Being as celebrated as the Lions have been for the last 54 years must take its toll, but with Bertie Auld, it never showed. If you have only met one Lisbon Lion, it most probably was Bertie. The news, released by his family yesterday, that he is the latest Lion to suffer dementia, will be distressing to all who cherish him. This is not the time to share our fondest memories of him, but I know we all send him our best wishes.
I have enjoyed watching much of the Euros. The element of surprise and the hope of discovering an emerging force. Watching how weaker teams, like Sweden, successfully earn a point against feted opponents. Watching talents such as Ronaldo prance like a prized stallion; it’s sheer theatre. The best part: for me, it is stress free. I can watch the sport as entertainment.
It is different, of course, when you have skin in the game. I have watched great and not-so-great Celtic teams all my life and I often find myself less than entertained by Celtic teams at both ends of the ability spectrum. Celtic is a mood-altering phenomenon. The joy from wins can be merely satisfactory as the result was expected, or it can lift spirits beyond anything else I know. Defeats, well, you know about them.
The problem here is that I have no choice in the matter. For me, Celtic is an addictive mood-altering phenomenon, I would not have it any other way, of course. Fortunately, there is more sunshine than shadow.
I want Scotland to win tonight and it would be great for Ryan Christie to score a cracker (eye on the LSD, if I can confuse the metaphor). But this is Scotland, the pain-joy balance is not the same as with Celtic. My expectation is they will lose, there will be trauma and we will probably hear about it for the next quarter of a century.
Watching Scotland is also a mood-altering phenomenon. For me, though, it is not addictive. I can take or leave it; build a shield of indifference against inevitable disappointment. I might see if there’s a film on tonight, leave the intoxicant for others. Enjoy your night.
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Ernie – two football guys……………..
one with insight and previous experience, the other , very much his own man by all accounts – an no shrinking violet.
I’d call that ” supportive”………(but then I’m not overly prone to feeling insecure)
I suspect neither is AP.
UNCLE JIMMY on 20TH JUNE 2021 1:27 PM
You implied we were worse off now than last season because of the loss of players, lack of incoming etc. Without consideration for the negatives of keeping failing managers, u derpreforming captain and unhappy players which can cause many more problems than the benefits from having quality players. Dutch teams are often good examples, regards having lots of great players but unable to do as well as lesser teams of lesser quality due to supersize egos and division in the camp vs togetherness and commitment to the cause.
ERNIE LYNCH on 20TH JUNE 2021
You are blinkered labour union lover who would quickly condemn the tory’s for not condemning the sevco thugs in george square despite fact they are not in power, word that springs to mind hypocrite
HH
elephants
Gordon Strachan has ruled himself out of the permanent manager’s job on a good number of occasions – however having someone like him at the club, in the event that things don’t go as planned, is not a bad thing.
It is in no one’s interest that his presence undermines the new coach and I don’t think it will happen. Ange will get, at least, a full season to implement his methodology. It will come as no surprise, given the squad turmoil that is extant, if that season is not an unqualified success – but reasonable supporters will judge if we are moving in the right direction.
There will be a direct correlation between domestic success and Champions League riches, with automatic qualification for the title-winners, next season. Ibrox is in the ‘box-seat’, as they are with this season’s CL qualifying campaign.
Unless something pretty miraculous happens, we could be second, even, third-best next season – as I said before the ‘acid-test’.
BANKIEBHOY1- totally get what you mean,but not great after just appointing a new manager…..seems The Scotsman is poo pooing the Strachan story
An assistant manager or coach who does not take any responsibility for dismal results and performances is not healthy.
HH.
STEPHBHOY67 on 20TH JUNE 2021 2:26 PM
Not a cult. Definitely not a cult.
YAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Premiership clubs have taken loans totalling £25m from the Scottish government to help them through the Covid-19 crisis. Rangers borrowed the most – £3.2m – while Celtic were the only top-flight club not to take any cash.
Loans from anybody/anywhere, ‘confetti’ share issues, court actions & compensation claims swirling about. Nothing but nothing deflects the Ibrox win at all costs and under any circumstances strategy.
What is holding the project together? – well it’s easy to see. (1) A willingness of the well-heeled & not so, supporters, eager to pump cash into the club. (2) A real belief that £60m+ is on offer over the next eighteen months from CL qualifications. (3) Confidence that they have 2/3 players that could be sold for decent money without unduly weakening the team, e.g. Tavernier, Kent & Morelos. (4) Celtic being in such apparent disarray.
What percentage of our fan base read blogs? Mich smaller percentage posting? Wonder what it is.
Anyway, happy fathers day to those who are fathers or celebrate it with their fathers or to remember fathers who have gone.
I got a lovely Celtic related fathers day gift. Fair choked me up. Whatever goes on in the club, on the pitch Celtic will always be as much about family to me as anything else. It is a tie that binds me and mine in many ways. Not the only one, but a big one.
Birthday caird p1$# emoji incoming for that and rightly so, but I don’t care. Its true.
