Liam Brady, John Barnes, Paul Le Guen, your record took a bloody good hiding

.Mountain_Bhoy....

I Said at the Time....I Would Gladly Pay a Extra 20 Quid to get Motor Neuron on the Front of My Shirt....I Reckon Many Others Would Too....

Say 4 Different Charity Options....100,000 Worldwide a Year....2 Million....a Million To Charity Million To Celtic....

Simples

007

Sack the board!

As much as I do detest the Tennent's deal there is some delicious irony of a Dublin based company being the major sponsor of Rangers FC.

good news day

deep_stoat - Dont blame you for not sleeping last night .I know I didnt . From the euphoria of signing Keane to the depressing reality that is Tony Mowbray, kinda makes you think too much .

Paul67 -I find that post kinda comforting somehow :) I dont like seeing snyone lose his job .But when it affects so many people it has to be done .

Tennents? No thanks.

Cmon Celtic... make history.

By CentenaryBhoy on February 3, 2010 11:34 AM

I feel so strongly about this joint sponsorship that I will give up my season book. Losing the league I can handle, thats football. This decision from the Celtic PLC board goes beyond football, it is morally repugnant and bad for our own clubs image and brand to continue to be associated with that despicable club Rangers FC. Do people have such short memories that they have forgotten about the scenes from manchester being beemed around the world? To go into bed with a club who refuse to do anything about their suppoort singing the famine song and tarnishing the name of a dead celtic legend and in our own stadium as well?

nah, last straw for me, Celtic PLC board you should be ashamed of yourselves.

absolutely disgusted

no to joint sponsorship.

nothing with that brand on it will be bought by us.

sorry celts.

what a difference 24hrs makes feel numb

I'm still dealing with last night. The Tennent's news will be covered in due course.

Mac1888, cold analysis is need.

Guys,

some observations i havent posted in a while, been working away.Firstly anyone who has reaqd my posts will now that i have been right behind Tony from the start, the first seeds of doubt for me were sown after the 4-4 at Falkirk.

I am now of the opinion that he has to go, a perfect storm is brewing, Dunfermline on Sunday will not be easy, defeat there leaves his position untenable.

We have a massive fight on our hands to consolodate 2nd place, we should not underestimate Hibs. Tony looks lost, he stands on the touchline whispering, tactics and subs absolutely baffling, can anyone tell me what Crosas has done to deserve to be dropped, when Aiden has been murder for the last 5 weeks and has not been benched?

The league has gone, we will not overcome that deficit, say what you like about Smith, i cannot see him allowing them to capitulate. I will stil hope and support until it is mathematically impossible but i just cant see it now. Tony looks overwhelmed, god knows the support he gets from Grant and venus but IMHO he has thrown in the towel and looks like someone waiting to be put out of thier mysery.

A replacement is currently unemployed and would probably jump at the chance to come to CP, Mark Hughes could do a job for us, no probs, i just hope the board are looking for possible replacements.

gebhoy

Ard Macha
Sympathies from a fellow Armagh man

Still not quite sure how I am feeling today.
A joint sponsorship announcement may push me over the edge.

Not quite zenith and nadir over the last 48hrs or so, but up and down doesnt begin to describe it.

HAIL! HAIL!
Token

Well said Paul. My sentiments exactly. I'm sick of reading people saying get Mowbray out. It would achieve nothing this season at least. Time for stability

In a choice between Tony Mowbray and Tennents I choose Mowbray.

Its not about this season, its done. Its about next season. Give a new man 15 games to develop a strategy, teamwork, decide who stays and who goes in the summer. Mark Hughes is available, ask him. Paul Lambert would walk up from Norwich, ask him. That's only 2 names and there's many more who would do an infinately better job than TM is. Wait until the summer and the new man has less time to work ahead of next season, especially with it being a World Cup year. Worse still stick with TM another season and its 3-in-a-row and another large injection of cash to them.

Best laid plans and all that

JR: The masses are not happy about this Tennants Lager deal what can we do Peter I'm out of ideas/past caring about the feelings of the fans?

PL: Don't worry, the Robbie Keane deal is sorted we'll just give them a bit of theatre and make them feel special again.

JR: Yes

PL: We will then trounce Kilmarnock and take the league to within 3 points!

JR: Uh huh

PL: It is at this point just when the feeling of euphoria has risen to fever pitch that we then announce the deal with Tennants thus softening the blow tremendously ! Ticket sales are up, Shirt Sales are up, those stupid white brick things sales are up Chanell67 premium UK is through the roof, I get my Bonus, and we're still the good guys! what do you think???

JR: Ex-cell-ent!!! (Monty Burns Style)

Sorry but I believe that doing nothing we will not win the league.

Bring in a new man and we probably won't win the league but better to try than sit on our hands.

Mountain Bhoy,

here here, and hail hail.

Paul67...

Well written article and agree with most up to the point where you mention sticking with the manager. For me this isn't an option.

When Smith came in at Rangers, it was too late but it layed the ground work for future wins and a UEFA Cup final. This season is almost a write of but next season isn't. Sacking Mowbray may or may not pay off but it is a gamble worth taking as sticking with him certainly won't.

You mention Avram Grant who which is interesting as he's a name that we should be considering. Mark Hughes is capable of building a side that won't get bullied in the SPL and Paul Lamberts amazing transformation of Norwich City shouldn't go unnoticed by our board.

I like Mowbray and don't like to see anyone lose their job but I like Celtic more and it's blindingly obvious that there won't be an amazing transformation; there aren't even signs or hints of a project developing.

Act now for the sake of next season if not for this....

Thought first half we looked quicker, stronger, more skilful, more direct than before. All of a sudden McGeady is in a team of better players, who will not tolerate his cul-de-sac running so readily. Kamara looks like he will worry most SPL defenders.

But for all that we still didn't really work their keeper enough. Same old, same old Tony.

I dunno. Feeling flat this morning. Nice stab at rationale, Paul67;)

More than I've got to give.

HH

mountain_bhoy on February 3, 2010 11:52 AM

I understand your frustration. It is terrible to be associated with them and I hate us being tagged in the 'Old Firm' label, it only holds us back and we are lumped in the sectarian pot when we know we aren't anywhere near being as poisonous as that vile establishment from Govan.

However, chucking away the season ticket? Surely this is a time to stick by the team? I was only a wee laddie during the 90s but the people who stuck by us in that difficult time I can imagine say that it was worth it to experience the good times of winning leagues and punching above our weight in Europe under MON and WGS. This is just another difficult period that we will get through if we stick together. We might not agree with every decision Celtic Football Club make but we love them regardless and the team need all the support they can get right now.

Hail Hail

Paul67,

Braafheid is not even in the country yet!

Watch Celtic take off once he is in place.

We have been playing without a quality left back for a few years now. Watch how much safer we are when this lad is in place. This will give the other three in the back a whole lot more confidence. It will allow the midfield to push 10 meters further up the pitch.

I dont believe I am grasping at straws

Loovens, Hinkel , Braafheid are all well capable of making it to South Africa but not on this form.

Hail hail

It’s not often I wake up after a game feeling as angry as I do this morning. Very often disappointed, that’s part and parcel of being a Celtic fan. Anger is something different. It’s normally there when we have been absolutely robbed by an horrendous refereeing decision (Turin in the Champions League is the first example which springs to mind), it was there last season when Strachan played Maloney ahead of McGeady at Ibrox, and it was there the morning after that day at Fir Park.

I’m not quite sure what I watched at Rugby Park last night.

I saw a football team who quite clearly thought that all they had to do was turn up to win a football match. I saw a collection of individuals on the park with no shape, purpose, desire or determination.

I also watched our football manager, the supposed coach of the players, standing on the touchline without an ounce of passion visible as he witnessed the league title fritter away before him. (Definition of coach = a person who trains, instructs and directs athletes or athletic teams.)

In one fell swoop, the transfer coup of the century was rendered null and void. Kiss goodbye to recouping the £65,000 weekly wage by filling the 20,000 empty seats every home game. Kiss goodbye to the euphoria of having a genuinely world class striker to help the push for the title.

The finger can’t be pointed at the Board this time. And it can’t be pointed at Strachan either. Of last night’s starting 11, 6 were Mowbray signings. One was a superstar. Another was a £3.8m signing. We also has our supposed crown jewels on the park – a player who seems absolutely devoid of any confidence and appears to be suffering from a serious lack of coaching and man-management.

We had Loovens as captain. Yes, captain of Celtic. Did they draw lots in the dressing room or something?

Then we had the final act of comedy. With 15 minutes to go, and needing 2 goals, we take off a full back (which I agree isn’t a bad idea), and we bring on a useless central midfield player who hasn’t kicked a ball for 4 months. And we play him at left back! And, just to cap it all off, he comes on the park and takes the arm-band from Loovens. Scott Brown as captain of Celtic? That about sums it all up.

All the while, our new centre forward, who got the winning goal from a similar match situation on Saturday, sits on the bench.

I have supported Celtic for over 30 years and I’ve seen some real dross in my time. But last night was one of the biggest shambles I think I have ever witnessed. Our football team is now 10 points behind in the league (and a further 20 goals worse off), could go third if Hibs win their game in hand, and have picked up 11 points out of a possible 24. We are playing with no obvious tactics, no passion and no direction.

On the park we are a complete shambles. One man is responsible.

Somebody tell me the joint sponsorship is not true.....

If it is, i will be buying absolutely no more merchandise, who ever agreed to this should be chased down London Road, this angers me more thsn the result last night.

Absolutely disgusted if true!

gebhoy

No harm but Tennants is viewed as a scumbag drink in Ireland and England from what I have seen. Haven't drunk it since my student days. May as well have got poundland and been done with it.

go on our own, no need for joint sponsorship.tony time to step down as you cant cut it as manager nice big guy but your decisions are baffling, scott brown left back when we a 1-0 down

I'm all for giving managers time. I didn't want to see Strachan leave! So I'm behind Mowbray...besides who would we replace him with? We're in a mess and I haven't a clue how to sort that team out. But that's why I'm a fan and Mowbray's the manager.

Okay, the stupidly optimistic part:

It is as easy to overhaul a 10 point lead as it is a 7 point lead...

If we win all our games, the gap is 4 points.
That means they only have to drop points in 2 other games (or 3 if it's draws).
On the evidence of the season so far, they will keep up their end of the bargain so it's up to us.

The romantic Celtic part...they stole two league titles from us in 03 and 05. Maybe we're due to steal two back!!!!!

Nae chance!

Paul,
Excellent.
Tony, you must win every game until the end of the season, it will not matter how you do it, it must be done. Fail at the weekend and the scarves will be on the pitch, then the game's up.
Paul, could be time for a root and branch review of the club from boardroom to tea-lady, watching last night I honestly believed I was in a daze, the players available to Tony should be capable of destroying Falkirk, Hibs & Killy, agree? I have always been a supporter of BTM, however we simply can’t go on like this, Celtic mean too much to too many people across the World.
Tony, win, win and win again, it’s simple, you have the recourses, find the system.

Oh Dear of course what PL meant to say in that little recreation was that:

We will then trounce Kilmarnock and take the league to within 7! points!

Peter Lawwell hang your head in shame sir!!

from earlier
PF ayr on February 3, 2010 11:58 AM
bankiebhoy

it took Calderwood 10 mins to suss us out, he changed the tactics of his team and we got the runaround for the remainder of the first half

frankly they deserved to score for their first half midfield dominance

we tried nothing new and then threw on SB for LN ..a debate has raged as to whether SB was palying LB or LW ...for me SB looke dto be playing at LB most of the time ..he wasn`t getting forward

the question i ask why was SB on the left at all ...why not the right ...why not through the middle

out thought by the Killie manager and our team was out-grafted ...

and now the Tennents deal

looking for good news today ...HELP

This has to be the lowest point. Simple. Because if it is not, we will definitely not win this league. We lost to a Killie team who had played something like 6 matches in 18 days and I expected that to really show in the second half. It didn't. Yes we lacked guile and creativity, accuracy and style but there was determination there. That was overshadowed by the determination of the Killie team who, for all their lack of big names, played as a team and stuck to their game plan. McGeady was poor for sure but as soon as he got the ball, Killie had 2 men on him. EVERY time. They had one chance and took it. Thats how to win a game against a better team. Make no mistake, there would have been plenty of backroom motivation from the Clark/Nicholl hunnery coven. It makes me sick to think that even as we speak those two will still be popping champagne corks and laughing maniacally while torturing small animals in a candle lit pentangle or whatever it is they do to celebrate. Out of this has to come a team and not a group of talented individuals which is what we are seeing. We are running out of time fast. Gutted.

Swiss

Paul 67 ,
Doing a bit of cold analysis, is there a huge financial difference between finishing 2nd or 3rd ?

My personal view is Mowbray should either go , or get some help (David Hay).
I can't fault his ability to spot talent ( N' guemo , Fortune , Ki who is only 20)
I can't fault the fitness of the players.

I can fault when we repeatedly make the same mistakes, and , this is not an exaggeration, I see boys club teams better organised than Celtic.

The key questions is can he learn from mistakes and deliver transformation ?
The last 6 months with cold analysis suggests no !

I concur with Centenary Bhoy.

The Tennents deal ranks of hypocrisy by the PLC.

On the one hand, we have the mantra that we are the only club with worldwide appeal and tapping into the Celtic diaspora.

We also have the club complaining about Rangers' sectarian songs and besmirching of Jock Stein.

Yet, we now have the board getting in to bed with Rangers!!!

Inexplicable. Inexcusable. Unforgiveable. We would rather forego sponsorship money altogether, although there is clearly no need to do that given the wide range of alternatives available with some imagination.

Finally, whilst I enjoy a drink, the continued promotion of alcohol (given its malign influence in Scotland and Glasgow particularly) must be a snub to the good work of Brother Walfrid.

PLEASE LET THE BOARD KNOW LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE WILL BOYCOTT TENNENTS-BRANDED MERCHANDISE.

WE ARE NOT THE OLD FIRM. WE ARE CELTIC.

If we dont improve with the new signings and keep spluttering along .Mowbray will be sacked . I dont know how long the board are willing to give him .I hope its not too long though as the damage will be irreparable .. Thats what I read into it .
wishfull thinking on my part Paul67 ? lol

I will always support Celtic (health permitting)and I will always buy my season ticket(finance permitting), but from this day forward not ONE penny will I spend on Celtic merchandise.

No match programme, no tops, no paradise windfall, no food or drink, not even as much as a pin badge will I purchase. The OLD FIRM lives on.

By the way, can we stop with this line of "Who do we replace him with?"...

We're not paid handsomely to decide that but because we can't think off the top of our heads, that doesn't mean we're stuck with someone who can't do the job. All over the world, inadequate managers are replaced by ones the board think can do better. Otherwise managers would never be sacked.

Do people honestly believe that nobody can do better than a man who finished bottom of the EPL then took Celtic to records worse than John Barnes?

Names such as Lambert, Grant, Hughes, McStay, Adriaanse etc have been mentioned. There's a small list to start on without thinking....

Rousing words Paul

I see no value at all in signing a "new team" then binning the man who signed them shortly thereafter, i said last night that this was exactly the proverbial boot up the behind to let the new players know what they're up against, but Tony does need to drop that dreamy detatched look he adopts in the technical area and start glowering at players, praising players, threatening players, he needs to get involved with them. I firmly believe it would be a disaster if we pulled in someone else to finish the season but i hopw and pray Tony is at Lennoxtown this minute putting the team through their paces and connecting with them.

nothingtofearbutfearitselfcsc

in total agreement with you paul. lying in bed unable to sleep again after another rubbish performance i wanted him sacked, now i want whats best for celtic which has to be to leave him in charge and give him time to turn it round. i cant see a viable alternative. the game on the game on the 28th is now huge.

Old Firm sell jersey to Tennent's
FROM BBC

The deal replaces the contract with Carling which ends this summer
Scottish brewing firm Tennent's has announced a three-year sponsorship deal with Celtic and Rangers.
The contract, believed to be worth up to £1.5m a year to each Scottish Premier League club, will see Tennent's displayed on the Old Firm jerseys.
The contract replaces a similar deal with Carling which comes to and end this summer.
Tennent's is also in talks on whether to continue sponsorship of the Scottish national team.
Tennent's managing director, Mike Lees, said he hoped the sponsorship deal with the Old Firm would help the game in Scotland.
"Football is a national obsession in Scotland and we believe this partnership with Scotland's biggest and most successful football clubs takes our long-held strategy of sponsorship and investment in the game to the next level," he said.
"We are very much looking forward to working with the clubs and their fans, and to an exceptional year for the brand in 2010."

If anyone want's to tell our new sponsor you have just bought your last pint/can of Tennent's lager, here is where you can do so-

http://www.candcgroupplc.ie/contact.asp

Problem is many have been saying that Tony Mowbray should "strain every muscle and expire every breath in your lungs. Animate your team, throw off the distant look on the touchline, throw off the jacket and get the sleeves rolled up." for long enough, too long.

He hasnt got it, he is a mid table manager he didnt show any sign of determination last night after the game or even during it, he is a small team manager sleep walking in a big club wonderland and he is lost.

Mark Hughes could turn this round, and that would be far less of a gamble than letting TM continue.

He has been given the best tools available to do the job from the start of the season and shown that he does not have the skills to use them.

I don't think two companies have ever misread the results of a sponsorship deal so badly. I bet Tennents never imagined they might end up embroiled in a boycott by actually sponsoring us instead of just them.

They've now paid £9M to potentially lose as many sales as just paying £3M to them alone.

We should boycott them, not particularly to get at them since it's now too late, but to demonstrate to any future sponsors that joint deals are simply not welcome.

Basically sponsoring them alone, or in a paired deal with us is bad. Either way Celtic fans won't buy your product. Result - they find it difficult to get a decent sponsor.

Right lads. No more Tennents or Magners (Bulmers for you Republic residents). Let's send out a message.

Paul67

we may win the league if we change manager

we will not win the league if we don`t ...TM has proved that he can`t win the required number of games

as for the new players settling in ...just how well do you think these players and TM are acquainted ...my guess would be very little with the exception of Kamara ..i fail to see how their settling in could be damaged by the replacement of a manager that they don`t know

Regarding the Tennents deal. It is a sad fact that until R******s Fc are no more then no company will touch either team in Glasgow because of boycott from the other side. So unfortunately I think it is SHARED sponsors or NO sponsors.

Regarding Mowbray, he is a waste of a managers jacket. We have some good players and he cant manage. We will struggle to finish second, which is maybe not too bad as we wont have the embarrassment of getting gubbed in the champons league qualifiers.

A complete change of management is needed from boardroom to technical level. Why not move on if you arent bringing anything to the table.

It's a fair assessment, Paul, but in my opinion the consclusion is the wrong one.

The problem is that TM is at his worst when he is at his boldest. It's when the team is lined-up to attack, attack and attack were at out most vulnerable. It paid a small dividend against 10-man St Johnstone but we were punished accordingly against an organised Hibernean and Kilmarnock.

Celtic need to be conservative in their approach just now to grind out results and build confidence in a fragile group of players - but it is simply not in our managements' nature.

Between now and the end of the season there will be more results like last night.

Paul67

"Animate your team". I believe this is where our manager is failing - and is unable to succeed.

I believe we have better players and a better squad than all our rivals. I believed this prior to January but even more so now. My concern is that we do not have a manager capable of rousing the team to combine as one, spirited unit. Can Mowbray become that manager? Time will tell but I do not believe so. I hope I am proved wrong.

Celtic40rme....

you say give him time to turn it around as if it's a fact that he WILL turn it around. Hasn't it occured that he may not turn it around and that all signs and logic are pointing heavily to this fact.

There seem to be no green shoots of progress and we are declining.

Did you think that the sacking of John Barnes was knee-jerk and that he should have been given more time? How many more "kicks up the backside" do this side need?

Celtic40rme

Mate

Every game is huge now!!

We need to win every single game from now on!

It sounds like a cliche because it is but if we take each game one at a time on its own merits we can!

Hail! Hail!

Why are we sponsered by such a crap drink? What next, a joint deal with Electric White?

Oh Jesus, still so depressed after last night. This joint sponsorship deal has done little to change my mood from "scunnered".

I probably agree with Paul 67, I can't see changing manager now being of benefit to the team. Last night I was swaying with thinking BTM time was up, now I think it's time for the management team to earn their money. Make the team gel at Lennoxtown, work at it all the time between now and Sunday. Go to Dunfermline and win. This is a must.

TennentsisaworselagerthanCarling CSC (incorporating BelgianBeers CSC)

Change manager or not, the league flag for season 2009/10 is very unlikely to be green with a white cross on it. We need to think about 2010/11 and what is best for the prospect of winning the title next season. We don't want a short term impact manager to fill the gap this season, we need the right long term manager in place. I don't think Tony will suddenly change his personality to insire his players (and they are mostly his players now)to become that manager. The search should start now for the manager who will win the SPL in 2010/11, even if he is not appointed until July this year.

sums it up!

http://www.snspix.com/pictures_1934071/1934071.html

I have thought about this a lot in the hours since last night discrace (did not sleep to well last night)Those of you who have read my posts over the last few months will know I have never been a fan of TM.I keep giving him one more chance hoping against hope that my opinion on his management qualities are wrong.It has now IMO come to the last chance, he should be given six more games in charge and if there is not a vast improvement in results and performance, including scoreing a lot more goals.he should be shown the door.
I really hope he proves me wrong I really really do.

Guy's last night was the first time i thought that our team shape was wrong especially in the middle of the park.

Ki and N'Guemo looked lost for me. I believe starting from this Sunday that evrything needs to start to click now. Brown will hopefully bring something to us. With players we have i reckon 3 in the middle and maybe 3 up front would be the way to go.

I think Artur, Aiden and Fortune should be dropped. I think Kamara could offer us something through the middle with Keane and Rasmussen. I would play these 3 up front against Dunfermiline. If O'Dea is fiT then he must be brought back in for Loovens. Loovens is fairy.

In all though i am prepared to look at this long term, if Tony can get what he wants out of this players then we will be fine. However, he has to decide on a system. Chopping and changing no use.

We either go back to where we once were and chopping and changing managers every year or we wait. No improvement from now till the end of the season then aye, we might need to re assess.

This shooting and looking for a quick fix for the short term will set us back even further. We need to look long term here.

Paul67

Any news on the numbers behind the Tennents deal?

If we are looking at £1.5mill pa this is less than the current deal, or even the one before that.

Now = £9 mill over 4 years / £2.25mill pa.
Previous = £9mill over 5 years / £1.8mill pa.

