Celtic planning now clear as season opens up

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There was an unusual reaction at full time last night.  Some attempted to boo, but the applause from the majority in the crowd soon drowned them out.  Not all defeats are the same, this one came after one of our best performances of the season, against an undoubtedly better team.

It was important to qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League.  Bereft of domestic competition, Celtic need to test their abilities against top teams, they need to be stretched, forced to defend for long periods, parts of the game which simply never happen in Scotland.

It’s also important to see tangible signs of improvement.  Those four weeks of summer, which saw defeats twice to Legia, to Maribor and Inverness, were signs of a team in crisis.  They cost us Champions League football, and revenue, but finishing our Europa League group in second place behind Salzburg is the top end of where we expected to be three months ago.

I’m not happy with this morning’s line that we qualified thanks to the result in Romania; we qualified because we collected eight points from our opening four games, including a highly respectable draw in Salzburg.  Win, lose or draw last night, the qualification work had been done.  We can now start planning for the second half of the season.

Those three months since the summer crisis passed with only one defeat, an ultimately costless, if embarrassing, reversal at home to Hamilton.  We can afford a similar episode on the next three months, but not this Sunday.  The visit to Tynecastle is our most important game in the next two months, considerably more so than last night’s.

Commons and Forrest return to full fitness will be closer, while it would be good to see Denayer and Lustig available again.

It was kind of Rangers International to publish their accounts as a pick-me-up for us when we got home last night.  More tomorrow, if we have time.

Shocked and stunned at the news Roy Keane has chucked it at Aston Villa.  No way did I ever see his appointment as assistant to Paul Lambert looking like a pointless distraction so quickly.  Next time we appoint a manager, cut the lines to Barbados and keep Martin’s mobile engaged!

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  1. ACGR

     

     

    Growing up the only Tim in my Partick street. Know how they hate a square go. Preferring hun mob on solo Tim action. Scum forever that mob.

  2. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    From The Telegraph,this should have WEEFRATHETIM right p’d off!

     

     

    By Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent

     

     

    2:41PM GMT 28 Nov 2014

     

     

    The three-point turn could become a thing of the past after the Government signalled the biggest shake-up to the driving test in nearly 20 years.

     

     

     

    Learners may be asked to use a satellite navigation system as part of a revised practical exam “as an alternative to road signs”.

     

     

     

    The request to reveres around the corner without mounting the kerb could also be dropped altogether.

     

     

     

    The changes, which are being proposed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, could be the biggest potential shake up of the test since the written theory test was introduced in 1996.

     

     

     

    If they prove popular they changes could be made permanent.

     

     

     

    Around 1,000 learner drivers at 20 testing centres across Britain will be asked to take part in a trial of new practical exam measures in the new year.

     

     

    The test has existed in its current form for around two decades, although “independent driving” – where motorists are asked to find their way to a destination – has formed part of the practical exam in recent years.

     

     

    The most eye-catching change is the possibility of dropping the three point turn – or “turn in the road” altogether.

     

     

    The agency said the trial will look at “replacing the ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn in the road’ manoeuvres with more realistic everyday manoeuvres, such as reversing out of a parking bay, or pulling up on the left or right before re-joining the flow of traffic”.

     

     

    Other possible changes include “extending the ‘independent driving’ section from 10 to 20 minutes” within the 40 minute time limit of the current test.

     

     

    The changes will also examine “asking candidates to follow directions on a satnav, as an alternative to following road signs”.

     

     

    A spokesman said: “We are carrying out initial research to explore how the driving test could better reflect real-life driving. Any future changes to the test would be subject to full public consultation.”

     

     

    The Driving Instructors Association, the largest industry body representing driver and rider trainers, has welcomed government plans to review the driving test.

     

     

    Carly Brookfield, the association’s chief executive, said: “DIA has been heavily involved in the scoping of this project and is enthusiastic about the opportunity it presents to evolve the L-test to a level where it more realistically assesses a candidate’s ability to competently and safely manage road based risk and driving in real life, on real roads.

     

     

    “The DIA and its members will play a key role in the project as it is critical ‘customers’ of the test, such as driving instructors and candidates, have their input in making the test more fit for purpose and more reflective of modern driving.”

     

     

    But AA president Edmund King said: “Not everyone owns or needs a sat nav and it is not a legal requirement so shouldn’t be a compulsory part of the test. Some still navigate with signs and maps.

     

     

    “In our view a three-point turn is still an important manoeuvre for getting out of cul de sacs, dead ends and often car parks.

     

     

    “Eventually, self-parking cars will do away with parallel parking and, who knows, the driverless car might just do away with the test.”

     

     

    Stephen Glaister, the director of the RAC Foundation, added: “We all rely on our sat navs but they are not infallible and it is when they have led us down a dead end that we need to know how to do a three-point turn.

     

     

    “It’s fine to add some aspects to the test but we should be cautious about removing the basics.”

