Before we get down to the business of the day, thanks to The Clumpany for alerting me to the incredible actions of SPFL main sponsor Ladbrokes, who on the eve of today’s big game, Tweeted speculation about Ronny Deila losing his job.
Let’s be clear on this one. Any muppet can Tweet what they like about Ronny’s job, but it’s not the role of the league sponsor to engage in this kind of speculation.
If you don’t remember any actions like this previously from a league sponsor, it’s because it hasn’t happened. Ladbrokes retained PR consultancy Level 5, who are up to their knees in the business of another club, to manage their engagement of the SPFL. This is a clear conflict of interest, bringing wholly inappropriate pressure on the Celtic manager at a critical stage of the season.
Never forget the game going on behind the Game.
A few hours before an important game is also probably not the time to say I’m really disappointed Jozo Simunovic is out injured, but it’s impossible to look ahead to this game without that thought creeping to the fore. Erik Sviatchenko had as good a debut as we have seen from a defender in some time on Sunday, but he needs to move from Crisis Management mode into Partnership Building mode as soon as possible.
My hope is that a Sviatchenko-Simunovic partnership allows Celtic to return to the kind of defensive performances we saw so often last season. Until then, we’ll need a bit more protection from midfield.
The return of Scott Brown will go a long way towards this. He has the menace required to get a foot in the way before threats reach the defence.
Aberdeen will be ready for tonight. They lost four games in five weeks, culminating in a defeat at Celtic Park in October, but they haven’t lost a league game since, and they won their first 8 Premiership games before that period. Whatever was going wrong inside the club at that time is resolved. They are not quite on our heels, but a win tonight would change that.
They will also contrast our performance at Hampden with 10 men against Ross County to theirs in Dingwall a few weeks back, when they bosses the game, came from behind and left with three points.
For Celtic this is the perfect opportunity to dispose of whatever regrets they have from Sunday. A win away to your title rivals is the perfect tonic, it will also need no motivational words.
Colin Kazim-Richards and Patrick Roberts are both fully fit but unlikely to feature in the starting line-up. This is a job for those who know the script.
Three points please, Celtic.
Two other important points before you go……….
The Celtic Foundation Zip Slide last year was more fun than you can imagine. It’s happening again, this time longer and higher (top corner of the Jock Stein-North Stand to bottom corner of the Lisbon Lions-South stand).
To participate you need to do two things:
Ask your friends to sponsor you for the Foundation.
You’ve had many great times at Celtic Park, this will be another, promise. Book now.
I see an 18-year-old Motherwell fan (with no prior record) was jailed for 5 months for releasing a flare at New Douglas Park last year. Sentencing sheriff said:
“Smoke bombs are noxious and potentially toxic. They are dangerous to those with respiratory problems, particularly asthma, and there is the very real potential of causing panic in those confined to the immediate vicinity who have no knowledge of what has been ignited.
“This presents a clear and obvious danger, and immediate action is needed from those charged with ensuring the safety of all those present, especially young children.
“You knew what you were doing and made efforts to conceal your identity. The court takes a serious view of this type of conduct which seems to be on the increase.”
Four months in jail! The 18-year-old soldier will almost certainly lose his job and carry the consequences for a lot longer than he carried the flare. It’s a life-changing action, no matter if you pull your pants up over your eyebrows.
333 Comments- Pages:
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ziggydoc1
Celtic cannot use ‘hardmen’.
The refs (like Thompson) have a hair trigger when it comes to getting cards out for Celtic players.
Minceyheidman
It surely can’t keep expanding at the current rate down there, something has to give somewhere you’d think. But then if we were in there we’d have to do something similiar to compete but the likes of Arsenal and Everton have shown that a prudent approach(relative to some others) needn’t be off the table.
I read an article about ticket pricing down there and in particular at Anfield and that could be another factor in their downfall.
HH
ERNIE LYNCH on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 11:56 AM
MR PASTRY on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 11:43 AM
‘God help us if those who want fan ownership ever get their way’
####
Are you suggesting that The Great Desmondo is not a Celtic fan?
Might explain his non attendance right enough.
—————————————————————————————————-
Nothing of the sort, Ernie – and you know it
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 3rd February 2016 12:31 pm
AWE NAW
Flares and protests?
The Strawbs?
——————–
Reminded me of one my favourites,
The hangman and the papist.
” I think you needed to be signed on before lunch”
Tim alloy,
Yeah but I’m talking about them playing him. Not feeding him :)
Seriously though, I think you are correct. I heard mention of somert on the beeb about registering before midday Monday.
HH
Ernie
dont get in the way of Paul67`s Peter Lawwell`s Party non poliitical broadcast
More Flares please. We have young lhad entrusted with a rifle professionally spending 5 months in jail while Sir David Murray still rolls around on wheels as a free man
HH
We (the club) should have been complaining about the standard of refereeing (cheating) during our winning run and letting it be known that we are unhappy with it. Our players get little protection from MIBS. Better now while it is not sour grapes than when it is ramped up next season if Sevco come up.
