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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south of tunis
16:46 on 6 January, 2015
adi_dasler.
No team info at present..
Hard to see anything but a Rube win.Inter have been dire this season but have showed signs of improvement in their last 2 games.They should be a lot better than they currently are but appear to be lacking team spirit , confidence and grit. Rube will be seriously up for it – be interesting to see if Inter are.
__________________________________________________________________________
Have taken Juve to “Score and Win” tonight. I think they’ll definitely win, the only issue is, will Inter score?, having just signed Podolski, I believe they will.
Juve 3 Inter 1
HH
PSV is 12:15 your time and Sparta is 16:00 again your time.
Pod I at 15:48
This is my post from yesterday .
Auldheid and anyone else who is interested .
This is a copy of a response I received from Neil Doncaster regarding his same club statement .
Message from Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive
Dear ***
Thank you for your email of 2 January. I am happy to clarify the position under SPFL Rules, as you request.
The SPFL Rules (and the SPL Rules that preceded them) draw a distinction between a football club (“Club”) on the one hand, and the company that owns or controls the Club on the other hand. There is no suggestion that the Club is a legal entity or has a legal personality which is different from whatever is the legal entity or person which is the owner and operator of the Club.
This important distinction was acknowledged by Lord Nimmo Smith’s Independent Commission dealing with undisclosed payments to players and was fully reflected in the preliminary and final decisions of the Independent Commission. Lord Nimmo Smith is, as you may be aware, a former Senator of the College of Justice and a judge sitting in The Inner House of the Court of Session. He was supported on the Commission by two of the leading Sports Law QCs. An internet search will confirm each of the Commission members’ expertise and standing.
The concept of a football club being distinct from the company owning or controlling it is not a new concept in UK football, with the likes of Leeds United, Bristol City and Crystal Palace Football Clubs all having been owned or controlled by different companies over their lifetimes as a result of insolvency events. I have not heard it suggested that those historic football clubs are not the same ones that were formed in 1919, 1894 and 1905 respectively.
I trust the above is helpful.
Kind regards
Neil
I will of course be responding to Mr.Doncaster myself but thought his response deserved a wider audience.
JTT
Ive taken both teams to score & acci’d it with everton, scunthorpe & malaga
Best of luck
Winning Captains
Do we have a date for our advert in the Herald yet mate?
HH
Captain Beefheart @ 17:08
I couldn’t disagree more, the whole point of the exercise is to put an alternative point of view forward then use that as a focal point to counter the cosy narrative of the Scottish media.
It’s no co-incidence the DR and BBC have stopped comments on Celtic and newco rangers stories, they were losing the debate. The advert is a perfect opportunity to raise awareness there is an alternative opinion and I congratulate Winning Captain on his initiative.
There are too many sitting on their hands complaining, we need more like him prepared to get off their arses and actually take action.
Hi Heb.
I wouldn’t go to any Scottish outlet but I admire the guys for actually doing something.
The SH, which I used to buy, regurgitated the same crap as the rest of the boozy Scottish hack media. Perhaps it has changed in the last few years?
The SFA handed out a £1.7m bonus “to member clubs” at the end of December.
Did anybody ever see any detail about who got what, or did Sevco just get the lot at their time of need?
I’ve has a look around but can’t find any details.
Hi Murdoch,
Some fair points. Unfortunately the SH doesn’t reach many people beyond its small middle class readership.
fourgreenfields
17:30 on 6 January, 2015
Pod I at 15:48
This is my post from yesterday .
Auldheid and anyone else who is interested .
This is a copy of a response I received from Neil Doncaster regarding his same club statement .
Message from Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive
Dear ***
Thank you for your email of 2 January. I am happy to clarify the position under SPFL Rules, as you request.
The SPFL Rules (and the SPL Rules that preceded them) draw a distinction between a football club (“Club”) on the one hand, and the company that owns or controls the Club on the other hand. There is no suggestion that the Club is a legal entity or has a legal personality which is different from whatever is the legal entity or person which is the owner and operator of the Club.
