Best news of the day? Kris Commons wants to be involved tomorrow against Barcelona. I doubt Kris is anywhere near match fit, so there’s no chance of him starting on Wednesday against Astana, but a 15 minute cameo, when the Astana players’ body clocks are telling them it’s after 2am, would go down a treat.
I’ve always been a bit more ambivalent about Leonel Messi than most. “He’s not hit the levels of Ronaldinho” is my stock comment, and then there’s the dirty little subject. (Tax).
But his media comments ahead of tomorrow’s International Champions Cup game, “I have a Celtic jersey at home. The games against Celtic were special and I want to remember them”, proves there’s substance to the man.
I’ve a Celtic jersey at home too, Leo. A few of us here do.
Former-Rangers former vice-chairman Donald Findlay is to defend Craig Whyte is his forthcoming trial.
Whyte’s urban legend is going to be difficult to shift, but it’s not accurate. We mocked Rangers fans a few years ago, referring to him as “Our Hero” but he never was. He was the bag man for a very dirty job.
How he handled the SFA, Uefa, HMRC and, most crucially, the insolvency court, when he managed to secure the appointment of Duff and Phelps as Rangers administrators was crucial in the continuation of football at Ibrox.
It was Duff and Phelps who gave Newco the right to use the name “Rangers”, after which point Whyte could claim he was passing on “Rangers”. Everyone else mocked this liquidation fantasy at the time. Until liquidation became a reality, that is.
Whyte left Newco relatively safe in the hands of Charles Green, where it would have thrived, if it hadn’t faced a hostile and damaging takeover bid from its first week of life.
Our auction prize, donated by (the pretty fabulous) Celtic sponsor, Intelligent Car Leasing, closes just after 1pm today.
You can win:
2 seats in the directors’ box
Champagne reception
5 course meal in the Walfrid Suite
Fully expenses bar (pre and post-match)
Half time snacks and refreshments
Car Parking
At the game against Kilmarnock on 24 September.
Money raised from the auction will go towards building a school kitchen in Malawi for Mary’s Meals. It it will be the 5th CQN school kitchen.
Our four existing kitchens feed over 2000 primary aged kids every day. School attendance has increased 30% since kitchens were built, as kids attend for their daily meal. This has an impact on health, education and life chances.
You can follow the auction on eBay here. Thank you.
I’m off to Aberdour now for the 12th annual CQN Golf Open. I’ll be the one holding the jackets.
See you then.
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Could be worse, could be watching Chelsea against a second string Real Madrid side.
Real 3-0 up in “the big house” Michigan.
Minceyheidman
They are destroying Chelsea, must admit it’s quite enjoyable :-)
HH
IMO how snyde an’ indeed sleekit……..is the summary of the Celtic game on shortie?
…………………………………………………………………..
Horrible hurtin’ huns…….
FEOOT.
We were well beaten by the grown up Barca team in the first half. They are two football levels above us and, despite being behind in physical preparation, this did not matter much as they made us waste our fitness running round chasing the ball.
Paddy Roberts did his best and Scott Brown was energetic but few others shone.
The second half was more even but scrappy as the Barca kids did not gel as a team either. Nonetheless, Rogic, Ciftci and Ajer enhanced their position in the pecking order and young Ralston worked hard, but the 2nd half was fairly meaningless.
In the spirit of most of our disparaging commentators, I suggest for our line up on Wednesday should be:-
Past-it
Sick Note
Bombscare
Untried Kid
Lost-it
Headless chicken
One-paced sideways passer
Loan player
Empty Jersey
Coward
Embra Ned
Sorry Lymmbhoy…..yer right…..it was a long blink…..;-))
About new signings, I believe we need another striker (Bamford ?), another pacy wide man (Sinclair ?), full back / cover (Paterson ?) and a play maker 10 (answers on a postcard ?).
I also think Brendan will likely;y have been in touch with at least one player who may come late in August depending on CL qualification. Would be surprised if he thought we had enough to compete from Pot 4.
Getting through on Wednesday guarantees us Group Stage football until Xmas at least. I would expect some movement Thursday through Monday in time for UEFA deadline for Play offs.
