I remember getting annoyed at the grief Gordon Strachan took after David Fernandez inspired Dundee United to a draw at Celtic Park. It was disproportionate, despite the poor performance, and ignored the sporting reality that weaker teams can get it right and leave Celtic Park with a point. As well as a lot of credit for their efforts.
Positives first. Many things didn’t work for Celtic yesterday but James Forrest looked to be back to his best. There was only one occasion he didn’t get past the Killie fullback all day, and he recovered to dispossess two opponents and win the ball back.
For James, it’s all about fitness and confidence. Right now, he has both.
I looked at the clock: 3 minutes had gone, Jozo Simunovic was still on his feet. ‘We’re breaking new ground’, I thought. Kilmarnock defended their penalty area all day, so we were seldom troubled, but you and I have seen enough football to know that’s not the whole story. Jozo was immaculate, didn’t put a foot wrong, covered ground with pace and precision. Threw himself into tackles and won the ball.
The contrast with recent defensive performances could have scarcely been more marked.
Elsewhere it didn’t go so well. Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton were both inhibited. Stuart Armstrong prodded but seemed out of sync with his team-mates. Passes regularly found an opponent. From my seat, it looked like our movement and use of space was inefficient.
The last 30 minutes of the game saw Kilmarnock clear their lines and regroup under sustained pressure. During this period, I was confident the goal would come, it usually does. Maybe the extra dimension we hoped we’ve recruited in Carlton Cole, out ill yesterday, would have given our wing play more of a target.
Since writing on the subject on Friday night I’ve seen some of the sectarian abuse left on Facebook about our director, Ian Livingston, amid a diatribe against refugees and all sorts of people who are minorities in the UK.
Years ago I wrote that there are few values we can anchor the club to. Scotland is changing, as are peoples’ sense of identity, no more so than when it comes to religious identity. We can’t, nor should we, impose restrictions on who becomes a Celtic fan. Our demographic is largely left of centre, but a Lisbon Lion went on to become a Tory councillor, so there’s no political bar to supporting Celtic.
I also know an Ulster unionist, who for several years joined his family and friends as a Celtic season ticket holder. He was always made welcome, and didn’t find the celebration of Irish heritage at Celtic incompatible with his identity. As the generations pass, we’ll see more of this. People will care less about 20th century politics (not to mention 17th century) and your view on transubstantiation.
Our founding value is that we are open to all. You will find a welcome at Celtic irrespective of colour, race or religion, you don’t need to care about Scotland or Ireland, we have Poles, English, Norwegians, Americans, Aussies and many more. Few of them had an Irish grannie.
These values are under threat across Europe. We should take every opportunity to reinforce them.
I took some advice on whether to out those behind the racist abuse yesterday, but I’m glad Ian Livingston did so direct on the Affiliation site (and apologies for the direct quote appearing on a CQN article, I pulled it as soon as I saw it).
I was also challenged over the weekend for criticising the chairman’s right to use any available platform to call out racism. I don’t feel qualified to say that’s not allowed.
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Timaloy29
Out manager you are not impressed with is a result of the CEO bonus culture.
On the cheap, lacking experience, controlled.
Simples.
If there was a 50 50 balance then Ronnie (the origonal numver 2) would not be no 1.
MWD
Ha ha ha ha,
Failure, failed at every turn and still can’t bear it, keep on yapping its fun watching you get more and more frustrated, your vitriol is proportional to your impotence.
Nothing to offer a nothing to contribute carry on regardless. :oD))))))
TET,
Sorry to hear of your failed attempt to trip a car.
At least you have one leg to stand on. Now, hop it!
MWD
I don`t know if you were being serious or not but I like the idea of a Res 12 banner outside Hampden along the lines of : WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER!
JJ
PS I KNOW it was not last summer but I think you get the idea. How are you anyway? Send me an email and regards to Daniel.
Geordie
I think he is not as good at European level as a lot on here think.
No pace, canny tackle, slows the game down. And his passing can be poor to catastrophic.
Play Scott Allen and let’s see what he does.
I think a team with Johansen and Biton in the middle would struggle, again.
Hoping for the best but expecting………………
Geordie,
I`m glad I do. Some of the posting on here of late engenders the need for a resident humour booster 0:-)
JJ
Your man.
=========================================
THE EXILED TIM on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:09 PM
Coolmore
For all the Canman has his faults, and he has a few :-) he has been posting on here for many years, and posting in the same fashion, some are bothered by it, others not, but whatever anyone thinks of him, he has started something that has a chance of bringing the sfa down.
Then you have TD67, who comes on here every day and slags off posters for at least trying to do something, he is a troll who’s only mission is to disrupt the blog.
Oh, and he is as thick as shit to boot.
HH
CANAMALAR on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 1:53 PM
67heaven..,
As for the baby eating trolls I think it suits them and I’m no too fussed if you like it or not.
===========================================================
Your man.
An Tearmann,
From earlier,
Yea, it was a difficult time then to be touring the border counties.
Security was very tight, post Miami Showband atrocity, hence transport via private cars, rather than official coach.
Credit to Celtic for undertaking the tour, when many others, wouldn’t go within an asses roar of the borders or the North.
