Different tone from Celtic, Ashley’s men

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It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what was different from last night’s performance to our previous outing against Ross County, and so many this season.  Kris Commons was on from the start, but our tone of play was different, even as Kris limped on the side-lines during the opening minutes.

How that tone was set is worth examining.  Celtic were denied an opportunity to train on Kilmarnock’s new artificial pitch, in a move demonstrating the hosts legendary welcome and sportsmanship, but when Ronny Deila spoke pre-match he made his position clear, “The pitch is great”.

One of my pet hates is hearing a player or manager establish a reason for failure before kick-off.  Record your complaints about the pitch, or even being denied the chance to become accustomed to it, and you’re subliminally setting yourself up for a fall.  It didn’t matter if a pitch is great or not, the manager and players have minutes to convince themselves it’s good enough for them to put on a show.  Nothing got in the way of Celtic’s can-do attitude yesterday.

Kris was phenomenal.  He got a hat-trick at Rugby Park last season and deserved no less this time, only the crossbar, twice, and some fine goalkeeping denied him.  In a team short of goals, his focus on the target is unceasing.  There were important Champions League games when he didn’t make the team under Neil Lennon, and there will be occasions when the game doesn’t suit him, but he’s the required fulcrum against a packed SPFL defence.

We’ve touched on this theme a couple of times but it doesn’t seem to be getting traction.  For two years shareholders now newco Rangers have been advised to step aside, or as now, sell control for £18m, in the best interests of the club.  No deal will be done until the best interests of the controlling shareholders are considered, any approach which doesn’t recognise this is no more than a distraction.

Newco have four directors, two non-execs, who do not work in the business on a daily basis, and two executives, who do.  The latter, chief executive Derek Llambias, and yesterday’s appointment of Barry Leach as financial director, both came from the Sports Direct stable.  They are the men working on fixing the funding gap.  It is inconceivable they will overlook the interests of investors.

On 27th of this month newco will face an SFA disciplinary hearing over an alleged breach of a written agreement not to allow Ashley influence at the club, in place before they appointed two former Sports Direct staff to the board.  I would be very surprised if the Sports Direct owner didn’t have the club’s short-term funding and his long-term security secured prior to that date.

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760 Comments

  1. pedrocaravanachio67 on

    HT

     

     

    You at the game last night? Did that fat wee lazy bassa Commons, look as bad in the flesh? :-)

     

     

    FirstnameontheteamsheetCSC

  2. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    HT

     

     

    Watch this bigging up Commons craic ..you’ll have you and I labelled Huns again :-))

  3. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    ***Last Man Standing 3 update***

     

     

    Congrats to Sponsored by Cheetah for being no 67 :-)

     

     

    We are now up to 73 entrants, with still time to register as the comp starts Saturday, but don’t leave it too late

     

     

    Thank you for your support and you are keeping Jobo very busy! :-)

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  4. Re: celtic strips of old, was to going buy the original white one with red badge,60 quid, made by a company called toffs.

     

    Then i noticed inside the collar has the makers name and fecking union jacks alternately all the way round!!!!, gutted a was.

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    zbyszek

     

     

    20:36 on 6 January, 2015

     

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS

     

     

    “call them Legislation Warsaw. But very apt!”

     

    I just read first post that was yours. You use illegible words and you think you are funny :-)

     

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    ZBYSZEK

     

     

    My sincere apologies if that upset you. It was in reply to JIMMYNOTPAUL,who clearly hit a problem with the dreaded spellchecker.

     

     

    If you go to the very end of the previous article,you will see the original posts there. i hope that you will then view my comment in the context intended.

  6. pedrocaravanachio67

     

     

    Yep I was there. He was really good last night and was unlucky not to score 3 or 4.

     

     

    What really impressed me was his movement, not 20 or 30 yard runs, but shuffling a few yards either way to find a pocket of space where he could receive the ball. It was a delight to watch

     

     

    FatBassaNo1

  7. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    DeniaBhoy

     

     

    22:20 on

     

     

    6 January, 2015

     

     

    Worth nothing when they are liquidated :-)

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  8. ….pfayr supports weeoscar

     

     

    21:49 on 6 January, 2015

     

     

    He’s one of us, dosen’t get the chance to go that often so why not HH

     

    Remember him Jonny Hayes and another aberdeen player at arbroath away a couple of years ago, not a peep said then hh

  9. Bruce Springsteen tribute on Sky arts 1 …missed the fekn start,caught Ghost of Tom Joad

     

    a must see.

     

    Back on at 3am record it.

  10. DD

     

     

    I’ll do my best mate, keep in touch.

     

     

    PFayr

     

     

    Ohhh we’ve been called worse my friend :-)

  11. the glorious balance sheet on

    BadaBing 2226-

     

     

    That story has been overtaken by other events. Sandy Easdale has just lodged 500 Zimbabwean Dollars with Neil Doncaster who has declared himself satisfied that the necessary funds are in place. Doncaster has accordingly given the Zombies the green light to complete their fixtures.

  12. !!bada bing!!

     

     

    22:26 on 6 January, 2015

     

     

    Can imagine that conversation …….

