Performing with an edge, naked opportunism

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If you were a professional football player, you would love to be in the Celtic dressing room tomorrow evening.  You would have the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself; put in a big, meaningful performance.  Record a bit of history and create a uniquely memorable victory.

There are some players who are fraught with anxiety on such occasions, but there are others who NEED these games, need an edge, to reach their peak.  If we have a team full of the latter, Legia are in for a torrid night.

I’m doing my best to ignore the naked opportunism in our media this week.  There is no point complaining about it, lose heavily and you become vulnerable to those who live to revel in a Celtic defeat.  Don’t lose and you don’t give them (friends and foes alike) a chance.

We’ve been here before.  Artmedia, Braga, Utrecht, Sion (despite the reprieve) and Karagandy all exposed an aching heart.  European football is unforgiving, try to transition and you’ll find someone ready to exploit, but that doesn’t mean you are wrong to transition.

We might talk about this transition more later in the month but we have a game to win first.  Can’t wait.

Check out the fantastic work by the cyclists who are taking part in the Paradise to Cardenden Cycle 2014 on 6 September. You can join them – all you need is a bike. Get involved, you’ll be delighted you did, I promise. Read about it here.

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  1. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    LYMMBHOY

     

     

    Lunny will be getting warmed up already.

     

     

    Disrepute charge a racing cert.

  2. Time to dispense with all the mollycoddling stuff…..

     

    ….if Celtic don’t get through to the CL, and then don’t get into the EL….

     

    RD should get the bullet. imho

     

     

    And, furthermore…if there is a shred of dignity / honour at executive level at CP…PL / JP should put their jaikits on as well. imho

     

     

    But, the above won’t happen cos – Celtic FC / PLC are a rudderless ship and ye know what?

     

     

    It’s conveniently rudderless. That way, all the little scams go….undetected. imho

     

     

    Maybe, the Celtic ‘bored’ / DD / PL etc are enjoying an easy ride on the gravy train, gravy provided by ‘supporters’ cash input, cos…..the Celtic ‘supporters’ of today, arent paranoid enough?

     

     

    Only saying…..

  3. 67Heaven

     

     

    I never called you an eejit, you bampot!

     

     

    I think that was a. n. other on here…ahem.

     

     

    I know my eejits from my bampots.

  4. The Green Man on

    Im totally ashamed and angry the way

     

    Celtic are being run….the plc are trying to destroy us.

     

    Peter…..what a shock you are in for from tomorrow. ..everybody is sick of you…Please resign

     

    You are a disgrace .

     

     

    HH

  5. Snake Plissken on

    Kev Jungle

     

     

    Reserve all this guy should go, that guy should go until after the game tonight.

     

     

    Judge the game on –

     

     

    Player performance

     

    Tactics

     

    Result.

     

     

    In that order.

     

     

    Not saying you are wrong but 3 games into a preseason is not an effective judge of players and manager.

     

     

    The ‘bored’ on the other hand and the great policy regardless of those three things above need more than a little looking at.

  6. SydneyTim

     

     

    09:32 on 6 August, 2014

     

    ____________________

     

    Aye, AGM day.

     

    Not a rebel to be found in the gathering of, the still wet behind the ears / easily sooked-in brigade who are bought – off by a couple of Rory Bremner gags.

     

    The Celtic’bored’ DD / PL etc….are shafting the Celtic ‘support’ on a grand scale

     

    And, ye know what…the ‘support’ deserve all the shi# that comes their way.

     

    No one more blind than, those who refuse to see. imho

     

    Maybe when the died huns race past us….the brainwashed Celtic ‘supporters’ will realis exactly ‘who’ the real fools are.

     

    But, then again……

  7. I do not post often, I enjoy lurking. I will share this true story with you, it involves politics, the trade union movement and religion. A man had to give up his career as a train driver after 33 years, through no fault of his own. A train driver who supported a former SPL team, called him Pape, cxxxt etc, for a number of years. He left notices on his locker which the KKK would have blanched at. He also ‘modified’ some of the safety systems on board the train, to cause delays etc, this was intended to get the driver into trouble.

