One story which caught my eye last week was that we have 33 players out on international duty over this break, from a pool of 51 employed professionals (and that includes Derk Boerrigter). 13 Celtic players will join Scotland youth teams, with a further 6 going to other countries.
We know we can’t compete as we once did in the transfer market, so getting and developing the best youth talent has become an important part of the strategy.
All of this groundwork is for the long-term, though. Getting three points each Saturday and preparing for the challenges ahead is another question.
There was a moment on Saturday when Aberdeen manager, Derek McInnes, could have turned to his assistant and said, “If Killie hold on for another two minutes, the league is in our own hands”. That’s how close things got. Tom Rogic’s immaculate strike punctured that notion, before McInnes’ team’s second half collapse at Fir Park.
Now Aberdeen need us to drop seven points more than them, or eight if you consider goal difference. It’s not going to happen. Aberdeen didn’t just slip up on Saturday due to a couple of defensive lapses, this result has been in the post for months. They clawed their way into contention by gaining a series of marginal advantages – they haven’t won a game by more than a single goal since before Christmas – 14 games ago!
This season they have been ‘everyone’s favourite second team’ who have only just got over the line for three months of the season. This is a statistical anomaly. A more regular distribution of chances created and converted would have seen them win several of those games comfortably, but winning far fewer games. Their dopplegangers in England, Leicester City, are benefiting from a similar phenomenon. Both teams’ form could drop off a cliff next season, but the chances of either improving win ratios, if not performances, are slight.
Leicester are favourites to win in England because the behemoths, whose spending-power dwarfs most others, have been unable to dig deep to find a dirty win often enough. Like Celtic’s on Saturday. That, as we will soon declare, is why we’re champions!
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Good Evening.
Something new about holding companies and elaborate lies…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/hold-it-right-there/
Don’t know if anyone has shared but watch it right to the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19j95pGNzI8&list=RD19j95pGNzI8
BRTH…
As I said…you and the shareholders know far much more than me.
I’ll do things my way and continue to support, follow and live in my Celtic ambition with all those weans who were dipped (including their heel) in the river of hoops.
The black hole that would be created without that magic would be like Paul Daniels without Debbie McGee.
What is your plan to get the real fans on board?
Have I got one?….too feckin true…but it requires a wee bit of imagination.
Carry on with not going to games …some of us without shares have a better idea.
Hail hail
Matt
Matt Stewart on 21st March 2016 7:44 pm
No Idea where you get your information from Matt but there is no part of Res 12 which even suggests that shareholders, season book holders, Noddy Holders, fans – of any description, from any location, of any age or of any type of group or as individuals — should not go games home or away.
I hope that is prefectly clear.
Interesting take from the RS phone-in is that apparently Killie’s pitch is absolutely perfect. NOTHING at all wrong with it.
Can someone remind me if this was the same conclusion that was reached when the Warbmeister blamed it for Waguero’s injury……?
Thomthetim
Yip__it seems to affect us more than anyone else.
HH
Nally,
We do seem to pick up some amount of bookings considering the number of fouls we commit but It should be noted that only one of our 3 weekend bookings was for what was deemed a bad tackle.
HH
Eighteen years ago today I was in the maternity ward at The Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley with my ear pressed against a wee transistor radio.
We were desperate for a win at Pittodrie but it was goalless as we entered the final ten minutes.
Then Celtic got a penalty and the chance to get 3 points as we tried to stop them winning ten in a row.
Craig Burley took it and scored and the ladies in the maternity ward heard the Celtic roar. The midwife from next door came rushing in – I thought I was in trouble.
Who scored? She asked.
Celtic! It’s one nil – I replied.
She rushed away as fast as she arrived then I heard another wee roar. The lady in labour next door was obviously as happy as me that we’d scored.
18 years later young Lewis, who seldom misses a Celtic game, was able to buy me a pint. We toasted being half way to our ten in a row.
BRTH
Mandate. I’m in.
Marginal advantages eventually come a cropper eh?
Or as applied to the current custodians
Marginal croppers eventually come advantage takers.
BRTH
Didn’t you say that you had given up going.
I really can’t be bothered searching back, but I remember regretting you taking that stance. A few days ago.
Anyway, that wasn’t my point. I was trying to say that I agree with a lot of what you say…but ‘Shareholders’?
How about listening to season ticket holders…or lhads and lhassies at the gate?