From memory so could be wrong.

Paul67 as i said earlier the best thig to do is to give the manager till the next old firm if the gap is closer by then great we move on till the next old firm if it is closer by then we will be in with a shout so leave things as they are but if he fails at the first hurdle of the next old firm he must go or if we're outa cntention by the split he must go, either way a discision must be made before the summer as we do not want to spend a nother summer looking for a manager i think thats partly the reason for our position at the moment bottom line if a new manager is to come i think its best to happen this season so we will be ready for the summer,what do you think?

By CentenaryBhoy on February 3, 2010 11:58 AM

Peter Lawell likes to talk and brag about Celtic being more than a club and the celtic family. Now, how can anyone who actually means this then make business decisions which are ethically and morally wrong and which highlights the PLC boards lack of connection with and awareness of the Celtic Family's feelings and opinions?

a morally repugnant and support alienating business decision all for a sum of money which may or not have been matched by another sponsor. If another sponsor was only willing to give us 1 million per annum then so be it. Yet another example of how far removed the PLC board are from the support.

To this PLC board 'more than a club' is just another catchy marketing jingle. Ironically it certainly is more than a club to these imposters, it is a money generating PLC with vast bonusess and salaries for those lucky enoguh to be employed by the PLC.

I will continue to support Celtic Football Club, but not the PLC.

Forget for a moment our on field travails please.

Are we getting into bed with Rangers on sponsorship?

Talk about burying bad news on a bad news day.

This cannot make sense for our board to alienate a H U G E section of the support by soiling our name with another association with that lot.

Paul, I dont ask you to comment often but say it aint so.

You can buy unbranded tops but only through Celtic shops. Maybe this is the plan?

No point JJB making a profit from those who will still buy the tops.

Draught Tennents Lager is my drink of choice, the reason they sponsors sport is because most people drink it in Scotland, it is amazing the snobbery regarding lager, ooh ill drink american lager cause it has a nice bottle and costs 2 pounds more. FFS

but not from a can.

Paul,

'We are in a horrible situation without a forward path I can put a great deal of faith in. If I thought changing manager.....'

My feelings exactly - the thing is Tony Mowbray has done a great job of re-building the squad and has a good eye for a player!

Yet his results speak for themselves.

Changing managers now could be disastrous.

BUT

Up to now Tony has shown his team's performances are NOT good enough!

It's time for Tony to show if he is a top quality manager who can compete at the highest level

OR

A talented scout, with fanatasist notions of the beautiful game.

Visionary or Idealist Tony, the hourglass is running out!

------------------Apologies for reposting but interested------------

Noticed sum'it in the sponsorship deal announcements;

'CELTIC have today announced a new multi-million pound three-year shirt sponsorship deal with Tennent’s Lager.'

'Rangers Football Club is delighted to confirm Tennent's Lager as the official club and shirt sponsor from season 2010/11.'

Are Tennents our shirt sponsors

BUT

R@ngers club AND shirt sponsors?

Emdee know:-

Aren't Nike our club sponsor?

Does that mean the R@ngers get more emoney on the deal?

IF SO

Would Tennants have sponsored R@ngers if we didn't go along with it? Baring in mind the McEwans deal.

I whole heartedly agree with allgreen 11:56.

The board seem prepared to rest on the fact that the signing of Keane, which has pleased me, showed real intent of bringing the league back home.

Maybe we are slowly buying into the Rangers policy of not sacking managers when it is required.

We are being laughed at as Paul, so rightly stated on a previous post.

Rangers are atrocious at the minute, yet they are so far ahead!

We need to act now before its too late

Champions league money is a lifeline to Rangers and will allow them to strenthen their depleted squad. PL cannot allow this.

In despair in Dubai

Polly67

andybhoy- Bank of Ireland, AIB or Aer Lingus- companies who would not see the dark side as potential customers.

The possibility of many in our support to change bank account/mortgage/loan/insurance etc. to Bank of Ireland/AIB then they would get a tangible return, could open up new business for them.
I would do it if they sponsored our club.

Good article Paul, very sensible. I too believe we should back the manager because it would cause more damage to replace mid season.

Unfortunately, the fact that his record is being compared to Brady and Barnes points to where this will most likely end. Last night he reminded me of Steve Mclaren. All that was missing was the umbrella.

Lubo.

I think we need to change formation drastically. We have all the talent in the league-- and if teams want to come out and play football against us then we will beat them. They are wise to that now-- have been for years-- and wont do it.

They will defend the 18 yard line, try and break if possible knowing we have only one tackler in midfield. They will shut up the wings and be happy to let us play in front of their goal- happy in the knowledge that neither they nor I can remember one of our midfielders having a shot on goal (Im not counting a McGeady curling passback). No amount of pace or skill will ever avail us if defenders are unafraid to stand off and just defend the box.

I was hoping that we would use the power of Rasmussen or Kamara to get amongst them-- but whilst the former never featured, the latter played mostly on the wing where his pace and power would never have any impact over a 10 yard sprint.

I personally have given up hope of winning the league-- Rangers are crap but adapted to their environment perfectly. Celtic need to prove they have viable tactics and plan before the summer and at least close the gap. We can have all the skilful players in the league but we need to be able to just batter the box if other teams refuse to play football.

Pause for thought;

If the press had printed a selection of the comments above, the very people who made the comments would be screaming victimisation and anti-Celtic agendas.

Aiden McGeady is abused at every ground he plays at. He is now on the receving end from fans of his own club

Tony Mowbray will not be sacked by Celtic. He is very unlikey to resign. He needs the support of every Celtic fan.

TGFITW? My arse. How many have said - or decided - they wont be back. Howling with delight on Monday, howling at the moon on Tuesday.

This is a time to unite. The "presssure" is on BTM, according to the radio reports today.

Who puts that pressure on. And think about this, because the answer isnt 'he puts pressure on himself'.

Is it us? Is it you?

BACK THE TEAM

The main reason I think we need to stick with TM for now is this. Increasingly as I watch games these days managers have a 'style' and pick players for that style. They don't get the best players, then play the style that fits them.

Unless a new manager wants to play a similar attacking style that TM claims to be trying for then we may not see a big change in results.

I would add that in the sake of fairness any new manager would need to be allowed 1 or 2 losses. We can't afford that.

The main benefit of getting a new manager in before seasons end is to allow him to assess the team correctly. At split time would probably be the right time to do this if required.

10 games TM. You need to win them all.

There is more to be potentially gained by keeping BTM in charge until end of season. The league was gone pre-window to be honest but what has now happen in last 3 weeks( will is still v short time in football) is that Mowbray now has the increased technical ability he craved. Lets see if he can now install the will the passion and heart into his squad.

however Mowbray will know that he NEEDS to WIN games to give him the space and time to get it right. In reality he is now only a couple of more bad defeats away form losing that opertunity.

If he fails and in my view its now 60/40 against him i hope that the same accume should in the transfer window will be used to secure possible replacements.

The 3 L's will do it for me
Lambert,Larsson, Lennon. European cup Winners, Passion and ability. I would be happy to introduce Willie McStay into that team

SMD

The logo just makes the Celtic top look shabby .Celtic should be discouraging alcohol abuse considering the stadium is in the vicinity of so much poverty and people's only way out is to abuse the stuff. If we dont win the league and I have to clamp eyes on more gloating huns for another year .I know I'll be abusing more to numb the reality lol

IfYouDontLaughYou'llGreetCSC

Jinky

You can buy unbranded tops but only through Celtic shops. Maybe this is the plan?

We shouldn't purchase any merchandise, branded or otherwise. I know this will have a huge impact on our revenue and therefore ability to attract high calibre players but a line must be drawn and we need to show the board that we will not accept joint sponsorship with Rangers.

A good day to bury bad news but what news is being buried. Our joint deal or the dismal performance last night?

Mort

If we want to clinch second place we must replace the manager immediately.

Mac1888

Yes lets ban cars cause x amount of people die each year in road accidents.

Paul,
I have to disagree on the subject of a change in management. If the team can't be motovited to beat Kilmarnock after the boost they got on Monday, what is there to suggest that TM is the type of manager to turn us around in the games left this season?
Doing nothing will bring no change in performance in my opinion, whereas a new man might get the best out of our players

Savo01 - Tennent's and the huns are a match made in heaven. A couple of low rent brands. Tennents was probably the rocket fuel of choice at the infamous Manchester riots!

Nike didn't, and evidently couldn't give a toss about not sponsoring the huns alongside us. They would gladly take a hit on any boycott of sales in the west of scotland and specific parts of NI. That's the only areas in which the huns operate anyway. In knowledge that Celtic are a more global brand.

We implore for the Celtic to 'make statements' about the odious songs that lot sing. We're paid lip services by comments about the huns being 'boring holy willies', and how we will act 'without fear or favour'. That's all it is .. lip service. Talk is cheap.

Celtic are complicit with the huns in this deal. Part of the same 'old firm' a tag that makes me sick to my stomach.

I would love to see go back to the reasons they were founded - a shirt purely charitable 'sponsorship' with an organisation like unicef, DEC or an equally laudable move as mentioned before with a medical research charity. Sales would go through the roof - for ethical reasons.

.

Tony, you're new to this but we've done it before back in 2008. The way forward requires you and your staff to strain every muscle and expire every breath in your lungs. Animate your team, throw off the distant look on the touchline, throw off the jacket and get the sleeves rolled up. Throw off your simmet and bare your torso if that's what it takes to reach the swiitch inside your players' heads.

You really must believe us.....

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Middlesbrough is a Dour Place....Middlesbrough People are Dour People....

Gordon Strachan and Boro are a Match Made in Heaven....See Above....

Tony Needs.... a Leader on the Park....I Believe Scott Brown is the Only Man for the Job....He Should have Started the Game as Captain even Half Fit....

Shout at His Team Mates....In the Refs Face....Organise the New Bhoys Till they Settle in....It would Give Brown Focus and Channel his Energy IMHO....

Back to Middlesbrough....Roy Chubby Brown....Vic but Not Bob....Captain Cook....all Boro Legends....

Tony Mowbray....Celtic and Boro....*&^%$#....?

Show them Tony....Good Managers Don't Come From France....Jamaica or Eire...."They Koom Frooom the Booraaa"....

007

007

I was pushing for Lambert between October and December 09 but then thought Mowbray deserved a chance when getting rid of the dross and bringing in the new bhoys. Last night was dire in parts. "Defending" on the 6 yard box at their goal. Why? Get the whole team pushed 25 yards up the park and squeeze the opposition. Don't play Naylor again. Sort out the free kicks and corners and penalties before the match starts. Pressure the ooposition and referees physically. Get in their faces. Win the battles then win the games.

Scott Brown as Captain is worrying. Does that mean he is an automatic starter? Play Rasmussen as we badly need goals, play Robbie off him.

The Board will Give TM until after the R*****s game. If no big improvement then he will go, voluntarily or otherwise.

The sponsorship deal will have to be "swallowed". Their are more important things to worry about!

Believe!

Most people who live in povery cant afford cars andybhoy .Kinda hard to abuse a car innit ? That is a lame argument dude .

madmitch@12.13 - it's been reported as £9M over 3 years split evenly ie £1.5M each per year.

I'm not convinced it's an even split though. We have a bigger fan base and sell more merch. On that basis I'd expect it to be split more heavily in our favour.

Probably wishful thinking on my part.

Seems to me that the only, & i do mean only, possibility that we have to get back into this title race is to immediately dismiss the manager. Someone who can motivate the players, & play a tactical system that works with the players we have, is needed.

Now.

Actually, it was needed back in october, when it was glaringly obvious he wasn't up to the job (which, to be fair, he was never likely to have been- the reasons those in charge at our club had for thinking he should be appointed in the first case are genuinely baffling).

If we do so, then there may or may not be a response from the players. There is no guarantee that they will start to perform. The damage has probably already been done in terms of our ability to win the SPL this year. But, there is no chance that we can win with Tony. Not a snowball's chance in hell.

We won't dismiss him. We will probably still finish second. Probably.

Isn't that a truly dreadful indictment of the manager, that anyone is thinking that we will only probably finish in the first 2 in the SPL?

poverTy :)

T

I really like Tony Mowbray from what I know of him, and I desperately want him to succeed as Celtic manager, but there are too many straws being added to the camel's back now.

I could accept finishing second this season if it was at least a close run thing, but for the league to be realistically over by the first week of February is unacceptable.

I keep hearing things like, "we need to win every game now," or "If the gap is closed by such and such a time."

These are things we regularly heard from the likes of Barry Ferguson in happier times. It's not going to happen. Rangers will drop plenty of points between now and May, but if I was a betting man, all my money would be on us dropping even more than them. The only way the current ten point gap is going to move in the next few weeks is in the wrong direction.

Not only have we thrown the league away, we've gifted it to a team who we are man-for-man miles better than. It all comes down to the manager - that's why MON turned a 21 point deficit into almost as big an advantage in one season.

This is Celtic's le Guen moment. We either have to back or sack Tony, and we have to do it right now. Never mind waiting till the end of the season, it's dead time now. We either start planning for next season now, or we limp on till the summer and waste the next four months with a lame duck manager.

A decision now has to be made - this season is over. Do we believe Tony can win it next season? If so, back him. If not, sack him. Right now.

If you didnt give these people alcohol legally, they would be smacked up.

Paul67:

On the whole I tend to agree with you although a day later, I am still unable to keep emotion and anger out of my thoughts. I am actually in a strange way, jealous of Kilmarnock and Calderwood maximising their resouirces and effectiveness In a way that Tony Mowbray seems unable to do with Celtic. It is a basic essential of good management that I don't think he will ever have. Annoyed at myself for the negativity of the post but there you are......

last nights result was the last straw for me regarding TM.no motavation no desire just nothing coming from the manager or his back up men.he has to go the sooner the better.he should have stuck with the same eleven that played against hamilton on saturday. a blind man could see that keane and kamara are short of match fitness We have the makings of a very good football side but i am afraid to say TM is not the manager for them.here is 6 million dollar question who do we go for to be the next manager of celtic football club.

Paul67
I think you may have missed the point in your new article.
To keep the status quo is to risk losing second spot.
We need someone to come in now in place of Tony Mowbray to see us through to second place in the league.
That is the most important thing left this season.
Hibs and Dundee Utd will almost certainly fancy their chances of doing what Hearts done to Rangers when Mceish was their manager when they pipped them for second.
In order to finish second we surely could look at Trappatoni to come in and do this on a temporary basis till the end of the season as The Republic of Ireland don't have any meaningful games up till then.
We have to get this place as we will then have the qualifiers for the Champions League at least.

Do we have the squad capable of putting together the required run to win this league? Absolutely

Do we have a first 11 capable of winning every game until the end of the season? Absolutely

Is it conceivable that Rangers will drop 4 points outwith the derbies? Absolutely

Is Tony Mowbray capable of getting this out of the team? Absolutely Not

With Mowbray in charge we will be lucky to finish second. Last night was a complete disgrace. I cannot ever remember a Celtic team being sent out in such an important match looking so disorganised and shapeless. The starting 11 was a farce. Bringing on a right sided midfielder to play left back when we were chasing a goal and had a focal point sitting on the bench was not only baffling. It was worrying. Which was compunded by his excuse. "We needed width". No we didn't Tony. We had too much width. That was the problem all night. You had 4 attackers who prefer to work outside the box and no focal point. In midfield this left 2 guys to cover 5. It was a formation that would be sent out by somebody looking to be sacked...

He is tactically inept.
He is a Master Demotivator.
He should be nowhere near our club.

The time for discussing whether or not he should have continued in the job was in October.

There is no logical explanation at the moment for any discussion whatsoever.

Go Tony. Go now.

I'm astonished.

We wanted rid of Strachan and we got it.

We keep saying it takes time for players and managers to adapt to being with our great club. But we get ecstatic when we turn over about 33% of our playing pool in a month.

And then we get delirious when we bring in the blue chip signing in similar circumstances to Bellamy and the eponymous Roy. Neither of them brought any benefit in terms of football success, why do we expect Robbie to be any better?

Then bump.

I said this in December and stand by it. We were about 2 or 3 players and a handful of disgraceful refereeing decisions away from being a right good side in December. The January strategy is high risk.

But.

It hasn't failed yet.

Sack the manager now? What damaged goods we have become.

Bhoys bhoys bhoys. Where are the adhults adhults adhults?

well said mort. Last nights result is irrelevant compared to the sponsorship deal that has just been confirmed.

How many people die from substance abuse compared to freely available alcohol abuse ?

Keep them coming

Heroin and alcohol are both drugs,ones legal the other aint .The legal one does far more damage to society.I can assure you.

Paul

Best article you've written my good man, there is no option other than supporting the management team given the wholesale changes he has just made to the squad

That said, he needs to go see the headmaster to be told exactly whats expected

we have the players, the facilities and the opportunity, now the manager needs to show that he has the ging gangs to achieve

M

Even with the previous set of players TM should have been able to at least keep pace with a poor Rangers team and certainly manage to be more than only 2 points in front of Hibs.

If a supposedly top manager can't get a team to click after 23 games, when is he going to?

The excuse of this 'not being his team' has gone now and, although last night was only the first game with the new crew, the shape, the tactics and the substitutions didn't bode well for the future.

The next couple of games will surely determine TM's fate.

PS I never drink Tennents anyway but I hate the idea of joint sponsorship again.

chennaiseabird February 3, 2010 12:27 PM

Great post !

It will be the refereeing decisions that gets us in the end.

Hail Hail

i watched the team coach arrive last night and tm sat in the front seat til everyone got off, his expression like a rabbit in the headlights and paralysed with fear.
now this was our unveiling of our new signings he should have been pumped up exuding confidence but he cut in my view a pathetic figuer.
for his and our sakes he must be relieved of his burden, this job is too big for him. he has not grasped that we must win the battles on the park in midfield and defence and then concentrate on attack
time to go now

The key to any hope of a comeback (us) and crash (Rangers) lies in our collective confidence (players and fans). TM is damaged beyond repair. He has become our Paul Le Guen.

Confidence was a little higher until last night and now it is lost. I feel any hope of a Rangers crash and comeback from us will be borne from massive immediate change.

We need to take massive action now.

That means change of manager for a seasoned pro who will get the best out of these players. TM does not ooze confidence or belief so why will anybody else!

If we do nothing we will not win the league and lets be honest who really sees TM being there for three seasons?.

It has not and will not work. His record is too bad and brings confidence to our rivals and makes us nervous with every mis adventure. Rangers will not be fearing us even if they suffered one defeat or even two.

I admired the comment last night about Celtic being like watching a car crash in slow motion but I liken our situation as starting a long journey with a car that keeps breaking down. You just would not do that you'd replace or fix the car. TM cant be fixed.

What have we to lose. TM is broken and we will not finish the journey with him. Bring in the (I suspect) available Irish Manager and lets see what happens. Good manager and good squad at least gives us a chance!

as just about all the players are new therefore whoever is the manager will be new to them so changing manager is irrelevant as to how they will settle.

also it seems a lot of the players (Fortune & Kamara apart) are 'scouted' signings rather than 'Mowbray' signings so again changing manager is not an issue in this respect.

get the Ramis cash used to sort out the managerial mess.

so, at what point does Tony have to go ?

a cup defeat next week form a lower league side ?
another home defeat before end of february ?
another away defeat before the end of february ?
an away deafeat against them ?
hibs moving to 2nd place.

have we at any point this year put together a sequence of 5 wins ?

any of the defeats are more likely than a winning run .

sorry Big guy, but its just not working.

no to joint sponsorship, shame on us.

Paul 67
Paul,I understand the rationale that TM out only further confuses the issue,however it does not appear as if he has laid down any significant groundwork,nor are any of the imports "Tony " men with the exceptions of MAF and Kamara being previous players.

If I could only see some desire,some anger,some direction,I would be more enthused that we have some plan,alas I do not think he is a guy who recognises that our view of urgency is immediate as opposed to futuristic.

I dont have the answer but I do have a thumping headache since last night.

As I said in an earlier post,a criminal surrender of our psychological advantage and I dont think he really understands that yet.

Furthermore he only recently grasped ( maybe )that the media,the refs,and even the bloody 2 jimmys are all working hard for the greater good,talk about circling the wagons,we have done more to divert attention from the other mobs financial plight than their own Board.

On to Dunfermline,migraines cant get enough of them!

From the previous article, like a few others I think this total lack of respect for us, is much worse than the defeat last night. Does CFC not gauge supporters opinions before embarking on something like this, even worse if they have they done so and decided that our opinions don't count?
I'm backing TM's Celtic until the end of the season, I'll back the Celtic board in 3 yrs time when hopefully this insane deal with the devil has ended.

vmhan on February 3, 2010 11:08 AM
BT just text me, the sponsorship with der hun has just been confirmed, FFS was the RK signing meant to deflect our feelings about this.

I will purchase nothing with Tennants on it, and will not have anything in my house with their advertising, therefore merchandise from myself my two adult bhoys and wife will be lost.

The board have shown their total lack of respect for the supporters of this club, they have stepped over the mark on this.

A new banner from our supporters will be a large

“CELTICS WORLDWIDE REPUTATION” going down the lavvy pan.

I am not part of an old firm…. not in my name.

Hx2

BT

Is Tennents the only lager in the £2 pints deal? Never noticed whats on offer, this deal has major repercussions if it is.

EN

Long time lurker, first time caller...

Sorry folks, can someone explain to me the reasoning behind thinking BTM will turn this around? Have I missed something in his track record? Was it a different Tony Mowbray in charge at West Brom?

If you think there is a chance we can win this, I'll have whatever you're drinking. The Cardigan gives TFOD consistency. Smith knows how to win the SPL in his sleep and I can guarantee you that the remaining two derby games will be like watching a re-run of the 90's. Loads of pressure, maybe some great play, but alas it will be to no avail. All they will do is grind out draws and that is all they need to do.

The way we have let the orcs off the hook has been nothing short of negligent. We have had the opportunity to slay them once and for all and we bottle it when it's time to make tough decisions. We bottled it with Strachan, and we're bottling it with Mowbray. Make the break now.

At what point do we draw the line and say enough is enough? The end of the season? It'll take time to get the right management team in place, leaving even less time to prepare for Europe, if we are lucky enough to be in that position. Replace Mowbray now and at least we would give the new man a couple of months to make an impact, but more importantly, the opportunity to start building for next season NOW. We absolutely cannot afford to be rebuilding next season only to let TFOD claim all the CL money again

I cannot believe we are going to persevere with a manager who's track record tells us in no uncertain terms he cannot, or will not, turn this around and no amount of belief, goodwill or hope is gonna change that folks. Time for a reality check.

