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 thought we played well last night- not a weakness in the team/ Brown was my man of the match and Comyns shows why he is s class above everyone else at the club. Young Henderson played well and fitted well into the team. Some strange bookings by the referee. Comyns and Isaguire were booked for tackles which did not touch their opponents. On the other hand , Hammill had three dreadul tackles which went
un-punished in the first half. So his first yellow card after 65 minutes should have been a second and an ordering off. Just as well it wasn’t a close match. My enjoyment increased when I switched off the commentary early on. Some of these guys would commentate standing on their hands, rather than be fair to Celtic. By the way, what was the Scottish League trophy doing in the commentary box at a game half way through the season?.
traditionalist88 14:13 on 6 January, 2015
Maybe so, not me, neither Milan or a league cup semi final.
BTW Anyone received anything about league cup semi final tickets, Aberdeen have theirs for sale but neither us nor the championship club appear to be selling them as yet.
Have the SPFL asked for money up front for tickets??
Zico-Maltese Bhoy
14:31
Is that GMS that will get more or Dundee Utd? Verbal offers can mean very little in football.
The view that players get more money in the Championship than they would from us is a myth. Sadly we overpay most players – might not be as bad as in the past but I can remember people saying a few years ago we couldn’t compete with Cardiff and Swansea on wages – our wage bill was more than double theirs. EPL is a different story of course.
traditionalist88
14:13 on 6 January, 2015
In furtherance to your post a large majority of the missing 15k forked out at the start of the season for season tickets ,contrary to what others on here have people imagine,it’s the product on the park that is keeping them away not any sense of injustice or disagreement with the board
jimtim
13:03 on
6 January, 2015
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I clearly remember some comments emanating from Italy during their referee corruption scandal from a few years back to the effect that a bent referee was always going to be far more subtle/ cute than awarding ridiculous penalties / sending offs (which probably puts Willie Collum in the clear)
Two things in particular still stick in my mind:-
1. The giving of free soft kicks in favour of the “preferred” team in midfield to stop the opposition breaking upfield into potentially dangerous areas.
2. The redcarding or booking, if a suspension was due, of the better players in teams who were about to play the “preferred” team the following week.
Much more subtle but still very effective.
Not that I’m suggesting that there’s a preferred team in this country who have ever been the beneficiaries of what , I am sure we all agree , are just honest mistakes…
Guernica
He scored 32 goals and he’s a hunskelper…definitely my type of player:-)
Yer some painting btw, saw ye in the flesh last year in Madrid…stunning.
tigertim-nothing here re semi final mate
tigertim
Celtic are caught between a rock and a hard place. The won’t use the words Old Firm ever again except in historical context but also have to contend with the vitriolic element of the hun support when they go about their work almost on a daily basis.
Celtic are boxing clever and the rest of Scottish football have got their act together. The newco have been treated with kid gloves at times but crucially they had to start in division 3 as fan power was taken into account.
I’ll be damned if I ever stop following my team because of something a loon like Neil Doncaster comes away with – some people are just throwing the toys out the pram or looking for an excuse to chuck it.
HH
HH
lennon’s passion
13:42 on
6 January, 2015
turkeybhoy
12:54 on 6 January, 2015
He was my MOTM would go as far as saying he played that position better than stokes has all season. Could he do it every week .
The boy had a very good game.Still learning in the SPL,a step up from the wee teams.A wonderful prospect,that I am sure RD is nurturing,and will use a bit sparingly.Think we will see more of him the second half of the season.Think he will get both games in Tenerife.
Heard the semi final ballot is this week but not sure how reliable that is
HH
Actually saw the game last night and I was impressed with the pace of the passing. Thought Izzy and Matthews were superb. Virgil, well, just so classy and young Henderson excellent. Bitton and Johansinho were brilliant too and KC seemed to be the missing link All in all, a good result.
On the very welcoming nature of Killie I would reciprocate when next they come to Paradise, pathetic bunch they are too.
Hail Hail
KINGLuBO
Trad88
The ballot or the information? ;)
mickbhoy1888
Not even sure that is true as attendances have been more than decent with the exception of a couple of the rearranged matches, therefore I think the biggest factor is the messing about with kick off dates/times often at short notice.
Sure if the product on the park is the main factor why was there not a full house for the Salzburg game?! You can bet there’ll be a full house for Inter. Pretty sure the current Salzburg team would take care of Inter no problem.
Fickle football fans, eh?
HH
traditionalist88
14:40 on 6 January, 2015
‘Celtic………… won’t use the words Old Firm ever again’
###
And you know this how?
