Lack of consistency haunts Celtic again

748

Celtic have been completely dominant in Scottish football on many occasions but only once did this result in a domestic treble (the treble was won another two occasions when Celtic were only marginally ahead of the competition but were ruthlessly focussed).

At all other times we have had a morning like this, tossed out of one of the cup competitions by a vastly over-performing team.  Little more than a handful of games against weaker opponents stood between us and a treble in each of the last two years, but as we have noted for many years now, Celtic are not consistent enough to win the treble.  The evidence is substantial.

There are parallel ways we should react to this.  In the middle of a Champions League campaign we should be focused on little else, players should be rested for the challenge ahead, even if there are resultant risks, but there will be disappointment that we didn’t see a recognisable performance from those drafted into the team.  It wasn’t until Matthews, Commons and Stokes arrived last night that we looked anything like the Celtic we know.  On no occasions should we lose at home to a Championship team looking for their first away win since April.

That domestic treble from a dominant position was achieved by Martin O’Neill in season 2000-01, a time when Martin scarcely made a substitution before 85 minutes, never mind rested players.  This drew criticism, of course, as his ‘feeder’ players were denied opportunities to grow.  Despite last night’s reversal I would still rather use these games to develop the wider squad.

I also don’t subscribe to the belief that ‘every game is a cup final’.  Motivational strategies lose effectiveness if you roll them out too often.

Credit to Allan Moore and his “boys with desire and work-rate”.
[calameo code=000390171853d2bfc4f69 lang=en page=10 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

748 Comments

  1. shieldmuir celtic

     

    1947? Wow. Never noticed your name on here before so welcome and thanks for sharing your story.

     

     

    Are you a Hun ? :)

  2. #Fearless Wee Oscar is on a Celticrollercoaster on

    SFTB

     

     

    I feel let down by the team on Tuesday and I do not feel that this performance was acceptable. This does not me a bad supporter or love my team any less, but I will not defend them when they do this whoever the manager may be, and when they fall below IMO acceptable standards. I do not expect to win every game, but I do expect better than Tuesday night.

     

     

    But then, that this just my view and does not make me right or wrong.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

     

     

    ps lets hope next Tuesday is better, and I have not done my predictor yet :-)

  3. Ho! Gerald 766…..

     

     

    Nursing Homes Are Great Places….!

     

     

    They Have All Sorts Of Helpful Signs On The Walls…..

     

     

    Some To Tell You Which Day Of The Week It Is…..

     

     

    Some To Tell You When It’s Time For The Leaves To Fall From The Trees,The Birds To Fly Southwards…..

     

     

    And The Tadpoles To Swim To The Bottom Of Janet & John’s Pool….

     

     

    To Hibernate For The Winter….

     

     

    They Also Tell You How Long Queen Eamonn De Valera Has Reigned Over The People’s Rebublic Of Ireland……

     

     

    And That The Folk In Donegal Are The FINEST In The World…..

     

     

    As For That ‘Warm Feeling’ You Are Currently Experiencing…….

     

     

    Can’t Help You There….

     

     

    But I Know Someone Who Can….

     

     

    ” MATRON RATCHET….!!!!”

     

     

    ” A Bed-Pan For That Wee Guy In The Coarner….HURRY !!”

     

     

     

    Still….Laughin’

  4. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    LATCHFORD. 2123

     

     

    I don’t deny your right to call it as you see it,and as a middle-grounder,often agree with what you say.

     

     

    Quite often said it first,in fact,to family

     

    and friends.

     

     

    But I don’t think the line about Neil Lennon was up to scratch.

     

     

    The implication is you know something which casts him in a bad light. But you are too nice a guy to say so. Fair enough.

     

     

    Man up,spill the beans,or can it. Pun intended.

     

     

    Neil has enough on his plate,there I go again,without innuendo from our own side.

     

     

    You are better than that cheap shot,bud.

  5. crc

     

     

    “I feel let down by the team on Tuesday and I do not feel that this performance was acceptable. ”

     

     

    I have not seen or heard anyone argue the opposite of this so I am not sure who it would need to be addressed too.

     

     

    For me the difference is that one group of supporters can be disappointed and still “take” the defeat. And another group thinks that it is important to be demonstrative about their disappointment.

