One of Leigh Griffiths charms is his openness. When asked why he did not get much game time last season, instead of wheeling out the usual “competitive squad”, “fit with plans” gap fillers, Leigh instructed us to go straight to source, “You’d have to ask the coaches at Celtic or Lenny why he didn’t think I was fit.” So the BBC did.
Neil Lennon was brutally frank about Leigh’s professionalism last spring. “On full pay for three months lockdown,” the player returned to training “totally out of condition and a stone overweight”.
The manager carries the can for team failures are dramatic as Celtic’s last season and that clearly stings Neil, who added, “The bottom line is if I had a fit and hungry Leigh Griffiths last season, he’d have played because I signed him. We worked incredibly hard with him and he let me and everyone down.”
I have given Leigh Griffiths as much support as anyone but Neil is right to be angry, only managers who didn’t care would be otherwise. Still, football is not a sentimental business. Even those who “let…. everyone down” retain some commercial value.
Without a post-Christmas cameo by Leigh in early 2020, I doubt we wold have seen our second nine-in-a-row. He is clearly a challenge (cough) to manage but I would find a slice of the budget to retain him for at least one more year. Let’s see what Ange can do with him.
Nice to see some positive transfer stories out there.
Next week, Yoko: “I don’t know why The Beatles split, you’d need to ask Paul.”
141 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- »
I watched the lennon Maxwell debate – I thought Lennon focussed on the wrong area (having to travel on 5 separate buses) – he should have asked by entire staff/players had to quarantine for weeks due to close proximity – the Scotland players and management were most definitely close to Gilmour on the pitch, in the changing rooms, in the tunnel, in the toilets, buses, hotel , eating etc…. not one person was quarantined!
One rule for Celtic in Scotland – facts facts facts (see ref debacles, see review panel decisions, see covid, see media spin…)
we either find a route out of Scotland or accept our place in a sectarian society OR we show some grit and stand up to it Fergus style.
Por Cierto :) 🍻
Highland__Paddy
@Highland__paddy
·
8h
Wee man off to see the newly crowned champions of Europe take on Spurs at Hampden in 1967 which ended in a 3-3 draw .
Full of excitement and dressed for the occasion.
Different times Green heart
https://twitter.com/Highland__paddy/status/1407941496259633153/photo/1
Was the decision not for the 5 buses ours ? Or did Maxwell make that up.
We need to be spotless with our own endeavours, give them nowhere to go, sadly we performed poorly both on and off the pitch.
that griff,
https://twitter.com/Highland__paddy/status/1407754503181508613/photo/1
Anyone any news on season ticket sales?
Celtic have reportedly made a €3 Million bid for the young Bologna Left Back Aaron Hickey.
Armstrong Okoflex is in London as he finalises a move from Celtic to West Ham, according to reports.
Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie is reportedly on the verge of completing a summer move to Monaco.
French media outlet JaLoMe-Info claims Monaco have submitted a bid worth €5M to the Celtic hierarchy – and Christie is keen on reviving his career in Ligue 1.
Flag of Uruguay | Diego Laxalt has joined Dynamo Moscow on a permanent deal starting on July 1st.
Toulouse President Damien Comolli.
“Vakoun Bayo wants to stay with us and he has now received our proposal”.
Celtic have triggered Anthony Ralston’s one year contract extension which will keep him at the club until 31st May 2022. Anthony Ralston has only made 20 first team appearances since his debut in 2015.Four leaf clover
https://twitter.com/i/status/1407749237304135685
hey jonno i heard a lot about you.
WOW, never thot I would see the away goal rule scrapped, gonna be lots of parking the bus stuff, I’m sure they have thot it through and decided it was time to change, not IMO, but it is what it is.
The Griff, the enigma that is The Griff, what he could have been had he applied himself, he still could and surprise all of us, but I won’t be holding my breath, hopefully Pedro has managed to trigger a pay per play clause afore he leaves, that should be incentive enough for him.
Most football commentators have struggled for the last 50 years explaining the away goals rule in European matches ; well now have another 50 years explaining the rule and that it is now scrapped and how games were better with the old rule , which will lead to the original problem of explaining the old rules
Confusedcfc
The problem with Christies proposed move to Monaco is the “sell on clause”
Monaco are saying if they sell him for less than they paid us we’ve tae gie them some money back.
Seems fair to me.
In ordinary times, us at home should be a heavy advantage- full house parkhead should motivate the team as we’re all aware.
Away just play counter.
Simple this football malarkey 😉
TIMMY7_NOTED
It was you that first made the “covid deniers” comment this morning and I only responded.
