I saw “Japan first country to qualify for 2026 Word Cup” and quickly clicked on the line-up for their win against Bahrain. Neither Daizen Maeda nor Reo Hatate made it off the bench.
Japan top their group with 19 points, Australia are second, nine points adrift. Reo and Daizen did not get into the team because Japan have an ever-expanding talent pool of excellent players to choose from.
Celtic used links to City Football Group to align with the Japanese market in 2021. Ange Postecoglou, Koygo, Daizen and Reo came and transformed the club. The years since would be unrecognisable without this influence from Japan. Despite this, Japan is no longer on our radar; Korea has also slipped from our scope.
We had First Mover Advantage in 2021. The value available may not be exactly the same as then, but it feels like we have walked away from the richest seam of talent we have seen pull on Celtic shirts in decades.
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You couldn’t mod yourself….hilarious…
I tried god…I tried…you keep setting me impossible targets….
Good morning all from Govanhill.
Good morning.
What a read back.
The 1 man, ex – mod Billy no mates was in full flow.
Get help, no infact don’t you are hilarious.
D. :)
31003 on 22nd March 2025 12:36 am
Can’t believe I was a boy of 46 years when I first posted on here…..2004 I think…I’m now an old gadgy….amazing how quick time passes by.
———-
Time stops for nobody. The demographic of the blog has aged accordingly with subsequently consequences.
Of course there are alternative reasons for less posts, but the unavoidable cannot be avoided.
HH and YNWA.
FAO ART OF WAR.
TWO CQN Bhoys were in the Shipbank around 12…BRRB and TONY ROME.
I couldnt get there until around 2.30 as my Brother was clearing out stuff from my Flat.
By the time I got there BELMONT BRIAN was also there…although I dont think he would be there too early.
Maybe BRRB and TONY ROME were in the opposite side of the Bar when you appeared, and obviously did NOT know that you were looking for any CQN Bhoys ?
HH.
Remember back in the day , we had them badges ( not the we don’t need no stinking badges ) cqn ones , and we even had beanie hats with our names on , you could wander round pubs checking out lapels and headgear. 😂😂😜
Did lapels and headgear no play the howff ? Great wee duo 😘😜
Had a minor fall out with a friend of a friend who took offence when International football came up in the conversation, I told him that I have a good relationship with the Scotland team as in if they win I’m happy with that but if they lose I don’t really bother go to my bed wake up the next morning get on with my day and don’t think about it.The chap seemed to take offence to this and said that Celtic and R2ngers fans really annoy him because they don’t support Scotland (95% of my Celtic supporting friends do) .Don’t know about anyone else but when fans of other clubs lump us in with them really annoys me which I pointed out.Chap asked me was I not devastated when after the Hungary game in the Euros , I replied once again that whilst I wanted them to win I was not devastated by the result and continued with my evening as normal the guy seemed most upset by this.I gave an honest answer to his question, international football doesn’t really interest me , I will check out the results .aye watch the odd game znd that’s about it.
Mmm should have proof read ,ah well.
Tontine Tim/Tim Horton
I spoke with an auld guy in the TOCSC one day who told me that Johnny Thompson’s ‘ girlfriend’ was buried in the St. James cemetery on Parliament Street, just South of Bloor in Toronto. As I’m retired now, I could possibly do a bit of investigative work. Did you,by chance, have her name?
HH☘️
Hope you’re keeping well Hand Of God,
Have you always felt that way? And do you know Rusty it is that makes you indifferent to Scotland losing?
I am a Scotland fan and while a loss doesn’t ruin my following day – which sadly a Celtic loss can – it can ruin the rest of my night (sad i know).
THOG
Personally, I watch all scotland games. Used to go, back in the day, though can’t manage any longer
Agree, majority of fans are likewise.
I think there has probably been a dilution of support for national teams over the years. Club football is better marketed and resourced.
When I was ‘wee’ football was on a siding scale from domestic – European – International.
I’d suggest now, that’s almost been reversed. Top club sides are crammed full of the top talent. International games are more of a distraction/ inconvenience. Hell, we even see players retire from International duty to prolong their club career.
I reckon that’s why we’ve seen FIFA and UEFA create additional tournaments and groups and suchlike.
Any move towards elite leagues could all but kill off International football.
Personally, I hope not
(To be clear, my emotional investment in Scotland games comes nowhere close to that of Celtic)
I’m on it already👍
In 1931, Thomson got engaged to Margaret Finlay and also started making plans to open a tailor shop in Glasgow. He was a member of the Church of Christ, a small Protestant Evangelical church.
In 1931, Thomson got engaged to Margaret Finlay and also started making plans to open a tailor shop in Glasgow. He was a member of the Church of Christ, a small Protestant Evangelical church.[2]☘️
🤪
If you’re ever thinking that the blog is dying out, be the change you want to see (or whatever the saying is) and post something.
And i know St Stivs has commented about non Celtic chat the blog used to have lots of non tricks chat – music/politics/Beyonce/Judith Ralston.
As others past it’s left to the rest of us to keep it alive so that hopefully other Celtic fans will come on here, scroll past the adverts, enjoy the blog but get annoyed by the adverts, scroll through various comments pages to find out how to get rid of the adverts, learn to turn of Java, realise that Java being off will affect other websites, read through other comment sections to find out that they can download adblockers or a new app, download said app, set up an account and start posting on here.