As he has such an an amazing winning record against Sevco, which enterprising Championship side with hopes of promotion to the Premier League is going to hire Mike Ashley as manager ?
Canamalar and Tonydonnelly67
Why don`t you just stop talking to each other?
JJ
JJ,
Defo. No surprise it was the quietest nightshift in years last night
HH
Canamalar
I’m enjoying a wee dram just now called –
Glennfiddich Solera Vat 15 years old 40% abv.
This will easily be in my top 10 whisky’s ever.
Any thoughts?
MWD,
No really up for stunts, much prefer to keep it business like.
Does anyone have any opinion on the `proposed` Celtic V Dundee in America fixture?
I have already indicated support for the rathe immature reason that it will annoy the Huns but does anyone have any more reasoned comments to make on the idea?
JJ
Philbhoy,
Whiskey is my fire water, sadly I have to keep away from it :(
dr ramesh and the love potion on 24th November 2015 3:12 pm –
SPL 18th best paid league in the world
Don’t know how accurate that is, and obviously it’s skewed by us, but I bet we’re not paying that much more than the top teams in Denmark and Norway.
FC Copenhangen since 1992 have been in CL Group 3 times, finishing bottom twice and progressing once – all of those since 07/08. Perhaps we need a dose of reality.
Afternoon. chaps, I see the resident pestchild is stirring up shit again!!
JJHS
I am organising a bus!
Details soon.
Herbo,
I hear what you are saying but I’d fear for the mid if we played Ronnys favoured set up of 4 attack minded players in front of the two if one of the two was also attack minded.
I don’t think forest, kc, Rogic, gms et all do enough when we don’t have the ball to do this
HH
Canamalar
Sorry, I thought you were a whisky man!
Hope you are well!
dr ramesh and the love potion
Thank you for your responses to Weeminger at 2.39(i think) and above at at 3.12
good info on country camparisons and tv deals
hail hail to you:-)
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked
Does anyone have any opinion on the `proposed` Celtic V Dundee in America fixture?
I have already indicated support for the rathe immature reason that it will annoy the Huns but does anyone have any more reasoned comments to make on the idea?
———————————————————————————————————
I think it’s a terrible idea. American sports fans will be baffled at why a basketball team is playing Paul Hogan. And why did Paul Hogan think he could take on a bunch of 6ft 7 dudes singlehandedly?
Canamalar:
” No really up for stunts, much prefer to keep it business like.”
In spite of my earlier comment re Last Summer, I think the `business like` approach is the way to go.
Best of luck with it anyway and, as always, a big well done on the efforts put in so far by all those involved.
Cheerio for now and I hope to come back to a more amicable CQN later,
JJ
Macjay
He is his own man, I would have thot that someone who is as perceptive as you would see that.
But obviously not.
JJ..,
I tried that, for a fair amount of time too, ignored him for ages but sometimes you just have to let bullies know you have no problem fighting fire with fire.
TTT
I am going to take you advice and hop it.
HH
ah billy bear i thought youd be at the bank putting thro a softloan transfer to the glib and skint liar lol,
whats that?you have been busy at court.:-)
HH
Philbhoy
I was leafing through Which magazine I read that the humble Glennfiddich 12 year was voted top single malt by their “experts”. It’s one of my favourites, so i’m down with that. intrigued by Solera Vat 15 year though…
DAVIDOPOULOS
I think it’s a terrible idea. American sports fans will be baffled at why a basketball team is playing Paul Hogan. And why did Paul Hogan think he could take on a bunch of 6ft 7 dudes singlehandedly?
Easy. Have you seen the size of his knife?
And no, that’s not a metaphor :-))
Philbhoy,
I hear you too but Bitton not being as good as some think doesn’t make him bad.
I’d much rather he was playing on Thurs than not.
Allan looks like he can do a job in the side but I think to start him on Thurs alongside broony would be too big a risk.
Johansen for me is a strange one. I find myself ffs’ing at him more and more but our most impotent performances in front of goal are usually when he’s not playing
HH
Geordie
I hear ye. Personally I’d stick Armstrong in the middle. More of an all rounder. Is he a better player than Brown or Bitton? I don’t know. Johanssen should be well out the picture right now I reckon. He’s been Pony n Trap since August.
In saying all that. I’m pretty confident about Thursday. Griffiths needs to be on it. He’s scored a barraload but he misses too many chances. If he’s on form we’ll win the game. Intae the basturts
Its a Celtic blog….but the trolls like to stir it.
That’s half the fun imo, a bit of slagging online wont hurt anybody.
Even BillyBear knows who the trolls are:)
Lighten up bhoys
HH
James Doleman @jamesdoleman
By my calculation there are now 6 ongoing cases involving Rangers FC. Twitter prize to 1st person who can name them all
Does anyone think Tyson Fury has a chance against Clitchko this weekend?
glendalystonsils
If he was taking on the Chicago Bulls, he could get some more mileage out of this party piece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Gqjf6E_Cc
Philbhoy,
I hope I’m well too, you just never know do you :)
All the best to you and the family.
Hail Hail
Lionroars67
Johnjames hinted today there could be 7.
Oh the irony!
Canamalar
I was being facetious. Given the resident monkeys delight at the Aberdeen fans display at the weekend. Because apparenly thats the way to do it!
MWD