It’s been six weeks since Celtic have had something to play for: 1 May, a five goal win over Dundee. Since then we wound down the remaining Premiership games before cranking up a fortnight ago at our new second home in Paisley, but it all comes into focus on Wednesday at Celtic Park, when we are expected to humble apparent Champions League whipping boys from Iceland.
People at Celtic have complained for years about having to play such important games in the middle of July, but I’ve never bought that argument. If we have to face Legia-type opposition later this month, we can’t have an early enough test. The challenge is known, it’s the responsibility of the club to be ready.
Stjarnan are likely to be the least resourced team we will face this summer, but if we get a comfortable win on Wednesday, these two games, as well as the friendlies against Eibar and Rennes, should provide ample opportunity to physically and tactically ready for the real test.
A few weeks back we discussed the game of brinksmanship involving Greece and it’s analogy in Scottish football, “Those sitting at the Syriza side of the table know they may be marching their citizens off the edge of a cliff”.
8 days ago Tsipras won his referendum mandate but quickly accepted that you can’t play poker if you don’t have any cards, never mind aces. I wondered if he hoped to ‘lose’ the referendum. I wonder if others hoped the SFA would find ‘against’ them a few months back. As we mentioned, it was “one of the classic failures of leadership – telling people what they want to hear in order to gain power, without any way of delivering on the promises made”.
If the Greeks had said ‘Yes’ Tsipras could have capitulated, blaming the will of the people. If the SFA said ‘not Fit and Proper’, others could have declined to invest, blaming Peter Lawwell and his ‘cronies’ at Hampden. I’m sure you could write the script yourself.
Populism’s easy, until you are given control, then it’s harder than granite. We’ll see the same lesson played out in Scottish football in the months to come. You need five aces in your hand to play poker with a billionaire, even then, don’t make assumptions.
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Should be no need for anyone to tell Celtic to pay the Living Wage.
Evening,all.
Is it April 1st? Plans afoot to have the workforce fund their own unemployment benefits and sick pay.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/13/david-cameron-open-to-workers-saving-up-fund-own-sick-pay
Sorry to see Jim Spence is leaving the BBC – wonder whose decision it was ?
BT
Was thinking I wouldn’t be able to watch it.
Cheers for reply
Words you didn’t expect to read on can.
Just back from Bette midler concert.
saint stivs
22:55 on 13 July, 2015
Watching the kkk documentary.
Its the orange order in bedsheets.
——
Common theme? Poor Scottish migrants in the 16 and 17C.
My country has a lot to answer for.
HH jamesgang
saint stivs
Apols 17 and 18C
HH jamesgang
Saint Stivs
Up yours …you uncouth Port oaf :O)
VP
I know Davie Hay. Who is Bette Midler??? ;)))
Touche.
You are the wind beneath my wings
-))))))
Moan to f*** Delaneys!!
Bette Midler!!!!
Starlet who jetted in to Glasgow today. Signing for Pep Warburton’d tomorrow after rejecting Man City and Real Madrid.
Went to school with Davie Weir’s ma. A real one for the future. Adds a bit of pace and skill in replacing Elbows Beckenbauer.
HH jamesgang
Dunky
It was a birthday gift for my beloved….is that ok?????
Anyways I’ve seen a lot worse …is it wrong to have immoral thoughts
of a 70 year ole…d?….naw no Lefty.
saint stivs
Thank goodness it’s no the wind between your legs!
Night Timdom
HH jamesgang
VOGUEPUNTER
If it’s good enough for Davie Hay,it’s good enough for me. I wouldn’t argue with the judgment of The Silent Assassin.
Och its all good, glad you enjoyed.
BMCUWP
My thoughts exactly my friend….also saw the not so legendary packie Bonnar….he’s
the same as me ….so’s that’s awe right.
Same age ..that should be :O(
VP
Glad you enjoyed it. My mammy would have loved it. Fly out to Barcelona tomorrow, Benicassim at weekend for Blur, Noel Gallagher, Public Enemy, Jamie T, The Prodigy. T in the Park on a beach in the sun. Magic! Canny wait. :)
Packie was on a back to Glasgow flight I was on couple of months ago.
He doesn’t really get old, still a tall and fit man.
Dunky
Enjoy mhate…..mind an no be taking any erbal medicines oan plane :O)
VP
Thanks bud. Wise words. ;)
Vintage 67 – “If you don’t deal with your debt, your debt deals with you….
