A comfortable win in the end masked a difficult hour for Celtic at Inverness on Saturday. It was not until Ki Sung-Yeung replaced Georgios Samaras that Celtic were able to prize open the home team. Ki has the range of passing and shot that makes him a formidable attacking threat but he has still to require the consistency of concentration that would make him a certain starter.
After Paddy McCourt appeared on 69 minutes Celtic were well on top. The Irishman brings the double gifts of time and space to the team. He has the ability to take and retain possession despite the close attention of several defenders, allowing others to take up advance positions or relieve pressure on defence.
We’ve tried more midfield formations this season that I can keep track of and despite Ki and McCourt improving Celtic considerably on Saturday I’m not going to insist either is given a starting berth. Both still have more to give, as do the rest of the midfield.
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Sixtaeseven
Thanks, Nice 1!!! Really looking forward to it, The womans going to be sick of the King of Kings by the time we leave :-) HH
.
1. malceye says:
21 November, 2011 at 17:18
here’s a message to that beanbag Mr Traynor…………………………….
What was Traynor up 2 today ??????????????????????
BigJoe.justwonderingLike
This new huns court case is for less than £3k…..money too tight to mention?
Ryan/D
Much appreciated mate thank you. HH
Minty’s neighbours!
Graham Spiers article from The Times
I’m going to stick my brass neck out here and do something that appears to be highly unfashionable these days. I’m going to stick up for that loud, colourful, at times controversial band of Celtic supporters known as the Green Brigade.
And this is from someone, before my cyberspace friends start foaming at the mouth, who utterly deplores all IRA chanting inside football grounds.
If you believe some contemporary accounts of the Green Brigade — in the main supplied by those who scarcely know them or see them — they congregate on that north stand at Celtic Park and boom out pro-IRA chants from start to finish.
There is presently a fad among Rangers supporters, at times whipped up into a frenzied outrage on Twitter and elsewhere, to have the Green Brigade endlessly and continuously bawling “Up the Ra” at matches. The fact that these observers are rarely there to see or witness such allegations deters them not in the slightest.
The latest example we’ve had of this fiction was at Inverness on Saturday. By general consent — and we were all ears — in the early minutes of the match a rendition of “Up the RA” whimpered then petered out over a duration of ten seconds among a small section of the visiting Celtic support. But how was this being portrayed later by those who now spend their lives with agonised ears pinned to their radios?
Why, it was a festival of pro-IRA chanting in Inverness. It boomed out continuously. I mean, they ask incredulously, how can anyone deny it? This whole “offensive chanting at football” debate has become a wearying charade of fiction, name-calling and points-scoring. And, right now, the group of supporters who are being most traduced by it all are the so-called Green Brigade.
For what it is worth, last week I wrote that this group have certain members among them who can be crass in their chanting. I first wrote about the Celtic support’s “pro-IRA issue” six years ago, and I don’t believe I’ve been alone in so doing. Moreover, I lose little sleep over whether anyone wants to call this type of chanting “political” or “sectarian”.
Who cares for the hermeneutics, if most of us deem it to be offensive? Yet the Green Brigade, far from booming out the sort of chants I would detest, in my experience have done anything but. In at least four or five games I have attended at Celtic Park this season, their contribution to the atmosphere has been terrific: their loud, tribal chants being flung back and forth across the stadium. It is an utter fiction, perpetrated by some who lie awake at night obsessing over such matters, that the Green Brigade is stocked to the gunnels with pro-IRA choristers.
It was fascinating, and at times comical, listening to Neil Lennon on this very subject the other day. Lennon, in the main, evidently thinks that the Green Brigade are fantastic. “The colour, the atmosphere and the joy they bring to our games is brilliant,” the Celtic manager told us on Friday.
Hang on, Neil. You were supposed to be condemning them. Oh, right. In a fit of counter-balance Lennon also sought to condemn “offensive chanting” that the Celtic supporters might produce, arguing that such chants “dragged the club through the mud”, which they do.
Lennon’s position in regard to the Green Brigade is not uncomplicated. Many of them, like him, espouse the world view of Irish Republicanism. Lennon claims that his politics are “private” but they haven’t always been so.
He comes from a social, cultural and political strand of the Irish saga that chimes with many Celtic supporters. It was due to this and much more that, while speaking impressively on Friday on the subject of chanting and the Green Brigade, the Celtic manager could scarcely help himself in expressing his admiration for these supporters.