There may have been a virus around last year but its clear that the pandemic reaction + all the restriction were not warranted. Governments are deliberately causing the damage to the economy and peoples lives for other reasons. A little research and you will be able to find whats really going on.
bamboo on 24th June 2021 4:36 pm
Please don’t try to pitch the conspiracy nonsense to me I’m not in the least interested.
Ta.
DELANEYS DUNKY
Sorry to read your son has covid.
Wee prayer said and best wishes to him.
Glad you and your good lady tested negative.
Pity all supporters world wide couldn’t get together and be rid off UEFA SFA and SKY and BT Sports ,a working mans game being made into a money making machine,Players Chairmen and all the other hanger making good living ,while the ordinary fan gets fed with Pie and Bovril ,
TIMMY7_NOTED
But remember it was you who raised the subject .
So, all things considered, is this UEFA’s latest money spinning ploy – to force a 3rd game where all else is equal, points, goals etc.
CynicCSC
HH
Bamboo
mix the juice of the fruit cocktail with the rum then the condense milk. . prepare the pudding separate as directed and then .….
Rejointherealworldorputasockinitpleasecfc
The ‘away goals’ rule was a move to make the game more open, whenever and wherever it was played – it was introduced for football reasons and although it came under initial criticism, I think that it worked well.
Far more worrying is the way the game is now being moulded by broadcast requirements. VAR is a recognition that technology driven by broadcasting/streaming will play a much bigger role in the future.
Paying broadcasting rights to clubs and associations is an expensive business and the TV/Streaming companies will work to maximise advertising revenue.
No doubt they will look for ways, as happens in the US sport, to insert commercial breaks into the body of football matches. Perhaps taking ‘drink breaks’ mid-half, which have become normal practice in hot weather, will morph into five minute ctime-outs. We have seen change-overs in tennis elongated to one & a half minutes to facilitate advertisements – this also started in the States.
So in the near future we’ll not have “a game of two halves”, but instead “a game of four quarters” – it’s only a matter of time.
Football is called ‘the beautiful game’ in essence because, played correctly, it is continuous and not subject to, and dependent on, technical stoppages as seen in Baseball, American Football, Rugby….etc.
I’m afraid that the professional game has sold its soul to broadcasting/streaming… “he who pays the piper calls the tune”
I don’t understand extending Ralston’s contract.
He couldn’t displace Kenny who was rank rotten. That says it all for me.
Giving the unreliable, unpredictable Griffiths another contract even on reduced terms is lunacy.
It also means , to me anyway, we are skint.
FRIESDORFER
Toss a coin?
FRIESDORFER on 24TH JUNE 2021 5:10 PM
Pure guess but currently if it’s a tie with away goals even it’s pens.
Even with a good keeper and practice still random which is enough motivation to win in real time, hopefully…..
In the event of a drawn aggregate score, no extra time, go straight to penalties.
Ye cood count the corners!
Jimmy Bell , in Spanish passionately says “we are the same club”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1405296363735289858
that partizan belgrade night, if there was no away goals, we would have went to extra time, and the final score would have been something like 8 each.
still go out.
EKBHOY
Real world ? or the world as given to us by the BBC ?
Covid infection rates in Scotland are now proportionally running at 125% higher than the UK as a whole – ’nuff said.
Anthony Ralston turned out to be a better full back than Johnjo Kenny, not difficult I know. But we didn’t know that till it was too late, just another deadline day loanee flop.
Kenny was on a play if fit contract, otherwise he wouldn’t have come to Scotland.
Good luck to Dinamo Moscow and new left back Diego Laxalt
I attended a meeting today which had nothing no to do with football however a very senior English official commented that Arsene Wenger had a brief to examine a number of aspects of the game. One recommendation coming forward is the introduction of the sin bin to try and avoid the distortions where a player is red carded early in a game.
DD
Sorry to hear about your son, hope he gets well soon.
GARCIA LORCA on 24TH JUNE 2021 5:55 PM
always hated the sin-bin idea.
you would be sitting in there fuming either knowing your going back after the guy you didnt do properly, or shitting yourself knowing your going back on the park and someone is gonny get ye.
by the way, what about the pictures of broony today,
long sleeved training kit, and long hair.
what are they doing to him up there.
Celtic Football Club
@CelticFC
·
1h
TelevisionStudio microphone New #CelticFC manager Ange Postecoglou will hold his first press conference with incoming Chief Executive Dom McKay at Celtic Park tomorrow.
All supporters will be able to watch the media conference LIVE from 1pm.
Full details Downwards arrow
—————
give some the chance to throw in an early body language assessment
Yon “talkative” fulla breaks ground……………
speaks but says nowt.
No’ even an update on wee bullly.
Tsk tsk.
Mon the ange. The hun are ref backed shipe.
My rules change would be 30 minutes each way ball in play.
Play stops clock stops.
Gene
that would cut into post match pints time; no way!