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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The opinions on Johansen are very different. He seems to be viewed as either one best players or one of the worst!
Bamboo
Seriously?
Astonished of forehead!
“Missing chances is a positive when it comes to Kris Commons but used as a stick to beat Guidetti and Scepovic. Funny.”
Guernica,
Took the words from my mouth. HH
lennon’s passion : He managed fine every week at tail end under Lennon last year, shocking both him and Darnell given next to no game time, especially when Mathews and Lustig have been inured or/and poor all season
Amazing! A thread that doesn’t suggest the huns are going bust again! Dare I say a relief as I believe we are kidding ourselves on if we believe it could happen again.
tigertim
13:47 on 6 January, 2015
—
Darnell has had his injuries this year aswel.
Very rarely even 2 out of the 3 right backs have been fit at the same time.
RobertTressell : maybe some of those 15k missing think our club have taken part in this so called corruption and therefore wouldn’t want to give the club money while corruption continues.
Anyone seen Resolution 12 updates recently??
Henderson and Commons were the difference from recent games and hope they figure prominently for rest of season. Johansen not so good and agree with dr Ramesh above.
He certainly divides opinion.
Malc
Yes, because things are just awesome over Ibrokes way!
RobertTressell
13:31 on
6 January, 2015
Robert, i agree we have lost many supporters because of other issues but it would be interesting to see if such a day did take off or wether apathy has indeed won the day and helped destroy scottish football (i say helped because we all know who is destroying scottish football).
If enough notice was given the fans who live afar could make arrangements (probably one last time as my case will be) to support an event that could change the way scottish football is governed, surely some sort of protest is needed and this idea allows all fans to support (financially) their own club.
malc
13:48 on 6 January, 2015
It does now
I see Barcabhoy has cleared up the hole winding up order and the SPFL rules issue.
Apparently the rules aren’t fit for purpose as they allow clubs to default on money owed to HMRC by an amount of time that is not less than any winding up order coming to fruition.
Apologies to those at RIFC I accused of lying and or the SPFL.
That said, the SPFL rules are clearly not fit for purpose and interpreted to show horn an otherwise insolvent club I to the Scottish professional league system.
We now have the prospect of one billionaire making millions from this club as he holds the oxygen mask and applies just as they are given the last rites.
As Paul’s article suggests, what will the SFA do about this Leech? Points deducted? No don’t think so. transfer embargo then? Nup been there done that . Fine? Nup done that before.
Owning two clubs or controlling them through nominated parties is common place. Charlton are owned by the same people as the club Tony Watt is playing for. Watford udinese and another Spanish club operate from the same stable. There must be more.
I have some sympathy with those that want to close their eyes and ears to this stuff because it’s not purely about Celtic but you see it really is. This is as key as Celtic playing in another league. If the SFA and SPFL continue to allow Ashley et al to pump and dump Rangers they continue the legacy of the summer of 2012 when the rules were changed. This is their Karma but it’s the fans who will suffer when this cadaver of a club gets delivered to the top league.
Where is the sport in one team gaining an advantage over every other team in Scotland by allowing these shenanigans to continue.
Loans keep them alive, phoney bids from previously unheard of business men inflate their share price. Assets worth 5.5m now part of a package worth more than 33 million…
DownForSam
13:53 on 6 January, 2015
I am not saying they are great over the Snake Mountain, but I stand by my belief there is no way the establishment will let “their” team suffer the same fate again.
Don’t get me wrong – every second they suffer I enjoy, and nothing would give me more pleasure than to see them go away forever and never to return, but seriously, do you honestly think that’ll happen?
tigertim
13:50 on 6 January, 2015
The young bhoy would be in my team every week. It’s hard for young one’s to break through
at Celtic.
On another note there is no chance Celtic will get that yound boy from Denmark
Just a wee point about us all discussing who got least points or most points from last night-and as usual disagreeing,because opinion is subjective-I doubt anyone was a failure last night.
On that,we are pretty much agreed. I’m just delighted that we are discussing MOM performances and not numpty GTF performances.
I’ll take that. We have two weeks of looking back on a good performance before we see our team again.
Much better than any other option.
Chill,fellas.
Dr m
I like it, worth a submission to tsfm site?
tigertim
13:50 on
6 January, 2015
Fair point but until proof emerges the club support corruption i would like to believe they don’t.