The Green Brigade, for my part, hardly have a thing in common with me. But what I do know is that their repertoire, while not being impeccable, is not in the slightest way a catalogue of offensive songs inside Celtic Park. To believe this, you really have to have a pre-ordained and fixed view of them, which is one of contempt.
On the odd occasion at Celtic Park, as in Inverness on Saturday, when this group does chime up offensively, it only serves to insult its wider expression and humour. It also allows the Green Brigade to be so grossly misrepresented, as we are presently finding.
Malceye 17:18 well said!
Bamboo :>) for ye!
V
oldtim67
I don’t know offhand about the other teams you mention, but ICT away has never been a ‘banker game’ for us, whether under Lennon, Strachan, Mowbray, or even O’Neill.
There’s an assumption about these games among Celtic fans – we spend more money on players, therefore we should win. You know as well as I do it’s never as simple as that. Longer grass, narrower pitches, flood the midfield tactics mean it’s very tough to get into any kind of passing rhythm.
Saturday was the first time we won by more than a single goal at Inverness since 2005, and we have never won by more than 2 there, as far as I know.
As to Wednesday, it’s never good to be complacent going into any game, wouldn’t you agree?
bamboo
Make them ;oD :>) oD etc
Rangers FC’s owners are being taken to court by lawyers over an alleged unpaid bill worth less than £3000.
The Rangers FC Group, which was established by owner Craig Whyte earlier this year, is being pursued over a debt by Edinburgh-based legal firm Fyfe Ireland.
The case is due to call at the small claims court in Edinburgh Sheriff Court later this week. Small claims actions in Scotland relate to debts worth a maximum of £3000.
Although Rangers have been taken to court previously over unpaid bills, most recently by financial firm Capita Trustee Services, this is believed to be the first time a civil action has been raised against the club’s parent company set up by owner and venture capitalist Mr Whyte.
Fyfe Ireland refused to comment on the case, which is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Rangers FC Group Ltd, formerly known as Wavetower Ltd, owns a 85% stake in the Ibrox club, which it bought from Sir David Murray’s Murray MHL Ltd. The directors of the group are Mr Whyte, Phil Betts and Andrew Ellis.
It was created in May when Mr Whyte bought over Rangers for £1 and took on the club’s £18m debt to the Lloyds Banking Group. This is believed to be the first time the majority shareholders have been taken to court over an alleged debt, with previous actions relating to Rangers FC PLC.
Last week Rangers FC settled out of court with Capita over a “straightforward commercial debt”.
In September, Rangers were taken to the Court of Session by law firm Levy & McRae over an unpaid legal bill.
The club paid the lawyers £35,000 last month after the court action, during which counsel for Levy & McRae said there “is a real concern about solvency” at Rangers.
Former board members Donald McIntyre and Martin Bain have also taken the club to court to freeze a total of £780,000 of Rangers’ assets ahead of damages claims.
It was also revealed in a separate court hearing that HM Revenue and Customs had also previously frozen £2.3m, while the club also faces a potential tax liability of £49m which is under appeal.
Tax case
Earlier this month further hearings in the tax case were confirmed for January, meaning that the club will have to wait longer to know the outcome of their appeal against the tax and penalties bill.
Rangers owner Craig Whyte said in his first TV interview following his takeover that the club are “doing all we can to avoid” administration.
Whyte also revealed that should Rangers win its tax case, he would write off the £18m debt owed to him by the club.
IN DETAIL
Rangers FC face prolonged wait for decision in £49m tax bill dispute
Rangers FC settle out of court with financial services company over debt
Kojo
I don’t think there is any argument about the bhoys ability, and his baggage will be all over the scottish media soon enough, amazing how they can find things out when they want eh.
Lenny obviously thinks he can tame him, must be worth a gamble, and maybe the young fella has been misjudged.
canamalar –
Cuts are not inevitable . The Government makes the choices.. The Government could decide to spend all/none of its income on the military. The Government could decide to increase tax and give all the extra income to the military etc etc.
Where / when have I said that all Tims are Pro IRA And Anti British .?
Where /when have I helped “them” justify their position ? [ assuming ” them ” = those risibly hypocritical Huns who don’t pay their taxes whilst bellowing out their loyalty to the Crown and kissing the ass of the British military ]
” don’t pay tax kill a soldier ” ———– You really don’t understand causality, do you ?
My sole reason for posting this article is that is a reasonable report of Saturday`s game…..a rarity in the Scottish Media. This is from the Evening Times. Traynor? IMO we should just laugh at him.
