Hindsight and all that, but looking back, Celtic’s form slipped in mid-April this year. We were imperious until that point, but even wins, like the Scottish Cup semi-final win over Newco, were not as impressive than the League Cup Final win over the same opponents a few weeks earlier.
The season petered out amid home draws against Motherwell and St Mirren and heavy defeats at Ibrox and Easter Road. The Scottish Cup Final win over Inverness was laboured compared to the League Cup Final performance.
Potency was lost when Aaron Mooy was injured in the second week of March. He returned for the odd cameo – one start and three substitute appearances, but the sharpness was gone. Adding to the issue, Cameron Carter-Vickers dropped out of the team after the Scottish Cup semi-final win in April. Aaron is now gone and it has been Cameron’s turn to put in cameo appearances this season.
Watching our midfield this season, it should be clear to all that the other big absence from the side is Reo Hatate. Callum McGregor has been partnered with two from Matt O’Riley, David Turnbull and Odin Holm. Stacks of potential there but we are missing the laser-like craft of Reo, nor have we replaced the strength of Aaron. Until this is addressed, nothing will change.
This is your timely reminder that Carter-Vickers and Jota didn’t join Celtic until deadline day two years ago. Without that day’s business, Tottenham fans would not be able to pronounce the name Postecoglou right now. We are not witnessing a managerial issue, just the normal process of rebuilding a team, while targeting valued players in demand with others fill their trollies with frees and journeymen.
Our own Mouldy67 has suffered injury in recent years, which stopped him participating in the recent Road to Seville cycle event from Celtic Park to the city we descended upon 20 years ago. I spoke to him last week for the video below and asked about his extraordinary work on behalf of the Celtic FC Foundation and the enormous challenge he is about undertake.
He will complete a virtual cycle of over 1,000 miles, including gradients, to raise money for our Foundation. For a man carrying an injury, it is a magnificent commitment, one that is an example to a few in the modern game. It was a moving insight into where we have been as a community in recent years, and Mouldy67’s take on being a Celtic supporter. I recommend it to you.
You can read more about his story, support his cycling and the work of the Foundation by donating here. Thank you.
287 Comments- Pages:
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Paul67
Good shout
🎶 It’s the form we’ve not found, since Brendan’s been around, it has put us
at the top of the league. 🎶
Patricia Ferns CSC
Bigrailroadblues.
Reading between the lines of your moniker.
I think you could be a Hun .
The clues are in the title .
Big ,as in Big Hun .
Rail , as in British Rail.
Road ,as in Shankhill Road .
Blues ,as in Rangers .
Yes ,I’m sure that I’ve caught you out .
(:- ))
Estadio still rules .
TT
Been thinking about the various ‘body language’, ‘BR heart not in it’ type comments.
If he fails here he’s done down south in the top flight for the foreseeable and perhaps for good.
Does he strike anyone as the type to do that to himself?
I’ll come on later in the week if we haven’t bolstered the starting 11, but given that I have zero knowledge or control of the situation, the intentions of others who do have that knowledge or control, I reckon I’ll go with what is logical and assume all concerned want to do a good job. As a result, I will assume we have a plan and we have irons in fires. Apart from anything else it’ll avoid any pointless worry on my own part.
As I say, if I’m wrong I’ll hold my hands up and I’ll volunteer to throw sharks or whatever that thing is.
Have a good week.
Predictably we’re headed to the deadline waiting on players, who’d have thunked it? (or posted it.)
Direct team entrants will roll up right into the team, this was always the plan, or was it. None of the summer signings with the exception of Lagerbielke and the now injured Nawrocki, get any first team pass marks, having seen them in Parkhead.
Fringe players that played last season Turnbull, Bernabei, Haksabanovic, have so far failed to trap. Round it up with misfiring Kyogo, O’Riley, McGregor, Maeda, and Abada, there’s not a lot left in the tank.
Injuries have completed the perfect storm, started by the complacency that Brendan ( world class coach ) would simply pick up the reigns and carry right on, tweaking along the way.
The dreaded emergency signings that weren’t dreamed of but dreaded by some, may be en route, but pulling four rabbits from the hat , is verging on the ridiculous. We’re back entering Barkas, Ajeti ,Bangura bingo week, hold on to your tiara.
