First the treble then the double slipped through the net leaving Celtic absolute certainties for the inaugural Scottish Premiership title, but with only a couple of higher aspirations to aim for. Fraser Forster is closing in on Bobby Clark’s Aberdeen league shut out record, which if he keeps a clean sheet at home to St Johnstone on Sunday, he would be able to eclipse 31 minutes into the visit to Tynecastle on 22 February.
Neil Lennon called Saturday’s defeat unacceptable but it would be just as unacceptable to concede to St Johnstone at home this weekend when so close to an all-time record. Saints have scored only one league goal away from home (at Firhill) since winning at Tynecastle on 2 November last year. Notwithstanding their four Cup goals at Forfar on Saturday, you could not wish for a more goal-shy league visitors.
The manager was rightly critical of his defence on Saturday so will hopefully use this weekend to ensure they are ready to play up for their goalkeeper this Sunday.
One of the highlights for the Celtic community last year was the incredible Ben Nevis Huddle, completed on the snow-capped mountain in June. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, 28 June. Applications opened on Friday and there are only 77 places left (big mountain but limited safe standing capacity). Go here if you want to get involved.
If you would like to read the new CQN Magazine, GO HERE to read properly, and for FREE, the graphic below is just a taster.
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Yo…..
Normal service resumed.
Hat-trick would be greedy…
bmcuw
watching you
Thanks,PAUL67
I reckon that your timely new article might mean that VP missed my suggestion to brighten his day.
Dodged a bullet there…
Greetings from Glesga airport. Off to sunnier climes for a holiday. Will catch the game Sunday on the iPad.
Good afternoon
Ooft…nae mair lurking for me today.
So far today we’ve had – Lenny to go, the board are apron wearers and not interested in “us”…….and KevJ now being viewed as a Celtic Seer?
Jeez……there must have been some hard drugs taken over the past 24 – 48 hrs.
Oh and finally….I had a season book for over 7 yrs which I took over from my brother when he emigrated. In my time as a season book holder I have become a father 3 times, moved house, new jobs etc etc, lots more responsibilities and also less “free” time…I never fell out of love with Celtic or took a knee jerk reaction to stop supporting them (in relation to my season book) simply put “life” got in the way.
Might be sacrilege to say it but Celtic aren’t my “life”, they don’t put food on my table or money in my pocket. They play a part in it and I get great enjoyment (usually) from watching them and also what they did and do represent…….but I won’t be on suicide watch every time we get beat or fail to be the moral compass for a corrupt society.
Away for a lie doon.
ROBINBHOY
The amount of globetrotting you do,I’d have thought that yer idea of a holiday would be a few days in Ayrshire.
You know-where you live. For a few days a year at least.
Enjoy it,bud. Send us updates. Bloody pouring here!
fin75
Well said
Joe Fillippi
We’re only speculating thats all. Its allowed on a fan blog. Anyway you must admit that there’s a good chance Lenny will walk. I got the same reaction in the pub on Saturday. ‘No way Keane’ they said. ‘Fair enough then, well who’ I asked, ‘any suggestions’? So I got Coyle and Steve Clark. To say ‘let him get on with it’ is not my argument. There’s a split in the support re Lenny and thats been the case with every manager at CP in my time except Stein. I haven’t started on NL’s record because its been done to death already, except to say that his cup results really are poor.
RobinBhoy
12:25 on
10 February, 2014
Ta much and bon voyage.
yorkbhoy
11:59 on 10 February, 2014
Hahahahahahaha…..SPOT ON..!!!
There are some places available for CQTEN as we’ve had some cancellations. If you would like to book some tickets for CQTEN on Friday 14th March at Kerrydale Suite please email celticquicknews@gmail.com
Was out for lunch in Valencia yesterday with some Valencia ST holders. They were saying that for last 2-3 years many Spanish football fans talk about their league becoming like the SPL (spfl) with only two teams with any chance of winning it. They were all amazed when I told them what had happened in Scotland. Amongst the four of them, not one of them knew that Rangers had gone bust and that we now had a one-horse league.