     

     

    Their is passion and desire in both groups but one is continent and the other is…. :-)

  6. And to add on to that(friggin ipad) to all humanity and to every person who had a parent or relatives in care. You are a disgrace of a human being.

     

     

    Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.

  7. tommytwiststommyturns supporting Wee Oscar on

    DD – mental night and what a party. Guy who used to run the place was going nuts, but we were giving it reb and dancing on the tables! Great memories….that I can barely remember!

     

     

    T4

  8. kickinthenakas

     

     

    Thanks for your very helpful reply. Will contact you on any progress. :))

     

     

    Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.

  9. Thanks guys for your support, and agreement, but, why should we have to read the nonsense this person has to think we, as Celtic Supporters, have to consume? They are deliberately trying to bring this site down, and if they succeed, well it is not worth thinking about.

     

     

    Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.

  10. Right guys, the ole night is drawing to a close. The hens , ducks and geese need tended to in the mo. Ye cannie keep them in too long. So, Night Night Timland. (Check summa#) :))

     

     

    Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.

  11. The Bonny Ship,Celtica……

     

     

    Is Drifting Perilously…..

     

     

    Towards Treacherous Rocks….

     

     

    Which Would Dash The Blessed Timbers ….

     

     

    Of Brother Walfrid’s Finest Legacy…

     

     

    Into A Thousand Splinters……

     

     

    There Is No-One On Deck……

     

     

    Minding The Steering Wheel…..

     

     

    Oor Blinkered Ginger Tinkerman….

     

     

    And His ‘Friday Night Card School’ Buddies….

     

     

    Are Indulging Their Complacency And Inexperience…..

     

     

    We Need An IRON MAN…..An Overlord..

     

     

    A DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL…..

     

     

    To Galvanize Oor ‘Misfiring’ Management Team……..

     

     

    And Wake Them Up To The Harsh Realities Of Their Substandard Contributions……

     

     

    This TOWERING COLOSSUS Would Sweep Through Parkheid……

     

     

    Like A Top-Of-The-Range DYSON TURBO..

     

     

    Brushing Away All The Ancient Cobwebs…..

     

     

    And Ossified Kelly Hangers-On….

     

     

    And Suck Lawwell’s Ill-Deserved Bonus..

     

     

    Right Oota His Back Poaket……

     

     

    This TOWERING INDIVIDUAL……

     

     

    The Reincarnation Of The Spirit Of Big Jock…..

     

     

    Would Have Ultimate Purview Over Team Selection,Tactics,Signing Policy…

     

     

    And Youth Development…..

     

     

    We Do Not Need To Scour The Seven Continents……

     

     

    For Such An OUTSTANDING HERO…

     

     

    We Already Have Him Within Our Ranks…

     

     

    Humble,Diffident,And Unassuming….

     

     

    His Nascent Greatness As Yet Unappreciated,Unrecognised…

     

     

    By The Howling Yahoos……

     

     

    But His Time Has Come…..

     

     

    Friends,Romans…..CQNers…..

     

     

    I Give You SYDNEY TIM……

     

     

    Legend Of This Parish….

     

     

    If We Can Only Persuade Him……

     

     

    To Leave Behind Sunny South Sydney..

     

     

    With Chris Torey As His ‘Enforcer’……

     

     

    Kojo And CultsBhoy As His Worldwide Scouts…..

     

     

    We’d Be Cookin’ Wi’ Gas……

     

     

    Bring Oan The ‘Fair-Heided’ Brammers..

     

     

    By The Score…..!

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    THE SINGING DETECTIVE

     

     

    There are some things on which you and I agree,the persecution of Christians in the Middle East,Indonesia,Pakistan and other Muslim states for example. And,in particular,the under-reporting of that,and apparent unwillingness to deal with it.

     

     

    Joe Ledley for another. So not always serious,nor relatively trivial,subjects.

     

     

    You could actually bring information worth knowing to this site were it not for the fact that you generally post poison such as your last effort.

     

     

    I hope you live forever,bud. That way you may have to suffer the indignities which you seem to be so amusing.

     

     

    And I hope those around you have the good grace not to rip the pish outa you.

     

     

    Unless it’s with a clumsily inserted catheter.