Hail Hail and have a good one.
Lions and tigers and bears
Oh my.
It’s Dave king so it is.
Are ` head to head `clashes count should teams draw level in the end of group stages?
Hot Smoked
A good article, spoiled only by the spurious mention of “English taxpayers”.
HH
Andrew Smith of the Scotsman has dismissed the claim that WGS will become DoF.
The DoF situation is concerning. Now a manager is in place, there seems to be a bit of relief but the DoF is the one who identifies players (and the manager, not the other way around) and helps get those signings over the line.
The fact we don’t have one in place is massively concerning and I for one don’t believe that we didn’t want Harkin.
Have had a busy few days and haven’t had a peep at CQN.
Got a Heads Up from An Tearmann that he posted that yesterday was my 50th Wedding Anniversary so reading back I see some lovely good will messages.
A sincere Thank You to all , delighted in particular Melbourne Mick & Hamilton Tim posting.
Had a great weekend, it will take me a few days to recover but just wanted to pop on & express my appreciation,
HH
JHB on 20TH JUNE 2021
Sevco are run at massive deficit each and every year and are not challenged about what is essentially financial doping, imagine the outrage if celtic were doing it. champions league qualification would lead to an almost breakeven for sevco on current squad spend. I expect champions league is the goal in order to stabilise their finances and reach self sufficiency. It’s good when it works but it’s a risky strategy and not a long term solution. All clubs need to live within their means cause the wind can and does changes direction quickly.
ERNIE LYNCH on 20TH JUNE 2021 3:07 PM
You are blind to your own bias with no ability to think beyond your nose. Told you before and I will tell you again labour and the tory’s are exactly the same, simply wear red rather than blue. Labour party sold its soul to the bankers and businessmen and ordinary working folk got screwed over.
STEPHBHOY67 on 20TH JUNE 2021 4:56 PM
I don’t normally comment on politics and while I don’t disagree with your comments regarding Labour, I always think there’s a “lesser of two evils”.
The electoral system in the UK leads us to vote for the party we despise the least rather than one we can really get behind.
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 20TH JUNE 2021 11:46 AM
HOT SMOKED on 20TH JUNE 2021 9:04 AM
That’s a interesting read, the tartan army does have a friendly reputation but that was not always the case. Those old enough will remember the 1970’s in particular when our reputation was down the toilet.
When I compare the fans behaviour from London 1979 to the 1982 world cup in Spain, it’s as if they were totally different fans.
*that’s back in the day when the huns were quintessentially Scottish and no brutish.
I’ve watched the new manager interviewed separately by Tweedledee and Tweedledum from Celtic TV. God help Ange with the scoattish media if that pair are anything to go by. Both of our media team were wearing tracksuits!!
Tweedledum, with the goatee beard, began almost every question with ” I’m guessing………………”
He was guessing that Ange had been in touch with John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan to know how things were on the ground. Like any great Aussie, Ange batted that one away for six, stating that yes, he had spoken to people at the club including the club doctor and the CEO…… ” .
Tweedledum was not even courteous enough at the end to wholeheartedly THANK Ange for doing the interview.
Put the tracksuit tops away lads.
Italians going down like they’ve been shot.
SAME OLD ITALY, ALWAYS CHEATING!
I hope some other team hammers them.
Spain? Portugal?
THE BLOGGER
If that post was in response to mine, I agree wholeheartedly.
Cheats should NEVER win.
Unless they are the rainjurs.
The Welsh have been putting in some heavy tackles in this match. Now they’ve had a man sent off.
Definitely a red.
STEPHBHOY67 on 20TH JUNE 2021 4:56 PM
——
I purposely made no moral judgement on Ibrox- ‘fair players’, or not, ‘fair players” – I just observed their modus operandi. It hasn’t changed despite almost ten years of ‘wilderness’ consequentials since 2011/12.
What is important for Celtic supporters is how we operate. The club has not availed itself of a ‘bite’ at these loans – to me that just confirms our modus operandi – we live within our means at all times….i.e. ‘cut our cloth to suit’.
Anyone expecting debt-funding of a transfer war-chest should take heed. The club will only spend what it raises from sales. If, how & when these outgoings materialise is anybody’s guess. Would the likes of Edouard, Ajer & Christie see it in their best interests to ‘run down’ their contracts in what is still a Covid-ravaged football world? How would these three commit & contribute knowing that a serious injury could jeopardise the biggest pay day in their career?
Yawn!
‘keep the head’
‘bored to tears”
“mike and bernie”
‘gies peace’
I can see why ‘that guy’ get let go as a ‘campaign manager’
From a purely financial view point, I’m not sure why we didn’t avail of the opportunity to access a multi-million pound interest free long term loan. It seems a no brainer.
Italy the best team that I’ve seen in tournament.
Hope they go on to win it
GEEBEE1978 on 20TH JUNE 2021 5:03 PM
STEPHBHOY67 on 20TH JUNE 2021 4:56 PM
I don’t normally comment on politics and while I don’t disagree with your comments regarding Labour, I always think there’s a “lesser of two evils”.
