We’re close enough to the English psyche to intimately understand their hopes and fears ahead of a tournament like the World Cup, but the M74 provides enough space for those of us based within a short distance of Celtic Park to have the kind of perspective that’s not possible for most fans immersed in the moment.
For long enough, England, along with Spain and France, were the perennial underachievers of European international football, which was dominated by “skilful” Italians and “efficient” Germans, while even the Dutch and Czechs have managed vastly more major final appearances than England.
France, then Spain, got the monkey off their backs, but England still relive their regular tournament nightmare, although this time it looks likely they will bow out before troubling any of their players in a penalty kick competition.
So cut England open and what bleeds out? After the game last night Danny Murphy on BBC Radio 5Live tried to offer objective resistance to the idea that England lacked passion from a tidal wave of calls, asking “Where is the Terry Butcher with a blood soaked bandage around his head?”, “Where is the crying Gascoigne?”
Fans often confuse sporting defeat with a lack of will to win. This notion was expressed last August when Celtic lost to Shakhter Karagandy, aided and abetted by an ITV commentator who proposed the notion during live broadcast. I’m pretty sure upwards of 95% of us have played the game at some level, but time seems to remove the memories of what it’s like to be losing in a team sport, and importantly, just how difficult it can be to reverse momentum.
Suggesting professional footballers don’t try during some of the most important games of their season is an embarrassing failure to think from another’s perspective.
Listening to the radio last night and again this morning, there was no dispute to the claim that what England needed was a manager who could lose his temper in the dressing room.
Even Murphy didn’t feel comfortable enough to take on the nation on this one, instead assuring listeners that Roy Hodgson was capable of losing his temper. This was mean to be supportive. It was surely viewed as such by many. This morning, Kevin Phillips trotted out the hoary old “lacked passion” line.
Is there any other field of human endeavour where losing control of your emotions is viewed as an attribute? Football managers exist in a highly competitive, technically exacting environment. At the top level they have to communicate subtle instructions to highly skilled professionals who have heard it all before from lippy managers. By the 30th rant they are all immune and it’s highly unlikely that intimidation led to an increase in performance first time out.
Despite this, managers are supposed to demonstrate a primitive human weakness to an audience who can often scarcely tell the difference between a football match and a pantomime.
We have to be different. We have to be cleverer; let the rest satisfy their need for an alpha-male role model – because make no mistake about it – this is what they’re really craving, while Celtic show uncompromising adherence to getting the best people for the job. On a side, note, can you imagine what appointing Roy Keane would have said about our strategy?
Roy Hodgson has done enough in the game to prove he’s a good manager but he’s more Euro-sophisticate than an archetypal alpha-male. Best of luck to him.
The Celtic Graves Society are having a fundraising raffle to generate funds. 50% will go towards their excellent work and 50% will go to the Northern Ireland Childrens’ Hospice, who looked after Wee Oscar recently. For the cost of a £5 raffle ticket, you can win a singed boot from Scott Brown or from Virgil van Dijk.
To buy your ticket go to Paypal and send £5 to donate@celticgraves.com
Don’t worry if you don’t have a Paypal account, you can still work through Paypal with a debit or credit card. Please add the phrase “Boots Raffle” to the Paypal subject line, and they have asked if you could alert them to which site you picked the message up from, so “CQN” will do.
Good luck
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his book, All the Best.
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Many thanks to the CQNers who attended the evening in Wimbledon. Pleasure meeting you all.
Special thanks to big Yogi who was in great form, Auldheid, BRTH, Tony from Swindon and Winning Captains who made it possible.
These guys bring Celtic to where there is interest and the Wimbledon CSC are grateful that the show came to Wimbledon last night.
I hope you enjoyed it even a fraction as much as we did.
Hail hail
We hate Roman Catholics, we hate Protestants too
and Jews.
We hate Muslims and Hindus but, Athiests we love
you.
We love you Athiests, we do.
We love you Athiests, we do.
We love you Aithiests….we do,
oh Athiests we love you.
Nice wee song to start a Sunday, eh? :)
Git it roon yeez ya bible-thumpers.
Only ‘lone-wolves’ may enter the Jungle.
So, that’ll be nae cliques then!
Got it? Good.
Have a nice day.
Off oot to listen to Pharrell, bye.
Good morning friends from a sun kissed, wispy clouded, dry and bright East Kilbride.
KevJungle No wonder you like Pharrell. Get Shakira and Rihanna.
Good morning from a beautifully sunny Lurgan
HH
Syd negakev
Sorry, didn’t see your reply at the time about Messi’s goal.
I’ll go with your suggestion of ‘stupendous’, as it’s easy to say in Spanish, so, if any CQNers happen to bump into him (not literally, of course), they can say:
“Oye, hombrecito, tu gol contra Eeraaan, estupendo!”***
I’m sure he’d be mighty impressed, and they could even add:
” Ee el gol de Tony Watt contra Barthelona, estupendo”, which would impress him even more!
