For the second time this season against Kilmarnock, the first half offered Celtic promise as well as a lead at the interval. Celtic’s pace of play and directness had the visitors on the backfoot until the break. The left wing played an important part of the story. Luis Palma and Greg Taylor are by far Celtic’s most competent retainers of possession on the left and made sure we were able to quickly attack Killie down that flank.
Luis put in a couple of poor crosses just before the break, and with options on the bench, Brendan Rodgers hooked the Honduran for Yang. An attempt to aid our attacking efforts would later undermine our ability to progress play up-field. The rot did not really set in until Taylor, on his first game back from injury, was replaced after an hour.
Daizen Maeda is not known for holding play up, however he gets up and down the park and tracks back better than anyone in the game. But seven minutes after our left flank’s defensive and ball holding abilities were weakened, Maeda made way for Nicolas Kuhn. Kuhn is a crosser of the ball (though poorly on this occasion), not a defensive-minded player. You can be sure, “Tracks back” does not feature on his bio.
Yet again, Joe Hart was called upon to make several saves (more than his counterpart in the Kilmarnock goal). The defence played well; Tony Ralston and Liam Scales in particular, but in the second half we were without a gameplan to move play forward.
The above debacle set the scene for Kilmarnock’s deserved draw. Celtic could have got away with the win, just as they did recently home to Ross County, or at Hibs, but it would have been a win despite what happened at crucial times on the field.
We are now behind a team in the league, which lost several first-team players in the summer without transfer fees, who then signed players that overwhelmingly disappointed, some of whom have already been offloaded, and who sacked their manager during an injury crisis which saw them slip well off the pace.
What do they have that we don’t? They didn’t have a good transfer window, they didn’t have a season without injuries, they didn’t start with a manager who knew what he was doing. Midseason, they added organisational ability and here we are!
Newco remain in Europe and could find this undermines them in the league, but only if we are able to apply our own pressure, which means winning football games. We need a robust and functioning gameplan for Sunday, or we risk dropping points yet again to Motherwell and removing any pressure on our title rivals.
Soon Cameron Carter-Vickers will return, and we can hope Reo Hatate gives us the last couple of months of the season. On their own, this does not feel like it will be enough to push us over the line.
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RC, perhaps the instruction from the manager to the players should simply be: “Just get out there and do what it takes to win the game. If you’re all half as good as you think you are you should have way too much quality to beat that mob. Go and prove it.”
As I said yesterday the single biggest factor by far with consistently winning football matches is quality of player. Regardless of who’s in the managers seat without the requisite quality of player you’re toast.
Did Dom Mckay/Ange sign more quality in one year than the other 3?
Let’s have a look at arrivals.
2020/2021 (Peter Lawwell)
Ajeti
Barkas
Turnbull
Duffy
Kenny jj
Laxalt
2021/2022 (Mckay)
Kyogo
CCV
Jota
Starfelt
Abada
Juranovic
Giakoumakis
O’Reilly
Hatate
Hart
Maeda
Ideguchi
2022/2023( welcome Mark Lawwell/ welcome back Peter Lawwell)
Bernabei
Johnston
Oh
Haskabanovic
Abildgard
Siegrist
Mooy
Iwata
Kobayashi
Jenz
2023/2024
Nawrocki
Palma
Kuhn
Lagerbielke
Holm
Yang
Tilio
Kwon
Yet some still want to treat the symptom and ignore the cause.
don’t get all this love in and play Palma as the No 10 , what position is that inside left , has anyone seen him play No 10 , imo he was brought in as a direct replacement for Jota , he is a sandancer ,a legend in his own head , doesn’t look like a team player, it’s all me me me from him from my vantage point in the ground.
There’s a lot of noise around regarding Celtic losing an 8 pint lead, a 10 point swing, etc. But none of these commentaries mention the two games in hand that Rangers had, and won. So I’m actual fact Celtic have blown a 2 point lead to give a 4 point swing… which is after all just 2 draws.
If we can get the wheels back on the wagon and the fans positively backing the players during matches (to do away with the nervousness), then it only takes Rangers drawing one match and we’re all square once again.
The key is getting the Celtic players to believe in themselves again, to get back their confidence, fighting spirit and killer instinct. All more likely with positive support, especially when the chips are down!
