Sunday’s trip to Perth is the only away game Celtic have this month. With three home points from Livingston in the bag, we have home games against both St Mirren in the Scottish Cup and Aberdeen – who are going through one of their more interesting periods, before the Hampden League Cup Final against our new adversaries.
By winning on Wednesday St Johnstone avoided defeat for the first time in eight games; this does not make a summer. St Mirren have everything going for them, although they will not look forward to returning to Celtic Park, the venue of their worst result of the season only two weeks ago.
One of the truisms in football is ‘it’s all about the next game’. I know this and so it’s with a bit of trepidation that I suggest we might want to plan for the three fixtures before Hampden as a group. We have a new striker, defensive mid and central defender all needing game time to get up to full fitness. I’m also sure Sead Haksabanovic could do with 60 minutes playing time. Use these games to make sure we arrive at Hampden with as strong a squad as possible. The bitter anquish at only winning five of the last six League Cups cannot be smoothed over. There should be no trophy left behind.
Playing in such a weak league has few advantages, but being able to build an early lead and then develop players is surely one of them.
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Saint Stivs
I really like the concept of a youth academy, but it must work for us.
I would turn your question around and ask.:- What is the point of a youth academy if we gain nothing from it ?
There mut be a viable end product otherwise the time, effort and finance could be utilised in scouting good young players who will actually play for the first team.
I really get the social community aspect but in our case this has been diluted by our base in Lennoxtown.
If we had our academy in our traditional home in the East End of Glasgow then I truly think the decision would be must more difficult.
HH.
THEORINAL SADIES BHOY. Must agree with your comments on Walsh. It was so obvious that he never looked towards the goalie even after warning him about wasting time and he did walk back to the centre of the pitch in the way you stated. It certainly annoyed me during the game and thought it was my thoughts on Walsh that were colouring my take on what he appeared to be doing.
AIPPLE
You don’t know what cold is….-25 in Toronto.
James Forrest came through the academy as well and has been a great success; McGeady, Maloney and Mulgrew as well.
It would be folly not to have an academy IMO but on the social side, Celtic have a massive advantage over other clubs in terms of fan base so I think we have an obligation to bring young players on – especially the women’s game – we neglected that for years
Strongest team at Perth
Almost strongest team against St Mirren
(if they can get the job done early give those pushing for a starting slot 45 minutes)
Mix it up against Aberdeen – those who need game time to either get OR stay sharp.
Those who need a rest get rested (although should be noted with care that it would be two weeks between games)
The lack of compitition in scottiish football is driven as much by the POOR structure as individual club finances. If you ask me clubs outside celtic and sevco wanting anything less that a 16 team top flight are cheating their own supporters. That is particularly true of aberdeen, hearts and hibs who would all rather get tv money than try to build a team to compete in a larger league set up where results = more gate reciept.
Scottish football needs to wake up to the reality that change is needed
HH
My friends in Celtic,
We can only play who is in front of us. Most of can remember the attendances in earlier years. Big crowds v the huns but average attendance was not great ( even allowing for the Kelly / White method of counting )
For example
1958 /59 : 18,411
1965/66 : 24,102
1983/84 : 18,390
1992/93 : 22,684
1994/95 : 24,601
We elvolved, we had a man of vision. “Build it and they will come” was the mantra.
What did the rest of the league do ( barring EBT cheats )
Nothing is the answer. No vision, no enterprise and little effort.
For example; Aberdeen with a massive catchment area should have hunted down sponsorship with one of the oil majors. That should have been the prize for being in the non controversial oil capital of Europe.
It is not our fault that we have grown while the rest of the league has shrunk. Can the current SPL even sustain 12 teams never mind 16.
Europe is sooooo important for us.
HH.
https://gerryhassan.com/blog/the-british-empire-is-still-very-much-alive-and-kicking/
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS re: Apple vs Aipple
I hear you. There is a wee story around the name.
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BOONDOCK SAINT re: 31 in Bama
60’s next week. 60’s next week, Fahrenheit of course.
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TIMHORTON re: -25 in Toronto
Had that over Christmas, brutal stuff. Stay warm if possible.
CONNAIRE12 on 3RD FEBRUARY 2023 2:30 PM
THEORINAL SADIES BHOY. Must agree with your comments on Walsh. It was so obvious that he never looked towards the goalie even after warning him about wasting time and he did walk back to the centre of the pitch in the way you stated. It certainly annoyed me during the game and thought it was my thoughts on Walsh that were colouring my take on what he appeared to be doing.
……………………..
Thanks for the reply Connaire 12. I’m so glad you noticed it as well. Walsh’s striding up the porch without the merest glance behind him looked very deliberate so that he wouldn’t have to take action against the goalie. Not once did he jog backwards so that he could keep an eye on what was going on with the keeper even after he had warned him. It’s another one of the tactics used by Refs during our games like blowing for imaginary free kicks when we are taking a corner late on in tight matches or getting in the way of our players quick passing or blowing for imaginary fouls to break up the play and give opponents a breather.
As for the bright orange jerseys that they’ve taken to wearing in most games at Celtic Park, I’ll leave that until another day. 🤣
There are too many professional teams in Scotland for the size of population.
It was -10 when I got up this morning and it’s currently 18, quite a swing, anyways, I would love a euro league, say half a dozen divs of 20 teams with promotion and relegation, it could be done at the stroke of a pen really, wouldn’t be hard to get the backing of the clubs, the associations might be harder, they could be persuaded tho, as Denia said, doubt it will be anytime soon, sadly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGkwffmteHI
Aipple – Don’t talk to me about cold. We’re at -15F (-26C) right now. It’s going to warm up to 30F (0C) tomorrow, so might look out my shorts.
