Early tests required, playing poker with no cards

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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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537 Comments

  1. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Reasonable man ….just as it says …once described by Ld Denning as …the man on the Clapham omnibus…

  2. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    HT

     

     

    Absolute discharge …sheriff feels compelled to convict on the evidence led …thinks the prosecution is pointless waste of court resources ….

     

     

    Conviction …..no crown appeal

     

     

    Sentence ..absolute discharge ….no defence appeal

     

     

    Who was the Sheriff ?

  3. TheBarcaMole on

    ….PFayr supports WeeOscar

     

     

    19:35 on 13 July, 2015

     

     

    Reasonable man ….just as it says …once described by Ld Denning as …the man on the Clapham omnibus…

     

     

     

    What an appalling vista!!!!

     

     

    Regards & Hail Hail

     

    TBM

  4. Sky, Setanta, BT, ESPN, Eurosport, I have them all, and none of them seem to be covering game on Wednesday. What the hell is going on.

  5. Listen this Celtic not paying a decent wage.this isn’t an excuse on Celtics behalf but them that take on these part time jobs .know what hourly rate they are being paid

     

    just like them ones that are on zero contracts they to know the conditions. So a lot of them have no one to blame but themselves. The worse ones and they in my opinion are these ones that take on part time work.no pensions. Etc

  6. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    hankray

     

    Celtic are hoping for a big home gate hence no TV coverage

     

    Game is on Celtic TV to overseas subscribers

  7. TheBarcaMole on

    butsybhoy

     

     

    19:43 on 13 July, 2015

     

     

    TBM

     

     

    Hi pal hope you and Virgie are well

     

     

    Good Night

     

     

    Hail Hail……………………

     

     

    We’re good pal, really………….

     

     

    Skint but happy…………

     

     

    Back in September to Amen Corner, loose ends to be tied up but for sure this will be the last visit, other than how my wee Ma keeps keeping on; you know eh!

     

     

    The Mexicana says hi but who the fegguck is that on the phone at Val Doonican time???

     

    I said ” Mick”………… Bailed you out again!!!

     

     

    Hope you enjoyed Dubai; happy days eh! They can never get that passport back from the renegade oil ghuy!!!

     

    Say hello to the Rocket………..

     

     

    Take Care.

     

     

    Regards & Hail Hail

     

    TBM

  8. Sky, Setanta, BT, ESPN, Eurosport I have them all and none seem to be covering game on Wednesday night. What the hell is going on.

  9. cliftonville celt from belfast on

    Full scale riot in Ardoyne because the Orangemen aren’t getting their own way

     

     

    Bring out the water cannon

  10. Blantyretim……………was really looking forward to my first glimpse of the Hoops suppose it’s understandable the club want a big gate. Would get Celtic TV but waiting until midnight on Saturday nights does not appeal to me.

  11. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    hankray

     

     

    19:58 on 13 July, 2015

     

     

    Only BT TV have the CL for 3 years now……unless it is going to be on BT Sport Europe, or BT Sport EXTRA,mot ain’t being shown , for some reason

  12. Celtic Football Club

     

    2m2 minutes ago

     

    Celtic Football Club ‏@celticfc

     

    HALF TIME: Celtic 2 – 1 @Morton_FC Goals from Stefan Scepovic and Luke Donnelly have the Bhoys in front at half-time at Cappielow.

  13. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Has Neo-liberalism replaced Catholicsm as the main belief system of the Celtic support ?

     

     

    HH

  14. Jimmynotpaul on

    Thebarcamole.

     

    F. If you are still awake thank you for your kind comment put a smile on my face.

     

    H.T.

     

    C well done on all your hard work with FAC and The trust. Keep posting your stuff mate. Knowledge is power and whilst others are entitled to their opinions too,don’t let them get to you. Some, I have no doubt, just do it to try and get a reaction from you.Remember though keep some time for you and H.

  15. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    mot = match

  16. ThompsonTwin on

    TCT – they should not be allowed to use Celtic’s name – they are a mixture of the historical Militant Tendency, Tsipras’s Greek joke party and the SNP comedians.

     

     

    Complete separation from reality.

     

     

    I say to TCT and the so-called 10k who signed a petition – get out of Celtic Park, if you ever go, and DON’T come back – you WANT to do harm to our club

     

  17. On Greece – I don’t think we know the half of it and we won’t for another 5 years. Doubt very much that the troika will ever get all their money back.

     

     

    One thing you can easily lose sight of in the Greek drama – it was the bankers, the capitalists who caused this whole sorry mess. And austerity has largely passed them by.

  18. And in other non-Celticrelated news,

     

     

    I’m really looking forward to a tour of the Eden Brewery in Guardbridge tomorrow, with Mrs Dharma and some very good friends.

     

     

    Has anyone here done the tour?

  19. Just popped in to wish one of the most genuine, decent Bhoys to grace the slopes of Celtic Park.

     

     

    Hoopy Birthday OldTim, hope you’ve had a great day…:)

     

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  20. Celtic Football Club

     

    1m1 minute ago

     

    Celtic Football Club ‏@celticfc

     

    48′ Celtic 3 – 1 @Morton_FC (Stokes)

  21. TheBarcaMole on

    Jimmynotpaul

     

     

    20:30 on 13 July, 2015 …………

     

     

    Not a problem pal: you are one of the good ghuys for sure , just waiting on Return of Ace in the next at Wolverhampton, don’t tell my agent BMCUW, the Swindon juggler………….

     

     

    Let the maddies on the bus know that I said hello…….

     

     

    Really miss the good ghuys but hey my life is here now and no regrets whatsoever.

     

    Take Care T………….

     

     

    Regards & Hail Hail

     

    TBM

  22. jimmynotpaul

     

     

    20:39 on 13 July, 2015

     

    I say to the troll.

     

    20.34.

     

    Just go!

     

     

    ——

     

     

    Cmon. Go easy on wee Delaneys!!

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  23. TheBarcaMole on

    I’m always looking to beat the favourite………Good Night…………

     

     

    Regards & Hail Hail

     

    TBM

  24. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo

     

     

    Has Neo-liberalism replaced Catholicsm as the main belief system of the Celtic support ?

     

     

    HH

     

    _____________________________________________________________________

     

    Yes. And about time too. Have you any idea the damage that ‘What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet suffers the loss of his own soul….’ stuff could do to the market if it caught on.

  25. TheBarcaMole on

    blantyretim is praying for the Knox family

     

     

    20:33 on 13 July, 2015

     

     

    TBM

     

    See you when you come over

     

     

     

     

    For sure S………

     

    That’s a given………

     

     

     

    Regards & Hail Hail

     

    TBM

  26. oneneillennon on

    hamiltontim

     

     

    16:39 on 13 July, 2015

     

    por cierto

     

     

    Despite over 10,000 signatures in support of the LW the board simply refuse to pay it.

     

    *********************************

     

    Taking aside any feelings on topic why on earth should the board react to a number of signatures that isn’t even a majority of season book holders, never mind stadium capacity or celtic supporters worldwide. Why you admirably feel strongly about it this total represents a minority. Clearly the majority of celtic supporters dont feel as strongly. This is quite clear from figures quoted. So why should the board react?