After all the talk about derby games without away fans taking an edge away, that scenario seems more attractive. With the indiscipline that Newco brought to the recent Women’s and B squad games against their Celtic equivalents, it is fortuitous that there will be no away fans at Celtic Park on Saturday.
Hopefully the expected lack of an edge will assist visitors who represent their club to refrain from the excesses which have followed them when facing green and white hoops. These incidents have real life consequences and not only for their immediate victims. What is permitted at the top of the club is seen as an example by those further down the food chain.
Celtic staff and players at all levels have a right to be protected from any sustained inappropriate behaviour.
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Misplaced optimism in Govan?
By Liam Bryce
@liambryce_
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‘If you are in this job, irrespective of anything, the one thing you know is that it’s not easy’ (Image: SNS)
‘If you are in this job, irrespective of anything, the one thing you know is that it’s not easy’ (Image: SNS)
Ange Postecoglou must have a persistent burning sensation stinging away at his ears these days.
If not being loosely linked with every vacancy in the Premier League – about three jobs a week is going rate down there these days – he is a point of discussion at press conferences up and down the country. To an extent, this simply comes with the territory of being Celtic manager. As figurehead at the best team in the country, you may just crop up in conversation from time to time.
And while seeing their beloved boss paired up with whichever English club has sacked someone next is a source of annoyance for fans, it often stems from little more than Postecoglou being priced up by the bookies. Anyway, that he is consistently included in these discussions is testament to the work carried out in Glasgow, but lately it seems he feels there have been attempts to undervalue that work.
Now, I don’t think Postecoglou is the type of character to be kept up all night by Michael Beale – or anyone else – contending that he is a ‘lucky man’, but that he still makes the odd reference to it here and there hints it did not sit awfully well. And then there was Hibs manager Lee Johnson pondering at which point does routine rag dolling of most domestic opponents become ‘too easy’ for the Greek-Australian.
Celtic have won 28 of their last 29 Premiership outings, and have not lost a domestic home fixture since the last days of Neil Lennon, all the way back in January 2021. Cruising to a second consecutive Premiership title at present, they are also favourites to win the Scottish Cup, thus completing another clean sweep of silverware.
READ MORE: Celtic vs Rangers referee & VAR officials confirmed by SFA
I was not privy to the conversation which led to Johnson mentioning Postecoglou, but he later insisted he had meant no disrespect to his counterpart. That came after a bit of blowback from the Celtic manager, who suggested the use of words such as ‘lucky’ and ‘easy’ to describe his job were no coincidence.
“Every manager is allowed to use their platform in any way they want and say what they want,” Postecoglou said. “I don’t think it’s accidental that the words ‘lucky’ and ‘easy’ are used. They aren’t words I would use to describe any manager. If you are in this job, irrespective of anything, the one thing you know is that it’s not easy.
“If people think I come in here at midday, spend a couple of hours, have a cappuccino and then go home to the family, then they are kidding themselves on. I think they know that, but the use of those words is probably deliberate. That’s fine. If that is what people believe, they are allowed to do that. What I know is that within this building, nothing comes easy for us.”
It was a robust defence of his players, staff, and himself. In any context, I think all of us would get our backs up at the perceived suggestion you haven’t been putting in a serious shift when it is demonstrably not the case. I don’t think that is what Johnson was driving at, mind you, given his further comments on the money gap between Glasgow’s big two and the rest.
Of course, there is a conversation to be had over levelling Scottish football’s playing field, albeit it’s hard to escape the notion that ship sailed long ago. But in terms of whether Postecoglou is playing the cinch on its lowest difficulty setting, you would not be surprised if he feels there’s a touch of hypocrisy about all this.
READ MORE: Jota uses Celtic first from Bernabei as another sign of ‘how good our group is’
Cast your mind back to June 2021 and his dramatic arrival from Yokohama F. Marinos. While there is a misconception that all and sundry predicted immediate, grisly doom for the new man, there were more than a few unflattering verdicts bandied around, with one ex-player suggesting Postecoglou was on course to be sacked by Christmas, all before he’d had the chance to manage even a single Premiership match. I daresay more than a few Tweets bearing his name have since been quietly deleted.
At the time, though, few rival supporters were expressing dismay over the breakdown in negotiations with Eddie Howe, and it was well-noted the man Celtic fans would now not trade for anyone in the world was not the club’s first choice. There was a not particularly perception that, in the league’s two-horse race, the odds were stacked against him – Celtic had key players departing, boardroom upheaval and a Rangers team fresh from an unbeaten season to contend with, all at the same time.