‘The bitter anquish at only winning five of the last six League Cups cannot be smoothed over’ Nice one P67.
Park not porch*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63-m_yZVNos
No surprise https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64515676
They should appeal quoting what happened in the case of dead club
TIMHORTON on 3RD FEBRUARY 2023 2:30 PM
AIPPLE
Tim Horton YOU don’t know what cold is….:)
-42C here in Ottawa.
You don’t know what cold is….-25 in Toronto.
Just been reading that Brighton has signed their fourth young Irish player from Cork City.
He joins the large Irish contingent at Brighton.
What are Celtic doing in Ireland ?
There is something seriously wrong within our youth system.HH
Lols the cold debate is won by the canadian bhoys :-)
Ange presser
https://youtu.be/4PVAZJjIu9Q
Joe hart on presser duty
https://youtu.be/p-YLEdrNEP0
HH
MNCELT and THE RETURNOF WEERON
Warmer times ahead. Speaking of fitba, might get a season ticket for Louisville, nice wee stadium for a small team. And it is REAL grass.
https://www.loucity.com/lynnfamilystadium/ you can see my office in this picture! 19th floor of the high rise to the left of the tallest building. In fact, typing this from that office just now.
AIPPLE…..
And your stadium has free wifi??? Someone should tell Celtic that such things are possible…..
Nice looking stadium Aipple. We also have a great stadium, just built a few years ago, in Minneapolis. Love the fact they have a Brew House that runs the length of one of the ends, so you can watch from behind the bar. Especially good when the temp can range from 100deg to 20deg during the season. Hope you’re well pal.
Yeah I’ve got relatives all over in Canada but the ones in Saskatchewan, well life in a fridge 🥶
BTW glad I have auto fill on or would be bored stiff having to login my credentials to post 😡😈
FANADPATRIOT on 3RD FEBRUARY 2023 4:50 PM
Just been reading that Brighton has signed their fourth young Irish player from Cork City.
He joins the large Irish contingent at Brighton.
What are Celtic doing in Ireland ?
There is something seriously wrong within our youth system.HH
Hi fanadpatriot,
It is not only a problem of what Celtic are doing in Ireland,its also what are we doing in Scotland.
A young player comes to us,what is his path to success?
Is it thro various developmental age group leagues?
Is it thro the current ‘B’ team selection?
How do we get our academy young fit enough to play in our league,then hopefully in Europe? 1st team ready.
The problem appears that we talk of youth while having no youth league infrastructure.
We then wonder why no one makes it thro to the first team.
Much as we romantically talk of youths coming thro,most do at other clubs as we do not have the patience.
Hope all yood bout the county
HH
SCULLYBHOY 3:38
Thanks for that wee read.HH
THE RETURNOF WEERON re: free wifi!
‘tis the future, right?
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MNCELT re: bar, beer and fitba
That sounds like the right way to do it. All well here mate. Work and all that are tickety boo as is my Loovul lover!
Ange absolutely blasting how GG went about trying to force his way out:
Ange on whether there was a chance of Giorgios Giakoumakis returning to the Celtic squad having not finalised a deal yet.
‘I’ll probably hear about it at the same time as you guys, maybe if you’re on Instagram you’ll hear about it earlier than me’
An Tearmann
It is so frustrating to hear of so many young Irish lads going to English clubs.
I think our scouting system is very poor and has been fora very long time.
The best in Scotland over the past years has been Hibernian,we spent a fortune buying their players .HH
TIMHORTON on 3RD FEBRUARY 2023 2:30 PM
AIPPLE
You don’t know what cold is….-25 in Toronto.
*-30 in small town Ontario, I had a lab visit scheduled for this morning you changed it taw Tuesday when it will be +5 and raining, no that effin daft
A month or so ago CQN was replete with complaints about Celtic’s inability to keep a clean sheet even though we were winning every game.
Contrast that to today’s comments on the theme of us being trapped in a weak league set-up.
I believe in the Jock Stein mantra — I don’t care if they score 3 as long as we score 4.
When the players are parading the league trophy around Celtic Park in 3 months time, nobody will care about goals conceded in the process.
Points make prizes.
Celtic Park does provide free wi-fi.
it’s just crap wifi that you get working for two minutes out of every half hour
THE RETURNOF WEERON
Celtic Park has free Wi-Fi
The BT Stand at Hampden not only has shite wi-fi, but you also cant get a phone signal in the car park.
TROW
I read somewhere a few years back that Ottawa ( in the winter) was the coldest capital city in the world,bad enough here but it’s just for the day back to seasonal tomorrow -3
Why do you need WiFi – should be watching the game. 🤭
Tom
Wifi is shite at CP for me. Had to stand outside bogs last game to do a cash transfer. I know my phone service is bad in UK with Irish plan but wifi should work
Surely it only matters if we have missed out on a GOOD prospect from Ireland.
We have tried a lot of lads from there without success in the past O’Connell, Fiacre Kelleher and even Cillian Sheridan.
We had Jonny Kenny recently and Liam Scales plus we still have 2 u-21 Irish internationals though one was not native born, in Vata and Lawal. ( I think Luca Connel was Ireland-qualified too)
Brighton are very pleased with young Evan Ferguson just now and are hoping to land something similar but, it is a hard trick to repeat.
I’m always happy to see good Irish boys here but they need to be good more than they need to be Irish or any other nationality.