The players would have had a light training session at Lennoxtown today as muscles continue to refill after Wednesday night’s exertions. Expectations of Celtic in the Champions League are not high, and were exceptionally low when this group was drawn, but even so, these games have a huge financial, physical and even emotional impact on every area of the club.
One argument suggests the last thing we need is a cup semi-final four days after a Champions League outing. An alternative thought is that this is the perfect game for Celtic right now. Memories linger of sitting stressfully at Fir Park days after Celtic beat the reigning European Champions, Milan, as (subsequently liquidated) Grenta held onto a lead until the 87th minute.
While playing (subsequently liquidated) Rangers away 64 hours after winning a Uefa Cup semi-final 1200 miles from home in 2003 proved to be the perfect game to instil steel into the legs.
With what passes as a fully fit squad, Brendan has choices to make for Sunday. Did Patrick Roberts do enough off the bench against Borussia to justify a start? Perhaps. He’s a player who owes us one at Hamden too.
Callum McGregor will also fancy his chances ahead of Nir Bitton, who didn’t have a great Scottish Cup semi-final against the same opponents in April.
It would be a huge surprise if Moussa Dembele didn’t start as the lone forward, despite Leigh Griffiths itching to get on alongside him. Brendan will not change formation for this game, while Moussa will fancy his chances against a defence he punished to ruthlessly last month.
For me, our two most important players on Sunday will be Scott Sinclair and Tom Rogic. They are the epitome of the modern footballer, strong, skilful, intelligent and difficult to defend against. If we can get them on the ball often enough we’ll score a lot of goals.
Pretty much every Celtic fan I know expects Mark Warburton to have learned a lesson from his Celtic Park whipping and for him to deploy a more defensively-minded team this time. My Newco pals don’t expect this to happen. Warburton hasn’t varied his game-plan since arriving at the club and is apparently reluctant to start experimenting now.
He took his team to Hampden to face Celtic against similarly long odds last season. Within minutes we knew we were in a game, and despite the clear chasm between the teams, it was Newco who faced Hibs in the Scottish Cup final.
A repeat of the 5-1 win at Celtic Park is possible, but you’ve seen enough football to know that nothing can be taken for granted on Sunday. Remember that Newco came close to levelling that 5-1 game at 2-2 early in the second half, and the latter part of their collapse came after going down to 10 men.
I’m off later to meet those from the Tyneside No. 1 and friends, who have walked (yes, WALKED), from Merthyr Tydfil and will reach Doherty’s Bar in Hamilton this afternoon. They’ve pretty much walked a marathon a day for 13 days and will make the final journey to Celtic Park tomorrow.
This herculean effort has been made to mark the memory of Jonathan Thomas, who aged 30 lost his biggest fight one year ago tomorrow.
We’re lucky as Celtic fans that we get to meet and read about people who do these things in our name. It’ll take you 2 minutes to let them know how inspiring they are here.
It’s also worth marking the events in Aberfan, the village a few miles from Merthyr Tydfil which was visited by unimaginable tragedy 50 years ago today.
John Humphrys: What we owe the people of Aberfan 50 years after tragedy struck the village, and why it shows authority must be challenged. pic.twitter.com/OdjyaAGTsQ
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) October 21, 2016
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strangeness minus three
JNP
I was attracted to Miss Jersey too. The Jersey was merely her ice breaker to approach me. :)
Por Cierto
Absolutely agree with you. Parkhead and the Mosque, Synagogue, Chapel or Church. A club welcome to everyone.
I’m sure you are aware that the name debate is set in the context of a time when many of us oldies were growing up.
I’m proud of that past but even more proud that we have moved on to embrace Catholics, Protestant, Muslims, Jews, Gnostics, athiests and anyone of any persuasion irrespective of nationality or belief.
Everyone is welcome.
Hail! Hail!
In Breaking News ….. A Statue of General Franco has been smashed up in Barcelona so much so that the civic authorities have had to remove it completely and elsewhere ex Bournemouth Striker Tokelo Rantie has been removed from the South African squad for farting on the manager!
Jimmynotpaul, sorry for the delay in replying, I was watching Still Game.
I hope your son can use the juniors as a way of getting back into pro football.
Hamilton’s Darian Mackinnon was playing amateur 8 years ago, played Junior with Clydebank for 2 or 3 years now a first team regular with the Accies.
Some posters on here have slagged Darian but he is a good example of someone working their way up to the top tier in our game.
His journey is a good one in relation to that sevco mob.
