I know you have soft spot for Callum McGregor. He has been a rock for Celtic for so long that even last season’s disappointments were never regarded as a reflection on the man who Ange Postecoglou will almost certainly confirm as his first captain at Celtic.
Good players in poor teams look anything like good players, though, and Callum ended the domestic campaign with little to look back on with satisfaction. I’m not going to tell you the Scotland national team is any good, but they have the infrastructure of a functional team, which despite so many accomplished players, Celtic did not possess last season.
Fix the infrastructure and Callum McGregor is one of several who will flourish. Loved his goal last night, but it is not even in my top two of his into that net, not even close.
207 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- »
HAIL! HAIL! por cierto
I’m not sure about the captaincy though, por cierto
Calmac is head and shoulders above the likes of McTominay and McGinn.
And he’s also Covid-reistant! 😁
Alternatively Paul,
I’d hate Callum to stay dragged down at the level of the SPFL, and last night I thought the midfield we once dreamed of having – Armstrong, McGinn and McGregor – looked totes inept against their Croatian opponents.
Don’t turn a McGregor into another McStay; let Cal flourish again under Brendan; take a good fat fee and replace him with Aaron Mooy, James McCarthy and Riley McGree.
Appoint Jullien as captain – am sure he’d love it and mature on it.
Let the Age of Ange begin afresh!
PS: I admire Cal and The Maestro heaps but feel they’re diminished by staying with us way too long.
i can just see the fear in our.european opponents eyes in the tunnel before the games next season as our captain mcgregor the assassin eyeballs them
not
ERNIE LYNCH on 23RD JUNE 2021 11:39 AM
POR CIERTO on 23RD JUNE 2021 1:31 AM
‘Can someone explain to me why the officials were all Argentinian tonight, thought this was the Euros. It’s not as if they’re not needed in South America as Copa America is in full flow, por cierto.’
###
‘In addition, as part of an exchange programme within the framework of the cooperation agreement between UEFA and the South American Football Confederation CONMEBOL, for the first time ever a South American referee will join the European group of referees and a European will travel to South America. Argentinian referee Fernando Rapallini and his assistants will join the selected European referees for EURO 2020, while a Spanish refereeing team led by Jesús Gil Manzano will be part of the selected CONMEBOL referees for the Copa América 2021 in Argentina and Colombia.’
https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/mediaservices/mediareleases/news/0268-12182cf1475f-825d23faf300-1000–referee-teams-for-uefa-euro-2020-appointed/
The concept of an exchange programmes for referees is to be welcomed.
Thanks ERNIE, por cierto
Lost Glasgow
@LostGlasgow
Interesting to read that Sub Club director, Mike Grieve, has been granted a licence for a pop up venue in the former, rooftop playground of the old Our Lady and St Margaret’s Primary School on Stanley Street, Kinning Park.
Pic: Glasgow Libraries
https://twitter.com/LostGlasgow/status/1407255005686636544/photo/1
With renewal deadline tomorrow and no backroom team confirmed, as well as a question mark over the DoF, I’m afraid I’ll be letting it pass me by.
After the cup game at Ibrox, I was and remained determined not to renew unless Kennedy is removed from first team duties.
Kennedy will almost certainly now remain as Ange’s assistant which imo puts us considerably back in progressing on from last season.
previous blog.
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 23RD JUNE 2021 12:17 PM
SFTB
31003
that was an excellent read of all your collective experiences of coaching youth football, ta for that.
AN DÚN on 23RD JUNE 2021 12:36 PM
Just wondering if we got an assistant manager from another league that had one 4 of the last 5 national league titles as an assistant head coach, including a quadruple treble, if you would think that was a good enough CV for the job?
All ended as a bit of a whimper bordering on embarrassment.
Im afraid Cal was chasing as many shadows as his Premierships colleagues when they viewed first had how a midfield should operate.
…. and I’m not terribly excited about the prospect either. But when I step back and consider it objectively, I can’t say his experience is all that bad!
Yip Calmac is class imo.
Captains have different styles.
1 is setting an example, Broonie has detailed that Calum does this. Also not he appeared to be motivating and leading the Scotland team more than Robertson.
Looking back at succesful captains in history, they are not all bullsh, determined is fine.
BASHI-BAZOUKS on 23RD JUNE 2021 12:47 PM
Great question 🍀
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING
If you thought Jim Chapman could be a bit crude, you should have worked under Eddie Hunter at Queens Park.
Gasgow Council were running kids classes on a Saturday morning at Bannerman High in Baillieston- a wee bit of light coaching and lots of game time in ht gym and Games Hall there (excellent facilities I used with my own Sport at the time). It only cost less than £2 for each kid and they had Eddie Hunter and Willie Pettigrew as the “coaches”.
Well, Eddie, despite his reputation, was wonderful with the kids (Willie Pettigrew seemed shy and took a back seat) but he really struggled to control his swearing. He was used to being a bit of a sergeant major with his Queens Park coaching but with these younger kids, he never lost his temper but he often inadvertently lapsed into swearing. I have to say I found it amusing watching his struggle to control his language and the kids just laughed it off. None of mine have turned into regular swearers despite Eddie’s example.
SAINT STIVS
“rooftop playground of the old Our Lady and St Margaret’s Primary School on Stanley Street, Kinning Park.”
My two older sisters went to that school, I went to the one along the road in Stanley Street, can’t for the life of me wonder why they went there and I didn’t, por cierto.