Let the 12th man favour Celtic and not their opponents…
Clearly my predictive text is gagging for a drink, as it keeps changing “point” to “pint” without me noticing until too late! 🍺
bottom line, is simply, it’s not the huns fault we are atrocious is it.
The league is fixed I tell you
Kinglubo
Celtic fans queing up to speak to Andy Halliday about how poor Celtic are.
Bizarre old world
Every player has strengths and weaknesses.
Palma has a track record as a finisher and assisting in goals. He is also a greedy wee *(*&* who takes a shot from difficult angles instead of passing. The coach has to improve his willingness to pass without taking the devilment completely out of him.
In playing out from defence the CBs look to pass to the full backs or the centre mids have to come back with heir back to the opposition goal and they pass it to the full backs. Twice on Saturday we saw something a wee bit different. The ball was passed to MOR who immediately laid it sideways to Calmac as a 3rd man runner. We broke lines and created half chances each time.
It is a difficult manoeuvre to achieve in a crowded midfield but we need additional approaches to our main tactic of trying to get it to a winger in a wide position who, far too often just sends it back to the midfield to re-start and allow more defensive regrouping. I only see Kyogo and Yang attempting a dribble and Yang usually does one too many. Adam Idah allows us to do what MOR does in midfield ie. take the ball in and lay it off to other forwards.
Why are we not seeing more of that. Killie made robust challenges when we received the ball in midfield and they get away with it from the refs. But if we can get it into the box, we can tempt tackles that the Sevco forwards get, resulting in pens.
Is that the difference between them and us?
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 19TH FEBRUARY 2024 6:16 PM
I wonder if, rather than bonusing our recruitment team on the profit generated from sales of players they recruited, we bonused them on Champions League results, we’d see a different approach to player
Excellent idea
I wonder if, rather than bonusing our recruitment team on the profit generated from sales of players they recruited,
can anyone provide any evidence that this is in place for the recruitment department ?
Bizarrely, I think we can and will take four points off the Zombies. I just don’t trust us not to drop points elsewhere.
!!BADA BING!! on 19TH FEBRUARY 2024 7:37 PM
Funny thing is, better European results would more often than not result in bigger profits. Look at Bassey.
what was our last 11 on the pitch on saturday – can’t find it in the reports!
Evidence.
Any evidence brought forward would be scoffed at by the same people who are still going around wearing masks.
SID
If you are going to make a point at least use facts.
Oh know wait a minute. That is not how it works.
We have a £100m cash surplus. Of course.
And as for the shite you wrote about who was signed when Dom McKay and who by others what a work of utter fiction and fantasy.
Yet again you also seem confused as to the role of Peter Lawwell who seems to be enjoying free headspace with you.
He was chair on his return and not actively signing players.
Nicholson is current ceo and successor to Don McKay.
Peter Lawwell is non exec chair which takes less than a day a week and is paid accordingly. He does work for UEFA as a result of this position but not paid for by Celtic.
As for suggesting Maeda and Hatate and O Riley were signed under Dom McKay …. That is nonsense. They joined at the winter break. McCarthy of course was as weee the 2 less secure deals which allowed Juranovoc and Giakoumakis to leave quickly.
But you carry on with your personal agenda.
Saint Stivs
Don’t be silly.
As ridiculous as
We have a £100m burning a hole in our pockets.
SID on 19TH FEBRUARY 2024 7:03 PM
Tou really have got the wrong end of the stick with this Dom McKay thing.
A poor appointment quickly shown the door before he did any real damage. He never “signed” anyone
One doth protest too much methinks.
Geebee1978
Totally agree with you. We can and will take more points off of them.
Tbh despite how poor we are I think they might still slip up.
Clemente does not cope well with criticism and negative results. The crash when it happened at Monaco was brutal.
Unfortunately our man seems to be so passive. Standing back and watching Beaton chest with impunity on Saturday and saying nothing. Clemente spends 98 minutes in the ref or 4th officials ear.
SID
You’ll could get yourself into bother with sensible comments like that mate.
HH
Burnly
The scary though for me is if its all equal going to Ibrox, they win to go 5 clear. With 1 derby left, i wouldnt put my house on Celtic over taking them.
