Between February and October this year Celtic did not win a league game away from home. This contributed to the demise last season and losing the opening three away from home has given this season a competitive look it would not otherwise have.
The title will be decided by whoever can get the job done on the road. Since defeats at Hearts, Newco and Livingston, Celtic have won a remarkable 10 of 11 away games, only a draw at St Mirren spoiled the run.
Our direct title challengers have not won an away league game in over two months, remarkable in its own way – resulting in them squandering a six-point lead, as they now look ominously across the city. Only three teams in the Premiership have waited longer for a win on the road.
This stuff is not easy. On the back of those 10 wins, you would think it impossible for Celtic to go more than seven months without an away win (inc. summer), but with just a few elements missing, stubborn defences on their own pitch seem impregnable.
We have five away games left, two of them over the next two weekends. If we make it 12 wins in 13 at the Plastic Pasta Pitch on 6 March, you will not get a bet on Celtic winning the title.
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Had a few wee back and forth with Kojo back in the day. The guy did have a sense of humor. It’s weird I don’t remember some of the bad stuff. He was in Vegas, yes?
I am sure that UEFA will eventually be “persuaded” that having European Finals in Dubai, Qatar etc. is a great idea.
I don’t think Celtic will leave Lennoxtown for Barrowfield ,I’m led to believe it’s to be rebuilt with new pitches,Changing rooms etc ,and the community having access to parts of it ,is that right.
I fear that the situation in the Ukraine MAY well save Boris Johnsons skin…NO MATTER IF he gets Fined by the Polis or not….and even IF he has been found to HAVE LIED to Parliament ?
I cant help but think back to 1982 and how THATCHER was on her way OUT of Office due to being so UNPOPULAR…and then along came the Falklands war…to save HER Skin.
I sincerely hope that I am wrong ?
HH.
McPhail Boy
The one match that skewed the ‘Fouls committed’ category – 391 to us and 296 to them – was the Aberdeen 2-1 match in early October where Jota got a late winner.
Somehow, we gave away 27 fouls in that match.
One stat that is often trotted out as bias is that Sevco get 47 YCs from those 297 fouls – roughly one in 6.
Their opposition’s numbers are 75 and 308 – around 1 in 4.
However, our larger number of 319 fouls only result in 30 yellows – nearly one in 11.
Our opponents are 284 and 48, again around 1 in 6.
So refs don’t card so much for either side in our games. Besides, do they make that much difference in these days of 5 subs each ?
The West were perfectly happy with Saddam as long as he was at war with Iran. The Yanks double crossed him re. Kuwait when he had outlived his usefulness.
The West didn’t give a damn about the Kurds and still don’t. They have been let down yet again. This time.because Turkey is a NATO member.
SFTB @ 4.04
You keep repeating the same invalid point.
For players to come through the youths and develop as players they do not need to replace mature internationals at the age of 19/20 — that is an almost impossible hurdle that you place in their way.
Not sure why — trying to excuse the poor performance of our youth set up?
At 18/19 a player on the path to the first team should be getting some time on the bench and some time on the park.
At 20/21 a player who will make it with us needs to be at least on the bench and getting game time on a regular basis as well as getting a run of games when the guy ahead of him gets injured / suspended.
At 22 — at a stretch 23’ish — I would expect the player to be a first team starter playing in a CFC team that is playing well and putting in performances in Europe.
Currently we have SW / AR / MJ in the first category even if two are outside the age range that I specified plucked out of the air.
The B Team route will help and hopefully mature players in a competitive environment to make the transition easier.
Something is badly wrong when we release multitudes of players at 20/21 and the only games they can get are in the SCh.
The 2016 Challenge Cup squad is a case in point.
The person we had the least influence on is the one who has made it.
Not good.
MADMITCH
Like the US/UK invasion of Iraq, the Russian invasion of another sovereign state – Ukraine – is illegal and a contravention of International Law.
Aipple………………
( Don’t you start! )
:)))))))))))
Vegas? Allegedly, possibly……………..
Ventnor.?…….Viewpark? even Vanuatu.?……………
Who knows!?
I don’t think he even hud a dug. tbh.
Many people that used to post on this great site have passed on
And am sure they look down and laugh at CQN and the people on it arguing and fighting, shit posting and trolling each other
Can we stop the bickering and arguing for just a day???
1 damn day of CQN being a place to come and talk Celtic without all the f&ckery
What day we gona do this on??
TMcL @ 4.52
Are you sure?
Surely VP has a diplomatic fig leaf to cover his blushes?
If only AH had been as fly as SH and stayed home and only hurt / murdered / gassed German citizens — he would have been in the clear then and no-one could have put a finger on him?
