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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I’m a wee bit confused as to – what is expected to be achieved by putting a ‘letter’ into The Herald?
Ah mean, the SMSM are all the same – right?
Who reads the Herald?
The Herald or, to be more specific, the sports section of the Herald gets a kicking almost on a daily basis on here – right?
Why not, give the ‘letter’ to the Clyde Superscoreboard editor(JD) and ask him to get Hugh Keevins to narrate the contents of the ‘letter’ over the airwaves and, cutie(JD) will replay extracts from the narrated version of the ‘letter’ at crucial junctures just to get it right roon awe the listening huns, for a long tome to come?
The ‘letter’ in the Herald will be over in one day – no?
I know that its all about opinions so, here’s mine…
Hugh Keevins
Jim Delahunt
Gerry McCulloch
Jim Spence
Murdo
Willie Miller
…are ok, as for the rest…well…you know.
Ah mean, it’s not as if nobody on here listens to SSB, eh.
Better still…..
…why don’t the clerical team who put the ‘letter’ together, make some slight adjustments to it and send it to the Celtic Park hierarchy and inform them that they’ve got until SB-renewal time to, represent the contents of the ‘letter’ by backing it – fully in public and, that they should be aware that, due to the ever rising levels of disillusionment amongst the support over the whole Rangers fiasco that, once again…fans are being asked to invest in a corrupt racket passed off as sport. So, the smart move would be to – publicly – put the hierarchy onto the same page as the fans by whole-heartedly endorsing, in it’s enirety the contents of the ‘letter’ at a media conference.
Just some thoughts……
P.S. If the Celtic hierarchy try to swerve their way roon the above well, don’t say that yeez havent been telt!
Bed Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Oh, Richard Gordon is ok as well…
Bed Zzzzzzzzzzz
melbourne mick,
Can you let me know if there is any way that we can contribute to the BG fundraiser in Mornington?
AR
Good morning friends from an extremely wet, blustery yucky East Kilbride.
Morning Jobo and CQN
A bit late but happy new year to ye all!
V
Neilbhoy, Delaney’s Dunky and Doc –
emails sent to you re LMS3
Work calling….
Why are people on here still linking to smsm rags. Bad enough reading them never mind advertising them on here.
Devils money right enough
Antipodean red
I think Melbourne Mick may be out of contact for a couple of days, I will drop my daughter a note to pass on
Hail Hail
hun skelper
01:10 on
7 January, 2015
frannyb67
00:37 on 7 January, 2015
That is also true at every other club in Scotland, but we still have the best youth team HH
—————————————————————-
That may well be true (and I have my doubts having watched them play and get well beat by Motherwell U20s recently). This bigger issue is whether we have the coaching personnel and strategy to convert promising young players into ones who are ready to step up to the first team and stay there. Clearly we haven’t at the moment though the appointment of Willie McStay may change things for the better.
If I was advising a young player, I tell them to stay well clear of Celtic’s youth system which has become something of an elephant’s graveyard for what was once regarded as the creme de la creme of youth football in Scotland.
m6bhoy
07:45 on
7 January, 2015
If I was advising a young player, I tell them to stay well clear of Celtic’s youth system which has become something of an elephant’s graveyard for what was once regarded as the creme de la creme of youth football in Scotland.
Absolute footballing pash, ignorant ill informed junk
football-manchester-city-striker-guidetti-nears-permanent-celtic-move :
The Swede has been on loan with the Scottish champions, for whom he has scored 11 goals so far this season, and could join them for good in a €3.8 million (£3m) deal.
For Goal.com
Manchester City striker John Guidetti is closing in on a permanent €3.8 million (£3m) move to Celtic, Goal understands.
The Swedish forward has been on loan with the Scottish champions since the start of the season and Hoops boss Ronny Deila has previously indicated his desire to take him on permanently.
Personal terms have yet to be agreed but City are willing to let him go, needing to sell before they can buy in January.
Good morning CQNers,
KevJungle – No Jungle = rebels replaced by sheep, so sad @ 05:57
Each time I read your daily diatribes I think to myself that mhan needs to take a breath, this mornings just added to that thought.
