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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AN TEARMANN on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:30 PM
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
===============================================
Was at the bank right enough, but they couldn’t find an account I could pay thge loan in to. Not a problem, though, Mr King accepts cash. Nice man that he is.
Philboy
Yeah, I do.
The big Tyson fella, is a bit of a character…he likes to wind it up in the media.
But I deffo think he has a chance.
I wouldn’t mind seeing him knocking Klitchko out…and then giving us a song.
He likes to croon a bit.
HH
PHILBHOY on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:36 PM
Lionroars67
Oh what fun counting live cases involving Sevco, back to work tomorrow and looking forward to seeing how the orcs fizz at my question for the day
weeminger,
interesting stats. I think we really need a dose of reality too. The Scottish league wages will be skewed by our wages. We need to try to get better value for money ( or a better hit rate) but we have been doing reasonable well. Wanyama, Forster, Van Dijk to name a few. I can’t see things changing unless we either improve the Scottish league and players or move to a different league. Each year it will become more difficult as teams from the nouveau riche countries compete with us for European spots. Think Azerbaijan, Kazakstan, Russia to name a few.
A resolution 12 banner would be a good thing to do at Hampden, but don’t give it to Canamalar, why, well like the last time he may bottle it and drop it.
In the absence of Bitton and Johansen then I think Armstrong must play in a central position on Thursday night.
I’ve still got a spare ticket for Inverness on Sunday for anyone interested.
hamiltontim88@yahoo.co.uk
Lionroars
Did anyone get the answer. I’ve got the weans training later and I’m in for that kind of monkey quiz :-)
This was one of my most favouritest games when I was a wee dude:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs3uiScveDc
One of those rare occasions that Brian McLaughlin hit a coo’s bum with a banjo. Quite what the coo was doing on the pitch (maybe it was Stevie Fulton?) and how wee Brian was allowed on the bitch with a banjo is another matter.
DR Ramesh…,
Can you name a few others, I think you just named them all :)
Herbo
Ha! Luvit.
I’m less confident but by Thursday I’ll be brimming!!!
I’m thinking SA will eventually be the one to fill Broonys boots in that position.
Mon the hoops.
freudian….pitch not bitch…
Davidopoulis
It’s exquisite!
I only ever bought one bottle if it before. I gave it to my best pal who was terminally ill with cancer.
He worked in the drinks industry all his life and knew a bit about whisky.
He said it was the best he ever tasted.
Sadly, my chum is no longer with us.
Oh and I toast his knowledge and friendship often.
God bless and take care of you Mike!
MDW,
I think you do monkeys a disservice.
Philbhoy,
Re tyson fury,
Canny see it and bookies don’t think so either but you never know when these big lads start throwing their hands about :)
He’s a big gobby fud which is a shame as when I hear his entrance tune I always want him to win.
HH
Philbhoy
Good man – best to toast with a fine whisky that has meaning to you.
I’ll hunt it down next time I’m in a whisky shop – not so many of them here in Bury St Edmunds.
MOONBEAMSWD
“Out manager you are not impressed with is a result of the CEO bonus culture.”
Everybody knows that Desmond is the man who picks the new coach. Lawwell can only make recommendations to the board.
I am not entirely sure what happened that summer. All I can say is that I was disappointed to see Neil Lennon leave. Once again, that was after a sit down with Desmond.
I imagine Ronny was being brought in as a number 2 to be a replacement should Neil leave. I don’t think the club moved heaven and earth to keep Neil because they had Ronny lined up either as number 1 or 2.
“lacking experience”
Winning the Norwegian league with an unfancied team qualifies you for the Celtic job in my opinion. It impresses me more than Neil Lennon’s experience. We’re not a million miles away from the Scandinavian leagues
“controlled.”
I don’t know what your getting that there.
Like I said, I am not a massive fan of the coach but I’d give him another season after this to get it right. I don’t think we will be selling a key player this summer unless crazy money arrives for Biton.
Canamalar,
haha, those are the obvious ones but there have been many ‘hits’.
Mathews, Hooper, Bitton, Johansen (I know!), Griffiths, Izzy, Lustig, Gordon, Efe (yeah, him too!), Commons, Stokes etc.
We will never live down Amido, Pukki and Boerrighter!
LIONROARS67 on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:33 PM
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
=========================================================== The Green and Whyte fraud case, Charles Greens costs. Mike Ashley case/injunction, Dave King’s contempt of court SFA’s decision to approve a career criminal as ‘fit and proper‘ and a damages suit by Rangers Fans for Hate crimes by everyone in Scotland for doing bad damage to us Rangers. Where do I claim my prize?
The good news for The Glib & Shameless is that he can’t be expected to invest his 50 million in loose change, till the Court rules on Ashley’s case against the SFA. I’m sure even the dumb & brainless Huns will understand the reason for the delay.
BILLYBEAR
So, what do you think will be the upshot of all the court cases?
HH
FIFA’S ethic judges Scottish football could gibe these judges a job for life
FIFA’s ethics judges said on Monday they were aiming to decide the fate of suspended president Sepp Blatter and the man who hopes to succeed him, Michel Platini, by the end of December, following an investigation into graft allegations.
