The Scotsman did an interesting article today on the fact that recent attendances at Celtic Park have fallen well short of the circa 46,000 paid for tickets, the majority of which are season tickets. It touches on several issues.
Suggestions that a league in which Celtic inevitably process to the title is less attractive to the spectating public than a league with a competitive challenge is not a surprise. It would be bizarre otherwise.
Still, many Celtic fans continue to support the club for a whole variety of reasons: we want to see it prosper, we enjoy going to games with our family and friends, and, unsurprisingly, we enjoy watching football.
Anyone who doubted that attendances would soften after Rangers were liquidated should have widened their survey sample. For most of us, this was a welcome change. The joys of beating Rangers were undeniable, but most of us have a deeper relationship with Celtic.
The Scotsman predict that in the event there was never a “team called Rangers in the top flight” Celtic would endure some serious downsizing. If we remained within the confines of Scottish league football this is undeniably true. So what? There would be little competition, less income, fewer signings and more promotion from the youth team.
In this scenario there would inevitably be fewer Champions League nights too, but in the big scheme of things, would we want it any other way? Of course not. Celtic will be there, in sunshine or in shadow, playing football and paying their bills. I’d sign up for this right now.
There is, of course, the question of how welcome our continued presence in Scottish football would be with the prospect of not just winning 10-in-a-row, which I hear our favourite Sevconian, Ally McCoist, is now discussing as a possibility, but the realisation that 10 would soon become 20, or 30-in-a-row.
All Celtic can do is continue to win football matches, pay their bills and see off all challengers. The game here is irrevocably broken; the consequences of this will continue to emerge in the months and years to come. All we know for sure is that Celtic will prevail, no matter which scenario plays out.
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!!Bada Bing!!@15:50
SFTB-”Team lay-outs do not win matches.” Disagree. If we played more attacking against the opposition in this league,we would be much better to watch IMO.
We are not in disagreement. The layout of a team formation does not dictate whether you attack or defend. I see teams with a so-called attacking line up of 4:3:3 forced to defend and I have seen teams with 5:4:1 layouts attack and win games by large margins. Games are not won or lost on a drawing board; they are won on the pitch, a place where players run around and change positions whilst constantly trying to maintain a disciplined shape, unless managed by Jimmy Calderwood.
Playing Stokes up front on his own is a symptom of the predictable style of play.He drops deep,the defender doesn’t follow and we have nobody up front,cue side to side passing as we have no focal point to hit.HH
Now Stokes may be the head of our formation but you will have seen Commons, Samara and Forrest in more advanced positions as they support. You will also see Brown, Ledley the full backs and even the Centre Backs move ahead of Stokes and score. There is nothing wrong with your Centre forward dropping back to link play and allowing fluid changes to your attack pattern. Equally, there is a point to both sideways and back passing (watch Barca use it to great effect). We are now complaining about things that have gone on for years. Yes, it can be overdone, and the ICT game was an example of Celtic colluding with a team that was 1:0 down to play a stalemate game. Curiously one of my major memories from the MON era was of Craig Levein bringing Hearts to CP, going 1:0 down early on and refusing to open up and chase the game, preferring to accept a low score defeat than risk a draw at the cost of losing heavily.
If we had played the same boring turgid game against a CL opponent with the same result, we would be praising our street wise smarts. It is the (unrealistic) expectation that we should be smacking ICT away by 3 or more goals, that causes the cognitive dissonance that needs to be resolved by blaming a ginger haired manager.
Can we have a First Bus v McGills debate?
Junglechants(revisited)
Oh the Corporation Buses are Green,White and Gold…..for you yan Orange bassa.
NL has said that Amido Balde will get game time in the SPFL.
For a time I felt he was being wise allowing Balde to settle with the language and new surroundings.
Now I’m wondering when his chance will come?
Where does Fridjonnson figure in terms of Balde?
Will either get a chance or will remaining unbeaten hold them back?
Who what will replace Joe Ledley ? Are we waiting for an arrival or simply hoping that Ledley will become an exception to the rule and put medals before money?
resolution 12 i think it was at recent AGM
whats the latest ? was there any time frame as to when the board will let us know their answer …. or we getting led on like sheep ?
SFTB-Thanks for reply,the Stokes ploy of dropping deep just helps clog up the midfield and rarely results in anyone (Commons sometimes) playing through the middle.A more fluid,interchangable system would IMO result in making more chances……not necessarily more goals :( HH
Jude
Return to form for wee Tart today at Lingfield. Got on his two winners, 7/2& 16/1. Happy days :))
derbyshirebhoy- I wouldn’t be surprised if Balde went out on loan.
Think I will try and get on Radio Snyder SSB tonight.
Need to ask a question about the Rangers Charity Foundation that’s bugging me.
Will tell them that I am asking one question on a single issue, not interested in discussing anything else with them……a single question on a single issue.
Look forward to engaging with intellectuals such as Guidi and Dalziel.
derbyshirebhoy
18:02 on 30 December, 2013
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You need to stop worrying.
