On his third appearance back after injury, James Forrest pulled-up in the dying moments of Saturday’s game clutching his hamstring. The player will be devastated but the mood was no better among those walking away from the stadium minutes later. Just as James was back and planning for what looked like an important season in his Celtic career, fundamental questions were being asked about his fitness viability.
We’ve seen this before. Shaun Maloney was forever breaking down, sometimes minutes after returning from injury. Shaun was a different type of player from James, he had a speed on the turn which made him a valuable asset, but likely contributed to his fragility.
The other pace player in the squad at the moment, Derk Boerrigter, has similarly fragile muscles. I hear the same about Aleks Tonev, currently injured. One of England’s greatest hopes of the last 20 years, Michael Owen was another member of the Fast and Fragile club. There seems to be a link between speed and injury.
There’s good news for James, and Derk too. After leaving so many regrets on the Celtic treatment table, Shaun’s limbs matured and stabilised. Michael Owen can tell a similar story, both players found their bodies vastly more robust from the middle part of their careers onwards.
James has to stick with it, continue to work on strengthening his muscles, and try to find what’s causing the problems, which can often be obscure. After a run of inexplicable injuries, AC Milan discovered that poor teeth were afflicting their athletes. Apparently your bite affects your running gate. Owen eventually found that his choice of cars (more specifically, sports clutches), was putting enough regular strain on the wrong muscles to leave him exposed to tears.
James’ and Derk’s bodies will continue to mature, to the benefit of the second half of their careers.
Not that Ronny is short of cover for James, having signed wide players Jo Inge Berget and Aleks Tonev we now have Ghanian Walaso Mubarak going through a medical.
The squad is becoming wing-heavy. It remains striker-light.
Greatest Irony
Do you know what would produce the greatest irony in sporting history? If Efe Ambrose came on as a late substitute tomorrow night, and we later discovered a rule deep in Uefa’s Articles that forfeit matches don’t count for suspensions. Forfeit matches are so rare no one will be familiar with the rules concerning them. Should we check? Oh yes.
James Alexander Gordon
It was the way he told them. Every week the man would uniquely intone the football results, you knew the outcome of each game, home win, away win or draw, before he read second number.
Maestro Match
Really delighted Celtic FC Foundation have nominated Unicef and War Child as their beneficiaries from the Maestro match next month, where we will “assist in their humanitarian work in a number of current Middle East countries”.
Foundation cheif exec, Tony Hamilton, said, “From our living rooms we have all witnessed some of the terrible vivid horror of conflict in recent days and the particular effects that these events have had on children.
“The work of UNICEF and War Child takes no sides but simply cares for all the innocent victims of conflict on a humanitarian level. The match in September will bring together some great names in football who want to make a difference.
“We hope as many supporters as possible can join us to assist children and their families who so desperately need our help.”
I know Celtic fans will want to support this enormously important cause. Read more and book tickets here.
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She’d had a bad day
Somebody had to pay
We knew
I knew
No drink left
She called
My name
She shook
Grabbed
My arm
Broke it
I screamed
Muzzled
Forced
Welcome rest
Tomorrow
No school
Her pet
She had a bad day
The above happened in 1979
We were under social work care
I had an untreated broken arm for 3 weeks
Then a stookie for a further 4 weeks
Nobody asked
Nobody cared
Smelly ignorant travellers
TRAVELLERBHOY
How you keeping,old bean?
Mailed ya the other day,still too busy wi yer missus,i hope,to bother wi such mundane things?
Keep in touch wi the good guys on here-that’s nearly all of them,as you know-and get working on those memoirs!
Wee laugh may be possible for some of you at these.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/11034196/funny-jokes.html?frame=2440958
According to the Scotsman Celtic made a blunder leaving Efe behind.
Aye ye cannae whack the positive support we get from the MSM.
by STEPHEN HALLIDAY IN MARIBOR
Published on the
20 August
2014
00:00
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Have your say!
CELTIC saw their Champions League qualifying campaign take another bizarre administrative twist when they mistakenly left Efe Ambrose at home when they flew to Maribor for the first leg of their play-off round tie.
The Scottish champions believed the Nigerian defender, sent off in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie against Legia Warsaw, was still suspended for tonight’s game in Slovenia.