Fingers crossed, but remember to get in quality costs money in transfer fees, wages, signing on fees and bonuses
embramike says “the Huns are Deid” on 30th July 2016 8:59 pm
Fingers crossed, but remember to get in quality costs money in transfer fees, wages, signing on fees and bonuses
——————-
Plus the willingness of said player to sign once we’ve met all of above (something often overlooked on here)
Been talking….well listening….to the talking machine BMCUWP
SETTINGFREETHEBEARS
You’re better than that,old bean.
We all want the best for our best of all possible teams.
CULTSBHOY – SEES RIGHT THROUGH LAWWELL AND THE BOARD on 30TH JULY 2016 8:13 PM
If Forest wanted to sign I’d sign him.
He’s gotb’issues’ but he’s got the kind of pace we need at a higher level.
He strikes me as an odd lad ..
Maybe he needs a lot of encouragement..?
Whit? Usain Bolt has “pace” and possibly a better fitba brain than Forrest. The boy also does not have “heart”. IMO – He needs to go, simple as that.
I hope the free agent midfield general we are trying to sign is not Gerrard.
He has been awful in any of the MLS games I’ve seen him.
Could it be a revitalized youthful energetic Lubo Moravcik? If only.
BTW Chelsea losing 3-0 to Real Madrid in Michigan and still no play in USPGA at Baltusrol.
It’s raining here so it could be a wee while before play resumes.
If a player was to get a hike in wages, put himself in the shop window for untold riches, the chance to pick up a medal or two, euro football, prob a step up from where he is presently playing, why wouldn’t he want to sign for Celtic, to suggest he wouldn’t is stirring it imo.
From what I saw….Tam Rogic wasn’t out of place….a better second half…..some of the first half players have no future at Celtic…..too bad ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
THELURKINTIM
Smashing it was.
Thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
My grateful thanks.
HH,guid Tim.
THE_HUDDLE on 30TH JULY 2016 9:01 PM
embramike says “the Huns are Deid” on 30th July 2016 8:59 pm
Plus the willingness of said player to sign once we’ve met all of above (something often overlooked on here)
Spot on. Just because we love Celtic doesn’t mean any professional player does. They come for money and in our case, Champions league football (or maybe BR). There is also our track record of being a stepping stone to the EPL.
The Scottish league set up is not all that attractive when compared to others around us, so much persuasion required to get in decent talent. Players desperate for a pay cheque of course will queue up – just look to the west of the city !
Barca are probably the best team in the world. So you need to take that into account. There were positives and apart from OG I thought Efe did OK. Thanks to Almore for his company a real gent and a big HH to the othet CQN”ers I met today. Good news is I just made my bus with about a minute to spare. So I’m going to doze for next 2 or 3 hours.
Today was a friendly result doesn’t matter. We need 2 or 3 in but we will be OK.
THE EXILED TIM on 30th July 2016 9:07 pm
If a player was to get a hike in wages, put himself in the shop window for untold riches, the chance to pick up a medal or two, euro football, prob a step up from where he is presently playing, why wouldn’t he want to sign for Celtic, to suggest he wouldn’t is stirring it imo.
———————–
I’d guess because playing for Celtic in Scotland isn’t a step up unless your are already playing in Scotland.
If we have a list of transfer targets then they’d have to be better than what we currently have, so that basically rules out every league worse than and including Scotland.
If you are an agent that has a deal met by Celtic then you aint doing your job if you aren’t taking that deal to numerous clubs in much more cash rich leagues than us.
Brendan Rogers…..no time for sentiment….get rid of….who you have to…..we’ll accept yer judgement ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
For all Pedro gets slaughtered on here for playing at director of football, I very much doubt he would waste his time going through all the rigmarole trying to work out a deal with a club if he didn’t find out from the onset if a player was willing to come to the club, now that would be foolish and Pedro may be may things but foolish aint one of them.
Even in defeat The Hat (trick) emerges with credit.