WeAreTheNewWestBrom CSC.

I just dont get this,is Carling a classier lager?

We have had a joint sponsorship with an alcohol company for the past 5 years.I honestly cannot remember one line of critcism on this blog in all that time.

Please note this is not a comment about the rights and wrongs of joint sponsorship, or indeed drink companies sponsorship

Its about why is everyone throwing thier arms up in horror now when this situation has been in place for the last 5 years without a whimper.

This is a bit of a double edged sword here. I think the players brought in are a vast improvement on last years squad, on the other hand I don’t think the manager can use these players effectively.

Personally I think his time is up

the CEO told Sky that the squad was weak. did nothing about it in the summer mind.

we have moved on players most of us wanted rid of. loovens,Mick,Caldwell,Naylor etc have been atrocious at the back. up front we have missed chance after chance. imagine how many points we would have if the clowns who are paid thousands of pounds per week to put a ball in the net, actually did their jobs.

the man is cursed.

I hope he can get some luck, injuries to stop and strikers to strike.

we can go on a run of wins and that will have to include 2 against the Huns. the Huns do not have the squad to maintain an unbeaten run.

I think we can win this league.

UC

Paul,
I appreciate your search for balance and thoughtfulness in your articles. You are not prone to knee-jerk reactions, nor do you subscribe to a mob mentality.

My opinion of Tony Mowbray's managerial ability goes considerably beyond last night's fiasco.

Tony is an idealist. And that is fair enough, I suppose. There may be many football managers who have a wee bit of that in them. However, the successful ones never let that get in the way of pragmatism.

Tony, while manager of WBA, as they were in freefall out of the epl, was quoted as saying that we would not change how his team played. He had his ideals, and was sticking to them, regardless. Regardless of the results.

That comment, in itself, should have ruled him out of the Celtic job. In fact, it should have cost him his job at WBA.

Tony, of course, inherited some poor players. However, surprisingly for a team that was widely viewed as having UNDER performed under Gordon Strachan.....he made them worse.

Sure, he can't be faulted for the failings of the individuals he inherited. Mistakes in both penalty boxes were always going to happen with these players. But his 'ideals' have gotten in the way. Blinded by some mirage of a football team playing according to his vision, he has left us with FIVE strikers....and no midfield to speak of.

You simply can't operate a football team - at any level - in this way. Just think of what happens when our opponents head the ball out of their own penalty box. Picture the scene. It doesn't matter if you are thinking of Hibs, hearts, Falkirk...or even Kilmarnock last night. The result is the same.

Ball comes out, 25 yards from goal. Wim Jansen's famous 'second ball'. Who is scrapping for it? Landry...sometimes. Ki? Nope. Crosas? Nope. ZZ? nope. Answer: some opponent whose name we don't know, earning not much more than the guy who drives our team bus.

What next? 10 passes from their box to ours. No-one in our midfield gets close to the ball. No meaningful pressure on the very limited opponents. Nothing resembling a tackle. Always outnumbered as the opposition breaks over the halfway line. Not sometimes. Every time. Opposition managers love this about us.

We have no midfield. Tony doesn't bother with such things.

The only time that we came remotely close to having a midfield was when Maloney got injured and we moved on from having 2 wingers. Robson came in and gave us some dig. Backed up by the intelligence and composure of Crosas and N'Guemo, we actullay started to get some shape.

But no. Robson was sacrificed for flashy baubles in the form of MORE strikers. Can't have enough strikers. Crosas was sacrificed in the name of Aiden. Can't have enough wingers.

Those of us who have never played professionally tend to know our place. We don't know football like the pros do. Or so we are told. But that being said, Celtic don't need Tony's ideals. We have plenty ideals of our own. Substantive ones. Earned throughout our history.

What Celtic needed for this season was simple. Shape, balance, dig, determination. Pragmatism, if you like.

It is with no great joy that I come to the conclusion that we are now in pre-season for 2010/11. Celtic should learn from the lack of time that Tony had to prepare last summer.

Time to do the right thing.
Ronnie

notthebus

We had the chance to change it.

Paul - I think your gut reaction last night was the right one! What you're asking of TM today might not be within his gift and I think what we've witnessed over the last four months supports that argument.
I still believe we can win this league, but we'll need to win almost all of the remaining games and pressurise TFOD. The only way I can see that happening is with a new man at the helm.

Teams generally represent the characteristics of their manager and this current team has no leadership and very few winners within its ranks. Basic building blocks that should have been in place from the start.

Mr Z's idea last night about Avram Grant isn't a bad shout for the remainder of this season. He wouldn't jump about the touchline, but he would play the best players and play them to their strengths.
Do the honourable thing, Tony.

TTTT

I support Tony Mowbray

He arrived late in the Summer, was given limited support in the Transfer market and armed with the largely the smae team as last year delivered the same results.

In this Transfer window he has generated his own transfer kitty through ruthlessly despatching last years failures , he has successfully targetted better players and enters the 2nd half of his first season with a squad which has the potential to play the Celtic way and deliver results.

....and he has been given Robbie Keane by the board in an attempt to kick start the support.

The last point was the only part of the jigsaw that was not in our managers / board strategic plans. It was, by their own admission, an opportunity that came there way on the final day of the window.

As happy as I was on hearing the news, in the cold light of day I am more wary of the implications of Robbie's arrival. For the 4 months of his stay, he is clearly guaranteed a starting place. Regardless of opposition he will play in his natural role just of the front man however

- We only have one natural fron man - Rassmussen, an unknown quantity
- that is precicely the role that Kamara desires
- it also occupies much of the space that Aiden likes to utilise

We are potentially left with an ebarassment of riches up front that rapidly looks imbalanced as soon as Robbie puts on the jersey. It is the same issue that Benitez and Redknapp faced in the last year.

How Tony solves this issue will determine whether he survives the season in order to deliver his long term strategy.

For me, I would take away the pressure by forgetting about winning this League. a collection of errors at all levels in the past 12 months have determined that a poor Rangers side will win a second consecutive title.

Measure Tony Mowbray on the last 10 games of the season, form, shape and results. That will tell us if he is worthy of the job and of the ogoing support of fans and the board.

I for one have faith and look forward to enjoying Tony's 2010 / 11 Vintage

Deeply depressed and painfully disappointed this morning.

I just don't know where we go from here. Part of me says that you can't sack your manager two days after a transfer window where he has patently made the squad much stronger than it was (and made a profit).

But a bigger part of me says that failing to sack him will see us end the season in 3rd or even 4th place. When I see Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus looking on wide-eyed on the touchline my overwhelming emotion is not of disappointment or anger, but of pity. They don't know what they're doing. They're way out of their depth.

So on balance I think we should perform the football equivalent of a mercy killing and get Paul Lambert in. The fact that he has managed Wycombe and Norwich are good omens as far as I'm concerned! Better still, he knows what it's like to play in a dominant Celtic team and to win the Champions League.

Bringing him in now will give him 4 months to learn the ropes without the pressure of being in a title race, and allow him to get to know the squad - who he wants to keep and who he wants to let go - before the summer.

I just hope we do it now. I fear we'll be out of the Cup at the weekend as well if we don't.

Here is a scary question:
Would anybody be surprised if we fail to beat the Pars this Sunday

notthebus.

I honestly cannot remember one line of criticism on this blog in all that time.

Didn´t know you had me on ignore bud. We must have had a run in in the past ?

5 years and counting

HAil Hail

timjim - Nope

geebee 1978 when you say names such as Lambert,Grant etc have been mentioned I hope you dont mean Peter Grant, just what exactly does he do? He was assistant coach at Bournemouth when they were relegated, he took Norwich to the foot of the championship before he was sacked and was btm,s coach when WBA went down. Why does this man havea job at Parkhead? Bring Lenny back on to the scene lets have a bit of passion on the bench!

Anyone who honestly thinks a Tony Mowbray managed team can win at Ibrox vs the current MIB's is away with the fairies.

Our best manager in the last 30 years only managed 2 or 3 wins at Ibrox at a time when we were the dominant force.

Mowbray took over Hibs when they were 6th in the league and inmproved them all the way up to 6th when he left. He got WBA relegated by the end of Feb. He has lost us this title by the start of January.

This is just a taster of the problems such a weak man allow week in and week out -

He allows THG's kicking to deteriorate as rapidly as his belly grows.

He allows the refs to do whatever they want against out team without even a whimper.

He builds his team around McGeady who has perhaps won 10 matches in his whole Celtic career throught his "skills".

He makes Loovens captain - a Centre Half who never wins a defensive header.

He employs Peter Grant as one of his coaches - this is a guy who was hopeless as a player (what were the odds of him being a good coach?)

Please get Sparky in TODAY and we may still have a chance this season.

This group of players is running rings round Mowbray because he doesn't have a scary bone in his body.

Are the hun players scared of Smith?
Are the manure millionaires scared of Sir furious?
Are the Villa player terrified of St Martin?

YOU BET YOUR ARSE THEY ALL ARE.

MOWBRAY GTF - you were an appalling choice in the first place (fresh from relagation) and you are ruining my club. Your Celtic teams are gutless, brainless and directionless.

PLEASE RESIGN IMMEDIATELY

Apologies if this offends anyone or seems harsh, but I am so sick and angry today, that I cannot help but have my say.

am i missing something here or have we not had joint sponsorship deals for nearly 20 years?

This season is one of nearlys. Of missed chances and missed opportunities. Of what ifs.

How many games "should" we have won? How often have we created chances only to see them missed or a string of opposition keepers have the game of their lives? How often have we left grounds frustrated?

But the big question is - how do we change this?

I can't see the case for changing the manager right now. After a massive squad refresh we need some stability. How would our new players feel if the manager they signed for left after only one game?

Bringing in so many players was a gamble, but one that we needed to take. And it was such a large gamble simply because we did not have points to play with. We needed an instant impact - and we all know what happened last night.

I used a poker analogy yesterday to describe our chances. Today that needs to be modified. We got a really bad card on the turn, but we are pot committed. Our chances of hitting on the river are now very slim.

Tony Mowbray needs to sort his first team out now. Decide on a formation to play his new players in. One that allows us to build a platform from midfield in order to supply our undoubted attacking talent. One that enables us to dominate teams that we should really be playing off the park.

He must find a way to win football games, starting on Sunday.

goldstar10 12.08pm;

Just done it.

i see someone else made the point before me

Lubo, 12:16

You stated that "I too believe we should back the manager because it would cause more damage to replace mid season"

I'm sorry, but how much worse can we get? I watched the Hamilton and Kilmarnock games, not to mention the dross that went before. And never mind being caught by Hibs, we're not that far away from falling into fourth place in the league!!

Mowbray is statistically the worst manager we've ever had, he has shown no improvement since his arrival... the list goes on.

How much worse can it get???

By notthebus on February 3, 2010 12:34 PM
I just dont get this,is Carling a classier lager?

Its about why is everyone throwing thier arms up in horror now when this situation has been in place for the last 5 years without a whimper.

The last 5 years were a done deal, at that time joint sponsorship was sold as the best way to get a deal. An alcohol company, many didnt like it, but many others are unconcerned at that time.

Move forward five years, and I believe society is now becoming more aware of the problems caused by alcohol, Scotlands politicians are more atuned to getting the nation on a healthier footing (smoking bans, alcohol minimum pricing, etc), personally I still drink, but I hope my kid doesnt in future years, so why would I want a top with an alcohol producer on it ?

I am up in arms for various reasons -

* no to joint sponsorship
* no to promoting an unhealthy product
* no to it being a "scottish brand" , its too parochial

we are paying high wages to executives, and this is the best they can come up with,

come on, its very poor return.

Gordon j
How long do we give TM if the results & performances do not improve

Celtic40rme,

the only thing you missed was Manchester riots, Pamapolna riots, Benidorm riots, Bucharest riots, Big Jock Knows and The Famine song.

Where have you been bud these last 10 years ?

The Celtic board room ?

HAil Hail

I am Suggesting the following letter to Celtic PLC Board/Merchandise Department regarding Joint Sponsorship.

Dear Sirs

It is with dismay that I learn of Celtic FC's proposed joint sponsorship with Rangers FC by Tennents.

I, along with many others, am totally opposed to joint sponsorship with Rangers FC and urge the club to re-consider its position.

For quite some time, our club has aired legitimate concerns about sectarian/racist behaviour by fans of Rangers FC.

The board of our club has also repeatedly pointed out the unique position of Celtic FC in Scotland as the only club with a truly worldwide fan base.

Neither of the above circumstances have changed. The sectarian/racist behaviour of Rangers fans has continued. Indeed, in addition, the memory of the late Jock Stein has been tarred by the same fans.

Our worldwide appeal and potential remains untapped.

There is absolutely no financial need for such a move. There are other companies and organisations who would be attracted by the opportunity to sponsor Scotland's largest club.

Even if alternative sponsors offered less money to the club, I would urge the board to consider same for reasons I will come to.

Even if no alternative sponsor could be found,a sponsor-less Hoops kit (or one emblazoned with a charity logo) would prove extremely popular. Just look to the example of FC Barcelona. A charity sponsor would also be consistent with the founding principals of our club.

Regretfully, I do not intend to purchase any Tennents-branded merchandise in circumstances where Tennents also sponsor Rangers FC. I believe many Celtic fans share this view.

The reasons are clear;

1. I do not wish to, in effect, financially support Rangers FC (in view of the circumstances of concern outlined above);
2. I believe that to support joint sponsorship undermines the club's ongoing concerns regarding the behaviour of the fans of Rangers FC;
3. A joint sponsorship package portrays a lack of ambition and imagination on the part of the board and in effect suggests that our club is satisfied to remain within the current limited financial environment of the SPL alongside Rangers FC. Even if our club Board disputes this position factually, this will remain a matter of justifiable perception;
4. Any joint sponsorship arrangements only perpetuates the 'Old Firm' tag, which is opposed by the vast majority of Celtic fans;
Celtic fans have been lauded throughout the world, including the unprecedented receipt of a FIFA Fair Play award. The travelling fans of Rangers FC have been vilified as a result of repeated incidents in Europe. Joint sponsorship blurs the clear distinction between the respective clubs' reputations. The media have needed no encouragement to peddle the myth that both clubs "are as bad as each other";
5. I believe that alternative financial relationships may prove more beneficial to Celtic FC or would mitigate substantially a move away from joint sponsorship and that alternative arrangements (e.g. stadium naming rights) offer alternative and more lucrative and appropriate revenue opportunities;
6. The Tennents brand is not a brand of reputation that should be linked with our club.
7. Continued sponsorship by alcohol companies, in the context of the deleterious effects of alcohol, particularly in Scotland, runs contrary to the founding principals of our club and the ethos and values of Brother Walfrid;
8. The custodianship of Celtic Football Club should be about more than pure arithmetic. There are compelling moral reasons to oppose such a joint sponsorship, as referred to above. A moral ethos is entirely consistent both with prudent financial management and the mover-arching founding principals of our club.

I urge the custodians of our club to listen to the fans. The vast majority do not want joint sponsorship. The vast majority do not wish to be viewed as one half of the "Old Firm".

For too long, the perception of many fans has been that the board's obsession with Rangers FC has stifled the potential of the club. Another joint sponsorship move will do nothing to alter this perception. I urge the board to look beyond the other side of the Clyde River, to Europe and beyond, with a level of ambition and imagination to match the dedication of the fans of our great club.

Yours in Celtic

Ah well I have to venture out ,ran out of ciggies

Hood up ,heid down ,so I dont make eye contact with any huns :(

Take care lhads

sloleybhoy

Mowbray arrived 16 June - that is not late summer. He had plenty of time to sort things out before the closing of the summer transfer window.

measure the manager in the last 10 games when the title is already over ?

you seem of those with a soft spot for him which prevents you from seeing the shambles on the pitch.

Paul67 - I agree with you, but unfortunately I don't think we'll win the league with the manager we have at present and I think it's a question of when, rather than if, Tony Mowbray parts company with the Celtic job.

I'm pleased at the sort of players he's been bringing in (e.g. Hooiveld, Rasmussen, Ki) and also the ones we've tried to sign (Ramis), these moves have shown an imagination which was often lacking under Gordon Strachan and, dare I say it, Martin O'Neill.

However, the most important part of the manager's job is to organise and motivate the team to win games. I haven't seen much evidence that Tony is capable of that, quite the opposite.

For the last few months, I've been trying to give Tony the benefit of the doubt, hoping that he would turn things around, but if past performance is an indication of what we can expect in future, there is no reason to believe that the dramatic improvement needed will happen with Mr Mowbray at the helm.

We have gone dramatically backwards since Gordon Strachan. Even in his fourth season, we managed to contest the league till the bitter end. Even though the football we played was often turgid, for the most part you felt Celtic would somehow scrap to a win, rather than waiting for the inevitable cheaply conceded goals.

I was delighted with the imagination and ambition the Board showed in getting Robbie Keane and other players in. Unfortunately these resources are being wasted because of the lack of imagination and ambition the Board showed back in the summer when recruiting for the most important single role at the club.

I hope Tony proves me wrong, but I fear the writing is already on the wall, and it says "Nice guy, but...".

It would be wrong to sack him now, but the Board aren't doing their job properly if they aren't already thinking about who might be the next Celtic manager. In the meantime, if Tony undergoes an improbable transformation from weedy Bruce Banner type to a snarling, roaring, winning Incredible Hulk of a manager, then I will gratefully take back everything and apologise for having ever doubted the guy. (thumbsup)

Paul
I have spent a long time think about this. Back when WGS was appointed I said we would know if he was a good manager if the EPL clubs came knocking: they didn’t. I think that sums it up.

However WGS looks like a colossus compared to BTM. This man has reduced our team of committed journeymen who won the league 3 times against poor opposition, to a group of players without structure, fight or motivation and with no hope of winning anything. By the way none of the English PL, Championship or diddy league clubs are clambering for BTM to be appointed. He is not our man either.

I hate to say this, but I fully expect Dunfermline to win on Sunday. Do you think he will do the honourable thing and go then? Or do we have to endure the humiliation of a treble celebration at Castle Grey Skull.
Hail Hail

HT

weeronn

a very accurate post

fancy ideas and philosophies don`t win football matches

a happy medium would be ideal ...but win ugly if needs be ...most of the time we are not even losing on style

weeronn

nail on the head there, our midfield is by and large bypassed by every team, there is no dig / closing down/ making the opposition work hard for possesion, its like the dustbins in training.
we need to stop this idealistic 2 man midfield with wingers not tackling back or at all. we are a man or two short in the middle in every game, why, BTM and his joyous ideal of free flowing footie, it just doesnt work and we must remove him if we are to improve and get second place.
oh for a pragmatic MON type who would start at the back and make us hard to beat again, until then we are in freefall and i'm not looking forward to fife at theweekend with this regime still in charge.

Mark Hughes

No-one else see the irony that the favoured drink of the homeless is Tennants?!?

Jaiket on :-)

timjim... we'll scrape a win by one goal, with the usual flapping from Boruc, disjointed play, no bite, no shape, missing chances, with us either hanging on or chasing a game we should have closed down, for the last 20 mins. In fact more of the same we've had all season. And the worst thing is that we will be no further on and the taxi will be put on hold until a worse result dictates. Sorry, but TM's days must be numbered. We have invested and how it has lifted our spirits (it's only two days ago I couldn't sleep for excitement, now it's for depression). Continue to be bold Celtic. Either get Willie McStay in to stabilise us and give him a year and a half with this squad or get Lambert. But do it soon. My nerves can't take this.

Dammit, I was meant to stay away from this forum for a but 30 minutes later and I'm back!

TM has not yet got a system that works because his players form has been so inconsistant that he doesn't know what works best yet.

To add to this he has signed a load of new players who need time to bed in.

To give him some advise I would tell him to add some steal to the midfield. Rest Aiden and bring in Crosas and Brown.

Brown - NGuemo - Crosas

If he take my advise we will hit top form on Sunday and go on an unbeaten run till the end of the season.

I'm Tony Mowbray!

No Celtic manager can survive without some support from the fans. I reckon the split is about 80 -20 in favour of him being sacked immediately.Sure we have had tough times in the past the late 50's early 60's and the 90's all spring to mind. I think though the crucial point is is that Celtic have never in their history enjoyed such a decisive financial advantage over Rangers and the rest of the scottish league. This is not insignifiacnt as far as the latter is concerned.

When Big Billy left in 1983 4 scottish league managers earned more than him. Later that decade Aberdeen outbid us to sign Nicholas. There may be other examples.

In other words the circumstances have never been more in our favour.We can outbid and outpay all our rivals particularly our most deadly one. This is unique historically. Even in the Stein era Rangers had more financial clout than we did as they had had for the previous 50 years. Billy, Brady, Macari and Barnes all had this to surmount.
There are as they say no excuses. TM has to go.

There is no way back for Tony's team.

I base this on the evidence of how he sets up his teams. He continually puts out an under manned midfield and continually receives the same results.

I posted this pre match last night.

thomthethimAuthor Profile Page on February 2, 2010 7:04 PM

We look light in midfield. I hope Ki can help Nguemo.

It's gonna be tough.

Three non prolific strikers, none of whom plays in the box and offered little or nothing in support of Nguemo and Ki played into the hands of a barely competent Killie defence.

I would exclude Fortuné from criticism, as he at least worked the defence.

I misread the official club statement re Keane's debut. I thought he would make his first appearance against Hearts.

How could a guy who trained at Spurs in the morning, considered a deal from Celtic and arrived in Glasgow after 11pm, before before having a press conference and a "meet the fans" scene around midnight, be expected to be match fit the same evening?

What must Ramusson have thought, sitting on the bench watching his replacements?

Going back to my original point. In recent games the manager has sacrificed the midfield to play two wingers and two strikers and one winger and three "strikers".

Each time, teams have walked through our midfield and damaged us. Not to play Crossas alongside Nguemo is culpable and shows the contempt TM has for the importance of a dominating midfield.

Everyone knows that Mc. Geady needs a rest, but he has hung the boy out to dry as even some who always supported him are questioning his effectiveness.

I'm sorry, but Tony is destroying the team.

timjim,

If results don't go our way in the next few weeks the league will be lost for certain. By that I mean we must win every game up to and including the Glasgow derby.

And if that doesn't happen we will then need to begin to build for next season - and that would involve a change of manager.

I am disillusioned with Tony Mowbray like everyone else. We are in an awful situation right now. But my argument for his staying is simply that making the change right now would make the situation worse.

Tony Mowbray is in the last chance saloon.