“No comedy of errors as Hoops Caley on up table”
21 Nov 2011
CELTIC’S bid to win the Scottish title suffered a fatal blow with a catastrophic defeat to Inverness Caley Thistle in the Highlands last season.
So, will a victory over the same opponents at the same difficult venue re-ignite their push for the SPL trophy this time round?
The hard-fought, professional and deserved 2-0 victory Neil Lennon’s side recorded against Terry Butcher’s team certainly took them closer to leaders Rangers.
The Parkhead club are now 10 points behind their Ibrox rivals – who were held to a 0-0 draw by St Johnstone. And they can reduce that gap to seven points if they win their game in hand over struggling Dunfermline at home on Wednesday night.
And if they then defeat St Mirren in the East End of Glasgow on Saturday – 24 hours before Rangers play Kilmarnock at Rugby Park – they will be just four adrift.
We were delighted to win… now we have to make most of our game in hand
Ally McCoist’s team is still, despite dropping two points to the Saints, very much in control in their bid to win a fourth consecutive championship.
Yet, the Clydesdale Bank Premier League table could look far, far more encouraging for Celtic come five o’clock on Saturday evening.
“We are looking forward to the Dunfermline game on Wednesday night,” said Lennon. “We were delighted to win a tough game at the weekend and now we have to make the most of our game in hand.
“I am not worrying about league positions just now. It is all ifs and buts at the moment. What I am pleased about is that we are finding a bit of consistency in the team’s performance. We are playing at the level we can.”
Lennon is correct. League standings are irrelevant if a team’s form on the field is unconvincing and that has been the case with his side in recent weeks for a variety of reasons. But, at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium against Caley Thistle, there were definite signs of the green shoots of recovery.
Most significantly, the performance of Victor Wanyama, out of position at centre-half, augured well for the future.
He had, along with full-back Badr El Kaddouri, been laid low by a virus last week and was a doubtful starter against Inverness. With Glenn Loovens, Charlie Mulgrew, Thomas Rogne and Kelvin Wilson all injured, Lennon was massively relieved when he selflessly declared himself fit for selection before kick-off.
He showed no signs of ill- health alongside Daniel Majstorovic against the on-form strike duo of Andrew Shinnie and Gregory Tade.
Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster had one save of note to make in the entire 90 minutes; he blocked a Jonny Hayes shot well in the first half. Wanyama prefers to play in central midfield, but his commanding display at centre-half has given Lennon food for thought.
THE Kenyan would appear to be as reliable an option, if not a more reliable option, in what has been a problematic position than any of his team-mates.
Former Rangers and England centre-half Butcher was incandescent with rage after the defeat for his bottom-placed side – and rightly so. The red-carding of Greg Tansey for a challenge on Georgios Samaras by referee Stevie O’Reilly in the first half was unbelievably soft.
But would the bottom-placed side in the division really have fared much better if midfielder Tansey, who had hitherto been anonymous, remained on the park? It is debatable.
The home defence had no answer to the invention and movement of the visitors’ attackers as they grew increasingly leg-weary in the second half.
James Forrest and Gary Hooper were both influential and Anthony Stokes buried both of his goals with clinical precision to take his tally to eight in as many games.
Lennon said: “Anthony has that happy knack of popping up in the right place at the right time. He always creates chances for himself and his finishing is fantastic. He just can’t stop scoring.”
There remain areas of concern for Lennon; his midfielders, for example, failed to stamp their authority on a game they should have controlled until Ki Sung-Yueng replaced Samaras.
However, by recent standards, this was better – much, much better – by his team. The imminent return of a host of injured players, including Kelvin Wilson, should improve matters further. With the strength in depth he has been denied during a turbulent campaign, Lennon should, at last, be able to drop those players who are under-performing.
The Inverness game was a big test for the Celtic supporters. It was the first match the Parkhead club had played since it emerged they were being investigated by Uefa and the SPL for “illict chanting”.
Lennon, who has now made a series of impassioned appeals for pro-IRA chanting to stop, was delighted with the vocal backing his side received from the sizeable travelling support. Was it a sign that his calls had been taken on board? Perhaps.
Some observers claimed the choice of chants still strayed into decidedly dodgy territory. The battle to banish certain songs from the fans’ repertoire will be as long and hard as the race for the title promises to be.”
JJ
P67
out of curiosity has the cqn magazine had any effect on number of blog entries or bloggers ?
