I wanted a home draw but while Hibs deservedly beat Celtic in December, the fortunes of both teams have moved in opposite directions since then. We know the challenge at Easter Road and should be prepared for it.
News that the three teams competing for second spot in the league are also competing for the same place in the semi-finals is welcome. We knew they would take points off each other in recent weeks, and they did. They will weaken each other’s title challenge with the focus which will inevitably fall on these cup games.
The one concern I have is that this game against Hibs will be our second visit to Edinburgh that week; we are at Tynecastle the previous Wednesday, scene of another defeat this season. Before then, we are at Kilmarnock and face Valencia twice. It is a good job we have players returning from injury.
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Matt Stewart, , absolutely awesome,
My friends in Celtic,
I really can’t understand the obsession with Peter Lawwell.
Who cares what his renumeration is, this budget is totally separate from our playing budget.
We have a manager breaking records continually ( some may even speculate that we are punching above our weight, having such an esteemed manager in Scottish Football )
We have a stadium and infrastructure that is comparable with the best. ( What a transformation over the years. Literally night and day. )
Tomorrow night we will show we belong. We showcase our status to the best and the rest of European football.
This has taken a lot of hard work, investment and hard nosed negotiation over the years.
And the journey continues.
Next up : I trust PL et al to take the fight to GCC. As previously stated numerous times, the access / egress and parking to CP must be challenging vigorously.
As for the additional draconian tax on parking that has just been announced. Just how will that pan out from a Celtic perspective?
HH. COYBIG.
I take a rather simple view on the players who leave CP and the players who refuse to come.
No matter how much dithering there was or wasn’t, John McGinn had an opportunity to say Yes or No to a perfectly acceptable offer (to Hibs) from Celtic. He chose the more financially rewarding option of going to Villa, so I say fair play to the lad, he owes us nothing – he was never a Celtic player and he may never be one now that he is tied into the “big bucks for playing with cash rich (mediocre) clubs”.
Similarly Moussa Dembele came to us on a Bosman for Fulham. We got rewards from him playing for us and on his leaving of us. He was always going to move on as he explained himself as part of his “Project” to make a name for himself with Celtic in Europe and earn a “bigger” move. He, in fact, targetted Brendan Rodgers, not Peter Lawwell, as the guy who reneged on promises to let him move on if a satisfactory offer came in. In fact he may even have suggested that he was planning a move because he was told the manager was leaving Celtic too. Brendan, certainly, told everyone here that he pulled up Moussa about those cryptic tweets and said that Moussa retracted the accusations. But then Brendan let him leave anyway.
You can try to unscramble the competing motivations and egos involved in such a tale but someone was telling lies or exaggerating stories and, unless you were there or one of the parties involved, you do not have the tools to decode this accurately. No- not even the body language experts.
I have no such skills and I don’t know which version, if any, is true. Therefore I, again, take the simple line that Moussa chose to go- so fair play to him and thanks for all the hunskelping.
And though, we have managed to retain Brendan Rodgers, Kieran Tierney, James Forrest, Callum McGregor, Scott Brown, Tom Rogic, Dedryk Boyata and Olivier N’tcham, all of these may go at some time in the near future because all are capable of earning a move to either a bigger club with more chance of European success OR, at the very least, to a club that will pay a fortune for their services and secure their futures.
So, I’ll support them while they are here. I might even take a little pride in their achievments afterwards (unless they act like Mo Johnston or Viduka) but I’ll have no interest in characters like John McGinn who could have been here but never set foot in the place. He is of no interest to me as a Celtic supporter, now the transfer speculation is over.
So- support the guys who ARE here- most could earn even more elsewhere – and many will prove that point over the next 2 to 5 years when they move on and we get new, ever more temporary, heroes.
I, too, have heard the tale of McGinn, who could easily have been a Celtic player; (Celtic and Hibs having an agreed fee), but McGinn chose an alternative course.
Seemingly Brendan would not offer a guaranteed spot to McGinn, in what was/is a very strong area of our team.
Eurochamps67
Pog ” 8:19
I have that poem in a book called ” Mungoe`s Tongues”.