Geordie Munro
Ha, heard the ballot will be this week and when it is done it will be reliable – even if its actually next week:)
HH
ernie lynch
Confirmed at a December meeting with the club which most probably our host was at,
HH
Trad88,
Aye I’m guessing it won’t be far away. Sheep have had tickets on sale for a month.
But our game will be nothing like the other.
traditionalist88 14:49 on 6 January, 2015
I was under the impression that the Home ticket scheme would get first refusal along with some others factors. I personally know of 3 people who will not be taking there ticket and therefore thought that any ballot would have taken place long before now.
Tickets and fans.
I gave my season ticket up last year, work, family etc commitments but get to games when I can.
Now my wife went into the ticket office on 22nd December to get me a ticket for a match as a Christmas present, all very well and good I hear you say.
Well on opening present on Christmas morning, my ticket is for 10th January 2015 against St Johnstone………
She asked for advice on which ticket to get, wanted to make sure it was a Saturday and this is what was recommended to her!
Very strange don’t you think?! She is rather annoyed!!
Good to see so many positive comments today on here.
As BMCUW (i think) said earlier, its such a change to see people debating the MOTM as opposed to slating the players, manager etc.
Incidentally, is it just me or do you think that the pitch played a part in how well we played last night?
Our players, who are so used to the excellent CP surface, often have to play on coo parks at some of our opponents grounds so our passing and movement is often hindered due to this. However the level playing field (no pun intended) most definitely suits our better more skillfull players than the likes of Killie’s team. Our passing was better, slicker and faster than i have seen in quite a while. No coincidence i believe.
I know a lot teams or especially managers dont appear to like the artificial surfaces – more from a physical well-being viewpoint, i would guess – but the better the surface the more it should allow superior players to play.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
The missing thousands are not staying away from love or hate reasons.
They are staying away through apathy.
The lack of serious competition is killing the Scottish game and until we have a realistic sustainable challenge, this will continue,
tigertim
Ballot but home ticket scheme & away match attendance taken into account, then general sale.
HH
http://www.celticfc.net/pages/magners
notthebus
Bayern Munich fans don’t seem to have the same issue.
HH
notthebus
15:02 on 6 January, 2015
Is that right ? … The only reason ??
Gota tweet from SSN saying Commons did not travel to Gran Canaria?
Windup surely/
Any info anyone?
p
traditionalist88
14:48 on 6 January, 2015
My offer of ticket for the home game against Inter came through in the post today £60 which is a £10 reduction on my ticket for what I would normally fork out for a game in the Champions league. In the past to the exclusion of everything else I would have taken up the offer of the ticket but not now. I have other arrangements for that Thursday night and like a lot of others these arrangements now take precedence over a business that for years has been downsizing because they are not prepared to take any financial risks in order to progress and meet their paying customers expectations
jimbob71,
firstly how you doing mate? Hope all is well with you and family and that you had a good Christmas/New Year?
re the ticket issue, weird the advice she was given. Strange to say the least, can see why she would be somewhat annoyed. However, have you or Mrs Jimbob called the ticket office? Not sure what they will say, but they may be willing to exchange for another more suitable game, given the circumstances?
Id like to think they would do so, given it was their advice which has led to the upset.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
traditionalist88
Silly comparison
Bayern Munich are the third biggest club in the world.
67Heaven
Yes thats right
Playfusbal
Celtic say it’s for family reasons
playfusbal4dguilders
He has suffered a family bereavement .
playfusbal4dguilders
15:06 on 6 January, 2015
Gota tweet from SSN saying Commons did not travel to Gran Canaria?
Windup surely/
Any info anyone?
p
__________________________________________________________________________
He’s been granted compassionate leave, as an uncle of his died immediately after last night’s game.
HH
playfusbal4dguilders
15:06 on
6 January, 2015
He’s got time off because his uncle died.
traditionalist88
14:42 on
6 January, 2015
Heard the semi final ballot is this week but not sure how reliable that is
HH
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Picking up Hamilton tickets this morning,TO did say they expected offers to be out next week.They were not sure of allocation as yet.
notthebus 15:02 on 6 January, 2015
No Competition!! You having a laugh.
3 draws, (2 at home), 3 defeats (1 at home) doesn’t say no competition, and lets not even look at Europe!!
Count how many victories we had with more than 1 goal!!
TTT,
We’re all good mate, had a great Christmas and New Year. I hope you and your family did too?
I sent a tweet to J.P. but he is off til 8th but will be in touch with the ticket office. I don’t think the St Johnstone game has even been rescheduled yet.
jimbob71 is praying with wee oscar
14:58 on 6 January, 2015
I am sure if you take it back they will offer you a ticket for the league cup semi final in return. I have heard they have thousands for that game that they cannot shift.