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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BT
Certainly not the behaviour nor decorum expected of a Chairman of a PLC and our Club, IMHO
HH
I see the great moustachioed one has been well outvoted, Ladbrooks and Corals are to merge.
mayanman
So some of the the most bigoted and anti-semetic abuse of Lord Livingstone of Parkhead, are attributed to a one ‘Michael Higgins’, someone who shares the same name as the President of the Irish Republic. Could be wrong but that cannot only be a coincidence can it?
Never saw the point to the petition in the first place, and never signed it either. The fact is the changes to working tax credits proposed by Osborne were defeated, or delayed indefinitely if you like, by the Lords. Just not our Lord.
So the great Desmondo attended today’s Ladbrokes AGM, but could not be ersed turning up for the Celtic AGM last week?
Tells you where his priorities lie.
Gtf!
HH!!
Celtic Mac
I wasn’t at the meeting but having read most of the reports from Celtic sources, it’s my take that the Chairman was scripted to set off a wee squirrel to assist Livingstone but when he “sensed” the mood of the meeting he went off script and launched his tirade to the meeting.
Articles from the JC will be reposted round the world.
As for “Let them eat shortbread” Livingstone, Ernie was right earlier in the day when he said that it was delegated legislation and was no threat to the authority of the House of Commons. Even Thatcher retreated from attacking the poor, Livingstone should quietly go at his convenience.
With all these court sessions etc I’m getting worried that King will be kicked out of Sevco before bringing the whole thing down. I wouldn’t like Mike Ashely to run Sevco, unless he just wanted it as his Gimp. A kind of f**ked up, dirty secret that he only brings out to show people what will happen to them if they defy him.
Come on King! Keep the circus limping on or sink it with you!
mayanman
You have missed my main point, which is the use of the name ‘Michael Higgins’ in the JC article and elsewhere. I suspect a deliberate ploy to not only insult Lord Livingstone but to harm Celtic FC. I find it difficult to believe any genuine Celtic supporter would make such comments.
As regards the Chairman’s comments, he could have offered support to his fellow director without antagonising the Celtic support in attendance and elsewhere.
HAMILTONTIM on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 1:24 PM
67Heaven
Thank you. However, it’s more than an opinion. In the time that I’ve been on the EC of the Trust, I can honestly say that I don’t remember us ever discussing an issue that wasn’t Celtic focussed.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/saturday-agm-afterblow/comment-page-15/#comment-2724506
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I hope you’re right, I really do….. and, if you are, then their PR is shoite …. :)
Hope I’ve got this right but there are 2 scemarios that will definitely see Celtic qualify.
Plan A – win both our remaining games, finish on 8 points and (as we’ll have won both head to heads against Ajax and Fenerbahce) we can’t be caught,
Plan B – beat Ajax and get a high scoring (2-2 or more) in Turkey and we’ll qualify – so long as Molde also beat Fenerbahce in Norway this week. By way of explanation if this week’s games are won by us and Molde 1-0 the table will read as follows –
Molde 10 pts (goal diff of +6 being 10-4)
Celtic 5 points (goal diff of -2 being 7-9)
Fenerbahce 5 points (goal diff of -2 being 4-6)
Ajax 3 points (goal diff -2 being 3-5)
In summary if we win on Thursday we only (!) have to win in Turkey. better still if we win on Thursday and hear that Molde have done the same then a 2-2 draw in Turkey would also be good enough.
Come on Celtic. And come on Molde.
And breathe….
Celtic Mac
For me it’s the comment rather than the pseudo commentator that’s the offence, report it to the police no matter what team that person purports to supports, we have had throughout our history our share of “loose cannons” .
On what media were the comments made?
CELTIC MAC
IMO, if it had been a Celtic supporter who made those comments, the poilis would have arrested them by now and proudly told the media how bad all them nasty racist Tims are.
HH
67 heaven,
Hope I’m not buttimg in unnecessarily, however perhaps it’s not the CT’s PR which is bad but that they just cant get it out as widely as others can. I mean, we have all experienced at first hand the effect of the SMSM in the slanting of the rangers (IL) and sevco saga and how the truth has been er “subverted’.
As I wrote above, I hope I am not treading on toes, it’s my opinion on the situation.
