Before we get down to the business of the day, thanks to The Clumpany for alerting me to the incredible actions of SPFL main sponsor Ladbrokes, who on the eve of today’s big game, Tweeted speculation about Ronny Deila losing his job.
Let’s be clear on this one. Any muppet can Tweet what they like about Ronny’s job, but it’s not the role of the league sponsor to engage in this kind of speculation.
If you don’t remember any actions like this previously from a league sponsor, it’s because it hasn’t happened. Ladbrokes retained PR consultancy Level 5, who are up to their knees in the business of another club, to manage their engagement of the SPFL. This is a clear conflict of interest, bringing wholly inappropriate pressure on the Celtic manager at a critical stage of the season.
Never forget the game going on behind the Game.
A few hours before an important game is also probably not the time to say I’m really disappointed Jozo Simunovic is out injured, but it’s impossible to look ahead to this game without that thought creeping to the fore. Erik Sviatchenko had as good a debut as we have seen from a defender in some time on Sunday, but he needs to move from Crisis Management mode into Partnership Building mode as soon as possible.
My hope is that a Sviatchenko-Simunovic partnership allows Celtic to return to the kind of defensive performances we saw so often last season. Until then, we’ll need a bit more protection from midfield.
The return of Scott Brown will go a long way towards this. He has the menace required to get a foot in the way before threats reach the defence.
Aberdeen will be ready for tonight. They lost four games in five weeks, culminating in a defeat at Celtic Park in October, but they haven’t lost a league game since, and they won their first 8 Premiership games before that period. Whatever was going wrong inside the club at that time is resolved. They are not quite on our heels, but a win tonight would change that.
They will also contrast our performance at Hampden with 10 men against Ross County to theirs in Dingwall a few weeks back, when they bosses the game, came from behind and left with three points.
For Celtic this is the perfect opportunity to dispose of whatever regrets they have from Sunday. A win away to your title rivals is the perfect tonic, it will also need no motivational words.
Colin Kazim-Richards and Patrick Roberts are both fully fit but unlikely to feature in the starting line-up. This is a job for those who know the script.
Three points please, Celtic.
Two other important points before you go……….
The Celtic Foundation Zip Slide last year was more fun than you can imagine. It’s happening again, this time longer and higher (top corner of the Jock Stein-North Stand to bottom corner of the Lisbon Lions-South stand).
To participate you need to do two things:
Ask your friends to sponsor you for the Foundation.
You’ve had many great times at Celtic Park, this will be another, promise. Book now.
I see an 18-year-old Motherwell fan (with no prior record) was jailed for 5 months for releasing a flare at New Douglas Park last year. Sentencing sheriff said:
“Smoke bombs are noxious and potentially toxic. They are dangerous to those with respiratory problems, particularly asthma, and there is the very real potential of causing panic in those confined to the immediate vicinity who have no knowledge of what has been ignited.
“This presents a clear and obvious danger, and immediate action is needed from those charged with ensuring the safety of all those present, especially young children.
“You knew what you were doing and made efforts to conceal your identity. The court takes a serious view of this type of conduct which seems to be on the increase.”
Four months in jail! The 18-year-old soldier will almost certainly lose his job and carry the consequences for a lot longer than he carried the flare. It’s a life-changing action, no matter if you pull your pants up over your eyebrows.
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Celtic team to face Aberdeen: Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Sviatchenko, Tierney; Brown, Bitton; Mackay-Steven, McGregor, Armstrong; Griffiths
Subs: Bailly, Ambrose, Izaguirre, Allan, Forrest, Cole, Kazim-Richards
Embra Mike
I don’t even go to Twitter for team news now
WOT!
NO JO HANSON???????
Im happy wae that line up ,
CMON THE HOOOOOOOOOOPS
Embramike
The team I had picked. Going for 1-4 tonight. Griff hat trick.
BT
it is only there for seconds before Embramike posts anyway :))))))
Thank you embramike
Roberts canny be fit or he’s too wee, young.
Armstrong needs to get stuck in. He can brush his hair efter the gemme!
Tonight’s game could be ‘physical’ and our front 4 don’t have a tackle between them, so they will have to cover a lot of ground to close down anything played wide by the sheep.
