When I researched yesterday’s article (yes, research does happen sometimes) I was far from encouraged. Udinese had an impeccable home record and Snr Di Natale is one of Europe’s irresistible strikers at the moment.
We didn’t manage to resist Di Natale but he will remember Fraser Forster for a few years. We have been fortunate to see a few great goalkeeping performances in Europe in the last decade but last night Fraser was second perhaps only to David Marshall that night in Barcelona. That last minute penalty save against Hearts on Saturday has moved the player onto a new platform.
Udinese had a good 20 minute spell when they looked every inch the team joint top of the Italian league but they were on the rack in the closing stages of the game. Cha DuRi has had an eventful Europa League on the road this season. He was a bit unfortunate at the Udinese goal but completely out of luck when he twisted his body mid-air to volley off the post.
Watching Georgios Samaras last night was a lesson in how complex a game football can be. This is a player who could not hold down a place in the SPL last season, yet playing in a different position he had top-flight defenders throwing themselves at him in order to inhibit progress.
There is still work to be done, but the return of three first choice defenders will enhance the team considerably. The most pleasing thing about last night came after the game; Fraser Forster’s focus was immediately on St Johnstone. It’s all about Perth now.
Issue 5 of CQN Magazine will be out soon. Hard copies will be available direct, at a considerably reduced cost from our current Magcloud arrangement and with a fast delivery turnaround. Details soon.
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James Forrest is Lennon says:
16 December, 2011 at 12:38
Yeah so an excellent performance last night – and it was excellent in every way – has been utterly cast aside by the mindless, moronic actions of a bunch of self-indulgent wannabee revolutionaries who think their view, their warped view, of our club is an accurate representation of what we are about.
Note to the yahoos – you ain’t Celtic. You speak for no-one but yourselves.
This isn’t about our enemies in Scotland coming after us, and this Family needing to oppose that. This is about a small group of supporters trying to pick a fight – a fight, by the way, we cannot win – with people who at present are NOT our enemies. This is about tarnishing, about urinating on, a reputation we have worked hard, damned hard, to cultivate and it has taken us years.
UEFA are not our enemies. They took on Rangers when the SFA had no intention of doing so. Are some of their rules contradictory, like not holding clubs responsible for what happens outside the ground? Of course. To hammer clubs for the behaviour of a few nutters inside the ground whilst they turn the proverbial blind eye and deaf ear to a riot is a piece of nonsense, but they at least have gone boldly where the SFA did not want to go, and made some EFFORT.
I say again, we have no enemies at UEFA. Last night’s showpiece in Italy was as a result of a ruling – a major ruling – in our favour, and that appears to have escaped the notice of some of our so-called fans.
Let me remind them, we in the Celtic Family have a collective word for people who behave in a way which is mindless, arrogant, confrontational and destructive. We call them huns.
Last night their actions damaged our club. The people responsible for it should be hunted down and removed from our fan base. Their actions were not reckless, as some have said, or about freedom of speech or any of that stuff. They have a clear agenda, and if I did not know better (I do, I am not indulging in whatabouterry) I would say some of the people steering them are doing so deliberately to put our club in harms way. Conspiracy theorists of the world unite.
What we saw last night is not about standing up for yourselves in light of attacks from people who wish us ill. It was pure self indulgent nonsense, utterly without merit, completely negative, shocking destructive and brought no credit to anyone involved.
The board had my contempt earlier this week with their shocking decision not to clarify the situation with our fans singing. On this one they have my full support. These people went out of their way last night to provoke the next phase of this, and if the people running Celtic want to clean house and be rid of the lot of them, any sympathy they had from me has gone.
Appalling behaviour by a minority who now seem determined to cause us problems.
________________________________________________________________________
Fantastic post James,,,fantastic!!!!
Hail hail
or a big big blind fold, but it won’t make the world a more honest or better place. Just because you don’t swear does not mean your seat is booked ‘gold class’ in heaven.
Headtheball. Your post is right we have a huge support and our good reputation as fans is allways balanced on a knife edge.I remember many years ago at a cup tie at Broomfield and two nutters in Celtic colours standing in front of me spoke throughout the game of getting a policeman and giving him a doing they could hardly get out the ground quick enough to go and cause trouble also as you said the so called Celtic supporter who head butted another Celtic supporter last week for being to slow getting throught the gate. It is hard to police such a large support and from time to time some of these nutters will let us down.H.H.
HM:
“Is everything we do as individuals got to be in the best interests of the Club, the Team or Support as a whole?”
Er…yes?
