I’ve watched a large number of insipid end of season efforts over the years. The one that stands out most is home to Falkirk in 1987. It was probably the first time it was clear to me the white flag had been raised on a campaign (had results gone our way, we could still have won the league that day). Only a year earlier the same squad delivered the most unlikely title in the final game.
There was no white flag yesterday, quite the opposite, the league is all-but won. Instead we looked like a team with a lot of players wondering if they had a future at the club. The next two games, away to Hearts and home to Aberdeen, should provide enough focus to allow the level of performance to rise, but I thought that about the semi-final too.
It’s the end of the road for a few players, and for a system clearly few still believe in.
On the way into the ground a few of us wondered how often Kris Commons would be used going forward. He will be 33 in the summer, ahead of the last year of his contract. Whatever the reason he didn’t make the starting line up yesterday (or last week), his 9 minute cameo demonstrated the directness, not to mention game intelligence and skill, that Celtic are badly lacking.
Despite the plethora of No. 10s and creative wide players we’ve recruited over the last two years, Commons remains by far our most effective creative player. Without him we look to be punching with an empty glove; I hope whoever takes over takes note.
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I truly hope that the new manager, whoever he might be, takes instant action against any player who seeks to undermine him whether by persistent (apparent) non trying, displays of petulance or giving confidential information to SMSM,
IMHO a Celtic player who does not give 100% every game may more accurately, if you wish, be described as a “twat”. However, I prefer that we did not bandy about such insults. They do nothing to support any argument. Mr. Commons has had a number of chances this season and failed to impress, whatever the lack of motivation or other reason. The Celtic jersey does not shrink, or expand, to fit players egos or lack of passion.
Hopefully, the new manager will insist on team discipline, fitness and a willingness to improve constantly. HH
T D
See end of last article for hangover cure.
It near gave me the boak yesterday cheering Commons onto the park, but needs must.
SYDNEYTIM SAYS SACK LAWELL NOW on 25TH APRIL 2016 12:22 PM
Can you at least say ‘might have cost us….’? I know it’s pedantic but these hard and fast statements that can’t be proven weaken your argument, which is usually well thought out and well put forward.
TD67
Two minor points.
1-I agree wi JF about Mackay. I’m loathe to kill a guy’s career for one mistake,so I won’t. I wish him well,we all make mistakes. But he is not the quality strong man we need right now.
2-How do you know that the majority of fans aren’t of the same mindset on this issue as the majority on here? You don’t,and you can’t. If even my Dad is joining the mineshafters,PL has huge problems.
JUDE2005
That’s nothing.
E-tims have their Monday Dairy page going strong. As if the board don’t milk us enough,now the websites are at it.
Been thinking about the run-in…
30th Apr: Celtic lose at Swinecastle and Aberdeen beat Motherwell at home (+6 points)
8th May: Aberdeen win at CP (+3 points)
11-12 May: Celtic draw at Perth and Aberdeen beat Hearts at Pittodrie (+1 point)
15th May: Aberdeen beat Ross County at home and Scott McDonald scores a last minute equaliser for Motherwell at Celtic Park… and the rest, as they say, is history (which never repeates itself, allegedly!).
We’re doomed I tell ya!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 25TH APRIL 2016 12:44 PM
Is this Malky Mackay of the multiple dodgy statements? There’s making mistakes and then there’s repeatedly making the same mistakes. He did the latter. It’s in him, and for me, he shouldn’t be near us.
Even I am astounded of forehead at the stunning continued silence from CP.
Leadership eh! Tsk.
Commons played more football in 10 min than the rest of our midfield have done in the last 3 games
HARRY BOE
His first half “performance” at Kilmarnock finished him in my eyes. I reckon it did the same to you too.
Michael o Neil at Ross Hall for medical…
CABERFEIGH
I’ve played more football in the last 10 mins than our midfield in the last 3 games. And I’ve been sitting at my desk whilst doing so.
NegAnon2 on 25th April 2016 12:50 pm
They’ll all be too busy negotiating their exit packages and confidentiality clauses
It was a curious experience, Celtic Park yesterday: Empty seats in the Gazebo presaging empty seats in the stands. By my reckoning, fewer than half the seats in the stadium were occupied, perhaps 25,000 in attendance.
The atmosphere was akin to a call centre, a lot of people talking in a big area, the murmur constant during a first half that offered little in the way of football entertainment.
