Celtic got what they deserved at Rugby Park yesterday. An inspired early goal by Ryan Christie limited the damage to two dropped points but that aside, Kilmarnock coped easily with everything Celtic could muster. After being caught out by Christie, Danny Rogers in the Killie goal did not have a save to make for the rest of the game. Who would have thought?
Post-match, Neil Lennon referred to Christopher Jullien’s slow start to last season. After a poor performance at Fir Park he was dropped for the infamous defeat to Cluj at Celtic Park. Chris got better then and he will do so again, but he lost Nicke Kabamba in dangerous positions three times in the first half.
He does not have problems with big stirkers, as was alleged on TV commentary; the significance of that goal by Lyndon Dykes at Livingston could not be more overstated. But he is a big lad who clearly needs a better preseason.
Crossing was poor, control cumbersome and the physical battle was often too much. The lack of physicality is a concern; we are small and light in several areas. One of the hottest strikers in Europe spent much of the game a spectator, despite our most valued creatives playing. It really was a team dropping points together.
The manager changed the shape of the team on 65 minutes but to no effect. Olivier Ntcham had the last 10 minutes but by then Killie were settled and Celtic, increasingly desperate. You know me and Olivier, I would have introduced him earlier. Or, had him on from the start.
Neil has dropped points at Rugby Park before and he knows how to build a response. No one was “thrown under the bus”, as he said later. Until then, we have to live like others, not at the top of the table, for a change.
We are going to face a lot of packed defences this season and play on a few plastic pitches. There can be no complaints, let’s just get better at overcoming both.
Given a choice of winning yesterday, or facing two away draws in Champions League qualification, I would take the draw with Killie and home times against Reykjavik, then either Ferencvaros or Djurdargens, the prospect we face after different types of draws yesterday and today.
Home ties until we are well into our season is a huge bonus. There is still work to do, but the prospect of a Lincoln Red Imps rerun is receding. Wish we could attend these games.
Sweden is Europe’s Covid herd immunity test case and the test has not gone well. It remains to be seen what travel restrictions visitors from Sweden are in place when the second round takes place on 15 and 26 August.
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Ralph Malph etims
I’m led to believe the club did not specify what the protocol was..in writing. Another #### up by the world class management.
Of course etims info comes from a pish stained source 😜
Paul 67 will have the real scoop 😎
Everything seems a bit sketchy at the moment although not looking for excuses.
When did this 4 day break happen? Who broke it to the public?
Only way I can think how it happened is
Finished training around lunchtime (Monday) with 2 days off report back Thursday morning. Straight to airport and fly to Spain,why? Who the feqq knows.
Leaves Celtic in a helluva position, closing door on fans back at stadium and bigger stick for government sticking boot into football.
Fans stuck indoors for weeks and “proffesional” players can’t follow rules for 10 minutes. Aye brains in their feet. What next?
I really cant think of another occasion when I’ve felt so let down by a Celtic player.
Nothing else I can recall even comes close.
I know giving him his jotters will cost us money but some things go way above that.
He simply has to go.
Any good ’employer’ would have written down the protocols and had the players and staff sign up to them.
If they got 2 days off and Boli took 4 days off how come that wasn’t an immediate disciplinary issue? How did it get to the point when this passed by, he is in the match day squad and then playing..
And then let’s on he’s been to Spain???
Baws kicked all round…
LAZYDYNAMITE on 11TH AUGUST 2020 9:46 AM
………..
it doesnt really matter at this moment in time IF Boli is still”worth” £1 or £2 Million….HIS Selfish actions could well cost Celtic FC a whole lot more….not forgetting the chance to get 10 in a row etc.
I always try to remain quiet about things until I am aware of the full facts, but Boli has ADMITTED to going away.
i am trying very hard to tell myself that NONE of the other [players and/or staff KNEW about his trip ?
If ANYONE DID know before the Killie game and said nothing, then you have to ask why ANY Player would put himself and the Club…and Kilmarnock FC at risk.
IF….and I say IF…anyone at Celtic Park knew about Boli’s trip abroad and said nothing…then the whole morale and trust of anyone at Celtic Park will be teasted ?
IF another player knew about Boli and said nothing…how are the rest of his Celtic team mates going to feel about that…not forgetting our Manager and PL etc ?
HH
Timaloy29
Don’t disagree but they only started training in July and have had 1 competitive game.
I’ve been up for 3 hours probably need a lie down by now.
Sport science guys, would have a big say in when it’s the best time to give players days off,after looking at upcoming schedule.
Wonder which team will take a chance on him now… Maybe …i dont know… A Spanish team 😜
The season has just started and giving players the day of . I’m sorry but that should not be happening. Very weak management.