But following their arrival in Maribor yesterday afternoon, they discovered Ambrose is in fact eligible and have now made plans for him to travel today and join the rest of the squad.
It was another near-farcical development in the saga of a campaign which saw Celtic, beaten 6-1 on aggregate by Legia, reinstated in the tournament after it emerged the Polish champions had fielded defender Bartosz Bereszynski as a late substitute in the second leg of the tie at Murrayfield.
Ernie Lynch –
‘The point is the bigots would have more say in a separate scotland’
Is this what they tell you as you share a democratic platform with them? :-)
Your missing the hun Ernie.They died
Dont make up nonsense like that.to replace it.Tell me are societal wind ups discussed as policy over some misseltoe and mulled wine?puttin up the tree. :-)
HH
Celtic boss Ronny Deila realistic about Ghana star winger Mubarak Wakaso
Posted: Wednesday, 20th August 2014 0 comments – you should start the discussion!
Mubarak Wakaso has agreed a season-long loan from Ruban Kazan
Celtic manager Ronny Deila does not expect Ruban Kazan winger Mubarak Wakaso to be signed in time to play against Maribor in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Ghana international has agreed a season-long loan from the Russian club.
Wakaso had a medical in Moscow in an attempt to beat last night’s 11pm registration deadline, but work permit issues were holding things up.
Celtic were last night frantically trying to cut through red tape to enable the 24-year-old to take part in the Champions League play-off.
However, Deila said: “It is going on but it doesn’t seem like there is going to be anything today. It is hard to get the paperwork together.
“I am not 100 per cent sure but I think it is going to be hard to have him ready for the game against Maribor.”
Longer-term, Deila is convinced the former Villarreal and Espanyol player can ditch his bad-boy image and show the hunger to be a success at Celtic.
Wakaso’s career has been dogged by controversy and ill-discipline as well as moments of great quality.
But Deila says he understands the African mindset and can bring out the best in a talent with a troubled past.
He added: “I know African players. They adapt when they live in Europe – he is not coming straight from Africa. He played for a spell in Russia.
“African players sometimes come from tough backgrounds. There’s not so much education. You have to adapt to that when you are leading people from those places. But they have the hunger.
“It is important they keep that hunger. I have had good experiences with African players.”
Injured Hoops trio James Forrest, Aleksandr Tonev and Adam Matthews did not travel with the squad to Slovenia.
ANTHONY Stokes has expressed his sympathy for Legia Warsaw but insists Celtic have nothing to feel guilty about as they take their place in the play-off round of the Champions League.
The Polish champions lost their battle to be reinstated in the tournament after their error in fielding a suspended player in the closing minutes of their 6-1 aggregate win over Celtic in the third qualifying round caused their elimination.
“It was harsh on Legia, there’s no argument about that,” said Stokes. “They were the better team over the two legs, but the rules are there for a reason and what happened next was nothing to do with us.
“I know – or at least I’m pretty sure – that it wasn’t a case of us going in there and handing in a protest form to get them in trouble. I think Uefa picked up on it and dealt with it themselves and that took it out of our hands.
“Everyone at the club felt in some way sorry for Legia, but all that matters now is that we make amends for how we played before and give the fans a result and performance they deserve. We have to prove we’re worthy of this level. It is what it is, we’re here and we have to do better than we did against Legia.
“Anyone with any idea about football and how things work know we did nothing wrong. Legia made the mistake and they have to live with it. I feel for any footballer who loses in that way, ’course I do. They’re a decent side and I wish them all the best in the Europa League, I really do. But it’s done and dusted now, time to forget it and move on.”
For Stokes, the play-off round tie against Maribor presents him with another chance to break his Champions League scoring duck. The Irish international striker has failed to find the net in 14 appearances in the tournament for Celtic so far.
He insists he does not feel under any extra pressure to score at a time when new manager Ronny Deila is seeking striking reinforcements before the transfer window closes. “All I do is focus on myself and try to work hard,” added the 26-year-old. “I try to play as well as I can and score goals and the rest is out of my hands.
“I thought I played well in the Champions League games last year. Although I didn’t score, I thought I did well enough in a team when we didn’t see much of the ball in games.
“Maribor is massive game and, of course, I want to be involved and make an impact. I’ll take doing as well as I did last weekend and not scoring, so long as we get a result.