Richard Thompson – From Galway To Graceland [Live/ Acoustic]
******************************************************
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXv7h0ghQ-0
theoriginalsadiesbhoy
Complete and utter nonsense! But consistent with the version adopted by the NCB after the fact.
Believe it if you will, your choice.
If you get the chance watch the Adam Curtis film HyperNormalisation. Especially the part on ‘Perception management’.
PapaJoe
Magic. Good Perth Tims fae the toon of Saint John, spreading the gospel in the Channel Isles. :)
HH
Jimmynotpaul, Pollok are playing Glentanner
Dallas.
Aye I was watching it myself, most enjoyable, I had a few laugh out loud moments.I won’t say anymore though, no spoilers.
I don’t think his heart is in it enough, he really plays for enjoyment now, although paradoxically he’s still a really bad loser. The second I hear his voice I know if they’ve won or lost.
I’ve been on leave this week and health wise I’ve been lucky, bad day Tuesday, the rest all good.
How are you and your loved ones? Have you told that boy of yours that the 3 generation photograph is non negotiable the next time you are all at Celtic Park.
Ron Bacardi,
Buying programmes back in the day?
I could hardly afford to get lifted over.
DD
Get yourself over to Jersey , apparently 3 to 1 girls to boys ratio really nice place with a lot of friendly people.
A lot of interesting history about the island being occupied by the jerries from 1940 to 1945.HH
Dallas.
Home win there. That would be a major shock if Pollok didn’t win that one.
‘HyperNormalisation’ is on the BBC i player.
THE EXILED TIM on 21ST OCTOBER 2016 8:48 PM
I see that half of the interweb in the USA has been taken down today in a DDOS attack, no doubt the Russians will get the blame, they are at fault for everything else wrong in the world according to the americans.
———————-
I see the Clintons turned on their server in the bathroom again! The one that didnt store thousands of top secret emails,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
JNP
We were out for dinner so just catching up.
Delighted to hear that about Paddy. DG raves about his pal RF who plays with Cumbernauld United but him and all his pals say that the best they’ve seen from the local area was your Bhoy. By a country mile.
H.T.
I’m meeting him at 9.30 tomorrow morning.
I won’t be telling him that!!!!!
PapaJoe
Thanks for advice. 3-1?
Aff oot to book a flight to Jersey. Hahaha
`81 program refers to ” Celtic Park ”
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIX-Celtic-football-programmes-1975-1983-/222283856408
Jimmynotpaul, your bhoy might change his mind if he plays a good amount of games this season and enjoys playing regularly again.
My family are well thanks. My wife has enjoyed the school week off more than our cherubs.
I’m hoping my dad can get to another game this season, probably near the end of the season. Junior with be told in no uncertain terms, a grandad, dad and son photo will be taken if my dad can get to another game.
BSR @ 6:41 PM,
Yes, as usual very good points…
My feeling is that BR sees the central midfield as a problem area, of course he inherited a plethora of them but I feel he’s wanting more quality.
But it needs unravelling, as BR has raised the bar you’ve got to say few are at the level required of this First Team… Yet the likes of Henderson and Christie have the potential… BR knows his stuff, I have faith in his decisions.
DOC @ 6:46 & 6:46 PM,
Good calls… though…
The Willie Malley song, despite it’s historical references and an “old standard” feel, was… in the new Millennium, so after the new Park was built.
But yes… The John Thomson song puts Celtic Park and it’s slopes in a truely wonderous historical context.
Thanks…
Me… I was, like most Monkland, Lanarkshire “Respondents”…
Parkhead and Chapel
Interesting where Chapel came from…
Got to agree with the post reformation connection… The only place Catholics had Mass was in a Secret Chapel… Sometimes known about… as in Norwich’s and I believe Stoner?!
Later when Catholics were allowed to attend Mass, the buildings tended to be rather modest… So did Protestants get a feeling of Superiority by labelling our places of Worship Chapels while they went to Church… quite possibly. Still the Chapel was post Reformation was a powerful example of Stoic Resistance that made many a Martyr…
So we were quite proud to go to Chapel.
And by the way… Britian’s ancient old Churches and Cathedrals… they’re ours, they were classically beautiful places of Worship as were the Great Monesteries… they were stolen and Iconoclast.
Well, that’s my take…
But I’m Paradise and Gohonzon these days… so what do I know.
Hail Hail
Jimmynotpaul, hopefully your work are still being sensible in their dealings with you and your condition.