Easy to jump in when not fully aware of the facts by to be honest if it was another club eg Sevco I would expect them to be forfeiting points and also putting out a non affected team tomorrow night.
This appears to be a shambles which our football division has allowed to happen. Ultimately PL can be angry all he wants, he should have made all protocol and compliance really clear.
Celtic SLO tweets the players got Monday and Tuesday off. That’s fine but wtf happened between Wed-Friday where you can see Boli in the training pictures???
TESTED…NOT Teasted !
The Huns and everyone else will be having a Field Day about this.
Boli can say sorry a Million times…it doesnt matter…HE put his Team Mates and possibly their families at risk especially if none knew about his trip abroad etc ?
He is a feckin disgrace…and none of his team mates would want to be neext to him in the dressing room and/or pitch.
He has to walk alone….unless ( God Forbid) anyone else knew about his trip and said nothing ?
HH
Good morning all.
Bemusement last night has given way, to some degree, to amusement at the response.
“STOP THE SEASON” (copyright all MSM).
Yes my friends – this is the shape of things to come so get ready for the rollercoaster ride this season.
Sevco break protocol – silence
Morelos slinks off to Colombia – silence
Don’s players’ pub visit – outrage
Celt breaks protocol – CATACLYSM !!
Has he erred? Yes
Will he be punished? Yes
Does this make Celtic look bad? Absolutely
Thankfully he is Covid-19 free.
PS – when established internet hacks (even Celtic supporting ones) start using the same sleekit tactics as MSM – they are no better than MSM.
“My information” is Ralph Malph on etims knows nothing about what goes on at Celtic Park.
See? It’s easy.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
@TIMALOY29
Agreed that we shouldn’t train 365.
However, the players had 3 months off because of the pandemic; a short preseason and had only played one competitive game when NL gave them 2 days off.
You also have to remember that NL barely used the subs in the first game, so I’m sure a lot of the players could do with the training.
Also, maybe those 2 days could have been used for tactics given our anemic and confused display at the weekend.
BURNLEY78 on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:22 AM
………..
I disagree to a certain extent as Boli should NOT need PL or anyone else to tell him NOT to go abroad….he has NO Excuses !
Maybe like some others he should spend less time at the feckin hairdressers, Tattoo shops and do away with his feckin Ear Phones and listen and watch what is going on in the World at this horrible time…He is a utter Fanny and Chump !
HH
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:27 AM
……………
How do you know that Boli is free from the Virus ?….as Boli and no one else knows as he may have tested NEGATIVE …For now…but he may not be showing symtoms…for now….he needs to wait another 8 days or so to find out !
he is a selfish wee Cnut !
HH
“Sometimes we don’t realise our own house is made of glass.”
Is it only four days since I wrote this in response to Paul’s leader excoriating Dave Cormack of Aberdeen?
Just as it was highly probable that players from Aberdeen weren’t the only ones bending/breaking public health rules, so it’s highly probable there will be other stories after Boli’s episode of obtuse stupidity.
There’s a screaming conclusion to all of this – football will be unable to complete its scheduled season.
Whether because of matches being repeatedly postponed due to players at any given club testing positive – as at Aberdeen; or because of increased community transmission necessitating football, like other aspects of life, being restricted once again on public health grounds; or because football itself demonstrates – through repeated incidents such as these two in the past week – that it cannot operate in the mandated ‘social bubble’, it seems increasingly unwise to have scheduled a ‘normal’ football season (domestic and international) in the exceptional circumstances we are all confronting.
There is no space left in the calendar to adapt to the obvious risk of disruptions. From governing bodies to club executives to players, Football is conspiring to shoot itself in the foot.
The common theme across the board is selfish stupidity. And we pay these people handsomely for their idiocy.
ROLLING_STONE on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:28 AM
Agreed that we shouldn’t train 365.
However, the players had 3 months off because of the pandemic; a short preseason and had only played one competitive game when NL gave them 2 days off.
You also have to remember that NL barely used the subs in the first game, so I’m sure a lot of the players could do with the training.
Also, maybe those 2 days could have been used for tactics given our anemic and confused display at the weekend.
_____________
Spin it any way you like.
Maybe extra days playing would have lead to a tired performance and defeat at Rugby Park. Maybe it would have lead to an injury for a key player. I trust Neil Lennon and the fitness coaches.
These decisions are done with the whole season in mind. Celtic will be playing midweek all season with no winter break. It’s good to give the players an extra days rest when you can.
No way Boli gets binned for this. The club aren’t getting rid of an asset they paid £3m for only 12 months ago.