With that in mind, can anyone really grumble with Postecoglou if he’s thinking: ‘Hold on a minute, not so long ago people were saying I’d be gone by Christmas, now apparently it’s all too easy?’
Yes, Celtic’s resources are plentiful and he has been well backed, but on a personal level he would be justified in believing this one cannot be had both ways. There was little, if any, talk of money spent when Celtic lost three of their first six league matches under his leadership. Throwing cash at a problem is not exactly a guarantee of success, either – just ask Graham Potter and Chelsea.
Celtic have always enjoyed access to greater riches, but they have not always maximised it in the way Postecoglou is doing currently. Transfer missteps have become a rarity, completion of business is impressively efficient, and he has initiated a hugely successful tapping in to the Asian market. On the pitch, his squad possess an iron-clad winning mentality that simply refuses to entertain the slightest notion of complacency, even as they rack up victory after victory.
They have been so consistent that Rangers could well finish the season close to 100 points, yet still reflect on it withing nothing but deep disappointment. It is an incredibly high bar to set in a city where second is last, and it is wholly understandable that he will not allow his efforts downplayed, intentionally or not, and especially how it all began for him.
As for whether he eventually takes a fancy for pastures new? Honestly, it is futile trying to predict what may or may not come down the pipeline for a manager engineering sustained success. Just as Celtic atop Scottish football’s food chain, they will be well aware of their place in the wider hierarchy.
READ MORE: Celtic ace Alexandro Bernabei caught up in bizarre Argentina & Falklands row
Someone, somewhere could make Postecoglou an offer he cannot refuse tomorrow, and that would be that – a fact of footballing of life applicable to 99 per cent of managers and, therefore, not worth agonising over.
In the here and now, Postecoglou’s ultimate goal is to make Celtic competitive in Europe, and he will be far from satisfied with how his two campaigns have panned out on that front. As Lee Johnson himself caveated, cracking the continent will not stop being a considerable challenge any time soon, and the only way Celtic can keep chipping away at is to ensure domestic business is taken care of. There was a time in the recent past it was suggested even that would be beyond Postecoglou, never mind it being ‘too easy’.
Above from the Herald. At least he’s not speculating about Ange leaving or a Hun resurrection Easter weekend.
Dissent will not be tolerated.
Mccarthyism lives.
Good morning all from a dark and wet Garngad.
Is this the Marie celest during the night now. Or aee all nightshift banned?
Anyway 2 more sleeps to the pre hun skelping shipbank shipwreck swaree. 3 till we make sevco very unhappy bunnies with an easter masacre.
4- 1 to the Celtic
D :)
Every ban makes the blog a little weaker.
There’s a real danger of it becoming something of an echo chamber. A single opinion.
Must be a critical mass, at which point it simply transfers to a WhatsApp group chat.
Right, I’m off to toast some cheese
Good morning all from Govanhill.
Philbhoy
Tom McLaughlin
Are you coming through to the Shipbank on Friday?
Douglas Park “Has got to Hell out of Dodge”, por cierto
Por Cierto
Any reason why? Does he know what’s coming?
Who said canamalar was banned ?
Where is that noted ?
If so then why ? He may not agree with MSM and the folk on here who enjoy and believe all their governments wasn’t them to think but he always researched and puts his points across well.
Maybe political etc but folk can scroll past if it’s not their thing.
Definitely NOT a lazy contributor.
Surely that is what the site is about.
Two Missing; Celtic Squad State of Play Ahead of Glasgow Derby
By
Josh McCafferty –
April 5, 2023
Celtic face The Rangers in the third league Glasgow derby of the season on Saturday as Ange Postecoglou looks to take his side one step closer to the title.
The Hoops currently sit nine points clear at the top of the table however a win at the weekend would put the Bhoys twelve in front, practically securing the title in the process. To do this, however, Postecoglou will want the majority, if not all, of his first teamers to pick from.
For the Ross County game at the weekend, there were some doubts going into the game. Daizen Maeda had struggled with injury over the international break but started nonetheless meanwhile Sead Haksabanovic came on and played 15 minutes despite missing one of Montenegro’s matches last month.
Liel Abada and Anthony Ralston were not in the squad at all and one imagines they will not be back in time for the derby after Postecoglou recently said they will each miss a couple of weeks (Football Scotland).
Midfield duo Aaron Mooy and Reo Hatate were uninvolved on Sunday however both of their absences were only cautionary and one imagines they may be back for Saturday’s colossal match up.
