If you’ve not been following the work being done in your name in Malawi this week, do so here. 20 people arrived from Scotland early this week on behalf of the Celtic Foundation to renovate six centres which feed children ages five and under. They are also building a latrine (pretty sure this is a toilet) at one of the centres.
It’s another remarkable testament to the ethos of Celtic 127 years after the project started.
The Foundation are in Malawi with Mary’s Meals, the remarkable Scottish charity which is feeding hundreds of thousands of the world’s poorest children each day. By careful management of costs, utilisation of volunteers and ‘vocational’ staff, a remarkably high 93% of their revenue reaches those in need on the ground.
Really good to read Callum McGregor speaking to Celtic media. Not that he had anything particularly illuminating to say, but he was speaking after putting in a training session, confirming his return to fitness.
With the injury to James Forrest, Callum was one of the few bright lights in our early season form, opening the scoring in three consecutive European away games. He even shone in the inept Murryfield performance against Legia.
At the Hearts game last month I overheard someone suggest Callum needed a rest. His form had definitely dipped, which is not uncommon after young players sparkly when first breaking into the team. If he stayed fit there’s little chance he would have been rested for any of the recent games, such has been the form of those around him, so maybe his recent illness came at the right time.
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Rejected by Celtic, how Hull City’s Andy Robertson went from part-time at Queen’s Park to big time in the Premier League
By Hull Daily Mail | Posted: October 11, 2014
As Andy Robertson prepares to win a first Scotland cap on home soil this evening, Philip Buckingham traces the first steps of Hull City’s rising star.
Andy Robertson was an amateur when he last ran out at Ibrox but this evening, just 18 months on, he will help carry the hopes of his nation.
Scotland’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Georgia will continue an inspiring tale of persistence and reward.
Five years after his release from Celtic for being too small, Hull City’s left-back is expected to win a third international cap for Gordon Strachan’s side and a first on home soil.
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Among those in the Ibrox crowd will be one man who knows Robertson better than most.
David McCallum, head of youth development at Queen’s Park, will be there to see his finest graduate coming of age on the same night he collects his UEFA Pro Licence.
It is hard to know which will evoke more pride.
McCallum coached Robertson throughout his formative years, helping to nurture the talented young defender that has shone through the opening months of the Premier League season with City.
“Personally and as a club we take a lot of pride in seeing Andy do so well,” McCallum told the Mail.
“Two years ago he was playing in the Scottish Third Division and now we’re watching him every week on Match of the Day.
“He’s the example for all the young lads at our club of what you can achieve with the right attitude.”
Robertson’s rise has been remarkable. Not 21 until March, he has clambered up the ladder from junior and amateur football to the Premier League and international stage. So were his talents always so striking? Perhaps not.
“He was always very good technically,” explained McCallum.
“He played with his head up and looked to get on the ball all the time, but he was smaller than a lot of the boys in his age group. We can’t get the biggest and best youngsters at our academy but we always have the patience to work with them and Andy had that patience too.
“It was his willingness to learn that made all the difference. He was always asking questions if he didn’t know the answers.
“A lot of young boys think they know all the answers or if they don’t, they don’t make the effort to ask.
“Andy was the one always willing to ask questions. He wanted to improve at every opportunity and that was the key.”
Robertson has pinpointed his rejection from Celtic as the source of his determination.
The boy from Giffnock, a town 10 miles south of Glasgow, was pushed out of Parkhead and caught in the Queen’s Park net below.
It was during his time at Hampden Park, where he earned pocket money by handing out programmes at international fixtures, that Robertson began to show the promise not first apparent to Celtic.
“We’re only a part-time academy so the amount of time we spend with the youngsters is limited,” added McCallum.
“But it must have been around 2011 we went away to Turkey and Andy was part of that group.
“When you worked with him in a more detailed fashion you began to see it wasn’t just talent but his personality as well.
“He’s the type of lad that just grabs the bull by the horns when ever the chances come along. It shows you the type of personality he’s got. When he sets his mind to something he doesn’t let go.”
The man to give Robertson the big break in senior football was Gardner Speirs, Queen’s Park boss between 2008 and 2013.
The Glasgow minnows needed a left-back when the 2012-13 season began and a lack of options led to the youth ranks and Robertson. He would not disappoint.
A senior debut arrived on August 4 when Queen’s Park beat Airdrieonians 3-2 in the League Cup in front of 622 fans at Hampden Park, the first of 39 games for the club.