The murmur, if you listened closely, was a mantra along the lines of “Moyes, Lawwell, Moyes, Keane, Moyes, Clark, Moyes, Desmond, Moyes”.
The name Chris Hughton was lobbed into the mix at one point, requiring an interested browse of his record as Patrick Roberts cut inside Michael Gardyne for the umpteenth time, running fleet-footed into 3 Ross County centre halfs and 2 sitting midfielders.
The Diary writer on etims this morning summed it all up along the following lines:
“Celtic continued their march towards a fifth consecutive title by securing the first of the four draws needed to clinch the trophy.
Another shocking performance from a set of players who clearly want the end of the season to come very quickly watched by a support that wish it already had.” More here: http://etims.net/?p=9025
Highlight of the afternoon was Subterranean-inspired round of Tolkien puns, which is a bit of a shame since both goals were worthy of at least some acknowledgement, great strikes both.
Celtic went through the motions yesterday, similar in many respects to the way my bowels go through the motions, and with a similar outcome.
What’s been quite clear over the past 6 months is the Ronny’s ‘system’ doesn’t work, the players have lost all confidence in it, and now don’t even try it. It’s been making a fool of them for 2 years, and there’s only so much professional humiliation one can endure before shrugging the shoulders and absolving oneself of responsiblity for its shortcomings.
Ronny doesn’t know why it doesn’t work, his assistants don’t know why it doesn’t work, and the players don’t care why it doesn’t work, they’re just sick of it.
Ronny has signed 23 players since he came to the club, of which only 3 started yesterday (Craig Gordon was withthe club before Ronny was appointed). It’s remarkable to think that Ronny signed so many players, and has so few who he chooses to use. One of many Ronny Deila contradictions.
Looking ahead, it seems to me if Celtic are going to run ‘lean’, looking for ‘value’ by sourcing young talent from lower profile markets, and thereafter developing them into a team of substance and a significant trading surplus, what we need, what we badly need, is to have the first base covered: Someone who knows how to do it.
Someone who knows what talent looks like, knows how to use it, how to develop it, and how to achieve with it. Since no one who will be interview candidates for the Celtic Manager vacancy knows themselves how to accomplish this challenging, complex task, the only sensible recourse is to recruit someone whose record and experience demonstrates it over the long term.
WEEMINGER
I’m mibbe cutting him more slack than he deserves,it’s the way I am.
Sadly for him,no matter how hard he tries,I think he has gone the way of Big Ron.
Btw,I don’t think either of them are consciously racist,they’re no screaming BNP types for instance. But a good friend whom I met through these pages frequently reminds me that it’s the casual racism which makes it “socially acceptable”
(I use the term in a clumsy manner,but I hope you know what I mean by that)
Weemiger. Ok. Wilo window which PL admitted was a mistake. Did cost our club about 30m
RD appointment. Did cost our club about 40m
Lots more decisions like Puuki etc
Blame lies with Lawell. His decisions cost our club millions
All this football that KC played yester must have been condensed into 5 or 6 minutes seeing as it took 4 minutes to get a touch.
HH
Salary/bonus rises as turnover declines (from HB)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cg1lY4oWgAEybb9.jpg:large
Michael O’Neill has ensured NI qualified for Euro 2016. This means his side has punched well above their weight in Europe. This is a box ticked for me.
Whether he’s the one I’m not sure but you cannot underestimate topping a group that included Romania, Hungary, Finland and Greece.
The above may not be world beaters, but to lose only 1 game out of 10 isn’t bad. I’m told his family still reside in Edinburgh. I wouldn’t bet against him being appointed.
Árd Macha
BHS in admin. Now thats a worry not winning a friggin league !!!
Malky McKay as Celtic Manager? God Forbid
Weird game. Strange atmosphere. Gutless performance.
As tepid as the performance was I still couldn’t see us losing a goal. Peach of a strike to be fair.
Meeting another cqn legend and his kin made the day worthwhile though :)
HH
A must read from ETIMS resolution 12.
CELTIC DAIRY MONDAY APRIL 25: APATHY , CELTIC AND RESOLUTION 12
April 25, 2016 · by Ralph Malph · in Diary, Latest
Celtic continued their march towards a fifth consecutive title by securing the first of the four draws needed to clinch the trophy.