FIFA, UEFA, SFA, CFC and Shareholders are interested in one thing…Look at us….Celtic Fans and Supporters are interested in that magic that turns the lost art of dreams into the ‘one road, it may be the wrong road….’
I’ll support your efforts but I think you are blinkered to what is really possible and the talent that you are blinkered to.
Hail hail
Matt
Matt, The Mandate is not an attempt to exclude supporters who are not shareholders but due to legal complexities only shareholder can progress Resolution 12 in the present legal proceedings.
The active support from all of us will be necessary in other ways to expose the corruption.
In the meantime enjoy what it means to be a Celtic supporter. HH
AULDHEID . . . not very bright? Don’t be ‘redicules’!
T
WITS,
I know tackling is still part of the game, but not the rummel ’em up stuff on which we were reared.
It is becoming more refined, as in pressing the ball and stealing it, You still need strength, but a big risk is taken if a player flies into a tackle.
“Staying on your feet” is the new tackling mantra . As is ” Don’t give the ref a decision to make”.
A slide tackle is now a dangerous measure, as in danger of conceding a foul.
As for not watching Celtic… how about remembering the mountains (and window ledges)we have to climb to watch across the globe!
The pillas are puffed, the wee screen’s turned on The glow frae its lamp tints the room
The earphones are plugged, ma tea’s by ma side Ah’m chuffed as a wean in the womb
But whit’s a’ this buzz? There’s snow everywhere The picture is full of white noise
They’re here then they’re no’, jist blur, fade and freeze Time tae rise frae ma bed fur the Bhoys
Eight thousand miles isnae really that far Fur a “PC that’s state of the art”
Wae buttons and knobs tae turn, press an’ tweak A bargain frae Exchange an’ Mart
Wae ma coat hanger bent, twisted an’ kinked Its hooked bit stretched up tae the sky
Wae wan foot on flair, and wan on the sill “An inch or two mair, if Ah try”
The picture looks great from this vantage point Ma neck will recover wan day
Strain under ma arm or in between legs See the Hoops really startin’ tae play
Precariously I shift on wan foot A cramp stabs frae ankle tae spine
The house o’ cards falls, I crash tae the grun’ An erse in ma face – “Feck, that’s mine”!
An’ now back in bed, wae sweet smellin sheets Re-running the game in mind’s eye
An angel in white, a cup wae a spout In traction, in ward six Ah lie
Hail hail
Matt
According to Twitter/Leicester forum press conference tomorrow to announce pre season friendly v Leicester in New York in July
Paul67
You are wrong to use the term ‘long term’ regarding our youth system. As long as Lawwell is at the helm, it will always be myopic.
Matt Stewart on 21st March 2016 8:08 pm
Matt
My post said that I had cancelled the debit for the home cup scheme. I have paid for every Scottish and League Cup game at home – irrespective of whether I was available to go or not – since the home cup scheme was introduced.
Following Regan’s words of last week I will not support the SFA tournament even by default and so will now have to actively choose what cup games I attend and pay for. I will also not go to Hampden because to do so, in my wee world, is to imply that the SFA is a competent body to organise football tournaments and oversee football governance in Scotland
I retain and use my seson tickets – though I am not there as often as I used to be but that has nothing to do with Res 12 or Celtic ……. at the moment.
As for the shareholder issue — I repeat again that with this PARTICULAR step it has to be filled by shareholders who have a certain legal standing.
Beyond that, there are lots of things for fans (shareholders or not, season ticket holders or not, match attenders or not) to be doing as a collective and I have no doubt that there are many clever folk out there who could come up with clever and inventive means of protest etc.
I have no doubt about that and am certainly not blind to it. If anything I favour the common man approach that rather than the idea of “class action” by shareholders.
Personally, I will support any such clever idea — I just won’t help organise it because at the current time I have to help organise mandates, a letter to UEFA which ticks all the boxes and one or two other things besides.
Right now, for me, that is enough to be going on with.
Res 12 need not be the only show in town and the field is open for others to take a different approach.
Always has been.
winning captains on 21st March 2016 8:03 pm
Nice story.
An Teach Solais
I support what is being attempted.
I disagree with the exclusiveness of it…tell me do we put our season card rather than our shareholder numbers to it. And what if the Season card holders and ‘pay’ at the gate supporters don’t agree with Res 12?
Does that matter?
Hail hail
Matt
Winning Captains,
Many happy returns to yer bhoy.
