Cast your mind back to earlier this month. February ended with a 100% domestic record, qualification for the League Cup Final and two merit awards for performances against Inter Milan. We then walloped nearest challengers Aberdeen 4-0. A small matter of a game against St Johnstone lay ahead before the Scottish and League Cup double-header against Dundee United. Which we lost. At home.
If a team drops even a few percentage points below its optimum the actual drop in results achieved can be enormous. Celtic have answered all the big questions over the last seven weeks, despite the reversal in Milan; there will inevitably be a drop in adrenaline when normality returns, which is tomorrow, again against United.
We have a month to prepare for the Scottish Cup semi-final but another St Johnstone-type episode would cut the gap at the top to zero points, with Celtic having one game in hand.
I’m a great believer than a manager cannot and should not ask his players to climb the mountain every time. If he does, he loses that special intensity he’ll need for the truly big occasions. The players, from captain to novice, must carry the burden.
Niggles between players happen in every game. On most occasions it will be a couple of months before you face the same opponent again, so whatever happened last time will have been replaced in the mind’s gallery of items the player feels sore about.
Since Scottish football became the Celtic-Dundee United show that’s changed. A player who elbowed you last game will be running at you next time out. This is the stuff red cards are made of.
There is a chance that we’ve beaten United into submission and that they’ll turn up in body, not mind, tomorrow, but if Jackie McNamara manages to convince them they are victims of wanton Celtic player’s face-on-United player’s elbow action, you can expect more reds.
Keep your cool, Celtic. Nothing more than wanton hair ruffling.
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79caps
The Herald reports Jackie McN. saying that Delia is inflaming the situation
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Is Ronny inflaming the situation by playing 11 better players than McNamara has? Celtic are out of order!!
Looking forward to giving them a doing tomorrow and I predict things will get tasty when we take the lead. Bhoys, be careful out there!!
McNamara is spot on about a manager being under pressure tomorrow, one is going for the treble and the other has seen his team unable to win in 7 games. Which is under pressure?
Looking back to the last article – I wouldn’t take Wednesday night as anything at all in regards to James Forrest.
Dundee United suffered for meeting us so many times in a row, they’ve come under an intensity they’ll rarely suffer – these games are dotted such that even if we give someone a tanking then they have someone else from elsewhere in the spectrum to compete with the next week.
They were devoid of mettle and guile and to be honest core fitness, they couldn’t maintain mediocre. And Ciftci looked lost…
I fear for them tomorrow if we play to our strengths.
Ivehadtochangemynane- sorry to hear about your loss and hope you can find comfort.
Fourgreenfields- if you about…after the Sellafield chat on Wed…they have a bus on Buchanan Street trying to entice people down there.
I got a free pen…cannae think of any puns though :-(
Book club:
PJ O’Rourke’s ‘Eat the rich’.
Amusing.
I was just thinking back to last Wednesday’s cup semi-final and why people like me and others have paid handsomely to have Sky and BT sports packages being denied the chance to see this game as a result of a blackout due to a Champions League match.
I have these sports packages mainly to watch Celtic games, Golf, rugby and boxing.
Sky had Scottish cup games on their schedule so I cannot understand why this match could not have been shown later in the night to avoid a clash with the Champions League.
I also fail to understand why Celtic TV cannot beam live games into the ROI as all our local League of Ireland games are played on Friday nights. I wuld gladly pay for this service. We have nothing to do with British sports fixtures, so there is no clashing of fixtures.
uly
Spot on…………….. as always.
Oh and I forecast a humping tomorrow ….don’t need any team- talk fae the Ronmeister! Will put on 4,5 and 6 nil. Armstrong to score anytime.
Hankray
Broadcasters regard the UK and Ireland as one unit. It’s just what they do
Enough about the Tangerine Terrorists
Anyone know how big Georgios, our Saudi superstar is doing at Al-Hilal FC. Could Ronny have developed him?
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
Spot on re Clancy
His only route of progression is to show how he can give decisions against us
Only referee to issue 3 yellow cards to Celtic in away SPL match in 2 seasons (Ross C January 2015)
Has Paul Paton given his opinion on Cardinal O’Brien yet.
hankray
You’re a Brit in the world of SKY.
enjoy CSC
What is the Stars…………. Well, it’s about time Sky and the rest of them learned the facts of life, we are not part of the United Kingdom
I suspect that Sevconians may be warming to the Arabs after several years of hostilities.
My enemy’ s enemy is my friend sort of thing.
squire danaher
cheers for reply mate, thought it was me just being paranoid again haha. Ive definitely noticed that we get a lot of dodgy decisions from him. As he’s definitely not a hun I can only assume its his way of showing his impartiality
HH
Just seen Jackie and Ciftici interviews.Was Comic Relief not last week?
Hankray – I share your frustration. I finally ditched sky sports as a result. Sooner celtic are not tied to a TV deal the better.
squire danaher
18:18 on 20 March, 2015
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
Spot on re Clancy
His only route of progression is to show how he can give decisions against us
:::::::::::::::
Advice he will have had will include
You have to show that you can take the unpopular decisions.
