Matthews master of discipline

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Few Celtic players have glided through four seasons with scarcely a critical comment directed his way but Adam Matthews can make this claim.  I didn’t expect him to make it as a first team player as a 19-year-old when he arrived from Cardiff City, but he so comprehensively made the position his own, you’ll struggle to name the two right backs at the club when Adam arrived………….?

The limiting factor in his Celtic career arrived in the form of a tall Swede.  Mikael Lustig has had plenty of injury problems but when fit, he’s first choice, with Adam playing backup.

Adam’s most memorable performance came against Barcelona in that game.  With Lustig at right back and Emilio Izaguirre unavailable, Adam was asked to play left back.  Tony Watt and Victor grabbed the headlines that night but Adam’s performance was remarkable.

He didn’t miss an angle all night, no matter how fast Barca pinged the ball, Adam was there.  We faced so many balls on the wing that night but the discipline in defence was remarkable.  He was clearly asked to give the Barca players space outside the box and drop to the 18 yard line, I remember yelling “Close him down” all night, but Neil Lennon had done his homework, the tactics were sound.  That game is recalled so often, for so many great reasons, but while the tactical discipline deployed was not as sexy as the goals or the atmosphere, it was genuinely world class.  We analyse games through different perspectives: when Celtic win like that all you hear about is the atmosphere, but if a German team had won that way, UK pundits would wax lyrical about their discipline.  Adam was a big part of that success, and if he goes to Sunderland, he’ll flourish.

Those two right backs were Mark Wilson and shampoo hero Cha Du-Ri, b.t.w.  But you knew that anyway, didn’t you?  If you can remember the left back we signed that summer you’re doing very well.  So many miss the target for every Adam Matthews.

Well done to Celtic, who have improved the look of two stadiums this week.

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  1. minx1888 praying to Wee Oscar on

    KevJ – delighted to hear that! Fantastic hope your good health continues!

     

     

    Yer still a grumpy so and so :-)

     

    Hail hail pal

  2. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    KevJ

     

     

    Decided to read back ………ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC NEWS …….. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF, SIR…….AND ALL THE VERY BEST, from this other eejit …….hahahaha

  3. BMCUW,

     

     

    Thank you for your reply in what is an unpalatable subject.

     

     

    I think we are both on the same wavelength. The treatment of the Catholic/ nationalist population was a disgrace. It is just a shame that rightful peaceful protest went unanswered.

     

    The North of Ireland is now a much better place ( although posters living there and much more knowledgeable then myself may state that there is still a long way to go ) .

     

     

    It is tragic it took what it took to arrive at this point which was unthinkable only a few decades ago.

     

    Peace and equality for all and back to footie.

     

     

    HH.

  4. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    And, we have our first customer of the new season.

     

     

    Barrowbhoy, your tone is on its way.

     

     

     

    HH

  5. Kev J

     

     

    Brilliant news. I look forward to more depressing, anti-board, pro-boycotting hilarity for the forseeable!!

     

     

    Remember, Sipsini owes you a day at Paradise in hospitality, and a night on the town, all on him!!

     

    …….Oh, and he said he’ll pay for the taxis too!!

     

     

     

    HH

  6. Kev J….

     

     

    Wonderful news!

     

     

    Paul67….

     

     

    A bit unfair on Mark Wilson who was a stawlart for us. Had he not been so affected by injury he would be more appreciated…..a wee bit disrespectful I’d say. Not intended I’m sure.

     

     

    As for Adam…very sad to see him go. When Super Joe left I thought Adam wouldn’t be far behind. Adam has had his fair share of critics on here but think some of them at least will be surprised he’s only 23! Came as a boy left as a Mhan! I hope Celtic have a huge sell on clause…if he’s lucky with injury I think he’ll go to the very top.

     

     

    As an aside…Wales have 4 really fine players of top grade…wonder how and why?

     

     

    HH

  7. sunny calmachie on

    If you are offended by the Butchers apron avoid Duke st, from cumbernauld road to Haghill street is like the Shankill,

     

    Don’t know why, but it also smells like rotting oranges.

  8. HH All don’t post often, but sad to see young Mathews leaving. very good player, dependable solid and professional. Best of luck Adam, you wore the shirt with pride and the shirt fitted you well!

     

    on another note!

     

    coolmore mafia

     

     

    12:55 on

     

     

    3 July, 2015

     

     

     

     

    Ledley and Matthews were great signings; never a problem, mostly committed, free, genuine quality.

     

     

    coolmore, not sure you can equate ledley in that term: genuine quality. maybe poor quality,yes! Ledley was a bit player, play a bit then would disappear for 60mins, he was mince, end of! Mathews was yes genuine quality! HH come on the hoops! MD

  9. ThompsonTwin on

    Re the bombing of Germany and other allied actions – God help us if the ‘Stop the War – Stop defending Ourselves’ comedians ever got their way.

     

     

    We would have been conquered either by the Nazis, or, the USSR – they also want us to sit on arses and take all the atrocities that the Islamic terrorists want to give us.

