When Juventus scored in the opening minutes in the away leg of their last 16 Champions League tie last night it felt familiar. It’s just three years since you and I saw them in person do the same thing at the same stage of the competition.
It took Bayern Munich 70 minutes to rebound but we’ve not really recovered from a lapses in a tie which could otherwise have been far closer than the five goal margin it turned into. Getting back onto the same field with the likes of Juventus after Christmas (or even after August) is now the big challenge. It will take some doing.
I liked Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as a player but as a Usurper of Meritocracy he’s falling well down my list. He celebrated both teams after last night’s game before asking how long Uefa would countenance teams like Juventus exiting the competition at this stage? Not only would he like clubs like his get guaranteed entrance to the competition, he feels that elimination in March should is too harsh a consequence for losing.
I’m sure Rummenigge was being deliberately absurd last night. He’s trying to provoke alarm before playing his hand.
John Clark, on Scottish Football Monitor, attended SFA chief executive Stewart Regan’s presentation at Edinburgh University yesterday on values and integrity in football. Mr Clark questioned Mr Regan on whether Rangers failure to pay overdue social taxes in 2011 broke Uefa competition eligibility rules. Clark informs us Regan said he would do “Nothing” if incontrovertible evidence was available that social taxes were unpaid and that debt collectors had been employed.
We have a criminal lack of oversight in Scotland, not just in football. This attitude would not be possible in London.
The spirit of Jack Warner, Sepp Blatter and so many others is alive and well at Hampden. This is what we’re up against, and remember people, Blame the Victim is the hottest game in town, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know the background, anyone can play.
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Cheers mags,
Makes my blood boil when this nonsense of continuation is taken as matter of fact on TV. So what’s to stop them doing it all again. It’s the same crooks running the game, same lack of governance, same crap officials and ably backed up by their cronies in the MSM being fed Level 5 propaganda, whilst that organisation is also employed by the main sponsors, what a conflict of interest that is. But as I said, despite all that, if Celtic came out with the truth, they would have my backing.
HH Dan
Fenerbache have completely lost the plot in Portugal. Down 4-1 with 9 men, they have refused to obey the referee, then 3 of them decided to take out any player they could. Reminded me of Atletico Madrid back in 1974. They ended up with 8 men after one player basically kept at the referee, then shoved him after getting his red card. He is in for a very long suspension. Totally disgracefully performance from the Turks tonight.
Iniquitous
Thanks to brth and the res 12 bhoys, you all must have the patience of Jove
I am both a st holder and a shareholder and would be willing to put my name to any petition or list of shareholders for solicitors to use in any action against the SFA ( I am sure there would be no shortage of shareholders willing to do similar.)
I am, like many other Celtic fans becoming increasingly disillusioned and fear that I may also turn my back on football if the SFA are not brought to task on this.
Tontine
It could have been because Clydebank is in Dunbartonshire.
Pretty sure it was a hol of ob. In which case it would have been across the whole Archdiocese.
I wonder if schools in Glasgow got the day off…
Did Glasgow schools also
Neganon (and others)
As you may well be aware I have never agreed with the PLC model as it was presented to Celtic fans by Fergus.
I know what he intended, and I think it was well meant and that he saw it as a genuine means of securing a few quid for himself and at the same time bringing about guaranteed fan ownership. However, I always thought that the whole scheme was likely to end up with Celtic simply having another owner just as in the days of the old board.
Now admittedly, minority shareholders – ordinary fans if you like – would have a chance to go to an AGM and vent their spleen or ask questions and applaud if they saw fit — which is certainly more than you could expect from a private limited company – but not much.
With a PLC, those that run it have an actual duty to make money and provide a return for the investors – whoever they may be. Most fans couldn’t give a bugger about a dividend and a return, but investors and speculators (and there are plenty of them in football) do and so the “staff” have to make profit and so provide a return.
