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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Im not debating the rights or wrongs of topic – i dont have facts. My issue is with saying the board should react to 10k signatures. A rational argument would be the board shouldnt because 120k (underestimate) celtic fans worldwide didnt sign petition. Dont like anyone talking for the support. My question is why should board react to 1/6 of stadium capacity?
Thebarcamole.
Will do. I have put t.v on and will cheer your horse.
Jamesgang.
Very witty, poor Delaneys lol.
Oneneillennon.
You are correct in saying the board don’t have to react. However for me, if we can achieve better pay and conditions for any workers then that is a noble thing to do. Failing that it’s a race to the bottom.
All getting seriously out of hand in Ardoyne now
Residents have been rammed by an Orangeman in a car and a 16 year old girl is seriously injured
Sorry TBM.
Just realised your horse was the last race.
Hope you were on each way.
James
Your ankle is getting bitten, next time I catch you. :)))
oneneillennon
I don’t think that reaction to a petition can be based on a percentage of the potential respondents. In my view, the fact that 10000 Celtic supporters took the time to sign the petition is a clear demonstration that their are a sizable proportion of the support feel strongly enough.
It is not a 50/50 referendum.
I honestly think that the powers that be at Celtic are missing a trick here.
Paying the living wage (and retaining bonuses for all) would be consistent with Brother Walfrid’s vision of feeding the poor.
It would also be good PR.
HH
delaneys dunky
21:13 on 13 July, 2015
James
Your ankle is getting bitten, next time I catch you. :)))
——-
Shut it you, you big handsome gorgeous troll you!!’
HH jamesgang
Cliftonville
They are deranged scum. I will pray for Ardoyne tonight.
Live feed of Ardoyne rioting (seriously)
Water cannon giving the Orangemen a good seeing to
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_DmZFwSLbbI
James
Turkey has changed you! Hahaha
Celtic Football Club
11s11 seconds ago
Celtic Football Club @celticfc
FULL TIME: Celtic 3 – 1 @Morton_FC
Oldtim I have never met you, but being on this blog for years and seeing the impact you have on everyone you seem to be the ethos of what it is to be a Tim so I wish you a great birthday
Hail hail
Brnobhoy
skyisalandfill imo 10k is not sizeable. Again can counter with over 100k chose not to take the time to complete. A minority is a minority
brnobhoy
Aye he’s awright is the young un!
Delaneys
Still smarting about getting stood up on Friday!
:_(
12Th July must the only shower of the year for a lot of yon zombies.
HH jamesgang
Their only crime is loyalty
https://twitter.com/JamesDjk74/status/620683162188967937/photo/1
Hoopy birthday old Tim hope you’ve had a gid yin.HH.
oneneillennon
That is why I said it’s not a referendum.
It’s not about majorities.
Clearly we see this differently
HH
Does anyone remember that episode of Star Trek where 2 men with half black/ half white faces (like a mirror image of each other) end up in a wee box hurtling through space fighting each other, for all eternity?
For some reason, that’s popped into my head tonight.
I hope they serve big samples at the Eden Brewery tomorrow.
Happy Birthday Oldtim67.
I will call you tomorrow.
Night all, enjoy.
Happy birthday oldtim.
Hope the young girl in ardoyne is ok
Can’t imagine what it’s like to have to go through that every summer.
Dharma
Just let the bhoys at the brewery know your a Cqn poster
Just catching up on the blog(Mondays and Wednesdays being busy days for me:) ), so, I would like to wish Old Tim Many Happy Returns. I trust a fine bottle of Rioja was partaken of in celebration:) :)
skyisalandfill Of course its about majorities. If 10 people in your work presented a petition to bosses to work Saturday and have Monday off should your bosses change working week from Monday to Friday to Tuesday to Saturday?
Jimmynotpaul, I wonder how our mutual chum , the Killie Hippo , is reacting to Elbows being on Killie’s payroll.
I would imagine he’s none too happy.
James
See you Ross County match, or before in European match. :)
Auldheid 18.17, great and very germane questions, how do we find out more.? What happened to right to a jury trial?
Delaneys
Hope so pal.
I have a shocker this Wed. My team are taking me out. Planned weeks ago.
Aaaaahhgh!
HH jamesgang
oneneillennon
20:54 on
13 July, 2015
hamiltontim
Regardless of one or a million and one signatures on a petition Board should pay at least, ans I emphasise at least the Living Wage.
Otherwise it should drop its glib claim to be ‘Unlike any other club’ and simply admit that it is just another market driven capitalist organisation.
Nor only just another capitalist organisation but a hypocritical one to boot.
As I have posted previously. Last November the Board whinged that on the Living Wage issue, it was being manipulated by politically motivated campaigners.
It had absolutely no problems being manipulated by Haughey and Reid for political purposes.
Again, as I have posted before. When it comes to paying decent wages to those at the bottom of the ladder, what else can we expect from a plc with the likes of DD and Lord Livingstone on the its Board?
Paul67,etal.
I’d like to thank you all who sent me birthday wishes, I liked it when you said enjoy your day, To tell you the truth the thirteenth of July is like any other day for me, for me to enjoy my day would be at a hootinannie, or with the bhoys in the Blane Valley, or any other place where we’re out for a wee dram and a chat, or a CQ12N, if there is one.
I’m sitting in the house waiting on Wednesday to start a new season of supporting Celtic, Drinking in the Blane Valley, Maybe a hootinannie or two and just a good time with some of the friends I’ve met thanks to CQN, I feel good about this season, The treble, and a good run in Europe would suit me fine.
Received a text from kickinthenakas today wishing me all the best, He mentioned if we have a good run in Europe we could maybe go to one of the away games, I think I said ‘your on’ so come on Celtic make our dream come true,
a wee trip to Barca, Or back to Lisbon would suit me down to the ground.
Well, again, thanks to everyone who wished me all the best for my birthday,Could have got drunk but not a drink has passed my lips today.
Oldtim
You did sound sober when I spoke to you on the phone an hour ago
Old tim
Happy birthday, you must have lost count by now
Were you racing with the boys at Hamilton races on Saturday?
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family,
I will do – is it for special access to the soft play for the bewildered, cos I’m wondering if they do a season book/
I’ve passed it many times over the past few years and this is the first time I’ll be going in. I’m looking forward to it.
Thank you for the advice.
Dharma
Email me
blantyretim@aol.co.uk
And I’ll tell you why
proudbhoy
21:31 on
13 July, 2015
Hope the young girl in ardoyne is ok
Can’t imagine what it’s like to have to go through that every summer.
When are folk going to take on board that it all just a cultural celebration.
Me. I often wondered just who pays for all the pallets the burn on the eleventh.
Happy birthday Oldtim,
We’ve never met; however I don’t know of anyone who has a bad word to say about you. That’s some feat on here!
O.G.Rafferty
I think they’ll find out, that it’s attempted murder.
bournesouprecipe
21:54 on
13 July, 2015
O.G.Rafferty
I think they’ll find out, that it’s attempted murder.
And then it will turn out to have been a fairly minor incident.