Aye right.
Kojo was a prolific poster of some very controversial stuff, and some not so, but he attracted ‘the mob’ and in the end they were lining up to give him grief regardless of what he posted. JHB is probably todays version of Kojo – I’m not saying there the same guy, but similar in their (controversial) posting styles.
another one was ‘awewnawnoannonioanannawnoo’, something like that, although I think he was banned rather than Kojo who just simply quit posting. awenaw didn’t get on with Paul and refused to conform to the site rules – mainly the no swearing rule. He was banned umpteen times before it was sine die,
apologies if I’ve upset anyone who is simply not interested in old blog history
it would really be quite the thing if celtic broke the mould, obviously supporters would have to do this, to be led by folk who are anti billionaires and millionaires, and get the narrative out that money has poisoned the game out of recognition, a new form of, ‘celts for change’ not regime change as in the plc, or maybe some might be thinly we need to rid ourselves of the plc to transform our new approach to the game of football, the difficult to beat celts, in a game where teams worth £20 million trying to compete v teams worth £500 million, etc. going back to the jm utd example, shouldn’t that be us creating a new version of the game with a team made up of lower league level players, being developed into more skillful players by a shrewd manager, were celtic have a settled way of setting out a team, we’d never replicate the achievements of the lisbon lions and only a fool would try to, for example, and i’m not suggesting we play this way, but have a settled narrative about celtic like, jack charlton’s irish international team, everybody new their job, and replacements would be seamless, a side full of big, strong, tall, hardy, but skillful players, and a team that others dreaded playing against, and a few players who were deemed to be good enough like, houghton, morris, and sheedy, aldridge, and a few more, who obviously weren’t big strapping bruisers, but their contributions to that irish international team were very valuable. i’m not suggesting we play the long ball all of the time, but we should do if necessary, and not be be put off from this style by folk who either can’t handle that style because they are celtic view anoraks, or indeed simply refuse to acknowledge either glibly, or through their own ignorance, that martin oneill’s celtic 2003, and neil lennon’s celtic team of 2012, were a lot of hardy players were on show in those two teams, 2003 team cost a fair bit of money in celtic terms, but oneill’s outlay was dwarfed compared to our main rivals, rangers, we all know what happened to rangers, but nobody in their right mind would suggest celtic trying to spend, spend, spend, as it also creates laziness, and a snobbery aspect, just always buying lots of players, far too many imho, I keep thinking back to jm’s utd example with 13 players, sometimes celtic bring in more than 13 players in a single season to add to the dozens already here, hasn’t ange already exceeded that in just two transfer windows? we have some small lightweight players who are going to have to bulk up if they’re not to be bullied, or used in more wise managerial ways, taylor, johnston, abada. only if celtic are based on class, working class, and not religion, or national flags, then this communal ethic would/should be reflected in a can do manager who’ll make the best out of the tools available, and take supporters breath away from the sheer, canny, shrewd, workaholic, ethic driven, genius, like jm at utd. I live in celtic hope that ange will be that manager, but the last few games have me worried about him, and his seemingly, stubborn acceptance that expensive celtic players were being injured because ange refused to change his ways. hopefully ange has now learned from this.
MM
I said 20. You say 22- 23 at a stretch
I’ll grant you the increase because defenders take longer to develop and grow but……
the main point remains – they have to…..eventually….. displace someone from a squad of 20 internationalists. Very few are willing to wait till they’re 22 or 23 to decide if they are going to make it or not. Paul McGowan did and had 5 seasons wherein he appeared on 6 ocasions for our first team. meanwhile he made 60+ appearances on loan at Morton, Hamilton and St. Mirren (who eventually signed him when he was 24).
It’s always hard to tell what he could have been but we did him, and he did himself no favours, in having such a fanciful development path.
P.S. I concede the point that there must have been some traffic commenting on Andy Robertson as it was a biggish money transfer
Eddy Notso Enigmatic.
“Money and time are quintessentially scarce resources.”
In a rapidly changing football world, any money Celtic has to spend on players is under pressure as we look to find value for money in new markets, e.g. Japan being a prime example. A positive bank balance is merely a snapshot of a moment in time, another pandemic, an adverse political, economic or legal occurrence could reduce, or wipe it out, it at a stroke.
With regard to time – it is nothing less than astounding how Ange, Michael Nicholson & the Board, have changed our football position in such a short time….seven months to be precise. There was scarsely time to put the jigsaw together after the horrors of last season, and regardless of the overall outcome of this season, what has been achieved to date has been remarkable – another similar example would be scarce to find!
