Wee Oscar’s dad, Knoxy, asked me to relay this message to you……
“The BIG cycle to Belfast… WOW! What an absolutely incredible effort by so so many people all to raise money for our wee hero, and a great night was had by all on Saturday night up at Donegal Celtic. It is very very humbling and I really felt that my thanks conveyed to them all on Saturday night was just not enough. I know they didn’t do it for thanks or for a pat on the back but I really hope they know that both me and Leona are deeply deeply moved by what they have done.
Over the last 9 months we have thanked many hundreds of people for all sorts of different things they have done for Oscar and I’m sure after a while the thanking almost comes across a bit ‘rehearsed’ and maybe a bit insincere but we just want to make sure they all know how thankful we are to them and to the amazing people who have donated to such a whopping total!”
Fantastic work by all, very well done.
Celtic have conceded 16 goals in the 9 games since Efe Ambrose’ much debated return to the team which faced Juventus last month, a period which saw them eliminated from the Champions League and the League Cup, while losing to Motherwell and Ross County.
They conceded 16 goals in the previous 24 games, including two Champions League games against Barcelona, one against Benfica and one against Spartak Moscow. A problem which initially appeared to be limited to Efe, has clearly affected others, including Kelvin Wilson and even the goalkeeper looks less assured than before.
More than any other facet of football, defending is dependent on confidence and teamwork. If communication is poor, you make mistakes. If you expect teammates to make mistakes, you’ll make decisions accordingly. If your decisions reflect a lack of confidence, you’re on a slippery slope to losing goals. Bad defenders look good in good teams but good defenders look hopeless once order is disturbed.
Only just catching up with the antics on Gallowgate on Saturday. Not read about the destruction of property or occasions of assault, which I assume preceded the mass arrests. Surely? I’m not sure if Alex Salmond has renewed the high levels of police funding for football-related activity, which was initially due to expire at the end of this month, but for someone who is usually so politically savvy, he seems to have set off on a road without checking consequences of the legal questions.
A bit like his major project…..
Where we are today is a consequence of the First Minister’s initiatives in 2011, and is why Celtic fans, the Club, and many others, opposed the initiative at the time. It’s playing out pretty much as everyone with an interest in football expected. Mr Salmond’s Scotland is looking a bit like Mrs Thatcher’s Yorkshire, circa 1984.
You’re as well blaming the inclement weather as blaming the police or anyone in the game, the police, like the weather, do what they do. This is the work of the Other Charlotte Square Bogeyman.
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Shoots in 10.2 secs
Great game Saturday loved it
County…
soal phil
My undestanding is that several of the GB were forced to delete all film clips
Back at work today after a fantastic weekend taking part in the Oscar4Life cycle to Belfast. What a brilliant experience that was and what a great sum of money to raise.
Thanks got to Danny, Paul and all the others who organised the event. Great accommodation, brilliant route and it is just a shame they could not also organise the weather. That cycle out of Ballantrae to Cairnryan will live long in the memory. I’ve never cycled before with an inch of snow on the handlebars.
The support team was fantastic. Brendan and Pam, Helen, Andy and the kids and the dedication of the photographer to capture shots as he hung out the vehicles.
Thanks also to all the other cyclists. Always there to support when the gonig got tough, and two great nights chatting about all sorts. THe discussion with Jim and John about atheists, agnostics and ar£££oles was a particula delight. Still not sure which one I was!! And roommates Ronnie, Colum and Chris. It was a pleasure to meet you guys. All of the participants in fact. Had many a pint discussing all things with hair-straightener Malcolm.
£26000 raised so far and more to come. I’m just so glad I decided to take part. There’s still time to donate.
You can get to the Oscar4Life Cycle Ride page from here.
http://www.justgiving.com/WeeOscar4Life-Cycles-to-Belfast-March-2013-LesHoggan
Thanks again everyone. We need to keep doing all we can for Oscar.