The investigation into the 2 million Swiss franc payment from FIFA to UEFA president Platini in 2011 form part of a broader corruption scandal shaking the world soccer body.
The pair were provisionally banned for 90 days by FIFA on October 8, pending the full investigation by FIFA’s Ethics investigators which concluded on Friday. The body could, if they deemed it suitable, impose a further ban on one or both.
Blatter also faces a Swiss criminal investigation over the matter.
“The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee…has today opened formal adjudicatory proceedings against Joseph S. Blatter and Michel Platini based on the final reports submitted by the investigatory chamber,” said a statement from Eckert’s spokesman.
The payment was made in 2011 for work Platini had completed nine years earlier, the Swiss attorney-general’s office has said, adding Platini was considered “between a witness and an accused person”.
Both men have denied wrongdoing.
Blatter is due to stand down as FIFA president after a vote to choose his successor at a special FIFA congress in Zurich on February 26.
Platini submitted his nomination papers to run in that election shortly before his suspension but his bid is on hold pending the outcome of his case.
The Frenchman has challenged his provisional ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and is also expected to appeal the final verdict with the Lausanne based body, which is sport’s highest tribunal.
The Ethics investigators said on Friday that they had submitted their final reports on Blatter and Platini and requested unspecified sanctions against the pair.
Blatter’s lawyers issued a statement on Saturday saying he was confident of being cleared.
“President Blatter looks forward to having this matter decided impartially and based on the facts, and he is confident he will be vindicated when the facts are independently examined,” said a joint statement from Blatter’s Swiss lawyer Lorenz Erni and U.S. laywer Richard Cullen.
FIFA became embroiled in the worst corruption scandal in its 111-year history in May when 14 soccer officials, including two FIFA vice-presidents, and sports marketing executives were indicted in the United States on corruption charges. Swiss authorities also instituted proceedings.
(Reporting B
Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/23/us-soccer-fifa-proceedings-idUSKBN0TC1FW20151123#MU1UkKdoSj2EXsp0.99
Electronic Tims Retweeted
stephen.mcgowan @mcgowan_stephen 17m17 minutes ago Glasgow, Scotland
stephen.mcgowan Retweeted Guardian Business
Dermot Desmond turns up at shareholders’ meeting shock… stephen.mcgowan added,
Ladbrokes chiefs scolded at shareholder meeting by Dermot Desmond http://gu.com/p/4efd7
hen 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. – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/saturday-agm-afterblow/comment-page-17/#comments
Some don’t do irony very well eh the exiled Tim? Plonker.
BILLYBEAR on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:48 PM
LIONROARS67 on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:33 PM
and a damages suit by Rangers Fans for Hate crimes by everyone in Scotland for doing bad damage to us Rangers. Where do I claim my prize?
Cyber voucher for copious amounts of jelly and ice cream with aching sides with laughter at the stupidest peepil on the planet
I wonder if our Celtic Tiger absentee landlord had anything to say to Ladbrokes about them bringing out odds on who was replacing our manager after the Molde game.
Probably not Id suggest.
TD67
Give it a rest….nobody is interested in your nonsense or your cut and paste quotes.
Geez peace.
corkcelt on 24th November 2015 3:49 pm
Which was something I suggested long ago. He’s been deliberately antagonistic so that when the time comes he can find a name to blame for admin.
THE GREEN MAN on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:53 PM
BILLYBEAR
So, what do you think will be the upshot of all the court cases?
======================================================
Thought that would be obvious in Scotland. Not guilty on all charges, and costs awarded.
The Green Man
Scroll by it if you don’t like it, oh and it’s only me that has to give a rest? Nothing like nailing yer colours eh? Away an geez peace ya rocket.
HAMILTONTIM on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 3:42 PM
In the absence of Bitton and Johansen then I think Armstrong must play in a central position on Thursday night.
Scott Allan would be my own choice HT, must be a bit hungrier to show us what he’s got?
Big stage i know, but still.
TD67
Hee, Hee….keep yer hair oan auld yin.
That was pretty mild for me.
Just like to annoy you, when you are annoying me.
You know the script:)
HH
Scott Allan, there’s a name I haven`t heard in a long time. How the mighty have fallen. Do you think he maybe chose the wrong club?
BILLYBEAR
I salute your confidence with two fingers, but you are probably right….Handshakes all round, job done…..Say no more.
Good Luck with that:)
HH
THE GREEN MAN on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 4:06 PM
That’s not a problem, you keep talking to the resident Hun, that’s a marriage made in heaven :)
Burgas
It’s possible that Ronny may have both of them in. Armstrong holding beside Brown and Allen in one of the advanced wide positions.
Some of this on Thursday please
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzW2O13h6jM&feature=youtu.be
TD67
I’m disappointed in you T.
Are we Celtic supporters not meant to be inclusive?
BillyBear doesn’t abuse anybody on this blog, unlike your good self.
However…I don’t bear grudges.
Its only a blog.
HH
HT
Armstrong is wasted out wide imo. Doubt Ronny will throw Scott Allan in. I think it’s more likely Forrest and GMS. I wouldn’t be against it myself. Sometimes as ye’ve seen Yerself when a youngster comes in with a bit of swagger he plays without fear. Has Ronny got the baws?? Big call if he does it.