Song from old Dumbarton town
Now this song would test the PLC. The Fenians of the Rock.
Listening to the words it highlights their sectarian songs and not ours.
Any opinions.
Mmmmmmm
SoT,
sorry, but I make my money dealing with causality and how to clearly define root cause and effect, your blowing appeasement into an art.
I note you take only partial points to discuss.
It is very simple economics
Not enough money, cuts need to be made, where the cuts are made is another argument, stop babbling shi*te.
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. Up Over Goal
Canny wait until Wednesday.
Ah goat the Celtic , Bug.. Big Time..
Canny get enuff…
Heck.. Is that no a Guid Title Fur a Celtic Song?
Oh!..someboady else thought aboot that,already?
Anyway…
The Dunfies , wull gie us Stiff Opposition.
Ah am sure.
Contrary,tae whit Sir Paul has said, this Morn..’
An wid hiv Master Ki’s Name.. First in the Team Sheet..Right AFTER..
The Name o’ Darlin’ Charlie.
And Jist BEFORE..the Name of Victor.
Which wid be.. Right Next tae the Name o.
young James..
Those Four Guys,if Fit..
Wid be the Nucleus of the Foundation of the Line-up.
The Rest of the Line-up could Fluctuate like the Stock Market.
Lenny, could permutate and juggle with whitevah ither Names ,regarding the Make up of oor Team..that he wishes… tae his Herts Content..
But..
Those Four Guys,whom I hiv quoted.
Must be Permanently Engraved in the Line-Up Card.
Kojo
yer pal..who likes ye aloater.
Up_over_goal.
I’m always expecting Celtic to win when I go to watch a game,I wouldn’t like to think that Celtic go into games with a complacent attitude,that’s the managers job to make sure that there’s no complacency within the team.
I was always confident when Celtic come up against the teams I mentioned, except maybe ICT,they’re not that long in the league.I’m talking over the last sixty years or so.
Good evening cqn looked at papers on line (dont buy) them interested in Murray Davidson of St Johnstone at 1 Million pounds your having a laugh,i thought they were skint,its all lies.sally has a hidden warchest
Huck at 17.04
Sorry to give you the bad news Huck- the erse has fallen out of the programmes market and they are now worthless- however I’m happy to help out by taking them to the dump for you.
canamalar ——
I give up .
Repetition can be extremely dull. There is clearly nothing to be gained from continuing our ” debate ”
Ciao ,ciao.
whitecrook tim says:
21 November, 2011 at 17:58
How is the weather on the Loch?
Canamalar
I’ve been reading your views on der huns non-payment of taxes and cant believe somany are disagreeing with your point of view.
Lets look at the facts that are readily available in the pulic domain and are unchallenged…
1. Rangers used an EBT tax avoidance scheme to pay their players and executives for at least 10 years.
2. Depriving HMRC of tax revenues of £3-4mill per year
3. HMRC have taken Rangers to court for illegally administering an EBT for the purposes of Tax EVASION
4. Amount petitioned by HMRC is circa £50-60mill (including the principal sum, penalties and interest
5. They are disputing HMRC’s version of their administering of the EBT
6. HMRC are in posession of ‘side letters’ issued to players contrary to the legal administering of said EBT
7. April 2009: – Rankers are sent a bill for £2.8million in tax (although not in Rangers official accounts as required this was instead uncovered by CW during a period of due dilligence whilst negotating to buy the club from SDM in November 2010)
8. Rangers buy Nikica Jelavic for £4.1million (instead of paying their taxes due)
9. July 2011: – HMRC present Rangers with a tax bill (plus penalties) of £4.2million
10. August 2011: – Rangers buy Lee Wallace for £2.1million (instead of paying their taxes due)
11. October 2011: -HMRC succssfully file for an arrestment of £2.8million for taxes owed
12. Rangers admit liability for tax bill but lodge appeal against penalties imposed.
13. (Fast forward to December 9th 2011) HMRC arrestment of £2.8mill comes to an end and said monies are taken from Rangers bank account and deposited in HMRC bank account (if there is any money there)
I cannot see how some people on this blog want to cut Rangers ANY SLACK when it comes to the distribution of taxes by the Government…. Rangers don’t pay ANY tax!
GordonJ made the point that only 7% of government expenditure is spent on the defence budget so thoretically only 7% of Rangers disputed tax bill would be spent on defence (£3.5mill) thats probably so but 7% of NOTHING is always NOTHING.