Panda Hands - Is it? I thought the liked superlager or Diamond White. (thumbsup)

By greenjedi on February 3, 2010 12:46 PM
Mark Hughes

It would be negligent not to at least ask

Paul,

Sometimes you have to take the difficult path. Sometimes blind faith and loyalty are more destructive.

I had so high hopes for Anton Mor. As a footballer and as a man I found him inspirational.

As a manager he is lost. He is lurching from one disaster to the next. You can hear it in every word he utters. You can see it in his demeanour. Results do not lie. If you could see some light at the end of the tunnel you could put up with this disastrous season. But we seem rudderless. Maybe its not all his fault. But he carrys the can. He needs to go. I do not feel good about saying that.

Celtic40rme,

I don’t know if you live in Scotland, but their vile attitude towards everything Celtic has gone beyond anything I have ever known, and over the years thats a lot. This was our chance to say. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Poll Time

If you think BTM should resign vote Yes
or
If you think BTM should stay vote No

Now that the dust has started to settle a bit last night's defeat was not totally unexpected.

Too many new faces playing together in a showcase, pressured game.

Just like Broadwood.

Regarding the joint sponsorship, no one will sponsor us without them or them without us.

If we had refused a joint deal no one would have sponsored the huns.

We would have felt the loss of revenue but would have been able to cope.

The huns would have been stuffed.

Once again the board have gone out of their way to help the huns.

Paul67
I agree with your article. For me there are a great deal of contradictions in our situation.

We are at a turning point in the way we as a team play our football, to achieve this we have had to facilitate a number of changes. Yesterday on the back of RK I read posters on here stating the league was ours and we would win 5 0 last night etc etc, I did't think we would for the simple reason that we are a team full of strangers.

To use an awful comparisson I have played 5s/7s/11s with a bunch of lads for 13 years now I can read all of their games inside and out. who to cover for, who likes the ball to feet, who is capable of making good passes,who knows where to run, who has dig and will comit to challenges etc etc

I recently started playing with a different bunch of lads, and I must have looked mince after the first game, couldn't tell where they wanted the ball, didn't know their range of passing
didn't know who to rely on for cover etc etc. after the first disaster of a game I had a fair grasp of who to look for and rely on.

now I know that I am a crap footballer and that these guys are professional, but they are only human and they need to get to know each others games. they will have learnt a lot about each other last night, fair enough not a lot of good traits were on display, but my point is they will get much better! and in training they will Get more aquainted every day.

However they also need leadership they need a commanding figure, having watched Tony during his playing days at Celtic I am sure that he is capable of this and perhaps he saves this personna for the dressing room, and he certainly hasn't shirked big decissions so far. ( as i am writing this i am also forced to consider that maybe the performances remind him of the team he played in.)

The team will gel and for those of us that say get rid of Tony, There is no chance of that happening at this stage, WE all called for change after WGS the standard was dross etc etc. we are getting change now unfortunately there is some pain attached. no pain no gain and the gain will come believe it.

I do believe that if the team take each game on its own merits one at a time can win every game we are involved in. That is all we can do now. That alone may or may not be enough to win the league everything else is out of our hands.
Not a great situation i'll admit but we are knee deep in it and the only thing we can do is win football games that is the only solution.

Tony You're up!!!

Celtic Football Team Your Up!!!

Celtic Supporters Faithful through and through You're Up!!!

BACK THE TEAM ALWAYS!!

Dexter. It's too late. It's signed sealed and delivered. Breaking the contract would have massive financial implications now, and not just the loss of the money (which could probably be mostly replaced by a different sponsor).

Ask yourselves this. Potential sponsors would all be more than aware that our current deal was coming to an end. If there were any queing up to get on board we can only assume they weren't prepared to go anywhere near what was on the table from Tennents because I think the board would have known they were taking a risk by getting involved in a joint deal.

Perhaps all the deals on offer were on a joint basis only.

As I said earlier I wonder if we (the fans) are in guilty of over-estimating the size of our brand worldwide.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TBWTWTE- if Tony Mowbray's contract can be torn up then so can the one between Celtic FC & C&Cplc, if enough pressure is brought to bear.

I am going to repeat this. I said this late last night and there were few or no takers to even answer it and please do not vilify me for this because it makes me uneasy to even think it BUT

Given our collective unease/ disgust

WOuld anyone be willing to take the ultimate hit of a defeat on Sunday if it meant the manager's removal?

We are players down and will have a new defence(again)and we cannot put the ball in the net. This says to me a struggle regardless but is anyone willing to take that hit given the way the season has panned out since July?

I see no evidence whatsoever that this bewildered dud can improve things.

Look at the trends

We are spiralling downwards.

As for the subs....

Broon at left back when we needed goals
Caddis at outside left on Saturday with McCourt left on the bench.

The 59 minute ritual double substitution regardless of score or flow of the game.

Get your seatbelts on because we are going to see more of this until he goes.

Not read every post on your latest article yet Paul....but will try during my lunch hour.

In essence I agree with everything you say with the exception of Tony remaining at the helm.

The fact this season has become an abject embaressment and quite possibly a 3rd place finish (or god forbid worse) is now a glaring concern.

I'm numb from seeing how poor we have become under his stewardship, and from last nights comments and this mornings blog it's a growing concern around just how bad things need to get before Tony is removed.

I doubt the board will remove Tony but it's a matter of a game away before those vile chants will start calling for Tony to go. Never ever a nice thing to hear.

Can't see what point there is in letting Tony continue another day, I really can't.

Time to leave us Tony, thanks and sorry it hasn't worked out.

bandwagonesque

Well said sir, agree with every word. Faithful through and through(as long as we're winning)

This is the first time in my life I wouldnt actually be that bothered if we lose a game. If getting beat at dunfermline get Mowbray out the door, then sometimes youve just gotta do what you gotta do.

The Carling deal was made in 2003 for £18 million - £9million each.

As it's now 2010, my math makes that 7 years? Which equates to a little under £1.3 million per season.

The Tennants deal, £1.5 million per season (allegedly) is an improvement on this.

I would much rather not be sponsored alongside Rangers, but as "celtic4orne" mentioned, this has largely always been the case over the past 20 or so years, and is how it will probably continue to be in future, as it is the most profitable avenue of sponsorship, clearly.

IMO, if the deal is indeed £1.5m per season, then the board should be CONGRATULATED in tying up a sponsorship more lucrative than the previous, in shambolic economic times such as these.

RSD

ernie lynch

that sort of small-minded thinking would get pl the sack and derservedly so. he has to think about whats best for celtic, whats bad for rankgers should be a long way down his list.

hunza we are all sick and angry this morning and there is no doubt that on the field so far this has been the season from Hell. I know it may sound ridiculous but we have also been very unlucky. With a lot of crucial refereeing decisions going against us and Refs admitting after games they should have awarded penalties etc. The two defensive injuries last night limited our options even still the Brown substitution baffled me. In relation to Mowbray, I feel we must see out the season with him.If there is not a major improvement in this period then yes he should be let go. To be honest I am already looking forward to next season. There must be evidence over the next couple of months that we are assembling "A TEAM" (not a collection of talented individuals) that is capable of dominating Scottish Soccer for years,and restoring our European reputation.

thomthethim.

No 'destroying' as if it were an ongoing process about it IMO. TM for reasons outlined elsewhere has destroyed the team and has undone the good work that MON did and Strachan in the main maintained. If he's allowed to continue I don't rule out a cup exit at the weekend and 4th place finish as 3rd and 4th have both beaten us already this season.

As I expected, the PR of last week or so regarding the support for a minimum alcohol pricing policy was very likely a cynical sop to the fans in the run up to today's sponsorship announcement.

Humbugs one and all. They know where they can shove their social responsibility policies.

As I have said in the past any manager playing Caltic final words to his team will be get stuck in as the chances are the ref won't give a foul against you!

We have no devine right to win any game we do have the right to play by the same rules.

Aidens rest with the one game ban may be no bad thing (have a word with him about developing his passing).

If you change the manager now who would you get in his place, with the leagues all in full flow no one better I'm sure.

Lets hope for now shots turn into goals.

Not sure which way to vote

As King Kenny would say
Maybes aye maybes naw

PF Ayr @ 12.44

I believe Tony dosent know how to win "ugly" it may be his biggest flaw!

I am certainly in the camp of he must go, go ASAP and give us chance to hold onto 2nd, the title is gone, the man with no surname will not let them surrender a 10 point lead and niether will the MIB's anyway.

Unfortunately being one of the good ghuys is not enough, Mark Hughes for me please.

gebhoy

No

Paul 67

I do not think it is a case of a lack of effort or throwing off imaginary shackles.

Where we are is that in modern football it does take time for a team to gel even more so when they are plucked from all corners of the globe.

BTM will be given until the end of the season to find a pattern of play which will involve a roller coaster ride....I suspect that if we do not implode (i.e. obvious that the team has stopped trying) then he will also be given until end of October next season.

Whatever happens we will be left with better players than we had, but it may need another manager (if it does not work out) to get us more organised and playing a more winning style.

Killie had the advantage of being a tight unit on a tight pitch, I still feel our midfield are still getting to know the forwards, so accidents like last night are always possible........short term for results we need a tight 3 in midfield and (never thought I say this) rest the wee man and get back to some sort of basic football....and move the ball quicker

play Kamara behind fortune and kean , with the full backs supplying width.....but the key to this is our new players having a man with 15 to 20 yards to pass to , we need to keep possession of the ball better, too many of our guys want an extra touch or some fancy turn, just pass it, make the ball do the work, its the tactics that need to be adjusted not more effort.....begs the question van the manager instill this approach?

Must dash work calls!

Totally defalted after last night.

Sorry Tony, time to go. I've supported you but you've shown yoursefl to be tactically inept and have sadly lost the plot.

We needed a goal and instead of brining on Rasmussen you brought on Brown..at left back.

You gave the armband to loovens, inexplicable. You took the armband off loovens. Inexplicable.

You kept Fortune on the pitch. inexplicable.

You said Brown was on to create more width? Hmmmmmmmmm. Excuse of a man sadly who has lost his way and out of his depth i'm afraid.

At this point he makes Ron Manager look like a guru, isn't it....wasn't it...jumpers for goalposts...

Time to twist and bring in Davie Hay or if any experienced manager can be sourced elsewhere then so be it.

I wouldn't burden Paul Lambert with this job at the moment. Bring in an interim manager to instill a bit of passion in the players.

Thank you to the Board for giving us the players of the last few days, I know I'm being greedy but can we have an experienced manager fit for Celtic Football Club???

DD

Yes

Celtic 4 Morton 0 - a minimum alcohol pricing policy is a load of bumfluff anyway.

It's no business of Nicola Sturgeon's what price consenting adults agree between each other for the buying and selling of a lawful product.

What a minimum alcohol pricing policy says is:

* The government thinks it owns us, and has the right to micromanage our affairs

* Poor people can't be trusted with booze, so let's make it so expensive the plebs can't afford it

When will we ever learn that more laws are not the solution to social problems? (thumbsup)

By Dexter on February 3, 2010 12:43 PM

very good letter. I fear it is too late though. The PLC have gone ahead with this deal regardless of what we as a support think. Therefore, my support for the PLC is over. No season book renewal and no merchandise.

some may think this is OTT, but for me it isnt, I have my principles. Clearly our PLC board dont

I think Tony has to go. The new man would only really need to consolidate 2nd spot to be a success. I don't believe we will get 2nd under Tony. The players will be under immense pressure from the stands now. They don't look like they can handle it.

Too many lightweights in our team now.

A Romanov scenario where our manager has been "given" a signing and in all likelyhood has to play him in every game to justify the wage.

We have the worst back 5 in the SPL right now.

The Celtic Board need to step back from the emotion of this and consider in the cold and bleak light of a grey February day if Tony Mowbray has the football managerial and leadership skills to take us forward. If there is any doubt on this, the decision is one that they are duty bound to make and that is replace him. There can be no sliver of doubt in their minds, they have to be 100% confident.

I enjoyed Monday. It was great fun, akin to the feeling I used to get on Champ Manager when I went out and signed Henry, Gerard and Scholes for the team (albeit they were in their mid 30s!). I was then left with the condundrum of whether the team would actually be improved - were these key positions that required fixing? Inevitably not, but hey, the glamour and excitment that these guys would come to Celtic was too much to forego! I hope my mistakes have not been repeated in real life.

From a fans perspective (where emotion, inconsitency and lack of rationality is allowed), I am not 100% confident in Mogga. I never was as a player and his idealistic view of football is more like me on Champ Manager.

The thing is, I never played for Celtic in the SPL but that does not mean I don't have a realistic view of what is required having been to probably hundreds, if not thousands of Celtic games.

Lots of questions remain over Mogga, and his demeanour, his team and substitute selections, his apparent lack of motivation of his team and BASIC LACK OF A GAMEPLAN seriously suggest to me that he does not have the basic skill set to be a manager, never mind our football leader. Forgive me, but he is the Stephen McManus of managers.

Mhan, I am rambling. I am upset and its Groundhog Day at the Celtic Crossroads.

Mon the Hoops

"H"

PS - I was sacked in the October in 4th place.

dannysbeard....

No, I mean AVRAM Grant who did a similar firefighting job at Chelsea. It was too late for the title but had an instant impact on results.

But as I've said, Mark Hughes would be my ideal choice. Has a reputation for building sides that refuse to be bullied and in the environment we operate in, this is the key ingredient.

In answer to the suggestion that it would be a good thing for us to lose on Sunday the only thing I can say to that is "Yes if you were a Pars fan"

fred c. dobbs

things are no worse than they were 20 years ago, or even 7. in an ideal world we would have nothign to do with them and still be able to strike a good deal with a sponsor while going it alone. unfortunately thats not the world we operate in.

running a football club successfully these days involves a whole load of compromises, especially one with the background of ours

YES
unequivocally, leave with dignity not 'mutual consent'

GG

bazzabhoy on February 3, 2010 12:54 PM

That's utter nonsense. What? and hand the huns another trophy just to get the manager sacked?

And to think some people question my support of Celtic.

DD

I won’t be voting on our managers future.

Thats been done. Do we do it after every result?

Now we have people asking if we want OUR team to lose???

That just cant be in any Celtic fans DNA.

I'd regard myself as being ardently pro-Mowbray this season. I like the guy as a man and as a coach. Unlike O'Neill who inherited Larsson, Moravcik, Petrov, Lambert & Mjallby; or Strachan who inherited Balde, Petrov, Lennon, and Hartson; he has taken over a squad desperately lacking in quality and leadership. It's been a long time since an incoming Celtic manager has had to contend with players as bad as Wilson, Flood, Killen etc. Because of this I've been right behind him.

Like Paul67 and a few more of the more pro Mowbray CQNers though, I now feel some doubts creeping in. I find our lethargic, frightened approach to last night's game absolutely astonishing. It's simply unforgivable that a Celtic team chasing a title from so far behind can allow themselves to be second best to every 50/50 ball against anyone, far less one of the worst teams in the league. I can forgive technical shortcomings, but last night we seen a Celtic team lacking in motivation. The first thing any athlete needs in their locker, the absolute bare minimum. Only Fortune and Caddis got passmarks for me.

I can't fathom the Scott Brown at left back fiasco. I see some of the guys are trying to say that he wasn't playing there, but Tony said himself after the game, and all you need to do is watch the last minutes to see that Brown was undoubtedly playing as an orthodox left back. Inexplicable. I also can't fathom why Darren O'Dea, who in my opinion is vastly over-rated, but at the same time far more solid and trustworthy than the absolutely woeful Naylor, was dropped after a steady, competent performance against Hamilton. Why Loovens for Thompson? Loovens has made high profile errors all season and his confidence is visibly at an extreme low. Anyone can see Aiden needs a rest, why not Tony?

Why after a tepid, nervous 1st half did we not come out like wild animals in the second half? What was said at half time? Why was the positive energy generated on Monday not channeled into the team's body language and overall performance?

I just feel so lost. Don't get me started on Tennents.

Celtic40rme

What's bad for the huns is good for us.

The less money they have the less chance they have of servicing their debt and the more likely they are of going in to administration.

We could have afforded to take the hit. They couldn't.

TM dan mac- NO

I have not had the chance to read back on the blog so i don't know what the opinions are with regards to the T deal.

I now declare myself out, i will not put my hard earnd money into a club that goes into deals with them across the city.
I have felt for a long time that the board take us for fools now i know for sure.

Only two days ago i felt i got my club back but now i know for sure this is not my Celtic and the club i grew to support.

No more season tickets, shirts or channel67, they wont get another penny from me they have sold out big time.

New poll

If we bring in a new manager how long should we give him?

a) 4 Months
b) 6 Months
c) a full season

donegaldanny@1.07 - my sentiments exactly. Surely the first thing any Celtic supporter wants is for them to win every game.

Even if you wanted Mowbray out surely you'd rather Celtic won every game and he stayed.

I can't get my head round the way some people think.

I can't ever bring myself to want Celtic to lose a football game, regardless of the consequences.

It's a long time since we've been in the position of having only the Scottish Cup to play for. We're not quite there yet, but it is close.

By Celtic40rme on February 3, 2010 1:06 PM

things are no worse than they were 20 years ago, or even 7.

Sectarian and racial abuse is now illegal. That has changed within the last 7 years.

That the; huns, RFC and strathclyde polis and the Scottish prosecution service do not want to abide by the law to a man is indeed our problem being associated with these law breakers.

Rangers are clinging on to the Old Firm - they have too.

We dont.

HAil Hail

Guys,

Joint sponsorship thing.

I understand that many are upset that we did not go our own way on sponsorship but if there is nothing else out there then £1.5Mio per annum at the moment is a good deal.

Remember you dont have to buy shirts with the sponsors logo on, it is possible to buy then un-branded and the shirt looks a lot better too.

Both my home strip and bumblebee are sponsor-less strips.

No need to jump ship for this, the team is enough to want to make you do that anyway!

Hail Hail!

RobinBhoy

MowbraymustgoCSC

Snake Plissken 12:53

No,never,get behind the team,maybe you never endured the early sixties,this is a blip in comparison.Tickets bought.

Flogging a dead horse Paul.

Its over for Tony we know it he knows it - I bet the players know it too. The question is when - I think it should be now.

celtictom

whats changed - you've been putting your money into the club over the last 20 years, when we've been doing the same sort of deal as the new one, whats different now?

Tony,s team plays the way he looks:Scared, Unsure, Quiet and in a world of their own

Paul67 = I would say that the problem that I see is that the manager tried to change everything in one match I think.
He made several changes to a team that last won their last match and expected them to work.

I believe he woiuld start last night match with the same finishing players that he had on the last match he would have won. But to change them to these new players who would have barely met seems very, very strange and naive.

Last night was a must win match but he treated it like an experiment - no logic in such a gesture.

bazzabhoy

cognitive dissonance ....CRAZY STUFF

Celtic40rme,

I take it you dont live in Scotland then?

"Things are no worse..." we will agree to differ.

Hail Hail.

goldstar10 on February 3, 2010 12:08 PM

Thanks for that - I've just informed them of my personal bhoycott !!

South London Tim

you are right, I have a soft spot based on his football philosophy that I fundementaly buy into.

I am however also swayed by his actions. He ruthlessly got rid off

Robson,Killen,Flood,Robson,MacDonald,Caldwell and Mcmanus

To a man players of limited ability and in the case of 1st teamers had an inflated opinion of their own worth.

he has replaced them with

Fortune, NGuemo,Fox,Rassmussen, Ki, Hooiveld,Braafhied and Kamara

with the exception of Fox, who he qickly re-assessed and traded, I like his players.

I guess you are also right in that I am prepared to ignore the shambles that is on the park at present ( and last night was shambolic at times)if he can deliver a football team that makes me want to travel 400 miles to watch a game.

Our history is littered with years of not winning the league, including losing it to many mediocre Rangers sides.

I will give him time

Getting rid of the manager is now the be all and end all for this season.

If he loses on Sunday I do not think there is anything left to save him.
Robbie Keane coming is for nothing after that and arguably after last night anyway because 20000 are not going to be back just for that with nothing to play for.

Lawell and co must adopt the Alec Baldwin appraoch from Glenngarry Glen Ross

The real favour would be to fire your ####### ### because a loser is a loser.

If losing on Sunday means he goes we get a good bye product to a catastrophic result.

ICT did us the biggest favour in our history because it brought MON from the ashes. Something similar is required.

Rod Stewarts Drum

The Carling deal was renewed in 2005 for a period of 5 years worth £18m to both Celtic and Rangers. Probably fair to assume this was divided evenly (though maybe not) so £9m over 5 years works out at £1.8m per year.

If this is true and is £1.5m per year with Tennents then it's a drop.

But £1.5m, ONE POINT FIVE MEASLY MILLION per year is not enough for us to sell our soul and get into bed with Rangers once again.

There are many more innovative ways to get £1.5m to the club. The first that I thought off was the club could have given fans 2 options, Option 1 is the Tennents joint deal with Rangers for £1.5m per year. Option 2 could be ask fans (hopefully 100,000) to pay £30 a year to sponsor the club with Celtic Charity Fund going on the jersey. Off the money generated, half could go to Celtic and half to the charity fund.

A quick search on previous blogs found that even back in 2005 some supporters didn't want joint sponsorship.

Mort

I will repeat this again , what stops the two billionaires on the board, sponsoring Celtic with one of their own company names on the shirt ?

George Burley, did well with hearts until romanov interfered
Mark Hughes, did well prior to going to man city
Avram Grant, probably wants away from Portsmouth asap!
3 that could do a job and give us a respectable finishing position.

OK i take into account the team have maybe not gelled fully with the new players, but last night was groundhog day for the whole season.

all i want is some passion and a bit of excitment is that too much to ask?

I for one am sick of taking it on the chin.

Mort,

is it possible in the UK to get a tax rebate on your charity donations ?

HAil hail

A positive?

At least Keane didnt make his debut in a Scottish Cup game......

George Burley ? Dear oh dear. Not for me thanks.

Easy bhoys,

I didnt say I WANTED us to get beat, i THAT bothered. That implies i would still be slightly bothered (although, if it did come to pass id be raging more than likely).

What i was meaning is if it gets Mr Mowbray out the door, i wouldnt be as upset as I would normally be.

It may have not came out how I intended, but I never want Celtic to lose a game. I also never said I wanted us to lose the game, although I can see the implication.

Another question for you all. You assume a 'top manager' will come if sack Mowbray now.

Where were the 'top managers' when the post was available in the summer?