     

     

    Long story short, the driver initiated bullying and harassment procedures, the train company dragged their feet. The driver pushed and pushed to get the procedure started. This was done after months’ of emails etc. The union leader based in Edinburgh was let’s say unsympathetic to the driver who complained. The union leader from Edinburgh stated at the disciplinary hearing that he was defending an ‘innocent man’ he was a Catholic himself and he was not offended. It was banter’ bearing in mind the same union leader stated on his Twitter account that some said ‘ a woman scorned ‘ he fired back to say ‘ surprised at the sexist remark. Not banter? Funny that eh?

     

     

    Management gave the offending driver a Final Warning (which would be expunged from his record after 1 year).

     

     

    The driver who was being abused consulted Aslef , he wanted to meet with the union’s solicitors, again obstacles were placed in his way. Eventually a meeting was arranged in Glasgow, the solicitors told him’ no offence had been committed, treat the incident like a sore back’. The driver begged to differ, he resigned and took the company to an Employment Tribunal, some of the evidence had been, let’s just say modified, but it was spotted by his solicitor, it was brought to the attention of the Tribunal. Result, company caved in. Can’t confirm but was an extraordinary settlement. It cost that driver about £20k to bring this to an Employment Tribunal, again I can’t confirm. The union leader is a member of the Labour Party, the driver complained to Johann Lamont about a Socialist (ha, Bloody, ha) holding and expounding these views. No reply from Johann. Do not for a moment the West of Scotland has a monopoly on Sectarianism .

  8. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma on

    Good Morning All.

     

     

    Various childcare duties this morning plus a little work stuff and then on to Murrayfield.

     

     

    I see some debating the merits or demerits of talk sport.

     

     

    Regrettably, as much as I like the enthusiasm of Alan Brazil and his general ability to host a show, I have not listened to that particular station for several years now as I find many of its presenters ill informed, mundane and generally spouting guff that is the equivalent to the radio version of the News of The World.

     

     

    Not for me thanks — even Clyde is better and Clyde is rubbish.

     

     

    On the subject of the media I do not know if anyone follows the Martin Lewis Money Saving Website.

     

     

    Mr Lewis is a sharp cookie.

     

     

    His website is full of tips which can help you save money on electricity bills, gas bills, petrol, flights and so on. It has been so successful that the clever Mr Lewis sold the whole kit and kaboodle to the Money Supermarket.com folk for £ 87million of which £10 Million goes to charity and a further £1Million is donated to the Citizen Advice Bureau.

     

     

    Anyway, the point is that on his website recently, Martin Lewis highlighted the cases of a few folk who told SKY to go and take a flying feck to themselves with regard to their annual charges.

     

     

    As many will know, I personally wouldn’t give an electric shock to the people at SKY if I owned my own power station but that is just a personal preference.

     

     

    However, as a result of these once upon a time Sky customers just telling the Murdoch dominated mob to beat it, they succeeded in negotiating a slight reduction on their previous yearly subscriptions — in fact they got a reduction of 75%!

     

     

    Yes they now only pay one quarter of what they paid last year for exactly the same service and package.

     

     

    So — for all you SKY subscribers out there — go and tell them to naff off and reduce your monthly costs because SKY are willing to provide you with the same service for a quarter of the cost.

     

     

    Now, you have to be a demented nut case with loads of time on your hands to use all the money saving tips recommended on Martin Lewis’ website and you have to have loads of time on your hands and the patience of JOB.

     

     

    However, this does seem worth pursuing as I know a couple of folk personally who have tried this trick and they have seen the subscriptions drop dramatically — in some cases maybe not as much as 75% as they accepted the first counter offer from the broadcaster — so it does seem to work.

     

     

    As for the Celtic, if we score early tonight and have stiffened up that midfield with players who can actually hold the ball and not give it away all of the time then we are in with a shout.

     

     

    However, if we play anything like the way we did last week then Europe is a gonner for the season.

     

     

    Here is hoping.

  9. The Green Man on

    We will go backwards very rapidly.