     

     

    SPFL –hi zombies have you got enough money till get you to the end of season ??

     

    Zombies– aye

     

    SPFL– ok cheers

     

     

    Well something like that hh

  13. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Hun skelper

     

     

    Why not ??

     

     

    You serious ….

     

     

    His team are top of the league and we are their only credible rivals……yet he’s in the CFC end

     

     

    Madness

  14. BT

     

     

    Good to see your rehab is well under way. Take it easy kiddo. :-))

     

     

    Night Night Timland.

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  15. pedrocaravanachio67 on

    HT

     

     

    Had him on in a wincast and also took Celtic @ -2, the wee bugger cost me a fortune……

     

    Did I care?

     

    Not a jott….

     

    Thought he was exceptional, Hugh Keevens ( aye him !! ) described him as the cleverest player in Scottish football ( before the game ), well he’s got to get something right!!

     

     

    Aff oot tae ma cot

     

     

    Night night & HH

  16. Copy of the reply I’ve received from my MSP re the Gallowgate Kettling and the OB Act.

     

     

     

    Dear C

     

     

    Offensive behaviour at football matches.

     

     

    Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with me and for your response to my assistant, Josh Wilson.

     

     

    My personal view– after reviewing official statistics – is that the act is having a positive effect on the level of offensive behaviour at football matches. As has been previously stated, there has been a 24% reduction in convictions from 2012-13 to 2013-14 – falling from 267 convictions to 203.

     

     

    I am also in favour of the Government’s commitment to review the progress and impact of the legislation – which is due to come to parliament before August of 2015 – and I look forward to viewing its evaluation and recommendations.

     

    On the specific issue of the report you reference, the application of the law is a matter for the Police, the Crown and ultimately the Courts, in light of the facts and circumstances of each individual case. However, I would encourage Fans Against Criminalisation to seek a direct response on this issue – should they wish – from the Scottish Government.

     

     

    Finally, if you were directly affected by the perceived mistreatment by the Police referenced in the report, I would encourage you to submit a Police Complaint form which can be found by following the below link.

     

     

    http://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/police-scotland/complaints-about-the-police/

     

     

    I hope this response satisfies you, however, if you have any further comment, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

     

     

    Yours Sincerely,

     

     

     

    Yours Sincerely,

     

     

    Christina McKelvie MSP

     

    For Hamilton, Larkhall

     

    And Stonehouse

     

     

    ——-

     

     

    Needless to say there will be a reply in the offing.

  17. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    BMCUWP

     

     

    They were obviously trying allow the goat to retain some dignity

  18. Evening, hard night last night, rough this morning, good victory last night played well enough ref was again suspect with his lack of bookings for Killi.

     

    Good company once again

     

     

    Ayrshire is Green and White

  19. stpatricksbhoy on

    GerryBhoy

     

    20:56 on

     

    6 January, 2015

     

    stpatricksbhoy

     

     

    19:46 on 6 January, 2015

     

     

    GerryBhoy

     

    19:19 on

     

    6 January, 2015 Did you ever work for a keyboard company.

     

     

    Eh……completely at a loss on that one. Would you like to extrapolate?

     

    Not at all sure about what you are saying ;)))

     

    Gerry

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Does NMB ring a bell.

     

    Hail Hail

  20. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    HT

     

     

    Positive effect???

     

     

    Maybe they’ve stopped prosecuting so much pish !!!

  21. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PF AYR

     

     

    Indeed. The DR is to be congratulated on their sensitivity. And sense of humour!

  22. Thought wee Izzy took his goal brilliantly last night, always said he was a great wee player…!

     

     

    Ayrshire is Green and White

  23. Bhoys and Ghirls, I hinted to an issue last night, with HCPT Group 77, which my daughter Laura is part of, I actually got this message when the football was on, and asked not to post until all family had been informed

     

    Can I now ask for your Prayers for the following,

     

     

    Hey guys! Just to let you know, unfortunately some more bad news for group 77 today, Frank Smith (older guy that uz have met, I call him my Lourdes Daddy) his son Ryan who was our group 77’s Lourdes miracle when he was 5 (he’s now 18) passed away today, he was taken into hospital just before Christmas but had been improving well! So tragic, can you please keep Frank and his wife Sandra in your prayers along with Ryan and the rest of their family! Dad, please don’t put on CQN as of yet as the family all don’t know as of yet! That’s just all of my group now aware as I was last to know xxxxx

     

     

    Rest in Peace Ryan Smith, and May Perpetual Light Shine Upon you

     

     

    Thanks in Advance

  24. Pfayr

     

     

    It’s a nonsense, the thing has been getting reviewed constantly and is clearly not fit for purpose.

  25. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    MICKBHOY1888

     

     

    Obviously concerned about vigilantes from the AGPL…

  26. the glorious balance sheet on

    HamiltonTim 2235-

     

     

    The stupidity of some MSPs never fails to amaze me.

     

     

    How can the MSP simultaneously claim to be all in favour of the act and also in favour of its being reviewed? Surely if they are so sure the act is a good thing then they would want it to stay in place in any circumstance and would see no need for a review.

     

     

    Unless of course the review is a predetermined whitewash and that, of course, would never be the case…….