It’s really refreshing to hear the positivity towards the manager from senior players at the club. He has the squad pulling in his direction like no one has since Martin O’Neill. This hasn’t come about by chance. When a player asked Brendan if he could arrive late one day this week to see his child start school, training was changed for the entire first team squad.
With term starting across several days at the start of this week, training at Lennoxtown started at 11:30 Monday and Tuesday (we’d a game on Wednesday, in case you forgot). The fathers all got to see their kids start, or return to, school, while the others fell into line.
This kind of family support is credit in the bank for Brendan (a lot more than some entire clubs have). Players want to him.
I watched highlights of the Hapoel game and caught things I’d missed on the night. Leigh Griffiths’ delayed run for his first goal being the most striking. As Scott Sinclair pushed the ball right to James Forrest, Leigh stopped his forward run, waiting at the left edge of the box.
This created space. With that space, he built-up sufficient momentum to out-jump a defender and power a header into the net. It was a stunningly intelligent thing to do.
I had a word with a Celtic coach a while back on how intelligent you need to be to be a modern footballer. It turns out footballers need to be smarter than you probably think. There are outstanding talents in football, and we’ve had more than a few at Celtic, who are just not clever enough to understand how and when to use an abstract entity like space.
Today’s great teams deploy very complicated tactical systems in defence and in possession. It doesn’t matter how good you are with the ball at your feet, if you can’t keep up with the tactical demands of the game, you’ll bounce around clubs never quite fulfilling your early promise.
Some big decisions for Brendan about the line-up tomorrow. McDiarmid has often been a tricky place to go, so resting players could result in points being dropped. We’re three days away from the >£20m game in Israel, which I’d be reluctant to take risks with, despite the three goal advantage.
It’s probably a good opportunity for us to have a look at Dorus de Vries but I’d be reluctant to tamper too much. Only the two big Glasgow clubs haven’t dropped points yet, and I’d like us to be the last man standing in that race. A win for us in Perth and a draw at Pittodrie tomorrow would do nicely.
Sorry to see Scott Brown retire from international duty but it’s unquestionably the right decision. It’s also an acknowledgement that he needs to manage his fitness and recovery cycles carefully.
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In the late 1800s the newspapers were concerned about the example being set by the football players. In his book, Iron in the Blood, John Powles, points out that a journalist reported after one London Leaguegame: “I am not an anti-tobacconist but I do not think it is at all good form for a goalkeeper to be seen smoking a cigarette in goal whilst the game is in progress, and for a linesman to be seen smoking a pipe. Yet both incidents occurred on Saturday at Ilford.
HH
” It’s not religion that’s the problem – it’s the lack of religion! ”
Jock Stein
QF
Sounds like he’s gone native,haha!
HH
Nope.
Defo written by a student or x-student with student debt (unpaid of course) likely with left wing views but on this occasion sold their soul for a can of beans, two slice of toast and a punch in the back.
Just saying.
MWD
Oobydoobydoobydoo
Frank Sinatra
CLUNKS
Amen, though the ones claiming to be tims, still moaning after our league start what to take a long hard look at themselves. If you can’t be happy this season. Leave.
Free up the space for someone who does actually care about Celtic.
Spoiled at times.
KLV
NATKNOW on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:12 AM
Yes. Something which clearly wasn’t helped by the talk of Trebles from the Manager…….in September!
WWW
CQN five a sides come to mind.
Although it’s usually a can of super.
:-]
MWD
BMCUW
Hmmmm………….© P67
I must admit I’m liking Brendan Rodger’s handling of ‘mibbery’ and SMSM.
He has the situation under his control and he’s clever and articulate.
Stein was the master because he understood the establishment and how it was diametrically opposed to Celtic and all our ethos.
WWW(GBWO) on 20th August 2016 10:15 am
Can you imagine some on here had Craig Gordon lit up and had a fag on Wednesday?
They would spontaneously combust with faux seethe.
The finger wagging would be at Olympic level.
“No place for this inside Parkhead”
“Smoking is a burden on the NHS”
“Will i have to pay if he needs treatment”
“He should pay for any treatment himself”
“Uefa will close down half of Glasgow because of this”
‘Did you see him doing smoke rings…….disgusting”
“What about the kids!”
“It was Heroin he was smoking, i could smell it”
#TheSeetheWouldBe Strong
I’m hearing the GB will be flying the papal flag today, it’s a fleg thing
QF on 20TH AUGUST 2016 9:34 AM
morning bhoys everywhere.
since my son moved to Edinburgh I don’t get to see enough of him. so meeting him in the pub to watch the game today is something I’m really looking forward to.