     

    We dont invest…we get beat, then sell all our best players

     

    This plc….need removed…..before we end up where sevco are

     

    Id really love the Celtic fans to get rid of this plc…

     

    They are destroying Celtic

     

    Stand up and fight back

     

    No more lawell…..I cannot stand these chancers

     

     

    HH

  10. Some more of the many examples of EPL transfer insanity which demonstrate the undervaluation of our assets;

     

     

    Arsenal have just spent £16million on a 19 year old right back from Southampton called Chambers. He’s an u21 international. Adam Matthews said to be available for £2-3million.

     

     

    Man U have offered £29million for Cuadrado of Colombia. Not accepted.

     

     

    Thomas Vermaelen (having lost his place at Arsenal) is valued at £10-12 million. He’s 28 and contract running down. VVD??

     

     

    Southampton want £27 million!!! For Morgan Schneiderlin. Seriously. VVD??

     

     

    Vorm of Swansea has been signed as Spurs second keeper for £5m plus Gylfi Sigurdsson. FF??

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    AULD BERTIE

     

     

    First rule when getting a hard time at work is to keep a diary of offences,photographic evidence if possible.

     

     

    Back-up from colleagues is not always possible but is recommended.

     

     

    Once a sufficient case has been built to initiate grievance procedures,all relevant legal and internal procedures MUST be adhered to,otherwise those who failed to do so will also be in the dock.

     

     

    That applies for union officials too.

     

     

    Personally I would have sued the union as well.

  12. The Green Man on

    I think supporters should be over at CP demonstrating against the board.

     

    Im not taking this crap anymore.

     

    They are running our team into the ground.

     

    The plc are lapping up the perks….while selling our assets

     

    Please wake up to these plc huns

     

     

    HH

  13. Some posters have correctly made the point that we can only sell for what people are willing to pay. True.

     

     

    But, by historically selling at an undervalue, Celtic have set the bar too low. They should now be drawing a line in the sand. That was then, this is now.

     

     

    PL should be pointing out what is being paid by the same clubs for other players, many of whom have no CL or championship winning experience.

     

     

    Effectively- “I don’t give a **** what we sold X for. Stop treating us like mugs. Put your hands in your deep pockets and value our CL players accordingly. Or **** off.”

  14. The Green Man

     

     

     

    09:58 on 6 August, 2014

     

     

     

    I think supporters should be over at CP demonstrating against the board.

     

    Im not taking this crap anymore.

     

    They are running our team into the ground.

     

    The plc are lapping up the perks….while selling our assets

     

    Please wake up to these plc huns

     

     

    HH

     

    ——————————————————

     

    “Im not taking this crap anymore.”

     

     

    What is it you’re going to do?

  15. As is too often the case on here, opinion and conjecture is posted as fact. Interestingly, it is always negative .Says far more about the posters than it does about Celtic.

     

     

    JJ

  16. Not all Unions were bad. but many of there leaders were glory hunters, see what happened to mostly all the car manufactors in this country all shut down, and at a drop of a hat. and for the least wee thing Strike.and some of the workers went to the dhss to get money when they were on strike, nope they even messed that up as well. those selfish members or brothers .call them what u like. even that clown of a shop steward 1 man trying to shutdown Grangemouth Petrol Plant.but the managers called his bluff,what happened to him ,chased never to be seen or heard since.thats the kind that do more harm to the Unions.as for the debate last night.if scotland votes for independance..or not ,to tell you the truth i will not lose any sleep over it. going to murrayfield this evening,hoping for a 4 0 win, but i think the damage was done in Warsaw,but you never no.

  17. Dexter

     

     

     

    10:00 on 6 August, 2014

     

     

     

    Some posters have correctly made the point that we can only sell for what people are willing to pay. True.

     

     

    But, by historically selling at an undervalue, Celtic have set the bar too low. They should now be drawing a line in the sand. That was then, this is now.

     

     

    PL should be pointing out what is being paid by the same clubs for other players, many of whom have no CL or championship winning experience.

     

     

    Effectively- “I don’t give a **** what we sold X for. Stop treating us like mugs. Put your hands in your deep pockets and value our CL players accordingly. Or **** off.”

     

    ——————————————————————-

     

    If we must sell a player then I too would hope that we would hold out for as much as possible. It might be worth refusing an offer or two if they appear derisory. But let’s say you have a player that no longer wants to be there, we are made a poor offer and refuse. The buying club eventually goes elsewhere because there are plenty of players out there.

