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Double time for Celtic

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

It is nonsense to talk about Hampden Hoodoos, Celtic’s five defeats there since Neil Lennon became manager have been a result of poor performances, not superstition (fighting the urge to mention two last minute penalty decisions).  Celtic were unquestionably the stronger team on four of those five occasions, arguably all five, but they have been tactically out-thought at the national stadium time after time.

We are vastly stronger than Dundee United but once the whistle goes tomorrow, unless we can match them for hunger, arrest the defensive lapses which have blighted us all season, and find the key to breakdown what will be a tight defence, there is no reason to believe the outcome will be any different than when we faced a weaker St Mirren.

Shortly before that St Mirren defeat I said we were not playing consistently to win the treble we were short odds for.  Consistency hasn’t improved much since, which is why you are hearing talk coming out of Lennoxtown about this being the biggest game of the season.

It’s double time….
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  1. 'GG on

    April 15th.

     

    When we Americans, as I am one now, and our alien guests, get to pay our dues.

     

    Elections should be held the next day.

     

    Then the Washington wastrels would have to answer to the populace.

     

    Be held accountable for their wars, insider trading, fiscal fraud and friend favouring.

     

    Rebus is over. The guilty are locked up and the man is having a well earned pint.

     

    Oh were fact to follow fiction.

     

     

    7 hours till the hoops enter the fray

     

    To take arms against a sea of trouble

     

    And by opposing end them.

  3. PJBhoynyc on

    FFM

     

    No need to apologize.

     

     

    You are correct about promoted packages of commercial music. Quality is there but to locate it takes that most valuable commodity, time.

     

     

    I so appreciate live music. Last year saw the Alabama Shakes play, less than 200 audience. Came out feeling like I did in late 70s after Sneaky Pete at the Saints and Sinners on a Sunny Saturday. Special ensrgy that. Consider myself lucky to have quality players always local. Lots of them….

     

     

    G’Night

  5. Margaret McGill on

    Gordon64

     

    00:29 on

     

    14 April, 2013

     

    If we are being honest

     

    golf is nothing without Tiger Woods.

     

     

    ++++++++++++++++++++

     

    Too many words there mate

     

     

    If we are being honest golf is nothing…

     

     

    There ye go!

  7. PJBhoynyc on

    FFM

     

     

    Well… Was going to bed but now…

     

    Short interlude from dancing to Robert Plant …Cheers.

     

    WTF with the link before the Satanist?

     

    Or did you mix them up?

     

    ;0)

  9. PJBhoynyc on

    GG. Never watched that. Sublime.

     

    Maggie. Funny. Very Funny.

     

     

    Must sleep. Early start.

     

    Good Morning

  10. Margaret McGill on

    Heh something I forgot to ask these last 2 years…whats the suicide rate in Larkhall lately?

     

    Has there been an increase or can sociopathic behaviour be geographically restricted? Us Medulla oblongata ethuisiasts need to know these things.

  11. Mountblow tim on

    Good morning CQN

     

     

    2-1 Celtic today

     

     

    Come on you Bhoys in green

     

     

    Celtic, Celtic that’s the team for me,

     

    Celtic, Celtic on to victory,

     

    they’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,

     

    we’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the Scottish football league

     

    They come from bonnie Scotland, they come from county Cork,

     

    They come from dear old Donegal and even from New York,

     

    from every street in Glasgow they proudly make their way,

     

    to a place called dear old paradise and this is what they say.

     

    Celtic, Celtic that’s the team for me,

     

    Celtic, Celtic on to victory,

     

    They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,

     

    We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the Scottish football league.

     

     

     

    I hear they are going to rename Ipox

     

    Snakes and ladders

     

    Because one minute you are up the next minute you are down

     

     

    Keep the Faith

     

     

    Hail Hail

  14. Margaret McGill on

    Mountblow tim

     

    06:38 on

     

    14 April, 2013

     

     

    I thought they were going to rename Ipox smallcox.

     

    Correct me if I am wrong.

  16. lionroars67 on

    Peter Lawwell speaks

     

     

    By Paul Forsyth

     

    Published on Sunday 14 April 2013 00:00

     

     

     

     

    WEE club, big decision. Ross County have punched above their weight in the Premier League this season, but you wouldn’t want to be in their shoes at Hampden tomorrow.

     

     

     

     

    As County chairman Roy MacGregor ponders what to do with a vote that could shape the immediate future of football in this country, the pressure is mounting by the minute.