*** for variety, ‘magnifico’ ‘maravilloso’ ‘increible’ can be used instead!
It’s all in the eye of the beholder, mate, plus, when you post as you’re watching, who’s searching for the most apt description anyway?
I just hope the entertainment levels such goals provide for us continues, as I’m sure we all do.
Granizo! Granizo!
Scorching mid-morning here in the Rebel County……………..
Are we offering salvation to Big Craig?
Scotland’s Real No 1…………
Continue, even!
Oldtim67
Thank you Oldtim67 for a lovely bbq yesterday.great spread of food n drink ,and great Celtic company of Lennybhoy (hope you made your half9), BT and family,Hamiltontim & Minx (thanks for lift again),Richie and Fourgreenfields(I got train rightaway so was in here sharp
Ta again all , :-) :-)
HH
An T
NaeneedsfurrakebebfurrawhileCsc
beatbhoy..
wot’s grannies got to do with it??
Desertbhoy
Absolutamente nothin’!
Hopefully today will bring another footy feast.
Cannae wait for Belgium v Russia.
Was it in the 86 world cup that they served up a 4-3 cracker?
That would be nice :)
Anyway off out to work but this time with a bottle of suntan lotion.
Have a great day everyone.
Thunder road
That was some USSR team, mostly from one club I think. Belanov? Some great goals, they scored!
Twisty
Had a wee dunt at the horses yesterday …couple of winners ..nothing great …but better than it has been
You??
Thunder road
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=belanov%20igor&source=web&cd=20&ved=0CKwBELcCMBM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQZB3UHJRGzY&ei=daOmU5KgK7D60gX7uoA4&usg=AFQjCNFvv5DtaEsP8f985HRGxDe38fOq1w&bvm=bv.69411363,d.d2k
Morning all.
Mighty Russia against boring Belgium.
Ki against Camus.
Yanks against the Luganis 11.
Should be an entertaining day.
Davai Ra-C-A.
Z, hope you are supporting Fabio’s bhoys.
Twisty
Sadly for Gordon the zero hours contract could mean zero pay …good keeper …never fit …definitely not a CFC man
Not just Scandinavia market with Ronny, I reckon France might get a look at for young pmayers as well with JC back.
France starting to rear some good youngsters at all clubs.
Scottish front, would love to see Mackay Steven. Hopefully, Tony Watt makes a ‘re appearance as well.
Wispy Clouded East Kilbride
Don’t know if this has been posted but I found it funny…..
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SLV3zpEKZXw
The Avenue of Champions
Belgium 4 USSR 3 was one of the top 5 WC matches I have seen.
I was really gutted for them.
Big Yogi didn’t hold back last night in Wimbledon.
I was only there for the first half, 4.30 rise again the morning meant an England-like departure from the big event for me.
Always good to see BMCW and a few others not spotted for a wee while.
Then I come into work and hear the most unbelievable tale about Keith Jackson.
bsr – very good!
Off to Hollandbush to thump a ball, probably more than 100 times…..
Back later for Belgium, Korea and Portugal all to win but with both teams to score in each game.
Enjoy your day…
What about wee Lionel
Good Morning Timland.
Kevj…..I’ll pray for you and all the other lapse
Celtic fans….ya daftie, as always hope you and
your’s are doing well….away to enjoy the sunshine.
ps..Craig Gordon,a big no thanks fae me.
Petethebeat
One of my top 5 would also include one after which I was gutted for the losing team too, Italy 3 Brazil 2, 1982 World Cup. Brazil only needed a draw to go through, due to the format that year.
strop
noun [ usu. in sing. ] Brit. informal
a bad mood; a temper:
Eric Clapton
beatbhoy
The name Paolo Rossi jumped straight into my head on reading your post:))
Showbiz relationships are inherently volatile; I think it’s a bit simplistic to blame the continuing tensions in the Middle East on the unresolved dispute between Sonny and Cher.
Steinreignedsupreme……………cough!
;)
Singing from the same hymn sheet
bankiebhoy1 11:21 on 22 June, 2014
“Steinreignedsupreme……………cough! ;)”
That line has put a rather disturbing image in my head…
Are you a doctor?
Did ole Eric get the slowhand clap?
BSR- exactly.
And wee Cher anticipatin’ the glories of the Sammi haircut by many years.
And wee Sonny ditto the ole Eurochamps ‘tache.
Leftclicktic.
A name to give Brazilians nightmares!
Wasn’t he just back from a ban for his involvement in some betting scandal too?
Morning all.
Anybody know if BMCUW made the last train after the Wimbledon shindig yesterday?
Conspicuous by his absence this morning!
HH!!
Tallybhoy 11:28 on 22 June, 2014
He was looking good for catching it when I left him at 10.15.