Brendan the man-manager, Leigh – smarter than you may think

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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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  1. It’s quite possible that the lescott move did indeed fall through on family AND medical grounds.

     

     

    Maybe he has a relative who is a doctor and he advised him not to be so stupid.

     

     

    HH

  2. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    VFR800A8

     

     

    Not with Daniel Prodan,it wasn’t.

     

     

    He got hung out to dry despite his misgivings. Murray and Smith wanted it done,so it was done.

     

     

    When the expected problems arrived,the doc got the blame.

  3. The Green Man says SACK THE Board on

    Lescott probably got a last minute call from Joey Barton, who whispered down the phone ‘Dont Do it’

     

     

    HH

  4. Reggie on 19th August 2016 1:45 pm

     

     

    VFR800A8 on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:32 PM

     

     

    I’m happy to be corrected but I’d be interested in your source. I’m using Bert Kassies seedings which have been reliable in the past

     

    ____________________________________________

     

    I have lifted them straight from UEFA:

     

    http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/club/

     

     

    Celtic are ranked 46 on 35.335

     

    FC Viktoria Plezn are ranked 49 on 34.675

     

    FC Salzburg are ranked 50 on 34.545

     

     

    KTF

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 19th August 2016 2:01 pm

     

     

    I wisnae actually serious; it wis a wee joke for Ernie to see if it would make him a happier wee mhan the day then he wis yesterday!

     

     

     

    KTF

  6. VFR800A8 on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:58 PM

     

     

    Ernie, I would take a guess that it might be the doctor :>)

     

     

    ###

     

     

    I very much doubt it.

     

     

    The doctor will tell whoever is paying him/her the outcome of the various tests, might offer an opinion, but will leave the decision to someone else.

     

     

    In all probability the player has decided against the move and the club/holding company have tried to spin the story by saying he failed the medical, knowing that it was up to them and no one else to decide whether the medical was passed or failed.

  7. VFR800A8 on 19TH AUGUST 2016 2:03 PM

     

     

    My understanding is that the UEFA site has our current ranking, including this seasons points, which incidentally haven’t been updated to show our progress to the playoff round, which bert kassie already has here:

     

     

    http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method4/trank2017.html

     

     

    Our seeding is based on the 5 previous seasons, which places both Salzburg and Plzen above us, as per my previous post.

     

     

    Again happy to be wrong, but I’m 99% convinced I’m not.

  8. Ernie lynch

     

    Is it not really bout trading an asset

     

    And verification is the medical check

     

     

    How is Pele?

     

    ……why not

     

    HH

  9. squire danaher on

    I know this is stealing someone else’s line but…..

     

     

    Not signing Joleon Lescott is just like a new signing.

  10. The Green Man says SACK THE Board on

    Scotrail have just issued a statement on behalf of Sevco: Due to irregular leaves on the track in the Queen St Tunnel, Sadly Sevco could no longer conclude the transfer of Joleon Lescott….Sorry for the Inconvenience, normal service will be resumed as a s possible:)

     

     

    HH

  11. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    An Tearman

     

     

    No. I never got further. I never came across any confirmation of receipt of funds. I did b come across a Guardian article that gave me some food for thought. One of the contract stipulations, Ashley’s supposed back down, King not being involved with the recently announced law suit and Peter Lawwell stepping down from the SFA professional gaming board … are all linked …. closely

     

     

    HH

  12. Family reasons – my family are used to me getting paid actual money and not deferred bonuses?

     

     

    Maybe.

     

     

    I’d go for the ‘it was a convenient bit of PR for both parties’

     

     

    Now, how much a week does senderos want???????

     

     

    My aching sides…..

  13. LUXCELT on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:23 PM

     

    THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:01 PM

     

     

     

    After Scott Brown’s goal, the tune played was (appropriately) Zombie Nation!

     

     

     

    …………………..

     

     

    Thank you kind Sir! I’ve been humming it non stop. Love it :-))

  14. The Green Man says SACK THE Board on

    RobertTressell

     

     

    Senderos signing on fee.