Another shocking performance from a set of players who clearly want the end of the season to come very quickly watched by a support that wish it already had.
Its certainly the end of something.
A couple of banners and the silent treatment from the Green Brigade-itself not a bad thing if they’ve ditched that bloody drum -irked Lawwell, who is having trouble coming to terms with his unpopularity, and its likely his visit to the dressing room was to tell the players and management not to comment on it, showing a new found interest in controlling press conferences.
You get the feeling that when Celtic do win the league, which they probably will, the dj will be playing “We are the champions ” to a somewhat deserted ground, and unless the presentation of the trophy is accompanied by a resignation speech by Peter Lawwell, that could be a bit of a letdown as well.
Still if he thinks it will sell tickets, then there’s every chance he’ll go for it.
Right now, the prospects of selling season books in sufficient numbers is looking grim. We hear that the club is being inundated with emails ranging from
“ Dear sir, I would like to point out that in view of recent events i will not be renewing my season ticket ”
to the less diplomatic
” If you even think of sending me a renewal form I will come down there and stick it up your arse. ”
All of which explains the rumblings in at least one of the offices within the bowels of Celtic Park, but as with all bowel problems, a good old fashioned clean out usually does the trick.
We also hear that the visit to the dressing room wa sso the CEO could ask the players not to start fighting at the awards ceremony later on.
It was close…
There was certainly tension in the air, and rumours of rifts between players were given more credence whn it was noticed ( see above ) that perennial feartie Dedryck Boyata actually wore his running shoes in case things got out of hand.
The awards , predictably, went to Leigh Griffiths, Keiran Tierney and Tom Rogic, ( Player, Young Player and Goal of the season respectively -Griff picked up a couple more, players player and top goalscorer ).
Kris Commons was coaxed on to the stage for Best Impression of a Five Year Old, Scott Brown got the Margaret Thatcher Award for Leadership and Industry , and Jozo Simunovic got the gong for ” Least Convincing Injury “, wresting the crown from now departed permapatient Derk Boerrigter.
There was disappointment in the ranks as well, when Stefan Johansen failed to win an Oscar for his role as a combative, free scoring midfielder, and Nir Biton was upset when he realised the award for the Best Woman player would actually go to a woman, and not to a big girl.
One player missing from the awards was on loan Michael Duffy, who turned in the bravest and most admirable performance over the weekend when asked to form part of a guard of honour for first division winners “rangers “..
The official twitter account kept in line with the general ineptness of the season with a remarkable tweet, featuring Keiran tierney and Danny McGrain, with the phrase “from left back to left back “, showing apathy at best and ignorance at worst.
Then there was the “pink top 2 scenario, when a website released advance pictures of the apparent new away top, in “shocking” pink.
At the recent kit design meeting, both pink and blue were rejected as having no place on a celtic top, so i wouldn’t hold much truck with any of this, but when I saw the initial design of the suits the players were supposed to wear last night, i wouldn’t be surprised at anything any more.
You should take us more seriously when we tell you something… or do you need to see it in the paper ? Like the Irish Post…
LOOKING back to September, Martin O’Neill’s contract was running down but the FAI’s patience was hardly running thin.
In a rare interview, John Delaney – the association’s Chief Executive – made it plainly clear that come what may, O’Neill will be in charge for the next World Cup qualifying campaign.
“It is always positive to hear the senior manager is very happy in the job,” Delaney said. “From his point of view, there are two big games coming up, and possibly two more in November. Results went our way in September but they could go the other way in October just as easily.
“With this in mind, the thing, as always, is to let the games take place, see where we finish up post October or November, and then sit down and talk about what he – and the Association – would like to do. He has done a really fine job.”
So far, so straightforward. All we needed to hear, then, were O’Neill’s thoughts. And in October, they came.
He said: “My plan is to qualify for France and if I think that my employers would want me to stay on, then I would certainly want to have a look at that.”
Within a month, he had achieved just that. Victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina sparked wild celebrations in the Aviva Stadium and generated fresh debate about the future. Would O’Neill stay?
Another month passed and incredibly there was still no sign of that elusive new contract.
Christmas, New Year, his daughter’s wedding and even St Valentine’s Day all passed before the subject was brought up again. And still there was no deal signed.
“Regarding my contract, there is no great difficulty,” O’Neill continued. “In actual fact, contracts have never been a big issue for me throughout my career. I’ve tended, for the most part, to stick to them.
