Roy Keane’s “Celtic wanted me but they weren’t showing how much they wanted me” comment in his second autobiography about being courted to replace Neil Lennon as our manager in the summer is no doubt accurate on one level, but inaccurate on another. Some within Celtic certainly wanted him, but I’m sure the reticence he picked up (and was shared by many of us on the blog at the time) was also very real. Celtic wanted him, but their approach showed him how unconvinced they were.
Keane’s managerial CV is at best considered patchy and his reputation has sold more autobiographies of former team-mates and managers than the two volumes he has now published. Few were convinced he was the right manager for the job, although I’ve no doubt Keane’s claim that Dermot Desmond wanted him, and told him “The job is yours” is accurate, whether anyone else at Celtic was in on the plan or not.
Many thanks to everyone who sponsored me for Sunday’s Great Scottish Run 10k in aid of Celtic Foundation. So far, £677 has been raised to help OUR foundation’s work with poverty, education, learning and equality. The help and messages of support kept the legs moving.
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Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon 09:34
Roy Keane thinks he did ok in the Clyde game? Not my recollection of that awful day.
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Gordon ,
It was also the day that finally we saw what DuWei could do for us …..
………that just gave me a cold shiver down my spine
.
The Onlooker
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
09:42 on 8 October, 2014
NATKNOW
Ah,the poor deluded huns.
Where will it all end?
Answers on a postcard marked Deja-vu.
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It appears neven-ending. I can’t make up my mind if we’re still at the First Circle of Hell (Limbo) or the Eighth (Fraud)? Either way – it passes a morning with some amusement..!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
09:43 on 8 October, 2014
NATKNOW
And a few scores to settle…
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No doubt!
The Onlooker,
Please don’t ever mention that name again … I won’t sleep tonight now
Du Wei lived in the shadow of Zheng Zhi
timaloy29
09:43 on 8 October, 2014
I really wish Chris Sutton’s headlines didn’t pop up on my newsnow all the time. The man is a complete turd.
His comment that “Even Henrik Larsson ate chips so it’s alright” was nonsense. First of all, it’s possible that Henrik might have been a tiny bit better if he had a bit better of a diet.
Secondly, if a player is as good as Henrik then he can have chips and gravy every night for all I care. The point is, our players are no longer of that quality and if they have to play against opposition of that quality in Europe we need to be as fit or fitter than them. That’s exactly what Ronny is trying to do.
Also, Roy Keane’s quote was funny. We all know what Big John was like when he was a player. To be honest, if Big John actually was dedicated he would have been playing at a team like Arsenal still.
————————————————
I understand the King Of Kings also like a fly ciggy? Maybe Chris could get the team a few cartons in the Duty Free on his way back from holiday?
BT,
Go raibh tú ar do sheanleim go luath.
(Get well soon)!!
Árd Macha
Natnow/árd macha
Thanks bhoys…
TBB Du Wei lived in the shadow of Zheng Zhi. It would be foolish not to look to China for potential stars. The World is changing. China is the new US. If they choose totake up football they will excel, like they do in all else. Not a bad idea to put the feelers into this market, punters or players.
Blantyre hope yer well and on the mend. Onwards.
Carol Kirkwood looking magnificent on BBC News 24 weather
Some of Ronny Delia’s decision making has been head scratching but wee Gordon Strachan surely trumps everyone with his decision to give Du Wei his debut that day!
Glad to see the friendliest fans in Scotland back in the spotlight up here….
The legacy of the Dens Park “Riot” lives on….
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/derry-rumbled-dundee-fc-fans-warned-to-behave-in-south-enclosure-of-dens-park-1.615454
Du Wei lived in the
Shadow of Zheng Zhi or was
It Bobo Balde?
Ach I know he wasn’t Japanese…
I wonder how many times Gordon Strachan watched Du Wei before he was signed. None I would wager.
And that was BP (before Park).
Strange as it seems, Diego Maradona raved about Du Wei after seeing him in an international U21 tournament. Said he’d go to the very top in football.
It just shows even the greatest of footballers don’t always get it right when trying to spot up and coming talent.
BMCUW
You’ve got mail!
Keith Jackson and more blue knights riding to the rescue, does that guy ever give up.
I think everyone ate chips in those days so no one had a particular advantage.
It all depended on how good you were naturally.
