When I checked my phone this morning it was full of emails and texts about Kevin McKenna’s seminal article in the Observer on the treatment, or lack of it, Neil Lennon experienced during his years in Scotland. It placed a mirror in front of the former Celtic manager, for Scotland to look at its reflection.
The prime targets were not missed: the Scottish Government, the SFA and the conspicuously idle anti-racism bodies, while the “reserved professions”, the Tories and the C of S were marked for historically nurturing anti-Catholic and Irish sentiment in Scotland.
People outside Scotland will read in horror, perhaps tinged with a whiff of moral superiority that their own communities are not similarly afflicted. This, ironically, would reflect the moral superiority many in Scotland viewed the English with last week, as a sizeable minority of their apparently poorly-educated, old and white voters backed candidates who align with racist, misogynistic and homophobe views.
In CQN comments section Scotland has often been parodied as the worst small country in the world, which is absurd. In truth, its panorama of human values vary little from those shared by our neighbours or anywhere across the globe. To think otherwise invests more weight in racial traits than I’m comfortable with.
Order your dedicated copy of Tommy Gemmell’s All the Best at the fancy new CQN Bookstore.
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Pod
A lump of coal
Is not dross
4-0
He shoots
And scores
Auldheid
13:41 on
25 May, 2014……..
Thanks for the reply.
For the record, I imagine that I am one of the happiest of clappers.
To over simplify things, I would suggest a strategy that allows for one bad year.
That is, we don’t qualify for the UCL and life goes on. For that, we need top notch scouting – and a reserve.
All else being equal, the manager should know what his budget is likely to be. Something along the lines of 2/3 of the money from player sales, and 50% of the UCL money.
That would allow the Club to build a reserve as mentioned above.
I think that hoping to make the Group Stages is a mistake. Spend a chunk of the annual budget to give us the best chance of qualifying.
As for declining domestic revenues, we are in a tough spot. Posters on here are developing a serious hatred for the executive level of the Club – seemingly due to the Club not doing enough to ensure that ‘Rangers’ were really ‘dead’.
On the other hand, people are staying away, many of whom are saying there is no competition.
I would add that waiting for Aberdeen or the likes to really compete with us in the league, well, it will be a very long wait. One which will require us dropping to their level more so than the other way round.
So, while we seem to be very much on the same page, I would say that we should focus on August, and Christmas will take care of itself.
HH
Again
Damn ……..
Weeron, ya cheeky rascal. I was hoping for 10 in a row. :-))
Hmmmmmm……
Sun shining in Glasgow (probably temporary!)
Not sure I can venture out into those mean streets, me being a Tim an’ all !
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
14:57 on 25 May, 2014
AULDHEID
SLO?
Try the SFO.
=%=======
I’m acting SFO if you please :)
Feck it…I’m off oot!
Weeron
Same aim, different expression of it.
The original sadies bhoy
It would be best for all If you could get 50 in a row, that way the rest of us could just go straight to page 2 of the new article, no offence intended btw.
Buckie!!
(Moved to sign in while sober!)
Brilliant article Paul.
Just dropped by to say please please please not a rookie manager, all that will do is ensure big Pete will still call all the shots, and from a football perspective rather than a bank account balance perspective, thats will not be a good thing for us.
Gary67- That will be the same Owen Coyle ,who told my mate last year (when he was Bolton manager), he wouldn’t take the Celtic job ” for all the money in the world”……………
billy bhoy 05
14:43 on 25 May, 2014
We do not know who to rule in or out. However, Paul has already put on these pages if they are talking to the media they ain’t talking to Celtic. We do not know what chance if any Stevie Clarke has in securing the job.
As the old Submarine saying goes, run silent, run deep.
Do the media have a clue what the Club’s thoughts are, do we mate, nope.
Of the names mentioned to date I don’t think any of them do it for me for various reasons. Of all them that have I would say that Moyes is definitely not in the right frame of mind at present.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
neganon2
15:07 on 25 May, 2014
Even if Labour get in ?
Weeron.
I think the celtic board are the ones creating the divide between them and the support. I think our strategy is to save up money for the return of the Hun and hope we get lucky Europe. Last season saw us sell 3 of our best players with no replacements lined up. We scraped by Karaganda and no wonder Neil felt worried. If we hadn’t the backlash would have been immeasurable. I don’t think NL appreciates being asked to qualify with both hands behind his back. Hence he went offsky.
Then add to that the victimisation of the celtic support. Celtic are playing to the anti catholic tune created in Edinburgh and in our institutionally sectarian police force. The treatment of not just the GB but the rest of the support, allowing stewards to bully fans, giving all our details to police etc etc. it’s nothing short of disgraceful. We caught them lying about safety certificates and passing details on to the police.
