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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HAMILTONTIM on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 4:39 PM
Herbo
…His link up play on the left last season with Izzy was a highlight for me…
———————
Yup – me too – best partnership in the team I thought – some of their wee sneaky round-the-corner one-twos to get past defenders on the wing were a treat to watch.
Wee BGFC becomes a teenager tomorrow – he wants a fish supper from the Chapelhall Chippy for his birthday dinner, and a victory on Thursday night for the Hoops!!!
He’s not been on much for a wee while because of a) all of the Ads!!!, and b) we have been busy flitting back to Plains – he’ll get back with his pre-match predictions once we settle in…
HH
BGFC
Lionroars
I’d offer a lift for Thursday but I’m taking the wean so need to go through and pick her up.
Who knows?! It would be just like Celtic to go out and win 3-0!!!
How’s about this for a wee bit o guile, creativity and pace. Izzy left back, tierney left mid!
HAMILTONTIM on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 4:49 PM
Lionroars
I’d offer a lift for Thursday but I’m taking the wean so need to go through and pick her up.
No worries bud im working, glad the wean seems to catching the Celtic bug……wae a proud dad….fantastic
HT
Who plays beside broonie.?
Oooooor Efe
BGFC
I hope you’re well big fella. Wish the wee man well and here’s hoping for a belated birthday present on Thursday!
Why-are-bigots-so-offended-by-the-word-bigot
Is there an answer in the west of Scotland
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/society/12014150/Why-are-bigots-so-offended-by-the-word-bigot.html?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#link_time=1448379286
LEFTCLICKTIC on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 4:57 PM
HT
Who plays beside broonie.?
How about the Fenian Lampost -)))
That should stop a few of them.
I’d like to see SA playing beside our captain. Bitton could drop back a little gathering the ball from defenders unfortunately not on Thu but for future adventures. Under Neil Scott and Bitton often when playing together effortlessly swapped between mid covering the defence and mid ‘playmaker’
Whitedog
Scott Allan or Stuart Armstrong – SA?
Burgas
Should be first name on the team sheet :-)
Intae the 020 filth
Lionroars
Loving it mate.
Leftclicktic
Fair shout.
Good evening, friends.
BSR
Stuart Armstrong
“Leftclicktic, Fair shout.”
HT,
Eejit :D
HH
Love this Ha Ha
Donald innes @Donaldinnes1 4h4 hours ago
@jamesdoleman James. Is it true all Scottish courts now have an official Rangers end?
enjoy your night CQN
Whitedog
Thought that.
Bit disappointed in him this season so far, even though he was injured he’s doing nothing ‘wide left’.
http://footballisfixed.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/take-ebt-money-and-run.html
I’m sure the fearless,intrepid Laptop Loyal,will be door stepping their favourite ever manager,asking if he’s paying his loan back.
Happy birthday wee bgfc.
My own boys a big 9 tomorrow. All the best looking ghuys born on the 25/11
HH
lionroars67
Take it that will be the Lawnmarket End?
Can’t see them going for the St. Giles End.
H!H!
GM
:-) I was hoping you’d see that!
WEE BGFC
All the best young man
http://youtu.be/b_twSjZD7KU
HH ;)
PRAECEPTA on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 5:35 PM
Your to clever HH
Tony Cassidy @TonyCassidy123
film re Tom Clarke, leaders of Easter Rising, Sun, Dec 6, 7pm, free entry, Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall St, G2 3JD
Here’s one to chill you all out a little :)
As the Sevco fans State Aid case has been crushed the Unseen Hand is revealed again …
http://thecelticblog.com/2015/11/blogs/sevco-conspiracy-theorists-beaten-by-the-unseen-hand
good evening champions and europa cup 2015-2016 winners
Happy birthday wee BGFC
Gordon
Lustig Boyata Simunivic Tierney
Brown Armstrong
Forrest Allan Rogic
Griffiths
If Brown isn’t fit drop Rogic deeper and play GMS on left
Hearing that Chico Muldini available for selection on Thursday.
Well we made the Jewish Chronicle:
By Josh Jackman, November 24, 2015
A director of Celtic Football Club has received antisemitic abuse from the club’s fans after voting in favour of a government bill to cut tax credits.
Lord Livingston, a Conservative member of the House of Lords, was made the subject of a petition calling for him to leave his position as non-executive director at the club after voting against delaying the £4.4bn worth of cuts.
But a month after the now-10,000-strong petition started, the former Minister for Trade has revealed on a Celtic fan website that he has been the target of antisemitic slurs from supporters.
He said he had received a message from someone under the name Michael Higgins who had said: “Get this Ashkenazi c*** out of OUR club and take that other fake jew p**** [Celtic’s Israeli midfielder Nir] Biton with him. This is typical of their sort, infiltrating and destroying every country and establishment from within”.
SEE ALSO
Luciana Berger says Twitter was ‘frustratingly slow’ in responding to campaign of online hate against her
Scottish National politician Sandra White apologises for posting ‘repellent’ antisemitic cartoon
BBC could be perceived as ‘institutionally antisemitic’ says leading academic
Another person writing as ‘Ross Grant’ had told him: “He’s a Jew what do you expect”.
The abuse emerged after the club’s chairman, Ian Bankier, said earlier this week that “messages posted [to Lord Livingston], in quite a few cases are criminally racist and in all cases the vocabulary chosen is base and highly abusive.”
This led fans on the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs’ website to condemn Mr Bankier for “his unprofessional behaviour” and call for him “to give serious consideration to his position as chairman of Celtic”.
Commenting below this article, Lord Livingston wrote: “I hope you don’t mind me posting this. As the person about whom a number of abusive comments were made, I thought you may be interested in a couple of the racist ones so you can perhaps see why the Chairman was upset about them,” before giving details of the abuse.
He added that he did not think Celtic supporters in general were antisemitic.
“I have always believed Celtic fans are the best in the world and a few racist postings of social media will not change that as I know the overwhelming [majority] of fans, whichever party the[y] vote for, would condemn them equally,” he wrote.
mayanman on 24th November 2015 5:58 pm
These named individuals posting on twiter/facebook have they been reported to the police ?
Lets hope the police are involved and we get to know the all the facts involving these individuals
I sent e mail to club urging Celtic/Mr Livingston to involve the Police in relation to this alleged online abuse
Bankier really has a sin to answer for
Clown of the highest order, he should and could have dealt with this a whole lot better
Lionsroar 67
Given the circulation of the JC and the influential people who read it I believe the Chairman’s outburst, without clarification and subsequent police investigation, has done untold damage to the Club’s reputation.
HH
Right off to Celtic Trust meeting. Tonight should be interesting.
G67-same team for me, I would like to see Allan starting.
A wee night arranged in Carfin for Mary’s meal this Friday evening
I’m sure Paul will update nearer the time but posting to give plenty on notice to North Lanarkshire tims
Think its usual qna session with Phil P67 and some old crabbit Bhoy
MAYANMAN
Worse being that it as read from a script and not off the top of his head
Thermals on – Off to vale, hoping for 3 points against the tangerines
play nice