Celtic always had the look of winners last night, but until Odsonne Edouard pounced on the rebound from Ryan Christie’s shot, the outcome was in the balance. We are going to face a lot of packed defences like that this season, though fortunately or not, that could be the last we see of them in the Europa League.
Christie was back to his best. I know his stats are far from impressive and he is criticised (by others) for his decision making, but I spent almost three years during Brendan Rodgers time wanting someone to mix it up. Take shots that would force the keeper to work or a defender to block, or play the low percentage pass that we all know is going to miss most of the time, but will result in loose balls in dangerous areas.
Those poor stats are a consequence of randomness, which is something we loved in Frank McGarvey, but that was before the stats came along to both inform and confuse. Stats are all about interpretation, which is the real lesson of Michael Lewis’ Moneyball for those who never read the book, or those who did, but didn’t understand it.
I tried most of the second half to figure out what changes Neil Lennon made at halftime that freed up Jeremie Frimpong. During the first half, he was so well shackled, I considered the Sarajevo left back as a possible recruit. At the break, the suggestion was made to me, maybe he is better as an impact player?
Sarajevo certainly opened up at the break, which may have helped, but Jeremie was back at his impactful self during the second period. Credit also to Greg Taylor, who had his best game in a Celtic shirt.
I’m still pretty gutted about not being in the Champions League and at the manner of our exit, but Pot 1 seed in the Europa is an important place to land. Last week we spoke about how it was to our advantage that all domestic rivals also reach the group stage. We didn’t want them having a week to plan games against St Mirren etc., while we traverse the Continent. Not this season.
That kind of left hemisphere thinking was nowhere to be found once kick offs were underway last night. You can’t fake this stuff, it is just not possible to subvert the tribal instinct (which is why nationalism is so potent, and why Celtic is my only identity). But, in a crisp and sunny autumnal morning, logic is back on top. No one will get an easy pass to the title this season, including Celtic.
Uefa’s methods of seeding have never been perfect, this is not tennis, but those pots are full of variance. I’m hoping to avoid sides from the big nations. Farewell, Copenhagen, Basel, Sporting, Rosenborg, Legia (sorry, Zbyszek) and yes, even Galatasaray. Strong sides are out of Europe, the potential to join them was real.
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I can’t remember a windae where we addressed the spine of the team so much. I thought the lockdown would go against broonie’s body; the great canamalar disagreed thinking the rest would be good! I think he’s only getting used to weekend midweek weekend games now. Barkas Duffy broonie turnbull ajeti sounds very promising. HWG10IAR
How long is Ajeti out for
Gene. 4.39
Neil said he hoped to have him back for Glasgow Derby.
5 Way Agreement…
One question ( of many ) to any Sevco fan who claim that they are the same club blah blah…
If the 5 way Agreement was indeed signed by reps from BOTH Rangers and Sevco…why wasnt ONE reps signature ONLY required…IF they were still the same club etc ?
HH
Ron Bacardi. It’s the dreaded Black Spot. Haven’t decided who’s getting it yet. Any ideas?
MCPHAIL BHOY
“Football players are in a different world (bubble) from the rest of us”
That’s what they say, and the trouble is that they’re simply not. There is no ‘bubble’. Instead, players are tested regularly and their movements are tracked by GPS so that tracing can happen faster when infections occur. But they don’t live as if they’re shielding.
An individual player might limit movements only between his house and training/stadium, but his household go about their life as normally as restrictions permit. In any event, players are permitted to engage socially to the same extent as the rest of us. Their network of contacts is as extensive as everyone else’s, plus or minus.
You can see this in the number of infections – of the 12 top flight clubs, 4 have had cases so far, 25% of SPFL workplaces, if you like. 2 at Aberdeen, 2 at St Mirren, 3 at Hamilton, 6 at Kilmarnock. Assuming each club has 25 first team players and there are 12 clubs, 4% of the first team footballer population has become infected since the season started, versus 0.2% of the population as a whole.
There will be more in the coming weeks and months.
If there’s a bubble, it’s bust.
Thank You Paul67 – original😀
Thank You to All on CQN..
Simply George in his heyday.
Where did it All go wrong?
Lenny you Can do this.
CELTIC, is in the best of Hands IMO.
We Win, Lose and even Draw.
Hail Hail
Stay Safe
What team or formation will Lenny put out manana?
These are the only important questions of the day.
Hmmm
D :)
Follow the rules
FACTS
Easy peasy…ask My mate Martin …that right D ?
Ray
Blind Pugh
David 66
2 up front would be a start
Adi – You are right sir.
Gene – totally agree
D :)
2 strikers might I add.