“You can buy strikers from the continent for six or seven million pounds and nothing’s guaranteed. We’ve seen it at Celtic before, guys who’ve come in and not scored the goals expected of them. If you want the quality, though, there’s no doubt you have to spend the money. So maybe we’re just not in a financial position at the club to do that right now.
“But that’s nothing to do with me. I just focus on my own game – and anyway, I’ve always said that competition for places is a good thing. It’s good for the club and it’s good for me. It spurs me on and I just keep doing my best to get in the team.”
Celtic’s Efe Ambrose flies solo after ban mix-up
CELTIC will today rush defender Efe Ambrose on a plane to Maribor after mistakenly thinking he was suspended for the first leg of the Champions League play-off.
By: Iain Macfarlane in MariborPublished: Wed, August 20, 2014
Ambrose will join up with Celtic today [ROSCO]
Overcautious Parkhead chiefs decided to leave the Nigerian defender at home as they were not sure if he had served his ban for a red card in the first leg of the third qualifying round clash against Legia Warsaw.
Ambrose was shown a straight red in Poland and ruled out of the second leg at Murrayfield.
But with Legia then fielding an ineligible player in Edinburgh and subsequently having to forfeit the tie, it was unclear if Ambrose had served his one-match ban.
Celtic decided to err on the side of caution rather than fall foul of the same UEFA rule that scuppered the Poles and saw Ronny Deila’s men advance to to the play-offs.
We didn’t think he was ready because he got two matches, but in the end it was one match
Ronny Deila
But on arriving in the Slovenian capital, Celtic discovered Ambrose could and should have flown with the team.
Adam Matthews is out, leaving Celtic short of defenders, meaning Ambrose will fly from Glasgow this morning and be asked to take his place in the Celtic back-line.
Manager Deila confirmed the mix-up and said: “He didn’t travel. He is coming tomorrow morning.
“In the beginning there were some communication problems, if he was ready or not.
“We didn’t think he was ready because he got two matches, but in the end it was one match.”
It’s been murder for me, says Celtic boss Ronny Delia
CELTIC manager Ronny Deila felt as though he’d murdered someone after suffering a hammering against Legia Warsaw.
By: Iain Macfarlane in MariborPublished: Wed, August 20, 2014
Deila felt as though he’d murdered someone after Legia Warsaw hammered Celtic [SNS]
Now he has challenged his team to make the most of their Champions League stay of execution by beating Maribor.
The Hoops go into the first leg of their play-off in Slovenia tonight having been handed a reprieve by UEFA after Legia fielded a suspended player in their 6-1 aggregate win.
With harsh lessons learned from the previous round, Deila has urged his men to take their second chance and ensure he doesn’t suffer more nightmares.
Reflecting on how he felt in the wake of the Legia disaster, Deila said: “I got some sleep but I woke up pretty early.
“I felt as if I’d killed someone when I woke up. That’s how it is every time I lose a match.
“If you don’t hurt when you lose matches, something’s wrong. That’s the worst feeling in football, waking up in the morning after a defeat.
“You have to get back the energy in training the next day.
If you don’t hurt when you lose matches, something’s wrong
Ronny Deila
“Everyone’s doing everything they can to improve every day.
“Everyone has responded well to it. We are in a good mood in the group. They are training well and have responded fantastically.
“When we perform, we achieve things. We have a second chance and we will do everything to take it.
“Yes, I made mistakes in Warsaw. What were they? We’ll see.”
Celtic go into tonight’s game on the back of a 6-1 league win against Dundee United, but missing James Forrest (hamstring), Adam Matthews (calf) and Aleksandr Tonev, who is still short of match fitness.
Deila added: “The other boys have trained well and looked sharp.
Celtic in talks with Cardiff over move for South Korea midfielder Kim Bo-Kyung
Celtic are in talks with Cardiff over a deal for Kim Bo-Kyung
South Korean midfielder was a target prior to joining the Bluebirds in 2012
PUBLISHED: 22:33, 19 August 2014 | UPDATED: 01:36, 20 August 2014
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Celtic are in talks with Cardiff City over a deal for South Korea international Kim Bo-Kyung.
The 24-year-old midfielder was a target for the Bhoys prior to joining Cardiff in 2012.