You must be careful that you are not even perceived to be partial.
You could go far but your colleagues need to know that you fully equipped to go the distance.
Look at Willie Collum, he has shown the way to the top.
thanks bhoys, can’t tell you what it means to me
Marrakesh Express
Brazil v Hungary 1966
Great game Hungarian football top class in those days.
Great goal by Florian Albert and if my memory is correct didn’t one of the centre backs play with his arm strapped up? Probably wanted to see out the match against the great Brazilians
Like a few previous posters I am also worried about Clancy tomorrow. He has had a number of “poor” games against us.
One thing I do know which I got from his uncle is that he is a Partick Thistle supporter. Hope he does not think of us in the same way as Mhairi Black though.
HT. Did you get my mail?
i’vehadtochangemyname
17:32 on 20 March, 2015
Thinking about you mhate. My Mum passed in December and in truth I’m not really sure I’ve realised she’s gone.
That’s good and bad I think.
She’s still sitting in ma heid warning me never to become a drammer with the mad yin ACGR or partying all night with sipsini!
I think my approach is going to be that she’ll never actually leave me. And that she’s not too far away at any time.
Take care
HH jamesgang
Maley’s Bhoys @MaleysBhoys 6h6 hours ago
Stumbled across this from the Inter home leg. 31:58 – that noise for the equaliser is magnificent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ceVYGVM64Q …
Good to hear Ohits is well and will be at paradise tomorrow
iki
good point well put
HH
RobertTressell………..we live in hope.
I’ve had to change my name….
My dad LOVED music, and he passed that love to me. After my dad passed a few years ago, my mum couldn’t bring herself to listen to any of his music – it was too tough for her.
Conversely, I listened to a lot of music that reminded me of him…. (Pavarotti is one that stands out) … it always made me feel better, like a bit of him was still with me.
I hope you, too, can find some comfort in the music.
Hail hail
I was in the car there and heard Paton’s interview, what a bitter wee rocket.
When he was at Thistle he came into my work place to coach the children. He clearly didn’t want to be there.
I now suspect his reasons may be more to do with the type of school it was.
I don’t know if this has been posted before, but just in case it hasn’t go get a cup of tea, a beer a galss of wine or whatever and take 40 minutes to watch this video from an Inter fan recording his recent trip to Celtic Park.
Look out for the noise at the equaliser in 32 minutes or so and then read the comments posted below the video itself.
Fantastic video that shows you everything that is right about football
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ceVYGVM6
This is the 12th anniversary of Celtic beating.Liverpool 2-0 at anfield on the,way to seville. My oh my the hangovers I endured that year….. I’m 12 years older too…..
what is the stars
17:54 on 20 March, 2015
Another week in the salt mines ends. Flat Cap and greasy overalls swopped for silk boxers and de aul Hugo Boss/georgie o mahony suit. .nice steak, glass o red, Dublin s fair city. Oh yeah
Jackeens rule
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You shouldn’t get too used to being over-dressed pal.
HH JamesGang
i’vehadtochangemyname
I’ve just read your post about how your sometimes not coping with the recent loss of your dad.
Firstly let me offer you my sincerest condolences and I’m sure you’ve been told by countless people that time is a great healer and it certainly is, but you do have to grieve, in your own way and in your own time. I don’t pretend to have any answers or have an understanding of losing a parent, but there are some things that I do know. I work within the funeral trade so I obviously see and speak to families of the recently deceased on a regular basis, your funeral directors should have given you the number of a grief councillor. If you find yourself struging give them a call, even if it’s only for 5 minutes it could make a huge difference to you.
I believe that we don’t ever get over losing someone, we just learn to cope without them.
If you need anyone to talk to or some info about counselling then you can get my email from Paul67
All the best.
jamesgang
“I think my approach is going to be that she’ll never actually leave me. And that she’s not too far away at any time”.
change she to He and that me Sir
A Rodger waters song Lyric
“It’s like someone through a window who you just learn how to miss”.
although on special brief moments(like last Sundays Walk On) triggered by memories my Da is right beside me
jamesgang,
I enjoyed our chat about our mums in the BV last week, keep the chin up big stuff.
BTW, had to look out the olde undertakers suit, number 7 tomorrow, will pop down with programmes to the CQN corner, hope you can make it.
connaire12
I did my friend and I replied earlier. Let me know that you got it please.
“So, Martin, how are you going to change a 21 point deficit into a 15 point advantage in the league in your first season, with the cups thrown in too, of course?
Oh, and we think they’re cheating, by the way, but we’re not sure how”.
“Easy, by filling the team with tanner ba’ players”.
If I don’t hear another word from Jackie McNamara or Dundee Utd for another hundred years it will be too soon.
Árd Macha
Lionsroar67 beat me to it!
Great minds (ahem) think alike!