I don’t subscribe to the ‘Would rather face them with Messi’ world view. I’ve seen Lionel Messi a couple of times, it’s a bit like standing atop the Eiffel Tower, a breath-taking experience, but I don’t need to visit Paris every month to reinforce the view. Tomorrow will be an almighty challenge against one of the sport’s all-time great teams. Having pushed Barcelona to their absolute limits twice last season, we have no right to expect a second consecutive New Firm victory, but this is a home game at Celtic Park, we hope for a win.
The omission of Joe Ledley is a worry. Celtic need mobility and positional awareness in all positions tomorrow, Joe brings both elements to the party, how Neil Lennon compensates for his enforced absence in central midfield will be a key decision.
I also don’t subscribe to the view that, unlike a year ago, Barca will know what to expect this time. Celtic’s 2-1 victory last season came after they took Barca to added time at the Camp Nou before Barca got their winner. Barcelona knew exactly what to expect, they just didn’t know what to do about it. I see no reason why they will be any better tutored this time. Unless they’ve figured out a way of making wee guys jump higher than big guys.
We are fast, we’re tall, we defend when necessary and we run all game. Unless Barca decide to play for a point and defend deep, which they won’t, they will play exactly as they did last season.
On seeing an X Factor item on the news I complained, “That’s not news”, but I was challenged, “If that’s not news, what makes football news?” Sporting and entertainment events are news if those who produce the news determine it to be so, which places considerable authority on news editors.
Charlotte Fakes revelations have shown us how news professionals, keen to distract attention from a disaster zone of a club, tried to create negative ‘news’ stories concerning Celtic.
Three years ago the Green Brigade displayed a banner at Celtic Park which went largely uncommented upon for several days. Four days after the event, the banner became a nationwide news story, TV news reported it and it made a Radio 5 Live morning discussion programme.
The delay in the item becoming ‘news’ was the most important part of the story. It wasn’t news until the news editors had been convinced otherwise. The damage to Celtic’s reputation was considerable.
Today news editors who ran that story three years ago have an interesting dilemma. Do they run a story about an alarming message being displayed at a football ground, or without being lobbied, is that not a story?
Celtic don’t spend money trying to get negative stories about other clubs in the newspapers, but this is surely not exclusively the way the ‘news’ industry works.
We shouldn’t have to wait on a whistle-blower to shine a light on what happened three years ago, journalists know when they have been lobbied, and that’s the real story, which is not dependent on unfathomable leaks.
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Good positive spin from BBC Scotland news on the Sevcovian financial results. ‘….losses in line with their 5 year financial plan…’.
No mention of our sectarian armed forces latest embarrassment on their pitch, no mention of supporters breaking Salmond’s law with their song choice, just sweep, sweep, positive spin, positive spin.
Pathetic, spineless organisation.
Ulysses 08:13
Yep – not just report it but help to justify it in the case of BBC Radio Scotland.
Around 7:45am, they announced news of the losses coming in but that they were expected and within the plan.
Some plan!!
They then went on to interview some ostrich-spokesman from the Armed Forces about Saturday’s BigotFest who was at pains to point out that here was no evidence that any soldiers were singing….pretty good informal fun day actually, with pictures with Broxi Bear apparently…..I was waiting for the natural follow up question (since he was talking about pictures) from Gary Robertson about the “Keep Ulster Protestant” picture, but amazingly this was never asked.
Have the 9 counties of Ulster ever actually been majority Protestant?
Very much doubt it – it was the reason the artificial 6 counties were created after all.
Herald editor
martin Williams @Martin1Williams 4m
Police & army launch probes into conduct of military personnel & allegations of sectarian singing at #Rangers match http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/military-probe-into-sectarian-conduct-at-ibrox-forces-day.22301376 …
THIS IS PARADISE across North Stand.
Tifo for tonight by the looks of things.
Tom McLaughlin
23:42 on 30 September, 2013
‘The main question seems to be “What were the military thinking of?”
