Since Ronny Deila became manager I’ve met a Norwegian journo a few times who has been keen to discuss our manager’s progress. One of the points he’s continually made is about Stefan Johansen, who he insists is known as a creative midfielder in Norway, someone who regularly makes defence-splitting passes.
Until recently, we’ve not seen this, Stefan has played as a box-to-box midfielder. Something changed against Hamilton Accies two weeks ago. Celtic were inept in many areas but Stefan seemed particularly exasperated at the lack of penetration. He ran and harried, pushed and prodded. It was as though the general malaise around him afforded him the authority to take control of the situation.
Late in the game against Accies he bent double with his hands on his knees, the outward sign of exhaustion anyone over 40 who’s played fives is familiar with, but which you seldom see from professionals, as it’s a sign your batteries are empty. When fans see this in a player the natural reaction is to berate him but Stefan’s knees deserved to be held, he’d put more effort in over the 90 minutes than anyone I’d seen all season.
Saturday’s performance from Celtic seemed to come from nowhere; suddenly we looked like a team. Stefan’s newly acquired authority, which I think he acquired two weeks earlier, goes some way towards explaining why.
I’m loving the love being shown to the glib and shameless one today, especially the accompanying commentary, “are you a fan who is staying away from Rangers matches?”, “this Rangers support is already dangerously close to a full-scale rebellion”. Framing the debate like this is an explicit call to Newco Rangers fans to ditch their hard-up club.
I would like to echo this sentiment. Go find another sport, or take up a higher education class instead.
That’s easy for me to say, I care nothing for Newco, but at least I’m being honest about it. There are those prepared to drive the club into the Clyde in their attempts to grab control on the cheap – i.e. instead of buying shares on the open market.
Good luck to them. I’m sure Mike Ashley and the Easdales will be easily bullied.
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weeminger,
First priority is putting a team on the park that supporters will come and watch.
That, with our budget comes down to getting a manager that knows the market player wise, hopefully RD will be that man…the boats out on that.
As for the tv rights, the amount of supporters that don’t turn up on Sunday due to the
inconvenience, outways any benefit Celtic get from the pittance we get from the live football.
I do realise that income keeps other clubs afloat in a tight time and it’s juggling.
Mibees, I’ve just had a bad day.HH
Ole omniblinkered Ambrose hater…… BontyBhoy.
TBB
Good analysis but not conviced that “earnings are starting to recover form years of stasis, and there is considerably more disposable income to pay for discretionary spending”
HH
At the moment I would guess that Ronny knows 10 of his preferred starting eleven if everyone is fit. Gordon in goals, Lustig, Denayer, VVD & Izzy at the back, Brown, Mulgrew & Johansen in the middle with Guidetti as striker and McGregor playing off one wing. The other ‘wide’ player is the position that he has still to decide on, and I think it will probably be Forrest if he can ever stay fit for more than 5 minutes.
Other than Izzy at left back we have sufficient, and in some cases excessive, cover for all positions.
skyisalandfill
that’s what the economic bulletins are telling us.
philbhoy
13:54 on 20 October, 2014
I agree that Stefan had a smashing game on Saturday.
Also thought that our movement off the ball was very good too.
………..
The two comments may be connected.
TBB
Good post with what I’d consider to be fairly accurate reasons for the down turn in ST sales.
What bothers me is that the number who are still buying STs is often higher than those who are actually attending games.
Where are these missing ST holders?
Why are they not attending?
If we’ve sold say 40,000 STs, that’s still an incredible amount in the current situation Scotland and Scottish football finds itself in.
But why would supporters commit to such a hefty financial outlay and then not attend on a consistent basis?
My own theory is that this can partly be explained by supporters awaiting a Hun team in the league and they want to ensure that they’ll be guaranteed tickets in this eventuality.
Gary67
No, sorry stop right there *batman voice * that can’t be right McGregor needs to come off the right wing onto his left foot, so he stays where he is.
When wee Jamesies (spelling?) hamstring heals, he’d need to be on the left wing to come off onto his right foot.
Wait a minute that might be a plan, right enough.
If anyone is planning to order the new Caesar & The Assassin book today, can you hold off?
We’ve just started to use the groovy new payment system which was working fine when we tested it last month but when we’ve started using it today it doesn’t seem to like us too much! Andrew in Belfast – as is the tradition – is on the case!
Caught up today with the abuse an entirely innocent Hamiltontim was subjected to over the weekend. This “Liverpool” fan told us last week that we are behind both Bolton and Bournemouth and earlier on Saturday that Ross County were merely a pub team. He didn’t go to Seville, hasn’t seen Celtic since some friendly v Coventry a decade ago and was there in Manchester on that day of shame. He probably said we got Barca on a good day or that they were past their best or something.