I finished reading the excellent Road to Lisbon last night on the Kindle. A superb read which combines a fans journey probably fictional but based on some truths and the thinkings of Jock Stein probably again fictional based on some truth and the facts obviously of the football.
http://www.birlinn.co.uk/The-Road-to-Lisbon-9781780270845.html
Really enjoyed it and I would recommend it. I have started reading Tony Cascarino’s book. Very interesting so far. Thoughts to come on that one in due course.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Full-Time-Secret-Life-Cascarino/dp/074328531X
Back to Lisbon. I was way too young to be there. I was born 11 years after the final in Lisbon. My first game was in 1978 aged 6 months old against East Stirlingshire or Stirling Albion. Forgive me if I can’t remember I was a kid at the time. God knows what my mum was thinking. I would not have had the Bhoy outside for more than half an hour at that age never mind 90 mins at the fitba.
Anyway, back to Lisbon. Reading that book and getting a feel for what it was like to be there was brilliant. I have watched the full match countless times and I know the full backs were important but I think reading it and the thoughts by Jock Stein (obviously what the writer either thought he was thinking or information from people close to him) the full backs were vital. The full backs were the most important form of attack. Jimmy Johnstone was somewhat sacrificed in order to create space for the full backs by dragging his marker all over the pitch. My dad always raved about Bobby Lennox and he too didn’t have many shots at goal. The full backs were instrumental in the goals. It was great to relive it in text and in a fictional sort of context where the author can make his own assumptions but it is clear the full backs attacked a lot more than they defended. It hit home to me a bit that this is what Ronny is trying to do with the current side. He clearly doesn;t have the same quality of players but whether he has immersed himself in the Celtic history and watched the game and wants to replicate this format – playing the Celtic way to quote a song – Who knows? The book describes the following. Get the full backs up the pitch, two wingers running defenders ragged to make space for them, Two midfielders sitting, Attack , attack, attack.
Sounds awful familiar. May be a coincidence
What we do know is that it is taking time for the players to take shape. We have brought in a large number of players who are taking time to settle and who also need to find fitness due to not playing much for their parent clubs. Some may not last the pace and go back in January. Some may just get themselves a contract and others may decide they do not want to stay.
I think the international break gives us all a break from over analysing the Celtic team. It remains to be seen whether we have the right players in place to play Ronny’s style but he is trying to play football in the manner our greatest team did. We can watch a team win but Ronny is changing the style and the methods to a more modern approach or certainly a more continental approach or so we keep getting told. The media not for the first time are completely wrong. The methods that Ronny is instilling in the squad are the same Jock Stein instilled when he came in as gaffer. Maybe times have changed diet wise and regarding a couple of beers but the ideology is the same.
Before people shoot me down in flames I am not comparing Deila to Stein. What I am saying is that maybe Ronny has looked at our greatest ever team and set his standards high. He has bought into the Celtic ethos and wants to create a team in the same style? Maybe this is a mistake? I doubt it is he has set his standards to what he believes the club deserves and the fans deserve. Has he changed the style to quickly? Maybe? How long do you wait? I found reading the book interesting when compared to what our new gaffer is trying to do.
Maybe I am doing exactly what I said at the start of this ramble which is over thinking but maybe just maybe Ronny has watched the Lisbon Lions and thought to himself that is the style I want to play. This is the clubs greatest ever team. This is a good fit for me. The fans will love this when it clicks.
Maybe just maybe we will have a style of play that will bring the fans flooding back. The more I think about it the more we have to give Ronny time and the backing to get this right. It won;t make me stop moaning about certain games or even players where the performance is not good enough but that is knee jerk and we are all guilty of that at times but the long term strategy of Ronny makes sense. The methods make sense even if they do not suit the modern footballer in this country. They should though and anyone not wanting to be an athlete 24/7 for Celtic should not be there. The players are paid more in a month than I see in a year. If they can;t be bothered to be committed why would the fans? I can see why people are walking away from the club and spending their hard earned cash elsewhere. Ronny can get them back though if his vision comes to fruition.
Just some thoughts from me on a quiet Wednesday morning after a late Tuesday evening reading fitba books.
Enjoy yer day fellow Tims!
LB
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
Glad your on the road to recovery
Cheers tuarangabhoy and leftie..
good read livibhoy..
Philbhoy
Could the type of chips a player was eating give him an edge?
Were they wee skinny ones or the BIG CHUNKY ones?
Were they cooked in sunflower oil or lard?
What kind of potato was used?
Maybe it wasnt the chips…..WHO had salt n vinegar or even sauce?
Im in the mood for some chips now!
timaloy29
09:43 on
8 October, 2014
I really wish Chris Sutton’s headlines didn’t pop up on my newsnow all the time. The man is a complete turd
….
Sutty is a celtic legend.
Sunny / 25 degrees at 11 am -way down south .
Ah ——-the Clyde game .
I was there . On holiday ,a mate gave me a ticket . We were lucky they only scored 2..Du Wei was wowee bad . ..
Remember Sportscone gave Keane s debut big licks . Pre game build up included vox pops with Celtic fans predicting great things etc . . Remember a wean who looked like The Milky Bar kid predicting Clyde 0 -Celtic 7. I wonder how he got on at school the day after .