In the collection, it is called ” The Burchers of Glasgow. ” and authorship is credited to Matt McGinn, 1969.
JJ
” Dearie me ! ” Mungo`s Tongues “…..and it is my old school !!
NALLY81 on 13TH FEBRUARY 2019 4:05 AM
I know for a fact that an English team asked PL in August how much money it would take to allow them to speak to Kieran Tierney.
£28m was the answer and the club came back and said they would pay it and proposed x plus y etc….the usual stuff.
I don’t know why but Celtic said they wanted the money in total the day he signed and the other club wouldn’t do it.
I’ve know this for months but we now know that in August we knocked back…..
Boyatta £12m
Dembele £ 18m ( the 1st Lyon bid ) and
£28m for KT.
£58m or £73m if the Porto/Ntcham story was true.
So how does that sit with PL being money daft and the club having no ambition?
How does having a dozen absolute top-notch footballers that could press the button on a move to England any time they wanted is us showing no ambition
As I’ve said before the Celtic board are obviously not perfect but they’re obviously far from the worst.
Amazing how a little bit of time and the story changes to suit.
John McGinn stated that he wanted to join Celtic but the CLUBS couldn’t agree and things were dragging on, he decided to join Villa due to this impass, he told the world this when he was a pundit on Sky at a Hibs game.
The chance to join Celtic was NOT an option.
Looking for recommendations………….please!
Can anyone recommend a good Kilt-outfitter?
I’m talking full Rob-Roy McGreegor stuff, they also have to be able to send overseas ( the states).
Thanks
( askin’ fir a freen!)
:)
HH
Are we the only support in world football who have so many complaining about so many things in an almost unparalleled period of success in our Club`s history ?
Seems to me that , considering the country in which we play, reaching the CL Group Stage is a fine thing. Not reaching them is not a dreadful failure.
Even in Scotland, winning the Trebble is a rare achievement and a Double Trebble, a remarkable one .
Yet still we have many, many fans who seem unable to appreciate and enjoy these times.
On and on and on we go but you don`t know what you`ve got `till it`s gone seems a very apt lyric for many.
JJ
An imagined conversation……
Smarmy Agent –
” Okay John sit doon, here’s ra deal. Sign for the Celts and you’ll earn a Baby Bentley EVERY MONTH, you will also have to put up with meeja derision and general loathin’ any time ye go ooooot…..
or…….ORRR…….sign for Melchester Rovers and get a Baby Bentley EVERY MONTH, live in splendid isolationin some ‘Shire mansion with Philipino handmaidens and never have to look behind ye when ye go oooot…?
A fitba’ player called John –
Av thought abooot it….loats……..
Congratulations young man, Werlcome to Melchester!
SFTB at 8.59.
That pretty much sums up my thoughts too. We should live more in the here and now. Appreciate these marvellous times.
I’ve given up on the money arguments. What we pay for a player or get for a sale I couldn’t care less.
Try to win every game we play. And in that context why get anxious over the Champions League? The Europa was far more enjoyable for me anyway.
Melchester Rovers had a great team back in the 70’s with big Roy up front. No wonder he joined them
HOT SMOKED on 13TH FEBRUARY 2019 9:47 AM
” Dearie me ! ” Mungo`s Tongues “…..and it is my old school !!
——————–
Don’t tell Delaney’ Dunkey, but I think that us ex St Mungo’s bhoys are the dominant force on here. ?
HH.
Stairheed……………aye, it’s a wunner Big Mark never took the plunge as well!
;)
I never thought McGinn was good enough to play for Celtic anyway – wish the kerfuffle over him not signing would cease.
It’s all irrelevant now.
HH. ?
Hot Smoked/ Green Pinata. Hail Hail fellow Mungovians, or as Farmer Kelly would have said FEELOW Mungovians.
16 Roads
Couldn’t agree more.
TET
One could surmise that your story appears “adapted” to favour an anti board / PL narrative.
For whatever reason I can only imagine.
I have no idea as to veracity of my account. It is as I heard, not adapted in any way.
I have no agenda.
Maybe you have better sources than I. Probably, as I have none save my frequent attendance at Celtic Park where I meet a large amount of Celtic supporters.
