drinks in the city. It was the early 80s and Celtic weren't playing that day because they had been knocked out of the Scottish Cup and it was Cup day. Rangers were playing at Ibrox. I cannot remember who against.

Anyway, we were seated downstairs at the back, with my gf at the window. After a while a couple of Rangers fans got on and sat at one of the two long seats which face each other, just in front of the back seat. They were drinking from a Buckfast bottle and were foul-mouthed, but otherwise not really causing any trouble.

By the time the bus rolled into Motherwell, they were both sitting there reading The National Front News, which was on sale at Ibrox in those days. At that time of my life, as well as being a rampant Celtic supporter, I was very much a political animal, of the far left variety, so you can imagine how this double raising of a red rag to a bull set my pulse racing and the smoke coming out of my ears.

As we got up to alight from the bus at Motherwell Cross, the two Bears were still seated - obviously Wishaw Huns - and still with their heads buried in the poisonous rag. Just as the doors opened, I told my gf to wait for me. I went back, took out my lighter and set fire to the paper from the bottom. They couldn't see me from behind the paper and it started as just a little flickering flame. I jumped from the bus as the doors were closing. We watched it move off just as the flames really took hold and the two Bears jumped frantically from their seats and threw the blazing rag in every direction. The bus stopped further up the road and we saw that the two Huns had been ejected and they stood in the street slapping their legs and their bodies as sparks and burning bits of paper stuck to them.

At first she was mortified but once we were both safely ensconsed in the Railway Tavern, my gf and I burst into hysterical laughter. We just could not stop laughing and it took us ages to explain to our friends what was so funny.

I still remember the look on those two guys faces to this day.

Ah but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Gold Coast Tom @4.01
Bit of balance!
Good on you.

Bloke 109 @ 12.19: A heads up for those intending to switch to Virgin Media (as I was contemplating). You can't get Sky Sports 3 on Virgin Media, only Sky Sports 1 and 2. Looks like the only way of seeing all SPL games is to have Sky and pay the extra for ESPN.

Correction, I just double checked. It's only the movie channels that are limited. Sky Sports 3 is available.

D'oh!

Disband The Huns

Ulster-Celt

Good Morning

Totally off topic, but is there anyone who goes to matches from Milngavie? If so would you consider sharing driving etc? my friends that previously shared the driving for reasons of costs are not going back this season! If anyone is interested please leave details of how I could get in touch.

Cheers

Johnny The Fox

Kitalba
Evening,pal.
Hope all is well with the wee barra.

Paul67,
Talking of charity.
Just wondered if you had any luck with the Sean Leahy Cancer Charity Auction in Reading?

It took place yesterday but we are still trying to raise money for it?

Cheers
Vini

Hello!

Is there anyone out there?

Morning,all
Just my take on the weekend games

1-Celtic;where were all the fans? Was it Mother's Day or something? Poor turnout which does not augur well for the season to come.

2-rangers;if we canny beat that lot to the title,then the ba's burst.

And therein lies the problem;I expect us to win the title this year....but only because they're worse than us. Not sure that really inspires me with much confidence,and if the tickets aren't being taken up,then that is all we have to look forward to for the foreseeable future.

Am I all alone?

aiden o'fovit

yup.

that's the way it is.

deary deary me.

MWD

Moonbeams wet dream

a support stunned into silence

Hullo Moonbeams

Aiden, for heaven's sake man. You'll be telling us next that the end is nigh and that things have never been the same since we joined the Common Market.

It's a new era at the club. Lots of possibilities, not the least unappetising of which is winning the league as Rangers muddle on.

Come on!

aiden o'fovit - I'm sure there were plenty like me that had slightly more pressing things to do than watch a glamourised training session. Numbers for these games have never been high. I think high 20s/30k is the top I can remember.

new article posted.

I'd suggest the low crowd (what was it ?) is partly due to it being holiday season, but also due to the lack of excitement generated by our signings so far. Still no creative midfield player, still no out and out goalscorer, still the same old gash at Centre back. Thankfully we've addressed the left back position though...

I was at Wembley and was full of hope for the season ahead after watching how we played Spurs off the park. I even had visions of Willo Flood being our playmaker for the year ahead ! However two games later, two defeats, and I now feel as despondant as I did at the end of last season. The problem for us is we will probably be on a downer before the league even starts. I have no real hope of going to Moscow and winning, so I'm expecting us to be out of the CL before we've even kicked a ball in anger in domestic football. Oh how we laughed at the Huns when that happened to them eh ! Once again it all comes down to lack of proper investment in the only thing that matters - the team on the park.

