I got my haircut today. Sitting, waiting in line, usual habits were cast aside and I picked up a newspaper; what an alarming read. Neil Lennon was quoted as saying, “I’m not big on tactics. It’s about the players and they have to go out onto the pitch and apply that.”
I couldn’t disagree more. It’s all about the tactics. Players need to be sufficiently fit, fast and fearless but all the talent in the world can be ripped asunder if it’s not tactically well organised. I had been watching Celtic tactics closely for 20 years before Martin O’Neill arrived. Back in 2000, watching Celtic was like going to school. My eyes were opened to how a defence is organised, how to stage an attack that fits your strikers and how to buy with a playing strategy in mind.
We had seen plenty great players since our last great team: McStay, McClair, McGrain, McAvennie, Burns, Nicholas. We’d seen courage and directness: the Bear, MacLeod and Provan, and cameos from Moravcik and Larsson, but we were forever found out, a plucky team who would flatter to deceive. Celtic would regularly dominate Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen – who understood too well the importance of tactics – and lose 1-0, and we went 30 years without beating a team from a major European league.
Martin O’Neill clearly demonstrated that successful football teams are all about tactics, not the players, nor courage, not even an aggregate ocean of skill.
>90% of football games are won and lost before kick-off.
As for the on-going orgy that is dominating front pages (good grief). Get used to it. As I’ve said many times, positions are absolutely entrenched when it comes to the songs debate. Neil Lennon and Ian Bankier are in for a disappointment if they think they, or any of the rest of us, can “self-police” those who object to being inhibited from singing about the IRA. I’ve encouraged this so often I’m not going to waste my your time with it anymore.
Celtic are set for an extended period when its reputation will suffer, there is no avoiding this. Unfortunately, not everyone listens. My great sympathies go to the £X per hour Celtic stewards who have to put themselves in the front line of this confrontation.
If I can offer any advice on a related subject… Songs and banners affect individuals, who will often be selected randomly for exclusion. Lateral movement in the stands, which happened last weekend, will get an entire section of the stadium closed by Health & Safety. If this creeps back into Celtic Park there is a real risk of council action. I’m pretty sure Michael Davitt didn’t place the sod on Celtic Park before bouncing left to right and back again. It’s not a key part of our heritage, don’t pick fights you’re going to lose.
CQN Magazine, issue 5, will be out soon. After 4 issues online and shipping single copies from Magcloud in the US, we’ve ordered a print run locally. You can order now with credit/debit card or Paypal and buy direct from the UK for only £5 by clicking on the link below.
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Finlay and Crawford go into supporter mode in the shortbread studios. Unbelievable as they have been getting their echoes felt, post, off the line, disallowed goal pen claim for icy. U just knew what was coming . Bugga !!
James Forrest
it`s not luck when your opposition are denied a goal and two pens
what a shower!
Have not heard a commentator scream GOOOOALLL for such a long time. Was almost Brazilian
Erchies even !
James, it’s a pact with the devil. They sold their black soul a long time ago
How on earth do they do it????
Caley have PUMPED the rotten mob 2nd half and yet are being beaten.
Spewing here…….
UF
Kitalba,
You want to know the banned songs, so do I and a million other supporters.
Alas, nobody and I mean nobody is prepared to saywhat is banned and what is not.
The Celtic support could stop singing all their songs and still be done for making the Sign of The Cross, if someone in authority deems it to be offensive.
The whole thing stinks, and the club. in my view is pretty defenceless.
Cheers,
Martin42
Disappointing if they win, of course, but it sounds as if they are really struggling. I don’t think their squad can afford to lose too much in January and remain competitive…
It really does make u believe their in league with lucifer. Sold their souls a long time ago
JF
not luck …the 2nd ICT goal looked good
only one replay and it was from behind the goals ..someone will draw a line on a still soon
dodgy as hell btw
JF 1642
Sometimes it’s like the Big Man forgets his boy’s a Catholic….
Tainted league………hun play-thing.
No doubt Terry Butcher will bemoan all these decisions the “Old Firm” get…
paladin,i thought when you said echoes it was rhyming slang foe echo falls
Who are these two on shortbread ? Have they just been recruited outta the local round table or rotary club. Betcha they’ve got their wee rid, blu and yella ties on
Pfaye…
I don’t think it’s that ridiculous. He might have got a bit Leeds Utd when the huns scored but he almost creamed his pants when ICT nearly got one 2 mins prior.
Compare and contrast with Begg et al where any Celtic goal is followed by a respectful minutes silence.
You need to have a soul to sell it.
More “honest mistakes” from the referee. No doubt Butcher will be fuming.
I have never seen a hun team this bad, ever.
The previous 2 games they get two pens 1 never a pen the other of the soft variety, today their opposition get 2 pens turned down a goal chalked off. All hell would be let loose if that was us, no doubt we will get the usual “it evens itself out over a season”
ICT have 2 penalties turned down – hit the post – one cleared off the line – a one-on-one with keeper and they go up the other end and score.
They have the luck of the devil.
Uncle Fester
They do it with the help of their brother in black.
Luck has nothing to do with it.
It’s the manefestation of all that’s wrong with the best wee bigoted country.
The media will remain silent on penalties and goals but if they had gone against the hun there would have been a full weeks onslaught against refs character and competence.
Other teams are also complicit in their silence but they get their payback by keeping Celtic 2nd
Lafferty jumps into crowd after he scores … guess what happens next btw he dis nae get booked
martybhoy59 says:
17 December, 2011 at 16:50
That succession of events would simply not happen to us…
pheersy,
BBC has Lafferty being booked immediately after he scores…
Gosh, where to start over the last 24 hours?