Bo-Kyung has made nearly 60 league appearances for the Bluebirds since signing from Cerezo Osaka two years ago.
From last night…..
_______________
myboysnowatim
21:10 on 19 August, 2014
_____________________
Better a pillock than a dick like you, eh?
twists n turns
05:04 on 20 August, 2014
_____________________
Thanks for posting / sharing that fella.
Is he any good?
Serious question.
Hail Hail
twists n turns
05:01 on 20 August, 2014
______________________
Two weeks ago, I called RD a pillock, after Murryfield.
I hope tonight or indeed, over the two legs that he proves me wrong.
Hail Hail
Still think that there is a lot of, crossing of the wires re: a striker?
Balde, Pukki and Derk were badly managed by Neil Lennon. imho
I’m hopeful that, the new management team will utilise these players properly.
Being a Celtic striker, in a Celtic team that disny create chances can be a rough experience.
Going by Saturday at least, the new management team, seem to have changed the dynamics / chemistry of the team and that surely augurs well for the team as whole.
Look at Stokes on Saturday for example, from canny be ersed to – Tazmanian hooped devil.
I feel especially for Balde, some sympathy for the way he was treated by Neil.
How can ye make yer mark on the team if yer given the last 5 mins most weeks?
Pukki has buttons – just takes the right manager to press them. Can RD do it?
Time will tell, hopefully he can cos I can see a player in Pukki.
RD & JC seem to prefer this 4-3-3 system. Good.
When McLeish used to play that way v’s us wi the huns, I always thought – should it not be us playing 4-3-3?
Howevvvhaaaa(Kojo – love ye mate:) the way that the manager seems to be putting the correct pegs into the correct holes has to give some hope. RD, I hope ye are more clued-up going into this away game than ye were in Poland?
I’m sure the tic will get there over the 2 legs.
Get yer Singing Detective and Kojo flags
from the ole Jungle roof – CSC
Hail Hail – bye.
Why don’t we play Sammi up front, he plays the role well.
Looking forward to the game, dispute Saturday result I still think we will be given a hard time. Players need to keep it tight and not make silly mistakes or give ball away cheaply
Most on here will recall the times in the mid to late 90s when that champions league music was what you heard at Ibrox and what we longed to hear at celtic park. Most will recall the highlight of our seasons being juventus or grasshoppers or Ajax beating them….
Stories of them flying off to play with Murray private jetting around as we have already been put out of uefa were the norm.
Against that recent history the complete reversal we have witnessed in a 16 year period is astonishing. The petro training cup is their holy grail (I wonder if Campbell ogilvie, the grand architect of football admin, can claim that one too ?) we will play to the champs league fanfare once more tonight.
European Football guaranteed for us right through to Xmas as once more they do battle with the administrator and Alloa and Cowdenbeath. Yet they still get equal billing with the MSM. Still halfwit celtic supporters whinge of penny pinching and biscuit tin in public forums. Still the misinformed advocate us signing fanciful and non existent big name talent who would come to our pathetic wee league. Still many seem to want us to follow their lead to oblivion.
A result for them is beating QoS in their 2 titanic battles in league cup and league this next fortnight and then paying their bills.
A result for us will see us huddle up in 8 days time to see if we finally can pull out Real or Chelsea or Bayern again or Paris or Juventus or Ajax revenge at the top table once more.
Thanks to Fergus to Brian Quinn and Martin Oneill to Gordon Strachan and Peter Lawwell to Neil Lennon and the Celtic support (and a polish administrator) we have this opportunity to enjoy. Thanks to most of the above we will continue to have it for several years to come whilst the others pay their wonga type repayments.
Great times to support the Celtic.
My friends in Celtic,
Really struggling to understand the obsession some posters have with what PL earns.
.In general terms, earnings in many spheres of life are not proportionate to value.
eg : Is Wayne Rooney worth more to society that a Surgeon.?
In a democracy market forces are king, and that is why we will eventually play in a league more befitting of our status and ambitions.
HH.
Kitalba
Did you get sorted for tickets for Inverness?
Burnley78
Agree. Superb post.
‘GG
03:52 on
20 August, 2014
According to the Scotsman Celtic made a blunder leaving Efe behind.
Aye ye cannae whack the positive support we get from the MSM.