The electoral system in the UK leads us to vote for the party we despise the least rather than one we can really get behind.
…….
Fair play, I am not an SNP supporter and would much prefer a true left party. People make their own political decisions and that is fine. However, some on here continually disrespect others i.e. referring to cult followers etc. and attempt to label all supporters of independence etc in disparaging ways as if their views are less.
It’s only fair then to question the credentials of said person’s political alliances. I let my eyes, ears and life experience shape my views and to be honest neither the tory’s or the labour party share the same values as me, yet both profess themselves as “for the people”. Labour more so. Lib dems much the same but they just want a comfy place to lay their heads.
Complete neglect of social care
private enterprise profiting from the public purse increased poverty
Increased child poverty
Poor and limited housing
Poor and expensive public transport
Regressive tax system I.e. council tax, paye system
Tax breaks for the rich
Private school getting public funding
Private health service charging nhs
Rich/ well of folk jumping queues to treatment and good schooling by paying I.e. no incentive to properly fund these as its has no impact on them or theirs. Makes the rich and political classes’ children attend public school with wee Jimmy and you can bet education will become a priority.
Cronyism
Nuclear weapons
Fine a party that will challenge/ reverse the above and they get my support, the lessor od to evil is still evil
I dont want a utopia of left wingers/ socialism and i am happy to see people do well and have things but the inequality and balance is very wrong at the minute.
HH
JHB on 20TH JUNE 2021 6:31 PM
Celtic dont risk it, stick to the budget and plan as best possible. sevco play the risky game and hope all falls into place, if not its shares and sales and hope. Dont expect celtic to spend more than we have, but we had 19 million in the bank in jan with the sale of frimpong, Klamala and elhammed following from their. Massive drop off in wages since then too. I have no doubt in my mind that christie, ntcham, eduard and ajer will all go this season.
We will likely sign lessor players than eduard and ajer but perhaps those players will be more motivated and committed. Christie and ntcham offered the grand total of nothing last season so no great loss, same goes for all the players that have already departed.
I will panic when I see reason to at this point all I have seen is an underpreforming manager and about 10 or so underperforming players exit the club with another few to go. Ajer and eduard are the only players that leaves this season who we will miss in my opinion based on last season oh and eduard from second part of season only
HH
Hartlepool have been promoted
TONYROME-belated birthday wishes to your niece 🎉
Good to hear you all enjoyed the garden party buddy 🍀
jackiemac
No doubt dreaming of Europe
Or then again, maybe not…..
There is no desire among 95% of the population for a “true left” party. Indeed there is no need for a “true left” party.
The Labour Party won all the great socialist battles from free health care to the benefits system during a limited time in office over the last one hundred yeats. No party has come within as hundred miles of Labour when it comes to fighting for the working-class. The SNP have neither espoused, nor, enacted, any substantial policy specific to the working class in their ‘puff’. They were always known as the ‘Tartan Tories’ and under their Saltire camouflage they still are. Actions speak louder than words and the actions of the Labour Party and the SNPcult are diametrically opposite when it comes down to the working people of Scotland.
The far left are every bit as divisive, and at times far more reactionary than the far right these days.
Today there is much SNPcult sloganizing, marching and flag-waving….but when we get down to living standards and making ends meet for families & individuals, how many convert SNPcult voters could get by from month to month without Tax Credits successfully introduced by Labour to lift people out of poverty.
Your list of do called failings makes my point so much stronger than I could – Education, Health, Social Care, Local & General Taxation are all in the hands of the SNPcult administration at Holyrood – in fact they have turned down the chance to administer other benefits and social aspects until 2025 because they have neither the interest, nor, the nous to do so.
If there is failure in all the above it is SNPcult failure…and the reason for that failure is crystal-clear. They are more interested in indy than anything else.
Scotland has the most powerful devolved administration in the world – we are protected within the sixth largest economy in the world. There is a fantastic opportunity to fashion distinct Scottish solutions to Scottish questions backed up by the UK which, through the Barnett Formula, allows an extra £2500 per person/per year to be spent on vital services in Scotland.
There is no coherent economic policy for an independent Scotland, if there was the SNPcult would be screaming it from the rooftops and plastering on every billboard, just like they did with the tissue of lies contained in the 2014 “thick’ White Paper, Scotland’s Future. The lies about Oil Revenue & abolishing the Council Tax are there for all to see.
If you want an instant bankrupt backwater, by all means vote SNPcult…and if you dare to ask how a Scottish economy will survive after independence, you will get the same answer as in 2014…”it will be alright on the night, why not give it a try”.
Playing Russian Roulette with people’s livelihood, jobs, pensions & social benefits is as despicable as it is foolhardy – there would be no way back into the UK.
Corkcelt-50 years of absolute bliss no doubt 😉
Congratulations 🎉
I stalk this guy on Twitter 😉 but Hamilton Tim even though I haven’t met yet,comes across as a really really good ghuy.one more really,for effect 😉🍀