It's pretty clear to me that they weren't beating down the doors to seriously declare their interest in the job.

saint stivs fp - I think what stops them is their respect for Celtic and realisation that the club, while it was set up for charitable purposes, is not itself a charity case, hence them running Celtic as a proper business rather than a personal plaything. (thumbsup)

fred c. dobbs

i dont, i stand by my statement. in fact in terms of sectarianism around football compared to twenty years ago the difference is considerable. the big difference is that the contrast between us and them is more marked than ever because as a group of fans, and as a club, we've cleaned up our act.

Paul,

While there’s an obvious risk in changing a manager at this stage of the season, especially with so many new faces having arrived in the past three weeks, can we afford not to change the man in charge? People keep telling me they see what Mowbray is trying to do, but I’m at a loss. The gap between midfield and attack last night was abominable; you cannot play effective football when there is that size of a gap between defence and attack. Our defence were camped out on our 18 yard line, a tactic I thought we’d seen the last of when Strachan left, yet here we were re-enacting the Alamo away to Kilmarnock who sit 2nd bottom of the SPL while our front men screamed for the midfield to push up and support. I watched our game at St Johnstone last week and was completely unimpressed despite the flattering scoreline. Mowbray threw everything onto the park to get a result which paid off, only after Saints were reduced to 10 men and were as a result nullified as an attacking threat.

At best Mowbray lacks the tactical flexibility needed to succeed in Scotland, realistically it’s plain to see he lacks any tactical knowledge whatsoever with a formation that allows fluidity in attack but no rigidity when needed. There is also no leadership on the park and in my opinion that’s a reflection of the management. O’Neill, and even Strachan, were animated, enthusiastic managers who shouted when needed, cheered when needed and tried to inject their own gusto into the players, something every successful manager does. Mowbray cuts a forlorn figure on the touchline win or lose, goal conceded or scored, which means it’s left entirely to the players to gee themselves us during the 90 minutes which if anyone who has played football at even the most elementary level will know is difficult.

I gave up on the league after the failure to beat Falkirk at home, the Hibs defeat only strengthened that belief yet the goings-on over the weekend and into Monday actually gave me hope that all was not lost. That’s all been undone now as for the third time in three weeks we have failed to take advantage and cut the gap between ourselves and our rivals. We could, and should, be sitting 2 points behind them now yet here we are in February 10 points adrift and in danger of slipping into 3rd or 4th position.

Mowbray seems a lovely man who has had to deal with awful tragedy in his life so this will be water off a duck’s back to him, but he is not the man for the Celtic job. Not now, not ever.

Curbishley, Hughes, Lambert whoever. Someone, anyone needs to be brought in to rescue our season and spare our blushes as with the Keane signing the eyes of the footballing world are upon us and we are fading further and further out of the light and into what could be a very, very long and dark period.

Is there any indication of a lack of confidence from the boardroom in Mowbray’s ability? If not the problem is far, far greater than I fear.

they know how to kick a man when he's down.
Joint sponsorship, Tennents Lager. OMG.
Good timing, or at least it would have been if we hadn't played one of those pesky football matches - you know, Keane signed, euphoria, "Tennent? Who cares? Robbie Keane!" For the hun it is an ideal way to sooth the lack of activity in the transfer market. However, now we're left with a team that may struggle to retain second place, a manager who is clueless and a large red T emblazoned across the strip to match the red-neck 'cousins' across the city.
Congratulate them for securing a whack of money for the club? Nah, no thanks. If they want to associate themselves with Rankers, go ahead. Sometimes you have to take a stand.
Twopeasinapod CSC

I vote yes.

But I want to TM to jump before he is pushed.

I really am not sure about Tony Mowbrays tactics and motivational skills-- but it is too late in the season to sack him.

What is a new manager going to achieve now -- after the transfer window and with Rangers out of sight? The very definition of thankless.

We've made our bed-- decisions must be made in June now.

weeminger - Maybe the club wasn't beating down their doors.

And if you don't ask, you don't get.

Would you say, for example, that Ireland going after Trappatoni was more imaginative and ambitious than Celtic recruiting Tony Mowbray? Yet surely the Ireland job is no more prestigious than the Celtic job? (thumbsup)

Reality Check Time!

As it stands we would need to (a) win every game left and (b) hope that Rangers would lose a further two! I think scenario (a) is HIGHLY unlikely and (b) is unlikely.

That this is the case when we have by far the most talented squad must be attributable to the manager. We are not now fighting for the championship we are scrapping for second place this is the current reality.

So do we stick with the manager and hope he can find enough in this squad to get second place or do we “pray” for a change, and get a winning manager and team builder who will put in place a challenge this year and build a team out of the squad preparing us for a title charge next year?

Please God lets get a winning manager and team builder in now.

Paul 67 I know you have a degree of influence with some important people can you please convey the message of the support to them on this matter?

Johnny the Fox

Awe_Naw

Of course it won't be refereeing decisions on their own, but it's a factor.

More to the point, some people want it both ways. Feed the chip on the shoulder about referees and their malevolent influence, but forget about it when they turn their spleen on the manager. I'd just like to see a bit more balance. (I know, another chip.....)

By philvisreturns on February 3, 2010 1:19 PM

allrighty buddy, how was archery this morning.

come on , you know I am not asking them for it as a "charitable" donation, in return for their sponsorship, they get the name of whatever of their companies they choose on the jersey. in keeping with the PLC rules.

if you or I had the spare 800 million , or indeed hugely succeful companies, wouldnt you sponsor the hoops ?

If we do see TM depart I think a interim manager until the end of the season would be the best bet.That would give us time to get in the right man.I would hope if TM goes MV & PG will as well.What about Wullie McStay & Neil Lennon at the helm.Just a suggestion

Snake Plissken@ 12:53 - 100% NO

Malarkey -"but it is too late in the season to sack him."

Why?

so....
we are now the new Real Madrid. The fans becoming spoilt and demanding whatever comes to mind first.
sack the manager, the players are rubbish, the board is useless etc, etc. all helped along by populist media mischief
short-termism gone mad...
oh how we revel in the extreme ups and downs of our emotions, often beautifully expressed in the much respected james forrest bipolar rants...
yes, football is emotional, supporting celtic even more so but we have to try to step and look where we are
yesterday was always going to be difficult, we have a new team. we are doing preseason whilst others are midseason. is tony to blame? partly is the board to blame? partly
but as we all know and have discussed endlessly, our problems have been 5 years in the making, more or less since larsson left.
our playing squad is vastly improved but it will take time to gel, no matter what anyone says.
the reason the huns are able to keep going is that they have a settled team, one that knows each others roles. that takes time to build
our team is totally new.
we may not win the league, horrible as that may be, but tony needs till the end of the season to show us what his is trying to do. otherwise it's back to square one...

By saint stivs fp on February 3, 2010 1:15 PM

why the hell should they? why should they take money from one of their companies, probably companies with shareholders, to pay for sponsorship that will be completely innapropriate for the market the company operates in?

dd doesnt own celtic, he's the major shareholder. what you are suggesting sounds like you want him to be the sole owner.

I find it very sad that the "best fans in the world" are calling for the managers head. I know things are bad but surely to God he deserves at least to see the season out. I also didn't think Barnes should have been sacked for the same reason. Where do you go if you start sacking managers mid season. does the new guy go if things don't improve and we finish the season 3rd. What's the cut off point for sacking someone, is it 10 points behind or 12; is there a certain amount of games played before they are hunted out the door? What happens next season if we're 8 points behind at Christmas with a game more played, does that guy go as well. People need to be given time and hopefully Mowbray will turn things around. I personally don't think he will and never thoughtsomeone who just got his team relegated deserved to get a bigger job than he already had; but I am prepared and hope to be proved wrong.

Someone earlier questioned Mowbray's decisions and found it inexplicable that Fortune stayed on; I find that comment inexplicable as he was clearly Celtic's most effective player last night.

Awe_Naw

There is something like that, not quite sure what it involves but there is a box on forms you fill in when donating to charity that allows the charity to get more money as they won't pay the tax. Think it's called Gift Aid but not quite sure how it works in practice.

Mort

Paul,

Your last paragraph sums it up. Tony really has to go for it now.

The 'thoughtful' look ain't working !

chennaiseabird,

Remember when you first found love how you felt so good
Kind that last forever more so you thought it would
Suddenly the things you see got you hurt so bad
How come the things that make us happy make us sad
Well it seems to me that

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Love can be bitter love can be sweet
Sometimes devotion and sometimes deceit
The ones that you care for give you so much pain
Oh but it's alright there both one in the same

Don't it seem we go through life going up and down
Seems the things that turn you on turn you around
Always hurting eachother if it ain't one thing its another
But when the world is down on you love's somewhere around
Well it seems to me that

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Over and over you can be sure
There will be sorrow but you will endure
Where there's a flower there's the sun and the rain
Oh and it's wonderful there both one in the same

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

we are paying the price for a board that let us stagnate because that lot were in turmoil financially, they thought the players we had would win the league easily, they didnt heed the last 2 years that smith ran us close then took the title from us last year, complacent or arrogant take your pick, they knew gordon was going from last year, this is when the move should have been made for our new manager so as he would have been ready to take over as soon as gordon was out the door,that man if had been sounded out earlier we could have had all new signings in for the summer,why did they wait till january before all this shuffling, kinda late in the day i think, while tony is not setting the house on fire i think this board have a lot to answer for as to the state we find ourselves in, a lot of us have seen this coming for at least 3 seasons or more while we were downgrading dramatically, while walter smith spent about 18 million to upgrade his mob to eventually to surpass us, why did they wait till january to rip apart the team why didnt they do it in the summer when it was needed? could it be because they messed up in appointing the new manager in time? my point is they new gordon was leaving well in advance so they have no excuses for not having enough time, for me there incompetence has caused the whole panic of january, and if they had done their job properly all this could have been avoided, in my opinion january should only be used for one or 2 players at most not nearly a whole new team, tony i would say is unlucky, somtimes thats the way it is but that shouldnt deflect away from a board that let it get to this state in the first place.

The only people that should be going are the people that threw their scarf onto the pitch last night and at the weekend.
I have never been so ashamed of fellow Celtic supporters.
The biggest disappointment for me just now is not where we are in the league (we can improve), it's not the performance on the pitch (still stand by the fact that we have improved since the second half of last season), it's not that we can't score (proven goalscorers and a change of luck will change this) its the disgust I feel towards the behaviour of a proportion of our support just now.
The people that throw their scarves away will be back in the good times claiming to be as much of a Celtic supporter as you or me.
Totally shocking!!

weeminger on February 3, 2010 1:18 PM

The list didn't involve any experienced top class managers.

I'd imagaine it was

Owen Coyle
Roberto Martinez
Tony Mowbray
Mark McGhee

If we'd played up the attraction of the champions league and even hinted at the possibility our club could attarct players like Robbie Keane then there is absolutly NO REASON why a top coach (and I'm not talking Maurinho or guys like that) wouldn't come to us.

The champions league is a massive draw for managers curently at teams in the EPL for example who'll never achieve that.

I said it last season and I'll say it again, Roy Hodgson would be ideal for Celtic.

DD

Do any of the East European Bhoys know how Willie McStay is doing? I think they are 3rd in the league. But would like to know if he's exceeding expectations, with resources at his disposal.

Celtic40rme,

I was born and raised in Glasgow and I ain't no spring chicked.

The evidence I go by are my own eyes and ears.

They are worse than ever, of that I have no doubt.

You are happy to be linked to them, fine. I hate it.

I think this Championship is still there to be won. Rangers won't implode, at least not overnight, but they won't win 10 games in a row at any stage this season.

We can be absolutely certain that they'll drop enough points for us to win the league, even if we draw both of the games against them. In a few weeks it might be too far, but right now it's not.

Let's at least keep that in perspective. We can win the championship, in fact if we win 10 in a row i think we will because that Rangers team will stumble under pressure.

I have no idea what to expect next in terms of the manager. It seems to me that if we change now, and get it right, we will win this league - crazy to sound so sure, but i really don't think a good manager would find it too difficult. If we wait, all we're waiting for is a miraculous change of approach and attitude from Mowbray, or another couple of bad results that do end the championship.

The biggest negative, as Paul points out, with removing Mowbray is the new players. What will they think? Obviously they won't be too impressed, but then if they play in a losing team for three months and then Mowbray goes... At least if a new man comes in now, he has three months to impress them, as much as they have to impress him.

I just can't think of a good reason to persist with Tony. I would have argued for decency, but i'm beginning to think the decent thing would be to put him out of his misery.

Mowbray was a pretty rebound girlfriend who as it turns out is even harder to live with than the last one... time to move on.

By Celtic40rme on February 3, 2010 1:12 PM

Whats different now is i always believed back then as a unit the "old firm" were stronger when it came to doing these deals, where as now i find it unacceptable that we travel the world for talent yet can only get the local brewer on our jersey.

But more than anything is they are on there knees and need us far more than we need them. If they were to do a deal by themselves it would be alot less than with us. We have already gift wrapped two leagues now were given them a helping hand in marketing as well.

Or maybe the older i get the more i despise everything they stand for with the famin song and their disgusting digs at Jock Stein.

Im not asking for anyone to agree with me you can all make your own mind up, but this is one bhoy that is no longer willing to be an old firm fan.

And just when you thought the day couldn't get any worse- Haiphong Cement have lost their opening game of the season 3-2 away to the uberdarnelists of Da Nang.

HCQN blogmeister Pol67 is urging the Minhshafters and other dissident supporters to 'keep the faith', despite claims that many of the first team are 'not fit to wear the donkey jacket'.

Can anyone enlighten me?
I posted to the last thread! And now it has disappeared! the topic i posted on that is!
Can people delete the posts?

Westy1888

Down for Sam

Ian in Budapest is yer man for that.

I did see them beat MTK Budapest and they looked good but what is one game?

Some of us are still going on about last January window. That is over and done with, the board has now got to tack stock of the present situation and act.They are the only ones that can decide the fate of TM

saint stivs fp - If they thought there was a genuine commercial advantage to be gained, I'm sure they'd have gone ahead and sponsored us. However, it's not as easy as you suggest - people who are directors on multiple boards have to be wary of potential conflicts of interest, and a plc has legal duties to its shareholders. Also, which companies are we talking about? Are they the kind of consumer-oriented businesses that would benefit from sponsoring a football club?

If I was filthy rich and you were filthy rich I'm sure we'd bankroll the club till our wildest dreams came true, but maybe that's part of the reason we're unlikely to become billionaires.

Celtic is either run as a proper self-sustaining business or it will become the plaything of rich men. In the long run, we're better off with the former. (thumbsup)

Mort,

I was just hinting at an alternative strategy on how Celtic could embrace a charity as a shirt sponsor.

I dont think there should be anything on the shirt IMHO

I think we would sell 1.5m more without it.

Hail Hail

philvisreturns@1.22 - International managership has a strange cachet attached to it, and has a different type of attraction, so I'm not sure that a Trappatoni type figure would necessarily want a job like Celtic.

And yes perhaps we weren't making the right calls. but you know as well as I do that in these situations both parties have ways of making their feelings known.

(Long time no post, so [as long as you manage to blot out Celtic from your thoughts] Happy New Year to one and all ...)

Paul

A thought-provoking piece …

I must say, I cannot see us even getting near to winning the title this year. The Stickies domestic form would need to implode even more that ours would need to improve.

As you hint, the club is now facing a serious dilemma: to stick or to fold with TM?

For all sorts of reasons, some of which you mention, it's not a straightforward choice: most of the signs are that the Board is squarely behind Tony, but things must be edging ever closer to a doomsday scenario of having to show Tony the door before the season’s out.

If we go out of the cup at the weekend ... well, who knows?

In any event, Tony has been given serious resources to build a team in his own image, but having the players and getting the results appear to be beyond him.

For $64,000: can he turn things around?

This much should be plain: if by, say, the split we can't see meaningful signs of improvement, then the Board ought to get started on a new shortlist for replacing Tony as soon as possible.

If there's one thing we should have learned from our most recent change of manager it is that the appointment should have been worked out well before the end of last season: so that the incoming manager could have had time to work on his target list of signings before the start of the season - and not mid way through.

As it stands now, our job is all the harder by being up against a main rival with solid form, a winning mentality (including the "rub of the green" in some key decisions) and, ironically, a stable squad (which seems to be revelling in a sort of siege mentality). Contrast that with Celtic's fragile mentality which, due to a combination of tactics and team selection (including substitutions), together with the failure of our top players to find and maintain decent form, means it is unable to string together 2 or 3 notable results – let alone a strong run.

Ironically, too, our recent string of new buys and loans is actually likely to increases the manager's difficulty in finding a settled side, at a time when virtually every other club in the league must plod on with the very thing we seem incapable of finding, yet most desperately need

As virtually everyone would seem agree, Tony's a nice guy, but it's becoming ever harder to argue that he possesses the skills and spirit necessary for the times.

I hope I’m wrong …

FF

Awe_Naw

Morecambe and Wise for me.

Or maybe Ken Dodd and his men are more appropriate at this time.

The Celtic board played a blinder in January. Things on the park were not going to plan, the league position compromised our prospects for next year's business plan, and the fans were somewhere between apathy and discontent.

The singular requirement for Celtic this season is to win the championship. Incremental improvement in performance over the coming 4 months is irrelevant to this singular requirement.

To this end, we have invested heavily in players, but have hedged the investment on a short term get out. While Keane, Kamara and Braafheid are, in my view, excellent additions to the squad, they are there to win the league. Nothing more. If it doesn't work, they are off the payroll at the end of May. It's a £2.5M punt on a £10M pot.

Point is though, we need to win the league. The board has done all it can this past month to achieve this, all but one thing.

I'm interested. There is a fine line between acting too early, and acting too late. Sacking Tony Mowbray while the league is still feasible is risky. Sacking him after it is lost is moot in terms of our singular requirement.

Gordon Strachan informed the board in December last year that he would finish up at the end of the season. There was a decision to be made at that point. In my view, the moment for Gordon to leave was the moment he decided to leave. The board asked him to stay on until the season was finished. Mistake. Gordon should have been gardening in January. This is not some easy, retrospective opinion, but the custom and practice in most business sectors.

The board have punted heavily on players to win the league. There is nothing more they can do in that regard. The only influencing action remaining is to replace the manager. Given their decision on Gordon last year, I do not think that they will.

fred c. dobbs

i'm not sure where you take i'm "happy" to be linked with them from.

Benny Blanco

U make some valid points mate but the fact is, Yes Fact the players are not playing for Mowbray, they never have and they never wil that is indesputbale in my humble opinion!!!!

To put it bluntly, he is incapable of inspiring his players!!

I have went on a big rant on the previous article about how much out of his depth he is! I wont do so again!

If we keep him we may well finish 3rd, if he goes and Paul lambert comes in we will push rangers reasonably close in my honest opinion!!

He has to go now, he simply has to!!!!!!!! He looked a beaten man last night!!!!

Hail Hail

Roccobhoy

Tack I mean Take

I find it hilarious the people coming on and running down people who want the manager who has masterminded our glorious march to 3rd place sacked.

Anyone who thinks that he deserves time, or has earned time, is living on blind faith as there is absolutely no logical evidence to suggest that Tony Mowbray is capable of the job. This has been the case for months.

So rather than saying you are embarrassed at fellow Celtic fans, perhaps you should go and have a wee look in the mirror without your green specs on.

We are a farce from top to bottom. If I was a hun I would be laughing my socks off....

westy1888 - there are blog monitors who can delete posts if they thinks it's offensive or got sweary words in.

By Celtic40rme on February 3, 2010 1:24 PM
By saint stivs fp on February 3, 2010 1:15 PM

Celtic40rme,
why the hell shouldnt they ?

chennaiseabird

When you feel down, try positive thinking,
That's what I told them and said,
Don't wear a frown, try positive thinking,
Laugh at your troubles instead.

You've got to look on the bright side,
On hope so much depends,
With your confidence sinking, positive thinking,
Helps you on the way my friend.

When things look black, try positive thinking,
Treat every season as spring,
No glancing back, try positive thinking,
Trust what tomorrow may bring.

This crazy world that we live in,
Will keep on spinning round,
But with good, strong, positive thinking,
We'll get together and life wont let us down.

Two of a kind,
For your information,
We're two of a kind.

Two of a kind,
It's my observation,
We're two of a kind.

Just like peas in a pod, Birds of a feather,
Alone or together, you'll find.
That we are two....
Two of a kind.

Anywhere, I will find you,
Don't care where, look behind you,
I'll be there, following you around.

Rain or shine, you won’t shake me,
I don't mind, where you take me,
Spend my time following you around.

Now listen, don't you know,
Hiding from me does no good,
Where ever you may go, I'll be in the neighbourhood.

If you fly, I will follow,
I don't care about tomorrow,
As long as I'm, following you around.

If you run, I'll run faster,
Gonna stick, like a piece of plaster,
Get my kicks, following you around.
Get my kicks, following you around.

Paul 67

Tony Tinkerman delivers only baffling decisions and unacceptable results.

This title is lost. Accept that and plan for next season and plan to recover the monies lost by selecting the wrong manager. Do not let this current crop of players be confused by a man who will not be at the helm next year.

That is the only way forward.

We get along so easily, don’t you agree,
We like each others company, don't you agree,
When you stop to consider, how close we have grown,
You know that we couldn't make it alone.

We hit it off terrifically, in every way,
Not just a day specifically, but every day,
There's a deep understanding, between you and me,
Don't you agree, don’t you agree.

We hit it off terrifically, in every way,
Not just a day specifically, but every day,
Cos we're birds of a feather, in every degree,
Don't you agree, don’t you agree.

roccobhoy 1.36- How do you know Paul Lambert would want to come to Celtic?

HH

Paul67,
brave post, much easier for us anonymous bloggers to call for sackings,etc than it is for such as yourself.

I posted (to the usual flak) before he got the job and again shortly after his appointment that Mowbray is not close to Celtic manager material.

He has to go. He is not Celtic quality, not by a long chalk.
The only question is ''does he go now or does he go at end of season?''

The answer to that question depends on who we get in as replacement.

The one attribute that the new manager must have, is that he is a WINNER.
I never want to hear any more from these niaive and weak managers (Brady,Barnes, Mowbray) that promise to play attacking, passing football ; ''the Celtic way''.

Leave that pathetic misty eyed baloney to the niaive fans that wouldnt know a football tactic if Sir Fergie personally slapped them across the face with one.

We need a snarling WINNER in charge (and a couple of them on the pitch too).

There was misplaced loyalty by many sane and usually reasoned posters (such as barcabhoy)which blamed referees for our/ Mowbray's predicament!?