Then there’s the rangers thing. Auldheid and co are doing a great job on res12 (apologies again Auldheid) if you felt I was having a go yesterday. But the thing is the length of time it is taking suggests that celtic don’t want it I tackled (alongside the silence on everything else). The TV deal details also confirm that view.
If I throw in the timing of NL’s departure after the SB deadline. And DD continued criticism of the celtic support while telling us how much he respects the Hun.
Well what could any sane person think?
And to add injury to insult they keep telling us how great we are and how they are sure we will continue to support them. If we are so fab then why treat us with contempt?
Just had a great lunch. Lisbon full of Celtic fans. Taxi taking us to Estadio Nacional, but he has just pulled into a car park, looks like a big church. Tells to ” Go” ans says he will wait. Mutters something about Jeronimos. We are deciding to have a look because we still have sometime to kick off.
What about Frank Rijkaard and John Kennedy as a Partnership?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Re Noo Celtic Manager..
Put..
Me doon….. fur a Big “Thumbs Doon”… Fur..
Moyes..( N.. Mak that a Pair.. of “Thumbs Doon”..Fur ME… when ye ur at it!…ed)
Coyle
Henryk
of the Rest of the Contendahs..?
Only..
Clarkie Baby…n… Jackie Mac..
Deserve a “Thumbs UP!”.. although, Ah must admit that
a wid Gie..
Jackie Mac.. a “Doubler!”
Kojo
Still Laughin’
Lennybhoy
Aye Spit the Dog
Away ooot
Lennybhoy- i would advertise the job and see who applies.
Awe naw – both. But the mixture makes it even worse.
Adi dasier. It doesn’t matter who gets in. The problem is endemic. Our institutions are sectarian. That’s why we all howl at the media. Independence makes it worse because it isolates us as a very small minority without the influence from a wider, less parochial population.
We probably already have a new manager whose name won’t be revealed until he returns from holiday.
Still recruiting for the CQN pool day .
This is an open invite for a day of beer , pool and a good craic.
The date is still to be finalised ,but it will be on a Saturday.
Prize money will go to a suitable charity.
The Venue will be Scotland’s best pool hall , Styx in Kirkcaldy.
All CQN’rs are welcome to play or just come along and enjoy the day out.
Players so far are;
Sipsini
Bamboo
MWD
HT
GCT
Delaneys Dunky
Thunder Road
Celticrollercoaster
MickTT
Lennybhoy
Petec
TinyTim
Anyone interested in playing or just enjoying a day out with fellow Tims and raising some money for charity.
Leave a note on here or contact me through Paul67
TT
EDB
Thomas Cook ?
Paul67
I contributed a chapter to a book Bigotry Football and Scotland and in it spoke of my upbringing with Rangers supporting mates that was based on friendship and a common Gallowgate background.
That is not to say there was not elements of sectarianism in that society, of course there was but I distanced myself from it whatever it’s source. I was uncomfortable with it as a person.
However I did say in the book that Rangers was a totem around which the worst of Protestant attitudes danced and given that Celtic had to tango with them our attitudes must be coloured by that experience and given its a Celtic blog then it will inevitably dance to the sectarian tune to some extent.
However I think it would be a mistake to say that those caught in the dance are reflective of Scottish society as a whole, but I do see a better society if that totem fails to be resurrected as it was.
For that reason I hope it fails, but if another symbol more reflective of my experience growing up were to take its place I would not wish to deny anyone the chance to experience rivalry without the poison.
I think that was called “banter” in the purest sense of that word.
!!bada bing!!
15:43 on 25 May, 2014
I don’t think that we need to advertise it mate.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
NegAnon2
Can you elaborate where you see the OB bill impacting on Catholics lives within Scotland?
Its not that I do not believe you but from afar it seems to me just to be Irish Republicanism
HH
Started recording. As soon as saw the look on Petries face. Hopefulyl t will get worse and can enjoy the reruns
HH
the spirit of arthur lee
15:43 on 25 May, 2014
I’m back in from being oot…
Love
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
PS: Forgot about the old Bob Carlgees partnership.
Paul67 I read your leader with some interest. I think,Scotland has a serious serious endemic problem and in the last few years it has gotten worse not better.,The OB act is a massive red flag for those of us who would throw our weight behind a yes vote.
Furthermore Scotland is in utter denial. The sentence in mckenna’s otherwise excellent piece where he says that some people think Scotland is anti catholic and where he says “it isn’t really” actually confirms both the problem and the denial.
I think many in Scotland take the position of moral superiority (look at how socialist we are etc) while at the same time either ignoring or supporting sectarianism. Is this cognitive dissonance in action?
I find it absurd that mckenna’s piece is routinely praised but in the same breath posters say it isn’t that bad or it’s getting better.