8th October 2022; McDiarmid Park, Perth, Scotland; Scottish premier league football, St Johnstone versus Celtic: Reo Hatate of Celtic on the ball
Finally, whilst Greg Taylor did come off on 65 minutes at the weekend, Ange said post match he only suffered from a dead leg and that he should be fine. Despite the left back’s likely inclusion, Alexandro Bernabei’s impressive performance off the bench certainly throws a spanner in the works.
In summary, Abada and Ralston are the only two likely to miss out on the derby. The squad for the game will be the same as the on that travelled to Dingwall however returns for Hatate and Mooy may be on the cards.
Nonetheless, we never know what Ange Postecoglou has up his sleeve. He can be a bit mischievous when it comes to the fitness of his players.
On this day 1969
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx2ePQycYtM
Burnley
I don’t know if Canamalar is banned but if he is there is only one person to blame.
“He may not agree with MSM and the folk on here who enjoy and believe all their government want them to think” (your words)
So the suggestion being that Canamalar is the voice of reasoned research and the rest of us are sheepish dupes..
That itself is part of the problem. For me Canamalar would argue with his own toenails. He has always been an argumentative aggressive loudmouth
Long before Putin and Covid became daily topics he would cause arguments on here and disparage anyone who said boo to him.As for his “well researched arguments ” well spending days down conspiracy rabbit holes is bad for your health and hopefully someone will find a vaccine for it.
If he is banned perhaps he will use his spare time wisely,maybe find himself a girlfriend and try realise there is more to life than simply shouting that “I am right,I know stuff,I read books,you lot are all eejits”
However I have a feeling that rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated and he will soon be back forcing people to scroll by his nonsense until he posts something ludicrous like “Putin is Mother Teresa” etc
Melbourne Mick all good on NZ. Taking a wee break from work just arrived in Christchurch heading to the West Coast to do the Paparoa great walk Easter weekend so I won’t know the score until we get out at Punakiki. Can’t understand why the poundlanders are so confident when we keep gubbing them. Hoping for a top Celtic performance and getting it right up them. Hail Hail and hope everything is good in Victorialand.
WHAT IS THE STARZ on 5TH APRIL 2023 8:55 AM
Thanks for your response the other day.
Oh, and you should hear the truth about Mother Theresa:-)
Japanese media reporting our games there in late July will be part of a tournament also featuring Yokohama F. Marinos, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
John Hartson celebrates his 48th birthday today (April 5), and the Celtic Family send their best wishes to him.
The Welshman scored 110 goals in 201 appearances for Celtic, and one of those goals came on his birthday as he marked turning 31 with a superb strike against Hearts at Paradise.
That goal came back in 2006, and not only was it a great night for Hartson but the goal also gave the Hoops a 1-0 victory which clinched the league title, the first of three in a row that the club would win under Gordon Strachan.
Speaking to the Celtic View a few days after that title triumph in 17 years ago, Hartson said: “It was a long kick up from Artur and I thought he kicked the ball really well the other night, especially into the wind.
“The balls were sort of holding up and I misjudged the flight of the first ball and I went with Christophe Berra, their young centre-half. I spun and Magic just headed it back to me.
“A lot of the times you’ll take a touch from that distance or look to spread the ball out wide. I would normally have looked to have put Magic back through on goal, but for some reason, it was at a time in the game when I felt really confident and it just landed for me perfectly. It was there to hit and I hit it really, really well.
“It wasn’t one that flew into the top corner, but the keeper maybe looked just a wee bit flat-footed on that one side of his goal.
“I don’t think he expected the ball to come in that early and it just caught him off guard a little bit. He couldn’t get back across his goal and before he did, the ball had dipped and took a bit of an awkward bounce in front of him.
“It maybe wasn’t the greatest goal I scored, but I managed to get a really good, clean contact on it and I was just delighted to see it go in, especially early on in the game. I feel that goal got the crowd up and got us playing really well for a while.
“When I hit it, I didn’t really think it would go in, but I thought that the keeper would at least have to work to get it and I don’t think he expected it to come in so early. There was also a bit of a swirling wind and the awkward bounce in front of him.
“But do you know what?” added Hartson with a broad grin. “Believe it or not, I haven’t even seen the goal yet!
“I am giving you my first insight into it, but I’d like to see it again. I went straight out after the game for a bit of a birthday on Wednesday night and then the next day I just looked at a couple of papers.
“I haven’t even seen it on the news, I haven’t even watched the telly and honest to God, I haven’t seen the goal yet, but I will have a look back on it.”
https://images.webapi.gc.celticfc.com/fit-in/1400×1400/a341d680-d2e8-11ed-8837-f316348cf1c7.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnrgaCeLiIY
Frankterry
Thanks for your comments.
Looking forward to a demolition derby on Saturday.