     

     

    These people are idealistic fools who would sell the majority of innocent people ‘down the river’ Fantasists who would hide behind the nearest soldier and ditch their Saturday afternoon mantra if ever they were in danger.

  10. Sipsini

     

     

    I’ll be coming with you! Free drink, tickets to the game, a curry, the jigging and a taxi hame?, Ah’m no’ missing that!!

     

     

    HH

     

     

    Aff oot, as the Blessed Kev J wid say!!

  11. kevinlasvegas on

    Hail Hail Bhoys from a Sunny ML6. Sad to see Adam going, great player and good guy. Not looked himself for a wee while now. Fresh start will hopefully see him recapture the heart and form he had.

     

     

    Shifty will do for me. Looks to be a matter of time with this one. Thompson got to play it clever. The player himself offers a bit of raw aggression which we lack up front and hopefully Ronnie can shape him into a top striker.

     

     

    Great news KevJ. ;)

     

     

    KLV

  12. Jobo all the best

     

     

    Kev j great news

     

     

    Adam m good luck in your new venture

     

     

    HH

  13. Mon The Hoops! on

    Happy Birthday Jobo!

     

     

    CQNs Michael Fish but more accurate & handsomererer. ;-}

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    GREENPINATA 1452

     

     

    Thumbs up from me,mate. If Philvis disnae like me borrowing his trademark,he can return and argue the case.

     

     

    I’ll cave in the spot. Natch.

  15. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    From the BBC:

     

     

    Three men have admitted attempting to incite violence with rival football fans on the day of a Scottish Premiership match in Dundee.

     

    Lemmy Milne, Alexander Middleton and Grant Fender admitted facing off with Aberdeen fans before the Dundee United against Aberdeen match on 13 December.

     

    Dundee Sheriff Court was told a “ruckus” had broken out at the Snug Bar, and police dogs were deployed.

     

    Milne, 17, Middleton, 41, and Fender, 29, will be sentenced later this month.

     

    Fiscal depute Alex Piper told the court that a “large group” of Aberdeen fans had arrived at the Snug, where Dundee United supporters were drinking, prior to the match at nearby Tannadice Stadium.

     

    She said: “A ruckus happened inside where there was a confrontation that spilled out into the street.

     

    “Police arrived almost immediately. There were people lunging at each other, threats of violence and aggressive behaviour on both sides in the street.

     

    “Police kept them apart but a number of civilians were trapped. Police dogs had to be brought in to keep the peace.”

     

    The three men, all of Dundee, pleaded guilty to charges under the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act of “engaging in behaviour that is likely or would be likely to incite public disorder by forming part of a disorderly crowd and repeatedly attempting to engage in violence with rival fans”.

     

    Sheriff George Way deferred sentence until later in the month for background reports.

     

     

    ==================

     

     

    Why are they being prosecuted under the OBAF ?

  16. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    THOMPSONTWIN

     

     

    No-one suggested we were wrong to act in 1939. A bit late,perhaps.

     

     

    Now,do us all a favour-get aff yer high horse(which is probably a white charger)and GTF. Come back when you’ve been replaced by someone with a brain.

     

     

     

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs

  17. KevJ, delighted you have overcame something that was deeply troubling.

     

     

    You are one of my own personal Must Reads on CQN, I think yer swell.

     

     

    Anyways to more important matters, I strongly recommend buying Camu Camu powder, it really does strengthen the immune system like nothing else does, IMO. The last time I bought it, it was about £100 a Kg and it takes a long time to get through that, so there are smaller amounts to buy.

     

     

    HH m8ty

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PETEC

     

     

    I replied to your e-mail overnight. No big deal.

  19. the long wait is over on

    BCW

     

     

    “Why are they being prosecuted under the OBAF ?”

     

     

    Cos it’s their shiny new toy they need to keep bringing out of the toy cupboard.

     

     

    All of that could easily have been , and frequently would have been , prosecuted under the existing law long before the act.

  20. Ah – paradise is looking well. Vibrant. Well maintained. Generally good to be alive type feeling around it. More to come I.hope.

     

     

    I was gonna say something about the mausoleum on the south side feeling more and more like a badly.maintained victorian burial crypt…. But that would be to state the obvious.

  21. South Of Tunis on

    Just in from the digging .

     

     

    Red eyed from salty sweat .Hot !.

     

     

    I rated Adam Matthews as being mercurial. Sometimes very good and sometimes very poor Exemplified by his performance v Barcelona and his performance v Legia in Warsaw. Night and day .

     

     

    I wish him well for the future.

  22. WWII – who actually defeated the German armed forces? 400,000 USA servicemen died compared to millions of Red Army in fighting the nazis.

     

     

    You’d never know that from all the propaganda films that came out for 50 years after it ended though. Still, don’t let facts get in the way.

     

     

    Sorry to butt in. I can’t help myself.

     

     

    Back to enjoy the sunshine…

     

    .

  23. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    RobertTressell

     

     

    The article misses the main point.

     

     

    The Tory’s are turning a coin through these cuts. Or to be more accurate the contracts they award to facilitate them.

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