=========================================
I often wonder if there is a club anywhere else in the world that suffers the same level of negativity and pointless nit-picking from its own media as Celtic does. Rarely is a story ever written or an opinion ever aired about the club that doesn’t have a hint of glass half empty to it. Don’t even get me started on the way they rewrite history.
Here’s the bottom line though as much as they, or at least their Editors, want to deny it. Celtic and its fans are for all intents and purposes viewed as an underclass compared to the club from Ibrox. It doesn’t matter the financial carnage that is associated with Ibrox because that was not their fault apparently. As long as Celtic occupy what they see as the rightful place of the club from Ibrox, then the negativity and nit-picking will continue no matter what. If the day comes when the club from Ibrox manages to get to top spot, then the full scale assault on Celtic will really begin in earnest again.
It’s the way it is in Scotland, it’s the way it has always been, and it’s the way it will be for a long time yet.
Good morning friends from a brightly hopeful East Kilbride.
Hamiltontim:
I did thanks. I’m going to catch Ol’tim and Estadio for a pint in Glasgow before heading up on Friday afternoon, are you going to be about.
If you’re going up and want to catch up for a beer… send me your mobile number.
Burnley
So anyone who disagrees with your analysis of Celtic’s fiscal policy is a ‘halfwit’ or ‘misinformed’?
So much for balanced reasonable debate where respect it shown to the views of others.
Off to face the day.
Kitalba
We’re not heading up until the Saturday morning. Does Smashie have a number for you if so I’ll contact you through him.
Burnley78
06:47 on
20 August, 2014
=============================
Magnificent Sir, absolutely magnificent.
Sammi… Oh! of course, he left, didn’t he (?) did, silly me.
Did he catch the same bus south as MacPride, MacNeil, MacThunder, MacPassion, MacClass, MacZeal, MacRes12, MacCredence, MacHonesty, MacHope and MacIntrepid?
Son to Father…
‘’Dad… what does a striker look like?’’
Father to Son…
‘’Not sure son, but I saw sixteen Yeti walking down the Buchannan Street on Monday’’.
Tumbling Dice C.S.C.
Hamiltontim:
I hope so.
Dry bright and still in bishops town.
upthehoops,
How much coverage have you seen in the Scottish media about the financial windfall that other SPFL clubs will enjoy IF Celtic qualify for the group stages?
Last time round they got around £110,000 EACH simply because we played in the group stages.
The money has gone up this year.
At a time when,due to a certain member club going bust and bringing about financial “armageddon” for these clubs,you would think the SMSM would be rejoicing at our good fortune and standing right behind us wouldn’t you?………….naw?…….me neither
Quizzzzz for the early birds…
How many reputations can you buy, or burst, for 15 million? How many histories can you tarnish, thrash and trash?
Not a trick question.
My god SSN running a poll to see if Celtic should be in this seasons Champions League-can they just not get behind us and if this was MUFC no way would they take this line
Good morning CQNers,
Being a Celtic supporters we’re always hopeful we’ll get some sort of result.
Personally I’d like to see RD pick a 4-5-1 formation and build the pressing game on top of a sound defensive display with no lunges!!
Over the 2 latest games, albeit SPFL games, Celtic have recorded 45 shots of which 49% were on target – a pleasing new dynamic tactics added to the team. I hated it when we simply relied on corners and free kicks as opportunities for scoring.
Paul67’s analysis a couple of days ago suggested their goalkeeper isn’t the fans favorite and perhaps if we see the continuation of this new dynamic we might have some joy.
In the last game against Legia we saw some signs of indiscipline creeping in, tonight we need a disciplined display and if Charlie Mulgrew is handed the captain’s arm-band I hope he fulfills the role with a mature display of football and leadership.
C’mon the Hoops!!
Burnley78 @ 06.47 hrs.
Good post, however many of the equations you make are not simply a black or white issue.
Although we may generally support our board and fiscal policy we must always question.
There are many differing valid opinions of where we are and how we move forward.
HH to you.
Kit
Oldtim had HT mobile.
Burnley78
I agree with some of what you say but as Hamiltontim says it should be acceptable to hold a differing opinion
ralston row
07:18 on 20 August, 2014
No doubt idiots texting in at £1 a pop
TV equivalent of Radio Clyde phone in
Ignore