Astana, Hedge Funds, Longmuir to Newco

After full time on Saturday Celtic fly east to play Shakhter Karagandy in Kazakhstan, which is five hours ahead of UK time, but fortunately kick off on Tuesday is 9pm local time, 4pm in the UK, so the team will not have to adjust body clocks.  Such a long flight immediately after a game is not without risk, though.

Muscles need to stretch and move freely after exertion.  Players will need an exercise routine for the plane to mitigate the risk of the kind of strain injuries we see so often.  Get a schedule for them to walk up and down the plane every hour.

I expect Celtic will have a scout at the Astana Arena for Friday’s game between Astana and Shakhter Karagandy but it might not be too revealing.  The Shakhter coach and first team squad didn’t even attend the game prior to their last Champions League qualifier against Albanians, Korce.  They were locked away in preparation as the second team were deployed for the league game.

It’s back to the Astana Arena, with its plastic pitch and closable roof, which is 135 miles from Karagandy, for the visit of Celtic, who will be hoping the pitch is a better standard than the one they played on in Sweden last week.  Neil Lennon could perhaps put a call into his former team-mate, Aiden McGeady, who played on the surface for Ireland 11 months ago (Ireland won the World Cup qualifier after being a goal down with a minute of normal time left).

Longmuir to Rangers International

It was a clear five months ago we ran the story, Longmuir and the Newco job, saying “Speculation that Mr Longmuir is taking care of current business until he is ready to move to Newco is becoming hard to ignore”.  Back then CQN suggested that if Longmuir “loses his ability to be a dealmaker” there might not be much he could offer such a high-flying football team.

If the SPFL are surprised, they shouldn’t be. Anything other information Mr Doncaster wants I’ll be happy to help.

The March article linked above also speculates that Newco could go into administration this season, lose players and suffer a points penalty, resulting in relegation. Don’t know how I missed the target so badly with that one……

Charlotte Fakes revelations from last night will have been news to no one here, but they will embarrass more than a few elsewhere.  What the Scottish football authorities must now consider are actions, and guidance and advice to Scottish Football League clubs during the last year.

“Have we actually offered him a job”?  There’s one chief exec who is delivering £500k of comedy value per annum. Here’s a phrase which might come in helpful soon, “It’s too late, we’ve no money, you can’t deliver what we wanted and you’re useless”.

Has anyone suggested that being owned by a Hedge Fund is like a new signing?  Positions are being adopted for the bun fight ahead.  It will not be pretty.

Have you signed up for the 1254125 Great Scottish Run yet?  For serious runners there is a 10k or Half Marathon to choose from, but there are shorter distances, from 1 mile, for the less-athletic and for kids.  With the soul of our game being chased by so many unappealing influences this is a great way to anchor Celtic back where the story started.

Get involved, guidance tips here.

Anyone else who presents a Daily Record transfer story to me as fact is getting a right dirty look.

Plug for a show at the Fringe about a Leeds-based part of the Irish diaspora.
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