Mowbray is a loser. His biggest achievement in Scottish football was when he DELIBERATELY lost to Rankers in Hibs final match of the season.
His final act as WBA manager was to LOSE the relegation fight.
His final act as a Celtic manager should be LOSING to a rudderless Kilmarnock side.

He has got to go.

Awe_Naw

I dont think there should be anything on the shirt IMHO

I agree entirely. The loss of £1.5m sponsorship revenue could be found through alternative ways if that is what the majority of supporters wanted. We might have to fork out a little more on jerseys and tickets but if we are that upset about a joint deal surely we as supporters should be willing to pay a little more.

Just my thoughts.

Mort

Just around the corner maybe sunshine for you,
Just around the corner skies above maybe be blue,
Keep a little smile on that's the right thing to do,
In a little while your troubles, they will disappear like bubbles.

Just around the corner there's a blue bird on high,
Waiting on a rainbow in the sky, why,
Even though it's dark and cloudy,
Sun may peep through out and say howdee,
Just around the corner from you.

Celtic40rme,

Sorry, I should have said willing to compromise.

As I said earlier this really angers me.

DBBIA - "MINHshafters". LOLz squared, frankly.

saint stivs fp on February 3, 2010 12:42 PM

Thanks for your reply, noted.

As soon as I saw the team last night I knew we would struggle. How can a man of Mowray's experience be unaware of the simple fact that in order to win a football match, especially away from home, you have to first win the physical battle. Without a midfield who are able to do that you have no chance.

I actually feel sorry fot N'Guemo and Ki. In my opinion they were left needlessly exposed by Mcgeady (who is being allowed to play wee boy fitba) and Kamara (who is a centre forward).

Yet again the buck must stop with our manager Tony "we move on to the next game" Mowbray.

Bring me Sunshine, in your smile,
Bring me Laughter, all the while,
In this world where we live, there should be more happiness,
So much joy you can give, to each brand new bright tomorrow.

Make me happy, through the years,
Never bring me, any tears,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

Bring me Sunshine, in your eyes,
Bring me rainbows, from the skies,
Life's too short to be spent having anything but fun,
We can be so content, if we gather little sunbeams.

Be light-hearted, all day long,
Keep me singing, happy songs,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

Regards the distasteful joint Tennent's deal (pun absolutely intended), what's done is done but let's keep trying to get the message over to the board and the footballing world by purchasing shirts for ourselves or our kids from the superstore WITHOUT the sponsorship rather than not buying the hoops at all. Unsurprisingly no one within the media is picking up on the disharmony among the support regards this subject or indeed anything pigeon-holed as being old-f*rm. A lack of shirts amongst the faithful will only portray a despondent and falling support(now there's a story for Traynor and his ilk) while a mass of sponsorless shirts could create something of a social phenomenon.

Just take it on the chin and move on

By saint stivs fp on February 3, 2010 1:38 PM

i explained why not. they arent the owners of celtic, they are shareholders. sounds like you want us run like rankgers under murray. you are asking them to hand over more money with nothing in return, its not unlike asking for handouts. we either are a proper grown up plc or we are owned by dd.

Rogueleader @ 1.37

100 percent spot on!!!!

Every single big game domestically this season we have failed to win bar hearts at home!!! There is more chance of Wlater Smith declaring his undying love for Celtic than Mowbray being the right man for the Celtic job!!!

If we lose on Sunday then he will be gone on in my opinion. Not soemthing I wish for but I genuinely believe could happen.

We are a huge laughing stock right now!!

A manager that got relegated from EPL gets one of the most high pressured managerial jobs in the whole of Europe!!! Deary me!!!!!!!!!

HaIL Hail

Roccobhoy

I really enjoyed James Forrests piece yesterday about how the Keane signing had brought the family together.
What a difference a day makes.

I was disgusted last night and as I've mentioned before, if I'd had a cat it would have been getting kicked silly last night(I don't own a cat but the neighbours was giving me funny looks). I got drunk instead!

This afternoon I'm still pissed off but there is no other option other than being defiant.
The low has come after the real high and now we're back to were we've been most of the season.

This isn't over.
What else can we do but back the lot of them for the remainder of the Season?
I mean really back them!!!!
Why the knee jerk reaction (it is knee jerk cause yesterday we had all and sundry giving the call to arms.

This is Celtic.
We take these things in our stride (or we used to) because we're Celtic.
No amount of Bad nights will make me turn on our Team or throw in the Towel.

Still Standing

Hail Hail, The Celts Are Here
What the Hell do we Care now

Mucker
The wife would kill me for throwing towels about anyway

What a difference a day makes

How can a manager who has such a great concept of football, a great eye for the scouting system get his tactics and formations so messed up. I really really would love Tony to get this turned around. If not win the league then at least a fighting attitude. Bring this blog back to the fun and excitement we had yesterday. With the debates about whats the best side to put out there with all these great players or the hilarious debate between Sir James Forrest and super_sammy. Ohh what a great day to be a Celtic supporter that was.

I've had Tonys back thinking that it's not his team up till now and the fact that his new guys need to gel but everyone watching that match last night, commentators also where questioning why on earth Kamara was on the wing, why Rasmussen wasn't coming on, why start the match with all these new guys at once and why on earth is brown the final sub in hope to turn things around. Most these decisions verge on the edge of common sense. I will not yet join the "Mowbray has got to leave yet" squad but I will give it till the hearts game next week and decide from there. But for now please play these players where they were made to play. Stop this craziness of a pitch full of wingers and use the knowledge you have learned from the previous games:

- Rasmussen is the box striker we have been crying out for
- McGeady needs to start looking up or he's benched
- Stop Naylor taking free kicks
- NGuemo Crosa is a winning partnership
- Stop putting Midfielders in defence
- McCourt is a great impact player when playing the smaller clubs
- Whatever this 'bro-mance' thing is between TM and Brown is. It's got to stop.

.... anyone want to add anything else???

Paul 67

Oh and one other thought. I bet there's a few wishing they had invested last January.

I really hope Tony agrees to leave through an amicable arrangement today or tomorrow but the whole team needs to be given a damn good shake and a side picked by a fresh manager to stablise the woeful run of results.

We have very decent players but they are obvisouly unable to play to whatever formation Mowbray has insisted they play.

We've enough ex-managers who could probably take the reigns for 6 months assisted by Lennon or McStay.

But how did it come to this? The huns literally cannot believe their luck with us being saddled with Mowbray. I'm getting angry again so I'm gonna log of and go do soem work........

Monday Morning Quarterbacks in full voice I see

Aw Naw
Nabody is in the mood for singing:-)

how can such a position of strength [or god as some people call it]have been wiped out so dramatically?it really is astounding that we find ourselves in this position,we have a club who dont know when they will be able to buy again and have a management team with no contracts, and our board must have knew this was coming to them, yet we find ourselves in the last 3 seasons trailing them one of which we overhauled them through sheer luck imo,we might still overhaul them this season but unlikely in my opinion, so as i say how did this happen or should i say why was this allowed to happen?

McGroary for Arsenal

100 percent spot on mate

Luck has nothing to do with being 10 point behind the worst rangers team in 30 years!!
He is out of his depth by a huge distance!!

He has got to go now!!!

Hail Hail

Roccobhoy

Mort,

I´m thinking of hiring a white van driving to France buying as many hoops as I can get my hands on and then selling them at Parkhead.

This timenextyearwellbemillionairesCSC

Fred C. Dobbs

no problem, we both want whats best for celtic, i think we have different ideas of what that is.

hail hail

Fantasy time! Would you accept losing the league this season if it meant Tony Mowbray took us halfway towards 10-in-a-row?

(I love Fantasy time. It's so much better than reality time).

DD

From your earlier (pretty accurate) list of thoroughly unimpressive candidates for manager being considered before we brought in Tony, it is unfortunate that we have appointed by far the worst of those!!

As you know, i agree entirely with you that we could & should have been looking for a much more impressive quality of manager than we did.

We now need to start that process again, & come up with a far, far better answer.

TSOAL

Not you as well.

Taxi for tony, and take grant and venus with you..

Tony has had to many chances,its time to take a chance on someone else,ie lambert,lennon and davy hay, before its to late,or is it to late?

No passion in the manager,no passion in the pointer,and certainly non in venus..

celtic cant afford to wait till after the hun game,but it might be after sunday if we dont win.
HAIL HAIL
BFT

Sir Paul

jist in fae the jiggin'.

Ah hiv an Assistant.

You,pal.. know the Name, well.

Na.. well,is no her name!

Her Name is Mabel.

Noo, Mabel is No jist anither pretty face..heck.. Ma office is strewn wi' them!

Na..

Mabel,is the shrewdest JUDGE o' a Person's Character, that Ah know.. and believe Me,pal.. as ye know.. Ah know a Heckavah loat o' Shrewd Judges!

Anyway..

The Day that Mr.Mowbray arrived.. in his very first Public Interview, on Chan 67..

Mabel,turned tae me and said..

"He has a Saturnine Look,about him, don't you think?"

I agreed..and as a Matter of fact,in my next submission to this wonderful blog of yours,pal.. I reported what Mabel had observed concerning the outward demeanour of our New Manager.

For those readers benefit who are unfamiliar with the meaning of that word...

Here is the Dictionary meaning:
Saturnine. Adj. Sluggish in Temperament, Moody,Melancholy, Sullen, Gloomy..

Now, any person who exudes the above personality description which,by its very nature... is a rather depressive non qualification for an Appointment that includes amongst its most Paramount qualifications.."Must be A Person who ..FIRST AND FOREMOST..Exhibits and is endowed with
Excellent Motivational,and Man Management Skills"

A MOTIVATOR SUPREME... to put it succinctly.

Ah ask ye Pal..

How right wiz the Fair Mabel, in her judgement of Mr. Mowbray's Character?

If Mabel had interviewed Mr. Mowbray for the Celtic Managerial Position..as she does many a time in place of my good self, when I am Unavailable to conduct an Important Interview...of an Aspiring Candidate,who could be a fine addition to my clientele...

She would have Turned Him Down,Cold, Flat and Absobloomingutely....on the Spot!

And ye kin take that tae ye nearest Savings and No Loan!

And..things have proved that ..She would have bin ineluctably correct,in doing so... in the case of
the Lugubrious,Mr.Mowbray.

As everyboady who is anyboady knows...

I was on the back of Mr.Mowbray..almost from the first Moment that he assumed his new Situation as
the New Celtic Pilot.

as..

In my own Judgment of this Man's character.. I detected a disturbing absence of..

MALLUM!

Which,unfortunately..I still do.

Be that as it may...

I decided, that a constant criticism of this Man,by Myself.. would not.. Pay the Rent nor Feed the Babies..as he was Now Celtic's Manager, and therefore..
I must accept his Appointment.. and try to make the Best of it.

I am still of that Opinion.

He is a Woose... A Wet Blanket... A Party Pooper..

He is all of these things..

Howevahhhh..

He is Our Woose..He is Our We Blanket.. He is Our Party Pooper..and like it or not..

We must SUPPORT HIM.. thro .The Thickest and The Thinnest!

That is Our ONLY OPTION,at this Time.

We cannot change oor Cuddies, in Mid-Stream..

Well.. I suppose we could..

Nevertherless we shan't .. this time..

There is No Martin O' Neil, on the Horizon..who could come charging to our Rescue..

Na..

Like it or Lump it..

We are Stuck with the Dubious Services of this Man.

So..

We must keep a Stiff upper and Suffer it thru... to the Bitter end..

Next Season, we shall take care of this leetle Problem ,that seems to have arisen,in the Pilot House.

An important reminder,however,kiddo..

Circumstances, do Change.

That is a Certainty.

So..

Miracles, do still occur..( Whit?...ed)( Ah must
finish in the Upbeat,pal.. that's a given!)

Therefore..

As I have constantly reminded my readers...

I cannot foretell the Future.

Therefore..

Mebbe, Mr. Mowbray shall shake off his Mantle of Lugubriosity..and morph into Captain America!...(some how.. the Title,Captain Scotland..disnae dae it!..
Diz it?)
and turn the whole sorry depressive business..around!

Stranger things hiv happened..well..

In Fairy Tales!

Support our Manager!

That must be our only Alternative.

Maks sense tae me!

Kojo.

Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo

If I can you Dell you can call me Rodney.CSC

timjim,

everyboody hurts sometime so hold on hold on

Hail Hail

Henriks Sombrero

Thanks for the reply!
Just im getting real bored here! im still i HUN!
Because i back my team.
Through thick and thin, i will back the hoops whoever wears or whoever is the mananger!
As i said i only post when i have something to say! And i see chaos between the fans.
We are Celtic! we went through the 90's with less hassle! get a grip Bhoys!
Estadio? am i still a HUN? Because i dont follow your thinking?

Westy1888

Godlstar10

I dont mate but I reckon he probably would, on the basis that things cant get a lot worse and rangers are absolutely woeful and with no money!!

It is easy to win this league if u have a winner in charge, repeat EASY TO WIN THIS LEAGUE IF WE HAVE A WINNER IN CHARGE!!!!!

PAUL LAMBERT IS THAT MAN IN MY OPINION!!!!!!!!!

HAIL HAIL

Roccobhoy

Paul Lambert won't stay for long at Norwich - they're top of the league, but have huge debts - he'll get no further joy with them promotion or otherwise. They won't be able to match his ambitions.

A man who has learned about tactics and motivation from Hitzfeld and O'Neill - who took a lowly Wycombe team to the semis of the League Cup - and held the mighty Chelsea to a draw.

He'll go right to the top. He'll be out of our grasp soon too as he is hot property.

There is no better time than now to bring him on board!

Paul67/Moderator, this article should be deleted due to a language violation!

There were many caught up in the euphoria of Robbie Keane coming and somehow felt that it tipped us in favour of winning 15 from 16.

Can I ask again is it significantly less likely that we'll win 15 from 15. I suspect not.

Lambert and Larsson would be a good match I think.
Larsson is started his coaching so would be a good assistant.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/755/europe/2009/12/14/1686932/henrik-larsson-appointed-as-landskrona-bois-coach

They were good friends when they played together and might be a good combined team.

musters
With your 'Mcgeady (who is being allowed to play wee boy fitba)' comment you hit the nail on the head. It's no his ba'. I noticed once we went behind he started to control the ball draw two players in then pass and move. I have defended him to bits I believe he will be one of the great Celtic players but he has to stop playing wee boy fitba at times (Copyright munster) . He has to be disciplined, to vary his style by that I mean take on players at times at other times pass on the 1st or 2nd touch. Make the defenders worried about trying to close him down.
Perhaps he feels he has to carry the team – no can do that

By Celtic40rme on February 3, 2010 1:45 PM

ok, let me try and understand, to be a proper grown up PLC, then DD, and any other shareholder , should not sponsor the club ?

because, that would make them like Murray ?

I am afraid the argument is totally lost on me.

I am asking why the billionaires could not sponsor us, in a proper commercial arrangement via one of their other companies, taking Philvis point on board, obviously a company that would benefit from the sponsorship,

A 2 minute search on tinternet brought back over 50 current businesses that DD has an interest in.

I like the look of GREENCORE, NICE LOGO, Ireland food production.
That would look nice on the jersey

weeminger

for a brief moment on monday fantasy time and reality time came together. and then yesterday happened.

i dont know about anyone else but i feel like a prize idiot today. i think theres a lot of people who will never forgive tony mowbray for making them feel like that.

I´m surprised that the guys that appointed Messrs

Mc Donald
Barnes
Mc Dermott
Dalglish
Mc Leod
Lawwell
Strachan
Pendrey
Clarke
Mowbary
Venus
Grant

Get no flak whatsoever, zilch, niente, nada etc.

.. what an appointment Mr. Martin O´Neill really turned out to be

Aw Naw 1:17
Your question re tax.
At a personal level any contribution made to say a Church can be declared by them as a Covenant,therefore any contribution you make to the Church has already had tax deducted therefore can be claimed back.

Apart from Churches if any individual contributes to say Oxfam or Sciaf,then by declaring this on a tax return will allow the total amount contributed to be deducted from taxable income.

I think your idea to embrace a Charity would work in part,in that it would be partially funded by I.R. Say a £1m per year to a given charity would actually only cost 60% of total depending on tax band.

Thats my best shot but I'm no expert.

Thanks for the diversion, never thought talking about tax would be preferable to talking about Celtic.

I am still wondering why Crosas isn't playing. For me, the best we have played this season is when he and N'Guemo have been together. I would add Ki to the pairing and give McGeady a rest.

While I don' want to jump on the bandwagon calling for our manager to go, he needs to show he can build some team spirit and quickly. We are going backwards and at a fair rate of knots.

We do indeed live in interesting times....

By Polly67 on February 3, 2010 12:15 PM

In despair in Dubai

because of the football or because you're in Dubai???

Well what a comedown yesterday was from the high of Monday night.

Mcgeady was a disgrace last night, the effort was there but there is no room in this team for somebody who refuses to pass to his team mates.

Keane was very poor aswell, I think everybody including the players expected him to get the ball skin 3 or 4 then slot it home when he is a completely different kind of player, it is for this reason Rasmussen should have started.

Every time Crosas doesnt play we get overrun in the middle, how hard is it for BTM to see this, his ability to keep the ball and find a teammate in space is vital to this team. His positional discipline and advice to teammates is excellent aswell.

We are in a worse state than 1 year ago with no sign of this changing. What if we give TM more time only for this to continue? Thanks to TM, this season is now a write off. We now need to plan for stopping 3 in a row and TM is not the man for this. We need to make a change now and build for next season.

excathedra44,

talking about Celtic at the moment is very taxing.

Maybe a fan on the board would give the plc at least the excuse that they are in touch with the fan base.

Hail Hail

I can't believe some on here are advocating sacking the manager and bringing rookies in to replace him. We all love Lambert and Larsson, but they are managerial rookies. If we were to sack Tony (and I'm in the NO camp), then it would have to be for an experienced campaigner.

Dubaibhoy on February 3, 2010 1:59 PM

What did the judge tell you about grooming ? ;-)

Hail Hail

Dane Bhoy
I used to talk to Paul Lambert while we waited to pick up our kids from school, he is very astute. He explained to me the day after we had came up against Deco what he would have which was basically man mark him as he was pulling all the strings. He also told me that the qualification he got in Germany you had to be invited on to you couldn’t just show-up.

Awe Naw

They have from me!!

The appointment of Tony was astonishing. At the time, I thought, & posted re this, that I couldn't believe he was seriously being considered- on what basis did the guys responsible for hiring the manager think that this man would be a good appointment? I genuinely have no idea- he was always highly likely to prove to be a disaster.

I don't agree that Strachan was a poor choice, & his record was very good, although he should have moved on a year before he called is a day. I don't think his heart or soul was in it last season, & he looked a bit demob happy lasst season.

Other than him & of course MON, you are quite right to highlight that we tend to make pretty poor appointments in key roles.

They have been truly awful at asset management too.

Crosas was dropped for shirking tackles against Hibs ?????

My team for Sunday:

Boruc

Caddis Thompson Loovens Braafheid

Crosas Ki N'Guemo

Kamara Fortun'e Keane

By saint stivs fp on February 3, 2010 1:55 PM

it was my point about dd's companies gaining from sponsoring celtic.

you are asking dd for a hand out. its that simple. what sort of plc asks its shareholders for a hand out and offers nothing in return. what you are suggesting would only work if dd owned celtic, which i take it you wouldnt want.

a quick google tells you that dd sold his shares in greencore. he was a major shareholder - he couldnt just get them to sponsor us.

How do you Bhoys who want to Tony Mowbray to go think this will happen? Tony has a strong belief that he can make Celtic win playing his brand of football so he wont walk away.The Board has spent a fortune getting him 2 Million to W .Brom.A plus all the money he has spent on transfers so the Board wont sack him.So it only leaves one option that I can see have patience and back Tony Mowbray. Im sure Tony must feel worse than we do at the moment if he fails at Celtic that would mean IMO no other large club in the U.K.would employ him as manager and it would almosr certainly mean an end to his managerial career.So I SAY LETS CONTINUE TO BACK TONY AND HIS PLAYERS AND BE FATHFULL THROUGH AND THROUGH.

I am getting fed up with hearing about "the worst Rangers team in [insert timescale]". What utter tosh!

They are so bad they are 10 points ahead of Celtic less than 2/3rds of the way through the season. They have a solid set of competent footballers who do what they have to do game after game after game and who outscore Celtic for fun. Their players have a team spirit and work ethic way ahead of Celtic's and level of hunger and fight that we can only dream of amongst our own squad of "superstars".

Perhaps Tony Mowbray should obtain DVDs of all of Rangers' games this season and make his squad sit down and watch every single one of them. And a 6 foot high copy of the current SPL table should be pasted on the wall right in front of the players' entrance at CP so it's the first thing they see when they walk into the ground... with another copy on the home dressing room wall.

I think part of the problem last night was throwing in too many new signings at once. Especially in an away game when they don't have enough experience of Scottish football. Couple that with the lack of leadership on the park and apparent lack of tactics. Too often we got to the edge of the Killie box and then ran out of ideas and players were all too quick to pass the buck, hoping someone else would do something to dig us out of the mess.

One thing that regularly annoys me with Mowbray is his substitutions when trying to save a game, as has happened all too regularly. He seems to just throw players at the situation without any obvious change in formation or tactics. One prime example is away to Hapoel when we finished the park with 3 wingers and 3 centre halves among our 10 outfield players. The substitution of Brown last night was another case in point, completely mystifying, I could have understood if he put him in the centre to drive at Kille from the middle of the park, but left back???

No matter what, the Celtic players are also going to need to realise we are never going to get any decisions from Scottish refs and get stuck in and get on with it. I am sick of seeing our players standing with their hands in the air after they have been knocked off the ball or impeded forlornly claiming for a foul while play rages on. Then we pick up sill bookings like McGeady's/N'Guemo's last night for impetuous tackles after they feel hard done by. We need to learn to get stuck right in, play the whistle and not rely on refs decisions.

Tennents deal taste bitter for Celtic and Rangers

http://footballsfootball.com/WeknowSFA/tennents-deal-taste-bitter-celtic-rangers/

Fair enough, cheers roccobhoy.

Hail hail.

Via,

Strachan was chosen cos he wanted the job was available, was cheap, was malleable and was recommended by a hastily departing MON.

We had 7 months to find an alternative for WGS.

BTM is an alternative but not proven.

I also reckon he was a panic appointment.

Hail Hail

DD donated 1m to Robbie Keanes salary.

Give him a break.

Tony has his team now.

Played one lost one.