All I can say to you is this morning it is reported that Mitchell McLaughlan of Sinn Fein will be named the Stormont Speaker, who’d have believed that would happen 48 years ago when the Civil Rights movement took to the streets of NI to protest about gerrymandering amongst other things?
Winning Captains, and others, have made a measured stand and I applaud them for their initiative.
Cowiebhoy
08:04 on
7 January, 2015
Good morning mate from reading back seems daughter having a great time with help from the CQN family
If we pay 3mill for Guidetti its madness, we are not competing with any clubs at that price
lionroars67
07:54 on
7 January, 2015
m6bhoy
07:45 on
7 January, 2015
If I was advising a young player, I tell them to stay well clear of Celtic’s youth system which has become something of an elephant’s graveyard for what was once regarded as the creme de la creme of youth football in Scotland.
Absolute footballing pash, ignorant ill informed junk
—————————————————————-
Ok then name me one player since Aiden McGeady who has succesfully transitioned from promising youngster to established first teamer.
lionroars67
Hope your well Bhud
Agree, think fee of around £1m was agreed with the loan signing ? Don’t know where the £3m comes from :-)
Hail Hail
Are the games in Gran Canary being shown on any tv channel?
m6bhoy
Mcmanus our former captain?
m6bhoy
08:09 on
7 January, 2015
James Forrest who is also a Scottish internationalist
All these geniuses currently playing at Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Motherwell, et al, how many start in WGS Scotlands team ?
Name me one truly world class player produced in Scotland in the last 20 years by a club out with Celtic in Scotland
How many players playing in British football have came through the ranks of Celtic youth system ?
How many Scottish clubs give their young players full time coaching and training, in addition they will play in tournaments and friendlies against top class teams from England and Europe
Hello again all you young rebels.
Just back in from dropping off young Laura in the city, she is now
off to teach the Celtic ethos to another part of the world.
Cowiebhoy.
What a girl! thank you for allowing her to come into our lives, her
infectious enthusiasm carried us along with her and we are going
to miss her big time.
She is a real credit to you and your family and she knows she is
welcome back anytime and that includes you and whoever you
want to bring over.
Also, thank you for that lovely bottle of malt which is winking at me
as i speak and the very generous donation to our fundraiser for
Bobby Geddes, what can i say, we as a support have no equal.
O.K. Another wee reminder to all the Oz Celts on or near Victoria,
our clubs fundraiser for the above mentioned Bobby Geddes is this
Sunday Jan 11 in Mornington on the peninsula.
Bobby has been struck down with Motor Neureon Disease at an early
age he has a wife and young family of three ..9…4.. 2. he is one of our
own and as usual the Celtic community have sprung into action for a
family in trouble, our club members have sold a few hundred tickets for
the event, and we have an irish band, raffles, auctions of goods donated
by local shops and ex Celt Jamie smith’s Seville strip so Mornington will
be a sea of green and white on the day maybe not Seville more Ozville
( no bad eh ) so c’mon you boys in green get down there and support our
family in need and you’ll have a great day.
antipodean red
Are you anywhere near Mornington?
H.H Mick
M6Bhoy, Scottish football is absolutely full of players who have been developed by Celtic.
They may not, quite, have made the grade at Celtic, but they are making a good living playing professional football.
Why would we play £3m for a player who we have contracted to us until the summer and who can sign a pre-contract now??
Hi Ho.
Oh, CowieBhoy, Laura sent me some pictures to put on here, will do it tonight.
Cowiebhoy
08:12 on
7 January, 2015
lionroars67
Hope your well Bhud
I am mate thanks, certainly more well than some of the recent contributors to this fine site lately, so much footballing drivel
Playing 5s tonight, like kris commons…………………
Morning Timland from a freezing hun free mountain valley
When is our 1st game during this break from the sphell ?
HH
Cowiebhoy
Sad news for Laura and her lt club on top of the death of Stephanie now. Ryan
Eternal light shine apron him
Good Morning.
I was down at the Parklea Football Complex in Port Glasgow yesterday and was watching Greenock Morton being put through their paces by Jim Duffy and his backroom staff.