I often think players need a different captain than spectators need.
As spectators we often like a snarling determined aggressive personality.
The players need a model of someone who keeps going and inspires them to be better. They may not need to be liked but they need to be admired and respected.
I am told Emlyn Hughes was thoroughly disliked byy many Liverpool team mates but he led a successful team.
I prefer teams with several leaders. I had hoped Shane Duffy would be one but he had a nightmare season with us.
I shall be renewing today, can’t wait to see Ange’s team in action, doesn’t matter who else is there at the moment, re a backroom team, as they will be following his instructions and as I’ve said before, he takes the training so it will be his way or no way, por cierto
BASHI-BAZOUKS
That would depend…
Not if said coach had demonstrably failed at coaching even the most basic forms of set piece defending while spending most of the previous season shrugging when asked to provide support to the manager. I’d be inclined to pass on him in those circumstances.
SFTB
My late Dad worked beside Eddy Hunter . My Dad never let a swear word past his lips , but liked Eddy a lot and thought he was one of the good guys .
One for the grown-ups today, Paul – excellent!
Must admit I had a wee flashback to Callum’s goal against Motherwell.
Scotland have improved but are still a bit short on a number of levels.
More importantly The Ange has landed
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2021/june/Ange-Postecoglou-touches-down-in-Glasgow/
Ange Jets in to Glasgow, private jet no less.
Sure the papers will be all over that…..😉
I’ve not read back today, too busy at work so not sure about the general consensus on last night.
IMO we were outclassed, McGinn and Armstrong in particular were out of their depth.
The missed sitters by McGinn and Adams were very poor indeed with neither even hitting the target.
A bit like Celtic actually poor defensively and toothless upfront.
With the current squad I think qualifying for the finals was as good as its likely to get.
I enjoyed it while it lasted and the fan zone for the England game was brilliant.
I think in many countries the captains arm-band automatically goes to the oldest in the team. An inspirational strong character player doesnt really need to be captain.
All good stuff Pablo but I worry about Calum’s legs and endurance.
The lad has played a totally ridiculous amount of football in the last four years.
I was disappointed last night but not surprised. I don’t think Scotland will get any further in any tournament unless or until we change the prevailing mindset: get tore into thum. Agricultural football is not football as the rest of the world knows it. It is used to compensate for too many players lacking in good technique. Imo, the rot set in in the 80s when Hearts went on a run and nearly won the league only to be pipped by us in the last 10 minutes of the season.
I thought the biggest difference in the teams was how composed Croatia are when they put Modric on the ball.
Everyone trust him, knows what he is capable of , so the genius touches and passes are expected.
I found it kind off silly that in the run up people were talking about an ageing team, there for the taking.
Was Lubo older than Luca is now when we signed him?
Body language all wrong.
Hands in pockets , doesnt want to be here,
The 2 men are suspicious of each other, it is a power stuggle already.
Dare I say, he is a tad overweight, so not setting a good example.
At 5 years older than NFL, it is a strange appointment.
The lack of commitment is obvious , if he was keane he would have been at lennoxtown this avo.
what the papers will be crawling over is Mr McKay being airside during the pandemic.
Struth.
https://images.webapi.gc.celticfc.com/fit-in/1400×1400/d85f10d0-d416-11eb-9ae0-cfe64a9fc282.jpg
Modric was fantastic a real master class from a genius.
Our performance was summed up for me in the second half when Armstrong picked the ball up near the half way line about 20 yards away from the touchline, his first touch went straight out for a throw to Croatia.
Ever since coming back from Notts Co and ‘making his mark’, Callum has been a favourite of mine, my family & others with whom l share space at CP twenty odd times per season.
He always delivers a minimum six out of ten performance, usually much more. He is not a great player, but a very skillful & important one – he has been the glue holding our successful domestic squad together at times. Last season needed more than glue.
Obviously I don’t know his mind, but he surely must be slightly worried that as some move on, he may be left behind. I think he has taken his career as far as it will go at Celtic – tales of the riches & excitement to be had down south will have been made well known to him during international duty.
I see him getting a move to the likes of a Norwich, Burnley, Brentford type of EPL club – if he does I will wish him well – of course if he stays I will keep on enjoying him. I think he is at the crossroads – wonder what route he will choose.
SAINT STIVS on 23RD JUNE 2021 1:32 PM
He certainly doesn’t fit the image of a Tuchel or Guardiola , who still look as if they could pull on the boots . I think you are maybe reading too much into the body language though . Agreed it doesn’t set a good example but from what’s been said about him , he won’t to;erate his players not being in peak condition .
Wizat Peter’s jet as well?
Whodathunkit.
PHILBHOY on 23RD JUNE 2021 1:41 PM
Not only was it Peter’s jet , it was sitting on Peter’s heated runway!
G,
i was being sarky -)))
SAINT
Am thinking this is but another in your natty line of satirical posts lampooning the site’s hunterlopers (clue; they oft have ambiguous names that give short shrift to romans or minimise the twilight of our greatest day).
Ange Bosstecoglou, has long carried his keftethes with a confident swagger – but with the delicious Green fayre on offer down in Oakleigh’s restaurant strip, whommus can blame him for having a bit of a saganaki around the belt-line ?
Hail Hail and welcome, ANGE to Paradise!!
SAINT STIVS on 23RD JUNE 2021 1:43 PM
G,
Doh !!!!!!!!