  13. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    BIG CUP WINNERS

     

     

    I know,but worth the risk. My Guardian Angels,who normally have to work 25/8 on my behalf,get a bit lazy when my Mum is keeping an ever-watchful eye on me.

     

     

    They’re all of a flutter at the moment…..

     

     

    Kidding and joking aside,I just thought that post was at best in extremely poor taste.

     

     

    Heyho…..

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    THE SINGING DETECTIVE

     

     

    Prepared to take your word for that,with no wish to be in a situation to prove you wrong.

     

     

    The very word sends a shiver up my spine,which is preferable to sending a brolly up my,but I digress.

     

     

    I know it’s a bit two faced coming from me,but yer better when you stick tae the fitba’.

     

     

    Even your political stuff has merit,by virtue of information with which we can agree to differ-or not.

     

     

    It’s up to you,mate. Few people on here agree with each other very often-discussion,debate,disagreement is the order of the day.

     

     

    In or out,bud. Your call. Continue to alienate people,or inform from the inside.

  15. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie

     

    01:14 on

     

    26 September, 2013

     

     

    Considered comment.

     

    Me gusta,mano.

  16. Not sure what went wrong against Greenock Morton but any Celtic 11 should have enough in the locker to beat them….and at CP too?

     

     

    Beginning to think NFL doesn’t choose transfer targets but rather DD and PL are playing the “moneyball” concept together………how else can you explain the money we lose on players who don’t make it…and nothing gets said?

     

     

    If PL was doing it himself then DD would have something to say about I’m sure. The amount of money we have squandered on people who couldn’t cut it in the last 3 seasons is starting to get embarrassing……..it would easily cover the signing of Finbogasson….on the proviso he wanted to come to Celtic.

     

     

    Maybe NFL doesn’t agree with the player acquisition strategy and PL is priming the support with the “NFL will be a target by EPL clubs” leaks to SMSM?

     

     

    Interesting times ahead thats for sure……

     

     

    I imagine the brief for NFL is win the domestic league and get us into the CL group which he has done very successfully to date……….however its the nature of the beast that the bar must be lifted higher each time………..that means larger investments than perhaps PL is prepared to sanction (with DD’s tacit understanding)………

     

     

    Discuss?

  17. PFayr

     

     

    No problem. I was less than clear too.

     

    The coverage in the USA makes no mention of Ainslie or of the two Aussies.

     

    It is an American triumph apparently.

     

    I wasn’t even aware of this element of the story. Such is the way news is truly managed here.

  18. CELTIC could be set to raid Champions League rivals Ajax for striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.

     

    Neil Lennon studied the Iceland ace, when he travelled to Holland for a Euro spy trip last weekend.

     

     

    And SunSport’s sources in Amsterdam say the Dutch club are now bracing themselves for a January swoop from Celts.

     

     

    Sigthorsson, 23, is under contract until 2015 and rated at around £4million That’s how much he cost Ajax when they signed him from AZ Alkmaar in 2011 and they would be looking to recoup the same amount.

     

     

    Progress It’s understood, however, that they accept Sigthorsson is on his way out of the club. And the hitman could see Celtic as a stepping stone towards a move to England.

     

     

    Newcastle tracked his progress two years ago but didn’t follow up their interest. Sigthorsson has had minor injury problems in the last two seasons but has hit four goals in eight games this term.

     

     

    His goals ratio has been hugely impressive for both club and country.

     

     

    He helped Ajax win back-to-back titles with 17 goals in 34 league games.

     

     

    And for Iceland he has 11 goals from 17 games.

     

     

    His ratio makes him one of the most prolific strikers in Europe — but that could make him hot property if Ajax open a bidding war.

     

     

    Celts did recent business with the Dutch giants when they signed winger Derk Boerrigter and that could help in negotiations.

  19. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    RWE

     

    03:33 on

     

    26 September, 2013

     

     

    Four Aussies,including the captain on the winning “boat”.

     

    More Aussie crewmen took part in the whole comp.(regatta) than any other nationality.

     

     

    Of course.

     

    :-)

  20. Shieldmuir Celtic on

    mncelt

     

    Thanks for the reply. No I’m not a hun – just an old-fashioned Celtic supporter.