Rangers 1 Burnley 3: Andre Gray comes back to haunt old boss Mark Warburton with hat-trick
BY GARY RALSTON
HE became the first player to score a hat-trick against Rangers at Ibrox since Ivan Sproule – here’s three things we learned.
THE striker nurtured to fame by Mark Warburton returned to haunt the Rangers boss at Ibrox. Burnley frontman Andre Gray became the first player to score a hat-trick against Rangers at Ibrox since Ivan Sproule netted a trio for Hibs in August 2005.
Warburton signed Gray, 25, for Brentford from Luton for £600,000 in 2014 and sold him to the newly-promoted Premier League club for £6 million just 12 months later.
Gray opened the scoring with a penalty after just four minutes, fired home a second on 18 minutes then slotted in a third eight minutes into the second half as Rangers were outclassed in front of 21, 818 fans.Sub Michael O’Halloran contributed to a consolation 15 minutes from time when his low cross was turned into his own net by Burnley stopper Ben Mee.
THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. Burnley exposed the soft underbelly of the Rangers’ central defence. Clint Hill, in particular, had a nightmare as all three goals from the visitors’ came through the guts of a porous Ibrox rearguard, too easily bullied off the ball.
Andre Gray celebrates his second goal for Burnley with George Boyd
2. There was no hiding place at this level for the Light Blues. Burnley’s 4-4-2, exercised with pace and discipline, exposed the limitations of the Ibrox squad as they struggled to impose their passing game. Forced to go longer than usual, they looked ragged.
3. The exception to the rule was Joey Barton, the only Rangers starter on show who looked comfortable clipping accurate passes over a distance of more than 30 yards. Around him, his team-mates were lacklustre.
Wednesday night will be a different kettle of fish, salmon instead of sprat.
The 12th man will be on the team sheet.
It will be wet with temps in low teens.
We will be well motivated with everyone knowing their future is on the line.
I expect and demand an opening 30 minutes like we saw against the Imperial squad.
The “Stans” won’t know what’s in store for them.
Have they experienced the damp, the cold, the crowd and the intensity of the Celtic Park Thunderdome?
COYBIG
THE EXILED TIM on 30th July 2016 9:14 pm
For all Pedro gets slaughtered on here for playing at director of football, I very much doubt he would waste his time going through all the rigmarole trying to work out a deal with a club if he didn’t find out from the onset if a player was willing to come to the club, now that would be foolish and Pedro may be may things but foolish aint one of them.
——-
Im a PL fan, so I’d never fault him or his replacement for not signing a player that had indicated he would like to sign for us then backs out at the last minute.
We’ve had plenty of players do that for us like Ginola and Yorke (and probably more than we never hear about).
No matter the club, even the biggest in the world would have had players play them off against another club.
OGR
Confirms all we have thought about Sevco.
A bridge too far for the Roofers XI
‘GG
Kazakhstan one of the coldest places in the UEFA:)))
BMCUW
Why am I getting the blame?
These are phrases others here have used to describe our players.
I am not preventing them from being critical, or bullying, or censoring. I am reflecting these phrases back.
We are not an elite team in world football and we gave not been apart from 66 to 74 roughly. As an inevitable result of changes in world football economics, we are now a 3rd tier team.
There are the elites- Barca, Real, Bayern, Man City etc;
Then there are the cash rich clubs we used to be able to turnover- Southampton, Leicester, Shakter Donetsk, etc; and former greats who have kept a toehold near the top table- Benfica etc;
Then the third tier- Former greats like Celtic, Anderlecht, Ajax and other champions from non-cash rich leagues, Sparta Prague, Legia, Red Star belgrade and Dinamo Zagreb.
Our mix of 2nd and 3rd tier players do their best to compete with clubs whose 3rd eleven were bought for fees above our starting 11.
I’d like us to try and respect and support our players. Some of them are not good enough- that has always been true and it is even more true now.
Then
OGR
That’s daft….don’t you know as it stands…..Burnley are 3rd in the EPL…..alphabetically…..;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
The _Huddle
You said…
If we have a list of transfer targets then they’d have to be better than what we currently have, so that basically rules out every league worse than and including Scotland.
The mind boggles, it really does if you believe that.