SLAP in the face for PHIL.
God bless the green brigade
I thought we simply defended far too deep, Charlie at centre half with Wilson worked, that’s where I’d go back to with Lustig on the right and Mathews left.
Well done slap?that doesny sound right?
Its glaringly obvious that Efe is the underlying problem in our defence since his return from the African Nations Cup, so why is he still picked for every game?
12:21 on
18 March, 2013
South
From the Golden Age…
http://youtu.be/RtUEo92ReLU
Whit a tune..
Jah Jah Deliver Us…
Time well tell whether the boys in blue have been over zealous in the abuse of their new found powers or whether they are just the puppets in this “Smash the GB” show.
Hail Hail( wind, rain or snow) to the WeeOscar4Life cycle team!!!
HH
CRC
Shameless repost as it’s worth it for anyone interested in civil rights and liberties
larssonse7en
11:57 on 18 March, 2013
A sobering documentary for anyone who has 26 mins to spare..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/mar/17/my-neighbourhood-palestinian-israeli-video
Bhoys on the bikes,take a bow!
Twenty six grand,and counting….
A magnificent achievement.
And just who exactly is this Other Charlotte Square Bogeyman ?
They’re arresting us in Scotland for the wearing of the green.
And if you tolerate this then your children will be next.
Think that Efe isotherms comfortable at right back. He played there in the African Nations Cup.
He gets time to recover from mistakes at RB. Is not comfortable with the ball over the top when in a central position. We also badly missed Big Vic.
Come back Bobo all is forgiven !
As for Mr Salmond’s major project, as an RC Celtic supporter with a liberal attitude to smoking and Alcoholic tendencies there is no way I will be voting ‘Yes’ to whatever question on any day !
Isotherms = is more
I know I know
There are many things worse than bloodshed, and slavery is one of them.
B
Green Lantern (((((0)))))
12:32 on
18 March, 2013
One of my children was arrested, i shudder to think what it’ll be like for his kids.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/elites_will_make_gazans_of_us_all_20121119/
Paul67…
For someone as keen as you were previously to “leave our politics at that door”, CQN is becoming increasingly political and, dare I say it, unionist. The constant one issue diatribe agaisnt the SNP doesn’t contribute a lot, in my opinion.
The bill is absolutely a poor one – but initially looked framed to stamp out the nonsense from fans on the other side of the city (which is no defence of it btw – and I am firmly against). However, if we want to look for bogey men, maybe looking a little closer to home, at people who have singled out individuals they want rid of (and shown video footage to third patries of), who want to “give people enough rope to hang themselves” and who dished out “one match suspensions” without notice to fans in concert with the beginning of the new offensive would be appropriate.
Celtic and Peter Lawwell in particular have questions to answer. As do our elected representatives – from both City Council and Scottish Parliament.
Finally – if you want to draw parallels with Thatcher’s Britain, you’d probably do better to do so with the last “new” Labour administration. Jingoistic, anti immigration, pro war, free market nonsense. Not for me.
/p
Gallaher
A certain financial organisation which only lasted 7 years, has their head office there!
Mr. Murray was one of their best? clients!
HH
Off this afternoon to see my Protestant mate, who’s still in hospital, still getting gradually sorted.
Taking him in a couple of Irvine Welsh novels. He’d no read any of his stuff ’til I gave hime ‘Glue’ (not literally,obviously……..or did I? ).
Anyway, Johnny’s own brother has refused to speak to him for 40 years because Johnny will no buy intae aw that watp guff.
Johnny is a Rangers man…..y’know, like the cultural thing we have? We are born into it…….no choice really. Tim family, school, history ……….our dna.
So there we sit, chewin’ the fat, comparin’ battle scars and and analysing old campaigns.
Is life not the strangest thing?
Still gemme.
HH!
And yes, a hun is a hun is a hun, but thus is no hun.
This is a gentleman.
