Congratulations to all at Celtic on securing our fourth consecutive trophy. Those of us who lived through the 90s (and those who also lived through the 50s) know how precious these times are.
Collecting that trophy yesterday is not the act of a vastly better resourced club picking up what is their divine right. It is the consequence of over a century of struggle, denial and sacrifice. The current success of Celtic is as remarkable as it looked to be unlikely for much of its existence.
The reflective glory that shines on all of us is the gift of downtrodden ancestors who wanted to escape hardship. When the trophies arrive, celebrate a deliverance.
Throughout the first half yesterday Celtic were well below their normal incisiveness. You and I have seen so many League Cups slip away over the years against weaker opponents. At halftime I thought, “All it will take is a half-chance for Motherwell and it’s the same old story.” Instead, James Forrest found the breakthrough and Craig Gordon (and the post) were up to the job when called upon.
Motherwell manager Steve Robinson has done very well but he set himself up for a fall after beating Newco in the semi-final. Pedro Caixinha was correct predicted Motherwell would not finished the final with 11 men on the field.
The get-into-their-face/leg/body approach was Motherwell’s best strategy for taking on Celtic (and Newco), but there’s no point crying about the consequences afterwards, when you lose.
There has been more heat than light shed on the penalty incident, a consequence of seasonal pantomime analysis. Ask any referee the question he is trained to ask himself in this scenario:
What is Kirpe’s arm doing across Scott Sinclair?
His arm is there to inhibit his opponent. No one will be able to give you an alternative scenario.
The incident would have been a foul and a yellow card anywhere else on the field. That is the statutory punishment for putting an arm round opponent in possession, unless it is a goal-scoring opportunity, in which case the card should be red.
It is unacceptable for a player to fall to the ground when he was not fouled, but not only is it acceptable to fall when you have been fouled, it is expected, unless you want the referee to play advantage.
I do feel sorry for Kipre, who by that stage of the game must have assumed his could foul and hack with impunity, but as well as pumping him up to play this brand of robust football, his manager should educate him on the consequences of putting an arm around and in front of an opponent inside the box.
There is a lesson here for Celtic too. When we lose a cup (or a game), it is likely to be when we concede a penalty and a red card.
Chris Sutton and Neil Lennon: love your work, but your performances on TV yesterday is why good analysts learn the guidelines given to referees. Stick to baiting Newco fans and finishing second in the league respectively.
Moussa, love your work too, but I don’t like penalties that go right down the middle of the goal. Note that every keeper in the land watched yesterday’s game and many will gamble on your repeating the exercise next time you face them from the spot. This is a tactic you must use sparingly.
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A word on Scott Sinclair, the guy has been struggling of late , showed a few flashes of form yesterday though.The guy doesn’t hide, always looks to take the ball, playing good or bad, a great attitude.He will play himself through this wee sticky spell, and still give us 25-30 goals.
celtics first penalty of the season ?
off the top of my head there are at least 10 stonewallers not given so far.
so fluck them
Saint Stivs
Was that really our first penalty of the season??
JJ
First penalty of the season and it’s nearly December ? You would think the champions would be in the opponents box more than any other team, ah well, maybe these things will even themselves out :-)
GORDYBHOY64
Garcia Lorca,
Was going to post much the same,
but you put it so much better,
there is no doubt in my mind the majority of the media in Scotland
hate the success that Celtic are having now.
Substitute people for media.
KEEP THE FAITH
Very interesting debate and some great posts at the moment.
However while hostility towards us was very evident in the Scottish establishment during the Jock Stein era we also shot ourselves in the foot.
The 70 cup final against Feyenoord was lost off the park .Unforgivable, perhaps not; but disgraceful, absolutely.
We had the opportunity to really stamp our Mark on European football , and we didn’t take it.
This was self inflicted.
I realise that this is a totally different scenario, but to reitterate: I have never seen the supporters, team and perhaps club so aligned.
If we wete ever lucly enough: Would this ever happen under BR’s watch. ? Imo No.