Lest that sound like a daft and patronising lecture (which it is not meant to be) the point I am getting at is that with the PLC model it is inevitable, in my opinion, that you will get to the point where the majority of season ticket holders and fans – whether shareholders or not – are viewed knowingly or unwittingly as “customers” and that the club will then want to sell them whatever product provides the best return in money terms.
That is a balancing game because with football fans you have to pander to the fan’s dreams and ambitions in between making the best possible profit – and that is no easy thing.
In my opinion, Celtic is run by a series of managers with a chief manager in Peter Lawwell as CEO. It is not run by an entrepreneur, a visionary or a leader in the sense of innovation, it is a business that is managed and managed in one sense very well as the books balance and everything is tickety boo regulation wise.
However, the fact is that Peter Lawwell and his managers are answerable to the major investors and not to the fans. The more the ordinary fans number a minority with little or no say, the less answerable the managers of each department will be to those shareholders and season ticket holders as their real duty is to the majority shareholders and investors. That is the way it is.
So, have the board betrayed the fans? Eh well, once you are in the PLC ring with investors and big shareholders the fans are customers and there is just no getting away from that.
So – betrayed? No. Ignored at times – yes.
They do their job. Do I agree with what they do and the way they do it? Certainly not always.
The board tend to concentrate on doing things right for the investors as opposed to doing the right things for the fans — the two are very different.
I have followed Celtic all over the world over decades and spent tens of thousands of pounds doing so.
However, there was a period in the 80’s when I never went anywhere near the club on a point of principle. There were certain things that I didn’t like so I chose to go do something else entirely and watched my football at Holm Park Yoker and elsewhere.
If I feel that the Celtic playing out of Kerrydale Street is a Celtic in name only, being run purely for the financial benefit of the few with little or no emphasis on what I envisage Celtic to really be, then I will take another leave of absence until such times as I feel comfortable enough to return.
In the interim, I should add that I have spent my entire business life arguing, advising disagreeing, mediating, negotiating, and cajoling people in business but even though I disagree and argue etc — I am still on their side and their supporter.
Celtic are no different.
Right now the biggest danger to Celtic is the feeling that football in Scotland is fixed, rigged, pre determined, and simply not adminsistered in a way where sporting integrity and fair play are paramount.
If that feeling is allowed to grow and remains unchallenged and uncommented upon then that will be to the detriment of the investors. Celtic’s management ignore that at their peril as do the rest of Scottish Football.
Let’s not kid ourselves, it was only a matter of time until the huns appeared and hit us head on.
Our problem is our team should be way ahead of where it is.
The anger being generated on here and other blogs is our boards wasteful pennypinching mentallity and their lack of backbone on dealing with the cheating years.
A lot of good Celtic men will walk due to it, but many more will fill those seats when a hun reincarnation appears… Fact.
Jobo
Currently on the official Celtic site it’s being advertised as Celtic v Rangers. – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/absurd-rummenigge-regan/comment-page-7/#comment-2796515
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Indeed. Even their supporters club in Dubai refer to their team as ‘The Rangers’.
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Remember McCurry booking 9 celtic players, 7 in the first half at ibrox in late 2007. I believe Gordon Strachan commented along the lines of ‘we have our own file’. Then Craig Levein having his own, perfectly justifiable melt down with the same referee after game at ibrox.
Both managers go on to be Scotland managers…
The honest mistakes, especially recently used to enrage me. The MSM used to amuse me, I now consider them sinister. The next few weeks could make or break Scottish Fitba. Not being a drama queen, but if things continue as they are it will lose all integrity, the same code word PL used to stop the extension of 2007/2008 during their Uefa Cup run. His choice of word back then, and the reaction to it still lingers with me…
Very sad state of affairs…
BRTH
No problem with my name going forward to any FTSFA request, through the solicitors
As a Celtic Shareholder and signatory to resolution 12
Hail Hail
Jungle VIP on 17th March 2016 10:15 pm
Tontine
It could have been because Clydebank is in Dunbartonshire.
Pretty sure it was a hol of ob. In which case it would have been across the whole Archdiocese.