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the main motivation behind the military bigotfest at the bigot dome on Saturday was to raise a flag against any idea of an independent Scotland.’
###
Have you seen the footage?
The only flag raised by the parade was the Saltire.
Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. Champions. C’mon Wee Oscar.
07:24 on
1 October, 2013
3 points
1. COYBIG 3-1 the bhoys
2. Tam Cowan – sartical peice. Anybody who took it serious has never had 2 brain cells collide.
3. Sectarian British Army? Never http://t.co/kpp049Jy64
You would never get them parading with the Union flag
Ernie that is Unionist spin beyond belief
lionroars67
08:50 on 1 October, 2013
The only flag being carried by that parade was a Saltire. Look at the footage.
Ernie
Are you saying that the folks at Ibrox are all for an independent Scotland now?
Hahahahahahaha!
Ernie
Did you see the Butchers apron flag raised by the abseilers ?
Salary and 13 month
Payroll Severance Benefits in period to
30 June 2013
Imran Ahmad (ex-Commercial Director of
The Rangers Football Club Ltd) £ 303,247
Alistair McCoist (First Team Manager) £ 825,858
theweegreenman
09:00 on 1 October, 2013
‘Ernie
Are you saying that the folks at Ibrox are all for an independent Scotland now?’
###
No.
I’m suggesting that GCT’s point that the purpose of the event for the Army was to promote the Union is wrong.
It was to promote recruitment.
The notion that there are no nats among the huns is simplistic gibberish.
How can they be promoting recruitment when they are lying hundreds of them off?
I don’t believe it was a recruitment drive.
McCoist’s salary of 800k is beyond belief for a 3rd tier club anywhere in the world, never mind Scotland where he is being paid this amount to beat amateur clubs.
I wonder how much of a cut he took last month? 100k? I would have thought a salary of 50-100k would have been more in line with the job as it is. It’s not like he needs it after all. Can’t imagine we’d accept NFL getting that kind of money if we were in their place and with their financial plight.
theweegreenman
09:16 on 1 October, 2013
‘How can they be promoting recruitment when they are lying hundreds of them off?’
###
They lay off the older more expensive ones and recruit younger cheaper ones. That’s how it works.
As of 30th June 2013, there was cash in hand of £11,198,000. As of 30th September 2013
£ ????. That wage bill must have increased substantially to ensure success in the present league but with no substantial increase in income.
They have no bank facility, their 5(?) Year Plan is obvious to all apart from the zombie support.
DeniaBhoy in awe of wee Oscar’s Courage
09:20 on
1 October, 2013
I think his contracted salary was £750k. I wouldn’t be surprised if his pay-cut was simply deferring his bonuses, or receiving them as shares rather than cash.
DeniaBhoy in awe of wee Oscar’s Courage
09:20 on 1 October, 2013
‘McCoist’s salary of 800k is beyond belief for a 3rd tier club anywhere in the world,’
####
Don’t forget the shares he got at a knock down price.
The huns are being shafted and he’s being well rewarded for helping it to happen.
http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/rangerstv/item/5191-video-marines-eye-view-of-ibrox
Just for Ernie
Ernie,
It wouldn’t surprise me if some did join up after that exhibition, however I think the whole thing is based on the ‘Rule Britannia’ premise, how good it is to be British and all that tosh.
The flags are flying high over Paradise. The day has finally arrived. It’s Celtic v @FCBarcelona tonight. (PC) #UCL pic.twitter.com/M9Sm0Q8Ubf
Good Morning.
Strange things happen at Celtic Park.
Spirits of the past occasionally rise up and make their presence felt with the result that those in Green and White run faster, jump higher, and perform at a higher standard than others thought possible.
Of course you have to have talent and organisation to make that happen.
But when you believe, when you know inside that you can and will make a difference, that you can claim a moment in time which will live in the memory and be talked about for years by the generations to come — that is when you grow to fit the Celtic shirt and earn the right to take your place on the turf on behalf of the thousands watching.
