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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bournesouprecipe,
Isn’t that always the way with our support. If it isn’t Efe, it would be Johansen or Izzie or anyone else. Efe must be due a rest. He hasn’t had a rest for at least 2 years. I wonder how our current hero, Mikael Lustig, will be seen as the Messiah. I am happy he is back, by the bye, but he got a lot of stick when he first arrived.
how=how long
BontyBhoy
You after Rye-catcher’s Dick Of The Day spot?
Latest name in the frame re LZ assault is a PP fae DU ……allegedly……
starry
With any luck Awe_Naw will be lurking and frighten him away for another four years.
Gincher67
I am having a fund raiser for Hunters syndrome and this would make an excellent raffle or auction prize but I am having problems with my emails
do you have a facebook page?
HH
ParkheadcumSalford,
That certainly is the way. If it wasn’t player x getting it tight it’d be player y. Pretty sad imo.
!!Bada Bing!!
16:56 on 20 October, 2014
Latest name in the frame re LZ assault is a PP fae DU ……allegedly……
——————————————
A PP? Was Lukasz extracting the urine?
Hamiltontim,
I haven’t been able to read much of CQN for the past few days: computer is playing up.
Anyway, I gather you have been getting abuse. Very sorry to hear that. I know you and I have not always seen eye to eye but you have always struck me as a genuinely good Celtic mhan. One of the best, as they say.
Just got word that my work could be moving me to Florida early in the new year. Hoping it works out, the west coast of the USA is lovely, but I do feel a wee bit out there on the edge sometimes. Short flight to Paradise, with some fine CSC’s near the beach too.
Embdae fancy a CQN international Hootenany mid-winter at mine in the Sunshine State? Beaches, Cuban and Brazilian lassies in bikinis and beer with the odd Mojito thrown in. Speedos are banned, sorry BSR…
GB, congratulations on yours daughters graduation. Lots of lucrative opportunities in the US with her credentials. Corporations will pay her move and work permit. Being outside of the UK for more than a third of the year means not paying tax. Get one over on Lizzie, what’s not to like?
Tamrabam
Largely irrelevant since we’ve had them since about 2005/06 as I recall correctly.
Indeed, it was WGS’s first season, and the boy’s first season ticket.
I expect there’s a few adult season book holders this season who started off on the £50 package.
davidopoulos-could be,an Embra Court will pap it oot ……
!!Bada Bing!!
17:09 on 20 October, 2014
davidopoulos-could be,an Embra Court will pap it oot ……
—————————————-
Lol, I just read that as an “Umbro Court”, and was like, “What the fudge is an Umbro Court?”.
Anyway. Yes, you’re probably right…
The reason i gave up my season ticket was the fact the games corrupt and my club have done nothing but pine for a cheating Ibrox club. LNS and the day the SFL declared that Rangers would be keeping their League Cups no matter what was the last straw. Anyone who thinks Celtic will tell the truth regarding the New club is delusional, business as usual. Before anyone tells me how i’m less of a supporter than them i had a season book for 18 years home and away and took out a £1200 bank loan for share’s i still have. I just can’t justify the outlay of time and money for a rigged game. Would have been different if the club had have fought the authorities and even now with the wee tax case categorically proven cheating, our club are willingly allowing it to be swept under the carpet.
The feelings i felt the day we lost the league at Kilmarnock having just got back from Seville was the strongest in ever supporting Celtic one of immense pride and despair simultaneously. Cqn is falling into the media trap if they think all the missing fans is due to the huns not being in the league.
TBB
Well thought out post.
Only one item I take issue with, is pay.
Pay is still falling in real terms, 7 years in a row,I believe, which is the biggest pay decrease in real terms since records began.
The working class still paying for the bankers excesses.
HT
gettin abuse ?
what you been up to ;-)
remind them you’ve been going to the boxing club.
Only one banker who’s excess we’re paying for: Lord Rothschild. The rest are mere minions.
Agree with Jamesgang @13.38
I worry about Ashley’s involvement with der Hun. He will get a lot more bang for his buck with Rangers International than he would with Newcastle. Let’s face it, it’s going to take an awful lot of cash to get The type of exposure that the CL guarantees with Newcastle.
With new Rankers very little spend ,in comparative terms, will achieve the same type of exposure he craves for Sports Direct on the European stage. To Mike Ashley it must seem like a no brainer particularly if our Board continues with it’s current spending/non spending policy.
Bontybhoy
Give yer head a shake. BSR posts one of the reasons why this blog is essential reading for the immaculately coiffured Tic supporter.
HH
Right, I’ve had enough of this sunshine in Grenada
I’m coming home to see the Celtic again :-)
Catch you all later Bhoys
Hail Hail the Celts are Here
Bourne
Looks like it’s your turn today.
parkheadcumsalford
Thank you I appreciate that.