I liked SFTB’s post about the importance of tactics, although I’d suggest that part of the technical training that the manager needs to direct is how the players play together. I’d say that was tactical by nature, and utterly essential in a team sport. Guidolin’s change at half time to ‘close down’ Samaras is a good example.
Bourne’s link to the Jelavic handball on page 1 of these comments is quite bizzare, as is ICT having a good goal disallowed moments before another ICT player rounds the keeper and hits the post, and now they’ve had a further effort cleared off the line.
Ah fech, Rangers score. Huh. “The sign of Champions” according to the Shortbread commentator.
As regards the fall out from the Udinese game and other stuff, that will take a little more time to think about than I have available to spend at the moment.
The banner was ill-advised and ill-considered. The language might cause mild offense to some, but it’s not a big deal in itself. Little to recommend it, and just a juvenile embarrassment on the whole.
Setting off flares/fireworks in a football stadium recklessly disregards the safety of other folk. That’s why it’s unlawful.
Assaulting a steward is also unlawful. It also disregards the right of a fellow to go to his work without fear of being assaulted. The Italian courts will decide if the offences were committed, and those concerned will be dealt with accordingly.
Seems we may have a few folk following the club who are quick to demand their rights but who are happy to play fast and loose with the safety and rights of other folk. Doesn’t seem to be a reasonable position to take.
Hey ho.
According to Finlay and Crawford, the ref has handled things well, although they did poise to question whether jellylegs incident could have proved crucial. No mention so far of two pen claims and the disallowed goal for ict. So, there u have it … Nothing to see here timmy , move along now. Normal service resumes !
Paul,
Interesting article on both counts… Fans knowingly damaging our club, and the question of tactics.
There is something about football people, in that they often want to deny the importance, or even the existence, of tactics. In a similar fashion, football has been very slow to adopt medical or fitness science. Yes, we are getting their now, but decades behind some other sports.
Just look at the type of people who regularly get jobs in the spl. The two Jimmies, Jim Jeffries, etc. Old school, bully coaches who are clear examples of how to get a short term reaction, that cannot be sustained.
Some years ago, while upgrading my coaching courses, I spent a few days working with a FIFA coach. His insights were, well, insightful. I recall him talking about Tony Adams going to the Arsenal board and asking them to fire Wenger on account of his training regime. These old school notions still exist, and dominate, in Scottish football.
I hope that Neil was being coy……..
Butcher having a go about lack of time added on for time wating according to Chic
Watching the huns game- a truly depressing experience. Yet again the brethren do their bit with the disallowed ICT goal and penalty claims. Bevvy time.
It will be interesting to see Butcher rant and rave in the post match interview.
He can let rip – after all, he is “Hall of Fame” immune…
So the Huns’ infernal luck continues, thanks once again to the newly unbiased SFA refereeing pool.
Ho hum, I am as confident as ever that we will win this league.
Does McGregor’s two bookings for time wasting (four times) rule him out of the 28th?
Oh wait.
Martin42,
Then in that case each and every one of us must do what he/she believes is right. And who can then say, with ignorance abounding from any quarter and all, who is right and who is wrong and who is guilty of that that is not known to you or they.
Catch-22.
4 Rhodes
No mention of the penaly claims or even of the wrongly ruled offside goal in the Shortbread tv round up of the games- if they dont report it, it never happened
Some Snippits from loyal loyal
Re: Rangers V’s Inverness MATCH THREAD**USUAL RULES APPLY**
Terrible.
Ally, it isn’t working. You aren’t working. You are simply not good enough to get anything out of this team. Gutted to say it but I would have no problem and wouldn’t complain if Ally was sacked tomorrow.
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Re: Rangers V’s Inverness MATCH THREAD**USUAL RULES APPLY**
To think some posters were celebrating the title in November.
I see our title slipping away……we’re going to be in last place before January.
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Re: Rangers V’s Inverness MATCH THREAD**USUAL RULES APPLY**
Caley dictating it- just go Ally
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Re: Rangers V’s Inverness MATCH THREAD**USUAL RULES APPLY**
McCoist is putting himself out of as job, and i have zero sympathy for him.
All self inflicted.
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Re: Rangers V’s Inverness MATCH THREAD**USUAL RULES APPLY**
Only one winner here and it ain’t us
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Re: Rangers V’s Inverness MATCH THREAD**USUAL RULES APPLY**
something seriously wrong with this team .
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Re: Rangers V’s Inverness MATCH THREAD**USUAL RULES APPLY**
mccoist’s finished
that team doesn’t even have desire any more before you even talk about the absolutely embarassing lack of organisation and the basics.
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Johnny Thomson Posters
As mentioned by Paul 67 the other day, there are 4 giant posters for sale on e-Bay from the recent play at the Kings. They are 60” x 40” and all proceeds are going to the Johnny Thomson Memorial Fund. There’s been very little interest so far and the auction ends tonight. Starting bids of £20 for a rare piece of Celtic memorabilia. Go on it’s for a good cause !
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130616613161?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
Cheers
TVBB
Italia Bhoy
Being in Canada, my dealins with the SNP are very limited, and my knoweldge usually second hand, but, (a) they are politicians, so, I am usually wary of them, and (ii) that shower seem almost as bad as the tories!
sixtaseven
Dont think there is anything wrong with your concentration…. reading back, it was a bit long-winded …. occupational hazard, so hopefully you`ll excuse it. I agree that these sorts of debates aren`t held when things are rosy…. but, since we are here now, lets take the opportunity to see if we cant make it better…. I agree that there will never be unanimity, but, we can still do a lot better than we have been doing, and should seize the chance.