Hail hail

BigChipsUK

they are nasty and horrible. they intimidate the referee and the opposition, they kick other teams all over the park, the win ugly and they lose badly

we need some of that. last night when n'guemo was booked, 20 seconds after being fouled himself he turned and had a go at the referee and so did maf and one other. it made me stop and think when the last time any of our players did that. we've not got a single streetwise player in our team, not since barry robson went. none of the new guys have it either.

A question for all those who want us to lose on Sunday in order to force TM's departure;
are you happy to be bombarded with "we're going for the treble--says Nacho Novo" and other similar headlines that the sniggering media will taunt us with ?
Lets face it, poor as we are, we are the only team capable of preventing them lifting the Scottish cup.
I've already posted saying TM's not the man for the job but lets not lose what pride we still have.

Buy the Celtic top with no sponsorship on it's front. Simple as!!

Some people are born lucky, some are born unlucky and some make their own luck. Last night and not for the first time this season Mogga's Celtic was unlucky. Killie managed to take advantage of our mis-fortune. Hooiveld pulled up injured, this allowed McGuire the time and space to pick his spot.

Generally our performance last night was flat and disjointed. TBF though I am not sure what else you can expect from a new team. Yes they should still have been good enough to win the game last night. Unfortunately the chances we created were again missed. It seems we need numerous opportunities to score a goal. While the opposition seem to make the most of their limited chances.

I ask you which player would you expect to take more of their chances?

Robbie Keane or Killie's McGuire?

Well last night Robbie had 4 looks at the goal while McGuire had just the one. Mogga can't be held accountable for his players missing chance after chance.

The stats tell you the truth of last nights game, while we looked like a team trying desperately to get to know one another. We still dominated the game in all aspects, apart from the most important one the score line.

That's where luck comes into it, you either have it or you don't. Sadly it appears Mogga lacks that one vital component to be successful. So far the evidence points to him being an unlucky manager, however the jury surely must still be out to whether he can make his own luck or not?

For me we can only know if he is capable of this, once he's able to put a settled team out on the park. The new players need to be given some time to get up to speed, gain match fitness and learn about their new team mates. Time is not on his or our side in terms of the league. Hopefully we can pick up results while awaiting for the team to gel.

However if the consistency of results fails to materialise immediately, then I think we have to look to the longer term. A quick fix is not what we should be looking for and in all honesty what would it achieve?

Pushing Mogga out the door so soon may prove a mistake. I think we should make sure he's the wrong man before cutting our noses off. I suggest we give him until April, Lets see if he can produce a side that will consistently win matches while playing to his vision of how the game should be played. I can't see how at this time we can be sure he wont produce this for us.

He and his new players have to be given some time. We all want success today but in reality we might have to show some patience. In all probability that would still be the case no matter if we brought in a new man to replace Mogga now. The window has shut, the league barring miracles has all but gone. Lets make sure Mogga is not the right man for the long term before we push him out the door.

Agree with deep-stoat, I would like him to jump, before he's pushed, but I doubt this will happen when there's so much money involved. Yes, nice guy, but screw that, that counts for nothing. Sparky should at least be sounded out, if we don't improve our position in the next few weeks then he should go so that the new man has time to assess the squad for next season.
Celtic40me, the difference in the 5 yrs between the last deal is that although they have always been odious they have cranked it up a good few notches, ie the abuse dished out to ' foreigners', only of an ROI persuasion, the Famine Song and the equally degrading BJK chants, which is 100% tolerated by all and sundry in the Scottish establishment (!) and about 99% of the media.

45 points to play for rangers need 35/36 to win the league. We will if we lose again this year have allowed Rangers to basically survive.

Celtic40rme

So did Loovens by the way. First time I've seen a Celtic captain challenge a referee in goodness knows how long. Mibbee we've found somthing that he's quite good at....

TBB

Steins a legend -

"Tony has a strong belief that he can make Celtic win playing his brand of football so he wont walk away"

Tony also has a strong belief that playing with a midfield 2 and 4 wingers is a good idea on an Ayrshire turnip field. He also thinks putting a right midfielder into left back will enable your team to score twice in 15 minutes in said turnip field. I wouldn't rely on his beliefs if my life depended on it.

"The Board has spent a fortune getting him 2 Million to W .Brom"

They did and it is shameful. Ever heard of compunding a mistake? Mowbray is a cataclismic mistake. Leaving him in the dugout is the difference between 2nd and 3rd or worse. Just because we paid a ludicrous amount of money does not mean we can't admit a mistake, a glaring painful mistake.

"So I SAY LETS CONTINUE TO BACK TONY AND HIS PLAYERS AND BE FATHFULL THROUGH AND THROUGH"

Blind faith over the evidence of your own eyes. He has done nothing to deserve your faith...unless you think being a game away from being third in a two horse race is good going?

Steins a legend

I think Tony is a dreamer.....he dreams he's gonna deliver us into European finals with sily football and we'll enjoy unparalelled success but sadly reality bites and it's not gonna happen.

Let Tony dream with someone elses football club from now on, cos he's turning my club into a laughing stock. Both him and the board should sit down, shake hands and Tony moves on......no point in prolonging this car crash any longer.

The players Tony has brought in will I believe go on and prove to be decent under another manager.....we might even push the huns all the way if we may a change NOW.

Tony Shepherd,

Paul will never be out of our reach.

When Celtic come caliing be in 3 years 5 years or 10 years, regardless wherever he is he will return no matter what.

GordonJ, my suggested team for Sunday (if all fit & available)...

Zaluska
Caddis Thompson Lafferty Misun
Mizuno N'Guemo Crosas Maloney
Samaras Rasmussen

That'll send a message to our overpaid, overrated, underperforming primadonnas.

i havent got the hang of the new blog and the way it takes a while for posts to show up

apologies if i havent replied to people when they have addressed me, i wasnt being rude.

steins a legend

I want the board to sack him.

However, i don't think that the board will make the right/courageous decision to recognise that they made a complete pigs ear of their last managerial appointment, & despite this being against the best interests of our club, they will not do so.

Again.. Ah disagree with the Proposal
that Mr.Lambert should be our next Managerial
Appointment.

My Man for the Job..

would be..

Mr. Hughes.. now with the Hibs.

In fact, He was one of my First Suggestions as the
Next Celtic Manager, when Mr.Strachan Left.

The others were,at that time.. Mr.Lambert and Mr. McStay.

It appeared to me the Mr. Hughes had done
wonders with an very unfashionable an monetarily
handicapped.. Provincial Team.

Falkirk, I always observed, played very nice, intelligent Football.. each time we faced them.

Yes, I came to Admire Mr. Hughes..

A loat, during his time at Falkirk

The Fact that the Same Mr. Hughes is now
doing extremely well in his new Managerial situation, at Hibs,bespeaks
emphatically, that he is a Man who can do the job,that he has bin hired to do.

In other words..

He can Definitely...

IMPROVE... his new Charges!

He has done this, in the Case of Hibs..

and...

Most Successfully!

In Fact.. Ah hate tae say this..,

But, Hibs may beat us for the Second Place in the Championship.

Which would be..

Disastrous, Catastrophic..and last but not least..

DEVASTATING .. to oor already Under Nourished..

Piggy Bank!

Yes,

My Pick..and it is a Fine one..

would be

Mr. Hughes for our next Manager.

and he would jump at the chance.. a la Jock.

Maks sense to me.

Kojo.

Paul,

I think the bottom line is that BTM would be an excellent scout for CFC. Been saying it all season that he doesn't appear to be able to communicate his cunning plans. The players who were there were good enough to win the league. The players who are there are good enough to win the league. The manager is clueless and PL needs to start working for his bonus pronto. Two phonecalls and the league title could still just about be possible...

Ellbhoy,

my thoughts exactly

Hail Hail

The euphoria of Monday came crashing down with a thud yesterday. Keane and Kamara didn't even have a chance to have a cup of tea with their new team mates, yet they were thrown into battle. They should have been brought on for cameos with 20 minutes to go. What was Mowbray thinking? Get Rasmussen out there!!!! Loovens captain, really? WTF? The final straw was putting Brown on for Naylor. We needed fight in the middle of the park or another scoring option, but we replaced a left back with a player who hasn't played in months.

I think we need to make a change in the management team now. NOW PETER NOW! We clearly have the talent, but Tony, Mark, and Peter are not motivating or inspiring our team. They are clueless. Robbie Keane is probably wondering what he has gotten himself into. I expected him to have a quiet debut with him probably not getting to bed until 4AM or so.

The Board must act now and put a new manager in place before we kick another ball on Sunday.

The Tennants deal is just another smack in the face. Our Board just took the Old Firm soup for another three years. Being associated with those bigots has me just gutted. No more, no more!

Has he resigned yet?

Lambert & Larsson . I like the sound of that. and Lennon as well.
The 3 L's we could call them.

BigChipsUK -

The Huns are organized and that is enough to see them through most games. When they come up against technically better teams, including Romanian minnows that nobody has ever heard of, they are exposed up for what they are ... utter rubbish.

Celtic are the opposite in so much as we are totally unorganized. Every team in the league knows who to play against us and we are making the same mistakes every time we play a match. That is why we are trailing the Huns by 11 points.

Celticbhoy = I have studied some statistics on the managers and Mowbray and Lambert have been managers for the same number of matches at their own clubs.

Mowbray has 34 played, 16 won, 8 draws and 10 lost with a win % of 47.06%.
Lambert has 34 played, 22 won, 6 draws and 8 lost with a win % of 64.71%

I am not saying this is as meaningful as it might seem but it is interesting I think.

As I recall there was a lot of laughter around Paul Le Guen's sacking by Rangers and a lot of it wasn't about the league position they were in.

A lot of that laughter was aimed at Rangers board for bowing to the old guard and perhaps missing an opportunity to establish an organisation that could bring long term sustainable success (relative obviously to finishing behind Celtic).

If we're generally happy with the calibre of player that Tony Mowbray has been bringing in, and by and large it seems we are, then surely we have to give him until at least the seasons end to see what he does with them.

I think we must be realistic building a new team takes time.I have watches nearly all of Celtics games this season and in most of them weve out played the opposition.The problems have been we havnt taken our chances and we have lost many daft goals.Now at the January transfer window Tony set out to rectify that in the main he got rid of the underperformers and he brought in new players.So after one match with these new players we now want him sacked because we lost a match in which we outplayed Kilmarnock but again didnt take our chances.That is simply a Knee jerk reaction give Tony time to work with his new squad and one thing im certain of is very soon some team is going to get hammered by us when we take the chances created. Hail Hail

BigChipsUK,

Can see your logic with that selection! But I want us to get a regular formation and a regular selection sorted out as soon as possible. I would go with a first 11 on Sunday.

Kojo on February 3, 2010 2:23 PM

That level of ambition is why we're in this state.

Try and drag yourself out of medocrity for once and have some ambition.

We've attempted it with the players we've signed this window, I wish we had the experienced manager that could do something with them.

DD

Celtic play in a childish embarrasing way, he has no clue.

Has he resinged yet?

By Celtic40rme on February 3, 2010 2:05 PM
By saint stivs fp on February 3, 2010 1:55 PM

it was my point about dd's companies gaining from sponsoring celtic.

you are asking dd for a hand out. its that simple. what sort of plc asks its shareholders for a hand out and offers nothing in return. what you are suggesting would only work if dd owned celtic, which i take it you wouldnt want.

a quick google tells you that dd sold his shares in greencore. he was a major shareholder - he couldnt just get them to sponsor us.

sorry, you lost me again, why is it a hand out , and why would they get nothing in return ? so all our other sponsors didnt make anything from having their name on the jersey ?

i just dont get the argument.

All those other sponsors of the lounges, advertising boards, big ticks on the seats, are they of no value to the companies who do it ?

why if a DD linked company (either his own or as a shareholder) sponsored the jersey would it be "no value".

BigChipsUK

I think that could well have been the formation/selection in Mowbrays head before last night. Now that this is our only realistic chance of silverware he must play his strongest 11 IMO.

By Celtic40rme on February 3, 2010 2:21 PM
i havent got the hang of the new blog and the way it takes a while for posts to show up

apologies if i havent replied to people when they have addressed me, i wasnt being rude.

I have the opposite problem, you keep addressing me, and your being rude.

its a joke, honest, (thumbsup).

"By Lurking From A Mineshaft Whilst Clapping Happily on February 3, 2010 1:09 PM
New poll

If we bring in a new manager how long should we give him?

a) 4 Months
b) 6 Months
c) a full season"

If he is the RIGHT man for the job, you give him all the time he needs. HOWEVER if he is the WRONG man for the job, you act quickly and get rid before permament damage is done! Time to get rid!

glendalystonsils

Those headlines appear all the time and are ultimately the soul purpose of our media.
If you think that our manager even if he gets through on Sunday can win anything then I think you are sadly mistaken.

I did not say I want us to lose but if we did I feel that would do what many people want - force the hand of those in power.

He must go, he should go and if we hang on until June we have the world cup to contend with.

What manager will we get until July? With a CL qualifier (or more likely a EL one) and a deadline to sign players and get a team together that is another gamble that we cannot take.

The board got players in but we have at worst broke even and at best made a slight profit enabling a loan for Keane which now will not put the bums on seats and today's wonderful sponsorship deal is quite frankly the tin lid on the thing.

A reactionary strategy is what we have and now we must swallow it but by not reacting to our aimless lost manager whose team are in his image, we put ourselves in severe danger of a 3rd or worse placed finish all from a position of strength and financial dominance over the league and indeed the whole country.

If Dunfermline beating us gets him out then that is a positive and allows rebuilding/ internship until the end of the season to either get in th new man or have a caretaker to get the time to sound out a new man BEFORE the month and a half long distraction that is the World cup which will put player prices through the roof.

Kojo @ 2.23pm
Makes sense to me as well I,am with you on that one

Health warning, the following analysis requires you to fling the form book out of the window and Celtic to win 15 games on the spin:

Rangers need 35 points to win the league on goal difference on a points tally of 89, the maximum we can now make. To date, they have taken 2.35 points per game to sit on 54 points after 23 games. Continuing on that ratio would give them 35 points and therefore see them crowned league champions.

Howevva...if we, somehow, manage to beat them twice then they would have to win 12 of their other 13 games (or win 11 and draw 2). An unlikely scenario from a team who have failed to win 30% of their fixtures this season.

The conclusion, they are on top of the league because of OUR failings and we can still win the league. We shouldn't underestimate the importance of two old firm victories in eating into a 10 point lead.

Dane Bhoy

Thanks for that, he will make an impact with a bigger club than he is with at the moment.

Kojo

Hughes could be a good shout.

Generally I know in my heart that TM will not fall on his sword and that the board will give him at least until the end of the season. One thing they will not be happy at is paying £65k a week for a player just to win the Scottish Cup.

I am worried that there is no game we go into where I am confident of a win.

St stivs fp@2.30 - merely being associated with Celtic (or any football team for that matter) isn't necessarily of benefit to every company.

Scottish football has a very limited exposure these days, hence the lack of a global shirt sponsor in my opinion.

On that basis most sponsors are either going to be associated with something you do while engaging with football ie drink or they're going to be a local company.

Putting the fact that DD is no longer invovled with Greencore aside, we would have no benefit to them because most people don't associate Celtic and groceries.

I'll keep saying this - I think we (the fans) overestimate the size and bankability of Celtic as a global brand.

thismancraig
I take your point but would you put money on it happening.

Good letter Dexter. Think we should all be sending one of these.

By the way does anybody know the odds on us winning the league now

thismancraig@2.36 - that's kind of what I've been referencing every time I say were we more likely to win 15 from 16, rather than 15 from 15?

If it was to be done, whatever way of doing it involved extended winning runs.

What needs to be done is no more or less unlikely than what needed to be done at midnight on Monday.

There was an incident in the game last night that typifies the kind of players we have wearing the famous Hoops these days. It happened in the second half right front of the dugout. A Killie player beat a Celtic player on the touchline and as he prepared to punt the ball up the wing to another Killie player Kamara who was less than two feet away just stood and watched him. He never even tried to block the ball. No one in the dugout even shouted at him. Thats when you need a Neil Lennon type of coach. Kamara might not have understood Neil but he would have certainly got the message!!!

John Coatbridge

timjim,

Out to 10/3 with Paddy Power

timjim@2.42 - I was going to comment in that. How many got sucked in by the bookies on Monday night?

Dane Bhoy @2.27pm.
Need to study harder, Tony has been in charge for 36 games

P W L D F A
36 17 11 8 58 37
47% 31% 22% 1.61 1.03

For the Gordon lovers here is his record from last year:

P W L D F A
51 30 8 13 97 44
59% 16% 25% 1.90 0.86

I said I was going to sign off for the weekend, but with some of the talk on here I really want to say a few things to maybe put a different slant on things.

greenjedi has it right. You give a new manager as much time as he needs - IF there are signs that he is on the right track.

Is Tony Mowbray on the right track? I love Tony Mowbray, and I hoped and prayed he would be a success. As a player he brought passion and commitment to our team. As a manager he has brought tremendous dignity and courage. But I am greviously concerned, based on what I saw last night.

The form has been appalling. Looking at it dispassionately, if this was anyone other than Big Tony I would be amongst the people demanding his head on a pike. That is a fact, it's not hyperbole, as some think I'm prone to.

Rangers have won the title what, four times in the last ten years is it? On each occasion they have done so only on the final game of the season. The final game. This year they could do it with miles to spare, and possibly a double-digit margin. I don't understand how anyone can conclude that they will drop points and then go on to say we won't. I see nothing in our form to suggest we can put together a winning run.

Last week I wanted Tony backed regardless of the title. I think maybe I let the press treatment of him push me into an irrational and suspect position. I look at the league table - with Hibs right behind us with a game in hand, which if they win puts us third - and I cannot defend that assertion.

When John Barnes was fired we had exited European competition to a fine Lyon side, and were still in the League Cup, which we eventually won. We were behind in the league, and out of the Scottish Cup, yes, and there was talk the manager had lost the dressing room. Look at our present situation.

Out of Europe twice. Third in a Europa League group which, in years past, we would have won. Out of the League Cup, at home to Hearts. A worse league record than Barnes and on the cusp of being third in the table.

John Barnes took on a multi-million pound Rangers team. We are taking on a side which has not purchased a first team player in almost two years. Barnes put together a fine unbeaten run at the start of the season. Tony Mowbray has yet to win three league games in a row.

Tony Mowbray lost the dressing room. It's a fact. We all know McManus and others didn't want to do it for him. He responded by clearing it out, and we were all behind that because these players were just not cut out for taking us forward. But last season, bad as they were, they ran Rangers to the final game and might even have won the title itself.

We have gone backwards, and not just one season backwards. We have regressed ten years or more.

The evidence suggests it's over. I cannot pretend otherwise. To continue down this road is suicidally wrong. I love Tony Mowbray as a man and as a person. He is a fine human being, but he is so far out of his depth he is practically drowning, and he looks like he knows it.

At the AGM one of our directors - was it Reid? - said that the board was unhappy with "recent performances." Someone correct me if I've gotten the venue or the person wrong; I remember that it was said. How concerned must they be right now?

John Barnes was sacked for less than this. It's a horrible thing to say, and it pains me to say it.

How much more pain do some of you want?

My dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. Donegal Danny.

Pal..if ye propose that my suggestion of appointing Mr.Hughes..is,for my part, wallowing in Mediocrity..
and that is what I gather that you are a getting at,in your last submission...

Then I disagree with you strongly.

Mr. Hughes is Proving that He can and would be a

Team Motivator.. par excellence..

The Very thing.. that we at Celtic are in Desperate Need.

We certainly have the Players and the Monetary Resources, which are much,much superior to Hibs.or
any other Team in the S.P.L.

Pal..

It is not the Abiliites of Staff that is wanting at

Parkheid on the Clyde..

It is the Absence of a Prime Motivator..who can..and wull. well.. Motivate that very Staff of Excellent Prospects..

Mr. Mowbray's Problem is that He simply cannot

MOTIVATE his Charges!

Possibly, Mr.Lambert is also a Man who can and does Motivate his Staff...

Howevah........

I will stick with my..

MOST PRACTICAL SUGGESTION..

Mr. Hughes, ticks all of the Requirements of a First Class Manager..

FOR THE S.P.L.

A League, where we are unfortunately, anchored.

He can be acquired at little expense.

Celtic, cannot go for the Well Known and World Famous Managerial Names..as it seems to me.. you are offering as a Solution to our Managerial Fix.

Pal..

We canny Afford them..they have the Reps.. and ye must PAY thru the Nose for those kinda Credentials.

Na..

We must stick with what we kin Afford.

Mr. Hughes, would be eminently qualified..IN MY OPINION. to fulfill our Managerial wants.

Kojo.
yer pal.. who like ye a loater.

As I appear to be in a minority of one who believes Tony Mowbray needs more time and that he can still bring success to Celtic ( remember when Sir Alex Ferguson was for the chop at Man.Utd.).I will for a time be a lurker and let all you sack Tony Mowbray posters wallow in your feelings of being ashamed of the current set up at Glasgow Celtic John Hughes your having a laugh I hope. Hail,Hail

Kojo @ 2.23

Hibs with Hughes haven't been stellar against the Darnel so far this season.

They took a 4-1 hammering in December, and drew 1-1 earlier this season.

Why employ another manager who cannot get the better of the huns? I like Hughes, but no more money to Hibs please? A dog with different fleas - as they say.

When recalling the hilarious exploits of the huns in this seasons CL. Stuttgart, Sevilla, and Urziceni (who?) all wiped da'floor with them. What do those teams have in common? Nothing - except managers with enough tactical nous to slay the huns home and away.

I'm not saying give Dan Petrescu the job, but he has 'something'?

Paul 67

How can we expect Tony, based on our knowledge of what we have seen so far, to animate the team when he fails to animate himself exactly at the point when a bit of "sturm and drang" is required on the touchline and in the dressing room. While the leader in the team, whoever that may be establishes himself on the pitch, we need a clear and effective Leader on the touchline.

Tony has failed to learn the rules of the game in time. Pity. While the League flag flutters in our wildest dreams he should leave. In my opinion If he stays the Huns hoist it early and our Club tears itself apart slowly. Whoever comes in, will more than likely not have the service of Robbie and Diomansy next year anyway. Begin the next transition now. Cut our losses and hope for the Huns to fold (in both senses). If the team comes good in short order it will not be at the behest of Tony, sadly.

The Chief Exec now becomes our most important player.