SAINT STIVS on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 3:18 PM
:-)))))
and your 3:35pm one was also worthy of a :-)))))
As, indeed, was BankieBhoy`s at 4:13PM.
MADMITCH
Not sure what your point is. I didn’t make up the rules.
As for Hitler, if he had restricted his terror to within the German borders, nobody would have batted an eyelid.
EDWARD NYGMA on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 5:02 PM
kinda stating the obvious here but paragraphs would make your post much more easier to read..
Watching pointless there.
Question: Billy McNeill was the first British footballer to lift which trophy in 1967?
Man: FA Cup.
🙈
Rock tree Bhoy
“Kojo was a prolific poster of some very controversial stuff, and some not so, but he attracted ‘the mob’ and in the end they were lining up to give him grief regardless of what he posted. ”
——————-
Controversial is mealy mouthed. It was racist- pure and simple.
I make no apologies for being in a”mob” of decent folk who won’t tolerate racism on this Celtic site.
The only other criticisms Kojo got was for his dubious presentation of his self with a faux Molly Weir level of Sunday Post couthiness. The internet allows people to hide behind any sort of identity and pretend to be who they want to be but, when confronted with his lying and his multi-monikered pal back ups from the likes of The Singing Detective, who happened to be, surprise surprise!, a fellow travelling racist! What are the odds? , he continued to choose to lie.
Some people liked the Molly Weir style- fair play to them
Some people fund him funny- personally I never laughed once.
All that could be tolerated but not the racism, and he was unapologetic about that.
He’s gone now from this site- who knows where or why- but he’s not coming back.
That is no reason to downgrade his offencess, however from Racism to “Controversial”
if ‘therangers’ have to post GG’s claim that we are going to win the league on their dressing room wall in order to motivate them to play better- as has been suggested by several of their ex players – they are in bigger trouble than we thought.
of course GG thinks we are going to win the league, he’s our centre forward, what else is he going to think..
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 5:17 PM
‘a mob of decent folk’, is there such a thing? not really a question – just an observation,
re the content of his posts – he eventually got on to my scroll by list so I never read all of his posts…
MMCCARTNEY on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 4:18 PM
EDWARD NYGMA 22nd FEB 3.47pm
The Bosman ruling changed everything, plus the English Premier League starting, and the TV riches that came about from that for English clubs, have made it a hell of a lot harder for clubs in countries with small to medium size populations to compete with the teams from the 5 major leagues in Europe.
Celtic and Sevco can’t compete in Europe these days never mind Aberdeen or Dundee Utd.
You can say the same for clubs such as Ajax, Benfica and numerous other previously successful European clubs.
_________________________________________________________________________
absolutely. the population thing is a bit iffy, considering the population wasn’t much different in 1967, 2003, 2012, and we only need roundabout 20 odd players for the modern game, population might be a factor in the allocation of tv monies, which seems a bit unbalanced, as well as the scottish champions having to play 3 qualifying games, whilst big population countries getting more tv monies based on audience figures, and allowed to let 4 of their top clubs just walk into the champions league group, some of these teams have hardly a trophy between them in their history, suggesting fat cat clubs looking after themselves, and squeezing smaller nations, so there’s no respect before a ball is kicked, which should lead to a club like celtic setting out like dundee did on saturday, or what livingston do, only celtic could do it better. why not?
What SFTB said…….
HH
ROCK TREE BHOY on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 5:15 PM
EDWARD NYGMA on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 5:02 PM
kinda stating the obvious here but paragraphs would make your post much more easier to read..
__________________________________________________________
paragraphs?
Celtic will be afforded several hundred thousand for every young player that leaves the club. Celtic will pick up a % of all future sales on said players. Celtic will see a few youth players graduate into the 1st team. Overall I am sure the academy pays for itself for the most part. It could likely do better and should strive to do better.
I don’t buy the stuff about the lack of a pathways into the 1st team, none had an issue with the pathway when they benefitted from the high level of coaching etc. that they were provided with in the academy.
The pathways onto 1st team football is often blocked regardless of the big clubs when it comes to young players. it is frustrating when young players who have been looked after and provided with a good football education head off before kicking a ball for the 1st team.
It is no surprise the glamour and money offered in the big leagues appeal but spare me the silly excuses about 1st team and pathways etc.
I think the concern in scotland is that many smaller clubs will simply not be able to justify the cost of the academies and that has the potential to damage scottish football massively. Back to boys clubs and picking up players when they reach 16 years old, that may be better but I have my doubts
Hh
HH
The Billy McNeill 1967 question was in ‘The Chase’ rather than ‘Pointless’.
