This midweek has gone just about perfectly. Yesterday I asked that we pick a team to win the game, but play Griffiths, Armstrong, Roberts, McGregor, Izaguirre and Gamboa. All played, as did Christie and Henderson. And we recorded a remarkable 0-4 away win.
Meanwhile, in the land of the also-rans, our four nearest ‘challengers’ all dropped points. It’s still early days, but this league’s turning into a procession. Embarrassingly so, for some.
After opening the scoring within three minutes it wasn’t the most fluid of performances from Celtic, but an incredible eight outfield changes will result in a lack of familiarity. What the outfield players lacked, Craig Gordon more than made up for. He made three excellent saves, extending his run of fine performances since returning to the team against Kilmarnock last month.
Will the biggest impact Dorus de Vries has at Celtic be on the form of Craig Gordon? Don’t bet against it.
The Scottish Premiership table is in one of those bizarre states, where the (game-in-hand adjusted) gap between first and second is larger than that between second and second bottom. The transformation which has taken place in a team already five-in-a-row champions is remarkable, eclipsed in recent history only by the turnaround which took place in 2000.
Last night I read a lot of pennies dropping; specifically there was an acceptance that there was a significant financial gap between Celtic and the newly promoted Championship winners. There are a couple of worthwhile observations to make on this issue:
The financial gap which funded this season’s business is a fraction of what it will be next year, when Celtic will have banked circa £50m more than any other Scottish club. That will be around twice the gap they went into the last transfer window with.
Whatever you think about Mark Warburton’s claims that he’s closing the on-field gap, the structural deficit gap is becoming oceanic.
I again read people digging Dave King up about a perceived lack of his promised overinvestment. What’s going on at Ibrox right now IS overinvestment. The signings of Barton, Senderos, Kranjcar, Rossiter, Gilks, Hill, Hodson and Garner were designed to give them the advantage they needed over a team they eliminated from the Scottish Cup last season.
The accounts when published in 2018 will prove this. Or I should say if published. Not every team survives long enough to publish accounts, lest we forget.
For them, winning the league is evidently not going to happen, but if this week’s results teach us anything, it’s that the European qualification places (second and third) are wide open. For a team spending more than their direct rivals combined, that should be an achievable target.
The real problems come when the overinvestment has to stop and budget is cut.
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Joey still suspended ?
Paul67
The ‘gap’ is so ‘old firm’.
When was the last time of endless coverage of a brand new promoted club being compared with reigning champions?
A new thing, as new as Sevco.
Watch Brendan Rodgers face as he anticipates and fields all ‘ old firm ‘ agenda, in every after match interview.
A shrewdie that knows the score inside out, an Irishman way above bias, and way too smarter than your average SMSM bear.
His captain, told them before a ball was kicked Aberdeen would be our closest rivals, how’s that panning out?
No Parmesan CSC
Apparently Alistair Lamont has spent “most of the day” at Ibrox. What a waste of license fee money.
From previous blog
Important Res 12 Message
An Account and Conclusions of activity on behalf of signatories to Res12 or the mandate forms and those who made enquiries earlier in the year for an update is being sent out today to those for whom we have e mail addresses.
Some e mails have already been sent, others will be sent later today/this evening. Can we ask that you watch out for them and if by tomorrow and you signed either the Res itself or the Mandate form you have not had the Account/Conclusions, e mail auldheid046@gmail.com for one.
Still to send out the balance but you really don’t want to miss this update.
The Hats burst, bfdj having a go tonight and sounds like he needs a hug. lol
Magic!
KLV
Auldheid
I e-mailed you can you confirm you received it?
Moussa Dembélé
21 appearances, 15 starts, 15 goals, 1 assist.
Averaging 1 goal every 96 minutes played.
How are “Better Without Barton” FC doing these days…….?
Gearoid,
I understand your frustration and partly share it.
But, they are the ones with the megaphones and any comment from the club, particularly any attempts to mitigate bad behaviour from anyone wearing a Celtic scarf, would be manna to them.
Whataboutery is not a tactic I want Celtic to practice.
There is no defence to whoever threw a bottle that hit someone.
The correct thing would be for whoever was with that guy to turn him in.
What he did, he didn’t do in my name, nor yours.
There is a culture of don’t shop a Tim, which provides immunity to those mongst us who bring us down.
They are not Celtic supporters and never will be.
Rant over.
MSM back-flipping is truly something to behold.
Apparently all the Barton baiting Brown stuff which at the time was “fantastic for the game”, “putting Scottish football back on the map” blah blah is now seemingly terrible and Warbiola should have disciplined him for saying it!
Mind the Gap
No Magic Twat at the Slowey meeting = no reconciliation.
If you’re the Huns, given their mentality – the mentality of protestant superiority that permeates their asylum – would you not try to firstly ‘intimidate’ Slowey out the door?
Using the gambling indiscretion as leverage to force him into a negligible pay-off as oppose dto cancellation of contract on legitimate grounds.
Only thing is, I gather the Hun brief is a conveyancing lawyer and that Joey’s got some employment specialist barracudas on the meter.
This should be deliciously savage.
Warbs – “I just don’t think we can afford to move too recklessly and try to move too quickly without those strong foundations.”
****
Trouble with the foundations and the roofs, then.