“So we will hopefully sit down before the couple of friendly games [against Switzerland and Slovakia next month]. The fact is that I have loved the job here. It’s been really, really fantastic and obviously qualification is, for lack of a better word, vindication for the time spent here.”
The matches came and went. But what about that new contract? “I haven’t any news on it,” O’Neill said in the aftermath of the Slovakia game. “I think there should be something very, very shortly but I think that we’re keen to get things going and the FAI have been excellent about it.”
Perhaps, though, it is time their standards dipped from excellence to mediocrity. Perhaps they should cast their minds back to Euro 2012, to another manager, another successful qualification campaign and another decision whether to stick or twist.
In handing Giovanni Trapattoni an extension to his terms back then, they left themselves open to being stuck with a man they didn’t want in the aftermath of that tournament. Of course there’s a notable difference.
By 2012, Trap’s regime was four-years-old and showing signs of fatigue. Qualifying merely masked over the problems that were deeply set. O’Neill’s voice, by contrast, remains fresh.
However, the rhetoric surrounding his contract is beginning to tire. We are in April now and if both parties are genuinely interested in re-enacting their vows and prolonging the marriage then why has it taken so long for a deal to be struck?
If ever there was a case of inactions speaking louder than words, this is it, and O’Neill’s old club are Celtic surely monitoring the situation.
But foe now, we return to the massive disconnection between the club and the players, the club and the management and most importantly , the club and the support.
We’re becoming more of an irritation of late, which at least means that our current custodians will have to at least pretend to be interested in what we think. Especially as those renewal letters are ready to hit the doormats.
Thats the outside mat, as supporters push them back through the letterbox when they arrive.
We’re well aware now that the board are under the impression that we’ll all be happy again when the new “rangers ” come up the the top division next season, and that alone will make all the problems go away.
Seriously, not since the captain of the Hindenburg told passengers it was fine to smoke has someone underestimated the consequences of a particular action.
The action by the Celtic board in question is the blatant ignorance and shameful procrastination on the Resolution 12 issue.
Celtic have been repeatedly asked to sort it out, and they haven’t..one of those behind the campaign, auldheid, offered a summary on CQN..
Even when provided with clear evidence of skullduggery they have kept their silence.
That silence has allowed the internal war that our enemies occupy to rub their hands with glee.
Faced with a morally bankrupt rival, a morally bankrupt governance and a morally bankrupt media, we have said nothing. That vacumn of silence gave them ground to occupy rather than slink away in shame.
I can take a Celtic who are not playing well. I cannot take a Celtic lacking moral courage.
If we want to recover we need to start a moral fightback and it needs to start now by revealing the full extent of the cheating that has taken place. No more silence on Res12 no more silence on LNS. There is a clear link between both. There is an SFA needin reform. There is no reason for silence any more.
There is a feeling that this is a Celtic -rangers thing. It isn’t. Its far more than that, and affects all clubs, because its about the moral flexibility of those running the game.
I met up with the Res 12 guys on saturday, and listened to evidence and stories that would make you weep in shame for the inaction of our club and the people who run it.
I don’t doubt the integrity and honesty of the men behind the campaign, the work they have put in is humbling, and the obstacles they have had to overcome daunting.
But they are winning, and you’ll hear more about that soon.
On the train home, however, i couldn’t help but wonder why they have to do all of this.
Why aren’t the club doing it ?
If they are aware of shennanigans, and they are, because all the evidence is there, why aren’t they screaming about them from the rooftops ?
Why has it been left to a group of supporters to carry on the battle ?
A battle for fairness and integrity, a battle for the image and viability of the game in Scotland.
Why have they been left to shoulder the burden ?
They’re getting no help at all from the board, and if anything, appear to be blocked at every turn, and offered lame excuses, the most common one concerning the EBT scandal. That is, Celtic will make a move if and when the EBTs are declared illegal.
That shows a remarkable lack of understanding of the issue, which concerns the granting of a licence when there was a significant change in circumstances by the UEFA confirmation date that rendered Rangers participation in the champions League illegal .
The SFA and Rangers didn’t mention it when they should have. Nothing to do with EBTs.
The club are aware of this, several media outlets are aware of this, but no-one seems to want to do anything about it, bar the hardy souls of the Res 12 group.