And only then will they be able you claim that no one responds to their posts 👍🏻
😀
I feel like St. Stivs now😎
https://spartacus-educational.com/SOEfinlayM.htm☘️
https://spartacus-educational.com/SOEfinlayM.htm
Try this?
Bada – Im loving the Lawell and Hardy patter 👏🏻
Re Estadio… when i was there I called my ailing dad who had been at the game and it’s one of the most emotional calls ive ever had.
What a special place it is.
Well done 31003 for trying to get a convo going.
Similarly for me it’s hard to persevere when I think I have something even of mild interest to fellow Celtic fans, only to find it’s not a topic with any traction.
Sometimes I feel daft for trying to post at all (like right now) and then I stop for a bit. But I like to talk the ins ‘n’ outs of Celtic.
Expectations; mibby that’s the prob? If I expect people will engage and they don’t, the issue is really mine.
Being in Oz, I cant be there for the bevvy or the matches and the bookie doesnae do it for me, yet this place helped to make me feel connected to our team; sometimes it still does.
So what’s the answer; well, as the Gin Blossoms warbled: “If you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down.”
HH
Liked that information about Margaret Finlay. Hadn’t even heard of her before.
PCS
She ended up living in Canada became Margaret Straker – She died in 1980 and is buried in St.James Cemetery, Toronto.
1003 on 21st March 2025 11:35 pm
After being pumped by Alex McLeish’s Rangers in his first old firm match as Rangers manager (Lovenkrands ran amok if memory serves)….Martin O’Neill changed his formation from the usual 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 and prevailed….Brendan…if you know your history…
It took Martin O’Neil a lot longer to change his system against McLeish, who had already demonstrated at Hibs that he could set up to counter Celtic. It took MON a year before he recorded a victory against McLeish’s Rangers. Given that McLeish joined mid-season, he actually won the next five trophies available to him, the League Cup and Scottish Cup in his first season, followed by a treble the next. While it can be argued that this was assisted by EBT payments, it was also assisted by a stubborn manager at Celtic Park. The road to Seville papers over a shortcoming that it is far to readily ignored.
MH- a special place, the rest of Lisbon is pretty run down IMO HH
Lisbon is the only European Final I have not attended. But Cathac’s brother and myself (who was with me at the 2 others) did make the pilgrimage about 30 years. Can still picture being there quite vividly.
about 30 years AGO.
Big Jimmy, thanks mate. I should have walked the whole way round as I know BRRB by sight. I blame my cycling garb as the reason for not doing so…. 😀
I was only gonna buy a round and leave anyway.
Good morning Majestic Hartson I hope you are in fine fettle.To answer your question, no I haven’t always felt that way,when I was young I put almost as much into supporting Scotland as I did Celtic. From 1980 to 1997 I only missed one home game due to having the flu,the 2-2 with Switzerland where Charlie Nicholas scored a wonder goal.My last game was against Latvia at Celtic Park in 1997 when world cup qualification was sealed, I was a seat or two away from my own seat. Over the years I just lost interest in international football as I alluded to earlier if Scotland win I’m happy if not I’m not sad.To be honest as I’ve got older I think I can handle Celtic defeats easier now.Last week for instance against R2ngers ,the 1st half performance was dire then losing a goal at the end when you felt there was only gonna be one winner,us,was tough to take but by the time I got home after the match it was gone,history,I was happy to be a Celtic fan and 13 ponts clear.I love Celtic I spend large chunks of my day reading about or thinking about them but there are bigger things in life which sometimes put football in perspective. Enjoy your day 💚
teuchter ar la et al
Great work re Margaret Finlay. (And indeed her father)
Fascinating stuff. I knew little or nothing of her, or her relationship with John Thomson (was John really planning to to open a tailor shop in Glasgow). Certainly she was a remarkable woman by in her own right, as was her father, both highly educated. It is quite something to think that she lived nearly fifty years after John’s passing and is buried in Toronto. That said I feel sure there are many Scottish born men and women who ended their days in Canada (Oh Canada).
Bada Bing , have to disagree with your opinion about Lisbon.I think it’s a beautiful vibrant city one of my favourites.It has its problems like anywhere dlse I guess but I love it.I always stay on or around the Avenida Liberdade which is the financial district with lots of beautiful buildings and designer shops that my wife enjoys ,I love it.
One too many I love its in my previous post but you get the picture
Hand Of God,
Thanks for the reply.
I think i get more annoyed – especially re der huns – which is funny because due to work and family commitments i get to see us less than ever.
The hand of God on 22nd March 2025 10:59 am
A lot of truth there mate,it’s a massive city,heading to that street just now actually HH
Agreed, i thought Lisbon was lovely.
I was brought up in in Hamilton though so…
Kristoffer Ajer is 6′ 6″.
Easterhose,then Milton for me,not a posh place like Hamilton😁
Big long Avenue BADABING ,like everywhere in Lisbon, hilly.hope you’re wearing comfy shoes,have a beer in one of the wee green kicks on the Avenida, enjoy.
BHave stayed in Bishopbriggs for 36byears but I’m still an incomer.
Green kicks = Green kiosks BADA