=============================================================
Know exactly how you feel.
My two boys are with me this evening for the game.
One recently arrived from Brisbane.
One`s rabid. The other`s vapid.
Cannae win them all.
The warm up is the Bledisloe Cup.
A wee stoush involving extremely large men.
N.Z. V Godzone.
Pass me another Cooper`s please.
TeT
I didn’t accuse you of calling me scum. I highlighted some of the things that have been said by posters in general, and not necessarily against me.
BMCUW –
Of course it happens. I never denied that. My point is that if we’re too good for them, they’re scuppered.
In 1969, the Cup Final referee was at his lodge in Airdrie the Friday night, the eve of the game. On leaving, he was applauded to the door and told to “remember who you are” and so on. He just nodded and smiled.
Celtic hammered Rangers 4-0.
When he walked into a depressed and silent lodge a few hours after the game, he met the cold stares with a raise of the arms and “What the f***k could I do?”
We are the papal.
Art of War and Clunks.
Best wishes to you in your respective tribulations that you are enduring. I hope the end result is a happy one.
The nurses are super beings. So compassionate. And they genuinely suffer along with you.
JOE FILIPPIS HAIRCUT on 20TH AUGUST 2016 9:42 AM
Respect.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:28 AM
We are the papal
Like it, made me chuckle into the cornflakes
Yet Auld Tam you stuck up for the PLC when they actively downgrade the team to levels were the officials become important and do matter.
Touch of irony. No?
MWD
Bourne.
:-)
It wont just be GB flags flying today.
Mysterious fringe groups such as the Marxist Malcontents, Centenarian Trotskyists, and the Level 5 Helpers want to fly their flags as well.
And there is even a hun on CQN who will count them all:)
Reds Under The Bed CSC
HH
EXSLAEMUIRBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:32 AM
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:28 AM
We are the papal
Like it, made me chuckle into the cornflakes
===========================================
And me over my vino.
Macjay –
Just sat down do watch the Bedisloe Cup. On in a few minutes.
Go Australia.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:35 AM
Reds Under The Bed CSC
HH
=====================================================
I hear they`re IN Corbyn`s bed.
:-)
I got a question which may or may not be possible to answer.
Why do Huns violently deplore Neil Lennon but seem to be more respectable towards Brenden Rodgers?
Both are Nationalists from Ulster with one coming from a small Village in Antrim while the other comes from a small Town in Armagh.
What makes one such a huge figure of hate?
AULD TAM on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:35 AM
Onya , Tam.
MWD –
No.
Macjay
Thats those Trotskyists for you….they get everywhere.
Even though there only 2 of them left….aged 100, and 101:)
HH
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:35 AM
EXSLAEMUIRBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:32 AM
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 20TH AUGUST 2016 10:28 AM
We are the papal
Like it, made me chuckle into the cornflakes
===========================================
And me over my vino.
The hun’s would be in a state of perma rage if we sang that , flying the papal flag on the 10th
TGM,
Penny bus tickets for pensioners was a commie plot to get the two of them everywhere
Very excited about the game today.
Whilst I’m very much an armchair fan these days, similar fixture last season would have been viewed on a best endeavours basis.
Early days, though I’m delighted with what I’m seeing.
This has been a good week for Celtic. We don’t need faux transfer targets and terrible twos inspired headlines. Our talking will be done on the pitch methinks.
Healthy fry up then game on.
Enjoy!
Auld Tam
So, without irony, you expect the officials never to matter as we should always be good enough that they shouldn’t have influence yet are ok when we are downgraded to a level on the playing field that affords the officials do have an effect.
MWD
Did Jock Stein say that before or after went to play in the world club final ?
Theres a thought.
Maybe if they were trolled in the same manner in which Dinamo Bucherest recently trolled Steau Bucherest. A big we are the Papal Tifo with an image of the Pope.
http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2016/08/16/steaua-dinamo-bucharest-tifo-troll-photo
A papal flag today?
Is this to commemorate your popes and catholic church leaders who not only protected paedophile priests and senior clergy who were buggering young trainee priests too?
Shoorly not.
An abridged CQN Coupon this week –
Lennybhoy – Bolton
The Token Tim – Huddersfield
Pogmathonyahun – Liverpool
Blantyretim – Yeovil
Jobo Baldie– Hearts
Awalkacrosstherooftops – Chelsea
Bet sensibly or not at all ;-)
Canamalar
Just as well i never mentioned ‘Anarchists’:)
Shhhh
They will go doolally:)
HH
Oh dear