Celtic Quick News

CQN Quiz Night 2010 call

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:01:03 +0000

I know many of you have applied to enter a team in our second annual Celtic Quick News, Charity Quiz Night which takes place on Saturday 10 April 2010, this is just a reminder to get your forms back to Gordon_J at cqnquiz@live.co.uk as soon as possible.

The night, at the Thistle Hotel, Cambridge St, Glasgow, will be a chance to meet many of those you spend time reading or debating with on the site, as well as an opportunity to keep alive the Celtic tradition of supporting those in need of help.

The evening starts at 6:30pm for a 7pm prompt start to the quiz.

There will be a £25 charge for each team for the evening. Drop Gordon an email and get the details into your calendar:

6:60pm, Saturday 10 April 2010
Thistle Hotel, Cambridge St, Glasgow, G2 3HN.

Have a Happy St Patrick's Day.

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:40:55 +0000

Tony Mowbray's Changes Left Me Baffled. Scott McDonald opens up about his frustration at getting subbed regularly at Celtic in his last season. (Evening Times)

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:21:30 +0000

Samaras: We Won't Throw In Towel. Greek striker not accepting second place until it's mathematically impossible to win league. (Temtalk)

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:06:44 +0000

Celtic Boss Pleased With Darren O'Dea Form. Celtic gaffer sees a correlation between recently improved goals against and Darren's return to first team. Says that the defender is still developing and needs to balance composure on the ball with aggressive style. (Evening Times)

Torrent of voices against Rangers referees

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:01:47 +0000

Last week we talked about a crescendo of voices raised against Rangers referees after St Mirren boss, Gus MacPherson complained about decisions at Ibrox. One week later another manager leaves the same ground speaking publicly about his dissatisfaction at the performance of the referee.

Dundee United conceded two penalties after having the temerity to take the lead at Ibrox. Manager, Peter Houston, told the BBC, "I am disappointed and I just wonder if the penalties would have been given at the other end. I hope they would have been.

"Dougie [McDonald] is an honest referee in normal circumstances; I think he is one of the best in Scotland.

"But I was disappointed that he got there early to give the penalty kicks."

On the first decision he said, "Dusan Pernis got a touch on the ball, and Kenny [Miller], with the momentum of two bodies coming together, fell over Dusan because he was on the ground.

"I think Dusan got the ball with his foot and the forward motion of Kenny Miller, who had knocked it a yard or so further forward than he wanted to, made Dusan decide to go for it with his feet."

Before adding, "The second one, if we are going to give penalty kicks for that, we'll get penalty kicks left, right and centre on a regular basis.

"I don't think for a minute Sean Dillon deliberately pushed Kris Boyd."

Houston, perhaps mindful of the consequences his Dundee United predecessor earned two years ago when he spoke out after a visit to Ibrox, couched his complaint in less confrontational terms than MacPherson did last week, saying McDonald was honest, but in "normal circumstances".

Tam Cowan's outburst as reported in The Scottish Sun today had a little bit of everything. A Masonic Lodge who demonstrated they live in the modern world but inviting a priest to attend a function, a priest who did likewise by joking about being a Rangers fan, and Tam Cowan, who asked for the priest to be identified, singled him out while profanely wishing defeat on Celtic, before falsely accusing the priest of being a paedophile.

The unchecked steady drip of this false and illegal stigmatisation will only lead to suspicion and intolerance.

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:54:46 +0000

Rogne Wants Win Over Gers In Final. Celtic defender Thomas Rogne believes a Scottish Cup final win over Rangers in May would go some way to making up for the SPL season. (Teamtalk)

Welcome Cup distraction for Celtic

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:01:58 +0000

A Hampden semi final against Hibs or Ross County will be a welcome distraction from league duties. Hibs were on the verge of overtaking Celtic in the league last month before a collapse which has seen them win only once in seven games. Not that Ross County should be underestimated. They sit third in the First Division with games in hand over neighbours Inverness.

We must win the cup.

Dundee United did as I suggested they might a couple of weeks back and took Rangers to a replay yesterday. It feels futile expressing frustration that it took multiple penalty kicks for Rangers to remain in the tournament. I'm more frustrated that we are not in a better position to profit from their fixture congestion.