Hoping there’s no Hampden hangover and we have a comfotable win tonight. Any “incompetence” from McLean tonight has to be dealt with, he has too much history.
WEEMINGER on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 12:44 PM
Aye he is a good at that.
HH
Sure enough the WWF Scottish fitba prediction is coming to fruition.
Sponsored by Patare Lawwell, THE SFA and Paul67
unmitigatedmoronsagogo CSC
Patarae (Lycian: Pttara), later renamed Arsinoe
naw it wiz a genuine spelling mistake
Peter
HH
PANNYSBHOY
Perceived wisdom is that we use soft power,and did indeed complain.
Someone received a reply along those lines from the club only recently.
It’s about seven years since John Reid’s ‘Back of the bus and not having it’ comment.
He was out the door shortly after and we’ve pissed in the wind and picked up the soap in the shower ever since.
Baron Reid of Cardowan …come on get with the program
Bankier disnae even have an M.B.E
HH
I’ve sort of avoided posting since Sunday.
It’s like watching an old video.
But actually it’s like getting worse and worse.
Celtic are Quietly imploding on and off the field. Dreadful football on the field and a mess off it. Silence abounds as Celtic are attacked by racist Scotland left right and centre. But hey they expect you as supporters to complain about it. But don’t go too far or they will ban you.
It’s cowardly, rudderless and an abdication of leadership. Buy hey we are used to it.
But what is probably more alarming is that some of the “Celtic can do no wrong” crowd are now stating to buy into the growing facism.
Step forward both Paul 67 and, in an amazing post, philbhoy. Both are now supporting long custodial sentences for young football supporters for what is an admittedly daft act. So you guys are now joining in with the criminalisation of football supporters eh?
Philbhoy amazingly,mand in a frothy fury reminiscint of that chap from life of Brian screamin “nail them up” calls for longer sentences and in a bizarre twist equates it with an Isis terrorist act.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Scotland is becoming scarier by the day I would laugh.
You got a nice black shirt to wear philbhoy?
Speaking of Scotland, doublespeak is everywhere. In a bizarre twist of logic the SNP government now loudly declare that raising taxes is regressive, whilst declaring council tax freezes as progressive. It’s not so much that they say it (after all they have been pretending to be all about social equity for years) it’s that no one questions them.
Oh dear.
It’s all getting worse.
But philbhoy! Wow!
I canot believe that McClean is still allowed to referee Celtic matches or any others for that matter. What will it take for our club to take a stand on cheating officials?
79CAPS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 1:14 PM
an MBE ?
am I right ?
HH
Neganon
5 years would have been more appropriate.
Or do you want someone’s child to die first?
You are all quite right!
There will never be another disaster at any football ground in Scotland.
Phew, I’m relieved.
PHILBHOY on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 1:17 PM
That will only happen if it is the Policeman that is watching over the Kano kids gets burned to death
HH
PHILBHOY on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 1:18 PM
You mean public entertainment event
HH
oh jeez IS are comin…ive never read so much keech, and that takes some doing on here.
im afraid Murdoch (Rupert) the BBC and LEVEL5 have won.
RT REV DAVID HAY
Murdoch (Rupert) =BBC = LEVEL5 = Celtic PLC = Peter Lawwell = Paul67
With our captain back fit, I fancy us to show our class on the pitch tonight and give the dandy dons an absolute hammering.
January’s manager of the month and his players will hopefully shut up the MSM and their growing number of critics on here, who are worse than any media pundits in their criticism.
Afternoon Celts.
Mr Pastry @ 12.58
I dont know if DD is a Celtic fan….but he really thinks the world of Rangers, waxes lyrical about them…loves them.
So..I wouldnt be too sure:)
HH
Already posted, but worth the repost:
http://etims.net/?p=8583
Read it all the way through and for the nay-sayers, have a wee think about what it says.
2-0 to the good guys tonight!
Image newco were playing at Hampden on Sunday and the MIB performed the same (I know) would there be silence from Ibrox about it…………………….
Philbhoy oh won’t anyone think of the children……….
I agree nail them up! Nail some sense into them!
awe naw
lol
im now caught in a quandary re ronny
I know how much we are hated hence the need for the SMSM wanting Ronny bagged.
does this mean something is going right?
blimey, its a’ll gone a bit chicken oriental on here today
Neganon
No, not nail them up, just jail them for a very long time.
Not only do they deserve it but THEY BROUGHT IT ON THEMSELVES.