     

    Three dozen pies and a sash:)

     

     

    HH

  15. !RobertTressell

     

     

    I lost a cup of tea thro my nose when dicky was on rs waxing lyrical rhat senderos will only be used as back up.

     

    Ha.

     

    Rhey write with not a jot of insight

     

    HH

  16. Ray Winstone's Big Disembodied Heid on

    It was Lescott’s wife that put the mockers on the Morlock move.

     

     

    Joleon Joleon Joleon Joleooon

     

     

    I’m beggin’ of you please

     

     

    Don’t be a hun!

  17. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Could work out well for Lescott – being linked with the world’s most successful club. Probably bring him onto the radar of Barca, Real, etc…..

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    BOURNESOUPRECIPE

     

     

    Ach,I’m only jealous,bud. Never been called a hun.

     

     

    I’m thinking of not sending myself an invite to the next hoot as I’m clearly not good enough.

     

     

    Matter of fact,I feel like that wee duckling in the Tom and Jerry cartoons(!)

  19. BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:35 PM

     

    Lescott fails Skintco medical because he still had his own teeth.

     

     

     

    Allegedly CSC

     

     

    …………………….

     

     

    Very, very funny. :-))

  20. The Green Man says SACK THE Board on

    Lescott probably kicked himself very hard on the shin before that medical:)

     

     

     

    HH

  21. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    BSR

     

    18.72 leaving your bank every month …. Don’t deny it.

     

     

     

    HH

  22. AWE_NAW_NO_ANNONI_OAN_ANAW_NOO on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:38 PM

     

    Lescott when he was 5 was involved in a car accident. It was nearly fata due to the head injuriesl. His mother witnessed him at 5 being dragged along the road. Numerous operations followed. Please desist from the ugly jokes. The lad has been used by Sevco like big Hartson was.

     

     

     

    HH

     

    ………………………….

     

     

    Well said, Awe Naw.

  23. Have a great day Celts

     

    Rainbathin to be done :-)

     

     

    El Diego Bhoy.thinkin bout ye :-)

     

     

    HH

  24. embramike says "the Huns are Deid" on

    VFR800A8 on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:32 PM

     

    I have lifted them straight from UEFA:

     

    http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/club/

     

    Celtic are ranked 46 on 35.335

     

    FC Viktoria Plezn are ranked 49 on 34.675

     

    FC Salzburg are ranked 50 on 34.545

     

     

    The above rankings for the current (rolling) season plus last 4 seasons. The coefficients used for the pot seedings are the coefficients to the end of last season and cover the previous 5 seasons.

     

     

    Pot 4 seedings currently would be :

     

     

    Viktoria Plzen *3 Cze 44.585

     

    Club Brugge Bel 43.000

     

    FC Salzburg ** Aut 42.520

     

    Borussia Mönchengladb.*4 Ger 42.035

     

    Celtic ** Sco 40.460

     

    APOEL Nicosia ** Cyp 35.935

     

    Besiktas Tur 34.920

     

    Legia Warsaw ** Pol 28.000

  25. The Green Man says SACK THE Board on

    They used to tell me i was building a dream

     

    And so i followed the mob

     

    When there was earth to plow or guns to bear

     

    I was always there right on the job

     

     

    Once i built a railroad, I made it run

     

    Made it race against time

     

    Once i built a railroad, now its done

     

    Brother, can you spare a dime?

     

     

    Great Song….very apt:)

     

     

    Hee, Hee

     

     

    HH

  26. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Simon Goodley

     

    business section

     

    Monday

     

    March2016

     

    There arE other articles by this journoe that are revealing

     

     

    HH

  27. LuxCelt on 19th August 2016 1:23 pm

     

     

    THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 19TH AUGUST 2016 1:01 PM

     

     

     

     

     

     

    After Scott Brown’s goal, the tune played was (appropriately) Zombie Nation!

     

     

     

    ______________—_______________

     

     

     

    Zombie nation is the artist, the track is called Kernkraft 400.

     

    I hate it.

     

     

    Seas of grease :

     

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LP8iL7QeD1s

     

     

    And mystery meat affair

     

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YH86d-ED1kE

     

     

     

     

    Are much better tunes

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