Thunder Road
10:21 on 8 October, 2014
Philbhoy
Could the type of chips a player was eating give him an edge?
Were they wee skinny ones or the BIG CHUNKY ones?
Were they cooked in sunflower oil or lard?
What kind of potato was used?
Maybe it wasnt the chips…..WHO had salt n vinegar or even sauce?
Im in the mood for some chips now!
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Excellent business idea. SportsChips! :-)
livibhoy
10:11 on 8 October, 2014
–
Let me know how cascerinos book goes.. Just finished 2nd secret footballer book.
Pretty decent but very poor end… Watching his son play his first game.
After reading the books most premier league footballers musy know his identity . Surprised it hasnt come out.
@coolmore mafia
On the pitch he was aye.
But he doesn’t play for us anymore. In fact, he writes for the Daily Record and constantly criticizes Celtic. Just another Andy Walker, Murdo, Charlie Nicholas et al. They know how to get by in punditry.
south of tunis
10:26 on 8 October, 2014
Sunny / 25 degrees at 11 am -way down south .
Ah ——-the Clyde game .
I was there . On holiday ,a mate gave me a ticket . We were lucky they only scored 2..Du Wei was wowee bad . ..
Remember Sportscone gave Keane s debut big licks . Pre game build up included vox pops with Celtic fans predicting great things etc . . Remember a wean who looked like The Milky Bar kid predicting Clyde 0 -Celtic 7. I wonder how he got on at school the day after .
——
The only one of CQN who could possibly fit that age profile has to be Livibhoy!
Well big guy?
Are you The Secret Footballer Fan from the clyde debacle?!!?
;-)
HH jamesgang
Clyde game
That was the game that made Craig Bryson ex Killie and now Derby player
He had joined Clyde in one of thoses session where they opened the door to
wannabees hasbeens and he was selected.
If I remember he scored at least one and had another chalked off.
Didn’t do to bad out of it.
ps Was always told he was hooped up.
Taurangabhoy
09:56 on 8 October, 2014
TBB Du Wei lived in the shadow of Zheng Zhi. It would be foolish not to look to China for potential stars. The World is changing. China is the new US. If they choose totake up football they will excel, like they do in all else. Not a bad idea to put the feelers into this market, punters or players.
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Why can’t young Chinese players be allowed to stay at home with their friends and family and play in their own leagues?.I don’t want to come over Little Englander about this but it looks as though we are simply plundering the chinese market and treating their young players as commodities. Look at what’s happened in Africa where unscruplulous agents hoovered their best players, the majority of which are discarded then left stranded in strange European cities. First and foremost we should be developing local talent.
Parkheadcumsalford that would be a sad day mate. Hail Hail
PCS
did JPTaylor intimate that 1pm ko would be the norm during el campaign?
natknow
You may be onto something!
Get that patented quick!
Recommended fitba reads ————
“Dirty Northern Bastards ” And Other Tales From The Terraces : The Story of Britain s Football Chants —————Tim Marshall.
The Nowhere Men—————Michael Calvin .
Passion United –Phillip Miles
m6bhoy of course they can. I very much doubt that any Chinese player was forced to play anywhere. I don’t disagree about playing local talent and hope Celtic keep on playing McGregor and Henderson enough times to see whether they can develop into regular first team players. Same with any Scottish players. Just pointing out that our first forays into China might not have produced the goods but would be well daft to ignore what might come out of that market.
m6bhoy
10:37 on 8 October, 2014
Taurangabhoy
09:56 on 8 October, 2014
TBB Du Wei lived in the shadow of Zheng Zhi. It would be foolish not to look to China for potential stars. The World is changing. China is the new US. If they choose totake up football they will excel, like they do in all else. Not a bad idea to put the feelers into this market, punters or players.
——————————————————————————————————————–
Why can’t young Chinese players be allowed to stay at home with their friends and family and play in their own leagues?.I don’t want to come over Little Englander about this but it looks as though we are simply plundering the chinese market and treating their young players as commodities. Look at what’s happened in Africa where unscruplulous agents hoovered their best players, the majority of which are discarded then left stranded in strange European cities. First and foremost we should be developing local talent.
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You’re right. Gerry Creaney should have been playing for Albion Rovers but instead Celtic hoovered him and in the process runied the Coatbridge Muiryhall Street North Junior League. How far from G40 should Celtic be allowed to recruit from?
The Welsh rugby team a few years ago were told if they were going to eat chips, it was better to have the thick cut variety on the grounds that they absorbed less oil / fat.
Best chips i ever had were from The York Cafe in Falkirk.
Huge they were, big chunky fkrs :P