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. Kevj

     

    so there isn’t any link but it let’s you have a go at DD for supposed interference in the past, I would like to know where you get all your info from, canny believe the number of people on this blog with insiders at Celtic Park

  2. gordybhoy64

     

     

    10:58 on 7 January, 2015

     

    _____________________

     

    Well, as your finding it difficult to see past you entrenched views to suit, whatever or, whoever’s agenda…I tried my best to explain ‘my’ take, based on some of the make-believe waffle that seems to circulate around this place – and it’s supposed be sanctuary from ‘lazy journalism’ – well…..also, if you could see that, MO’N wisny a puppet and WGS was….then, thats your look out.

  3. Watch the Bhoys in Gran Canaria live on Celtic TV

     

     

    By: Newsroom Staff on 07 Jan, 2015 10:53

     

     

    CELTIC will face top European sides PSV Eindhoven and Sparta Prague in the Maspalomas Tournament over the next seven days – and both games will be screened LIVE on Celtic TV to ALL subscribers.

     

     

    The Hoops will contest the glamour games during their winter training camp in Gran Canaria, as they begin preparations for an exciting second half of the season.

     

     

    Ronny Deila’s team will play PSV on Saturday, January 10 at 12.15pm, before taking on Sparta on Tuesday, January 13 at 4pm.

     

     

    Celtic TV subscribers will be able to watch both matches live, with each programme going out 15 minutes before kick-off.

  4. 2 additional tickets for Inter bought online this morning. Think we may have a full house with the limited availability of seats HH

  5. starry plough

     

     

    11:17 on 7 January, 2015

     

    _____________________

     

    Well, for your information…my ‘movement’ seems to be in the region of 25/30k and rising, going by the amount of empty seats.

     

    I take it, them who have paid for their seats and dont go have, mince replacing their brains as well?

     

    Or, are they not the issue?

  6. Kevj

     

    I don’t have any agenda, amazed that you can say anyone has entrenched views given your constant negative posts day after day on here

  7. Both Tenerife games on Premier and also Setanta Sports.

     

    Dont know how many pubs have either .

     

    My Satellite dish pick up both.Happy Days.

  8. Embramike,

     

     

    I got an extra 2 near me no problem earlier but I did notice a few wee delays. Suggesting it was awfy busy with guys trying HH

  9. Inter played well in the second half,last night,but in the first they were all over the place,defense wise,as Juve pressed them very high.Should have scored 2-3 goals in the half.

  10. I agree with BRTH that some link up between the Youth teams and the first team squad might be beneficial in football terms.

     

     

    Hopefully they will not pick up the bad habits of some of the stars outwith the football training.

     

    A number of locals who I have spoken to recently complain about one first team member who regularly parks in the disabled parking place at the cash machine next to the Coop, others just speed through the village over the speed limit.

  11. Timmy7 Noted you posted the following:

     

     

    Alfie Noakes

     

     

    23:33 on 6 January, 2015

     

     

    You are Neganon,have I won a prize???

     

     

     

    I guess you are claiming that I posted under the name Alfie Noakes? That is not in any way correct and I have never and never would post under another name.

     

     

    I look forward to your apology.

  12. gordybhoy64

     

     

    11:20 on 7 January, 2015

     

    _____________________

     

    Well, my views are not entrenched – their consistent.

     

    Ye see, when I first came on here what, 5 years ago…there was this, lets say…concieted-poster who used to tell me that, these were the best times in yer life to be a Celtic fan?

     

    I consistently told him that he was being consumed with the ‘boreds’ waffle but, no…he knew better. Anyway, I told him that the stadium would not before too long, host crowds of 10k…given the ‘boreds’ cosistent cutting of the quality of the product on the pitch. Now, this same poster has, lets say changed his tune to try to convince anyone who is gullible enough not to be able to see through him that…he’s always had issues with the ‘bored’?

     

    Ye see, What brings out the beast in me – on here – is that, countless, innocent, well-meaning Celtic supporters are being taken for a ride by the ‘bored’ indeed, the ‘bored’ take them to school during every transfer window when….what is they say again?…ah, yeah, …”we’ll come out of ‘every’ transfer window, stronger than we were when we went into it.”….excuse me but, this hasn’t happened since MO’N was here. As it stands just now…we’re in 4 competitions at the start of January – brilliant. Lets hope there arent too many ghosts of the past awaiting their percieved version of revenge. HH

  13. There has been an attack this morning on the HQ of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Unconfirmed reports that 10 people have been killed. Probably the work of Islamists – the magazine has previously published a comic book version of the life of Muhammed and they also published the Danish images of Muhammed before. This month they had the author Houllebecq on the cover, who recently wrote a novel about France having a Muslim government by 2025. They’re pretty fearless at the magazine but this is brutal stuff.

  14. Magnificentseven on

    NegAnon2

     

     

     

     

    11:33 on

     

     

    7 January, 2015

     

     

     

     

    Timmy7 Noted you posted the following:

     

     

    Alfie Noakes

     

     

    23:33 on 6 January, 2015

     

     

    You are Neganon,have I won a prize???

     

     

     

    I am pretty sure that wasn’t aimed at you, there were a couple of posts winding Alfie Noakes up and suggesting who he could be, it was all tongue in cheek, I am sure Timmy7 Noted would confirm if he sees your post

  15. Remember…….the “spoilsport(s)” first objective imo is not Celtic, it is rather this Dear Green Place.

     

     

    The panto rabble-rousing is far from genuine, play-acting a role with the purpose of undermining unity.

     

     

     

    HH.

  16. Starry……….

     

     

    Aye.

     

     

    It’s a disruptor imo – nothing more.

     

     

    As well as attempting to obscure the usual harmony, it can confuse the genuine and robust debate and disagreements between supporters.

     

     

    HH.

  17. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    weet weet weet(gbwo)

     

     

    23:53 on 6 January, 2015

     

     

    Now that is what I call Nostalgia.

     

     

    Brilliant.

  18. jimbob71 is praying with wee Oscar on

    TTT,

     

     

    If you’re around re ticket mix up from yesterday.

     

     

    Phoned ticket office and got this Saturday’s “St Johnstone” match changed to Motherwell game.

  19. South Of Tunis on

    Turkeybhoy @ 11 27 .

     

     

    Inter —-

     

     

    Yes – a classic game of 2 halves. .

     

     

    Watched it in the company of a in his mid 80s Inter fanatic . He spent the first 30 minutes screaming at the tele – re ” the usual shit” of no team ethic , no concentration and no dig . Handanovic ( a very good keeper ) kept them in it .He calmed down as Inter got a grip of the game around the 30 minute mark . He was delighted with Inter’s second half performance ( the 2 missed chances apart ).

     

     

    Post match stuff featured Mancini moaning about the weak start and a lack of belief . He was delighted that they got it together after 30 minutes ..Allegri regretted Rube’ s inability to maintain their opening pace and stated that once the pace dropped the very good technical quality of the Inter players made an impact on the game.

  20. Hoopy New Year, Bhoys and Ghirls.

     

     

    Very happy with the result and performance v Killie.

     

    Watched Inter v Rube; we definitely have our work cut out to get a result against them. We are expected to lose. That’s when we are liable to win.

     

    COYBIG!