Plus, despite this complete mess, NL still brought him on at the weekend…desperate times call for desperate measures…
By the way, FC Copenhagen should be commended for their performance last night. They should feel robbed.
Now with the benefit of hindsight, losing to them was not as shameful as it seemed to be. They are a very well-coached team with an excellent goalie. He kept them in the Celtic tie and he kept them in the game last night.
What’s the situation with refunds on the season books if (a) all games are behind closed doors or (b) the season is stopped early?
Ernie
a) No impact provided the virtual ticket remains in operation
b) Refunds would be due as per last season
BACK TO BASICS- the huns playing a bounce game, without any test results, has been conveniently forgotten.
£4,500 I have just paid to support this club and help pay it’s players.
My hard earned cash .
That could have been spent on many other things.
I am not special ,I am just one of 50k plus ,who did likewise.
These players don’t give a feck.
The board don’t give a feck .
We are just taken for granted .
What a hard fecking life Lenny and his players have .
WHY do they need a 4 day break so soon into the season ?
It’s a fecking disgrace .
I’m utterly fecked off .
This starts from the manager .
He needs to take a right good look at the standards .
None of this is what I expect from highly paid professional athletes and our management team.
Fecking shameless.
TT
I think the Club, changed refund rules this season……
Bada – really? It would have been kind of them to draw attention to that.
[scurries away to pore over the 2020/21 terms and conditions…]
ROLLING_STONE on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:36 AM
No way Boli gets binned for this. The club aren’t getting rid of an asset they paid £3m for only 12 months ago.
======================
When an asset becomes a liability big decisions need to be taken,
HH
Burnley78
Absolutely.
The blame lies with the leaders ,not the followers .
TT
Should have said any break ,not 4 day break.
I and my staff have worked 12 hr days ,everyday since lockdown ended.
TT
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:42 AM
Makes sense.
My hunch is that Peter Lawwell will be concerned that if the season is called off now directly because of this (which I think is unlikely) or a bit further down the line as a result of further breaches by players from whatever club a lot of fans will be taking the refund.
There’s clearly something not right with discipline and morale and something drastic is needed to sort it out. My guess would be sacking Boli might be the first step.
On June 10 we started 2 gruelling months of pre-season training after lockdown, the France trip and preparing for new season. With another free midweek unlikely to happen this year the club quite rightly gave the players 2 days off to rest up with their families before training on Wednesday.
We don’t use security guards and CCTV so expect our players to heed the protocols and warnings and act professionally.
Upon return to training the players would be tested with our own machine and quickly results show that the squad was negative(twice) for the virus including Bolingoli.
Perhaps the Manager / Captain Zoom conference called yesterday after the Aberdeen situation may have prompted the player to come forward and admit to the 2 day ‘secret’ trip to Spain.
And here we are facing the opprobrium of the rest of Scottish football and it all depends on how the club takes this forward to mitigate this sorry situation. Our rigorous testing regime may be our saving grace here.
Hopefully a club statement sooner than later to state the facts of the situation to prevent further speculation and head the rabid MSM off at the pass ?
SIEMPRE CELTIC (FORMERLY TRADITIONALIST88) on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:46 AM
ROLLING_STONE on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:36 AM
No way Boli gets binned for this. The club aren’t getting rid of an asset they paid £3m for only 12 months ago.
======================
When an asset becomes a liability big decisions need to be taken,
###
Fallacy of sunk costs?
Boli thrown to the wolves and rightly so. Haven’t seen the same energy for Griffiths. Why does he get a pass time and time again? Is it casual racism, or are folk so blinded by hate that his scarf trying Rangers hating antics cloud judgement. Get shot of both.
@ SIEMPRE CELTIC (FORMERLY TRADITIONALIST88) on 11TH AUGUST 2020 10:46 AM
Agree with your sentiment. But what was the decision?
It was to play him at the weekend when the club were aware of the breach but the public weren’t. Again, desperate times etc
I reckon Paul67 is on version 14 of his article today by now :)
Tiny T you are truly Blessed to be able to afford to.
Odsonne is going straight to a Ohmega team.
Incredible Celtic.
Moussa will be Bach…. Jam&Spoon.
From this season’s Ts&Cs
“If the Club is unable to provide the Season Ticket Services in full, the Holder will be compensated by the Club for any such reduction in services. Refunds in any other circumstances are at the discretion of the Club.”
Don’t have last season’s to hand, but the wording looks pretty familiar, and the principle the same.
a-an.
Sorry.
Soup dragons – I am free.
Now about dragons….
Satan has many guises.