Interesting blogg from paul mcconville this morning.very complex issues on “mclevenson”for bloggers..whatever next
Joe O Roueke st the CSA
I don’t know who was responsible for the police operation on Saturday in the Gallowgate with regards to the Green Brigade, but it certainly looked very heavy handed and completely out of proportion to what was happening.
First of all I understand that permission was not asked for to hold a parade along the Gallowgate to Celtic Park, but surrounding young boys and girls with large numbers of police officers with batons drawn is certainly not the answer in a so called democratic society, I think the last time I saw that type of policing was during the Miners’ strike.
The police action seemed to be well planned, with large numbers of police backed up by mounted officers and dog handlers, and not forgetting the police helicopter, a lot of resources to police a crowd of young boys and girls.
It has also been reported that thirteen of these kids were arrested on Saturday; I was not present but have seen footage of the incident on the internet. I believe that the police have scored another spectacular own goal once again, the talk of the police not wanting to arrest their way out of a problem rings very hollow at this time.
If people break the law they are entitled to be dealt with under the law, but they are also entitled to be treated as human beings, the footage I saw does not show the police in a good light, in one scene a young boy is forcibly restrained by four or five burly policemen, I’m sure there will be many complaints from ordinary members of the public regarding the police action.
I met with Superintendent Mc Allister a couple of weeks ago, he assured me his intentions were to be fair and just, I think the incident involving the police on Saturday was anything but fair or just, I’m not sure I would ever want to sit down with the police in the future.
This whole policy is being driven by the SNP Scottish Government to try to show that the Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill was first of all necessary; and secondly that it is working.
I have this morning written to Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins, as well as Superintendent Stephen Mc Allister of FoCUS, and MSP Michael Mc Mahon, I await their response.
The Celtic supporters must continue to oppose this Bill that criminalises a generation of young football supporters, the more people who campaign and complain, the better the chance of success.
Paul67..
I should also add credit where it’s due – You’re on the money with Efe “Tebilly” Ambrose. A very poor defender that causing a crisis of confidence in the defence.
He’s cursed in the same way Pressley and Tebilly were previously. His every mistake seems to cause a goal, and his presence seems to destabilse others. for 87 minutes a decent player, but those other three minutes cause mayhem.
/p
I think it’s too easy to blame Efe. All defenders can get into trouble when the ball is given away in midfield. One of Aberdeen’s goals came directly from Kayal losing possession and another came indirectly from Ledley losing possession (leading to the corner from which A’deen scored). You have to defend as a team.
Jonny the tim
Is that the same organisation that’s got a hornet buzzing around it at present looking for the missing £16billion ?
It seems obvious that these talks with police are nothing but double talk and deceit..any trust built up by the polis is now at an all time low..the public oppinions and court actions in the coming weeks will show that..our fans should suffer no more!!! Celtic plc..your silence is defening
gallaher
The very one!
HH
starry plough @ 12 24 .
Grazie ! .
Remember buying it from a guy who sold choons from a wee space at the back of a hairdressers saloon in Harlesden..
Went to Catania 3 —- Udinese 1 . Good game.. Went to a dive of a bar in Catania afterwards . Owned and run by a wee collective of Alborosie look-a-likes . Baldhead /old man me freaks them out . They bothered me by playing this —–
Brenton King — Jah is a Blackman [ Cosmopolitan 7 ]. A choon that was released twice and I failed to source twice .
Jealousy is a terrible thing !
Jonny the Tim
HH
gallagher
sorry for the missing “G” previously!
HH
79 caps.
Spot on.
Efe has made a few blunders since his return but to say he’s a poor player who was poor before the afc cup is ludicrous.
Scapegoat csc
GREEN LANTERN. 1232
Unfortunately,it IS kids who are bearing the brunt of this.
Us older types are a wee bit more savvy in dealing with the cops,but kids can hardly be expected to know their rights or just how far you can push it.
At that age I would have been more worried about what my Mum would say. I still am!