Carthago Delenda Est
Uncle Jimmy
Toast or Roast?
There is thread on FF about whether refs should declare what team they support to remove them from reffing certain games.
They reckon Clancy, Collum, Connor, McFarlane, Robertson, Munro, Mulvanney and Carr are all Celtic fans. They particularly hate Clancy.
Our paranoia is baseless. The Catholic cult runs Scottish football.
WHAT IS THE STARZ on 5TH APRIL 2023 9:59 AM
Hunnibal:-)
With Park no longer chairman over at Ibrox ,maybe Celtic will ditch the bus ,that the club use to transport our players to other stadiums.
The husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with an investigation into Scottish National Party finances.
Peter Murrell, 58, was taken into police custody on Wednesday morning.
Police Scotland said officers were carrying out searches at “a number of addresses as part of the investigation”.
Mr Murrell resigned as the party’s chief executive last month, a post he had held since 1999.
Coneybhoy.
Our friends should meet!
I don’t recall him saying what you allege on the 2 occasions I put it to him.
You miss Ernie.get that.
What/who exactly are you missing?
Digitally your missing a presence that typed.
Write to Santa.
He’s less anonymous,and less abusive with his knowledge sharing
Put yourself out yir misery and yearning
Write to Paul67.but less of the redaction of history and you can pause the beautification process goin on along side it
He wasn’t bullied anywhere-nonsense cb.
He wasn’t kicked off due to anti snp- even more so- that’s a made up opinion of your own
Just had a wee scout bout twitter there and P67 happily retweeting jim murphy,starmer Labour stuff so no change there.
Madmitch
The ice cream vans are awaiting the cranes to dangle them atop the new stand being built once the groaff agenda % is met.still doesn’t go near Celtic Park,
Canamalar- is a genuine bona-fide Celt,and diff to the anonymous two above.
Tell him I am still hunting down the mod studies teacher that gave him a ‘b’ so he can cutNPaste him to death :-))i hope this post disnae bring on a post from uber funnyin on SC as he is a canman fan over there,he knows I am bit weary of unionists wi feenyin spelt wrang.hi ubi u fud.
I scrolled his covid stuff and his politics are no more in this country.or anywhere tbh.
Anyway wi no covid,politics or stadium plans
We might get a Celtic post
After all that’s why we are here
HH
DENIABHOY on 5TH APRIL 2023 10:03 AM
There is thread on FF about whether refs should declare what team they support to remove them from reffing certain games.
They reckon Clancy, Collum, Connor, McFarlane, Robertson, Munro, Mulvanney and Carr are all Celtic fans. They particularly hate Clancy.
And yet in the three games Clancy’s refereed between us we have lost all three! They really are thick.
And, as if to prove that, they would seem to be unaware of the loss they would have as Beaton, Walsh, Dallas, etc would disappear out of their lives. Muppets to a man, woman and child.
WITS. Vae Victis.
Are we depending on Hatate to ensure we win on Saturday?
I hope not. Should Reo make the starting XI then I’ve no doubt he will be subject to continual manhandling to reduce or erase his effectiveness.
He can’t be fully fit, Shirley? He’s been on the treatment table and probably has only done light training.
He may drop down for Iwata and get a run out after the points are secure.
I see Keech has penned a critical piece on Parks.
How come he didn’t do it before Parks’ resignation?
Team for Saturday
Joe,Canadian Bruiser, Carl, CCV, Greg, Captain, Reo, Aaron, Kyogo, Jota, Daizen. Don’t care who plays, just thrash the hun.
DeniaBhoy @ 9:20
Has it been confirmed from CP.
I’m surprised, no I’m not, the Gullibillies haven’t been invited.
GG
I would invite the hun to certain events but I’d better not post them. 😂
How much is a “good amount of money” these days?
“ Beale said last month that at least five new players would be brought in ahead of the new campaign following the January signings of Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin – adding that there is a “good amount” of money in the kitty. And while he homes in on signings, others are ready to leave Ibrox as their deals end with question marks over Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Ryan Jack, Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield, Steven Davis and Filip Helander who will all be free agents in June.
What’s the difference between a kitty and a biscuit tin?
Back to sleep for this insomniac. Hospital rehab in the morning.
BRRB
You’d need to take them twice. Second time to apologise.
GG
😂😂
BBC Scotland
6 English clubs “considering a move for Alfredo Morelos”. You’d need the Finnieston Crane to move that fat no mark.
Just purchased 2 Tickets for the Semi-Final, first time in a LONNGGGGG time I’ve been successful! por cierto
Por Cierto
Enjoy mate.👍