Good teams break up too, and it’s hard to watch but with 37 players ( only four on loan ) loads of them not making it at a Celtic , means Brendan will earn his salary Transitions are not always smooth, the over reaction from the crazy fanatics will be no doubt be inappropriate
In Brendan we trust.👍
Celtic Mac –
I could greet about that tbh.
The area has been prominent recently in my genealogy searches as my granny, the wifes granny, my wifes mum and any other number of connections on our protestant side are investigated.
They lived within 40 feet of the school, looking onto the side.
Clune Park School , was built to teach the children of people living on the Lithgows owned Clune Park estate, around 1885 ish i think, and before celtic was a thing.
It is a fine Barclay brothers two story palisade school, with a primary feature being victoria and albert busts above the door frame.
Next door is clune park church built around 1900, a superb gothic structure.
Those families i mentioned attended both these places and saint marys episcopalian.
I was told storied of the area being more protestant, back then, as a certain demarkation was brought about by shipyard workers in trades getting the clune park flats, while irish mill workers lived in birkmyres Bouverie flats.
2 rooms for the catholics in bouverie.
3 rooms for those in clune park.
the school was in use right up till around 2008, and i looked at it only recently, some damp and vegetation, but could be saved, my fear always it would be burned down sometime
If Kyogo had one of those 3 or 4 chances O’Reilly had on Saturday we would have won the game, that’s football
As regards the CL prices, there is no need for them to be expensive, especially with unused £60+m in the bank!
With Mooy retired and Hatate injured we’re crying out for an experienced defensive midfielder to give CalMac the freedom to do what he does best and dictate our attacking play. Obviously with the amount of injuries among our Centre Backs we will surely sign someone probably on loan, add Palma to the list and I’ll be quite happy.
If we play the same 3 in the m/field as we did on Saturday, The Ibrox mob with their 4 midfielders will over run us in that area and put pressure on our inexperienced Centre Backs.
A draw will do me at Ibrox and will give BR the breathing space to get things sorted for the rest of the season.
there was 30 million in the bank this time last season, the cl prices weere still expensive, less than the huns, but still dear.
Clune Park – Vicky and Bertie
https://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/l/DP00282310.jpg
Then if we have double in the bank than last year, actually strengthens the argument..
PB,
my point is simply, they dont give us gifts, ever.
they never think that way.
saint stivs
Thanks for the reply. And the familial connections to both the School and the Church.
Incredible to realise how relatively recently both were still in use.
SS
Yeah I know what you are saying. With all that cash in the bank and in the middle of a cash crisis only those with a broken moral compass would follow down the expensive ticket path ☹️
Nothing changes for me. Our midfield lacks pace and physicality, and has done for some time. If the window closes and this aspect hasn’t been properly addressed then I’ll be both astonished and hugely disappointed. If it’s a loan for now then so be it – but this vital area cannot be ignored or we will pay the price.
https://lintel.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c5d3b53ef0278806c714e200d-pi
the port v morton at clune park with the school and clune brae behind
The limitations of blogs are that posts can be seen singularly and opinions are easily formed and difficult to change.
There are some, who i think i wouldnt get on with and there are some that i think i would, however, its never been an exact science.
With most operations these days, they are run for the rich by the rich and if your not rich you wannabe rich. I dont think anyone thats sat in positions of power at Celtic have done anything ground breaking, they in all reality are averse to spending, so much so that we seem to be extremely cash rich. The question therein lies, what exactly are we hoarding this cash for? I think thats a reasonable question to ask.
Im not in the category of those that get too anxious about signings and when they arrive, whats always been strange to me was, why is the transfer window still open, once most of the leagues have started? Do we need any more early season shocks, you’ll note they happen in every league, every year.
I am fully aware, however, of where we currently play (and i have no steer if we were ever likely to move) isnt attractive to anyone that has serious ambitions of being a top player, we may get the occasional gem and were viewed as a viable stepping stone to the “promised land” of the EPL. Now, there is plenty more competition from Europe and beyond. We dont have the money the Saudi league have to make generational life changing financial commitments, MLS is becoming far more attractive, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and even the Portuguese and Dutch leagues are all infinitely more attractive, even the Championship in England are becoming more cash rich.