So Rangers HAVE contributed to the underspend in the defence budget over a period of 10 years and HAVE contributed to the deaths and injuries of the servicemen and women during this time also.
What makes it even moe galling, to me, is that they have the brass neck to flaunt injured ex servicemen and women at home matches to promote their BRITISHNESS!!!
I have a wee message for them (and I’m sure Canamalar would echo these comments)
Rangers would be better served promoting their Britishness by…
PAYING THEIR TAXES
INCREASING THE REVENUE OF THE EXCHEQUER
ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO SPEND MORE ON DEFENCE AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASE TO THE EXCHEQUER
STOP TAKING THE PISS!!!
Rangers Football Club: – Aye Cheating (and not paying their taxes) since 1873
ASonOfDan says:
21 November, 2011 at 13:31
Where is the biggest Amish population in the USA? I thought they were all descended from extremist German Proddies… :)
share
hail hail AsonofDan
Probably Pennsylvania, or Northern parts of NY
MurdochauldandHay – that is a very good, balanced article by Spiers. There seems to be a very small number who are determined to continue with the pro IRA chants but hopefully they can be dissuaded from doing so or removed.
http://maps.google.com/
MurdochauldandHay
Meanwhile in the DR Traynor says the Green Brigade “are openly defiant and clearly determined to continue their celebrations of atrocities even when their own club are pleading with them to stop”
… malceye well said!
Big test over the next 2 games lads- to be champions we need to win these important games, and in recent years we have bottled it in similar circumstances- allowing them to play relatively pressure free. To win the league we need to win games like this.
We also need to be careful around Strathclydes “finest” and the laptop loyal- both are on red alert in their efforts to taint our support, and both of them will require very little- possibly no- reason to either lift us, or to print SNP led propoganda around how bigoted they think we are.
Be careful at the games lads- and come on you bhoys in green
So many disagreeing with Canamalar view.
How many on the list Canamalar ?
I can understand how seductive the argument is.
It is a good point that was well made weeks ago.
It has bored the tits off me for a few days now.
It is a pity that it has become some kind of Tim litmus test.
It has reduced one of the best posters on this site to an endless repetitive loop. Which has reduced the qaulity of debate on the CQN.
Hope I can express that opinion without being personally attacked but you know me. Water aff a ducks backside etc.
HH
Consider these decisions….
Johnny Russell, sent off at Tannadice….Press view was could be argued to be harsh but that they could well understand made the decision he did – SUPPORT THE REF
Two pens and a ridiculous sending off for ICT when they went to the Tulloch stadium….Press view was could be argued to be harsh but that they could well understand made the decision he did – SUPPORT THE REF
Ratface elbow in the face clearly missed by the ref. Press view was ref only gets one look at it, does not have endless slow mos to review…although after slow motion replays supported going to appeal panel – SUPPORT THE REF
Ratface hammers the Dons player, causing serious injury and is not sent off. Press view was Ratface already badly enough damaged so why more punishment- SUPPORT THE REF
Tokley assaults Sammi on Saturday- Burley, before ref acts states, live it’s a red card. WGS, as ever, handles immaculately in the studio.
Press reaction? O’REILLY, remember the name, made a hash of it….demote him, change the rules to let him back on…Totally amazing.
Anyone guess why Saturday’s ref is getting slaughtered and not supported.
What would have happened had Lenny reacted in the same manner Butcher did? I think we all know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc9LVrNxQGk
Well said Graham Spiers; a very balanced article today in my view. He’ll never make the redtops in Scotland
malkyd,
The Amish are Anabaptists from Switzerland. Not sure if that makes them Protestants tbh?
There is a large community in Lancaster County, PA, west of Philly. I think this is the largest grouping iin the USA.
Someone earlier suggested that at Celtic Park we all hold cards up spelling out : WE ARE THE GREEN BRIGADE. Unfortunately, I cannot be there on Wednesday but I would be all for it on Saturday.
By the way, I think Spiers deserves a lot of credit for that article.
I think Spiers has written himself a whole load of trouble for ‘vandals’ to take umbrage from!
Remember, Remember the 9th of December!
So we signed young Blackman? All the reports seemed to say that he is a talented player with an attitude problem. Still, he must have done something right to get through a Celtic trial – not too many manage that
Let’s all just stop paying tax altogether then we can get a right good debate about what trivial percentage is given to the mod.
Totally agree about Spiers, sometimes I think he’s the only journalist in Scotland