I thought it was the emerging influence of Nir Biton as a central midfield influence who transformed Celtic against Hearts on Sunday; he looked that good. If anything, Celtic were better in his absence last night, more fluid, more incisive, against a better team.
It’s all about shape. The correct shape gives players time on the ball when they need it, allows them to look industrious, not static, and makes them difficult to counteract. The only two questions are: can we maintain it, and when was the last time a Celtic team controlled the ball like this?
Forget about trying to maintain this in Barcelona, that’s far too risky, but if we can play like this at Tynecastle and Fir Park we can do so anywhere else in Scotland. Don’t think we’ve played like this since the Centenary Season.
It’s difficult to interpret the vandalism at Fir Park last night. As Celtic fans we don’t have a point of reference for this stuff. “Had enough. Won’t be back at another away game”, was the verdict of a friend I spoke to, who has probably missed no more than 40 domestic away games in the last 40 years. The proportion of Celtic fans who would never vandalise seats is well above 99%, but there’s a new and unwelcome phenomenon in British football and Celtic have the best views in the country.
Getting back to more familiar ground, The Kano Foundation asked me to pass on this message:
“The Kano Foundation World Cup 2014 Predictor
Friends,
2013 has been a world class year for The Kano Foundation. We’ve had our first ever bucket collection, held our 3rd annual dance, welcomed groups from across Scotland, England and Ireland, and last but by no means least we will welcome our 2000th child to Celtic Park. All this would not be possible without your unwavering support.
As we move towards the new year, The Kano Foundation are always keen to continue our work while bringing you the fans new and exciting ways to support us. The fabulous prizes on offer at our Golf Day in September are just one example.
To keep up this form, we are delighted to announce a very special competition ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
We will be running a predictor competition unlike many others. At first reading our two part predictor is very similar to others where you enter the scores and winners for the 72 games.
However, we are also offering an unbelievable bonus prize fund of £10,000 for anyone who can correctly predict the outcome of all 48 group games . Yes, that’s correct – £10,000 to be shared amongst all entrants who can correctly predict the general outcome (winner or draw) for the all the group games.
In order to run both competitions we are asking entrants to make a one-off donation of £10. From the funds raised 50% will go as a donation to TKF with the remaining 50% available for prizes.
With just 100 entrants, not only can we raise a £500 prize fund for the predictor, we can also take over 200 kids to a game at Celtic Park. A tidy reward for a just few minutes brain effort!
All you need to do to enter is register you interest by email at:
wcpredictor@thekanofoundation.com Please include TKFWCPred as the email/paypal subject and tell us your user/team name so we can verify your entry. If you’ve not got enough room, enter as much detail as you can and tell us what you’ve done so we help.
Then make your payment into The Kano Foundation bank account (30-13-01 00989961 through Paypal or by sms by texting KANO11 £10 to 70070 – remember to include your name/email address.
Visit our predictor webpage (coming soon) to find more details and follow your progress
Once again, we hope we can rely on your support to make this predictor a success for us in terms of fundraising and for potentially making one of you £10,000 richer!
Thank You
The Kano Foundation”
Congratulations to the Celtic fans who run and support The Kano Foundation, our community is rightly proud of the. Register your interest by emailing: wcpredictor@thekanofoundation.com.
Less than one day to bid on bid on the charity auction for lunch at Cinc Sentis in Barcelona. Another bounty from the excellent reputation Celtic fans have. If you’re going out next week, treat yourself………
Order your CQN Annual here:
Order Sean Fallon, Celtics’ Iron Man, here:
1,910 Comments- Pages:
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EDB-Hope you and yours are well.We certainly look more comfortable as a team,get the ball forward quicker,and importantly IMO,support the man with the ball quickly.Passing constantly across the park is far easier to defend against,and turgid to watch.Hope we can play 3-5-2 more often…..maybe not Wednesday though….
BRTH
You enjoyed a game in Malorboy’s company? That’s a first.
And I was sitting behind you with my younger daughter if you recall.
iPaddy McCourt Supports Wee Oscar
18:01 on 7 December, 2013
‘Big cup winners
Not sure what your point is. Surely you’re not arguing is that (near) swearing on a blog is as unacceptable to you as smashing up seats and endangering other people with flares’
#####
Real Celtic fans (like me, I’m a real Celtic fan) should adopt a zero tolerance approach to all forms of bad behaviour.