There is proof corruption did and still is taking place so i would like to keep highlighting and protesting about that until something is done about it.
haircut
13:10 on 6 January, 2015
They looked very poor but I think that was down to us having the ball the majority of the game, you can only play when you have the ball and they didn’t have it much HH
GM & Guernica
KC scored 32 goals from midfield last year and has been a great servant for Celtic
Stefan & John are new to us, and are being judged as that.
If both work and are still here in 3 years, they will probably be afforded the same luxury as KC.
Incidentally, KC’s work rate and movement was fantastic last night for a wee fat guy that’s apparently unfit.
Malc.
It already happened. They died. They’re gone and aren’t coming back. No matter how hard they try. Or who plays at Ibrox. They died. Period.
MCDOWELLCELT
The Belfast dayoooot is on 14 Feb. 3rd anniversary of Admin Day.
16 ROADS is in charge of the venues but he is playing his cards close to his chest.
Either he’s working a deal or it’s in a Masonic Hall!
Nearer the time,let us know if you-or any other ubertim from your area-can join us. I’ll post my mail addy to give you updates on it.
Gonna be a good day. And a helluva round!
“He managed fine every week at tail end under Lennon last year”
Tigertim,
Exactly.
How many times did he start prior to tying the league title up or before the unbeaten record end?
And fisher had an op closed season.
mullet and co 2
13:57 on 6 January, 2015
As long as ashley hold the aces the huns will never bother Celtic, he’s only here to take money out not put money in, he owns the 2 biggest revenue streams a club has the merchandise and the advertising. When the huns can’t pay the loans he owns the car park which the club need to open ibrox so he’ll rent it back for more money and Edminston house.
He’s not daft he seen a desperate club with desperate supporters and took advantage
kdc
14:00 on
6 January, 2015
its worth a submission to any site to see what reaction other fans have about the idea
“Incidentally, KC’s work rate and movement was average last night for a wee fat guy that wants a move/contract”
Pedroc,
I agree ;)
HH
DownForSam
14:03 on 6 January, 2015
I know that and you know that, but the message doesn’t seem to have got through to the zombies/orcs/huns, the SPFL, the SFA, the SMSM or indeed the UKMSM, or the establishment, and collectively they are doing their level best to make the rest of us forget the truth.
Until Ibrokes is a Tesco or Poundsaver, we are going to have to suffer “Rangers” in Scottish fitba. Better look for a way out of it altogether than have to pander to a bunch of cheats.
tigertim
13:50 on
6 January, 2015
RobertTressell : maybe some of those 15k missing think our club have taken part in this so called corruption and therefore wouldn’t want to give the club money while corruption continues.
=========================
I bet you a fiver they won’t think twice about giving the club money for the Inter game.
HH
So, it transpires that Ashley’s US operations, namely Antigua Apparel, have links with Phoenix Suns.
Hoodathunkit?
http://www.fanatics.com/NBA_Phoenix_Suns/Phoenix_Suns_Antigua_Womens_Juke_Burnout_V-Neck_T-Shirt_%E2%80%93_Orange
3rd party/Trojan Horse bid from Ashley?
HH
Pedro
He said last night he’s been working really hard to get in the team and stay with us. Seemed clear on what is being asked of him
Silly boy is renting though. Needs some financial advice
jonny the tim
14:14 on 6 January, 2015
What does he get out of it though if it was?
starry plough
12:38 on 6 January, 2015
It is …..I was surmising …. But, don’t get me wrong …luv Kris and hope he stays, but looks very much like he is on his way…?
turkeybhoy
13:08 on 6 January, 2015
Yeh .. :) … I thought BITON was brill
Didn’t realise Gary McKay Stevens is available on a Bosman – worth a punt surely?
Pedrocaravanachio67 – KCs biggest ever trick was convincing some of our fans he has been playing midfield!
Never.
He plays upfront. Always has done. Imagine playing a 442 with KC in’midfield’ and you can see what I mean.
He strikes a good baw tho to be fair to him.
Just not my type of player I guess.
kdc
14:19 on 6 January, 2015
jonny the tim
14:14 on 6 January, 2015
What does he get out of it though if it was?
__________________________________________________________________________Other than control, I cant think what his motive could be.
Although as I posted earlier, the Twitterati reckon it was a “put up job” to force the hand of the 3 Berrs and the Lying King.
HH
Malone bhoy
Mr Thomson the chairman of Dundee Utd said on tv last night that he has had a verbal offer from an English league team for GMS.He will get more money down south.HH
Pedrocaravanachio67,
But being serious….
I’m not saying kc should receive grief.
I’m saying the stick jg received after the motherwell game for passing up a fraction of the chances was a bit ott.