Brilliant Oranje, notorious Franz

2184

Absolutely delighted the Dutch injected some swagger into the World Cup last night.  Diego Costa continued the pattern this week of Brazilian born players profiting from a tumble inside the box, gifting Spain an early lead from the penalty spot, but the Dutch were irresistible.

Exactly how they managed to improve their performance against Spain, four years after losing the World Cup Final with the imperious Edson Braafheid, is a mystery of the modern game.

Netherlands scored all those goals and created even more chances with a meagre 36% possession.  If they were German, we would be reverting to the national stereotype that they were the epitome of ‘efficiency’.

Speaking of the Germans, I’ve always had a lot of time for Franz Beckenbauer, but to find himself banned from football for coming up short in a matter with the words “Fifa” and “ethics” in it, must make him the most notorious German since, erm, well, in quite a long time.  With his former Bayern Munich teammate Uli Honess due to be jailed this month for financial maleficence, it’s better to assume no one in the game is above sticking his snout in the trough.

The soul of football depends on the outcome of this Fifa investigation; no one should be above its reach.  Beckenbauer’s provisional ban should be verified.  Kick him out the game.

Fantastic stuff on the blog yesterday from Bertie Auld; what an honour to have these great guys among us.  I’m heading to the Celtic Shop on Argyle St today where Bertie, Tommy Gemmell and John Hughes will be signing books between 13:00 and 16:00.  If you’re in town I’ll see you there.

The Big Cup’s going to be there, so bring a camera.

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2,184 Comments

  1. Mornimg.

     

     

    Not that I’m politically minded, what a backtrack from Tony Blair!

     

    So many people have lost their lives…hope he sleeps well.

  2. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    sipsini

     

    05:53 on

     

    16 June, 2014

     

     

    Re. Tony Blair.

     

    His “we shoulda ” intervened in Syria doesn`t sit easy with me.

     

    I was hopeful that he would be asked : “How does this tragic situation in Syria and Iraq justify the loss of the lives of British servicemen.”

  3. Bit bleary eyed .

     

    Switch on the radio to be greeted with Southampton have Ronald Kooeman lined up as new boss & Virgil lined up as his first signing!!!

     

    How can a radio station know a managers first signing before he has the job?

     

     

    Well, that’s talk crap for u !!

     

     

    Hail Hail

  4. macjay1 for neil lennon,

     

     

    Not only British service men but all that have lost family.

     

     

    He didn’t look at ease in the interview, if I had made the call he did, I wouldn’t either!

  5. Good morning friends from a sun kissed (but partly cloudy) warm and bright East Kilbride,

  6. Morning all. Glorious day down here. Long may it continue.

     

     

    Long may the World Cup continue. .Some great entertainment so far.

     

     

    How fares the entertainment fae Govan? On-going infighting…..?? Long may they languish.

  7. Morning suckers :)

     

     

    Re: Best opposition payers seen at CP

     

     

    Murdo – B.Dortmund / Hibs

     

     

    Henrik – Barcelona

     

     

    MacAvennie – St.Mirren

     

     

    McGarvey – St.Mirren

     

     

    Jackie MacNamara – Aberdeen

     

     

    Charlie Nic – Aberdeen

     

     

    Johnny Collins – Hibs

     

     

    Big Mark McGhee – Aberdeen

     

     

    Steve McMahon – Liverpool(Hillsboro game)

     

     

    Arthur Graham – Aberdeen

     

     

    Ivan Sproule – Hibs

     

     

    Gordan Petric – Dundee UTD / Partisan Belgrade

     

     

    Stephen Gerrard – Liverpool

     

     

    Alan Gordon – Hibs

     

     

    Alex Cropley – Hibs

     

     

    Michael Stewart – Hearts

     

     

    Bobby Russell – Rangers

     

     

    Stuart McCall – Rangers

     

     

    Brian Laudrup – Rangers

     

     

    Neil Simpson – Aberdeen

     

     

    Ray Houghton – R.O.I(Packie Bonner game)

     

     

    Stuart Beedie – Hibs / Dundee Utd

     

     

    Jim MacInally – Dundee Utd

     

     

    The Nottingham Forest team in 1983

     

     

    Stuart Munro(workhorse) – Rangers

     

     

    George Best – Hibs

     

     

    Super Mo – Rangers / Hearts :)

     

     

    Alfie Conn – Rangers

     

     

    John Brown – Rangers / Dundee / Hamilton

     

     

    Darren Jackson – Dundee Utd / Hibs

     

     

    Thats all I can think of the noo – laters….Off oot, bye.