The point of this, well, it seems to me, from the outside looking in, that we are still going to plod along on our merry way, just as before and lets see what tomorrow brings. Should we though? All the big teams have extensive scouting networks, and the cash to fund them, should we not be diversifying in certain areas, Japan and Korea seem like good places to start, should we not be looking for fresh ideas, like how to stop all our academy “future stars” from jumping ship at the first opportunity.
Its a bigger question than i can answer but until its addressed we are only going to fall further back in the standing of world football. You’ll note that when we do sign players, they always talk about the atmosphere (was going to say fans, but the whiff of entitlement is ruminating in more factions of the support (use that term loosely, its not exactly what it says on the tin), they never talk about good runs in Europe etc.
We will always be among the least attractive of options, some will just have to get used to that, but surely until there is a change in strategy we will always be in this same position, hoping that we can get some “players” over the door before the window closes. I often think that if the Scottish window was open for a further week, we may have a better pool to fish in.
Lets see what the next few days bring, and hopefully ALL OF US will be slightly more comfortable with what the season has to offer us.
CELTIC MAC on 28TH AUGUST 2023 3:59 PM
saint stivs
Thanks for the reply. And the familial connections to both the School and the Church.
Incredible to realise how relatively recently both were still in use.
—————–
I uncovered something earlier this year I found quite sinister but very much of its time.
In early 1930s there are maps of scotland identifying every Italian family residence. And it is now on line.
My granny would talk abut the only catholics in the street in 1930 were Italians, and quite well to do, and not as holy as th ither wans (?).
I mentioned it to Marco owner of Louis chip shop, he then identified them as his own grand parents, and had been in the port since turn of the century.
anyways. the area is our 2nd town scandal after the ferry boats.
StStivs/Lambert
Gie it a rest ffs
Tinytim 3.28.
Rascal. 😄
saint stivs
Every picture tells a story ory.
The Italian Connection, a history in itself.
Log-in
https://maps.nls.uk/projects/italians/
celtic mac, general interest, zoom into your home town, see if you know anyone
Going to the Bronx. My Dad lived there in the 30s. My great grandparents are buried in St Raymond’s Cemetery. I’ll lay flowers on their grave. RIP John and Margaret McGuire.
The success we have achieved in the last 20 odd years was despite lawwell and not because of him.
Our record in failing to qualify for the champions league group stages is appalling. Only Arsenal from a top league knocked us out. Our other defeats were by much smaller clubs. Failure costs us in excess of £30m per season. We must have lost around £250m under lawwell.
Winning the league should be taken for granted given the financial advantage we have and the CEO’s job was to make sure we qualified for the champions league group stages. Failure to do so should have been a sacking offence. That may have focused lawwell’s mind.
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 28TH AUGUST 2023 4:15 PM
Going to the Bronx. My Dad lived there in the 30s. My great grandparents are buried in St Raymond’s Cemetery. I’ll lay flowers on their grave. RIP John and Margaret McGuire.
ta for sharing that, incredible piece of family history, god bless them
While I hope we are able to sign experienced players in the next few days, I won’t be surprised if we don’t. I don’t think it will be the Board’s fault. Good players have so many options these days and their agents want to make as much money as possible. We live cheek by jowl to the richest leagues in the world. Our best hope is projects (or Man City loanees).
Let’s hope we do strengthen and we hammer the deid team, after PSV do the business on Wednesday.
BRRB,
Spent 2 months best part of 40 years ago working in Jacobi Hospital in the South Bronx. Was warned early on not to use the subway to visit the likes of Manhattan.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 28TH AUGUST 2023 3:32 PM
——
The fallout of Ange leaving appears more challenging at this moment than everyone expected , to be honest , I always had the feeling that we’d decline pretty quickly if Ange stayed which would have been a sore watch , given the good times with Ange.
Big calls from Brendan to establish a solid pattern of play over the next 5 or 6 games ….
HH
The ole transfer window slamming shut in a few days.
It’s awfully quiet.
Thought the ole rumours would ramp up after Saturday’s culmination of a summer of incoherent pish served up by those in charge at the club, Rodgers included.
