Europe a sideshow to league duty at Fir Park

1000

A Europa League tie against Rennes on Thursday would normally set midweek pulses racing but when Celtic have such a crucial game ahead in the fight for second place Neil Lennon has a major decision to make, does he rest players for the Motherwell game?

Sunday’s game at Fir Park is set to become one of the most important games of the season for Celtic and I’m sure Neil would prefer a clear midweek to prepare for it, but resting players, with the inherent increased chance of defeat, could further damage fragile morale.

Celtic need a confidence boosting win but they need heads focussed on beating Motherwell even more. The consequences of defeat on Thursday are unpleasant, but the consequences of defeat on Sunday are incalculable.

Issue 4 of CQN Magazine will be out soon, if you would like to advertise email me: celticquicknews@gmail.com

Read issue 3 of CQN Magazine free online here or buy a print version at Magcloud.
[calameo code=000390171bb1634f4d942 lang=en page=1 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

1,000 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 14
  5. 15
  6. 16
  7. 17
  8. 18
  9. 19
  10. 20
  11. ...
  12. 27

  1. Paddy Gallagher on

    Bundoran Bhoy says:

     

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:07

     

     

    Good mate, looking forward to meeting up with you guys soon :-)

  2. Re williebhoy Comment:

     

     

    I agree that the board are just waiting to see what happens the Rangers between now and Christmas, as any points deduction could put us firmly back in the title race, and I think they are loyal enough to Lennon and willing to wait until after Christmas and see if we can climb back into the title race. It would be a mildly embarassing way to get back into the title race, but not humiliating by any stretch. Remember Rangers mismanagment and financial dealings have unfairly allowed them to compete at the top end of Scottish football for years, and at the expense of other more legitmately run SPL clubs, so any deduction is fair and a deserved reward for the other SPL clubs in the top half of the SPL.

     

     

    The club would be mad to sack Lenny before the Rangers announcement on points deductions, but should that decsion not happen before Christmas then I expect Lenny to be asked to step down. I do feel that much of the criticism levelled at Lenny has been ill-informed though, if you say that coaching experience and naivety has cost him this season then how did he run a more vastly experiencde coach (Sir.. Walter) witin 1 point of the championship last year, and how come Sally’s lack of experience is not a problem given they are out of Europe and the League cup?No for me, the absence of Izaguire, Brown, K Wilson, Bangura, Commons, even Loovens has had a major impact on results and that is bad luck. Of more concern has been the dramatic drop in form of, Hooper, Stokes, M Wilson, Commons, Majstorovic, Kayal and the non contributions of Sammy, Bangura up front. It is managments job to restore poor performers, and I think Lennon and his wider staff need to sharpen this aspect of their management, as many of the poor performers aren’t suddenly bad footballers because of a poor half season. Lennon needs an immediate strategy rethink on diagnosing poor performance including sports science, sports psychology, man management, consulting other coaching staff, and training methods. As well as bad luck, and dramatic loss of form, the third element for me is that we are still lacking 2 or 3 experienced quality signings. I thing we need 1 CB and 1 CF in the mid to late 20s. I hate to admit this but the Rankers did sign the Romanian lad and Bocanegra – solid but experienced players to an already experienced mob of grinders.

     

     

    I analyse Lennon’s problems as being part bad luck, and part poor management of the form of players, and lack of investment of 2 or 3 experienced players. So I think he is a very good manager, but with our better players back and 2 experienced signings I predicts a strong comeback in

  3. mickbhoy1888 says:

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:09

     

     

    Sammy will be the only greek who is not a striker

     

     

    Hail Hail

  4. The Spirit of Arthur Lee on

    jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ says:

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:05

     

    Greece bellies up again. How many trillions have we gave them???

     

     

    Best bhoys holidays i ever had

     

     

    Malia,Kavos,Ipsos,laganas,Kardama,rhodes town,

     

     

    I thank you well worth the cash

  5. prestonpans bhoys on

    oh these jokes are rubbish if the link doesn’t work pick GREEK DANCE OPAH! OPAH! OPAH! OPAH! OPAH! OPAH!

  6. In the heat of Lisbon on

    Goldstar –

     

     

    Not many players standing side by side with Neil – Ledley being the exception.

     

     

    Think Neil has chosen a dodgy route to go by outing the players and blaming them. not a road many managers would choose to go down as you look for a positive reaction with the vultures circling.

     

    Maybe he would be best advised to look at his staff first…

     

     

    Thoughts???

  7. Bloke109 is Neil Lennon says:

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:16

     

     

    The day a celtic manager needs a mentor is the day we have given the job to the wrong man

     

     

    if lenny can’t do the job himself time to walk away

     

     

    I know the shirt has shrunk to fit inferior players but when the managers chair becomes a stool time to jack it

     

     

    Hail Hail

  8. Paddy Gallagher on

    setting free the bears says:

     

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:16

     

     

    Paddy Gallagher

     

     

    What about the meerkat?

     

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

     

     

    Big colony in Durells Zoo in Jersey but they ain’t clever, in fact they are ‘simples’! :-)

  9. Noo,in the Autumn, o’ Our Discontent…

     

     

    Our thoughts must drift Back… drift? .. O.K.,then.. GALLOP BACK..

     

    tae that time, when Celtic needed a Replacement Manager..

     

     

    We wur poised tae mak.. a Decision..

     

     

    At that very Time..

     

     

    Me.. Who? Me?

     

     

    O.K..

     

     

    I, then…

     

     

    offered the Name of Willie.. Willie McStay… fur consideration ,fur

     

    the Noo Vacant Managerial Post.