Or a Striker and Eddie in behind.
Unleash the Griff with Eddie.
D :)
Apparently uefa has sanctioned crowds of up to 30% stadium capacity for Europa League games.
Gene,
We have invested wisely.
Stevie Woods is something else….
In my Opinion.
Griffiths needs time tomorrow if NL says he is lacking game time
I’m sure this point has been raised previously about the CoViD19 MP — but I will ask it again …
Will the Nats be punished for one of their MPs not following the CoViD19 rules?
Punished as in fined for the behaviour of one of their own not following the rules?
As I see it there is a recent precedent for the Nats to get fined.
Asking for a friend.
MM
Think Greenpinata raised the same point earlier – I said then she was on company business unlike boli
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 30TH SEPTEMBER 2020 4:28 PM
Tontine Tim – I’d echo Glasgowbhoy’s sentiments.
Brilliant post. One question if I may – What more can you tell us about Dick Beattie?
*A wee bit late but here goes:
My first Celtic goalie was Johnny Bonnar although I probably seen more of him when he played for Dumbarton, all I can recall about him was hearing ma da and in later years ma father-in-law saying his finest moment was in putting up the shutters against the “Famous Five” in the Coronation Cup Final but that was about it.
However their viewpoints may have been clouded due tae the two goalies before him, Willie Miller and George Hunter, the latter I possibly saw first but cannae remember as he left when I was about 6, who were reported tae have been fabulous.
Johnny biggest gaffe was in the last minute of the SC Final against Clyde, the first ever televised SC Final which I watched in the wee wumin doon the stairs wee black and white tele, when he turned in a corner at the near post for the equaliser although left back Frank Meechan was MIA at the post, we lost the replay.
The first goalie that I recall seeing was Dick Beattie, we signed him from his local junior side, 2 miles up the road, Duntocher Hibs who were a nursery side of Celtic at the time, Alec Boden, Peter Goldie, John Colrain, Paddy Crerand and Jim Kennedy come tae mind. He had led the Holy City cabbage and ribs to the Junior Cup Final where unfortunately they lost tae Kilsyth deidco.
He was part of a new breed of goalies that preferred to wear a jockey style hat as opposed to the traditional flat cloth cap. A Scottish Junior cap he also gained 3 Under 23 ones and looked as if he was destined for the top, he was also our keeper in the losing SC Final of 1956 against a very good jambo side.
Once again Sir Bob tinkered with the side, Peter Goldie had been told on the Friday he was in the side only tae find out the next day in the dressing room at the national stadium he was out.
18 year old Billy Craig having played only two league games prior to the final was in, he would only play another 5 games for the first team after this in his 4 years with the club.
In an effort to replicate the cup winning side of 2 years previously right back Mike Haughney, who scored our only goal was played at inside right, his replacement was Frank Meechan who normally deputised for Sean at left back and who had along with Johnny Bonner shouldered the blame for the Bully Wee’s equaliser the season before at the same stage.
We also had a young Eric Smith at right half even though he was still in the middle of his national service.
In the end the calvinists deserved their win, their first SC in 49 years, as we failed to trouble their goal enough, no wonder with a brand new right flank, the calvinists hero that day was left winger Crawford the scorer of their first 2 goals including the winner.
The following season Dick would gain his first medal in our first LC win over the Harry Wraggs. He is probably more famous though for his 7-1 pose as Willie Fernie headed Heaven,
Dick had an excellent game at the New Year fixture at hades, even though we lost 1-2 after leading early doors, played in a gale of rain, sleet and hail and being up to his ankles, not his knees I hasten to add, in mud and water and at times having to hold onto the post such was the strength of the wind.
He would have a regi blinker the following day at home tae Motherwell, with five minutes remaining and us leading 3-1 up, he missed a corner by Andy Weir by a country mile allowing St John an easy header and goal and in the last minute he let a cross from St John elude him and our future berwick hero Sammy Reid chested in the equaliser.
It was curtains for Dick and he never played for us again as he headed for Fratton Park. What happened next would sadly stain not only his career but the whole of English football.
At Fratton Park he was involved in an FA Cup tie against Peterborough United; Pompey would lose 2-1 with a howler from Dick gifting Peterborough their opening goal.
That mistake would be put down by fans and pundits as a costly but honest error and a season later he would move on from the south coast with his next destination, ironically, being Peterborough.
In September of that year Queens Park Rangers were the visitors to London Road for a Third Division clash against the Posh. The Loftus Road side were comfortable favourites to claim both points but were stunned when the home side took a deserved lead.