That includes swearing.
hamiltontim is praying for oscar
18:00 on 7 December, 2013
“For some of you, I suggest that you listen more to your fellow Celtic supporters and their version of events rather than a hate filled, biased media.”
ABSOLUTELY….so, let’s wait and see what the GB say… AND, we need to ascertain if all 18 smoke bombs came from the Celtic Support…..the media seem to have assumed that….!!??
G64-they need sorted out big guy.HH
Petec – I am a pacifist myself brother,I don’t even think that I could kill a fish nowadays,just for the sake of killing the thing.
Catch and release is the way forward.
corkcelt- supporting the dam 5
17:52 on 7 December, 2013
Keep in touch mate, lennybhoycfc@gmail.com or through kickinthenakas, he has my number.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
67
Identifying who they sold tickets to is only worthwhile when people occupy the sats they are supposed to be in. I was at the game, and there were more people in the trouble spot than ticket holders.
Also, I suspect many decent fans would have moved elsewhere, and the numbers standing in aisles suggested they did.
Auldheid,
You raise a very good point, regarding the law of unintended consequences.
a ceiler gonof rust supporting justice and freedom for the dam 5
18:06 on 7 December, 2013
Who’s slagging Hamiltontim.?….put’ em up……hhahahahahahaha
67Heaven
Agree with you.
Just my opinion but I think the GB are a group of young guys (in the main) who are opinionated, want to be heard and (crucially) are under attack.
There’s tangible evidence of the attacks.
Canamalar
Are you suggesting that supporters of other clubs are attending away games pretending to be Celtic supporters with the intention of damaging Celtic?
Apologies if I have got the wrong end of the stick here
A Ceiler Gonof Rust Supporting Justice and Freedom for the Dam 5
18:06 on
7 December, 2013
Corky, why are you giving up? No point in giving up just now, wait till the summer instead and you can work on your handicap.
Don’t give up bud.
Hail Hail
P.S. Hamilton Tim is a good guy and he owes me a tenner for saying so.
Auld smoke and mirrors is throwing away twenty to say the opposite.
petec,
Loved that interview…Efe is such an affable fella.
Hope yer right about Big Vic.
iPaddy McCourt
Strange but true: The trouble in the Motherwell end was actually the Motherwell hooligans chasing one of the Union Bears.
16 roads – Wee Oscar the Celtic warrior.
18:10 on 7 December, 2013
Petec – I am a pacifist myself brother,I don’t even think that I could kill a fish nowadays,just for the sake of killing the thing.
Catch and release is the way forward.
_________________________________________
I once tried to kill a fish, I really messed it up and the poor bugger jumped about 1 minute after I thought I had killed it. I paid £10 pound at a fish farm in North Ayrshire and the Dude warned us to use Bait only. We used bait for loads of hours and then when we were about to head home, we used spinners, we both landed trouts almost instantly. I have spent full days out fishing and getting nowhere fishing wise but the tranquility, even when there are two or more there, is awesome.
Rascar@LochHumphrey.csc
BB
I would suggest that at the next away game your good self and VP
act as stewards.
That would sort the problem.
BRTH. I Appreciate all that you wrote. I think you speak for many/most in the Celtic Family. You sound like a mighty fine gent though we may have to do something about your choice of footwear Sir!
PS I’m 44 and still think I’m 19 too !
HH jamesgang
Bada Bing
We’re good my friend and thanks for asking. This is a wee secret that I’ll only share with you so keep this quiet o.k? Lennybhoy sent me, and the world probably, a text a couple of weeks ago regarding a striker we were supposedly interested in.
My response was “would rather change the manager”.
In light of the last couple of results I may just have got it a tad wrong?
God Bless NFL:o)
But keep it to yourself.
corkcelt- SUPPORTING THE DAM 5
17:52 on
7 December, 2013
No time for retreat,stay and debate your opinion…..somtimes
I despair at the stuff that some fholk post, I’ve no doubt some
despair at the p#sh I post,but most on here all want Celtic to
be successful.
weebobbycollins,
I am also coming to the stage where enough is enough, for the reasons you have stated.
The problem is not Celtic. It is the Game in general, from FIFA to the SFA.
The actions of the mindless from last night, is a reflection of society’s race to the bottom.
It stems from a lack of respect.
Respect for authority, especially parental.
However, it is also a lack of self respect.
We are living in a Godless age, where everyone is his own arbiter of right and wrong.
No one is allowed to be criticised and Anarchy is the new religion.
The problem is that too many can’t handle that level of responsibility.