“At Queen’s Park we generally lost a lot of players at the end of a season, turning professional elsewhere, so we were a wee bit short on defenders at the start of the season,” explained Speirs.
“We knew about Andy and brought him along when we went away for three or four days.
“We brought him along really to help out with numbers but he played in the first friendly.
“He came in and was so comfortable in the position, eager to get on the ball, we couldn’t possibly leave him out again.
“He made the left-back position his own from the very start. You always think someone of his age will come to a dip in form over the course of the season but to be fair to Andy that never came. It was the opposite, he kept improving as he gained in confidence.”
Speirs identifies the defender’s fearless performances against Rangers as the moments he became convinced bigger things awaited Robertson beyond Queen’s Park.
At a time when he received nothing more than travel expenses from the only amateur club in Britain’s professional leagues, Robertson starred in all four games against Glasgow’s fallen giants during their season in Division Three.
Queen’s Park failed to cause an upset but Robertson got a taste for the ground he will return to this evening.
“His displays against Rangers, in all four of the games, were excellent. Just the fact it was Rangers in our division created a lot more interest in us,” said Speirs.
“When he played ever so well in those games, you knew there would be people watching him. The extra exposure we had, I suspected we’d struggle to hold on to him by the end of the season.
“There were a lot of teams sniffing about. As much as I tried to persuade Andy to stay and have another season playing regular first-team football, it was going to be difficult.
“He took it all on board and discussed it with his family, who are a wonderful group, but he decided to take the offer from Dundee United.
“It’s credit to him that the exact same thing happened there. He wasn’t supposed to play every week I don’t think, but his performances made him a regular fixture.”
There is already a recurring theme in Robertson’s career.
The same story told by Speirs was repeated by Dundee United boss Jackie McNamara when a move to Tannadice followed and again in recent weeks by City boss Steve Bruce. Once Robertson’s chance comes, it fails to pass him by.
Now there is the opportunity to plant roots in the Scotland side. After making his debut away to Poland in March and earning a first start in a friendly with Nigeria at Fulham in May, a first competitive cap is set to come against Georgia tonight.
Do not expect any of this to change Robertson. Not according to those figures from his past.
“He’s got a fantastic temperament,” said Speirs. “He’s so humble and well mannered.
“Anyone who’s played any part in his development is absolutely delighted for him.
“It’s quite incredible when you think of the rise he’s had over the past couple of years. To be playing international football and in the Premier League is just fantastic.
“He should be an example to all young guys who’ve got ambition. Andy has shown what you can do. It’s wonderful.”
The same message is echoed by McCallum. “He’s a fantastic boy with fantastic parents,” he added.
“It was only this summer that Andy came back to welcome all the under-10s to the club. If you phone him up and ask him to do something for you then he will. He knows where he’s come from and he’ll never forget.”
Good Morning Timland.
Remarkably fresh after a NHS night out,lot’s of nubile female’s,
was heeding to the dancing until a intervention by a couple of
members of the ” union of Catholic mothers” ushered me into
a car and delivered me home.
I’m about to enter negotiations with Mrs Nye to see if I can make
the day oot,I’m I correct in thinking it’s the High st at 2:30?
Thunder road…good man
Bankiebhoy
Ta. Very wet here this morning!
Scotland manager praises ‘spectacular form’ of Celtic star
Gordan Strachan has praised Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon for the form he has shown at Parkhead.
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has moved to praise the form of Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
The Bhoys stopper has been the club’s star player so far, after being brought in on a free transfer in the summer, and Strachan has moved to publically praise the former Sunderland man today.
Gordon has been out of contention for Scotland for some time, but his form has thrusted him back into the limelight and there is a thought that he could represent his nation again in their European qualifier against Georgia on Saturday, and Strachan’s words today should have given him confidence.
“It’s a huge bonus for everybody,” the Scotland boss is quoted as saying by Celtic’s official site. “If you said two years ago that we’d be in this position you would have thought it was going to be hard work for him, but the good thing about it is that the one person who determines his future decided, ‘No, this is not the end. I can go on from here.’
“Everyone talks about how you need a good back-up or you need good people around you but it all depends on what you’re like as a person to drive yourself forward, and he has got himself back into spectacular form for Celtic.”
If he does get to play in the match, it will be fine reward for the quick transition he has made at Parkhead.
Gordon established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers in Britain when he was previously playing in Scotland, but has gone off the radar in recent years.
A succession of injuries forced him to take a back-seat and his talents were largely forgotten about in the international set-up.