McGinn DID have the option to join Celtic.
He chose otherwise.
Good luck to him.
Better luck to Celtic, 7 in a row title winners, 7 in a row domestic trophy winners, Double Treble winners, 6 points clear at the top of the league and chasing an unprecedented Treble Treble.
Eurochamps67
EC67
The club have never come out and spoken about the transfer, Hibs have never come out and spoken about it either, the ONLY person who has spoken publicly has been John McGinn himself.
He stated live on the TV that the clubs couldn’t agree so he decided to go to Villa instead.
He also said that he NEVER had the chance to agree to a move to Celtic
So he was obviously telling lies according to you and many others.
For the record, I am delighted we didn’t sign him as I don’t think he is good enough, I have no agenda, though going by the snyde dig seem to think I have one, all I am doing is trying to dispel the myths that have grown up around this debacle and failing it seems.
HH
TET,
I make no snyde(sic) digs.
You attribute your argument to the words of John McGinn.
You appear to believe his account.
I , and others , have heard alternative accounts.
It suits an anti Celtic agenda to describe the affair, in your words, as a “debacle”.
I contend that it wasn’t.
It was a potential deal that did not get done, for whatever reason. SMSM rhetoric would have you describe such as a “debacle”.
McGinn chose his future and he wouldn’t be the first person to be economical with the truth when the occasion suited.
Anyway my interest is in Celtic and those who wish to , and do , play for them.
Eurochamps67
EC67
I choose to believe him, of course I do, unlike those who post rumours as if it’s gospel, that’s a new one on me, you learn something everyday on cqn, so you are calling him a liar then.
If you think the Scottish Press is bad, look at this headline
“Dembele sale eases financial burden on Celtic” https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/dembele-sale-eases-financial-burden-on-celtic-37811143.html
It is fair enough to say that profits have dropped but “financial burden” when, even without the Dembele sale, we would have had about £20m in the bank.
THE EXILED TIM
Much as i admire your tenacity in defending your corner and as you know
i’ve conversed with you a long time on CQN, but in my opinion if John had
wanted to be at Celtic he would be there hell or high water.
As for your thoughts on him not being good enough for Celtic, well got to
disagree again, i think he was, with Brendans coaching of course.
So i think my point is it doesn’t matter how many times you think, when will
these people waken up? well we are as steadfast in our beliefs as you are in
yours.
At the end of the day we all want the best for our wonderful club and i prefer
to dwell on our upcoming Celtic Sunday lunch in Oz, visitors from all over the
globe, and to welcome our two youngest guests yet at our function, a 10 year
old and a seven year old, Michael and Jonathan who read these pages.
Superb from two kids who have never been to Celtic park but told their dad
we’re going, lol, maybe John McGinn could learn from them.
H.H Mick
TET,
Had I wished to call anyone a liar, I would.
Not my form really.
I merely set out an alternative narrative to yours.
One that I consider has merit.
Not as gospel.
Eurochamps67
Mick
Possibly, he could have held out and signed a pre contract, that has never been what I am saying, people are posting rumours as gospel and refuse to accept what the man himself said as the truth cos it doesn’t suit an agenda, that’s what my stance is, nothing else.
As for being good enough, we will never know ;-)
HH
new article posted.
I can’t remember who, someone on the blog said, wait and see Sevco will get Sat cup tie and we will get Sunday.
It looks as if that was the plan, but Police Scotland are vetoing Sheep v Sevco at Sat teatime.
Premier sports are now asking to reverse the fixtures which would mean we would be in Edinburgh on the Sat 5.15 slot.
Hail Hail
EC67
You believe your “source” as opposed to the player, you insinuated that he may have been economical with the truth, fine, I believe him, no agenda, nothing.
HH
TET,
In danger of getting into “last word” syndrome.
I stated clearly that I do not have a “source”, so please do not attribute to me, things that are untrue.
I did not insinuate McGinn economy with the truth. I did however offer that he wouldn’t be the first to do so if it were to suit the situation, say for example, on Sky broadcast!
Supporting Celtic
Eurochamps67