Macjay:

He is sort of okay. Pneumonia, aggravated by the flu, and one or two other side issues that need no discussion. We got him back from the hospital for tonight but if there is no notable difference tomorrow he is to be admitted regardless of reservations. He’s a seven year old (Republican) soldier, he’ll be okay.

Digressing:

I’m still trying to write something in rebuttal of that FF Hun and all his bile anti-Celtic and Catholicism. No matter which point I try and shoot down, whether it is u-boats in the Liffey, or no real Irish VC’s, I am led down roots of literal history that do not do his (assuming he is male and human) crown of convenience, much credit at all. The following is, but a tiny example of the british evil that pollutes ever such a vicious history. And I am not anti-English, nor ‘anti’ any religion, but for some people to wonder why there are some in Erin (and Scotland too) who do not hold the English crown dear, well! read your unrevised history books, and you will wonder no more.

The 14th August should be a date of note in both the Irish, and the Jacobite Scottish, calendars. I wear a poppy for those who fought fascism, who’ll wear a symbol in remembrance of those whose lives were squandered to prop up revolting imperialisms.

On 14 August 1652, Cromwell began his Ethnic Cleansing of Ireland, ordering that the Irish were to be transported overseas, starting with 12,000 Irish prisoners sold to Barbados. The infamous “Connaught or Hell” proclamation was issued on 1 May 1654, where all Irish were ordered to be removed from their lands and relocated west of the Shannon or be transported to the West Indies. Those who have been to County Clare, a land of barren rock will understand what an impossible position such an order placed the Irish. A local sheep owner claimed that Clare had the tallest sheep in the world, standing some 7 feet at the withers, because in order to live, there was so little food, they had to graze at 40 miles per hour. With no place to go and stay alive, the Irish were slow to respond. This was an embarrassing problem as Cromwell had financed his Irish expeditions through business investors, who were promised Irish estates as dividends, and his soldiers were promised freehold land in exchange for their services. To speed up the relocation process, a reinforcing law was passed on 26 June 1657 stating: “Those who fail to transplant themselves into Connaught or Co. Clare within six months… Shall be attained of high treason… are to be sent into America or some other parts beyond the seas… those banished who return are to suffer the pains of death as felons by virtue of this act, without benefit of Clergy.”

Although it was not a crime to kill any Irish, and soldiers were encouraged to do so, the slave trade proved too profitable to kill off the source of the product. Privateers and chartered shippers sent gangs out with quotas to fill, and in their zest as they scoured the countryside, they inadvertently kidnapped a number of English too. On March 25, 1659, a petition of 72 Englishmen was received in London, claiming they were illegally “now in slavery in the Barbados”' . The petition also claimed that "7,000-8,000 Scots taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester in 1651 were sold to the British plantations in the New World,” and that “200 Frenchmen had been kidnapped, concealed and sold in Barbados for 900 pounds of cotton each."

Subsequently some 52,000 Irish, mostly women and sturdy boys and girls, were sold to Barbados and Virginia alone. Another 30,000 Irish men and women were taken prisoners and ordered transported and sold as slaves. In 1656, Cromwell’s Council of State ordered that 1000 Irish girls and 1000 Irish boys be rounded up and taken to Jamaica to be sold as slaves to English planters. As horrendous as these numbers sound, it only reflects a small part of the evil program, as most of the slaving activity was not recorded. There were no tears shed amongst the Irish when Cromwell died in 1660.

Stop cheering at the back.

Now see that Cromwell, he was a real ‘Hun’.

MWD
Looks like we might as well hunker down for a long cold winter,and without the benefit of CelticTV to help us out with a bit of nostalgia. And most of the good stuff in my collection is on video and the VCR has long since been replaced.

At least in the barren years of the 90s we had some quality players strutting their stuff in The Hoops,we were up there with the eagles sometimes,other times down with the dross.You seldom knew which Celtic would turn up on the day.You were prepared to be excited,you were prepared to be disappointed.

I've got a feeling that this year we should be prepared to be bored.....

Mooners -they're all waiting for the cricket to start.

Or the Song debate.