     

     

    On Friday, Hearts warned that rejection of the latest reconstruction proposals would “speed up the demise of Scottish football”. Now, as SPL clubs prepare to pass judgment on the controversial plan for leagues of 12, 12 and 18, Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive, has stepped forward to lean on MacGregor. Tonight will be a sleepless one for the County chairman, who is expected to cast the decisive vote. For the plan to clear the first of two hurdles – the second is an SFL vote later in the week – it will need to be carried with an 11-1 majority. Ten clubs are thought to be in favour of the plan. Stewart Gilmour, the St Mirren chairman, has indicated that his club will oppose it.

     

     

    If that is how it pans out, the burden of responsibility will rest almost entirely with MacGregor. He has made no secret of his reservations, shared by the club’s supporters and manager, Derek Adams, but he is also aware of a rare consensus among the clubs.

     

     

    Lawwell argues that, had MacGregor been through what the rest of the SPL have been through these past few years, he would vote “yes”. Asked if he would be speaking to MacGregor ahead of the meeting, Lawwell said: “If that’s what it takes, yes. I know Roy is being chased by every press man in the country, every chairman or chief executive. He’s in an awful position, which is really unfortunate. He’s a great guy. He’s got a great club. He’s done a brilliant job up there and I respect his right to vote. But what I would be saying to Roy is that, with the greatest of respect, they are new to the SPL. And the other ten clubs have been round the block many, many times, been in it for long enough and been part of reconstruction and strategy talks for three years. We have the cuts and bruises. Maybe he should listen.

     

     

    “It’s fine being new and fresh and they’ve done fantastically well, but is that going to be his position in two, three or four years’ time once he has experienced it all?

     

     

    “Maybe in two or three years’ time, when the novelty factor has worn off and the quality has kept coming down, Roy might say ‘that was an opportunity lost’. Maybe he’s right, but ten of us don’t agree and we’ve been around for years. It’s not a threat. It’s not an ultimatum. It’s just trying to get him to understand what we know and he has no reason to know because it’s new to him.”

     

     

    MacGregor, who agrees with many elements of the package, is concerned about the effect on season ticket sales of a 12-12-18 structure in which the top two divisions split into three tiers of eight after 22 matches. He has also said to Lawwell that his club, currently fifth in the SPL, would have ended up in the middle eight under the proposed system.

     

     

    Lawwell argues that, in another season, the split could just as easily work in their favour. “That’s football,” says Lawwell. “You take your chances.

     

     

    “For me, the whole purpose of this is to create more excitement, more drama and the first 22 games would do that. Therefore, your season books would be unaffected. In fact, they’d probably grow.”

     

     

    Lawwell is keen to put in perspective the meeting at which County supporters informed the club’s board of their opposition to the plan. He said that their views should be compared with those of the 9,000 Celtic season ticket holders who did not attend their recent home match against Hibs.

     

     

    “I think there were 130 fans at the meeting Roy held that night. With the greatest of respect, we have 9,000 fans not turning up and they’ve paid for it. That puts it into context, I think.”

     

     

    Lawwell is frustrated that the unanimity announced after an SPL meeting in January no longer seems to exist. He says that there was no mention then of Gilmour’s problem, which is the 11-1 voting majority required to carry certain motions.

     

     

    “The 11-1 is a red herring, a total smokescreen,” says Lawwell.

     

     

    “This fallacy that Celtic and Rangers have used this as a block for progress is a nonsense. We have never ever voted, in my time, to block anything under 11-1.”

     

     

    Lawwell says that the 11-1 system applies only to so-called “protected items”, such as the voting structure itself, shirt sponsorship and the number of home matches a club is obliged to have broadcast live as part of the SPL’s television contract.

     

     

    If, for instance, Sky were to offer more money for the right to show every league match at Parkhead, a vote in favour could have a catastrophic effect on Celtic’s finances.

     

     

    “If that was an 8-4, and Sky came along and said we’ll give [the SPL] an extra £2 million… there’s a good chance we’re going to lose it and we’re going to lose it because St Mirren are going to get another 100 grand. But what’s going to happen to our club is that everyone is going to watch it on the telly and no one is going to come here and we come crashing down.

     

     

    “You can’t have it. Aberdeen don’t want it, Dundee United don’t want it, Hearts, Hibs, they don’t want it.

     

     

    “It’s anti-competitive. We would go to the Office of Fair Trading and we would win it. It’s not legal. You can’t be put at such a competitive disadvantage in a collective.”