On less expense for Mr Whyte/White…
Tomorrow’s u-19 match with Rangers at Murray Park has surprisingly falled victim to the weather.
Despite this mornings snowfall quickly melting away the eagerly awaited first clash of the season between the two clubs was postponed after a pitch inspection at Murray Park.
The postponement is a big disappointment for the Celtic youth side who were going into the match on a run of winning nine out of ten of their last domestic games.
No further snow is forecast for the Milngarvie area with the temperature remaining above freezing from 3am according to the BBC weather forecast.
Celtic trail leaders Hearts in the league table by 13 points with four games in hand and lead Rangers by nine points with both clubs having played 11 SPL matches.
PLC talk. PLC walk.
Ernie lynch
I think it’s a good idea to generally be respectful to all that we come across.
I was brought it to believe that’s the Celtic way.
You should give it a try sometime. You might even like it!
James Forrest is Neil Lennon
Good posts, both of them and I agree.
It’s bad enough that people in positions of authority and influence in Scotland want to get at Celtic, without us doing their work for them.
Anyway, our football did Scotland proud last, how good is that and how galling for some that can’t even take good from that fact.
kitalba says:
16 December, 2011 at 13:25
No of course not, because it’s not something that offends me.
Let’s say there’s a group that disagrees with the stance on abortion taken by the Roman Catholic Church. Do you accept that some people might be offended if they were to protest by using a banner that stated “FTP”?
They shoul have used “copulate uefa” a bit more class, however I expect their banner budget was limited :o)after spending all that money on travelling and buying tickets, probably digs too, oh wait a minute they are not real Celtic supporters the our old firm board have confirmed it.
let the kids enjoy themselves ya shower of sad old twats
You had your turn.
That banner will be understood all over the world. Hopefully we’ll see the end of the halo affect now.
I see that our resident soapbox, moralising, high-pitched, wannabe intellectual, non-season ticket holder is off on one.
Again.
Yawn.
neveralone 16 December, 2011 at 13:27
So no sanction or warning then? And if it happened again?
I was at the Rennes game and there were countless flares and smoke canisters set off. Nobody got hurt. The media and plod and SNP didn’t realise that they could grass us up at that point so it wasn’t an issue.
Fast forward a couple of months and see the difference.
I certainly wouldn’t try to ban any of the youngsters.
Am I correct in saying, this is the first time this guy has opened his mouth since being appointed? HH
Celtic chairman Iain Bankier has vowed to “weed out” supporters intent on tarnishing the reputation of the club.
The SPL side earned a credible 1-1 draw against Udinese in their final Europa League match on Thursday night. But Friday’s headlines were dominated by the throwing of flares by a section of the travelling support, as well as the display of an offensive banner aimed towards UEFA.
The European football governing body will receive a report of both incidents from their delegate shortly and could launch an investigation into the events, with Celtic potentially having breached two parts of Article 11 of their disciplinary regulations.
Bankier, speaking as the club prepared to travel back from Italy, said the incidents were caused by a minority and insists every measure will be taken to eliminate troublemakers.
“Both [events] are unacceptable in our eyes, completely unacceptable,” Bankier told journalists. “We have to drive this out of the club. It’s not only doing us harm but Scottish football is harmed.
“It’s one or two silly, juvenile boys doing funny, kid pranks and it’s bringing the whole of Scottish football down. It’s overtaking what was a fantastic performance.
“We’ll weed them out. We know this guy and we’ve got him. There were arrests made last night and these guys will not get back into Celtic Park.
“We will just keep on that road until we have weeded them all out. We’re talking to the supporters organisations about what they can do for the people in the travelling crowd to self-police, the way the Tartan Army do.
“We are looking to take every measure we can take. This has to stop.”
Thought our Bhoys were good last night and the Europa league was ultimately a positive experience .. The team has galvanised and improved.. We also know that because cringingly THEY are using today to deflect from our euro run by talking about maybe talking about maybe signing Scott Allan who maybe has signed for WBA.. You could not make the pr drivel up.. My 8 yo sees through it.. Moreover why did SNYDE lead with us CRASHING out..they are worried.. Great.. Mon the hoops..
Ignoringthepatheticprfromtheskintclub csc
weeminger 16 December, 2011 at 13:31:
Are you really equating The head of the Roman Catholic church with a corporate body who are responsible for European football?
happy birthday Paddy McCourt, 28
and a wee prayer for Tommy Burns and family
Tommy’s birthday today too
“I genuinely felt sorry for Celtic, as they are a tough and fair team. They deserved to go through as well.” Francesco Guidolin.
When the Celtic board connive to let the newco huns straight into the SPL the sweety wives on here are going to get what they wished for.
