I spent a lot of time last season defending Stefan Johansen. His goals, goals created and interceptions stats were incredible. He needed defending because apart from when he was scoring or creating goals, lots of his work was done off the ball. Those who take note of off the ball work, his direct opponents, voted him Player of the Year (those who follow the ball, or action on TV, miss lots).
This season’s been different, none of the markers he put down a year earlier have been met. I don’t have enough information to explain why this is, so I’m not going to absolve the player from responsibility, but what we got from him on his return to Norway on international duty was the talking part of a good game:
“I am dissatisfied with the way I was playing”
“But in recent months I have felt my rhythm is better and that my body is good”
Perhaps more importantly:
“We are going to get those two trophies [league and Scottish Cup]. We have decided to do that.”
You very occasionally hear players talk in those terms – “deciding” to win. I remember writing up that Fraser Forster “decided” to make the England World Cup squad. He made his mind up, put the vagaries of form and fortune out of his head.
The commitment from Fraser in the year-or-so before the 2014 World Cup was enormous. He worked harder than any Celtic player. Enormously harder than some. That’s how you decide something which isn’t actually your decision.
Stefan has a lot of work to do to get back to where he was a year ago. Only he can decide if the time for talking off the park is over.
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Jungle Jim @ 1 31 .
You will find what you are looking for on the hair products shelf .
A parasite thought to be present in a third of the British population might be causing ‘rage disorder’, a new study has suggested 14:33
OK,I must apologise to the likes of Neganon,and Green Man.I now fully understand your permanent rage against all things Celtic.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Until then,please STF aff the blog.
“Remember switch off roaming apps in Dublin bhoys”
Bada,
Maybe they wanna go roamin’ in the gloamin’
:)
HH
Cruyff,fantastic player,who played in 2 fantastic teams.Just a pity they were Dutch teams.Should have won a lot more at International level.Maradonna carried an average side to World Cup glory by himself.Still the greatest achievement by any footballer.IMO,we are at the moment,witnessing the greatest player ever to kick a ball,Lionel Messi.Only when he has finished playing,and his records are up there will we truly realise his true greatness.
All about opinions,and football is probably the worst to have one on,but Jinky was the greatest ball player I ever saw.
i’d rather stay home
I was lucky enough to have been at that 2-2 game against Ajax.
The late Johann Cruyff produced an exquisite cross from wide on the left in front if the Jungle with the outside of his right foot which was an unforgettable piece of skill for me.
I also remember, but might be wrong on this, going to Fir Park after that game and thinking, after the degree of difficulty we had just faced against the Dutch Master’s team, how much easier we would find it up against Motherwell.
Think we duly hammered them, 6 or 7 maybe, with Charlie Nic being outstanding.
I found a couple of articles from Dutch Sports magazines with interviews with JC (apt initials) a few years back, and his insights into the game were fascinating.
When asked what made him so important to the teams he played in, he explained, with no false modesty problems , that he made other players better by knowing when and how to give them the ball to make them feel comfortable with it, thus increasing their confidence, which in turn produced better performances.
Undoubtedly one of the Greats of The Beautiful Game.
Turkeyboy
Who gave you the right to suggest that real Celtic fans stay off the blog?
If you don’t like scroll past.
That’s what most of the adults on here do.
Good day to send another nasty plonker to jail.
Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic found guilty of genocide and war crimes charges, sentenced to 40 years in jail.
WWW
Well done and thank you. SoT I only got your clue because WWW had already given me the answer!
Two more to go:
Evidently having a meal in tonight?
Later trim closely.
Both are one word answers and pharmacy products.
JJ
Huh!
Aftershave !
Turkeybhoy@2.19
Didnt you say earlier that you were leaving the blog?
Stop greetin and grow up.
Get a grip of your whinging, you are like a ten year old in a bad mood.
If you want to dish it out, you better be prepared to get it back.
Behave Yourself….Its you thats angry.
Not me:)
HH
Jim,
The answer is somewhere in the question.
The pink version of this is what we say when yer a bit broke.
Rhymingslang csc
Perhaps some of the MSM are less than the scurrilous creatures of the sewers we sometimes portray them as
Available from The Guardian
http://wp.me/p6qviF-2z
Hail hail
Matt
Cruyff is Europe’s greatest ever player. As brilliant as Best was, Johan was in what I call, the elite class which perhaps only contains about ten players. Names like Best, Platini, Zico, Van Basten and Henry are the level below.
Johan was that good.
Although we lost 3-0 in Amsterdam in 71, I remember expecting us to claw it back at Hampden. Celtic were that good then too. A Jinky goal and a legit goal chalked off was as close as we got . I spoke to Ajax fans in Spain two years later and they admitted they feared us and only Cruyff made the difference.
I was actually inside the Barcelona dressing room in July 73 ,doing the tour, when it was announced they’d signed the Cruyff from Ajax for 300k.
Off topic, sorry…
TBJ (or anyone else that knows) – considering a trip to St Bride’s Cambuslang tonight. Do you know what time mass is? if you don’t mind can you reply to jobobaldie@yahoo.co.uk
THanks
willwashmyfeetjustincaseCSC
Has the Posting Too Quickly Please Slow Down message gone? Hopefully it is sorted.
Sometimes it pays to be a little resolute and take your time before posting.
Geordie
Boracic lint?
Your answer is as difficult as the clue!
Are you saying the answer is lint ( meaL IN Tonight). Why evidently?
Final question. Why is Turkeybhoy receiving so much stick?
JJ
WC
My hat-trick suggests the problem has been solved!
Jobo all Easter info on their facebook
So it appears after all that TURKEY is not just for Christmas!
MWD
JUNGLE JIM HOT SMOKED@3-42PM
I just asked a question about Turkeyboys earlier post .
No stick from me.
JJHs
No Stick…Turkeybhoy moans…I moan back:)
There is no malice.
He is a moaner though:)
HH
Is Turkeybhoy a moaner? Maybe I am mixing him up with someone else but I thought he was always positive about Celtic. Thanks for the replies anyway,
JJ
Winning Captains – I’m intrigued by your cryptic “same club” posts. Que pasa?
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on 24th March 2016 3:42 pm
Because he’s suggesting some posters who’s content he finds disagreeable should stay off the site. Which isn’t really democratic or in the spirit of free speech.
JJHS
Yes…he is.
Scroll back awhile.
Its not just me he is having a go at.
Im sure he doesnt give a hoot, what we say to him.
HH
JJ,
I aim to confuse :))
HH
JC is defo in my top 5 of players I have actually seen live …….. along with Pele Di Stefano Best and Maradona
JJ
South of Tunis is ‘Head and Shouldesrs’ above the rest of the clues
Turkeybhoy
Get back on the blog…so everybody can see that you are ok.
Posters worried that you have been savaged by the mineshafters:)
Im sure thats not the case.
No doubt you will be back to tell me to F*** off:)
Hail Hail
Hoopy birthday Roy C n Lucy.HH
This blog really frustrating pop ups n adverts everywhere.HH
FrannyB67
AdBlockPlus on Chrome.
No pop ups.
HH
Frannyb67
If you drop me an email telling me where you are, how you are accessing CQN and on what device plus any info on the problem pop ups and will try to resolve. David@cqnpublishing.co.uk
Weeminger et al,
If all the moaners stayed off the site ,podiums would be much less prestigious.
I blame International weeks.
Cheerio for now,
JJ
Good Afternoon.
Here’s something about Celtic’s pre-season fixtures and the relentless moaning about Lee Wallace not being selected for Scotland.
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/03/23/the-unbearable-agony-continues/