I am sure that they will all get their chance to prove how good they are when 3-I-A-R has been done.
If the manager had opted to field an inexperienced side at ICT,they would have been eaten alive in that environment…and that’s being frank.
The gaffer can experiment with different line ups all he likes…once the title has been secured,that is.
Unfortunately,until that happens,you are going to remain disappointed.
PragmatismCSC.
Ryecatcher
I am sure MG reads your posts ;)
Change of plan….
Will wait until Keevins is on.
God, he makes my flesh creep.
The manager will live or die by his decisions,and football is a results driven business,like it or not.
WINNING!! As yer man Charlie Sheen once said.
I will say it again sure – WINNING!!
Delaney’s ….
I’m sure he does too,and yours….as all his information seems to be plagiarised from decent blogs before he puts his spin on it.
Bada Bing
“the Stokes ploy of dropping deep just helps clog up the midfield and rarely results in anyone (Commons sometimes) playing through the middle.”
The fault is not with the dropping back, then. It is the failure of others to move to occupy the space that is left. It is a player fault not a system or tactical one.
Ryecatcher
I have noticed that about MG. That and his obvious Celtic connection.
The Gospel according to Zlatan,Verse 19,Chapter 67:
“I have played in the biggest games in world football. But I have never experienced an atmosphere like I did at Celtic Park.”
Bada
If that were the case I’d have to question what the point was in buying him?
ryecatcher-See if anyone asks about Honest Dougie?
derbyshirebhoy-it might throw up a few akward questions mate.HH
SFTB-A coaching issue then…..HH
BB
Would love to hear an Honest Dougie question. OMG Kris Boyd!
Snyde fone in… guaranteed to elevate a good tims heart rate
17:48 on 30 December, 2013
Petec
One of my favourite places in the world is Loch Humphrey. To walk, no fish. Will probably be there on Wed morning before the Jags game, but maybe The Saltings, weather dependent. Love your Fenian’s of the Rock song.
Funny someone should mention Loch Humphrey on here,have had a two hires from town up to the rental cottages on that road,cracking view over the bridge from up there,
was after midnight both times right enough,and noticed the sign for Loch Humphrey,got me thinking would be a nice wee run up for the 4×4 B11OYSMOBILE one day!
Gawn yersel Cultsbhoy
Hasbeen Boyd. :)))
Kris Boyd for Celtic….. ?
Would that be acceptable. .?
HH
Bada Bing
“SFTB-A coaching issue then…”
To be precise, a playing fault that coaching can help to improve.
It is certainly not the intention of a coach to flood the midfield and avoid attacking threat. Not even Ally is daft enough to promote mad virtues.
Sftb
Funilly enough the same ginger headed manager managed a 3-1win in Feb and a 4-2 win in Aug 2012 having been 4-0 ahead but then he was not looking at unbeaten runs as the priority then.
MickTT
Not for me thanks!
big nan
17:46 on 30 December, 2013
Correct….
16 roads
Big Zlatan was two rows in front of me at the Morton game, at least i think it was him.
If Kris Boyd signs for Celtic, I will give up watching Celtic…
Jose Mourinho asked setting free the bears for feedback after the Liverpool win.
micktt
18:30 on 30 December, 2013
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha……yur hivven a laugh…..
B11OYS
Go for it! The fresh air and spectacular views from Loch Humphrey will amaze you.
delaneys dunky
18:34 on 30 December, 2013
MickTT
Not for me thanks!
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Not even for a GIRUY value…..
HH
67heaven … i am neil lennon, supporting wee oscar..!!.. ibrox belongs to the creditors
18:37 on 30 December, 2013micktt18:30 on 30 December, 2013Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha……yur hivven a laugh…..
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Was suggested on snyde by MG…
Just threw it in
HH
corkcelt:
Your post paints an accurate picture.
For me I continue to go along and support the Bhoys out of habit and because I can afford to go. It is indeed a chore going along to watch my team play these day. I would go as far as to say I actually enjoyed more going along to watch us in Gordon Strachan’s era and no it wasn’t because the died club were there. It was generally because the style of play was generally better. Yes, supporting the Bhoys presently is laborious and a chore.
As MWD posted earlier today that there is NOT one Player that gets me off my seat.
Some of my friends call me daft going along to watch rubbish. I cannot see the day that I will walk away…as I have said before only one team does that.
I know you should never say never but I will be going along to support the Bhoys for the foreseeable future. If we don’t there will be even less money being generated to spend on Players. I know, I know our current incumbents on the Board are frugal with our cash but the longer we persist they might, just might loosen the purse strings but do not take that as me saying we should go out and spend £6 million Player, I’m not.
And for the record I do not want back in any shape or form a team from Govan back.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Ryecatcher,
I was never in the BB. My times in the Gallowgate were spent in The Braemar (Cecil), Oxford Tavern (Step), Clyde Vaults (Francie), Squirrel (Mary), Lough Erne (when Gordon was singing there). Do you remember them and the individuals?