It’s worse than we thought over there.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
Looks like he’ll get to 55 before Sevco then
mit
watched the tfc game last night, thought the were poor and giavinco over rated.
big centre had a good game but ther passing was terrible.
Celtic’s average attendance at Celtic Park this season is
55,605
O.G.
Thumbs up © philvis
New Article?
⌚ Does the Sevco Statement o’clock go back 3 centuries + 1 hour this Sunday?
Gearoid1998.
Hi there mate,
Good post re the young lad who got hit, an abhorrent deed and may karma hound the imbecile who launched the missile.
I loath going to Hamdump, not only is it a poor arena for football,from where I am I have to cross over them at varuous junctions.
I left early on Sunday for the game, deciding to walk there and back.
After crossing the junction which leads to aitkenhead rd, on the way to the game, the pavements full of singin Celticfans all heading to the game, I was astonished to see 3 buses full of new club fans, they had come by the montford pub, right along the Celtic end, no police in sight,.crazy peepil and crazy non existent policing.
In reply to your PR point about Celtic and its fans work in cementing our charity foundation I would let that superb work stand alone, we know how good it is as Celtic fans ,imo it would be polluting that honourable work if one sentence was issued in a spinwar with levelCheat.our foundations work is organic in how it grows and sells itself
Jabba is a flogger of dead clubs.it happened and there can never be a rewriting of history regardless how much he sprays the faecal matter.
Hope your good
Hail hail
Timhorton
Were you actually at the game? If you weren’t, and watched the game on TV instead, you wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate G’s contribution.
Nah ….. just kidding mate. People keep saying that to me about Scott Brown, and I think its nonsense …. but I figured I might as well give it a try. but I couldn’t do it with a straight face!
:)
Although celtic are ruling the roost at the moment , it is plain that no matter how good the team are ,our command over the rest must be maintained . Last nigh IMHO some of our fringe bhoys didn,t quite set the heather on fire . Our side can be improved , there are gaps there that need attention . The boy Roberts unfortunately will move on , very good as he is , I can’t see his future at Man City , money not medals will be the lure for the lad , and who can blame him . A loss as that will be , for me when Broony,s time is up ,will be a bigger blow for the club . Scott brown has been a revelation in the hoops , where will we find his likes again .
An Tearmann,
You reply to Gearoid repeats what I tried to say, only you said it better…..and more concisely.
And then Joey asked for his wages
Glass two thirds full
MSM back flipping is truly something to behold
On the button mate, listening to shortie here and spiers and english debating where this reverence of warbuton came from
Youd think they have never written a fawning, avoidin serious questions and criticism type article bout warbiola in their time.nae lamb left so they do toast!
Oh and do take note of every criticism and faux ghastliness they fart about.
They, the meejah have as little insight into themselves as new club fans do.
…..and it is as funny as …..
Hahahaha
Hail hail
Some stats Bourne, Wow.
KLV
Thomthethim
Thanks very much for that
hope alls good in Dpnegal, booked in for june and sep next year and hope to get a wee run over to Dunlewey snow pending.over winter
Hope your good my friend
Hail hail
As much as its coming from two good Celtic men (obv from personal experience) and as much as our charity work is intrinsically good, I still feel that we should and could publicise this work much better than we currently do.
Both hit the nail on the head with regard to the injury suffered by the young “Rankers” fan….not in my name….but as I said there needs to be a counter balance to the incessant negativity about our Club/Support. We know what Celtic fans are capable of and have witnessed it on many, many occasions but there needs to be some mechanism for getting it out there. Both of you know that I am not suggesting for one minute that the motive for our charity work should be the publicity but what we achieve a la Mary’s meals needs a bigger audience.
Right that’s enough Im starting to bore myself now just sick to death of this negativity and I know that what the SMSM say about us in no way is representative of the Support that I am familiar with.
HH
HH
Bada Bing 5:51
Can you keep me updated cheers mhate HH
Bournesouprecipe 6.31
Sound observations mate my favourite is Brendans repetition on how Dembele/roberts and a few others have “come to one of the biggest clubs in the world”
I agree
:-)
Hail Hail
Sevco has relied on having players and staff of the dead Rangers to keep the fans paying their money. But as time goes on and only Kenny Miller is left there is no real connection left to the dead body. And since it is obvious that the Hat and bunch of English deadbeats are going nowhere the MSM will be calling for the return of the Cardigan, or Sally, or wee Bazza. Just to get the gullibles keep paying their money.
Good evening friends
Praecepta – if you’re still around can you check your emails ;-)
Joey went with his Agent only. It was not a disciplinary. They tried and clearly failed to pay him off. My guess is they tried to compensate him till January when he would be free to join another club. He won’t do walking away cheaply.
Gearoid
We all share that frustration, but the recipients of the Foundation’s work are fully aware of what Celtic and it’s support stand for.
Subsequently, Celtic Foundation’s actions speak louder than any liable to be twisted words of Celtic would achieve.
PS.
You are never boring.
BBC runs a story that the magic hat is wanted by Wigan. The magic one has bought a pile of players from them previously but denies having a special relationship with their chairman Sharpe.
Wonder if his wife knows:0)
An Tearmann,
I’m good, thank. Thanks for asking.
Getting dug in for the winter, hopefully sans snow.
Bread man walking
TET
Tres Drole
Chapeau Doffed