With just 10 minutes remaining there was little sign of a QPR fight back, it was then that Dick took possession of the ball inside his own area, clutching the ball in his hands he took a few steps forward, but, with the Peterborough players advancing up field in anticipation of a clearance, he inexplicably rolled the ball to the feet of a QPR forward who slotted home for an unlikely equaliser.
Just minutes later he took possession of the ball again, he made to throw the ball out to his own full back but yet again the keeper found the welcoming feet of an opponent who gratefully hit home the winner.
The Peterborough Evening Times match report stated: “Dick Beattie bore the brunt of the blame for the two goals. His distribution was at fault on both occasions and QPR gratefully accepted the gifts”. But even the most cynical hack could not have imagined the sinister truth behind keeper’s gifts.
Dick would play just 10 games for Peterborough before returning back up the road for spells at St Mirren and Brechin.
I’ve seen lots of Celtic goalies in my lifetime and the best was the Faither and even he could make gaffes.
One night at a SC replay against the jambos at CP, which I believe was a record crowd for a replay out with the semis and final, we won 3-1 but for the jambo goal he got caught well out of goal as wee Wispy lobbed him.
That same night the huns dropped League points at brockville and the fans were in a jovial mood leaving the ground, as we exited on to Janefield Street there were comments about the daft oul bugger getting caught out, all in jest tae, I turned tae ma mate and said, “they widnae have been laughing if it had been John Fallon”, selective criticism indeed.
Then there was Ally Hunter who had an almost 50% shut out record and was the national team goalie. On a late September night at the national stadium Scotland only had to beat the Czechs to progress to the finals in the fatherland. A huge blunder by Ally left the home side behind although goals by Celtic minded Jim Holton and Joe Jordan saw them progress. Unfortunately Ally would never recover from that.
The Big Mhan said of him: “He’s a worrier; he blames himself for every goal.” Sometimes Ally could be saved by the rest of the team and 4 weeks after the WC game he returned to the scene of the crime where despite losing three goals to “Harper’s a barrel” we won the LC by 6-3.
Just over 2 months later and we were top of the League and heading for TIAR. This would be my last ever visit tae hades and what I witnessed will stay with me forever.
Paul Wilson ran amok and both Kenny and Harry Harry were unlucky more than poor. They won with their only 3 shots on goal and on a dreich day Ally left the field with his shorts as white as when he went on. That game IMHO cost us the honest TIAR.
Anyway, Dick had established himself as the first choice keeper at Love Street but in April 1964, a story broke in the Sunday People which would end his career, exposing a match fixing operation which became known as the British betting scandal of 1964.
The ringleader, a fellow Scotsman and former professional footballer sold his story and his taped evidence incriminated himself, Dick and eight other players.
At the trial in Nottingham he received a nine-month prison sentence and was subsequently banned from football for life. On release from prison he returned to his former occupation as a joiner in the shipyards.
On reading about this my mind went back to a Wednesday night 7 year before when my da came in fae a game livid, it was the semi replay against kilmasonic and just like in the first game we had pummelled them, he kept saying to my mother “what the hell was he doing out there”.
Clearly against the run of play the templars scored first when John Jack sclaffed a clearance high in the air and Dick failed to reach in when going for the ball then impeded their striker going for it.
Our old “friend” r ight h un davidson awarded the penalty and though Dick saved the shot he failed to hold it and could not keep out the rebound.
Ten minutes later we pulled level but one minute from the interval Dick missed a cross from the striker and the right winger was there to let it glance off his head.
Out we came for the 2nd half facing the wind but despite pounding the Killie goal with shot after shot which was either defended, saved or wide, in a breakaway in the 51st minute Dick got in a complete fankle in a one-on-one with bertie black which ended with the inside forward being left with an open goal to pass into.
Dick Beattie’s career should have been defined by his memorable seven finger salute however, the truth about his time in England would soon emerge and his career came to a sudden and shameful end.
So what happened to an up and coming “star” goalie that 15 months after playing in one of the greatest games in our history he was replaced by a 20 year old goalie we had signed less than a year before.
We have signed a plethora of upcoming youngsters who never made it, Bobby Carroll, our first European goal scorer, a Scottish Junior Cup winner, POTY and top goal scorer, from the right wing as well, when he signed for the Bhoys from Irvine Meadow, he was also one of the vaunted “Kelly’s Kids”, John Colrain came to Celtic labelled “the next big prospect in the game”, he combined well with the talents of Mike Jackson, Jim Conway , who turned down Manure for us, Johnny Divers and wee ten thirty in the Reserve side, coached by the Big Mhan, in the 1957-58 season.