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:24:20 +0000

Dutch World Cup Hopeful Edson Braafheid Hopes Life At Celtic Can Toughen Him Up A Bit. Left back won't rule out a permanent move to Parkhead, but admits his main objective is to strengthen his possibilities for selection at Bayern Munich and for Holland in the World Cup. (Herald Scotland)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:14:18 +0000

Keane Hat Trick Helps Mowbray Survive Ides Of March. Victory at Rugby Park keeps the wolves from manager's door in the short term, but winning the cup final may be his only long term security policy. (Herald Scotland)

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:43:46 +0000

No Way Keane Is Staying Says Tottenham Coach. Joe Jordan, Spurs coach, says Robbie will be returning to London club After Celtic loan spell. (Herald Scotland)

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:36:01 +0000

Kilmarnock 0- Celtic 3: Robbie Keane Kills Killie With Second Half Hat-Trick. Match report. (Daily Mail)

Kilmarnock 0-3 Celtic, Scottish Cup, 13 March 2010

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:46:09 +0000

It was a Tale of Two Celtics at Rugby Park this afternoon. Kilmarnock had the better of the first half and could have been ahead but Celtic stormed forward in the second half, when Robbie Keane scored his first Celtic hat trick to win the cup tie 0-3, which has seen him score Celtic's last six goals.

Landry Nguemo had an alarmingly poor first half typified when a slack pass never reached Aiden McGeady allowing Kilmarnock to break forward. The resulting move saw Allan Russell crack a first time shot off Lukas Zaluska 's crossbar.

Killie's Frazer Wright took an early blow to the head which kept him out of the game for 9 minutes and had to retire for a couple of stitches but despite being down to 10 men Kilmarnock grabbed control of the game and pinned Celtic into their own half. Zaluska did well to inspire confidence in the men in front of him.

Morten Rasmussen was in the wars, first when Tim Clancy stamped on his knee in what looked like a very dangerous challenge, then when Wright knocked him in the air in a challenge from behind. After Wright subsequently pulled him Rasmussen retaliated, which brought some discipline to the home side.

Celtic started the second half much better but it was not until Fortune replaced the ineffective Crosas and Samaras went on for Rasmussen on 57 minutes that things clicked for them.

Edson Braafheid played a long ball to the edge of the Kilmarnock area from the half way line which Keane controlled beautifully with the inside of his calf; in an instant bringing the ball under control and knocking if beyond keeper Cammy Bell before knocking it into the net.

Samaras chased and won a lost cause on 81 minutes before feeding Fortune inside the box, who squared a pass to an unmarked Keane to score into an empty net from 3 yards.

Less than two minutes later Aiden McGeady played an inch perfect pass into the path on Fortune, who drew the last Kilmarnock defender before again squaring for Keane. This time the striker had more to do but he swept his shot past Bell and into the net to complete a memorable performance.

Kilmarnock v Celtic, Live updates, Scottish Cup, 13 March 2010

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:07:43 +0000

Live updates will appear below after 12:15 GMT.

Kilmarnock tie too tight to call

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:03:28 +0000

It was after out last visit to Kilmarnock that I concluded we were not going to win the league. I watched Jimmy Calderwood's new team hold Hamilton Accies a week earlier before they harassed the life out of Celtic and took all three points.

Tomorrow's visit on Scottish Cup duty is not really an opportunity for revenge. A win and progress in the Cup would be welcome but consequences for defeat in the league game will linger for a while yet.

Celtic must simply win the Cup. They have made more than enough mistakes this season to know dozens of potential pit-falls and have had ample time to work on deficiencies.

Kilmarnock would have gone bottom if Celtic beat them last month but now sit six points ahead of Falkirk, so the threat of relegation has diminished considerably, so the Cup will be tackled with more gusto than it would by a team scrapping at the bottom of the league.

Expect the team with the greater appetite to come out on top; no predictions from me.

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:58:27 +0000

Derby County At Centre Of £37 million Takeover Bid From Peter Gadsby. Coca-Cola Championship team, currently sitting 16th in the table and who were founded in 1888, are apparently worth £6 million more than Rangers FC. (Telegraph)