     

     

    Under the new proposals, Celtic will be protected against a salary cap, quotas on young, homegrown players and the need to give more notice of resignation from the league. They have also argued against plans for an earlier start to the season, which would adversely affect their tour revenue.

     

     

    In return, they are prepared to give up a considerable chunk of prize money so that it can be distributed through the league. That give and take, says Lawwell, is why the package has to be taken in its entirety, with no “cherry-picking”. “It’s taken eight months to put together and for every positive there’s a negative. If you take one out, someone will like it, but someone else won’t like it. It disturbs the equilibrium and the whole thing unravels.”

     

     

    The proposals are not perfect, but Lawwell believes that the introduction of a single governing body, a more even distribution of wealth and an increase in the number of meaningful matches will benefit Scottish football. It is, he says, a remarkable feat of negotiation that should not go to waste. The current powerbrokers have never been so close to an agreement, which would bring much-needed stability and credibility at a time when crowds are plummeting and the SPL is losing its title sponsor.

     

     

    “If it doesn’t happen, it stays the same and that, to me, is not palatable,” says Lawwell. “The game has been on a downward trend for the past few years. I would see no reason for that to change if we stay the same.”

  18. Margaret McGill on

    lionroars67

     

    06:56 on

     

    14 April, 2013

     

     

    As Lawwell tells McGregor to “take his chances’ then maybe Lawwell should take Celtic’s chances if Ross County vote No.

     

    The game has been on a downward trend within Scotland becuase of Rangers’s cheating.

     

    If we want to look at the bigger picture then we should. Why expect the rest of Scotland to support the New firm. Personally i dont care anymore. If I see Sevco on the horizonin any way shape or form in the words of George galloway quoting a hun I say ” bomra lotta of them”

  22. lionroars67 on

    The Sun

     

    RANGERS supremo Charles Green has just WEEKS to save his skin — after the club launched its own probe into his takeover.

     

    Green survived an emergency boardroom grilling at Murray Park before yesterday’s game against Clyde at Ibrox.

     

    But the Gers then announced they will carry out an independent investigation into him AND business partner Imran Ahmad.

     

    It follows bombshell revelations about their links to shamed former owner Craig Whyte.

     

    And last night a source said: “It’s fair to say Mr Green’s job hangs in the balance.

     

    “If the independent inquiry finds him guilty of any wrongdoing, there is only one decision that can be made. He will have to go.

     

    “This will be a proper investigation looking at the extent of his connection to Craig Whyte. This can’t run for months and hopefully it will take a matter of weeks.”

     

    Yesterday’s talks followed explosive comments by Green where he claimed he’d “shafted” Whyte to gain control of the club.

     

    The 59-year-old was also hit with an SFA charge for bringing the game into disrepute after referring to Ahmad as “my Paki friend”.

     

    It had been rumoured that legendary former Gers boss Walter Smith was prepared to quit as a non-executive director at the club over Green’s antics.

     

    But, after yesterday’s dramatic two-and-a-half-hour emergency summit, Rangers announced that there would be NO boardroom departures — for now.

     

    A statement said: “The board has announced today it is to commission an independent examination and report in view of recent allegations in the media concerning the chief executive, Charles Green, the commercial director, Imran Ahmad, and their management of the club.

     

    “The decision to commission the examination was taken unanimously by those in attendance.”

     

    Chairman Malcolm Murray and directors Smith, Bryan Smart, Brian Stockbridge, and Ian Hart were at the meeting. Remaining board member Philip Cartmell took part via a conference call.

     

    Green is said to have been gagged while the investigation takes place. An insider insisted: “Charles is comfortable with the decision because he’s clearly confident he will be cleared of any wrongdoing.

     

    “There was no vote on Charles Green’s future because that would be like saying ‘You’re guilty because Craig Whyte says so’.”

     

    The Scottish Sun told how Whyte claims to have evidence showing he still owns the club and paid £137,500 into Ahmad’s MUM’s bank account to mask his role in Green’s £5.5million takeover.

     

    And yesterday we revealed Companies House papers appear to show Green’s signature verifying the roles of Whyte and business pal Aidan Earley, 44, as directors of Sevco 5088 — the company used in the deal.

     

    But a spokesman for Green said the Ibrox supremo is “appalled by this blatant attempt to discredit him”. He added: “These documents are not correct or valid.”

     

    Last week Whyte, 42, was ordered to pay back £17.7million to bookings firm Ticketus after a judge ruled he lied about his disqualification as a company director.