He seeks to portray us as being as bigoted as them and thus promotes what he sees as a hardcore protestant hating agenda – which is entirely alien to the Celtic support. His views on the Celtic support is tainted by hatred. Unilateral Bigotry if you like. he thinks he’s clever with the Liverpool alibi but he’s been found out.
Hamiltontim should be able to come on here and argue with other CQNers about players, the manager, the board, the Green Brigade and so on without having to endure this bile.
WC
It’s all my own fault and I don’t even have ginger hair :-)
Thank you.
Offski.
The Battered Bunnet
15:43 on
20 October, 2014
I’d agree overall with that, and I just wanted to point out that were now in our 7th year of real terms pay decline. A record I believe, although not one that’ll be trumpeted from the rooftops.
HT
Sometimes cleaning the Cat litter trtay oot is more fun than going along ans watching the Bhoys.
Seriously note now:
You have to consider the cost of attending a game outwith the season book money also for some supporters. Altough purchasing a season book may just be within their grasp, going to the game and spending upwards of £40 on travel, food and a few beers with their buddies may just be out with the reach of some who might have stretched to paying that more frrequesntly if the product (sorry football – keep thinking I’m a customer me) was better on the park.
MWD said AYE
“But why would supporters commit to such a hefty financial outlay and then not attend on a consistent basis?”
“BECAUSE”
It’sTheCeltic CSC
Hamiltontim
I have a season ticket but due to work and distance am unable to get to that many games. Driving to CP costs me roughly £60 and I work 3 weekends out of 5.
The reasons I go for the ST is 1) to help the club financially 2) to guarantee tickets to CL nights (doh!).
HH
Ladies and Gents, I have a signed, framed Celtic strip from about 3 years ago that is available no charge to a good home. 84cm high x 92cm wide. Would suit a man-cave or indeed would be a good raffle prize. Email gincher67@hotmail.com
Anyone else think willo’s celtic career would have been better if skippy had put away that header against the team we always played at the start of the new year but have since passed away?
HT
Yip. It’s clear there are quite a number of folk who buy a season ticket but don’t use it.
I’m one of them. Well, 3 actually. Sundays are match days for youth football, and with Celtic in the Europa League, my 3 books go unused when our home games are rescheduled for the Sunday.
Others will have their own reasons, perhaps the inevitability of a league championship win removes the game-to-game excitement for many folk, and buying a season ticket is simply maintaining ‘support’ for the club in a period of diminished sport.
I doubt many would do as you suggest though regarding future seasons.
PS Remind me to read my posts before hitting ‘post’ in future.
From willo’s cross ,of course
BSR, it’s a fine line, and maybe I’ve been harsh on him lately. It’s not really so much Ambrose, who I think deserves enormous respect for his CB performances, albeit not all of them. More the importance of the fullback position, which I think I made clear in previous posts. Fullbacks are the primary out ball for centre halves, centre mids, wingers, and sometimes strikers too. They’re the teams safety valve, and we have good ones when fit.
I worry that RD went with Ambrose, after the first 4 or 5 games, but willing to credit he opted for experience, the pace/physique and maintaining a potentially important players status. It doesn’t look like it will work out for him.
You’re aside may have been more to the point if you’d suggested Commons. But I also made it quite clear I like and respect him, while stating that I’d never select him in a Celtic team. Indeed, the point is there is no hatred, or rash judgement on my part. It would be so nice to see that sentiment more often.
mighty tim supporting wee oscar
15:30 on 20 October, 2014
Melbourne Mick I know the McMillans. Good bunch of bhoys and all pretty handy in the ring. Donny and Angie probably the best of them. The youngest Freddie and me drank together for a while and worked in the same pub back early 80′s. Freddie and Donny worked on rigs. All from Possil although Freddie lived in Bishopbriggs when we hung out.
###############################
Know a few of them also, some have their hearts in Ayrshire, who wouldn’t, was at school with one of their daughter’s, not to be messed with either, great Celtic family and good people.
BMCUWP, you a plant? You just canny help yourself, I think ye take it from yer Dad….!
Enjoying my time off… Large crack on a tile in the shower unit, have had to take the full enclosure off, silicon and all, remove two large tiles and now the toilet cistern is leaking. It’s now more or less a bare room…..
The person who fitted said toilet has cut the flush pipe to short hence the leak, it is a EU standard pipe and i have been everywhere to find one, to no avail.