Lets we forget……………… there is always a wee sleekit game going on in the background – undermining and de-stabilising Celtic, faux rabble-rousing and agitating to mis-directs the support…………..Their only sick purpose is to jeer, and never cheer ( withoot snydey caveats).
The Level of hun-guffery knows no boundary either – the very idea of Celtic makes thum sick and they seek to despoil harmony within our savvy support…….Don’t let thum.
Keep givin’ thum a guid dose of thur ain medicine.
HH.
Here’s a wee reminder of the genuine goodness that being a Celt is all about.
………………………………………………………………………………… .
OVER AND OVER on 2ND FEBRUARY 2016 1:03 PM
As a long time lurker who has resisted posting up until now I’ve decided, after reading all the negativity of the last few days, to share what supporting this great club of ours means to me as it’s clearly at odds with what it means to many other posters.
I’m in my fifties and have followed the club through the good and bad the last half century has thrown up at us. I’ve been a season ticket holder for many years and attend the vast majority of games. I was also there on Sunday. The best night of my Celtic supporting life was the 4-2 10 Men Won the League humping of thems in 1979. There have been a lot of bad days of course and Sunday was one of them.
But Sunday, along with all those other bad days, does not dilute by one drop my love for Celtic and my commitment to supporting them through thick and thin. I’m pleased to say that, despite my two sons growing up in what has been a fairly successful time for the club, they share this sentiment and came away from the game disappointed but pragmatic, positive and constructive.
We lost on Sunday because we were reduced to 10 men 15 minutes into the game. Simple as. Had we kept 11 men on the pitch we would have, I’m sure, won the game. That’s football. Sometimes the underdog wins…….we’ve done it often enough.
Supporting Celtic means we do have high expectations of the team but it doesn’t mean we have a God given right to win every game. Yes, we should win the league most years and the fact is we do. Yes, we should win our fair share of cups and the fact is we do. We should be able to progress in Europe and, on balance, we’ve probably punched above our weight over the years but, yes, we do need to do better.
The biggest problem that Celtic have is that we play in a financially bereft league and need to cut our cloth accordingly. The Board, whether people on here like it or not, have done, and do, a good job keeping the club solvent. As far as I’m aware most are lifelong Celtic supporters so why would they not want to do the best for the club. They, I’m sure, share exactly the same disappointment and frustration we feel when games are lost or new signings turn out to be duds etc…. Most of us know what a bad Celtic (or for that matter RIFC) Board looks like and it’s not this one. They are in a no win situation and will be damned for what they do as well as what they don’t do. As such, it’s understandable that they will come in for criticism (and there is no shortage of that from many posts) but to suggest that these Celtic men don’t have the best interests of the Club at heart is naive and/or plain stupid.
That’s probably enough for now as I’m sure a numbers of feathers will have been ruffled. Celtic are a great club, a great institution and mean far, far more to me than winning every game or every cup that comes along.
Faithful through and through.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/january-transfer-window-2016/comment-page-5/#comment-2767178
BANKIEBHOY1
It wasn`t “as simple as” PURE UNADULTERATED PISH FOR THE MORONS TO SWALLOW SWALLOW
HH
Thank God that the meeja have really helped to make my mind up about RD.
Those fantastic writers at Ladbrokes, and Keef Jackshun and his like..
I never knew RD wasnt a very good manager, until they told me.
Shocked to say the least:)
I mean…how could i have forgot about the CL and the EL, and Ross County.
Noooo, none of that was Ronny’s fault.
A big bhoy done it…and ran away.
Wisnae Ronny…..nooooo.
HH
FIELD OF DRAMS
That was an excellent article, we should take the message to heart, there are plenty trying to put us down.
Well at least he had the balls to say he got it wrong, I’ll give him that.
http://thecelticblog.com/2016/02/blogs/scottish-media-spreads-rumours-but-gives-us-a-hint-of-a-real-story
While not convinced about Ronnie the Giggs thing is preposterous .
I would reek of the kind of panic seen in Dads army.
Gigg’s only credentials are being an assistant at a team who are mediocre on their best day despite spending over 250 million.
Their lack of cutting edge in the final third makes us look like Barca.
Ronnie may not be the way forward for our club but Giggs would be a totally backwards step.
Since Christamd I have been asking teh locals to name me one person professonally involved in Scottish football who´s name is not Gordon Strachan.
Nobody can give an answer.
PHILBHOY on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 12:31 PM
Watch this short video on the sensible way to address the issue of pyros.
How To Legalize Pyro | SK Brann (1st posted some weeks ago by Lionsroar)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMWv1nkCMWA
Hope the young man who was jailed appeals against the draconian sentence, he would have several grounds one being the judges comments on the respiratory harm of fumes from pyros which has never been conclusively proved one way or another. Wonder if the judge has read press releases from CFC as his summing up seemed to read like one or two I’ve read in the past.
Fanatic?
…..It’s a wind-up.