HH
Good evening CQN.
Mandate signed and sent.
Good luck Lads.
Let the people sing…
BRTH
A wee (encouraging) update from The Huddleboard
Currently 24 replies to a thread containing the mandate,most of which were “signing up” along with 455 views of the thread.
I posted a simplified guide to Res 12 (I updated this with your “overdue” comment).
So far 29 replies and 361 views.
There IS very strong support for Res 12 out there.
Matt,
Sorry I did not make myself clear. It is not the proponents of Resolution 12 who are seeking to divide shareholder supporters from non shareholders. It is the law. Only shareholders can participate in this legal challenge. I would prefer it if everyone could participate but I do not want the SF A to find more wriggle room.
There are other avenues which we all can take to combat the cheating and I am sure that you will be doing your bit.
Like any legal action if any shareholders do not wish to participate then that is their choice. My conscience won’t allow me to sit back and do nothing. Let’s stick together to support the club we love. HH
Around 25 mandates received so far by e-mail copy.
Remember to send a copy to jjoe88@hotmail.co.uk
BRTH
I didn’t fully grasp what you had said before.
I apologise for that.
I still think that you are chasing the wrong dragon, but that is only a matter of opinion. I will continue to support your initiative.
But suppose I could propose an alternative, one that would get a positive profile for Celtic AND Scottish football. One that could bring a smile to the face of Jim McLean…One that could turn John Collins’ gut into a socks pack.
Would you be interested?
p.s…. I don’t agree with your summation of the SFA… But a post on a blog won’t resolve that chasm.
Hail Hail
Matt
Matt
These guys who are putting out time/effort & probably money arent doin it for personal gain.
Yourl post sounds passionate. Get in touch with these guys & see what they are doing & then decide.
I completely admire their efforts.
HH
BRTH
Re Resolution 12 : Mandate completed and mailed, as requested to Mean City Media and e-mail sent to jjoe88@hotmail.co.uk.
HH
BRTH.
I’m a shareholder in Celtic but I purchased my shares through Halifax Bank of Scotland, I have to apply to HBOS to send me a form (in the form of a letter) so that I can attend the AGM every year.
I would like to put my name on the mandate, is this possible, I hope that Celtic PLC have me down as a shareholder.
Thomthetim
When do you arrive in Dublin.
I know we have arranged to meet at the skylon at 930 am next Friday
This buncrana tragedy is a real heartbreak of a story
Crossmaglen – Field of Dreams just started on bbc1 NI ( SKY 953 )
An teach Solais
I empathise with what you are saying… I will think about your ‘legality’points over night.
I just know that the people we are dealing with use ‘legality’ as a magic cloak (no, not magic hat)…Laws are made by those who love the comfort of power and the status quo. Follow their rules and guess what? They will still have the same power and the same status quo will be extant.
That is not for me. I am no anarchist; I don’t believe in laissez faire; but I do believe that what the Celtic supporters really believe is important, it should be sought….and if that goes against the grain of some arbitrary legality, so be it.
As I said to BRTH…give me a couple of days…Then call me an eejit…I can take it.
Hail Hail
Matt
WITS,
My flight is due in Dublin at 08.50.
I intend to get the No.16 bus from the airport to the Skylon.
Contrary to my previous post, I will probably not be carrying the snazzy overnight bag, as I like to travel light and move fast!!
Are we still on for the youth game?
ADI dasler
Hail hail
I hope have made it clear that I support the resolution and my admiration for those driving the initiative is humbling.
I care however about the club and its ethos, myths and legends that to great extent sculpted my thoughts. Focusing on what we can achieve rather than what we wish how others would behave is at the heart of my belief.
I wish them well, but I am not a shareholder, nor would I be…I don’t even have a pension fund.
I grew up with the players training on the terraces. No I am not suggesting they should do that again. But I’ll be damned if I ever walk away from this club because of what others do!
The SFA? Win their cup…in fact haven’t we won that oldest trophy in the world more than anyone….let’s keep doing it!
Hail Hail
Matt
Thomthetim
I will get you at the airport. No problem
Can anyone come roon to my hoose to help me find my passport?needed before
Saturday morn :O(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
WHAT IS THE STARS on 21ST MARCH 2016 9:22 PM
Thomthetim
I will get you at the airport. No problem
*****
Are you sure? Really, I don’t mind using my Bus Pass.
Will you have one of those wee bits of cardboard with my name on it?