HH
THE EXILED TIM on 30th July 2016 9:23 pm
The _Huddl
You said…
If we have a list of transfer targets then they’d have to be better than what we currently have, so that basically rules out every league worse than and including Scotland.
The mind boggles, it really does if you believe that.
—————–
You ignore the rest of my post??
But as for the part you quoted above, yes I believe that (with the odd caveat). I don’t think it’s that shocking a statement, care to explain why you think it boggles your mind??
Starry Plough
Aye but their summer is a wee bit warmer than ours.
‘GG
Aye for sure but I doubt a wee bit of Glasgow summer will bother them much:))
I’m hoping the jet lag gets the bassas:))
I forgot about the jet lag and the time difference.
Their body clocks will want to be asleep at kick off.
SETTINGFREETHEBEARS
Sorry if yer getting the blame for summat,bud.
TH
I didn’t ignore the rest of your post, it wasn’t relevant imo to the point.
As for boggling, depends on where you place the spl, I personally think it’s near the bottom, so in your opinion if that’s my reckoning we should bother signing anyone as they are all pish :-)
HH
Celtic TV and CQN were an absolute blessing to me in the four years me and my family spent in Australia. Knowing you could come on CQN for daily Celtic updates, even keeping intouch with family and meeting good people like Summa, Sydneytim (don’t mention PL) and Michael Collins.
CTV was usually excellent…..probably saw more live Celtic matches in 4yts than the previous 20!!! Time difference was an absolute killer though….that’s the reason I started contributing to the Live Updates threads and started posting the Goals as quick as I could find them….not just for you guy’s but to stay awake at stupid o’clock in the morning :)
Respect also to ‘GG amd OG and the many others who contribute on the LU threads.
HH
That didn’t come out like I intended.
I though there were some positives tonight. There was an attempt to move the ball quicker early on with a higher proportion of first time passing in tight places. As a support we need to encourage this, IMHO, and give the team time to get good at it. So I would encourage we cut back on the screaming every time a pass goes astray. If we allow the team to feel safe to learn from their mistakes we might progress. if we continue with a poisoned atmosphere where players are frightened to make mistakes they will always choose not to take risks and lesser teams will embarrass us.
Movement off the ball has been a big problem for a number of years and is something to do with our/Scottish philosophy of football IMHO.
I remember being told by a well known agent that a Spanish coach said to him “in Scotland the player with the ball runs and everyone stops. in Spain it’s the reverse.”
We are so desperate for the player on the ball to “go passed him” that we forget to look at who could be running into space to make the telling pass easy or to give the man in possession options. Too many times biton, brown or rogic get it from the fans for a sideways pass when no one is moving. However, don’t get me wrong, the three I mentioned can be the worse at not moving to make the pass easy when someone else is in possession. And is paddy the best thing for us just now. I feel that we are 22 stone and paddy is chocolate. is he going to make the poor movement any better or is he just covering the cracks?
Next time a Celtic midfielder gets caught in possession have a look at who was busting a gut to make space for the pass. And if you have to vent your spleen do it at the statues in around them for no moving. well that’s what I think anyway!
THE EXILED TIM on 30th July 2016 9:33 pm
I didn’t ignore the rest of your post, it wasn’t relevant imo to the point.
As for boggling, depends on where you place the spl, I personally think it’s near the bottom, so in your opinion if that’s my reckoning we should bother signing anyone as they are all pish :-)
—
You’ve lost me, not hard :O)
You said signing for Celtic was a step up, I was saying signing for a club in Scotland isn’t a step up for the players that would improve our team (ie those we would like to sign).
Of course lots of factors will make the playing in Scotland thing a non issue but if i was an agent for a player then the SPL would be well down the list of destinations for my player even if that club was Celtic.
TH
Take VvD or Vic Wanyama as an example, they came from leagues better than the spl imo, they were offered better money, obviously or they wouldn’t have come, they were tempted by the epl, again obvioulsy, these guys are better than we had, I would very much doubt they gave playing in scotland a second thought if you throw in the money the exposure, the euro footy, the medals, it’s a no brainer for them.
HH