Did anyone else read Pauls new lead article and think I am less than bothered if the clean sheet record goes………..
It would have been relevant, if, on Saturday, when it mattered, we kept Aberdeen out.
Sadly now it will mean that in pursuit of a record we will have to miss out on blooding youngsters and providing us, the short changed “customer”, with entertainment.
Its been a long time since I felt so low leaving Celtic Park.
Marakesh Express. I understand and agree our cup record under Neil is not good but do you think Neil doesnt realise that himself ? When we appointed Neil we knew we were getting somone with no managerial experience and who would learn on the job and for me he has done very well. Laudrup is available so is Hiddink much better than Keane in my opinion but I would rather stick with Lennie. H.H.
BMCUW
“Mainly that you offered a get-out to those who want the huns back. ”
Don’t shoot the messenger. I am reporting what I see and hear. The posters e=mc and Cults Bhoy both backed up that this view is out there.
It is not my view but I am closer to Cults Bhoy’s interpretation. I cannot see league competition being provided by a Scottish club in the foreseeable future, around 5 years I’d guess.
We can get league competition by leaving the SPFL to be faced with different challenges. If we went to the Championship in England say, we might be slight favourites to win it but there would be a lot of defeats involved in getting there and I would not expect us to be runaway champions or anything like it. There would be better regular healthier Saturday and Sunday crowds though to compensate for the absence of our current 6 big games per year in the CL.
jonnybhoy
I agree with you, couldn’t give a stuff about clean sheet record or going through league campaign unbeaten. A nice to have but ultimately meaningless. What would be of more meaning would be getting a team on the park ready to hit the ground running in the CL qualifiers come July. To do that will mean dropping first pick just now who may not be available for these games either because they will have left or won’t be back from the World Cup in time.
Latest from Phil….
The problems caused by accuracy
14 Replies
For the avoidance of doubt, I stand by my reportage of the financial issues afflicting the club that currently plays at Ibrox.
The recent chagrin privately expressed by those tasked with presenting the new club’s PR image to the world was based on the accuracy of my information rather than any inaccuracy.
I understand the decision to issue the club statement on Friday was made at a meeting that day where Graham Wallace was not present.
I think it is fair to say that, at this stage, nerves are getting a bit frayed.
One of the main issues is that not only is there a high level leak, but that it is being divulged in my direction.
I believe that some rather unkind and, indeed, untrue things were said about me, but I’m ok about that.
This isn’t personal, it’s only business.
I am told by people in the accountancy trade that whichever way the RIFC/SEVCO published numbers are crunched, the current set up is simply unsustainable.
Moreover, I understand from sources that internal control of things like expense claims has left a lot to be desired.
So much so that I believe when the guys were down in the City of London seeking finance recently they had to change their figures on the hoof.
That was because a senior member of staff turned up with a pile of receipts and dumped them on the desk of the person processing expense claims.
The total bad news contained therein threw their calculations out of the window.
Then add that to the issue regarding the contingent liability in the year end accounts and the picture just gets worse.
Yesterday I submitted the following list of questions to the club/company’s PR department:
Is the club/company currently trading at a loss on a monthly basis?
Has this loss recently been calculated to be approximately £714,000 per month?
Does the club/company have sufficient liquidity, without external finance, to continue operating until the season ticket money comes in?
Did senior figures within the club/company seek external finance from the City of London in January of this year?
Is it true that all of the companies contacted by club/company officials in attempts to seek external finance have refused to provide monies to the club/company?
Was one of those companies Bibby Financial Services?
Is it true that one of the issues raised by these companies was the contingent liability in RIFC’s inaugural accounts apropos the potential claim by Sevco 5088 on the club/company’s assets?
Is the club/company still seeking external finance?