However, the move to Celtic seems to have been just what he needed to rekindle his best and he has impressed all watchers this season.
The Bhoys have made a poor start to the campaign, but it would have been much worse without Gordon in between the sticks and if he does get selected to represent Scotland he will be hoping that his club form transfers onto the international stage well.
Should Gordon be Scotland’s number one ‘keeper?
We’ll lead the way! Scotland armband not an issue for Celtic’s Scott Brown
SCOTT BROWN last night insisted he’s united with Darren Fletcher in fighting for a nation’s cause – not at war over the armband.
Boss Gordon Strachan has kept his players on tenterhooks and will only name his team and skipper a matter of hours before the must-win Euro 2016 qualifier against Georgia.
Last night Strachan hinted that both Brown and Fletcher would start in the Ibrox clash – despite the Manchester United ace playing just 25 minutes of first- team football since the 2-1 defeat to germany last month.
Yet Brown may well remain as the captain for the Group D encounter after leading his country during Fletcher’s two- year absence from the scene through illness.
Brown has declared that scrapping over who leads the team out at Ibrox is trivial compared to the real battle to be won.
He said: ‘I’ve got to be honest, the captaincy means a lot to whoever does get the honour.
“Myself, Darren has been captain in the past, Gary Caldwell, Kenny Miller … if you ask any of us, it’s a proud moment.
“But so is playing for your country, so is winning with your captaincy – it’s about joining together and being more of a team than ever.
“I don’t know if I’m captain yet. We find that out on Saturday. It’s up to the manager.
“But whoever goes out there, we’ve got a lot of great leaders who want to win. That’s what you need.
“We are all desperate to win, all desperate to be in France.
“And we believe we can do it – we all believe it.”
Strachan knows he will leave some players shattered today with the team he picks to start the game.
He must choose between man in possession David Marshall and an in-form Craig Gordon for who starts in goal.
The shout on Fletcher, above, is crucial, with Brown a certain starter and James Morrison and Barry Bannan entitled to feel miffed if left out.
Up front Strachan must decide if he tinkers with the shape to accommodate Steven Fletcher and Stevie Naismith as a partnership.
Brown insists Scotland must believe they are on track to qualify for Euro 2016.
He added: “We’ve got top-quality players so we should be at tournaments, but we need to work together as a group. We’re doing that to the best of our ability now.”
Cloudy, grey but dry looking out to the Glasgow Airport runway.
Jobo
I hope you and the wife have an enjoyable, relaxing break.
Morning all.
Hope to be in Glesga early/mid afternoon.
Seeya all then.
Nae curry for me ‘tho, unfortunately.
HH!!
NYE BEVAN’S REBEL SOLDIER
Correct,mate.
Bring some of them NHS workers too.
We might need them!
Oh,and a stomach pump…
TALLYBHOY
Hope it goes well for the young ‘un,bud.
Wish her luck from me,please.
Nye bevans
ill bring my bandage(sp)
JOBO BALDIE
For someone who doesn’t do forecasting,you’re getting out as the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Hmmmm,suspicious.
Have a great time,mate.
BLANTYRETIM
I’d prefer you brought yer badinage,tbh.
Have a winning day,mate. Batter the enemy!
From The New Yorker, by Teddy Wayne……….
Welcome to the inaugural issue of Commenting Comment, the only print magazine dedicated to Internet comments and their creators. Our staff, many of whom arrived from the now defunct Letters to the Editor Monthly, is excited to bring you the most in-depth coverage of Internet comments around.
First up, a tl;dr (for new subscribers: “too long; didn’t read”) synopsis of this month’s content:
We travelled far and wide to find six of the country’s most prolific Internet commenters and investigated: Do they have jobs, or do they just speed-read hundreds of articles all day and comment on them? Why do they feel the urge to write so many things in a small box at the bottom or on the side of a screen? When’s the last time they laughed, but not in a creepy, malevolent way?
The vertiginous rise and precipitous fall of Donald Steadman, the Internet’s first commenter
How early is too early to teach your kids to comment?
Blind item! Which celebrity is commenting all around the Web about how he’s a combination of Steve Jobs and Versace, under the handle CantyayEast77?
Pending approval: a behind-the-scenes look at how comment-section curators do their job
Commenting via Twitter: Passing fad or paradigm shift?