STEPHBHOY67 on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 5:33 PM
Do you know if we pick up youngsters from other Scottish clubs” academies the way big foreign clubs do to ours, or is that not permitted?
Or is it a strategic decision not to, to ensure that Scottish football has at least a semblance of youth development outside of us and Sevco?
There is no consistent framework as far as i can see on statehood and who gets to be independent of who; who can invade who etc.
One rule says you have the right to self determination and another says you can’t change existing borders.
Most of these decisions are political or an attempt to broker peace.
As such, it is much easier to start a scrap and hope you get most of what you wanted at the end of it. Israel is a great case of UN not complying with its rules
Recent examples:-
Afghanistan 1980 – USSR invited in by Communist Afghan government. Breaks no rules but the West say it was illegal and fund terrorists
Afghanistan/Iraq – invaded based on an arrest warrant/regime change. Not legal in any way but they didn’t change borders. UN looked the other way
Kosovo – declares independence but Serbia don’t agree; scrap, NATO, UN, peace, still not recognised as a country. Did NATO have a right to bomb? No. Did Kosovo pretty much get what it wanted? Yes
South Assetia – Separatists start a rammy, Georgia pile in; Russians come in to ‘peacekeep’; result is a de-facto Russian sub state, not recognised by UN. Should Georgia have moved in militarily (NI anyone?). Did Ossetia get what it wanted? Yes
Crimea – Russian Empire annexed it in 18th century(?); USSR gave it to Ukraine Soviet (not country); USSR collapsed and Ukraine kept Crimea. 2014 referendum says ‘we want to be Russian’ so Russia annex again. Pretext was that it was a Soviet admin move so it is Russian. Except they nicked it years ago. Did Ukraine agree to referendum (Indy ref 2?) , no. Post WW2, Ukraine were given other lands by the Soviets, do they want to give them back? No. No-one agrees it is all legal but Russia have it now
Should you draw the borders from when the USSR started or the old Russian Empire? European borders moved loads during and after WW2
The legal government in Ukraine was ousted by a mob (with professional assistance) and killings/false flags on both sides. The West say this was OK (not like the Capitol?). Putin even recognised the new Ukraine right wing mob in 2014 – then annexed Crimea and started an uprising in the East (and shot down a MAS 777)
The Russians, Ukrainians and NATO are all over the place in terms of legal and moral right and wrong.
To simplify; pick a side and run with it. I’m going with Putin, feck Boris
All professional clubs release hundreds of young hopefuls without a second thought. Why should any youngster think twice about loyalty when deciding to sign a more lucrative contract for a different club?
BIG JIMMY on 22ND FEBRUARY 2022 4:44 PM
I fear that the situation in the Ukraine MAY well save Boris Johnsons skin…NO MATTER IF he gets Fined by the Polis or not….and even IF he has been found to HAVE LIED to Parliament ?
Athough he must shirley be shiting his drawers over russian tory party donors blowing the whistle?
SFTB @ 5.07
I think we have made history today …
Since I have been on CQN Russia has invaded Ukraine more times than you have conceded a point to me.
For the absence of doubt that is two invasions to one concession.
It’s a sign I tell you …
it’s a sign.
STEPHBHOY67 @ 5:33
——
In my opinion, in the modern game the only pathway that seems to matter to players, is the one to a lucrative contract & a big bank balance.
“but spare me the silly excuses about 1st team and pathways”
Why not “spare yourself” and call it another viewpoint. Disagree till your heart’s content, but a least be civil….it costs nothing, I hear.
TMcL @ 5.13
Your comment about AH’s ability to massacre Germans to his heart’s content — and be legal within international law — if he had just stayed off the global domination juice is the stuff of ridicule.
When Vietnam invaded Cambodia to stop Pol Pot — was that legal under international law?
If it wasn’t legal was it moral — and do you support it?
CELTIC40ME
Celtic have picked up young players from other Scottish football academies over the years, as have Sevco and other clubs.
There is no rule against it.
Rock tree Bhoy
“‘a mob of decent folk’, is there such a thing”
I incorporated your word “mob” into my terminology “decent folk” who oppose Racism. That’s why the whole phrase seems unreasonable to you. I was taking ownership of an intended derogotary term. And, yes, decent folk, do form a “mob” or a group or a posse or a movement or a union to fight against injustice and violence. Judge them on what they fight for not on the fact that they are fighting.
And If you were unaware of his racism because you scrolled by, should you not reconsider the accusation lest it is interpreted that Racism need not be opposed?
MM
I’ve been wrong before and I’ll be wrong again, God willing.
Perhaps you should take another lesson from this.