     

     

    Are we happy to keep paying that player thousands of pounds a week to not try a leg?

     

     

    I’m not saying we shouldn’t play hardball to get as much as possible but we can only sell if an offer comes in. And it’s up to the buying club as to how much they are willing to pay. Different scenario if there are a few clubs bidding…

  18. Natknow

     

     

    If I didnt know any better….id say the huns on the plc are deliberately shafting the fans abd the club.

     

    Only a first class idiot would believe Celtic can be a cl team without investment in

     

    the team….this is the height of absurdity.

     

    Top businessmen my arse.

     

    The plc have plenty brown brogues round the trough.

     

    They are trying to sabotage Celtic from within

     

    Dont let them

     

    Plc huns out

     

     

    HH

  19. Back to the ’70’s for five minutes to give your pre match nerves a break. For Lymmbhoy and his brood:

     

     

    Hauf Bricks and Celtic Consummation

     

     

    Late April 1975, a Sunday…

     

    Mass was usually bearable in May (we started early) because you got to sing: “The trees are gold and green…” (The sun is shining brightly, the trees are clothed with green are the proper lyrics but I liked mine.) It was the month of Mary and all the religious stories seemed happier; it was first communion time and you got to process around the chapel grounds without flutes and drums. This appeared to be an unusual occurrence in Airdrie. Fr. Power was living up to his name and was giving the parents it big time with his rich Irish brogue. He seemed angry: Money, the roof, the car-park and talking about your neighbours and a wee bit more about money seemed to be the crux of his sermon. Then it happened, one of those moments that no matter how much time passes it never fades. Fr. Power lifted a bucket from under the altar and walked to the top of the burgundy carpeted stairs, he lifted the bucket (I thought he’s going to soak the front rows for talking about their neighbours…brilliant!) but half bricks went flying up the centre aisle. This was more like it. There were gasps from the congregation, families who sat in the same rows every week looked around for some comfort or maybe an escape route. I could still hear the clatter of the ‘hauf bricks’ several moments after they had come to rest, nobody seemed injured but nobody moved. He had them all in the palm of his hands: “Anyone one who has not sinned pick up one and throw it!” I wracked my brains and quickly realised swearing, fighting and a few wee white lies ruled me out legalised brick throwing. I gave my younger brother a hard stare as all these transgressions were because of him. He has buried his head deep into my mother’s Sunday coat and he didn’t look as if he was ever coming out. Everybody was a sinner, no-one picked up a brick even my mum and dad were sinners and this was a bit of a shock for an eight year old, especially my mum. I decided that’s why she was always at chapel, she was saying sorry for all her sins.

     

    The rest of the mass passed peacefully and there was an anti-climatic feel as we walked the few hundred yards home for the weekly fry up. Despite several attempts by me to discuss the hauf bricks mum and dad weren’t taking me up on it. It seemed papal infallibility stretched to Parish Priests but I thought he was mad. Then my dad double underlined and highlighted why this would always be one of the special days.

     

     

    “You’re going to the final next week.”

     

     

    I wanted to run fast around the table but I’d learned my lesson the year before and our Paul might trip me up. He didn’t look happy at my good news. He was only 5 but I thought my mum and dad had hidden him in the box room for 10 years going by the build of him. I tried to ignore his death stare as I wallowed in my dream news. Celtic at Hampden…Celtic at Hampden…and against Airdrie. My granda called them Rangers in Red and White; this was perfect my first live Celtic game was a cup final at Hampden and against my ‘second worst team.’ I was full of questions “Who, What, When…Whiiiiiittttt?”

     

     

    My dad just said Fr. Power had got the tickets.

     

     

    My imagination was running riot; he better not take that bucket of hauf bricks with him; will I be in the same car as him? Will he want money off me for the chapel roof? Weighing up all of these issues took me about ten seconds and I reconciled myself that to get the chance to see Celtic at Hampden was worth the dangerous trip to Glasgow with the psycho Parish Priest.