• Subcommenting trends to watch for in 2015
When to play the “As an [X] who [Y]s” card
WHY COMMENTING IN ALL CAPS WILL GRAB ATTENTION: A DEEP DIVE
The most effective single-word put-down: “no” or “meh”? We ask the experts
How to troll in seven easy steps
Sarcasm vs. snark: the finest of lines
Our predictions for this year’s Commenties Awards—and what to expect from ban-worthy host funnyguy64
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Commenting on the Internet is an important, God-given right. (Bet we’re going to get a lot of blowback for using “God-given”!) It’s crucial to our democracy to give everyone a voice, especially those who use the handle PatriotEagle1776 and maintain that 9/11 was an inside job coördinated by Al Gore. Without such shadowy figures in libraries, their parents’ basements, and that same Starbucks table for the past nine hours to offer cogent opinions that respond to previous comments with decorum and grace, we might never have learned that Barack Obama is a Kansan socialite; that anyone who identifies as Christian is clearly a “right-wing nut job”; and that all journalists are whiny hacks or obese sluts.
Only these courageous, anonymous souls who comment on a publication religiously (whoops again!) have the authority to let its employees know that it has not only become a flagrantly disreputable outlet, but has, in fact, sunk lower than its less respected rival, which they literally did not think was possible.
We look forward to bringing you news and analysis on everything venomous, affronted, and fractionally informed, and hope you’ll consider subscribing to the Commenting Comment Premium Digital Edition, for which comments are disabled.
Your an idiot,
The Curator-in-Chief
BT
Sorry to hear you’re not feeling great mate. Tried to text but it’s not sending for some reason.
BMCUW
Thanks, buddy. Will do.
Enjoy the curry.
HH!!
HT
im on phone to oldtim
keith jacketoan really has excelled himself in the daily zombie today …… He is failing to understand that Michael Ashley’s plan has been in operation for some time now, whereby he is already shaking the ipox money-tree for all it’s worth…….and he has no intention of sharing this nice little ‘earner’ with anyone, let alone ming…….when it all folds he will simply ‘move on’ to his next money-generating project (supplying sally with pies)……silly keith.
BMCW……will do my best to make a appearance,two
jollies in a row disnae sit well wae Mrs Nye.
HAMILTONTIM
Put two bob in the meter,bud!
Remember that when it gets a tad chilly in the NE just as the party is warming up,it’s traditional to whip off yer top to show how little it bothers you.
(Dunno where you put yer tabs,though)
This does not necessarily apply to women!
NYE BEVAN’S REBEL SOLDIER
Bring Mrs Nye along too-see my post to PEDROCARAVANECHIO67 at 0011.
HamiltonTim and BMCUW
Thank you. About to board an Easy jet flight so who knows where we’ll land!
winklepickers
08:42 on 11 October, 2014
I thought in the NE it ONLY applied to women!! :-)
Looking forward to it, should be a great night though I’ll still be thinking of you charming the Gallowgate Growlers :-)
Vmhan – have not noticed you posting for sometime. If you are lurking, I hope you are well and totally recovered. Taking it easy myself and improving daily.
Been kicked off the phone by oldtim, Richie phoning him re Musselburgh today…
think the plan for them is to go racing then come back to hootenany, bmcuw do you hsve richie or pf phone number?
HAMILTONTIM
Haha,no comment!
I’m looking forward to sleeping in !BADA BING!’s motor tonight. M gave me the address.
Should be plenty of room in it for a few of us.
BMCW…….ffs I’ve already gave her a airing this year,are you
one of these new man types?
BLANTYRE TIM
Got PF’s number,and also a number for RICHIE though unsure if it’s correct.
Same with OLDTIM.
Just about to help them out at the races by picking a nap for them to avoid!
NYE BEVAN’S REBEL SOLDIER
I was,mate. Until I realised it wisnae helping me pull ra birds,haha!
jobo
Happy holiday.
Could be worse you could be flying with Ryanair!
HH!!
connaire12
08:55 on 11 October, 2014
Sent Vhman a text.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
09:01 on 11 October, 2014
I will text you all three numbers
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Connaire
glad you are improving, keep well mate.
Cheers lennybhoy
saved me doing the same..8))
LENNYBHOY
Cheers,mate.
Unless they have changed fairly recently,I’m sure they are correct.
But no harm in checking,thanks!
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
Just text you all three numbers.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Away to pick the horses and then charm Mrs Nye.
Gotta admit-tip for those who haven’t read back-that the blog was in tiptop form last night.
Grateful thanks to all,some real LOL moments and some rerr choons too.
HH