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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Will the cheating ever end? Deary me.
We will win the league.
10 points.
Keep the faith
Mtt
notthebus at 17 December, 2011 at 16:58
I’m sure they are happy with 3 pts
:o(
Stairheedrammy
media control..it`s all about satifsfying their lowest customer base
Re Lafferty’s celebration with his supporters in the stand….The S****houses that run our club should take the video to the S(ectarian) FA of this country and tell them …we will not accept any further yellow cards for celebrating goals …I’ve just watched a shower of cheating B’s and I’m not talking of the ones in blue shirts!!!!!!! the Caley 2nd goal waas never offside …
LAFFERTY BOOKED.
HE’S DESPERATE TO INGRATIATE HIMSELF WITH HUN SUPPORT (WHO TOLERATE HIM AT BEST) SO HE JUMPS IN TAE CROWD TO APPEASE THEM.
HIS BEHAVIOUR REMINDS ME OF JIM MELROSE WHEN HE PLAYED FOR UZ.
BhoyfromSky
From the BBC site:
” 82:36 Booking Kyle Lafferty is shown a yellow card. ”
JJ
martybhoy59 says:
17 December, 2011 at 16:50
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”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is the mark of a good side to win when playing badly.
Just doing the LL job for them there-it’s very popuar on this site recently……
was the big lanky streak of pash booked or not ,C,mon bhoys spill the beans
DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY
When did he get booked for I’m afraid I and I was watching it to see if he would be….
bobby murdoch
already quoted on both RS and BBC …amazing how the origins of a victory can be forgotten about
chick summarising now….not a mention of disallowed goal on controversial penalties not being awarded…..they’re being airbrushed already,
Gordon’s controversial moment was play continuing while Jelly down and ICT scoring.
Hunvelievable
we are reminded weakly of the bias in this league and in the media
depressing but not surprising
weekly ..even
By day I’m ‘Mike in Toronto’ but on Sunday ‘I’m Neil Lennon’ at 17 December, 2011 at 17:00
Mike, don’t want to put you on the spot (he says mischiefly) but, as a man of letters, how would you amend the following?
http://www.celticfc.net/corporate_socialmission
Corporate :: Social Mission
Introduction
Celtic Football Club is legendary and as with most legends as much myth as fact surrounds its history and what the Club stands for today. The Social Mission Statement aims to simply define what the Club stands for and seeks to promote within society.
History
Celtic Football Club was founded in 1888. Its principal founder was a Marist Brother named Walfrid. The Club had two principal aims: The first aim was to raise funds to provide food for the poor of the East End of Glasgow, an area of the City that was greatly impoverished and had a high rate of infant mortality. Within the East End was a large Irish community and friction was growing between the native Glaswegians and the new influx of Irish. Brother Walfrid saw the need for social integration and his vision was a football club that Scottish and Irish, Protestants and Catholics alike could support. A new football club would be a vehicle to bring the communities together and this was the second aim. The Marist brother sought for the Club to have both a Scottish and Irish identity and hence, the Club’s name “Celtic” came about, representing a bridge of cultures across the Irish Sea.
Current Positioning of Celtic Football Club
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club with proud Irish links. The primary business of Celtic is as a football club. It is run on a professional business basis with no political agenda. However, the Club has a wider role and the responsibility of being a major Scottish social institution promoting health, well-being and social integration.
Who is Celtic Football Club for?
Celtic Football Club is for people who want to support a football club that strives for excellence in Scotland and in Europe, is proud of its history, supportive of its local community and seeks to support the following aims: “To maximise all opportunities to disassociate the Club from sectarianism and bigotry of any kind. To promote Celtic as a Club for all people, regardless of gender, age, religion, race or ability.”
Summary
Celtic is a club for everyone who believes in football as a medium for healthy pleasure, entertainment and social integration. The Club always has been and always will simply aim to be the team of the people.
PFAYR 1708
Someone earlier compared the situation to Goebbel’s prop/news management.
They’ve been doing it for years.
Repeat until accepted as fact.
why the hell are shortbread playing Lenny’s interview again? See Traynor and Gordon still on it.
PF
Certainly not “weakly” o:-)….just the opposite.
