Craig Levein has taken lulling opponents into a false sense of security to a new level in recent months. The only win they have had since March was against Championship Inverness in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
A draw against Hibs their only point from the last 21 available in the league. By any conceivable measure, they are in the worst form of any club in Scotland. After winning their opening five games, Levein was feted for his wisdom and general ability to restore “natural order”.
That must seem a lifetime ago to their supporters, who fancy themselves as the third force in the land, but have to contend with second in the capital and sixth overall. They remained top of the league until November, when the wheels came off, initially in the league, and then at Murrayfield, when a transformational performance from Ryan Christie set the scene for Saturday’s treble.
Over a 45 minute period, Celtic found their golden touch and Hearts realised their place in the food chain.
Despite this, the champions have work to do to win on Saturday. They have already lost to Hearts this season and lost heavily last term. The first half at Murrayfield, played without Christie, who will also miss Saturday’s final, was sobering, as we struggled to create a chance worthy of the name. Just as Aberdeen did in the Scottish Cup semi-final Hearts will turn the final into a physical battle. This is all they have in the locker. We need to be prepared.
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D66- hope all goes well today HH
Dont know who next manager will be, but whoever gets the gig, gets my support. The next manager will also need the board/ scouts support to get a few players through the door.
We need a rightback (dynamic, powerful runner), centreback (aggressive in both boxes) and striker (target man/ goal getter). On top of that we will need to replace any first teamers who depart.
By design or defualt celtic will be seeing about 10 first team players leave this summer. The following season celtic could see another 8 players going out of contract. This situation could well work in out favour.
Scottish cup final tomorrow
HH
Wee Theresa starts bubbling, June 7 and she’s off….
Bada Bing
I think we all might start bubbling if that baffoon Johnon gets the gig now…
What a bloddy mess..
STEPHBHOY on 24TH MAY 2019 10:20 AM
By design or defualt celtic will be seeing about 10 first team players leave this summer. The following season celtic could see another 8 players going out of contract. This situation could well work in out favour.
============
Absolutely – there is opportunity there in a new era.
Who will be the players who contribute, who will be big players for us going forward who define the new era?
Some will be there at the club already, several will be brought in over the summer and the next couple of windows.
We have a decent base to start with – Bain, Tierney, McGregor, Edouard, Forrest, Ajer and the likes of young Dembele and Johnston but need some reinforcement in key positions.
Fair bit of deadwood to clear too which will free up some more funds.
Should be exciting times, lets see what the next few days bring!
HH
Whatever the actual , sad and worrying truth of the awful matter is…………..If THAT bottle “story” had been aboooot us………The Celtic man would have been describedas……. “involved” in an angry confrontation or a disturbance involving Celtic players ” or refferred to as being in a fight or very much fundamental to the issue.
The truth is out there, once the guff has been taken in, digested and left to find it’s natural course of action.
stephbhoy on 24th May 2019 10:20 am
‘Dont know who next manager will be, but whoever gets the gig, gets my support.’
****
Coisty?
Greenpinata on 24th May 2019 10:03 am
‘But we the Celtic support had completely bought into the BR mantra, and not a ripple was heard.’
****
Not entirely.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness CSC.
Ernie Lynch – If Ally McCoist became Celtic manager (he won’t!) then of course I would still support Celtic and therefore, by extension, I would hope the manager was successful. The principle is clear – whoever gets the manager surely desrves oursupport until he becomes a failure at our club (thought stilen from SFTBs excellent early morning post).
Talking of Ally, time to do some gardening…
First team squad next season without out of contract players and without any additions:
Bain
Ralston ajer jozo KT
mcgregor christie
Forrest rogic eduard
bayo
……………………………………………………………….
griffith
sinclair Johnston shved
Ntcham brown
Church compper henry perez
Gordon
………………………………………………………………..