     

    And cops raided his Highland home in Moray over a probe into his purchase of Rangers. A team of 12 officers smashed down his gates and booted in the door of Castle Grant, near Grantown-on-Spey.

  23. lionroars67 on

    Margaret McGill

     

    07:02 on

     

    14 April, 2013

     

     

    Yep bomb ra lot of them,…………………… yeah yeah

  24. lionroars67 on

    “If the independent inquiry finds him guilty of any wrongdoing, there is only one decision that can be made. He will have to go.

     

    “This will be a proper investigation looking at the extent of his connection to Craig Whyte. This can’t run for months and hopefully it will take a matter of weeks.”

     

     

     

    A Sevco source says just a matter of weeks……………………. LOL

  25. Margaret McGill on

    lionroars67

     

    07:12 on

     

    14 April, 2013

     

     

    Yeah. True. Unfortunately the Motherwell entreprenuer who once expected 112 police officers a year ago to smash down his gates has moved all evidence and documentation to Monaco where photocopies will be used in court against Green. Sigh. Shucks. what a shame. In the meantime I betcha Whytey took out gate smashing insurance on his lovely Grantown-on-spey castle.

  26. lionroars67 on

    Rangers supporters chanted “Charlie, Charlie, give us the truth” during their team’s 2-0 Ibrox win over Clyde, but McCoist insisted they still back chairman Green — and so does he.

     

     

    Yer awful Charlie but we still like ye………………………….. Sally

  27. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    lionroars67

     

     

    I appreciate your intell, but I put it to you, yer a Thatchers Child, now sacrificing yourself as a pawn between Salmon and Cameron.

     

     

    Discuss.

     

     

    In 1000 words, as long as you come up with a reasonable argument at the start about how you are NOT a child of Thatcher.

     

     

    Good luck. Yer time starts now.

  31. lionroars67 on

    Fortunes Favour Mibbes

     

    07:22 on

     

    14 April, 2013

     

    lionroars67

     

     

     

    Its daylight FFM, shouldn’t you be hiding somewhere……………

  40. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    Amigo, don’t get me started. The NHS is another kettle of fish that only had a hint of improvement under Gordon Brown – a genuine carer for all, which is why he was quickly ousted….for Salmond, who appeases the powers that be.

  42. lionroars67 on

    Wont be there today couldn’t give the SFA another coin, would have loved the stands to be empty as a protest against Ogilvie and Co, each to their own…………. Bon chance to Neil and the players

     

     

    Heres last from me this morning, enjoy ur day CQN whatever you do

     

    By Tom English

     

    Published on Sunday 14 April 2013 00:00

     

     

     

     

    RANGERS are to conduct an independent investigation into the takeover and management of the club by Charles Green and his commercial director, Imran Ahmad.

     

     

     

     

    After a meeting of the Ibrox board at Murray Park yesterday it was announced that they would set up a commission to examine the recent allegations linking former owner, the disgraced Craig Whyte, to Green.

     

     

    “The decision to commission the examination was taken unanimously by those in attendance at today’s meeting,” said a statement that was issued during half-time in Rangers’ game with Clyde. Executive and non-executive directors were present at the meeting. “The independent report will be commissioned and completed as speedily as possible and presented directly to the non-executive directors of the company.”

     

     

    There is as yet no indication of who might sit on the commission or when it will sit. Green will play no part in it. “The board wishes to make clear that it is not prejudging any of the issues involved and that the object of this exercise is to clarify the situation to the satisfaction of shareholders, supporters, staff and board members.”

     

     

    In recent weeks and months a drip feed of recorded telephone conversations and leaked documents from Whyte to the media has cast considerable doubt over Green’s claim that Whyte played no part in his purchasing of the club. Green has said that he is suing Whyte and that will also be examined as part of the investigation into his behaviour. The statement said: “Instructions recently given to lawyers in England and Scotland with a view to taking legal action to challenge these recent allegations will form part of the independent examination.”

     

     

    The club also sought to draw a line under alleged racist remarks made by Green about Ahmad. The chief executive apologised and that apology has been accepted by the Rangers board, who believe that there had been “no intention to cause offence” when Green admitted to calling Ahmad his “Paki friend”. The directors said they were satisfied that Green “did not act in a racist manner but reminded him of the importance of all office bearers at Rangers upholding the standards expected by the club”.

     

     

    Green is up on a double charge at the SFA for using racist and offensive language, a charge, the statement said, that Green will deal with “on a personal basis”.

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