Tick Tock ……. Incidentally, fair play and HH to all those who buy SBs even though they can’t always make it to games ……
Spikey
I wouldn’t have minded but it was around midnight on Saturday and I’d already been sleeping for hours! :-)
jimmynotpaul
weeminger made a similar point earlier, although the latest figures indicate earnings are now tracking inflation.
My point was that despite an improving picture, we’re not seeing the impact in season book sales, which would indicate something else is at play.
TBB
i recall that we had 53,000 fans and the cheapest ticket was 299 quid
IMO it is relevant how much we take in SB money
in fact I feel that its more relevant than the number of SBs
Your guesses at why the number have fallen are as good as anyone elses, but they are guesses. My own guesses would be different.
starry plough
I’ve never seen that award get handed out before. And no, I was pleased to see Paul stick up for Stefan, he’s being getting a bunch of abuse on here. Totally undeserved.
I engaged BSR politely, and I think he’s trying to be a smartass in return. There are some hilarious posts on here, and some worthwhile ribbing. In my opinion BSR was just being a prick cause he doesn’t like my posts much. Many ways to do that, but parody really requires a greater bond with the language and tone of the subject. BSR parodied an image he’s created of me, rather than the image I present on CQN of myself. In either case, an effin waste of his and my time.
Hamiltontim, Haven’t seen the offender on since, hopefully he has joined TSD, about time Paul flexed his muscles & kicked a few in the baws. There are still another 3 or 4 at it but they eventually show their true face. The acountant next one for a taxi.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-29657076
In pictures: Derry in 1969
A selection of photographs of Londonderry taken by French photojournalist Gilles Caron, have been gifted to the city and will go on display at the end of October.
HT – obviously my medical situation has not permitted me to attend games recently. However even prior to that as a ST for 30 years, I was not able to be present often due to the constant changes in match days, Sunday as you will know being a difficulty day for me to attend. So it is possible that others find themselves in that position also. One thing is certain I am not waiting for them to return.
Incidentally, the more £50 season tickets sold, the better, get our kids etc following the Celtic the earlier the better, the next generation of Green Brigadiers
Hail Hail
HT
And completely unprovoked, as well :-)
It’s sad when they have resort to the standard internet web site of insulting replies, and the ole copy and paste.
tamrabam
I agree, of course value of sales matters every bit as much as volume of tickets.
Point being, we’ve had the £50 kids offer for the past 9 years, so the influence of that promotion is established within the sales mix.
It would be valid to analyse the influence of it in the early years of its introduction, but by now, it’s an embedded element.
In terms of your own guesses, I’ve got all day. We’ve gone from 53500 steady state to 2009, to 41-43000 recently, over a number of discrete steps. What are your thoughts?
Never mind TSD and thon ratcatcher. I’m more worried about Tony Donnelly. I haven’t seen him on since the universities went back. ;-)
Connaire12, you’ll be back shortly :-)
Fully recovered as well
Hail Hail
Lionroars@17.28
Where is this exotic place that a “selection of photographs” have been taken of. Never heard of it.
HH
TBB
Fair enough.
As I say I thought your post was very well thought out.
My own tuppence worth, another reason is size of stadium people realise they can obtain a ticket for any home game they choose and don’t see the point of buying a season ticket any longer. A couple of people in my work have offered that reason.
parkheadcumsalford
HamiltonTim got loads of abuse from a single poster then a tsunami of ‘I love you teach’ from the whole of CQN. People putting up wee tricolour ribbons outside their homes to show how much he’s loved. Sipsini even got his Hun neighbour to put one up.
But once the Send HT to Barbados for his Hurt Feelings applied for a charity registration I smelt a rat!
I now suspect it’s all a scam.
Think about it, he even got to the unofficial mascot on Saturday before the incident even took place.
ConspiracyTheoryCSC
HH jamesgang
In researching this post in response to Bontybhoy’s embarrassing obloquy, I stumbled across the hitherto hidden fact that, according to Merriam-Webster, it is 101 years since the first use of the word Fud.
BSR
More to be pitied than scorned; take it as a sign of defeat :-)
Gents
I believe the reasons that you give go a long way to explaining the discrepancies between ST sold and those actually attending.
Additional costs, travel, KO times changing, weather, shift patterns, overtime etc are all reasons for this but they’ve also been factors in both the recent and distant past.
The lack of competition must also be considered, however. Most of us will have spoken to at least a couple of Celtic supporters who don’t go now because of the predictability, I certainly have.
I have also met a couple who have told me the reason that they’ve kept STs on, but don’t attend, is to ensure they have their own seats for ‘big’ games and they’ve included the huns in that.
Obviously, I think they’re mental :-) but that’s the reason they’ve given.