Have you ever watched a team of people engaged in any profession, trade, sport or other exercise of any kind and been struck by the fact that what you are watching is honest to God genuine endeavour and hard work that can only be admired and respected?
Morton are not a rich football club and none of the guys I watched train – or take the training – are Millionaires or live the lavish lifestyle of the top class footballer.
Yet they trained, practised and went through their paces yesterday with a deadly seriousness mixed with the expected training ground good humour and enjoyment.
Football is a bloody brilliant game at many levels, but as a community project, a social equaliser, and as a grassroots sport at a level below the very top where professional pride and integrity of effort is still cherished it is to be admired greatly.
I wake this morning and find myself angry.
Angry at those who would gerrymander the sport and who would, by design or accident, seek to diminish the potential of clubs like Morton by manipulating the rules, and overseeing a biased playing field in terms of the application of the football rules.
Best of luck to Jim Duffy and his team.
Jim gave me one of my favourite stories of being a Celtic fan from many years ago when he talked about kicking about with Charlie Nicholas as a youth. If I recall correctly, he and Charlie knocked about together and were on the periphery of a group of Celtic fans who were affectionately known as The Cowcaddens Shamrock.
However, Jim, Charlie and others were a bit too young to be considered full blown members of this august group of supporters and so they had their own we group which was known as ………………. The Babysham!
lionroars67 08:19 on 7 January, 2015
If James Forrest is the best you can come up with then you really are struggling. He’s been in the first team squad since Lennon’s first full season. Would you say he has improved from the young fresh talent who showed immense potential when he replaced Paddy McCourt at Inverness and ripped the ICT defenders apart firing shots in from all angles? Yes he was an exciting prospect at the time but has he really kicked on? In my opinion he is petulant under-achiever who is not a team player (watch Dundee Utd’s second goal for proof of this). As for being a Scottish international, don’t forget Lewis McLeod was recently called up to the international squad so what does that prove?
If all our youth players go on to play for other clubs because they don’t make the grade at CP then I would regard that as failure wouldn’t you?
We may give our young players more opportunities to play other young players at high profile tournaments but it’s just not working. What they need is more game time playing alongside seasoned pros in lower leagues where they can learn the nuances of the professional game and make the transition from youth football to the real stuff.
m6bhoy
08:09 on
7 January, 2015
How many other top teams are littered with players that have come through the youth system? It’s really not that common for a player to come through the youth to the first team anywhere.
As others have said there are loads of former Celtic Youths playing professional football elsewhere. If you want a career in football it would suggest that Celtic is a good place to start.
08:42 on
7 January, 2015
m6bhoy
08:09 on
7 January, 2015
How many other top teams are littered with players that have come through the youth system? It’s really not that common for a player to come through the youth to the first team anywhere.
As others have said there are loads of former Celtic Youths playing professional football elsewhere. If you want a career in football it would suggest that Celtic is a good place to start.
—————————————————————-
Can someone please remind what the point of our youth system is?
Accies are a prime example of a great youth set up
Give the boys a chance and watch them shine McCarty and MacArthur are proof positive
These bhoys have left Accies and gone on to command increased transfer fees benefiting their former club as well as themselves
The new left back at Accies may do this and enhance their bank account
We have players who think they have made the grade because they are at Celtic
It’s harder for players at celtic to break through due to the buying power(snigger ye not) celtic have
Young bhoys like Henderson and mcgregor deserve praise for making the breakthrough by sticking in and keeping the head down and not full of look at me I’m a Celtic player when 17/18 etc
Weeminger.
I agree Celtic is a good place to start.
It’s the domino effect. If Celtic let you go then there is a good chance another SPFL club will pick you up, the further down the chain you are the less likely this becomes. Also look at hours spent training. Not many, if any, match the hours the Celtic bhoys put in.
M6bhoy.
Can’t agree with your Lewis McLeod analogy.
As I’ve previously posted, WGS has said he will call up a young player at every Scotland team selection to give them a view of what happens. The first player was Ryan gauld then Lewis McLeod. WGS made it clear that it was highly improbable that any playing time would be given. As usual when it came to Lewis Messi McLeod the media pretended it was something it was not. I.E. A proper call up to the Scotland squad with a chance of selection to the starting 11.