  8. Top of the morning to you all from a bright and sunny Fife.

     

     

    I was very impressed with Bosnia/H last night. They made Argentina look ordinary in attack and that takes some doing.

     

     

    I have just put up a story entitled: 400 BC Edinburgh Gold Wreath riddle a real-life story of The Tomb Robbers?

     

     

    On my blog now: http://www.tomminogue.com/blog5.php/2014/06/16/elgin-cheated-at-marbles

     

     

    Tell me what you think of it?

     

     

    Also If you know the history on Celtic Wiki looks back 83 years to when 4 players were ordered of in New York as Celtic battled the Jews of Hakoah. At the same time Carfin RCs fought the Orange Order by petition.

     

     

    http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1931-06-14%3A+Hakoah+1-1+Celtic%2C+American+Tour

     

    H.H.

  9. Morning all.

     

     

    Very many congratulations to Martin Kaymer on winning the US Open.

     

     

    …and a big hail hail to his caddy Craig Connelly a big Tim from Clydebank.

     

     

    HH!!

  10. Best opposition players I saw at Celtic Park -when they produced great performances?

     

     

    Jim Baxter – Rangers

     

    Gianni Rivera – AC Milan, 1969

     

    Pat Stanton, Hibs – too often to remember

     

    Martin Buchan, Aberdeen

     

    I saw di Stefano play there, but I don’t remember a thing – too young.

     

     

    One performance which stood out was Jesper Olsen playing for Ajax in the same team as Cryuff in 1982. Johann was of course, wonderful, but I just remember the intake of breath every time that Olsen got the ball.

  11. Billy Bhoy 05 on

    fritzsong

     

     

    22:02 on 15 June, 2014

     

    I think one of the first things to be banned in an independent Scotland will be the truth. The SNP is already doing the dress rehearsal – Campbell Gunn’ s lies about that lady whose child has cerebral palsy ; and the SNP orchestrated shouting down of a professor who said things they didn’t like. Events like this don’t just end there. They are the starting pistols for the cybernats – a more unsavoury group it would be hard to find.

     

     

    ::::::

     

     

    Gunn didn’t lie he made a mistake by thinking this ‘ wee ordinary mum, her words was a relative of Pat Lally. It was that simple and he has apologised. What he has suffered because of a simple mistake from Bitter Together has been incredible and shameful.

     

     

    Now to the truth: this little wummin in an activist with the Labour/Better Together groups and also a member of some sort of Labour shadow cabinet.

     

     

    In summary this lady is acknowledged

     

    as a feisty and experienced political player in Scotland.

     

    Do you think she misrepresented herself or lied?

     

    Read the full story

  12. ttt

     

     

    At least the club are sort of officially going down the route of the manager-coach has little say in player comings and goings.

     

     

    As we know, it’s been that way since Lenny got the job, pity that so many just can’t see it, especially when they blame him for some of the signings.

     

     

    It makes perfect sense for where we are, we can’t go out and sign a ready made striker, and the like, I wish we could.

     

     

    I personally don’t think JP is the right man for the DoF role, far too many failures imo, I agree with Gary67 that the likes of JC would have been a better choice for the role, but Pedro is the man making the decisions, I hope this one works out, have my doubts.

     

     

    Am happy that JC will be involved if he is to get the assistants job.

     

     

    HH

  13. Does the under 21s world cup run concurrently with the senior one? Because if we’re looking at anyone who is good so far they’re already at a decent sized club and will probably be out our reach.

  14. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon ....The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    Oh dear……greengo returns….for only one reason……he can facilitate the sale of the assets ?

     

     

    One of my friends sent me this….

     

     

    ” They r thick. He used IPO money to repay the 5.5m loan he took to pay duff and phelps then took another 2.7m of IPO money to buy car park and edmiston road which he told them he had already bought with 5.5m and they still dont realise they actually bought assets for green themselves! Lol

     

    If article is true and he takes control we all know he is still part of marghareta etc this will allow them to sell murray park and ibrox without stock market censoring for dishonesty as green was not part of board that gave assurances to market this year that they wouldnt sell these assetts.

     

     

    The sale of murray park is their end game and bcz scottish media r so biased and bigoted they are not printing or deducing these thongs as they want to keep the propaganda that its the same club going:) ”

     

     

    ….and I just can’t get enough….!!!

  15. desertbhoy

     

     

    No, just been speaking to my Real M supporting neighbour, a Spainsh hun >}

     

     

    If the truth be know, I thought I had already posted……………

     

     

    HH

  16. Best opposition player I’ve seen was Rai of PSG.Socrates wee brother destroyed us without moving!

     

    Totally controlled the game without running more than 5 yards. In fact I don’t think he ran, he meandered !!