  3. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Mike, you are a Celtic supporter and that’s all you need. You are second only to Corkcelt as the most sensible blogger on this blog. So, I met corky last night at the game and he’s actually a heidbanger, so you are it…………………………… sorry dude:-)

  4. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    ACEILERGONOFRUST 0144

     

     

    Aye,that’s your story.

     

     

    MORRISSEY THE 23RD told us different…

  5. A Ceiler Gonof Rust

     

     

    01:33 on 29 November, 2014

     

     

    Hun media is particularly vile right now in regard to Craig Whyte. Death threats and promises of what they will do to him in prison.

     

     

    Makes you think most of the hun filth are already incarcerated and need a play thing.

     

     

    Bombs and bullets, they are not nice peepil

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    A Great Comment. I think those peepeels are incarcerated, they should attend a Church sometime, as Kitalba says, it isn’t their fault they are HATING. I agree with him Big Time there.

  6. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Delaneys Dunky, try having Edminston Drive on your birth certificate. The shame of that will never leave me.

     

     

    Well, it might when they bulldoze the Victorian lavy into the clyde

     

     

    Get it levelled tae the ground.

  7. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Just been informed that chez ACGR has been a pizza-free zone all day.

     

     

    I apologise for impugning this fine man’s reputation.

     

     

    He didnae deny the rest of it,mind…

  8. Yer a Ghetto Superstar…. Are you Presenting yourself in Belfast?

     

    I doubt you will be There.

     

    ================

     

    CQN is easily the most depressing site I visit on the world wide webster don’t think I could face you chaps in real life :o)

     

     

    Death – Politicians in my eyes

     

    http://youtu.be/OwehxN2ipCU

  9. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    THE_HUDDLE

     

     

    I reckon you are missing a good day out on Valentines Day if you can make it but don’t.

     

     

    Heyho,makes no odds to us.

  10. the_huddle

     

     

    02:13 on 29 November, 2014

     

     

    Yer a Ghetto Superstar…. Are you Presenting yourself in Belfast?

     

    I doubt you will be There.

     

    ================

     

    CQN is easily the most depressing site I visit on the world wide webster don’t think I could face you chaps in real life :o)

     

     

    Death – Politicians in my eyes

     

    http://youtu.be/OwehxN2ipCU

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    Coolio, I’m glad you are Brazen and open about that.

     

     

    Respect.

  11. Evening fholks.

     

     

    WTF re Craigy’s court look today??

     

     

    Was the previous image just one created to dupe the huns? Now that he looks so suave I’m actually wondering is he indeed a fenian having a laugh or is he actually Blowfeld.

     

     

    Even Robert De Niro couldn’t pull off such a change of image.

     

     

    Did Craigy Whyte use his ill-gotten gains to get a Gok Wan makeover?

     

     

    Cool. Either that or the face-painter was given a new contract and invested the money wisely.

     

     

    Meantime they smash up his car outside the court and yell their complaints at him in the hope that he might cancel the liquidation:)) …. stupid huns.

     

     

    Stupid stupid huns.

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS

     

     

    02:17 on 29 November, 2014

     

     

    THE_HUDDLE

     

     

    I reckon you are missing a good day out on Valentines Day if you can make it but don’t.

     

     

    Heyho,makes no odds to us.

     

    ———–

     

    I keed of course, though this is the most depressing site I visit but I know a bevy in real life would be fine

  13. petec/ bmcuw,

     

     

    Apols for not replying to your posts this morning – your comments came post passing out stage ! Hope you are both well and good.

     

     

    SFTB,

     

     

    Was hoping to catch you online at a mutual time to say thanks for your supporting and kind words last Saturday. Very much appreciated. I worry though, as I now find it more difficult to find things to disagree with you on. That’s a psychological issue so best we don’t discuss it :))

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    FFM

     

     

    Mob mentality with that lot as usual.

     

     

    They blame Whyte for everything. They have as ever misplaced their anger.

     

     

    It should be aimed at Murray for putting them in the mire in the first place,and Green for returning them there-in spades.

     

     

    But no,they find a convenient patsy,and everything is well in their world.

  15. FFM – I’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)

     

     

    02:26 on 29 November, 2014

     

     

    petec/ bmcuw,

     

     

    Apols for not replying to your posts this morning – your comments came post passing out stage ! Hope you are both well and good.

     

     

    SFTB,

     

     

    Was hoping to catch you online at a mutual time to say thanks for your supporting and kind words last Saturday. Very much appreciated. I worry though, as I now find it more difficult to find things to disagree with you on. That’s a psychological issue so best we don’t discuss it :))

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    You never have to apologise to me, I taught you all the bad habits you know, dontcha know? ;))

  16. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    THE_HUDDLE

     

     

    Come along and find out. You might be disappointed in real-life,mind.

     

     

    We don’t even argue,ffs!