McGregor, Henderson, Fisher, Forrest prove that we are producing players who can perform at SPFL level.
That is a pretty good return IMHO.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
08:57 on
7 January, 2015
Accies are a prime example of a great youth set up
Give the boys a chance and watch them shine McCarty and MacArthur are proof positive
These bhoys have left Accies and gone on to command increased transfer fees benefiting their former club as well as themselves
The new left back at Accies may do this and enhance their bank account
We have players who think they have made the grade because they are at Celtic
It’s harder for players at celtic to break through due to the buying power(snigger ye not) celtic have
Young bhoys like Henderson and mcgregor deserve praise for making the breakthrough by sticking in and keeping the head down and not full of look at me I’m a Celtic player when 17/18 etc
—————————————————————-
All of which points to our youth coaches not being up to the mark and the system is not working. We spend far more on our youth system than all other clubs in Scotland yet our hit rate is piss poor. We really do have to get a lot more out of our your system. It’s no good young players and coming through the system only to find that they cannot make the step up and they end up playing for other clubs (if they are lucky). As a result of this failure we end up buying in players such Bangura, Balde and Pukki all which end up costing the club in the long run.
m6bhoy
08:39 on
James Forrest has been held back by injury, not the club, if Forrest had been injury free for the last four seasons he would almost certainly be playing in the EPL, having been the subject of a transfer fee close to that of Aiden Mcgeady
CQN TBB has set out the statistical analysis many times on here highlighting the difficulty in making it through the youth system at a top club like Celtic, currently we have international players from Sweden, Holland, Scotland, Honduras, Israel, Ireland, Wales, Nigeria, Bulgaria……………….. if these international players play at the top of their game, how good does the young player have to be to dislodge them ?
The fact that so many players from Celtic’s youth system are to be found in clubs up and down Britain is a success, Celtic are vital to helping increase the standard within Scottish football by consistently producing quality players, we all want another Paul Mcstay, so many reasons Scotland have not produced a world class player in the last 20 years, diet, unhealthy living and lack of athleticism being the top reasons, hence Celtic having the St Ninians project allied to the facilities at Lennoxtown with sports science available and so on
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/more-scottish-football/scottish-football-in-crisis-celtic-lead-way-in-pioneering-project-to-educate-tomorrow-s-footballers-1.932973
Over 20 years ago i was a coach involved with an all conquering domestic Celtic u16 side we played at Easter in a top class French youth football tournament, we played the French champions PSG, they had three forwards from the Ivory coast, they destroyed us on the night, like the rest of Scotland Celtic had the S form system, Celtic coached them one night a week, in contrast the French had their players on full time training from the age of 14, the gulf in technique/fitness was huge it has taken more years than i would have wished for but now Celtic are copying that successful French model
Lewis McLeod was only in the squad to carry the hamper, James Forrest is actually when fit in the team, WGS knows the difference says it all you dont
Alfie Noakes
23:33 on 6 January, 2015
You are Neganon,have I won a prize???
M6bhoy most definitely has a point. Although it has to be said, the reaction to Ronny trying to apply a professional ethos at Lennoxtown, as one example, has met with much derision from swathes of the support when it manifests itself in short term pain. This win at all costs mentality had not previously been condusive to a nurturing environment for young players coming through. As such, Celtic supporters must bare some responsibility for the failure of the youth set-up.
Hopefully Ronny’s arrival and some patience from the Celtic support will help change this.
cowiebhoy
08:12 on 7 January, 2015
Usual media shoite ….!!!!
09:08 on 7 January, 2015
I accept that JF’s progress has been hampered by injuries but the fact remains that when he is fit, he rarely plays for the team. He is lazy and will not work back when he needs to. Check out Dundee Utd’s second goal for proof. I watched him closely in the Salzburg game and he was the same. Also, his final delivery is generally piss poor. If he doesn’t recognise that this is all part of the professional game then he never will. He’s had enough chances imo. Time to move on.
Things may be changing within our Youth set-up and hopefully these will bring about the outputs we all desire, ie. more of our young players breaking through to the first team to replace some of the international duds we are forced to buy in because of past failures.