  17. Billy Boy

     

     

    09:09 on 16 June, 2014

     

     

     

    Well for someone who claims to be neither a nat nor a member of the SNP you’re very keen to defend the nats and the SNP at every turn.

     

     

    I hope you are getting the credit you deserve.

     

     

    Gunn broke the code for special advisers. Even if what he’d said about Lally was true he’d still have broken the code. He’s supposed to be a civil servant, not a party hack. He broke the code and should be sacked. He won’t be though.

     

     

    No doubt you have your own plans for Ms Lally and those of us like her, eh, Billy Boy?

     

     

    ###

     

     

    Billy Boy

     

    20:48 on 26 April, 2014

     

     

     

    ‘I live in Scotland which is a fantastic country and will improve a thousandful when we get rid of Unionists like yourself.’

  18. !!Bada Bing!!

     

    09:33 on

     

    16 June, 2014

     

    Does this mean the Dallas Cowboys deal is back on ?

     

    …………………………………………………………………………….

     

     

    no, chuckles has agreed a new one with donald sterling and LALakers.

  19. Apricale @ 09:03:

     

     

    Spot on about Rivera. I remember that match very well. We were a very good side in 1969, better than Milan probably, but Rivera was on a different level. Also the best-groomed player ever seen at Celtic Park – he looked like the handsome third Everley Brother

  20. It’s great to see Chuck back on the scene, I wonder if we will see our hero at some point, that really would be the icing on the cake.

     

     

    More power to the spivs.

     

     

    HH

  21. Got to love the way the press work.

     

     

    So Ronald Koeman might become manager of Southampton. And being a former Dutch centre half he is bound to want to sign a Dutch centre half first, isn’t he? So let’s say he is after that guy at Celtic … that makes a good story.

  22. On Saturday at lunchtime I was stuck in traffic at the top of West Nile Street in Glasgow and Tommy Gemmell was sitting next to me. We discussed the old Celtic shop that used to be on the left hand side and the offices of Desmond White across the road just above the Blue Lagoon chip shop.

     

     

    Tommy said Desmond White was a very difficult man and was really tight. He recalled one day when he was injured so was watching the match at Celtic Park. He was overdue some expenses and needed the money. There was a billiards room and at half time the Chairman would be in there counting the taking. No one was allowed in! Anyway Tommy decided to head in to ask for his expenses – he opened the door and saw money everywhere. White roared at him to get out telling Tommy never to come in here again!

     

     

    When Bertie was on the blog on Friday we missed a few questions, one three times by two posters relating to the free kick in 1967 on the road to Lisbon. I said I’d ask Bertie on Saturday and got his answer which is below:

     

     

    BERTIE AULD

     

     

    This question never came to me, but, in fairness, it was a fairly hectic three hours that afternoon. Questions were coming in avalanches and somehow this was one was swept aside on four occasions.

     

     

    Okay, what was the poser that created such consternation?

     

     

    A few of you wanted to know if the free-kick I took leading up to our third goal in the 3-1 European Cup semi-final win over Dukla Prague at Parkhead was rehearsed or off the cuff.

     

     

    Do you remember the goal? We were awarded a free-kick about 25 yards out and the Czechs lined up their wall as usual.

     

     

    Once the whistle went, I sauntered forward and then stooped as though I was about to recentre the ball.

     

     

    They seemed to relax their concentration for a crucial split-second and I nudged the ball to the side and Willie Wallace fairly belted it first time past their excellent keeper Ivo Viktor who didn’t even move a muscle as the ball zoomed high past him.

     

     

    Looked like a wee bit of impromptu thinking on my behalf, but, in truth, that move came straight from the training ground at Barrowfield.

     

     

    I actually discuss it in my book ‘A Bhoy Called Bertie’ which was published about six years ago.

     

     

    Jock Stein was always on at us to try something different with our deadball efforts. He demanded that we vary them during a game.

     

     

    For instance, it was all too easy to take a free-kick and simply aim for the big blond head of Billy McNeill.

     

     

    Our skipper was just about unbeatable in the air and made a fairly easy target, but Big Jock worked on a variety of different routines.

     

     

    He made us go through on exercise that meant the deadball kickers, chiefly me, Bobby Murdoch or Charlie Gallagher, whipping over low free-kicks instead of standing them up at the back post for Caesar.

     

     

    We were told to clear the defensive wall and players such as Stevie Chalmers, Willie Wallace, Bobby Lennox and Joe McBride were ordered to be on the alert.