HH to all, past and present.
GARCIA LORCA
They raise the bar, we strive to scale it and inevitably surpass those holding it.
Yesterday was yet another wonderful step on Celtic’s journey under Brendan. The next few years, with good fortune could be memorable.
GARCIA LORCA,
I too started watching Celtic in the 50s. I never read the Scottish papers, certainly their sports sections. They don’t even try and hide their hatred of us. All of the media, in fact, maybe particularly the BBC, go out of their way to do us down at every opportunity. No ex-Celtic player will develop a media career unless he is prepared to put the knife in. (Yesterday, sad to say, Neil Lennon. whose own team has benefited from 2 wrong decisions given against us, used intemperate language over what was the correct decision at the penalty.)
For a time, I thought it was because they were playing up to what they thought was their biggest readership: the deid team’s followers. I don’t think that accounts for some of the vitriol they print (or like Daly’s totally unnecessary confronting of Dermot Desmond at Celtic Park).
The Establishment detest what we represent and they are doing all they can to blacken our name at every turn, e.g. if it were us letting off the flares yesterday, that would have been shown on our TV screens straightaway and condemned forthwith. (Not that I am defending those who let off flares, just that there is not a level playing afforded us.)
Long may we continue to challenge them, like those Res 12 bhoys have been doing off the field, as our team is doing on it.
Greenpinata 8.02pm
My thoughts are we have never strengthened when on top, even under Martin O’Neill or after the Centenary season under Billy…. just my opinion but I think Brendan demands improvement so hence the good times :-)
Paul67
Having just read your article, but not any posts in response, I hope I’m not simply echoing the feelings and thoughts of others.
A fantastic article Paul.
I remember the LCF against Raith Rovers when I literally ran all the way from Ibrox to the Gallowgate passing The Grapes on Paisley Rd West where an Orange flute band was playing behind metal shutters but with the doors open.
Replicated hurt was felt driving back from Fir Park in 2005 when we lost the league on Black Sunday. The cavalcade of bigots heading to Ibrox only compounded our pain.
Gordon Marshall time wasting at Rugby Park in 2003 in similar circumstances?
A decade of industrial cheating by our biggest rivals?
A multitude of journalists, officials and sectarian, racist bigots who’ve done their upmost to subvert ‘a people and a cause’?
Through famine and oppression indeed Paul.
I just decided to have a look at the Real Madrid 7 Eintracht 3 game. Look at the penalty given at 2.05
Cheerio for now,
JJ
ART OF WAR
Agree with you about ERNIE LYNCH being a TROLL.
Re the penalty –
He posted between 12:30 and 3:00pm then took an hour and a half break.
Back on about 3:00pm until 4:30. Short day at the office?
19 or so posts in all saying it was a dive and that Scotty cheated.
I believe in one of his posts he told us exactly what Scotty was thinking!
Now how the devil can he know what our Bhoy was thinking?
I now know what you are thinking ERNIE.
“Av bin rumbled!”
You are a hun journo troll plant!
I claim my £5.00!
GARCIA LORCA on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 7:24 PM
Terrific summary of events all of which I relate to.
Its interesting that a large number of Posters and their comments, regarding penalties and their legitimacy,would appear never to suffered at the hands of Jim McCluskey et al .
Same situation,same Ref at Ross County game with Efe,not a cheap,so stuff it,penalty all day long.
Well played Celtic.
Well played James Forrest ( Lets keep it going )
Penalty in the quarter final at Dens ?
The record books will read .
Celtic 2 v 0 Motherwell
Forrest (49)
Dembele (60) (penalty)
What a shocking decision in yesterdays final. Imagine a Scottish referee actually awarding a penalty to Celtic, and at Hampden for gods sake. There should be laws against things like that. Maybe the press could whip up an angry mob to make sure that it never happens again. Maybe some gullible Celtic supporters and even pretendy Celtic supporters could support this by calling the Celtic player a cheat and a diver.