GordonJ/weeminger

Not being a betting man I take it you would get more winnings back from 10/3 than Mondays 2/1

Only once since the inception of the SPL have we had a worse record after the opening 23 games. In Josef Venglos' tenure we only had 40 points after 23 games but after that we won 10, drew 1 and lost 2 of the final 13 games.

Another thing i noticed was that in Gordon Strachan's final 23 games last season we only got 42 points (compared to the 44 Tony has got from his first 23 games). In the first 15 games last season we had 40 points (13W 1D 1L). We need a run like this to have any hope of catching Rangers.

Mort

weeron 12.35

Have read from the top down to your post.

Thank God for someone with some sense.

Absolutely spot on with what you said about the lack of aggression, tackling, combativeness in the midfield. We have a set of midfielders all out of the same mould. Individually not particularly bad players. Just all the same. Tony does not have the tools (his fault). He can't change the midfield by bringing in Crosas for Ki. They are both the same.

Tony is like the roulette gambler continuing to put his money on the same number everytime in the hope it will eventually come up.

Two years ago wee Gordon was forced to play Hartley and Robson in the middle of our midfield. They won us the league. They were a blend with the fairies.

The only way we could possibly play the players at our disposal would be to play five across midfield with one up front.

Of course we cannot do that. We are the famous Glasgow Celtic who don't play like that!!
Feck that, we might win.

While I'm at it don't be looking for Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish or Aer Lingus to sponsor us. They're skint.

Well written weeron: I said the same last night. You said it better.

oceallaigh

Kojo et al

No No No to John Hughes, with all due respect I have to disagree and I will tell you why.

Much has been said of the man with no surname but undeniably he knows how to win this league and, much as it sticks in my craw, he will most likely win the damn thing again this year!

He knows how to play and win against the 'up for it' Killies and Falkirks of this world and he knows how to play the game in good auld Scotia, how to deal with the media and all and sundry, we look firstly panicky and paranoid and secondly we are being laughed at!!

What we need is someone who has a slighly longer in the tooth resume for this gig and again with all due respect to messers Lambert, McStay and Lennon, they aint the answer!

We need an 'aulder' hand who wont play or be messed about by the smiithsonian tactics of the darkside, who is wily enough not to be drawn into the media mind games and can suss what particular tactic is needed for each particular game and set's his sides up accordingly, something the present incumbent does not seem to have grasped!!

Who that man is I am unsure, but then again if I knew that I wouldnt be a humble Engineer would I ?

GG

Anyone fancy a guess at which player has taken most shots in the SPL this season?

Mort

Manchester United's first bond issue, launched barely a fortnight ago, is in danger of falling flat after analysts confirmed it has become one of the market’s worst performers this year.

Last week, the club confirmed it had raised the £500 million investment they sought to get the club’s spiralling debts under control. However, the price of United’s £250 million sterling denominated bonds has tumbled to just 93 per cent of their original face value, while the value of the $425 million of dollar-denominated bonds has fallen to 94.5 per cent of their face value. More than 50 low-risk investors, primarily insurers and pension-fund providers, stumped up the cash at a fixed annual interest rate of 9 per cent. However, if an investor had bought a £100,000 bond, he would have made a loss of £5,000.

Some analysts are claiming the bonds have been priced too highly, although the club have declined to comment.

“In a benign credit market, Manchester United is one of the worst performing bonds since the beginning of 2009,” Suki Mann, a credit strategist in London at Societe Generale, told the Financial Times.

The club could issue more debt by increasing the size of the bond, but are reportedly not keen to return to the market at the moment.

United had initially raised the funds after club officials embarked on a week-long series of “road shows” across three continents, sporting a “warts-and-all” 322-page prospectus in a desperate bid to woo investors. According to the latest accounts for the year ended June 2009, United owed £509 million to international banks.

The money raised through bonds will be used to pay back that debt, secured against the club. But while the annual interest bill will remain largely unaffected, United, crucially, will be freed of the strict financial conditions imposed by lenders that would have made life extremely difficult for the Barclays Premier League champions if they were less successful on the pitch.

United will face an annual interest bill of £45 million on the bonds, similar to the £41.2 million paid in the last financial year, but unlike the debt at present secured against the club, the bonds do not mature until 2017.

Supporters’ groups who have campaigned for the removal of the Glazers are appalled at the amount of borrowing.

steins a legend

If you feel that tony is the right man for the job, & we should back him, then you should continue to say so, whether you are in the minority or not.

As for John Hughes as a possible replacement, I agree entirely with you that this is a ridiculous suggestion.

Snake:
I too think we need to replace TM with a Celtic calibre manager BUT........
I still think we are the only team capable of stopping the huns winning the Scottish cup. Lets look at the 3rd and 4th placed teams in the league.......I give you........Hibs1 huns 4 and huns7 Dundee U.1 We are quite capable of dropping points to just about anyone but IMO no one else will stop them winning the cup if we don't.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the Liverpool owners, have less than six months to secure the £100 million investment demanded by their creditors or they run the risk of being forced to put the club up for sale.

Christian Purslow, the Liverpool managing director, revealed the extent of the pressure that is being brought to bear on the club to reduce their £237 million debt by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) — with whom they have a one-year refinancing agreement that expires at the end of July — in the minutes of a meeting he held with the Spirit Of Shankly supporters’ group.

RBS has made it a prerequisite of another refinancing deal being secured that Liverpool cut their debts by £100 million. Should they fail to do so, Hicks and Gillett would be faced with two options: find another financial institution willing to enter into an arrangement with them or put the club on the market. Purslow refused to guarantee that such investment would be secured in the specified time frame, although he did inform the supporters’ group that he hopes it can be done.

Hicks and Gillett are not expecting their creditors to prop up their ailing regime for a further year unless the requirements outlined by Purslow are met, and the admission by their managing director that there is no Plan B should talks with a number of potential investors come to nothing raised the possibility of the Americans being forced to sell in the summer.

“One of our key priorities is to reduce the debt by £100 million,” said Purslow, who described himself yesterday in an interview with AS, the Spanish sports newspaper, as “a specialist taking on companies with financial problems”. He said: “This is a requirement from our bankers and will allow us to look at a more flexible and longer-term refinancing when this investment is brought in. The targeted reduction was agreed by the bank, myself and the owners when I was brought in [as managing director in June 2009].

“The £100 million investment will be made by the issuance of new shares and will not go towards anything else other than paying down the debt, reducing it to £137 million. This new investment will also mean a dilution of the current ownership.

“There are no promises [that investment can be secured by July], just an expectation and hope that it can be done in that time. There are around five or six potential investors.

“You should rest assured any investor in this economic environment will spend plenty of time understanding Liverpool before committing. I would rather get it right than rush, and our banks and owners agree.”

Liverpool are edging closer towards agreeing a pre-contract deal to sign Milan Jovanovic, the Standard Liège and Serbia forward, who will be available on a free transfer in the summer.

By saint stivs fp on February 3, 2010 2:32 PM

haha :)

I posted this earlier today and am re-posting so that later readers can express their views. I would add the following question for your consideration;

Would you rather have £1.5 million a year and joint sponsorship or no sponsorship at all?

I appreciate the horse may have bolted, albeit where there's sufficient will, there's always a way IMHO. Whether or not things can be rolled back, we must make our views known. This cannot happen again. We must have a concerted push to ditch the 'Old Firm' tag.

I am really attracted by the charitable suggestion of fans donating £20 or £30 for a charity to be on the shirt. We would DEFINITELY EARN MORE than £1.5 million/year

I suggest the following letter to Celtic PLC Board/Merchandise Department regarding Joint Sponsorship.

Dear Sirs

It is with dismay that I learn of Celtic FC's proposed joint sponsorship with Rangers FC by Tennents.

I, along with many others, am totally opposed to joint sponsorship with Rangers FC and urge the club to re-consider its position.

For quite some time, our club has aired legitimate concerns about sectarian/racist behaviour by fans of Rangers FC.

The board of our club has also repeatedly pointed out the unique position of Celtic FC in Scotland as the only club with a truly worldwide fan base.

Neither of the above circumstances have changed. The sectarian/racist behaviour of Rangers fans has continued. Indeed, in addition, the memory of the late Jock Stein has been tarred by the same fans.

Our worldwide appeal and potential remains untapped.

There is absolutely no financial need for such a move. There are other companies and organisations who would be attracted by the opportunity to sponsor Scotland's largest club.

Even if alternative sponsors offered less money to the club, I would urge the board to consider same for reasons I will come to.

Even if no alternative sponsor could be found,a sponsor-less Hoops kit (or one emblazoned with a charity logo) would prove extremely popular. Just look to the example of FC Barcelona. A charity sponsor would also be consistent with the founding principals of our club.

Regretfully, I do not intend to purchase any Tennents-branded merchandise in circumstances where Tennents also sponsor Rangers FC. I believe many Celtic fans share this view.

The reasons are clear;

1. I do not wish to, in effect, financially support Rangers FC (in view of the circumstances of concern outlined above);
2. I believe that to support joint sponsorship undermines the club's ongoing concerns regarding the behaviour of the fans of Rangers FC;
3. A joint sponsorship package portrays a lack of ambition and imagination on the part of the board and in effect suggests that our club is satisfied to remain within the current limited financial environment of the SPL alongside Rangers FC. Even if our club Board disputes this position factually, this will remain a matter of justifiable perception;
4. Any joint sponsorship arrangements only perpetuates the 'Old Firm' tag, which is opposed by the vast majority of Celtic fans;
Celtic fans have been lauded throughout the world, including the unprecedented receipt of a FIFA Fair Play award. The travelling fans of Rangers FC have been vilified as a result of repeated incidents in Europe. Joint sponsorship blurs the clear distinction between the respective clubs' reputations. The media have needed no encouragement to peddle the myth that both clubs "are as bad as each other";
5. I believe that alternative financial relationships may prove more beneficial to Celtic FC or would mitigate substantially a move away from joint sponsorship and that alternative arrangements (e.g. stadium naming rights) offer alternative and more lucrative and appropriate revenue opportunities;
6. The Tennents brand is not a brand of reputation that should be linked with our club.
7. Continued sponsorship by alcohol companies, in the context of the deleterious effects of alcohol, particularly in Scotland, runs contrary to the founding principals of our club and the ethos and values of Brother Walfrid;
8. The custodianship of Celtic Football Club should be about more than pure arithmetic. There are compelling moral reasons to oppose such a joint sponsorship, as referred to above. A moral ethos is entirely consistent both with prudent financial management and the mover-arching founding principals of our club.

I urge the custodians of our club to listen to the fans. The vast majority do not want joint sponsorship. The vast majority do not wish to be viewed as one half of the "Old Firm".

For too long, the perception of many fans has been that the board's obsession with Rangers FC has stifled the potential of the club. Another joint sponsorship move will do nothing to alter this perception. I urge the board to look beyond the other side of the Clyde River, to Europe and beyond, with a level of ambition and imagination to match the dedication of the fans of our great club.

Yours in Celtic

Afternoon Paul67 and all others

Never have I thought you're tone smacked so hard of dissapointment in an article. Like must people on the blog the high of Monday was more than surpassed with the low of post final whistle texts from my Rangers orientated mates last night.

However, my tuppence worth.....

We have to keep faith with Mowbray.

I intended to judge him a couple of months into the 2010/2011 season as I felt it would take him that long into his management campaign to completely overall the team and have it play the style of football he envisaged. I thought small change in last summers window, medium change in this window and further change in the summer then it would be his squad.

He's been radical; sold our best goal scorer even after he proves his prowess in 20minutes against Rangers, slagged off the current team, fallen out with the media and revolutionised the playing style (with very limited end product).

We've made the commitment financially, we need to let him live or die by it. On any other year I'd agree the leaguie is over but they are RUBBISH, they're just grinding out results from an ageing team.

Throw 6 games together including a comprehensive win against Rankers and we'll be back in this. If not, its a tough time ahead in the summer for the board as our financial prudence will be challenged if we pay out a managers contract, pay compensation on a new one and spends millions rebuilding another squad.

Keep the faith

Aqua Al

Finally made myself watch the highlights.

Why is it week after week I'm seeing keepers make saves against us I don't think Boruc could make? I'm thinking of the two saves Bell made of low shots by Keane last night. I just don't think Boruc would have got down to them.

I bet our players score a barrel-load in training then can't understand why the same things they do at training aren't succesful in real games.

I only saw McGeady involved in one piece of attackin play in the highlights. Now I know they never tell the whole story, but I would have expected him to feature more. I think he needs a rest.

The much maligned Fortune was involved in many of our better moves.

Mort on February 3, 2010 2:53 PM

Aiden McGeady?

DD

Getting rid of Tony Mowbray now would be the kind of second rate reactive thinking that got him the job in the first place.

But then this would be the judgement of a Board that believes it right for us to get into bed with the Shame for the next 3 years; the people, and they are the people, who have enriched our lives with BJK and the Famine Slander and now a charming wee song about Niall Mcginn.

For a Club that is now supposed to be run on modern business lines it is astonishing that they seem so determined to alienate their core supp-sorry, customer base.

I like John Hughes and although publically he can come across as a bit crude I have always thought him tactically sharp and had a good eye especially when it came to substitutions.

However He left Falkirk under similar circumstances to WGS. From the outside you could say he was a success, good football attempted, bringing youth through, keeping falkirk up and a cup final appearence can be deemed a success but he was deeply unpopular with fans and staff alike. There was a collective sigh or relief when he left the club and its fair to say the experienced players he brought in are still a financial burden to falkirk who now are totally relying on youth. The football was never as good as people would lead you to believe and there are moments well i would say he didnt conduct himself in a manner fitting of Celtic Football Club. When he left Falkirk and the fans were pleased to say the least

With Hughes would come Rice who i have witnessed several times on the training ground and there are better coaches within celtic youth development.

After praising Lawwell for seeting the expectaions during the transfer window appointing are we now wanting to appoint John Hughes and Brain Rice?

NO

timjim,

£1 on Monday would get you £3 back.

Your £1 today would get you £4.33 back.

(Assuming we win the league of course!)

mort

do you know the relative records of us and them in 2009?

saint stivs fp

this argument about the shirt sponsor is very much an 'i want v you can't have' thing.
If we're haggling for a loan fee for McManus then i suspect it would be hard to convince the Plc board, majority shareholder or anyone else with a vested interest that giving up any amount of money to uphold brand new principles is wise.

We're getting more money, and the clear implication of the new deal is that it's likely to be the best we can get. We're not doing it for anyone's benefit but our own. This much is surely self evident.

DD will make a commercial decision regarding whether to sponsor us through one of his companies, just as any other company would. To expect anything else really isn't realistic. As was suggested earlier, it wouldn't really be a sponsorship deal if he was simply using another of his companies to put more money into the club. If he wanted to do that i'm sure he'd have done it already.

This argument has been ongoing for a few weeks and i've yet to read anyone suggesting they want to be linked to them in any sense. However, many people have tried to explain the realities. If you have a better suggestion, i.e. one that generates revenue and doesn't involve charity or Rangers, then you should present it to the board. They would be delighted to hear it, of that you can be quite certain.

weeminger,

I thought Fortun'e had another good game last night. But o one seems to be on the same wavelength. Several times he took a pass, turned his defender and looked for a colleague but no one had made the third man run.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,friend..Gilbert Grape

Pal..

If ye canny come up with a suitable candidate fur the Celtic Joab..

Whit good does it dae tae tell me that I am wrang and You are right, in pooh poohing my Suggestion of Mr. Hughes?

That , pal. is whit is known in the Trade as You are being A Contrary Mary!

If ye canny come up with a counter replacement, to Mine..????

Ye did mention the G.A.present incumbent.. but, but for us to make an attempt to acquire his services would be an impossible dream...

Well..

Whit's yer Point, Sir?

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

Celtic 7/2 from 7/4 on 888...

Kojo....

See your point but what would you have against the appointment of Lambert?

He took over a side in the relegation zone and they are now top. Norwich's first game of the season ended in a 7-1 home defeat to Colchester (who were coached by Lambert funnily enough) while two weeks ago, they won the away leg 5-0 (could say Lambert wins 12-1 on aggregate ;)

This guy has shown how he can improve a team, has the team playing with confidence and entertaining crowds. He has worked under Hitzfeld, O'Neill and has experience playing in Champions League, Bundesliga and most importantly, in the Hoops.

What is there not to like?

DD

Correctamundo

He has had 64 shots and 35 of those on target.

Only Stokes and Boyd have had more shots on target with 39 a piece but have scored many more goals.

Aiden needs to either improve the accuracy of his shots or take fewer shots and instead try to find a teammate.

Mort

My post at 5.29 yesterday was directed at Sammi the hun to annoy him .If it offended anybody else I apologise.I was not implying that you had to be a catholic to be a Celtic supporter far from it or that God did not have more serious things to sort out than Celtic FC.
However I really do not think this blog is for huns like Sammy who are only on it for a whined up,but I must admit I lost it a bit after taking his bait.If he does post again I will ignore him.
Sorry again for any offence caused.
I will repost this apology this evening

The Tennents deal with the Huns stinks and their beer is p**h too. We should have gone it alone and if we are going to be sponsered by a beer I would rather it be by a real ale, I'm thinking "Green King (Henrik) Ales", "Bishop's Finger" or "Saltaire (Jock) Stein Gold" would be apt.

Camra CSC

I thought Fortune was by some distance Celtic's best player last night, the only unfortunate (!) thing is that we are not a team who require a centre forward of his style.

I think we need to be patient here and give the new players time to settle. Panic is not going to sort anything out, it is cool heads that are needed. Give the boss space to try to put it right, lets judge the guy at the end of the season. Go for it Tony!

its the 3 L's

Lambert, larsson, Lennon

Maybe Mcstay also but doesnt sound as good

via_nirone on February 3, 2010 3:02 PM

You dont want to slit Rangers´s throat do you ?

Hail Hail

Gordon J
Thanks for that but It would have be more pay back than that for me to risk a £1:-)

thismancraig

we certainly dont need 3 in the same team

via_nirone

The joint sponsorship deal is further alienating fans from the club.

That means fewer ticket sales and lower merchandising revenue.

There's a financial downside to the deal.

At which point do we decide if TM’s tenure as manager is at an end?
Is it when it is mathematically impossible for us to win the SPL?
Is it after a continued run of abysmal results against poor opposition?
Is it after continued evidence of lack of basic footballing tactics substantiated by the above abysmal results?
Is it when Celtic Park is almost empty for home games and season ticket renewals are at a record low?
Do we persevere with Tony and allow him to lead us into the Champions league qualifiers? (I am of course assuming that Rangers will not drop sufficient points for us to catch them)or more likely given the recent results the Europa cup
At what juncture do we consider change? At what point would we consider he has been given a fair chance?

Watching that into the small hours last night wasn't enough masochistic punishment for the eyes to take the pain away from the sould, but I feel it's worth pointing out that Fortune was by far and away our best player. He didn't deserve to be surrounded by that feckless bunch.

Paul Caddis turned in yet another very good performance. Nothing against our German right back, but hopefully Caddis will get a run of games after Hinkel's injury.

Thompson did not let himself down.

Everyone else varied from mediocre to dreadful.

Worst three players for me were Nguemo (can tackle but can't pass), Ki (vice versa) and (and this is not just to be controversial, as it's pretty safe to say he'll come good) Mr Keane, who was the worst. Keane, in retrospect, should never have started. I wonder if the levels of his bemusement at being picked matched the anger of his fellow strikers, Rasmussen in particular?

Although I'm very much in the 'against' camp when it comes to Aiden, I actually felt sorry for him last night. Don't get me wrong, he was poor (again) but the frustration with his own play was visible on his face and in his body language. You can see how much it hurts for the guy.

tmc

Good point about Fortune. He is a decent player, but not in our team. We need a focal point to the attack.

We now have Keane, Fortune, Sami & Kamara- all good players,- yes, even Sami, but not one who is suited to playing as a focal point. Raasmussen might be, but will he play at all?

Anyone any idea how Tony thinks that he should deploy our attacking options?

What we need is a good journeyman manager to steady the ship at the moment, until a better option comes along. Roy Hodgson, Steve Coppell

Kojo,
My point is to replace TM with another up and comer like Mr Hughes et al, is a no-goer for me, we need an O'Neill, Jansen type figure who has, shall we say, been 'roon the block' a time or two!

Sure i could offer up a name or tow (Roy Hogson being one) but like I say it is not my remit to identify said individual and anyone who does name an individual is subjecting only to want and preferences, speculation if you will, rather than solid advice to the man whose job it is to recruit the right man for the job

GG

Yer pal who would quite like to be the man who had to make the choice of next manager!

ernie lynch

how can it be further alienating fans? its the same thing we've been doing for 20 odd years. nothing the club is doing here is any different.

What role will Ki be best suited to in the team if selected?

Having seen him in the games so far I am unsure.

He doesnt look the holding player type, he has yet to demonstrate the willingness to go beyond the strikers.
His ball retention and passing has been very neat and tidy so far, but i really hoped he would be a playmaker, having never seen him before he joined us, what is his forte??

weeminger

too true re keepers

M`well keeper had a blinder against us ..a mare aginst the huns

the St Johnstone keeper had a few good saves

McGregor in last hun game

and as you say Killie gk last night

i can`t remember a game when the opposing keeper played badly

penang bhoy
Tony has not got a idea so how should anybody else

Celtic40rme

Yes but it doesn't make great reading.

Team----|P|W|D|L|GF|GA|GD|Pts

Celtic--|35|19|11|5|71|33|38|68
Rangers-|36|26|-8|2|78|23|55|86

Depressing huh!

Mort

My dear,dear,dear,dear,friend ...Simian Mobile Disco

Pal.. I can only go with whit Ah see..

Ah hiv said that. .innumerable.. well..innumerable times oan here.

Look..

Ah am sure that everything that you have informed regarding your Extensive Knowledge of the Background and hidden... to the Public... Past,of Mr.Hughes and his Training staff..to which you are Uniquely privileged, is true.

Nevertheless..

Ah am fae Missouri..

Show Me..how Mr.Hughes' faults and those of his training staff, have Hampered the Progress of his Present Team?

It seems that those reported failings of his and his cohorts.. have not had the slightest effect on Hibs'.. MARCH to the Potential Second Place in the S.P.L.

If Mr. Hughes is a Failure..

Then..

He is the Exact Kind of Failure that I have bin looking for, to IMPROVE my Team!

Maks sense tae me!

Kojo.
yer pal... who likes ye aloater.

Celtic40rme

judging by the reaction of the bloggers on here ...the Tennents deal is def alienating the fans

timjim

sadly, i suspect you are right about Tony!