HH
Suzie McCabe had a very good piece on Off the Ball yesterday.
Simply, the players who Ange brought, they are collectively missing him, even his aloofness and apparent seperation, it gave a hold over them that Brendan does not have.
Our good players have not become bad players, but on the pitch themselves they are doing things slower and with less focus. Less intense in the challenges, in the wrong positions often for the passes.
We have to remember they are young men, away from home in a different culture, it cannot be easy when your mentor buggers off
saint stivs
Familiar with some of the Italian families, and more from my schooldays. Not to mention the Italian cafe-restaurant-ice cream families from the Prestwick-Ayr/Grangemouth-Falkirk areas.
EKBHOY on 28TH AUGUST 2023 4:26 PM
When was the last time Angeball was seen on the park ? That 30 minutes of Killie hammering, when we missed a penalty but still scored a hatful?
When Ange downed tools in the background, we closed the season out in more of a whimper, even a cup final that felt laboured until Jota’s goal.
2nd season burnout + board complacency + incoherent punts in the transfer market + the accumulation of deadweights round LXT + soft tissue injuries + mismatch in players with Rodgers style + reliance on guys who weren’t even a fit under Ange, etc etc.
Like a big perfect storm.
Get the system sorted, get quality in and get sh*te out, get injured players back and get our mojo sorted Brendan.
HH
Big Wavy,
Not so easy getting players out.
In your own terms, who is going to buy sh☆te on top wages ?
HH.
Angst increases exponentially when there is evidence of things of which we are scared.
There are for example, not yet any “last-day” big signings as we had with CCV, Jota and Giakoumakis. Pointing out that we are not at the last day doesn’t reduce the angst because the anxious have a defence of it. They just predict a week or two out that we are finished with signings and we are just being fed BS about prospects. They have posted this prediction every year and I have yet to find evidence of anyone saying- I was wrong – we did sign people and they were good.
The angst is based on two recent flat performances where we got k.o’d from the LC and drew 0:0 at home to a bottom ranked team. It is based on how we have not scored in 180+ minutes of dominant possession and, on Sunday, at least, dominant shot taking and attacking.It is based on BR’s downbeat presentations and querulous word choices to the press. It is based on a fear that a Non-executive Chairman has more power than he should (unevidenced) and that he’s doing bad things to upset progress behind the scenes (again unevidenced except for the theory that he has done bad things before, so he’s probably doing the bad things I imagine he would get up to.
None of this angst can be taken away just now. Even if we buy 3 more players in the week to come, the angst will not go because only winning games and pulling ahead further of the Ibrox challenge, will reduce it (it never really goes though). If we are lucky enough to get improved performances and results, starting at Ibrox, the angst will slowly reduce from where we’re at just now on a scale of 1-10, i.e 13 to something more manageable like a 4 or 5.
We cannot afford too many errors early in the season but, neither can we get into a groove until we are into a groove of winning.
So the same calling between Celts who are seen as Trols and closet Sevco fans and those painted as Boar-lovers not team lovers, will continue in its own uniquely non-illuminating course and those it annoys, like myself, will just have to put up with it.
This is not free-floating anxiety- it has some rational roots in our play and behaviour, as well as several irrational strands which sees various Celtic suits as masonic infiltrators spoiling all plans to improve Celtic and colluding with their masonic pals in Govan to gift them the league. It doesn’t have to be rational or realistic to be believed; it just needs to have a possibility of being true- the kind of thing you’ll expect from “them “.
So, roll on the weekend as the negativity can suck the air out of a joyous room.
Celitc scored 143 goals in domestic football last season,,
114 in the league.
we scored 5 in the last league game, and scored 3 in the cup final.
when did ange ball petre out ?
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 28TH AUGUST 2023 12:28 PM
“But I think players of that quality are beyond Lawwell’s (both) imagination/budget”
One of the “Lawwells has nothing at all to do with either! por cierto
SS,
Some may say Angeball faltered circa 13th May 2023.
Huns 3 Celtic 0
20th May Celtic 2 St Mirren 2
24th May Hibs 4 Celtic 2
Then we won 5 0 on Anges last league game.
HH.