Jimbo67 on 27th November 2017 6:45PM
I haven’t seen any television coverage of Sunday’s final and it’s aftermath so I’d add Stuart Armstrong to the good guys list.
At the tail end of proceedings as Brendan was moving to the tunnel, he passed by Stuart who’d brought the cup over the track to some fans in the south stand. Those fans got some selfies with it before SA was herded away by stewards towards the tunnel as well. A good moment in an afternoon of many such moments.
HAMILTONTIM on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 8:10 PM
Within your post one common denominator is evident,and that is Gordon Marshall.
He spilled the ball at the RR Final causing extra time,he was in goal wasting time at Kilmarnock, and when we lost to M’Well he was in goal again wasting time.
His obvious disdain for Celtic is evident and how this individual was ever retained by us beats me.
BIG-CUP-WINNERS on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 8:16 PM
Penalty in the quarter final at Dens
Stonewall penalty, Sinclair running into box at speed is brought down , knee on knee if I remember correctly. Not a sending off as Dundee player attempted to play the ball, he was just beaten by pace and skill.
STAIRHEEDRAMMY
Great post!
Philbhoy
Seconded CSC
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
I’ll split the fiver with you!
STAIRHEEDRAMMY on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 8:21 PM
Had forgotten about him being in goals against Raith Rovers!
Gary67
Just read your earlier post. I was in F2 row ZZ. Definitely contact (but I do think SS went down easily).
Hey, they’ll even themselves out over the next short while I’d imagine.
My post re Ernie
After his break from 3 til 4:30 he posted until 6:30 ish.(and not as I stated)
Must be away tae his beed!
Oops!
Apologies the first part of that should have been addressed to Ex Cathedra!
Ian Wright touting Brendan for the Everton job on 5live. “He’s got a job “ came the reply from the slightly embarrassed Presenter
I watched efe ambrose’s sending offagainst Ross county again and look at the reporting. The media said the contact was slight but it was a penalty and a sending off. There is very little difference to this case. Except the media reaction……..funny that.
garcia lorca – great to see you blogging again
THOMTHETHIM FOR OSCAR OK on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 6:38 PM
EL,
Was a foul committed, or is the ‘Well manager correct, when he said there was no contact?
Evidence shows that the defender’s arm made contact.
Anything else is just hot air.
###
Contact isn’t, by itself, an offence. Impeding a player by contact is an offence.
I’m not sure the contact was sufficient to impede Scott Sinclair, though he did make it look like it was.
The fact that Scott Sinclair, by his own admission, elected to go down shows how he’s not, in principle, averse to taking full advantage of the circumstances presented to him.
Gerryfae
I think Celtic moved away from ‘strengthening while ahead ‘ many years ago, as early as 1994 to be precise.
We’ve outspent original Raingurs and even used our own money and just can’t stop.
“We need a centre back”
BR @ The AGM
I’m still heartbroken
But watching The game yesterday
Gave me a cracking high
God bless all
Maybes the scottish media should just be honest and tell everyone that Celtic have to play to different rules, we all know we do.
WEET WEET WEET
Stay strong my friend!
BSR 8.45am
Just the one centre half :-)
If we avoid defeat on 5th December surely one or two new faces in January but what invincible or two do we drop, a great headache for our Brendan
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 7:19 PM
What irritates me about the issue isn’t the penalty itself. I think it was a dive and I don’t like to see that from Celtic players, but it’s part of the game.
What irritates me is the criticism and abuse of Neil Lennon and Chris Sutton have had for calling it as they see it.
Weet Weet Weet
I have an incling how you must be feeling, my Mrs had a heart attack a while back and for a short time I thought I had lost her, thankfully she pulled through, that was bad enough.
I really feel for you.
HH
YNWA
GFTB
We drop the cheat Sinclair even if he is no a centre half!
Weet weet weet 8.47pm
if Brendan & the Bhoys give you a wee bit of respite all the better, football is only football
Take care