Why is it down to them to try to sort the problem, when the club should be doing it ?
The club will try to sell season books soon.
Ironically justifying an increase in price because ” the “rangers ” are “back ” . “
We need to know why they won’t support Resolution 12.
We can ask them.
Emails, phone calls, letters wrapped around a house brick, alright, maybe not the latter, but you get the point.
Forget the team for a minute, and concentrate your anger at the club.
If this isn’t sorted now, it will mean that apathy has won. It means that we have colluded with the cheats in the same way the club has.
We’ve missed an opportunity to cleanse the game once, when Turnbull Hutton made us aware of the depths of corruption and nepotism within Hampden.
We cannot afford to let things go back to the way they were.
Ring the club, email the club, and ask them why we should buy a season book if they’re not prepared to fight our corner when the money is being paid into a sport with all the credibility of the wrestling .
A sport which depends on our money, but somehow doesn’t have to be accountable to us.
Resolution 12 cannot be allowed to fail.
They’ve been doing their bit, now you
Geordie munro ur are right it was 4 mins b4 he got a pass but I included injury time. He passed to team mates a novel idea for our midfielders
The Battered Bunnet,
Is that someone, David Moyes in your opinion?
Árd Macha
JUDE2005 IS NEIL LENNON \O/ on 25TH APRIL 2016 1:02 PM
BHS in admin. Now thats a worry not winning a friggin league !!!
###
Duff and Phelps are the Administrators so I assume BHS will survive, only the holding company will be lost.
“At the press conference when unveiled as Rovers manager, Michael O’Neill cited Gordon Strachan as his main managerial influence.”
Ouch! Who has been fiddling with the ol’wiki?
SydneyTim :
If PL gets the blame for us not getting into the Champions League..does he get the credit when we do get in to it…do the amounts we got for getting in to Europe since PL took over, count towards or cancel out potential losses…
Actually I might come round to that way of thinking… feck it..lets just blame PL and him only when we lose potential income..much easier :-)
Perhaps Commons hasn’t featured under RD because he’s not fit enough or just lazy.
Personally, I think he packed the tool bag away after he signed the new contract, just never been the same player. Family has settled in Scotland, he’s on a good wage, and he just can’t be arsed. Probably believes he is too good for the SPFL.
If there is or has been unrest in the dressing room, then I’d suspect it originates from him, need only look at his wee hissy fit in the dugout with JC/JK.
Ard Macha
Wouldn’t like to say. I’ve been keeping my thoughts to myself on this one for a while…
:¬)
The Battered Bunnet,
Ach.
I’ll have to check back now and see if I’ve missed it.
Árd Macha
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 25TH APRIL 2016 12:55 PM
—-
Post of the day, and it’s only lunchtime. Loved the “going through the motions” comparison. I nearly spat my cup-a-soup all over my keyboard!
TJ
THEBATTEREDBUNNET
Run lean?
I’d rather we ran clever. Running lean is what we have been doing since PL took charge.
We have had a constant stream of low-cost projects-myriad in number so that they actually upped the wage bill-ever since.
For every VVD there has been a dozen Derks,a million Misuns and a billion Banguras.
Never mind the quality,feel the width.
Wyconebhoy So how many times have Celtic qualified in last 8 years in CL. And how many since the champions route came into being. It should have been a free run as we are up against smaller clubs. But we fail as no planing takes place
You should check out gary67 link for Lawell bonuses Interesting reading
GARY67
Seems from that table that PL has had a great year every year,with rising income over that time.
Such a pity that the company hasn’t.
(Nor the club,of course)
Twelve years he has been here,four years have seen decent turnover. That would get a manager sacked in normal football parlance.
Dead horses are being flogged with nonsense like this.
Tha slow decline of KC since He signed his last contract has been sore to watch.
He has gradually just drifted out the picture as his desire has diminished.
He was — latterly — an inconsistent performer under NL and this has just continued.
He is not the answer.
He is not the future.
He should not have been on the park.
RD was just taking the p*s* putting him on.
I think the majority of the squad will be questioning their future
There are about ten players who know they will be here next season.
Brown, Tierney, Gordon, Lustig, Sviatchenko, Biton, Roberts, Griffiths, Simunovic &Christie.
There are about 23 players who’s future is up in the air.
This churn of players won’t be helpful and I’m doubting we will qualify for the CL.