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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CRC, 74 mhate.
cowiebhoy
22:40 on 6 January, 2015
Sad news, Rest in Peace…
HH
HT
The drop in convictions is also due to crap prosecutions leading to acquittals after trial
did you really expect sense from an MSP ??
Celtic game on Sky sports 1 as we speak ….!!!!!!!!
Cowiebhoy
Sad news mate.
RIP Ryan and God Bless.
Cowiebhoy
22:40 on
6 January, 2015
Shocking news. Prayers and thoughts offered for the family for losing somebody so young!
HH
CRC
pfayr supports weeoscar
22:40 on 6 January, 2015
MickTT
What about his ability to cross the ball ??
₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩
Great wee worker, great wee finisher crossing of the ball or the ability to get it past the first man needs worked on. Now I recall stating that and he crossed the ball hitting the first man almost immediately.
Thereafter I ate humble pie.
Ayrshire is Green and White
RIP Frank Smith.
COWIEBHOY
Condolences to the Smith family,and all who know them.
It sounds like the trip to Lourdes gave Ryan a fighting spirit and a fighting chance. He should be remembered for using that for thirteen years.
Melbourne Mick and Princess
Thank you so so much for looking after Laura these past few days, particularly the love shown through her grief
What a credit to this CQN family
Thanks again
Oh watch oot for that paddymacoz and his right hook :-)
MickTT
Aye
The second cross went into the stand :-))
pfayr supports weeoscar
22:42 on 6 January, 2015
HT
The drop in convictions is also due to crap prosecutions leading to acquittals after trial
did you really expect sense from an MSP ??
₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩
Or there really are some good solicitor’s out there. Some with Donald Findlay whiskers…!
HH
Apologies, misread the post CowieBhoy.
RIP Ryan Smith.
the glorious balance sheet/Pfayr
I’m looking forward to sitting down and replying when I have some time later in the week.
She’ll also be told that she can run up her humph if she hopes that I’ll be voting for her.
Night ghents
BMCUW
He was only acting the goat!
cowiebhoy
Thoughts and prayers for the Smith family
RIP Ryan
HH
RIP Ryan
….pfayr supports weeoscar
22:31 on 6 January, 2015
He dosent stop supporting Celtic because aberdeen are doing well, it’s not as if he dosent try against us he’s scored and he also dived to get brown sent off at pittodrie.
Cowie
Sad news. With the angels now.
Ryan Smith R.I.P.
Ryan Smith RIP
HH jamesgang
!!bada bing!!
21:43 on 6 January, 2015
Jobo-might have 2 spare for Paolo on Friday night,if any good to you?
——–
Just reading back. Saw this and instantly mrs jamesgang saw the point and value of CQN for the first time ever.
Now they’re gone she’s back to thinking CQN is nothing more than an online cult for Timmy saddos!!!!
;-(((
IfYouAin’tFastCSC
HH jamesgang
The aberdeen fans calling him
Niall McTim lol good crack
Delaneys dunky feel insulted already not a chance of me being one of them
HT
When your msp addressed you as ‘Dear C****’ I hope she wasn’t being uber rude to one of her esteemed constituents!
Night Timdom.
HH jamesgang
cowiebhoy
Just popped in before ma cot.
RIP Ryan Smith. So heartbreaking for the family. Thoughts and prayers with them. Night.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
O.G.Rafferty
21:37 on 6 January, 2015
Wonder how long it will take them to get 500,000 000 signatures:)))
frannyb67
Welcome to the madhouse :))
RIP Ryan Smith
Thoughts & prayers to all his family,
Good night all
Jamesgang
Should it be me that points out you may have one too many *s in there for it to be a truly accurate and grammatically correct insult?! :-)
Martin Odegaard signing for Real Madrid seemingly
Franny
Not for one moment did I suspect you were. I got it. We all get asked that question.
Welcome! :))
Celtic stepping up interest in Stuart Armstrong. Back page of the DR.
Wow Last Man Standing 3 at 75 entrants at mo. A new world record :-)
Thanks to one and all and indeed to Jobo for all his hard work to date
HH
CRC
DD cheers mate HH :)
HT
I was poetic license on my part, having counted and recounted both words on my wee fat fingers several times over.
Great primary teachers taught me well. Cannae beat them, neither you can!
Night
HH jamesgang
Weefra
Enjoy your comfy cot!
GNGB
CRC
Once you get Doc involved it will hit 88 :-)
Hail Hail