Our options mid / front on the bench seems strong though
COYBIG
CKR makes the bench
#Celtic: Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Sviatchenko, Tierney; Brown, Bitton; Mackay-Steven, McGregor, Armstrong; Griffiths
Armstrong needs to deliver – good team otherwise
Awe-naw
You wanted someone banned for calling you a name earlier but continue to stir.
With genuine respect can you reign it in during the game please?
Hail hail
Think we will see CKR make an appearance tonight – depends whether it’s up front or in the press box !
I hope Cole and Kazim-Richards don’t sit on the same end of the bench!
Don’t let this lefty take pens?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_9toXi9g3c
We’ll done to Ronny for getting the Manager of the Month for January – well deserved.
Looks like a good team this evening, good luck to Erik on his first start and to the rest of the bhoys.
Hail Hail
Tonight is the latest in a long line of win or get sacked matches for our manager as we raise the bar to ridiculous levels that no one can achieve.
Thus we will eventually prove the old CQN poster hypothesis that anyone of us chosen at random could do as well as RD.
Well now we can because just like him and anyone else we will fail to reach expectations that we’ll never lose to a team with less resources than us. With a 6 point gap, I’d count a draw as a good result but I’d really like a win. If we were to lose, I’ll handle it without losing my reason or my cool. We’ll still be favourites for the league.
Roll on 7.45 and roll on 9.30- good times ahead.
Daddy or chips daddy or chips ,boyata or sviatchonko for a value goal at anytime in 90mins,
and the coin is spinning………..
sviatchenko it is ,get yer tank on Boyata bhoys & ghirls :))))))))))).
Till later all
The team’s the team, so let’s get on with it – but……….disappointed with GMS and Armstrong in ahead of Forrest and Allan – really don’t think the former two will cut it with us.
Delighted that CKR makes the bench. Hopefully we will see at least 10 minutes of him.
Excitedcsc
Coneybhoy on 3rd February 2016 6:53 pm
I just think it would be more civilised to rebuke the person that actually initiates the bad manners. You clearly don´t.
As I rarely post during a game and if I do it is always game related I will take your last comment as the ill found poorly researched claptrap that it clearly is. Stirring in other words.
Ironic eh ?
HH
There it is again, they just can’t help it….the teams the team so let’s get on with it…BUT!
Coneybhoy….
I’ve booked into the Blooms hotel for March with my son and his mate.
I see there is a club downstairs in it, of which my son is over the moon about…would you know if they let old fenians in, as embarrassing my son is one of my hobbies. :) HH
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Thanks PintaGuiness, will put in your request :) and also to Favourite Uncle, the score will be 3-2 to the tic against the sheep people hybrid thingys and to Sipsini thank you all for replying. :) MON THE HOOPS!!!!!!!
HH
WEE BGFC
Nae Johansen, that’s half the battle, Bitton weak link, hopefully has me eating humble pie by half timeout has plenty to make up for from the weekend as do plenty others.
SFTB……I don’t think I could manage Celtic,but
given our resources compared with the rest of
the league I hardly think most on here have
ridiculous expectation levels.
Bitton the weak link? Hopefully he Jas me eating humble pie? Aweeeee riiiiight, and if he doesent, you can say I told you, that how it works?
Celtic supporter? Hmmmmm
LOL …………………..that’s how it works TD, well on here anyway.
SFTB
The question is – do they want Ronny to succeed or not.
Or put it another way do they support Celtic or not?
Hope its an early night for your anhedonists.
Johansen has never been dropped since the last time he was dropped.
Bsr,
Give me some credit. I was a little more topical. ;)
Swiftkey csc
C’mon Celtic! As always, I support Celtic – the team, every player in the team, the management. Win, lose or draw.
Johansen has a hamstring injury as far as i know.
Celtic haven’t lost back to back games since Aug 2014
Johansen got a hammy in training, and Ryan gigs isn’t the next Celtic manager.
Away to get my kodi fired up. Night. HH.
Celtic to be winning after 10 minutes – 6/1
Boyata to score at any time – 8/1
Celtic to win by 3 or more (I know!) – 5/1
£2.50 donated to bet365….
Off to my Bhoy’s, be nice now……