     

     

    It turned out we were going in a mini-bus along with my mate Martin, his dad, two of his uncles, my dad and the PP. Safety in numbers I reckoned. So seven of us were leaving the town of Airdrie to go to Hampden and support Celtic against Airdrie. That seemed fine to me. My dad was a hero for me now; don’t get me wrong I always liked him but cup final tickets. He’d redeemed himself in this eight year olds eye after a shameful period in the preceding months. Earlier that year he and tried to make me and our Paul…Airdrie fans! Well that’s what we thought but as we lived about ten minutes from Broomfield he was only letting us see ‘professional football.’ We weren’t interested. We played tig, ate pies and asked what letter on the boards would display the Celtic score at half-time. He even bought us red and white scarves; these looked green and white with the lights out and just in case anyone mistook us for Airdrieonians we wrote Liverpool in black marker all over them. He gave up shortly thereafter.

     

     

    Hampden May 3rd 1975.

     

     

    The 90th Scottish Cup Final and my first. 75,457 in attendance. Celtic 3-1 Airdrie. This was meant to be.

     

     

    Many years later during a medical emergency that game flashed in front of my eyes. No white light or beckoning hand from the big fella, not my full life, no it was my first final:

     

     

    Vivid green and white hoops; Paul Wilson; dust coming off the track; big square goal posts; delayed noise after a goal; body odour; swearing, lots of swearing; getting crushed; wee bit feart; Pat McCluskey, loads of folk sitting behind the goals; bottles and cans everywhere; singing, Kevin McCann, a guy with ten in the middle of his tricolour (mistake); the shiny Scottish Cup; big Billy dropping the lid; Airdrie player with a big black beard on his knees; Big Billy getting carried around the track…I loved it!

     

     

    The paramedics seemed a tad confused when I came to: “What lid has Billy dropped?” They couldnae have been Tims.

     

     

    Footnote:

     

    Travelling back to Airdrie was great. Everyone in the mini-bus was singing and the psycho Parish priest turned out to be a good laugh and quite friendly although I kept one eye out for a bucket. Sitting at traffic lights at the ‘tap cross’ in Airdrie I used my fingers to inform the people at the crossing of the score. A big guy responded by holding up two of his, he didn’t seem to be the brightest. Paul got an afternoon at the ‘shows’ which was one of the highlights of the year in Lanarkshire and a new Celtic kit. I didn’t grudge it because I was going to bore him with my new found Celtic knowledge and a replica kit couldn’t beat seeing the real thing. St Serf’s park beckoned…

  20. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    Not sure how it works now, post Bosman, but transfer fees used to be set at a multiple of a player’s salary.

     

     

    This meant if a player was on £x! the fee would be set.

     

     

    The logic appeared to be that a club couldn’t demand a fee which had a higher proportionate value than what they were paying the player.

     

     

    If that makes sense.p

  21. mullet and co 2 on

    Ryan Gauld sold for £3m. No caps and no European experience. Did not start every game for united.

     

     

    Is this a case of Fraser Forster must go and we let him go for the best we can get in this 3 week period? As others have said, the Epl is over inflated but compare and contrast with other clubs sales including Dundee United. Something is seriously wrong here. I see Tony Watt came on as a sub for his new club as they progressed to the final qualifying round of the Champions League. Good move for Tony.

  22. The Times not the pish one the real one is claiming Celtic are after Callum McManaman of Wigan

  23. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon ....The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    the green man

     

     

    09:44 on 6 August, 2014

     

     

    You need a reality check ……. we need to get out of this league, quick, or we need to VERY careful with our finances….. there is no money in Scottish Football and we are just managing to survive in Europe, due our current financial strategy …….. anyway, be careful what you wish for, and look out for trolls …. \ 0 /

  24. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon ....The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    mullet and co 2

     

     

    10:16 on 6 August, 2014

     

     

    Why do I keep thinking your a current bun, every time I read any of your posts …?

  25. !!bada bing

     

     

    5 goals in 56 appearances for the Wigan make pukki Henrik like :(

     

     

    Cheap tho

  26. 67 Heaven

     

     

    Seriously….we want to be a cl team, but at the same time, the plc sell our best players.

     

    Who is kidding who

     

    What kind of strategy is that ffs?

     

    Its just bs and lies.

     

    Plc out

     

     

    HH