As BRTH said, there is a rump of our support who have dropped the baton.
The football is no different from the rest of life. How could it be?
There is a tremendous amount of anti-social behaviour around. You see it everywhere: on the street, in the shops, in schools, on public transport, at the beach. People do what they want to do without giving any consideration whatsoever to anyone else. No one else even exists. Attempt to intervene and you are the trouble-maker, you are the head-case.
I blame Thatcher.
Celtic legend(LOL) – Peter Grant talking p#sh
on shortbread.
Tell us aboot the Rapid player that ye stamped on Peter.
Almost all the good things in life are being wasted by the market, by capitalist greed. Everywhere you turn there are people pushing a message at you that you can reduce to this: ‘Give us your money’. Usually shouted very loudly.
And if you have no money, you are useless. You don’t exist.
Gordon64
18:16 on 7 December, 2013
BB
I would suggest that at the next away game your good self and VP
act as stewards.
That would sort the problem.
______________________________________
I reckon it would but VP isnae as intimidating as Bada B!
Corkcelt
As the song goes my friend, “Stick around and laugh a while!”
El Diego Boy
Yes I remember you sitting behind myself and Malorbhoy with your daughter.
A somewhat dignified bespectacled gentleman as I recall.
Hope you and yours are well.
BRTH
Northside
You can bet yer bottom $ that the crops coming through the Celtic system are the real reason the laptop loyal are going into overdrive.
The Story behind the story.
‘GG said:
Why were the football pundits so quickly on to story? Did they have a heads up?
Not sure I understand the question. What do you mean by “so quickly on the story”?
I watched the game live on Setanta here in Oz. Towards the end of the game, as the Motherwell keeper took a goal kick, I notice a large number of broken seats lying behind the goal, pitch side of the wall. I immediately thought, “Oh shit!”
I made no judgement then and I make no judgement now, because I wasn’t there. My “oh shit” was merely a manifestation of a feeling of foreboding as in “I hope that isn’t what it looks like”.
I have read back on the blog some eye-witness accounts of deliberate vandalism. I have seen links to photographs of the aftermath. I don’t know whether the GB were involved, but it was obviously Celtic followers.
My question is, the evidence was there for all to see, during and after the game. Why would the MSM need someone to give them a “heads up”?
Believe me I am well aware how the scumbags of the MSM operate, but to suggest that the mere fact of them reporting the story “so quickly” was somehow sinister and underhand is a strange one.
Again, in this age of instant digital news, what do you mean by “too quickly” in the context of reporting a story?
Ernie,
Do you considering trolling to be unacceptable behaviour? If so, have a word with yourself
Like any family we have relatives
who at times let us down.
Do we ostracise them ?
Or is it our responsibility to help show them the right way to behave.
Only askin
Celtic_First
Are you familiar with Philip Larkin? I know you will be. We were asked if we would like to put a tag on a tree remembering my wife at this time of year.. My younger daughter chose to say “what will survive of us is love” on the tag. I then sought out more of his life.
iPaddy McCourt
How do you rate them: vandalism, breach, swearing on a blog or waving a banner.
KevJungle -”The Jungle, the Jungle…neety bring back the Jungle.”
18:22 on
7 December, 2013
Celtic legend(LOL) – Peter Grant talking p#sh
on shortbread.
Tell us aboot the Rapid player that ye stamped on Peter.
“”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
Kev what have a told you about listening to the radio and
reading the paper’s,you’ll no take a telling will you….any
way how are pal?
G64-Petec-if VP wore his Ron Burgandy outfit they would sit up and take notice…
Gordon64
18:33 on 7 December, 2013
Like any family we have relatives
who at times let us down.
Do we ostracise them ?
Or is it our responsibility to help show them the right way to behave.
Only askin
___________________________
Have you swallowed a Bible? :))
G64.csc
EDB-HH
Celtic_First –
Thatcher only arrived on the scene in the late 70s.
Who should we blame for anti-social behaviour prior to that?
iPaddy
What if young people see the GB on the TV, like what they see and decide they want a part of that action- they turn up at away games, where they can easily get close to the group, they dress the same gear and sing the same songs,however they dont really support Celtic with any great passion and dont really care what the consequences of their actions are. In your eyes are they the GB? Are they Celtic supporters? What should we do about them?
By the way, I spent a season in section 111 and saw plenty of those guys drawn to the excitement of the GB- guys with no interest in the club and whjo would as happily break seats at CP as they would at Motherwell