Most of these never really made it and that is often put down tae Sir Bob’s interference and bullying, especially when Jock left the scene. That assertion can never be put at Dick, he was very very lucky tae play with some of the football greats that passed through the Parkheid gates such as Sean Fallon, Willie Fernie, Bobby Evans, Bertie Peacock, Charles Patrick, Bobby Collins, Billy McPhail, Neilly Mochan and others, he was also possibly coached by Jock while in the reserves.
Now like most of my contemporaries I loved big Frank or Crazy Horse as the Jungle labelled him, saw him coming out of Gordon’s in Glassford Street one day and couldnae talk, he was a giant tae this wee schoolbhoy, but he was regarded as one of our more eccentric keepers.
He always played tae the crowd, swinging on the crossbar, taking his hat off and headering the ball when out of the box and going for a wander dribbling the opposition attackers, for that and others my da called him an eejit.
Frank only played for his country twice, saved a penalty fae Bobby Charlton in the first and then was crucified between 2 thieves in the second.
And yet he was preferred tae Dick, was he guilty of indiscretions while playing for us including the above noted SC semi replay or other nefarious conduct, hmmm, as Robert Plant once said “ooooh makes me wonder”.
M
What precedent for a party ?
She will have to resign.
More important things in life.
BTW
Hope TET is well.
HH
3 0 TOMORROW
ADI
I think the possibility of infecting a large number of people is important.
Are companies / political parties responsible for the actions of their employees / MPs.
In boli’s case it was decided Celtic are.
CoViD19 MP — danger to the public angle …
10 times the fine is starting to make sense.
If hanging and flogging is not allowed then hit them in the pocket.
I’m sure our friend Leitch will give it to them with both barrels just as he made sure the footballers got the point big time.
What a shambles.
What an erse.
Cassius Clay Touching doon.
Forgiveness is Magical.
Is there anyone…..
ADI_DASSLER NOT FOR 2ND BEST on 3RD OCTOBER 2020 6:13 PM
‘She will have to resign.’
####
Why?
What’s to stop her just carrying on?
The ringleader, a fellow Scotsman and former professional footballer sold his story and his taped evidence incriminated himself, Dick and eight other players.
IS IT QUIZ NIGHT AGAIN????????????????????????????????////
OH AND YOU HAD A GREAT STORY THE OTHER DAY THAT I READ EARLIER ON ANOTHER WEBSITE.
BORING FRAUD.
Leeds playing well now
DD jumping out his big chair
MADMITCH
I think you are worrying too much, about everything
FB
No 10 men behind the ball in this game
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 3RD OCTOBER 2020 4:58 PM
thanks for your post.
every industry in the country literally thinks its regime is untouchable/ the best and that if followed properly ‘normality’ can go on.
Alas the footballer is only human with no more/less contacts as you correctly point out.
we still have difficulty grasping that we are the carrier.
ps.i believe the initial period of symptoms 0-5 days is getting pushed out to 8 days.
keep postin those numbers.
pps.yir pic- were you on ring of steall? stob ban or sgurr elde mor? am lookin thinkin its not cmd arete,but could be from distance.hope you enjoyed
:-)
hh
Gene-both teams don’t do sitting in😉
Club career
Crossan began his career playing for Derry City, where he played as an inside forward. His talent was spotted by several leading English clubs, including Arsenal and Sunderland. When the latter made a substantial offer, Derry City offered Crossan a payment deal which he rejected, offering his own. When the Sunderland negotiations broke down, Derry City dropped Crossan, who signed for Coleraine. Derry City, still aggrieved by Crossan’s actions, reported themselves to the Football League authorities for technical breaches of regulations, thus ensuring that Crossan would face disciplinary action.
In January 1959, a commission of inquiry imposed small fines on Derry and Coleraine, but banned Crossan from all forms of football for life. A partial lifting of the ban was allowed following an appeal, in May 1959 the inside forward signed for Dutch Champions Sparta Rotterdam,[1] where he was first called up to the Northern Ireland squad.
He went from there to Standard Liège, where he played in the semi-final of the European Cup against Real Madrid. In 1963, Crossan returned to football in the UK (following the lifting of his ‘life-time’ ban) when he was signed by Sunderland, with whom he made it to the old First Division. He then signed for Manchester City who were playing in the old Second Division. As team captain, he helped them make their way into the old First Division, before being sold to Middlesbrough after a loss of form following a car crash and other health problems.
International career
Internationally, he was capped 24 times by Northern Ireland and scored 10 goals.
International goals
Scores and results list Northern Ireland’s goal tally first.
Man city got wot they deservd
What a game that was
That’s how the game should be played