We need sevco to slip up before then
t
DESSYBHOY on 19TH FEBRUARY 2024 4:45 PM
I was well informed on Res 12 as a shareholder/signatury to getting this on the AGM agenda, done none of the work that was Auldheid and sevral other whose names I’ve forgotten, still feel that was a stitch up by the club.
========================
Res12 was like peeling an onion, the more layers peeled the more the tears flowed.
In terms of stitch up the 2019 AGM takes the biscuit.
That was when PL was asked if he ever saw the 5WA and at most recent AGM he doubled down on his answer. However he was asked 2 questions that can be read at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12PkpNMUvVNV8RJ8HHOHdTKzbcFfRBnCP/edit
and in terms of a stitch up the following point relating to what knowledge Celtic had of the Five Way Agreement is key.
If the 5WA agreement had never been seen, as Peter Lawwell claimed at the 2019 AGM and repeated in 2023 Celtic were therefore unaware of the existence of such a clause. This provides plausible deniability on Celtic’s part that they did not know that CAS, not UEFA, was the agreed way forward on any future potential disciplinary matter.
If, however, it transpires that Mr Reilly and in particular, Mr Lawwell were provided with access to the 5WA at any point in its development including the clause referring issues to CAS it raises the significant question of trust.
The question that should be put to Celtic now is:
” Did the CEO at 2019 AGM and Chairman at 2023 AGM or any Director or official in employ of Celtic take part in any way in the development stages of the 5 Way Agreement, either by e mail, telephone, text, letters or meetings from October 2011 to July 2012 when the final version of the 5WA was sent to Celtic for acceptance?”
There always was the feeling after the 2012 AGM that Celtic knew something that the requisitioners representing your good self and other shareholders were not privy to.
————
The realisation that a stitch up was at play came in 2018 when PL/MN ignored the evidence that the 2011 licence had been gained by fraudulent means. From Res12 archive:
• 10 August 2018. Celtic meet a representatives from Res12shareholders, the Celtic Supporters Association and a representative of bloggers from social media to discuss content of letter of 25th June and lack of SFA response.
Two other well known bloggers with good Celtic connections were also invited. One (PB) declined the invite and the other had an emergency to attend to on the morning of the meeting so missed the following.
Celtic were left with a document suggesting UEFA Licence should not have been granted on grounds of breaches of two UEFA rules both of which involved dishonesty/fraud breach of good faith. Celtic were left to consider the document (see
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ESN0Aw6VJerHSSZv8_eq10BAjYg7rjaz/view ),
and it was suggested they approach UEFA and contemplate next steps if the narrative contained was accurate.
A further meeting to be arranged early September to hear response but that was never forthcoming on the merits or demerits of the case not even at the November 2018 AGM.
—————-
I have come to the opinion that the only way to call The Board to account is by a legal challenge based on Company Law in respect of small shareholders expectation/right to be treated honestly fairly and to challenge the Statements made on compliance with ACIMs good governance code some of which is identified in my blog on Sentinel Celts along with suggestions about what is needed in terms of uniting small shareholders and non shareholding ST holder to create the capacity to mount a challenge.
https://sentinelcelts.com/2024/02/15/celtic-and-corporate-governance/
There is a lot of reading there including links which will I suspect will deter some from following the argument but considered replies/feedback would be appreciated.
Auldheid
I guess the legal challenge would involve an expense, so if the cause needs a donation please let me know. I’m scunnered with this plc board and you know who, never will I trust anything they ever say again, any of them.
Further to my comment about going legal I mentioned a process that would let ST Holders “piggy back” on any competent Resolution put forward by small shareholders.
There is an draft of that process at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XRs-2N_k40UZbAHS-i3zt-4noDeSMNWO/edit
using an illustrative Resolution about SFA reform as it is a subject there is likely to be broad agreement on, but it is the “piggy back” process I would value feedback on.
The requisition form for shareholders can be seen at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f_8kHpo0gHvGMeaGDX9uPU6Yugeo4bkH/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101276934943482461006&rtpof=true&sd=true
and for ST Holders at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zgfxbWABP1HOD-ATXrncr-7rwDHKpJKz/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101276934943482461006&rtpof=true&sd=true
Two questions then.