     

     

    Why?

     

     

    Because, it was an offering that wiz Uncommonsensibly, Sensible!.

     

     

    Howevahhhhh…

     

     

    Ah forgoat.. Generally, speaking..and is there Any ither Wey?…The Celtic Fans dinnnae want tae hear.. Un-Common Sense.

     

     

    They want..Passion, Luv, and Sentiment… and no tae furget… Nostalgia.

     

     

     

    Oh.. they are very Big oan.

     

     

    Nostalgia!

     

     

    Ur they EVER.!.

     

     

    But, Afore Ah am Accused o’ Peregrinating…

     

     

    Ah revert tae Ma Main theme.. and, Continue…

     

     

    Yep, Willie McStay was the Sensible Choice..

     

     

    He wiz a proven winner at the Club.. something like Seven or Eight

     

    Reserve Championships under his Belt..

     

     

    and mair importantly, he wiz a Proven Manager..

     

     

    He had Actually, Managed a FITBA’ TEAM!

     

     

    Howevahhh.. Lenny, wiz the choice.. and , although, he did fulfill..

     

     

    The Sentimentality and the Love Fur Passion and Abrasiveness.. which the

     

    Celtic Fans so Love.. in a Manager..

     

     

    Unfortunately, Lenny was a Tyro.. a Dilettante.. a Rookie.. in the Managerial

     

    Stakes..

     

     

    Big Mistake.

     

     

    Well, Willie was Overlooked.. Ignored.. Shut oot.. and Naturally..

     

     

    Willie took aff.. fur Points unkmown.. a Very disappointed.. and probably, Disgrunted

     

    Man, as weel… Ah declare.

     

     

    Celtic had Found their New Manager.

     

     

    Yep.. Lenny, wull learn. of course, he wull..

     

     

    But, noo..

     

     

    Like Ah said in Ma Opening Remark..or rather.. using My Adulterated Phraseology which Ah Pilfered Fae .. Wull Shakespear..

     

     

    Noo…. IS… the Autumn of OOR DISCONTENT!

     

     

    Kojo.

  10. brinalackbhoy

     

     

    You don’t think he needs someone beside him? It’s old news, and not hindsight, that he should have had one from the start, but Reid as coach even. I think he needs an experience head.

  11. Apologies if posted already but big respect to Billy Sharp, played tonight three days after losing his son, he scored and revelaed a tshirt ‘that’s for you son’.

  12. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    Wonder what aberdeen think about their managers defence and sympathy for naesmith.

     

     

     

    Basic equipment was denied to british soldiers in active service who is to blame ?

     

     

    TAX EVASION british subjects who refuse to pay their tax.

     

     

    How did Greece end up in the state they are in ?

     

     

    TAX EVASION Greek businesses refused to py their tax

     

     

    makes you think eh

  13. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    The Lord asked Michael why he was so down? Michael tells him one of the golden gates has fell off. Lord tells him not to worry Jim’ll fix it.

  14. Paddy Gallagher on

    Kojo says:

     

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:20

     

     

    You sir, like myself was a supporter and promoter of the appointment of Mr Neil Lennon and criticised many posters who objected to his appointment. Jump ships and change opinion by all means, but please don’t deny your initial support of our manager.

  15. I would love to see the “Silent Assassin” back at Celtic Park helping us out.

     

     

    The Man has no ego and has the experience to handle the prima donnas in the current side.

  16. Bloke109 is Neil Lennon says:

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:22

     

     

    I think his biggest mistake has been to have his mates as the coaching staff

     

     

    One close friend as assistant helps but leave it at that.

     

     

    He should have brought in an experienced set of coaches not a painter and decorator and rookies.

     

     

    First thing kenny did was go for stevie clark who was sadly to expensive for us.

     

     

    However timing is everything bringing in a big name coach now would look like lining up his replacement and give food to the media frenzy.

     

     

    I still believe if he needs a mentor he should walk away.

     

     

    hail hail

  17. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    I think the dug out is top heavy. I think Billy Stark wd be a good mentor for Neil. As old Fergus said “its like a bus stop down there”

  18. feedthebhear says:

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:23

     

     

    Shows that football is a shared emotion what a guy deserves all the praise and well done to the ref for not booking him

     

     

    Hail Hail

  19. reilly1926 says:

     

    1 November, 2011 at 22:26

     

     

    and with only one good eye he can spot a player

     

     

    he gave us paisley i won’t forget that

     

     

    Hail Hail

  20. Bloke 109

     

    The problem with your solution is that it reduces the manager to that of figurehead with a puppet master pulling the strings in the background

     

    The manager has already openy stated that he has sought advice over the phone from other quarters however it’s still not working

  21. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    I’m happy to give Lenny another 3 years,

     

    hopefully the boo boys will have got sick of it and moved on to a ‘better team’

  22. Remember Kevin Barry executed by hanging on this day November 1st in 1920, aged 18yrs of age. A proud volunteer of the Irish Republican Army who died for ireland and freedom.

     

     

    Gone but never forgotten

     

     

    Hail Hail

  23. mickbhoy

     

     

    I know. I saw that Reid was out of work and thought he could do a job, and to an extent I am clutching at straws. I want him to succeed so much, but the portents aren’t good. We could look at a million rumours of course, but something’s not clicking for sure – maybe one coach to go, maybe someone in – something.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 14
  5. 15
  6. 16
  7. 17
  8. 18
  9. 19
  10. 20
  11. ...
  12. 27