Chill your jets, excuse to fail

849

Chill your jets.  Far better to win and score five goals in a preseason friendly than to lose, but these games are all about improving fitness, the score is the least important aspect. Notwithstanding that, I’m pleased Teemu Pukki showed some form in front of goal. I don’t think Celtic would stand in his way if he found a potential new employer, but if he remains with us this season, his pace is likely to sit comfortably with the Ronny Deila model.

After missing the bulk of the last two Champions League campaigns through injury and Brazilian diving, news that Scott Brown will miss an extended period as a consequence of his hamstring injury is a blow to club and player.

It could have been worse. Celtic lost Scott for the bulk of last season’s Champions League on 1 October, when they were unable to compensate by tweeking the squad. Expectations are we will be without the player until October and we are only nine days into the transfer window. Lots of time to ensure we are at full strength when the meaty part of the season starts.

Brazil players and Phil Scolari turned up for yesterday’s semifinal wearing Naymar caps in the absence of their star striker. Their Excuse To Fail – emblazoned across their foreheads. Literally!

Add to the mix what can only be described as inappropriately enthusiastic anthem singing, while holding up the no. 10 shirt of, let’s remember, another player, not a fallen war hero, and you have all the ingredients for cloudy and unstructured thinking, instead of focus and awareness.

I don’t doubt this was all well-meaning but it was amateurish naivety. Players should turn up to a stadium with their game plan dominating their minds, not lamenting the loss of their best hope, having been consumed by national pride, one of mankind’s enduring fallacies. The Brazilian FA should immediately sack Roy Hodgson Big Phil.

Has all this Tour de Yorkshire business put you in the mood to get the bike out? If you why don’t you sign up for the Cardenden Cycle, which this year takes place on 6 September. You cycle from Celtic Park to the grave of John Thomson in Cardenden, Fife, a 64 mile journey. Full details are here.

If your cycling days are over, they are looking for drivers and stewards… if you’re available.

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849 Comments

  1. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    tallybhoy

     

     

    23:21 on 9 July, 2014

     

    Not much tottie on view tonight.

     

     

    Apologies for the sexist post.

     

     

    HH!!

     

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    Nae goals,nae fitba’. And nae totty either?

     

     

    That’s not a sexist post,mate. That’s a reason for gouging your eyes out.

  2. itsabouttim

     

     

    23:26 on 9 July, 2014

     

    Back in! Oh, shockeroonie it’s still 0-0. Yawn.

     

     

    ——–

     

     

    No idea where you’ve been or what you were doing. But you should have kept doing it.

     

     

    ShabbyFitbaCSC

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  3. Remember the MLS used to decide games by having players running from the halfway line with the ball and having a one on one with the keeper

     

     

    That was great entertainment

     

     

    Maybe Fifa shod look at that instead of this ET shoite

  4. Eurochamps67 on

    Dirk Kuyt, great player.

     

    Would you no’ want to just snip that stupid ponytail off Palacio?

     

     

    EC67

  5. bournesouprecipe

     

     

    23:28 on 9 July, 2014

     

    Moving towards Krul time

     

     

     

    But they’ve used all their subs…

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  6. Jamesgang

     

     

    The dog took me for a walk at the end of 90 minutes.

     

     

    ger57

     

     

    Yeah them too. Oh, God yeah them too.

  7. itsabouttim

     

     

    Mhan’s best friend. Deffo.

     

     

    I have a goldfish so I was stuck here.

     

    Wee bassa never takes me out.

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  8. Oh praise be to God! Now we’ll finally get some goals. They won’t all miss, will they?

  9. Clashcitybhoy on

    Itsaboutim,

     

     

    From classic Comic Strip Presents

     

     

    ” This, is Hotel Bastardos. No soft toilet paper in Hotel Bastardos.

     

    You want soft toilet paper?

     

    You go to Hotel Gayboy, you whinging pommies!”

  10. I think they should have the penalty shooutout and then play extra time,

     

    that way at least one team will have to have a go during extra time