1. Would ST holders get involved supporting a competent resolution on an issue of wide interests (like Referee Reform)
2. Is going legal to mount challenges using Company Law worth exploring ?
crystal palace have had 111 corners this season
and scored zero goals from them.
sounds familiar
B78- you keep pedalling the same nonsense like a Tory Minister, Lawwell was negotiating with CCV agent at CP,just before Christmas.
Maguire sticking it to Lawwell and co on PLZ.
Since 2005 it’s been a financial strategy not a football strategy..- not for the first time they have rolled the dice and lost…. Deliberately filled the squad with average players…. Set Rodgers up to fail….gambling £60M makes no sense…
Who knew Maguire could speak the truth?
Auldheid
Just read the section on SC , point 1 where have Celtic said they aspire to be world class, when you read the corporate objectives on the club website it states the business is to operate a football club, nothing about the standard of the club i think.
Legal avenue worth exploring in my opinion , any lawyers KCs still interested as I think 1 in particular was involved before?
DESSYBHOY on 19TH FEBRUARY 2024 8:37 PM
Auldheid
I guess the legal challenge would involve an expense, so if the cause needs a donation please let me know. I’m scunnered with this plc board and you know who, never will I trust anything they ever say again, any of them.
========================
One of the documents in the SC Blog is about Restructuring The CST.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IAPRvu6G7NNOzUiTCFOxAcLpmU_2PQel/edit
As it stands the CST raison d’etre has passed its sell by in terms of addressing current issues and the CST only represent small shareholders not all of whom have proxied their shares to CST -hence the “piggy back” idea.
Hence the restructuring to create the capacity that gets The Board’s attention. It could take the form of a Celtic Supporters Membership scheme with a subscription that could be used to put a law firm specialising in UK Company Law ( not Scottish ) on a retainer that enables advice on challenges to the Board to be met with some authority. The numbers signing up would require attention too if the views of ST Holders were included under the proposed “piggy back”.
Since 2005 it’s been a financial strategy not a football strategy..
—
correct.
i used to work for a company that sold pensions – but we spent so much money on the I.T. department that the standing joke in the industry was that we were software company that sold a few pensions here and there.
thats now akin with whats been happening at celtic – we are now some sort of financial services company that sticks 11 guys on a football park at the weekend in green and white strips
burnley78
What does Peter Lawwell for UEFA?
We know he is in postion with the ECA, but UEFA?
Can’t see it myself.
Auldheid on 19th February 2024 8:39 pm
It’s quite obvious that doing nothing will cost us more trophies, and i for one am not paying over 700 per year to keep sevco on a financial even keel by keeping OldFirm.com show on the road.
I doubt many are.
Those on the board, it would seem, have been committing fraud. Time to let them have their day in court. I would be more than willing to donate to any legal fund.
Dessy Bhoy
This bit from Celtic’ statement on The Code caught my attention.
The Quoted Companies Alliance has identified ten principles that will enable companies to deliver growth in long-term shareholder value by maintaining an efficient, effective and dynamic management framework.
TO DELIVER GROWTH IN LONG TERM SHAREHOLDER VALUE.
I very much doubt small shareholders are in it for growth but those with majority shareholdings are and there is an argument that in not providing affordable support to the football they are failing to increase share value or see player trading as the way to do it.
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE on 19TH FEBRUARY 2024 8:41 PM
When I saw that stat I burst out laughing too, dreadful game btw
Bigchips – Good stuff. Doesn’t fit the narrative, but good stuff.
G FEARON on 19TH FEBRUARY 2024 8:54 PM
I appreciate your reply but as an ex capacity builder the support lack the capacity, fragmented as they are , to put in place a fit for purpose mechanism that can take donations and give an account of how they are used.
There is an Open Meeting on 29th by CST (details awaited) where perhaps after 3 years of ignoring the thoughts in the Restructuring document they might be open to rethinking what needs doing to mount more effective challenges to a Board who benefit from the CST being the only conduit for a small number of Celtic supporters with shares to raise serious questions.
great goal.
a bit of sutton/hartson about it.
we cant do that anymore