JJ
Win tomorrow and keep the pressure on
St Mirren away next week will be a tough one for them the way they are playing
I can see us hammering them on the 28th. MIB permitting
Not posted in a while bhoys been really busy with work and riley junior bbut need to post tonight cause its happening again last 2 home games mib digging them out big time especially today was really bad I’ve been told just hope terry is as voiceferous as he was when we got a decision go in our favour
HH Bhoys
F.T.S.F.A
For anyone who loves good documentaries, I am watching the World at War right now, just bought it today on DVD for £20 out of Tesco.
I’m sure most of you have seen it already, but that’s an absolute knock-down price for 11 DVD’s and the most stunning story ever told.
Who cares if La Farty got a yellow after scoring?
It’s as futile as Aloni’s (sorry – cant remember his name) getting banned after winning a 3 point penalty.
Celtic: please just win this league – pleeease!!!
Give the huns their due though,and the mason in the black.
At least they didn’t resort to the obvious penalty-for-effaw gambit.
Too clever for us Tims who would have profited just in time for Christmas.
Pity.
BhoyfromSky says:
17 December, 2011 at 17:07
HERE WE GO……
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live_match/index_bet.auto?/opt/ASFapache/htdocs/site/football/live_match/206069.insdat
By the way,even though I live in England and should therefore be exempt from calling the huns as such,I will refrain in future,as I wish to set a good example.
I’ve decided to refer to them in future as Hull City.
After all,they are all HUMBER STARS…..
Coat,door,gone……..
World at War. Great commentary from Larry as well.
James, “the most stunnning story ever told”
Surely that’s BB mate!!
SffS
weeron
I share your views on an anti-coaching spirit having been prominent in this country. The Scottish press initially decried the coaching efforts of Jock Stein and Eddie Turnbull, preferring to extol the dignified broguery and suits of the Bill Struth Tradition.
I would clarify that I am all in favour of coaching and of tactics but, as The Battered Bunnet noted, I am saying that we overestimate the coach’s contribution on match days. If you have not completed 95% of your preparation on the training ground then no amount of shouting from the side lines or the much-over-vaunted half-time tantrum will save you. The tactical nous has to be developed within your players rather than imposed from above.
I heard a very funny story from Andy Walker about Tommy McLean’s attempt to influence the play of the far side Motherwell winger. Wee Tommy called Andy over and issued a stream of gobbledygook over-technical instruction for Andy to pass on. Wee Andy sidles over and the winger asks “What was the boss trying to say?” to which Andy replied along the lines of “He thinks you’re playing Sh*$£”
Seven Fishes Four Steaks:
Haha let me rephrase that. Most stunning FACTUAL story ever told haha.
Only the story of the wars of the Roman Republic and Early Empire comes even close, and I am yet to find a great documentary DVD set which tells that story in full.
Anyone got suggestions?
Looking forward to hearing Butcher but will also listen to the way the questions will be posed of him
The press will lead in with you suffered against Celtic, Terry….was this as frustrating?
ie, put Celtic square on rather than talking only about today’s games and decisions.
James, was BB not real? :-)
GusFringCSC
James F – yes, I have a suggestion ‘Up Pompei’ Superb.
Seven Fishes Four Steaks:
I contemplated ordering myself a Pollos Hermanos t-shirt the other day but realised how dumb I would look in it. I am still contemplating the Heisenberg hat. I think it’s very likely I’ll get one haha.
Butcher not quite apoplectic with Rage – laughing and Joking – Scumbag
Rome – The Rise and Fall of an Empire?
13 Episodes covering the events and a couple of not shown dvds of various behind the scenes (as it were) from Roman times.
GreenwellsGlory @ 16.07 :- EGO vires exsisto nefas per aevum adveho sapientia videor magis vindico in vestri theca
dirtymac:
Isn’t that about the Germanic wars tho? Romans killing a lot of huns?
Butcher a disgrace having a good laugh with the LL we have had a sense of injustice all season, should have taken our chances we dont get penalties in the SPL. Compare and contrast
James, lol I saw a Pollos Hermanos t shirt on eBay and thought it was cool!! A Heisenberg hat now……. :-)
There is a DVD on roman empire in amazon. 10 discs @ £55
SffS