*definitely not oot the Vale or Renton.
Cowie bhoy
Twists and turns passed on my number to BT
you should be able to get in touch now
BRTH
Nail on head there.
My concern is not that the major shareholders hold sway, it is that their view is that the ‘big picture’ the ‘OF brand’ was worth attempting to save to protect their investment in the long term. For years CQN was full of in depth analysis of Murray’s financial problems. It was obvious to anyone who took the time to examine them. That being the case would the major shareholders of Celtic know? What would they plan to do about it? Perhaps a misguided step to protect their interests, leading, eventually, to the detriment of sporting integrity.
Seems the Internet Bampots are those pesky kids from Scooby Doo….
Just catching up with things Celtic.
What a very odd place we are in.
Top dogs in the game in Scotland but seemingly getting no joy from it.
Cheating bassas at ibrox may have died but the legacy is still being felt.
But I can’t stop supporting celtic financially as all it does is damage Celtic – it doesn’t hurt anyone else if Celtic’s finances are hit.
Corkcelt I am not arguing for Celtic to return to its formation. But I am arguing that Celtic should represent it’s support and defend its interest. Not do the exact opposite and betray us all. And make no mistake. That’s what they are doing. We are the fools here. No one else.
I believe in us as a support. But we cannot continue to rally behind a corrupt organisation who is undermining the very people who bankroll them. It cannot continue. So I believe in you too mate but your loyalty is killing us as a support. I am not angry about that, I understand it.
But as I say it’s a straight choice. We walk away or we fight these bastards. It’s a simple choice. That they are forcing us into us is horrible but they are and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise.
This is a game over moment Corkcelt.
I was talking to my taxi driver this evening. A Celtic fan. He says he wants nothing ,ore to do with Celtic. That he doesn’t want to watch games against the Hun, to return to sectarianism and to pretend that nothing happenned. He buys 4 season tickets. None of them will be renewed next year.
This is happening all around you Corkcelt. It’s no longer the view of this particular Cassandra.
Getting angry at me is as I say pointless. Face up to the truth.
Robertressell what is your view on the board and res 12 etc. I put it to you that financially supporting the board is killing Celtic.
For the record the day I walk away from celtic would be the day I stopped watching football. Period.
If I felt strongly enough about it I wouldn’t watch the corrupt game on TV in a bar, at home or anywhere. I think the decent thing to do would be walk away and don’t look back. Otherwise I would doubt my own intentions
And Paul. Are you going to keep distracting us by saying “look squirrel”
With regard to the mandate idea – let me speak to Auldheid as I have an idea how we could organise that properly.
Basically I would post a template online here for people to print off sign and then post on.
Hamilton Tim
I hear all you say about your views on Res 12 and of course I have known thise views for a long time.
I was also there the night you asked PL about the season tickets and how many tickets would be allocated to the club with no credit.
I have a different view to those expressed which I will politely describe as just plain daft.
Anyway, i have still to contribute something to the An Gorta Mor fund — where can I do that?
Sorry I have been ran off my feet with one thing or another to do something before now.
By the way Celtic are looking for a new head of Marketing – there have been at least 98 applications in the last two days.
Neganon
Football fans are junkies. Their dealers, the people who supply their fix, aka the plc that control the football club can treat them anyway they feel fit.
They will still turn up. ….Once the product is good
WHiTS
Got it will drop you a text in 5 mins
Hail Hail
BRTH I get the whole Plc thing.
But even if I get it a Plc which wholly exploits its customer for money is doomed to failure.
But it is far worse than that at Celtic and with all due respect you are avoiding the rather nasty elephant in the room (probably in the hope that The board see the light).
Celtic refusal to take forwar res 12 is proof positive of collusion in corruption. They have no explanation as to why they won’t progress it. They don’t have a reason they can admit. We all know it. All of us.
And if I go back to the, acting the best interest of their investors, well their performance over the last 5 years has been disasterous for investors and customers alike.