This important distinction was acknowledged by Lord Nimmo Smith’s Independent Commission dealing with undisclosed payments to players and was fully reflected in the preliminary and final decisions of the Independent Commission. Lord Nimmo Smith is, as you may be aware, a former Senator of the College of Justice and a judge sitting in The Inner House of the Court of Session. He was supported on the Commission by two of the leading Sports Law QCs. An internet search will confirm each of the Commission members’ expertise and standing.
The concept of a football club being distinct from the company owning or controlling it is not a new concept in UK football, with the likes of Leeds United, Bristol City and Crystal Palace Football Clubs all having been owned or controlled by different companies over their lifetimes as a result of insolvency events. I have not heard it suggested that those historic football clubs are not the same ones that were formed in 1919, 1894 and 1905 respectively.
I trust the above is helpful.
Kind regards
Neil
I will of course be responding to Mr.Doncaster myself but thought his response deserved a wider audience.
————
Were Leeds, Bristol City and Crystal Palace liquidated?
Does Mr Doncaster agree with the conclusions of Mr Donald Finlay QC regarding the liquidation of Rangers FC in 2012?
Burghbhoy
Yes the ad will appear on Sunday 25th January. We are now through the stage were the Herald’s lawyers review so we are good to go. Plenty of interest already so I think there is going to be a bit of a storm about this. Ideally we will all buy the Sunday Herald that day. We can show the strength of feeling and also demonstrate that there is a market for a newspaper that doesn’t bow to everything that suits the Rangers group of clubs then we really do make our point. Other supporters around Scotland will also be supportive and probably glad that one group of supporters has at last stood up to this myth.
If supporters buy another Sunday paper then we should encourage them to swap for 25th January.
Greenpinata, evening,
Of course our board want us to leave but there isn’t anywhere to go as you know. There will be no Brit league for example. That’s me for tonight. Take care all.
PS some new posters please for CQN.
Captain Beefheart @ 17:51
Get the message out my friend, once its out there you never know where its gonna go and grow.
Captain beefeater
I am sure the hope is that the advert becomes a story in itself
Posted this this morning from info posted by yorkbhoy at 07:22:
Those stats are very telling: it just shows you what a dirty lot that Dumbarton are…
Celtic 7 fouls 2 bookings
Killie 8 fouls 2 bookings
Well 9 fouls 1 booking 1 red
Dons 4 fouls no cards
Thistle 13 fouls 4 bookings
DunUtd 10 fouls 3 bookings
Hibs 15 fouls 4 bookings
Hearts 15 fouls 3 bookings
Dumb 14 fouls 4 bookings
Sevco 15 fouls no cards…
They don’t even bother being discrete about it any longer… they want Sevco to win the SFA Fair Play Award !!!
Sunderland offer 8 million for video
PSV Eindhoven (N)Sat, 10th Jan 12:15FriendlySparta Prague (N)Tue, 13th Jan 16:00Friendly
VVD
winning captains @ 17:53
I will look into the possibility of have a hard copy of that days Herald posted to Milton Keynes.
Well done.
If vvd ambition is to play for Sunderland then so be it
winning captains
17:53 on 6 January, 2015
Burghbhoy
Yes the ad will appear on Sunday 25th January. We are now through the stage were the Herald’s lawyers review so we are good to go. Plenty of interest already so I think there is going to be a bit of a storm about this. Ideally we will all buy the Sunday Herald that day. We can show the strength of feeling and also demonstrate that there is a market for a newspaper that doesn’t bow to everything that suits the Rangers group of clubs then we really do make our point. Other supporters around Scotland will also be supportive and probably glad that one group of supporters has at last stood up to this myth.
If supporters buy another Sunday paper then we should encourage them to swap for 25th January.
——-
I’m not in the habit of buying a Sunday paper, particularly the Herald, given its recent status as a mere pamphlet for the Yes campaign.
I will however purchase 2 or 3 (for me and extended family) the day the ad is in.
Well done and thanks for your effort,
Winning Captains
Brilliant mate and full marks to you on this initiative.
I’ll be buying 19 copies , 1 for each member of the Burgh CSC.
Think I may get it laminated and framed.
A kind of family heirloom to remind future generations of their deception
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTU0oK1lpTw
‘The Banned Bhoys’
report on the OFBA and the GB.