And that is when the millions at home watching realise that they are not watching a company, a business, or even 11 men acting under the instruction of a manager and his backroom staff.
No, they are watching a phenomena, a wonder, a spirit and an inexplicable force of nature.
As the Spanish themselves said in one magazine, it is the most unexplained yet results proven greatest home advantage in world sport.
They built it themselves and … yes they did come.
And they call it………. Paradise.
lionroars67
09:26 on 1 October, 2013
‘http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/rangerstv/item/5191-video-marines-eye-view-of-ibrox
Just for Ernie’
###
Thanks for the link to HunTV. It’s not something I’ve ever watched. Is there something you’d like to share with us?
Good view of the Saltire on the stand roof there.
The army have actually laid off thousands of older experienced personnel and are now at the start of an intensive recruitment campaign to recruit younger, less expensive soldiers. Badly thought out, as there will be very few experienced guys left to teach them how to do the job.
If you think Saturday’s rabble were bad give it a few years.
Saturday’s debacle was nothing to do with recruitment it was all to do with the zombie club trying to promote its image as the Quintessential ‘British’ club and to keep those moron’s who support it happy. They couldn’t give a shit about the Armed Forces, never have done never will do.
Come on you inexplicable force of nature in green.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
09:34 on 1 October, 2013
The question is why the armed forces got involved, not why sevco staged the event.
BRTH……………absolutely BRAW ! ….yiv abraw turn o phrase that lifts the soul…power to yer pen Laddie …
Ally wage cut and accounts in same week……he is not as thick as we think that boy.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
09:34 on
1 October, 2013
Saturday’s debacle was nothing to do with recruitment it was all to do with the zombie club trying to promote its image as the Quintessential ‘British’ club and to keep those moron’s who support it happy.
Nail on head
CQN’s unionist equivalent to Jack Irvine will spin it differently
will we be up against it tonight? Yes. Does last season’s result count for anything? No. How to win this evening? Get big lads upfront ! With Pique the only defender of any major height, Balde and Samaras should be in the box taking down/heading high balls. I will make no apologies if Celtic get a result without playing pretty football.
Which striker is all of Spanish football fearful of? Atleti’s Diego Costa. He’s skilful but he’s confrontational and physical. Barca (and Real) hate playing against him.
re: Saturday’s armed forces day – if the troops had been singing songs about Muslims or had their photos taken displaying a scarf which said something along the lines of ‘keep Bradford Christian’, we would have had a public statement by Cameron not just Salmond. As matters stand however, Cameron doesn’t want to upset the true blues in Ulster and Salmond continues to run scared of the Orange Order in Scotland.
Ole Tony Mowbray is the longest serving manager in the Championship.
Inexplicable force of Nature 2 The Essence of Football 1
New Article?
lionroars67
09:42 on 1 October, 2013
Yes that explains why sevco held the event.
It doesn’t explain why the armed forces agreed to take part.
Which is what the discussion is about.
Tel me something though, when you say that Saltire being proudly paraded across the pitch, how did you feel?
Proud?
Confused?
Breaking News.
Sevco are losing money. Shock horror. Who saw that coming. -£14m p.a. Wages 95% of turnover. But don’t worry Sally took a pay cut. Nothing to see here Timmy.
Bhoys
Had a great day and night in the company of Acgr and his missus and then Rod of course, he was magnificent and showed how to support those who died in various conflicts but also what a Celtic man he is….fantastic, never a great fan of his music but played the oldies from the 70s and I for one was mesmerised. Faithful thru and thru as we filed out was a touch of class on a great night.
So on to today, meeting some top notch cqners for a day oot, Oldtim, skyisalandfill, CRC, T4, Johann Murdoch, paddybhoy1888 and many more…looking forward to it and another special night at Paradise…
Kikinthenakas
What happened to the Sevco Season Ticket money?