You know you have my utmost respect for res 12 BRTH. But ignoring what is before your eyes is only contributing to Celtics malaise.
Either we act or we walk away.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma on 17th March 2016 10:16 pm
Yup!
Absolutely.
WITS I thought Celtic were more than just a club?
The husk that people call Celtic might limp on.
But it will be a ghost. Just like the Huns.
Isn’t that poetic?
I am finding it really difficult to actually spend money on celtic, i hate to feel cheated in anyway.
i hope to go see us win 5 in a row. but buy anything else , no ta.
WITS
I see what you are saying. A lot of junkies rob, cheat and steal for their fix. The dealer always wins. Its the kind of society you can keep. For a while.
I want Celtic to win everything. I want the team that plays out of Ibrox to win nothing. Aye there’s the rub.
Neganon
Can we get something straight here which is really important.
There are others that have put far more work in on Res 12 than me. I was only brought in as a sort of business manager and with a view to revising drafts, doing a bit of negotiating, a bit of strategy and finsing the lawyesr and that kind of thing. The last thing I want is all this admiration nonsense.
Anyway, I get that you really dislike the board and have constant criticisms. I get that and can understand your point of view etc. I am not ignoring anything and have my own views on how Celtic PLC are run.
However, my late father who died two years ago tonight always said ” Remember, always wage war with a smile”.
My boss and mentor of many years told me “Always think ahead and remember – when you can’t see the angles you know you are F***ed!”
Aye well — ;-0)
Art of War says….. know your enemy.
Level5PR- Who are they?
Essentially they are 2 men.
James Traynor – aja Jabba
&
Stephen Kerr
Both ex Rangers PR men.
Their portfolio reads as fictional account. They have one official main client – Rangers Youth Development Company! (Nope don’t know them either )
The rest of their portfolio numbers under 5 clients!!!
These appointments/client jobs are all staggered by about roughly one contract every fortnight.
Considering that they have plush offices in Blytheswood Square I do not believe that this level of business could sustain a chip van, never mind the opulent offices at said location.
So how are they making their money?
Over to you guys…
Getting tired so bed
HH
Res. 12 is of crucial importance. Yet I haven’t heard a single Celtic supporter I know ever mention it. Maybe someone should find a way of getting it across better.
BRTH i think you can’t see the angles any more :)
It’s all too tragic.
The Celtic board are effectively in hiding.
Their only hope is we will be swept away in a tsunami of bigotry.
What a business strategy eh?
New Firm or Old Infirm ? Discuss
ARTOFWAR
You suggesting Jabba is on the game?
New Infirm
Tontine Tim
;-);-)
St.Columba born in the current parish of an Tearmann and Gartan
Lhh
Based on an idea floated by Matt Stewart recently, I think that Ronny has been told that he will continue as our manager.
Moreover, I think that the players know this and the suspected agitators in the squad either accept this or suffer the consequences.
Therefore, if my hypothesis is correct, then neither Ronny or the club need to make any statement to the media or the hard of thinking amongst our own support, as regards to his future.
Why do so many of us think that we have morons running the club?
BRTH
Apologies I’m just back in from from picking up the Minx.
You’re father’s quote made me laugh Jim. My da was the most argumentative bastard I’ve ever known, but I’ve never, ever met anyone who could do it with the grace, humility, devilment and humour of him!
I truly wish I had his gift.
My hearts sinks when I think of Res12 for many reasons and I’ll probably wait until the weekend when I have my say.
I’ll risk falling out with a few folk but hey ho it’ll only be an opinion. Alternatively, I could skip the blog and attempt one of Matt’s slow cooker dishes :-)
We’ll see how much salt H puts in Saturday’s dinner!
I have a few candles to light on Sunday but it’s now +2.
Thomthetim errrrrrrr because of all the evidence stating right at us.
If the club has decided to keep Ronny it’s basically two fingers to everyone (including Ronny cos they won’t even say so in their statements).
Bed b cmon a but my god cqn is on its knees as well.