     

     

    We would have some sort of pre-arranged signal to let our players know of our intent. We could put up our left hand and that would mean a floated ball for Caesar. Or we could put up our right and that would tell the likes of Stevie and Co to expect a driven free-kick coming in at a low trajectory.

     

     

    So, the teams who were facing our deadball efforts hadn’t a clue what to expect. There were other occasions, of course, when we would change the routine all together and I would roll the ball to Bobby Murdoch or Tommy Gemmell and they could let fly from distance.

     

     

    The free-kick against Dukla Prague was one we had worked on at Barrowfield. It was designed to take our opponents off guard. One second of hesitation in a game like that can be costly.

     

     

    Thankfully, it worked in our favour that night. I would like to take the credit for a wee bit of Glasgow gallus thinking, but, in truth, Wispy knew what to expect all along.

     

     

    I hope that clears that one up.

     

     

    By the way, I spent around three hours at the Celtic store in Argyle Street in Glasgow on Saturday afternoon with the best supporters in the world.

     

     

    CQN arranged a book signing session for Big Tommy’s ‘All The Best’ and John Hughes’s ‘Yogi Bare’ and the boys enjoyed themselves, too.

     

     

    Big Tommy and Yogi have assured me they are two very good books. I’ll get round to reading them when I’ve got a quiet moment.

     

     

    If they write as well as they played, then I’m sure they will be enjoyable. (They told me to say that!).

     

     

    Remember to keep supporting the best football club in the world.

     

     

    Bertie

  23. kevjungle-who misses,murdo’s,battling,ball-winning,hun-skelping,4:2ten men-title-winning-screamers fom 30yds-who was a perfect foil for the maestro and was cheered to the echo from the jungle.

     

     

    08:28 on 16 June, 2014

     

    Morning suckers :)

     

     

    Re: Best opposition payers seen at CP

     

     

     

    Ronaldo (not the prancing Portuguese one) – friendly v Barcelona mid to late 90’s

  24. From earlier….

     

     

    Re: Opposition players who played at CP….

     

     

    Stephan Mahe – PSG

     

     

    Laurie Cunningham – Real Madrid

     

     

    Ian Scanlon – Aberdeen / St.Mirren

     

     

    Stewart Kennedy – Aberdeen

     

     

    Alex McLeish – Aberdeen

     

     

    Willie Miller – Aberdeen

     

     

    Dave Narey – Dundee Utd

     

     

    Paul Sturrock – Dundee Utd

     

     

    Ralph Milne – Dundee Utd

     

     

    Hugh Dallas – Rangers / Hearts

     

     

    John Hewitt – Aberdeen

     

     

    Gordon Strachan – Aberdeen(best player ‘ever’ to play in EPL) imho

     

     

    Tony Rougier – Raith Rovers

     

     

    Jerren Nixon – Dundee Utd

     

     

    Willie Young – Aberdeen

     

     

    Kevin Gallacher – Dundee Utd

     

     

    KevJungle – Hibs ( B.Dortmund / AC Milan / Barcelona / R.Madrid / Shamrock Rovers / Ajax / B.Munich / Donegal Celtic / Belfast Celtic / Jack Charltons ROI ) (PS2 only :)

     

     

    Off oot this time, bye Tims.

     

     

    Bobby Clarke – Aberdeen

     

     

    Hamish McAlpine – Dundee Utd

     

     

    Alan Rough – Partick Thistle / Hibs

     

     

    Roy Baines – Morton

     

     

    Javier Sanchez Broto – Livingston

     

     

    Neil McCann – Dundee

     

     

    The Ajax team of 1982

     

     

    Roberto Bettiga – Juventus

     

     

    Claudio Gentile – Juventus

     

     

    The Hassan brothers of Nauchetel Xamax

     

     

    Joe Fillippi – Ayr Utd

     

     

    Jim Duffy – Dundee / Morton

     

     

    Donald Ford – Hearts

     

     

    Mungo McCallum – Outer Hebrides Rovers

     

     

    Steve Archibald – Aberdeen / Hibs

  25. Billy Bhoy 05 on

    Ernie

     

     

    If it was a Labour man I would have done the same. All about fairness.

     

     

    I noticed you made no comment on my comments on misrepresentation: I wonder why!

     

     

    Hail Hail

  26. hendrix67

     

     

    10:00 on 16 June, 2014

     

     

    Ronaldo (not the prancing Portuguese one) – friendly v Barcelona mid to late 90′s

     

    ___________________________________________________________________

     

    Yeah, but ye must remember – Didier Agathe played Ronaldinho aff the park in the UEFA Cup MO’N games. imho

     

     

    But yeah, the Brazillian was out of this world.

     

     

    Nice to talk – gotta go, take care, bye.