WC well done with the advert mate HH
Check out @PeterAdamSmith report on “The Banned Bhoys”
https://t.co/sh87G1S1fY http://t.co/Vfug0rHtZo
Have to say i thoroughly enjoyed last night’s game and the that pitch was not bad either. .Killie came out of their shell in the second half and made an entertaining contest.
Great team effort from Celtic with every player putting in a shift.
I doubt very much if there is any player north or south of the border – with the possible exception of Stephen Gerrard – who can strike a football with the power of Kris Commons.
Kris is the man needed to smash open a packed defence with his artillery.
Hugely impressed by the sublime skills of Liam Henderson and hard to imagine we are talking here of a mere eighteen-year-old kid. This lad seems to have it all, confidence, quick feet and vision. I’ve often been a critic of Nir Biton but he gave a vastly improved performance last night and obviously he is thriving on the extra game time he has been getting lately.
I believe the weather is great in the Canary islands at present, so Ronny lots of suncream for the lads and no injuries please.
Winning Captains
What do you think of Neil Doncasters response to my email posted above ?
dexter says pay the living wage celtic plc
Email him and ask , the more people who question this scam the better .
I will be replying to him of course but will take a bit of time to get my response right .
Bobby M, if you’re about chief – The St.Johnstone game on the Saturday is a 3pm kick-off,doubt that it will be on Sky or BT.
Two places that will definitely show it, if it is on any media will be the Rock and the Felons.
Could you let me know if the crew wish to go on a wee tour of the districts first, then hit the pubs – or just go on the drink?
Decisions, decisions eh?
:)
HH.
Just listening to ssb …….these pundits are living in cloud coockoo land, they really are …. there is a consensus that Michael prompted the U.S. bid to force ming and the 3 berries to make a desperate move to buy shares (which ming had no intention of doing) ……. by doing so, Michael gets a nice little annual circa £7m earner, leaving ming and the 3 berries to find the money to keep the lights on ……. and, if they fail, he is the secure creditor….!! … Where are my Tick Tock sedatives / ice cream / jelly
Sixteaseven
Maybe all the Sevco fouls were gentle taps on the shoulder…
South of Tunis – article about Dybala –
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/scouted-premier-league-linked-star-wholl-be-better-ronaldo-within-two-years
fgf,
Would be good to find out if this is the official SPFL consensus agreed by all board members. Doncaster is in receipt of auldheids research and questions, looks like that’s the end of it then, eh :)
Saturday 28th February and Saturday 14th March may be good dates for clubs to protest about the way Scottish football is run as this would give most teams in Scotland a home game. Also in between these dates is the Scottish Cup 6th round.
I was delighted when some thought the protest weekends was a good idea but was brought back to reality with the negativity of others without providing any ideas of their own.
I realise everyone has different opinions and I wouldn’t argue with anyone apart from sevconians who try to tell us they have done nothing wrong or they haven,t stolen from me when they don’t,t pay their taxes.
I used the figure of 15,000 missing fans as a guess but now I’m told its nothing to do with corruption that fans are staying away its lack of competition or the product on the park. Well for me its the way the game is being run as Celtic is about entertaining win, lose or draw and I don’t care who’s wearing the hoops as long as they try their best and appreciate how lucky they are.
Ticket Office phoned me today re Inter tickets. ( I get moved for Uefa etc).
I was then told, if I was interested, the ballot for the League Cup semi final has yet to be done. Don’t think they know how to organise it yet.
EC67
For those interested in the agent driven transfer windows it is reported Leicester and QPR are interested in Efe……
I think the appropriate new media response to this is …hahahahaha
fourgreenfields
Well done on getting him to reply.
Auldheid has been taking his argument apart. There would have been more about this last night had Celtic not been playing. Hopefully Auldheid will post on this. We are writing to Doncaster too outlining the flaws in his statements.
Incidentally anyone wonder why the BBC edited out the question on 1 January? Rather strange to include an answer but no question.
Tuned into superscoreboard for the first time in ages tonight.
There’s been a supposed Celtic fan blaming Deila for Dundee United asking for too much money for their player and another blaming Deila for Commons not getting a long contract.
Some people need to get a reality check. They just want to best the man with any stick possible.
yorkbhoy
18:17 on 6 January, 2015
Sixteaseven
Maybe all the Sevco fouls were gentle taps on the shoulder…
_________
Just like their loans..:)