Hazard, gk
Gutman, lb
Bitton, cm/cb
Kouassi, cm
Mulumbu, cm
Benyu, cm
Hayes, lw
Morgan, am/ r/l wing
Miller, lw
Arzani, r/l wing
Academy kids in and around first team:
Henderson, cm
Oxo-flex, lw/ forward
Dembele, rw/ am
Wilson, cb
Atchison, am/ cf
…………………………………………………………………..
We are crying out for a 1st choice rightback. Think Ralston (will develop further) will be good enough cover with perez on route.
We already have KT at left back, Church is a good young players and gutman is on route.
We should be able to rotate to give KT a break without difficulty.
We need better cover at centreback, at least 1 players who can push first choices. Henry and compper will not do.
We are overloaded in the middle of the pitch and could do with trimming this area of the team down. A kid like Henderson should be picking up 20 games a season easily.
We have to many wingers and I would not be against selling or moving on a few. Kids like dembele and oxo-flex look good and we should always look within our academy first.
Up top we have eduard, but he is more comfortable running at folk so better suited as an inside left. Hope griffith comes back, but dont know how that will go. Bayo is an unknown, but does have same good atributes. a centreback forward should be sought.
It is scary just how big we have allowed the team to get.
HH
So here I am in utter desolation at Big Theresa doin a runner, the Tory party on the verge of disintegration and our sceptred realm being flooded by the rising seas as the whole of Europe pishes itself….and all ma pal can think of is to send me something about some unknown and the vacant Celtic manager’s position.
Some people just can’t get their priorities right and will end up in the bad fire.
Mind you I also just heard from a that May has declared an interest in the Celtic job???
Anyway…..this from a credible drunk pal of mine. (some or even all of this post may be untrue)
Villas-Boas may just have a crackin sense of humour!
http://alturl.com/y4935
Hail Hail
Matt
MATT STEWART on 24TH MAY 2019 11:20 AM
Haha. Nice edit on that pic btw!
HH
Having studied the training photos intensely for signs of niggle and pain, and highlighted those with more smiles than frowns, I can conclude he team is:
Bain
Benkovic Ajer Jozo
Brown
Forrest Ntcham McGregor KT
Rogic
Eddie
Move, move, pass and move and avoid being thumped….3 big lads at the back….Brown as a shield and everyone else in tora, tora, tora mode….
Theresa May spotted at Rosshall ? HH
new article posted.
Sad to see Christian Gamboa leave in total anonymity.
Thought he was our best foraging right fullback; easily on a par with Jerry T. Dont think he knuckled into BRs backtracking crab pattern for FBs. Gamboa isnt Robinson Crusoe in getting a Euro level roasting.
Lucky to meet him and he seemed proud and generous in being a Bhoy.
I hope he does a Pukki and comes good in pastures new. HH (Hasta Hombre) Senor G
GREENPINATA on 24TH MAY 2019 10:03 AM
It is undeniable we had reverses in Europe under BR. Indeed some results with another manager would have called for his head.
But we the Celtic support had completely bought into the BR mantra, and not a ripple was heard.
———
I was rippling. Trust me!
HH jg
Thawt I was having an auditory hallucination…but naw…there’s a guy outside shouting…fresh wilks, mussels and candy apples…takes me back :-))
Jamesgang..was it rippling yer knitting ;-))
H.H.
3.35 Curragh
Emaraaty Ana
Best of luck to all
Fleagle cheers for the effort
Cheers GFTB
Sir Roderic
5-25 York
Gl
Fleagle thanks for your efforts the season.
Morning ,Francis Xavier 1.55 Goodwood.good luck hh
Quintana 4.50 York
Thanks again this season fleagle .
C’mon Celtic let’s do this !!
Mo Tottie in the Ffos las 7:05 for me
Good luck to all
Hail hail
Elarqam in the 155 at goodwood please. Cheers for your efforts Fleagle and hope we’re all celebrating today HH
Muscika 15 45 York
Thanks as always fleagle
Apologies for lack of recent updates…
Final week naps on here today, please.
fleagle1888
Auckland CSC