Is it true that a redundancy programme for off-field staff was planned?
Is it also true that these job losses were put on ice last month because the company could not afford to pay statutory redundancy pay to the affected staff?
Is the club/company currently up to date with all National Insurance, PAYE & VAT remittances?
Has the possibility of the club/company going into administration been discussed by senior members of the club?
I will publish their answers here when I get them.
johnnybhoy
I agree that the target does not have great importance for me.
It may be of great relevance to Efe and Fraser and fair play, they will deserve plaudits if achieved.
But it pales into insignificance in comparison to SC progress.
I understand those Celtic fans who miss the atmosphere and the competition of the Rangers games.I think any game which is competitive is usualy more enjoyable than watching teams that park the bus when playing us.I would prefer never to play them again due to the bile we hear from there support but we will have to play them sooner or later. H.H.
Imagine!
A clean sheet record to spur us on. What we have all dreamed of.
Always wanted to win the clean sheet treble.
What happened to the days of. You can score as many as you want but we’ll score more.
MWD Oh bhoy. A clean sheet!
MWD
It is about as relevant as our Centre forward winning the SPFL Golden Boot at the expense of our midfielder.
jonnybhoy – agreed. Clean sheet records are a footnote of a footnote when it comes to what matters in football. I couldn’t give a monkeys if we were losing 1-2 goals a game if we were bursting the net with 3-4 at the other end. Celtic, due to its size and wealth relative to the rest, is a club that expects to win trophies on a regular basis. That is not being spoilt, it is a realistic expectation. To have two cup finals being played in our own stadium and not contesting either is a massive blow and the buck stops at NL whose cup record is appalling. A sacking offence, no. A reason for DD and the board to meet with him and figure out what the hell is going wrong, absolutely.
So there ye have it!
When we look back on this season in years to come Celtic honours for 2013/14 will be as follows.
SPFL Premiership
Top balance sheet
Clean sheet record (pending)
I can;t believe the positive spin on that. I would prefer to play the team we will be playing in the CL qualifiers from now to the end of the season because we now have months to prepare properly. Clean sheets? Lets concentrate on getting a striking partnership that works.
Aberdeen exposed something that the bookies have known for week because they have taken a pounding from him. Stop Kris Commons and you may have a chance to beat Celtic.
I can;t believe the article today is on clean sheet records. I have been accused of being a happy clapper before but even I am astounded at that today.
Paul67 it’s your blog and you have every right to post what you like but surely you are even a wee bit annoyed by our ability to shoot ourselves in the foot when we are just about to wrap up trophies. We had one trophy left to play for this season and we blew it. We didn’t seem to want it enough. All the clean sheets from now to the end of the season will not make up for that!
LB
67Heaven..
According to one of Phil’s earlier articles things could be about to get very interesting this week over Ibrokes ways.
Got the jelly and ice cream on standby!
HH
/Bishop B
Sevco accounts are due in 18 days, at the latest….tick tock !!
Wet Dreams
Sould you be talking about clean sheets
len brennan
12:44 on 10 February, 2014
Ah know…….uuuuuuuuuuuuu…..hahahahahahaha
The defense was horribly exposed by the crazy midfield sent out( by hopefully our soon to be ex manager),and weakened by playing a clearly unfit Matthews , does anyone know if Mulgrew was injured.
darwinsbeautifulidea
12:45 on 10 February, 2014
Get back under that rock, bhun
Seriously, we’re talking about clean sheet records after what we witnessed on Saturday?!
Oh deary me.
fin 75 can see who wears the trousers in your house
67 heaven etc etc you twat
Now I now some are hurting because of the result, some because of the disconnect that exists between the Club and the support. Remember, it could be worse, think back and thank your god it’s not 1993.
And………..
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ
And with regards to the disconnect, Mr Bankier, behave yourself, or better still do your job and look after your paying customers.
BMCUWP
Am driving ya tube! Juice in fridge when I finish .hh