CELTIC MAC on 21ST OCTOBER 2016 10:22 PM
theoriginalsadiesbhoy
Complete and utter nonsense! But consistent with the version adopted by the NCB after the fact.
Believe it if you will, your choice.
…………………..
If anything I’ve posted has been “complete and utter nonsense” then I’m willing to hold my hands up. I’ve merely recalled my memories as a 16 year old at the time. Perhaps you could educate us by telling everyone what you mean by complete and utter nonsense.
Aberfan
Read this-
Aberfan:Government and Disasters-Iain McLean /Martin Johnes..
Doesn’t miss.
My Dad started taking me to “Celtic Park” around 1958 and his father probably about 30 years before that.
Never once heard either of them refer to it as anything other than Parkhead.
It’s always been Parkhead to me.
Dallas
Was shown a photo at my Father in Laws funeral on Wednesday, from my Mother in Law, of her, her mother, her daughter, my daughter and my granddaughter. 5 generations of strong females from 3 to 95 years. Wonderful.
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 21ST OCTOBER 2016 10:50 PM
My Dad started taking me to “Celtic Park” around 1958 and his father probably about 30 years before that.
Never once heard either of them refer to it as anything other than Parkhead.
It’s always been Parkhead to me.
==========================
My dad and my uncles always referred to Parkhead in such reverential tones. It was always Parkhead and the Celtic Psrk phenom has been a recent identity, possibly foisted on us by Sky Sports etc etc.
It has always been called Parkhead, in very reverential tones.
By my Dad and uncles…
H.T.
Seriously though, as you are well aware,it’s all about levels.
He was at Airdrie when Tony Watt was there, Tony was better than the other boys, he had that acceleration that really matters That helps you step up to the next level. Tony, and he wont be happy at me saying this, lacks football knowledge and awareness, but he is improving. If he stays off the booze and fags and listens he could still make a really good living at football. I.E better than Hearts.
The other guy that was there for 3 months,before moving on to a higher level was GMS, most skilful guy there by a long way. Although I always thought Tony could play at a higher level, I have to be honest and say I was amazed that GMS did. Loads of ability but always appeared to lack confidence to me. I never that he had the mental toughness to play for Celtic but he proved me wrong, so well done GMS, someone else who has shown me that I don’t know half as much as I like to think I do.
Celtic Mac
Can you hear me?
What part of my post was complete and utter nonsense???
Scottish football grounds historically did not have names and were generally referred to as the area or street they were located in.
The Last Shadow Puppets
http://youtu.be/9cQloro92xA
White Denim
http://youtu.be/5vytS2G97DM
Kool & The Gang
http://youtu.be/sTJ1XwGDcA4
Clunks
The Clintons, just goes to show the americans and the rest of us get what we deserve, to vote for the likes of them we deserve everything we get, and will get, another war is a coming for sure, but enough of reality, the site I have my shop on was a victim of a DoS attack today, it took down a heap of stuff, twitter, PayPal and so on, it’s back up now but am confused so I am, went on one of the forums to see what the reaction was and more than half of them reckoned their service wasn’t down, strange when the main server was down, but these are the ones I am refering to :-)
HH
Chairbhoy.
The Willie Maley song goes back to at least the late 70s.
It was my, sadly deceased, best friends party piece.
The original lyrics were James McGrory and Jimmy McStay. See my monikor for details. :-).
The song was sung before Paul had made an appearance for Celtic. Granted though that additional verses have been added this century.
Paul McStay should have been good enough to have his own song without stealing Jimmy McStays :-)
Just heard Radiohead to headline Glastonbury 2017. Look forward to an unexpected return to Glasto next year noo. Magical
Parkhead is synonymous with Celtic. I would wager if you asked a taxi driver to take you to Parkhead you would arrive at Celtic Park.
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 21ST OCTOBER 2016 10:47 PM
CELTIC MAC on 21ST OCTOBER 2016 10:22 PM
theoriginalsadiesbhoy
Complete and utter nonsense! But consistent with the version adopted by the NCB after the fact.
Believe it if you will, your choice.
……………………
I’m off to bed. Find it totally strange that someone finds another CQNer’s post to be,
“Complete and utter nonsense!” but is totally unable to articulate what that complete and utter nonsense is. As I said, I’m absolutely willing to hold my hand up if my teenage recollections have failed me but I’d really like to hear your reasoning.
Put up or shut up.
Delaney’s, your mum sounds like the strongest of the strongest and a real character.
I hope there was a good turnout for your late father in law’s funeral.