No shower, no toilet for a few days, won’t the blonde one be happy……!
And after all that I can’t work out who attacked our goalie… gonni be a bit less cryptic, it’s no easy for me..!
Ayrshire is Green and White
moonbeams wd. wee oscar’s our bhoy and kano’s our mhan. the vow – critically rebuked by 45% of this fine nation.
15:35 on 20 October, 2014
Don’t think that’s 100% correct. Alleged accused are name all the time. Some for hideous crime and stigma stays with them even if found not guilty.
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
13:16 on 20 October, 2014
LAWELLSACCOUNTANT
Go piss on your own chips,mate.
If you canny be delighted with Celtic winning 5-0,you shouldnae be here.
Couldn’t agree with you more, best reply of the day.
COYBIG
SPD1956.
Gincher67
get in touch with CRC. He’s raising a wee bit of doe for young Shay at moment. A wee donation of strip for that would be worthy and gratefully accepted I believe.
MWD said AYE
Lennon’s you are probably right.
MWD said AYE
Hamiltontim @ 16.06hrs.
Quite a few ST holders cannot make it to every game. For the more attractive game family/ friends will take up the offer of a free ticket but on many occasions the seat lies empty.
There is also the day, weather and KO times where sometimes the ST holder will watch the game in the house or pub. I know this sounds like ” fair weather supporters” but nevertheless it occurs.
The misguided mind-set is also prevalent that because the ticket is paid for it is not costing anything i.e. it is not like paying cash for a ticket on the day and not going.
Of course I may be totally wrong.
HH.
LEFTCLICKTIC
WHITEDOGHUNCH
Eeeeeeejit alert.
I can only apologise,lads. Good intentions and rank carelessness are never a good combination.
Btw,WDH,when did you start as a tyre-fitter?
moonbeams wd. wee oscar’s our bhoy and kano’s our mhan. the vow – critically rebuked by 45% of this fine nation.
15:35 on 20 October, 2014
STV and media are legally obliged to withold the name of any person charged with an offense. until that point they are free game for the media.
Has the attacker been charged?
MWD said AYE
###############################
The person will only be named officially on appearing at court, ra Polis will never release a name. It’s the way of the court unless its a child or a big secret..
Ayrshire is Green and White
HT, your theory may account for some of the empty seats but I’ve never met one Celtic supporter voice such an opinion.
Next season if we have the huns in our league I’ll be buying a full season book and will not be attending any game v the hun. Nor will I be farming out my ticket. My seat will be empty for any game v the hun.
Moonbeams @1612
Yip. As I’ve posted on here (more than once) the ticket is only the start of the dosh outlay.
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
16:25 on 20 October, 2014
LEFTCLICKTIC
WHITEDOGHUNCH
Eeeeeeejit alert.
I can only apologise,lads. Good intentions and rank carelessness are never a good combination.
Btw,WDH,when did you start as a tyre-fitter?
#############################
I feel quite privileged to have been named in the list sent by the Ayrshire hauf wit.. 70 yahoo…
HH
BontyBhoy
An aside indeed, and your’e not as harsh as some. Efe Ambrose is the present day, whipping bhoy, with more sins than Dr Crippen.
A superb ultra fit, ever present for club and country athletic superior.
Possibly, with an achilles heel (or three) especially at stop gap full back, but a Hooped up hero, none the less.
He even gets the blame for everybody else playing kak.
skyisalandfill made a decent point about buying a season book to secure a Champions League ticket.
Friend of mine was scammed for a right few thousand last week. The sammers said they were police from Nottingham who had some scally wags from Glasgow in custody and they had a load of credit and debit cards on them and one belonged to my friend. They asked my friend if she had heard of VIRTUAL BANKING which she had. VIRTUAL BANKING is the KEY word here.
They told her that they suspected some staff at her local branch of her bank were involved with these “scally wags” to steal money from accounts at that branch.
The real police said that this was one the most sophisticated scams they had ever came across.
Thers a lot more to this scam but this is the meat of it.
So be careful very very careful!!!
I feel a bit sheepish that I was apparently on the closed list. Almost as though bobbio was ashamed to admit he hings oot with the likes of me.
Still plus is that risqué side of my social life remains secret on here….
……doh!
HH JamesGang
BSR if you want to successfully parody you need much more skill and insight than you clearly have. Shame, your moniker has always promised more than you could ever deliver.
TBB
i wonder how many of our season tickets are being sold for 50 quid
Bhoys…..Bhoys………!
BontyBhoy
And no wonder you rarely post.