I hope they enjoy the experience.
ASonOfDan says:
16 December, 2011 at 13:34
Oh dear. Not off to a great start if that was his first set of quotes.
neveralone 16 December, 2011 at 13:29
“Is everything we do as individuals got to be in the best interests of the Club, the Team or Support as a whole?”
Er…yes?
Er… no was the correct answer.
ASonofDan- I’m only a few miles from Murray Park, it is hovering around freezing and the snow on the grass is not going anywhere. Pity, as I intended to go along tomorrow.
Tried to buy my nephew a ticket for Dunf v Celtic today but the TO would not sell me one as he is not a SB holder.
No wonder the game is dying.
Very encouraging performance last night, and the debrief on our participation in Europe this year can only be positive. I’ve enjoyed the experience immensely and our young players will grow in confidence knowing they’ve faced a group of accomplished European teams and held their own, home and away.
Fraser Forster is maturing into something of a keeper, let’s hope Alan Pardew remembers his disdain for Scottish football when negotiating a fee.
ASonOfDan says:
16 December, 2011 at 13:34
yeah and good for him. obviously interested in whats best for celtic and not in winning a popularity contest. makes for a good celtic chairman.
Welcome to Celtic Mr Bankier.
happy birthday SOAL
love on earth must be
Dear oh dear Bankier. This isn’t going to end well. You should reconsider the role you have taken on.
James Forrest
Do not always agree with you but today your spot on with what you have posted
Hail hail
Mtt
“We’re talking to the supporters organisations about what they can do for the people in the travelling crowd to self-police, the way the Tartan Army do.”
Is this guy even a Celtic Supporter, comparing us to the Tartan Army?
Who policed us in Seville and the numerous other places we have received praise? Ourselves!
I thought Reid took the biscuit, this guy comes across as an even bigger nugget.
The Honest Mistake,
seems you dont want to answer the questions…..however I’ll answer yours.
1. No. I never have boo-ed any Celtic player and just dont see the point in it. Not my idea of “Support” Definitely not in the best interests of the Team.
2. No. But as others have also mentioned, when we have more than enough “enemies” on our own turf, who want nothing more than to put the boot into us in anyway they can, why go chasing after others and giving them an excuse to put us on their radar?
Unlike other posters, the language as such didnt offend me, just think the sentiment was misplaced. To me, it was a stupid idea.
We as a Club and Support have been viewed in recent years as welcome in many European Cities (unlike other supports) and also been “rewarded” for that Support by Uefa……….all last night did was tarnish that reputation with Uefa. How is that in our best interests?
Sure Uefa fined us last week – but they did so under advice from the Police authorities in Scotland. We already know the police are no friends of ours, but why go after Uefa and also make them no friends of ours?
Does us no favours at all and was IMO not in the best interests of the Club, Team or Support as a whole.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
celtic40me – People laughed at William Hague when he broke out those baseball caps and went to a theme park.
Well they’re not laughing now.
Are they? (thumbsup)
the next agenda of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon is clear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=isYARareENE
The Honest Mistake says:
16 December, 2011 at 13:35
No. I’m answering a point raised by Kitalba that F is not really that offensive and I’m stating that if you use F in a banner, it’s likely to offend people and that even if you protest is justified, which in this case I think it is, its not the best way to get it across. And yes I deliberately picked an extreme example.
Do you believe that following this UEFA are more likely to go “Well F you back” or sit down and listen to any reasonable explanation of our songbook (and I’m not stating they would have actually done that).
HM
Guess we’re not going to have complete agreement. But that’s ok!
Celtic were second seeds in the Europa Cup, and ended up in a group we shouldn’t have.
After narrowingly missing out, will Celtic be seeking compensation from UEFA, for being put in the wrong group?
Maybe they should have gone with the Cee Lo Green version:
FORGET UEFA (thumbsup)
TSOAL
Happy Birthday ( easy on the ole Cider )
Paul67 et al
Had the Celtic Board not acquiesced in both our club and support being found guilty by a UEFA Committee/Glasgow Police Officer then perhaps some of our younger supporters would not have felt the need to protest against Uefa in the way they did. Now, I was not at the Rennes match myself, but I did watch it on ESPN and I am still not convinced the support that night “tarnished” our hard won and long standing reputation in Europe. Some on here have speculated that the Board actually welcomed the Uefa verdict, figuring, wrongly in my view, that it gave them a stick with which to beat the support. What they are finding out now is that is others who are wielding that stick, and using it against both the club and the support, and those others are no friends, or supporters of ours.