Ireland knew this – Iceland knew this – Portugal knew this – they faced up and are ‘healing’
Tsipras thought he knew better and ‘fannyed’ about with their people’s lives to satisfy his ”dogma – he ends up eating shit and forces his country to accept a deal WORSE than before their stupid and cowardly referendum.
It has many similarities to the dogma-driven, lies and fantasy peddled by Salmond and the SNP, prior to both the referendum and general election.
Scotland ‘dodged a massive bullet’ – imagine anyone believing the tripe of the SNP sweet-talking the EU into membership, with NO CURRENCY – NO CENTRAL BANK – DEBT DEFAULT.
The SNP knew this was tripe, but they lied to the last minute, just like they did with oil – with Iran ‘coming in from the cold’ and with their oil ‘coming on tap’, tonight’s Brent Crude price of $58/barrel could drop well below $50 soon – that will be the death-knell for the North Sea.
Who still wants separation, or even, FULL FISCAL STUPIDITY?
Who wants to be Greece 2?’
Who wants to be Greece 2?’
Olivia Newton John
FatherDougalCSC
HH jamesgang
Greece 2 Scotland 3.
Glad I am flying abroad tomorrow and will not be reading here. These Thomson & Thompson Tintin characters who multiple moniker post here, are ruining this great place.
Level5 scum!
Delaneys
Reading a fascinating but pretty depressing account of Jamaica at the moment.
Will let you have a read when you’re back.
Take care. Enjoy.
HH jamesgang
James
Manana Barcelona. :))
DD,
Enjoy the trip. Thank’s for the the heads up about the Thompson’s.
I have no idea, who they support, if it is Sevco…I don’t think they can talk about Greece.
Poor language too.
Enjoy the break.
Clogher
ks bud. Wise words. ;)
thompsontwin
23:41 on 13 July, 2015
Vintage 67 – “If you don’t deal with your debt, your debt deals with you….
Potted history. Agenda driven unadulterated pish lacking in facts and coherent argument.
Just sayin
Hail Hail
voguepunter
23:24 on
13 July, 2015
Dunky
It was a birthday gift for my beloved….is that ok?????
===============================
So, you took yer taxi to a concert, fair play VP.
Yon Mickyhoy will be dead jealous….
Hardy Har Har CSC
Clogher
My son and I will spread the word of Celtic throughout Spain. Benicassim is only a few mile from the Villarreal Celtic Submari CSC. It is on my visit list. I have a few gifts for the Spanish Tims there.
Hail Hail
Remember seeing Packie Bonnar and Gerry McNee at the Paddy Reilly concert at the Candleriggs?….in the 80’s.
Delaneys Dunky
23:46 on
13 July, 2015
Got to agree, the blog has been ruined by political crap since ref vote, too many on here to promote their agendas now, not worth the effort for a lot of posters that used to be heavily involved in the blog
DD,
Grand stuff, have a ball.
Try the Michael Collins bar in Barca, if you have time.
HH,
Clogher
thompsontwin
23:41 on 13 July, 2015
What’s it all about, Alfie?
Gonny geez a feckin break, man??
You will be blaming the SNP for the shite weather next.
This stuff about the fans being criminalised for singing at Celtic Park.
What’s TROH got to do with Celtic?
When the players hear it….do they play better?
Celtic’s fans today are toothless…that includes the Celtic Trust.
I know that the CT have represented fans at court etc…
But….Celtic ‘agreed’ to this law being sactioned with their kowtowing after the ‘Shame-Game’ were Celtic had 3 players booked!!!
There’s been mention tonight about fans signing petitions for various reasons….it disny matter how many sign any petition…the ‘crucial’ point is…the Celtic fans of today are ‘toothless’ because, the board have got you ‘all’ exactly were they want you…outside of ‘your’ club…looking in.
The board signed-up to this OBA-thingy coz…they’ll do anything for an easy life…just so long as they’re getting your money…’thats’ what matters to them.
The living wage might be more trouble than its worth coz…I’m guessing…that, the workers at CP who might be in line to recieve the LW would probably have to give up benefits if they were to get this pay?
The Celtic Board are living the dream.
They just sit there…collect all your money…let the fans fight the legals…let the Internet Bampots drop convenient smoe-screens about the huns to make you all look the other way…prostitute ‘your’ stadium to the CWG’s and, swally the fee…disny get much better eh?
OldTim 67
________
Belated happy-hoopy-birthday.
HH
….oot. YNWA.