Jobo
A win on Thursday is as far as I care to think just now. :)
Buttimg should be butting.
Butt img conjures up a completely different picture.
Driving down to Key West for the “Sand Sculptre” contest over Thankgiving Thursday. Will find a suitable venue with umbrella drinks to take in the gemme.
Any jokes about houses built upon sand…?
:-)
Genius zombie on Clyde.
We don’t need investment. We just need to run a rangers lottery with 100000 tickets sold at £2 each every week.
*Sculpture. The blog is running awfy slow today. Any attempt to hit the back key, and it’s freezing instantly.
Is it those gobshites bickering that overloads the server?
:-)
Good work Jobo,
Did I read somewhere that Molde’ s domestic season is now finished. With them having already qualified from the group, this might mean they are a bit more relaxed about their remaining games. I hope not.
Heard a bit of shortbread tonight and their big story for about the first half hour was the possible Dundee vs Celtic game in America. No mention of the court case today, nor its implications for the financial future of the SFA.
Fine squirrel work.
CELTIC MAC on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 7:13 PM
mayanman
You have missed my main point, which is the use of the name ‘Michael Higgins’ in the JC article and elsewhere. I suspect a deliberate ploy to not only insult Lord Livingstone but to harm Celtic FC. I find it difficult to believe any genuine Celtic supporter would make such comments.
As regards the Chairman’s comments, he could have offered support to his fellow director without antagonising the Celtic support in attendance and elsewhere.
————————————————————–
Mate – I am astonished at the behaviour of Celtic on this.
Firstly, the action of a Celtic Chairman who is fielding a legitimate question from a shareholder at the plc AGM is to accuse Celtic fans of posting criminal sectarian and racist abuse against another board member. The gaul of using that as a reason to avoid answering the question is disgusting. For that alone, the chairman should go.
Secondly, no-one has even bother to try to establish whether that disgusting abuse actually DID come from a genuine Celtic fans. The default position of the chairman? To imply it must have been Celtic fans who were responsible. Now – I know that some will say that he didn’t say this directly but look at the outcome of this and tell me how it is being portrayed. Incredible.
Thirdly, when media has reported this as a matter of fact, no-one at Celtic has attempted to correct this perception that the chairman created.
Lastly, no-one has even pursued this and tried to pursue the perpetrators through the law.
Now, perhaps Celtic feel it is up to Lord Livingston to report this if he wants because the crime has been directly committed against him. I’d suggest that the people of who have come out of this worst are….ordinary Celtic fans- who are now being portrayed in the UKs foremost Jewish news source as anti-Semites, racists and bigots.
I do not recognise those who posted the comments as the Celtic fans I know – if they are Celtic fans then they should be banned from Celtic Park immediately. A strong message needs to be sent out. But let’s actually find out who they are first. “Michael Higgins”? I have my doubts.
I also do not recognise the behaviour of the Celtic board as either Celtic fans or Celtic directors. Utterly woeful performance.
I’m really starting to feel that Celtic has little to do with me any more.
A quick scan of the official Ajax website, and hardly a mention of the Paradise game.
It seems they have their attention focussed on internal matters.
Another similarity to us evidently.
Florida Bhoy,
Ssshhhh, you might wake him up, haha!
For the avoidance of doubt.
That Michael Higgins fella isn’t one of us.
I’d like to forward a motion where all contributors to CQN are not allowed one inflammatory, wind up, insulting, argumentative, or trolling post.
Perhaps the Christmas/Hogmanay week.
Anybody?
THE EXILED TIM on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 4:42 PM
TD67
Aye, I sure am a plonker.
The difference with the likes of me and you.
I know I am a plonker.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/saturday-agm-afterblow/comment-page-19/#comments
==========
Lol
I can confirm that.
Not that you are a plonker but that you know you are.
And a very endearing quality it is too. :)
Tallybhoy @ 7.01
The Ladbrokes meeting was in connection with a £3.2 Billion merger of another of his companys
Celtic are only a toy..
Auldheid
TeT drink so much wine it’s no wonder he is a plonker⚽️⚽️☘☘
Good to see Dermot trapped for an AGM……..
SAINT STIVS on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 7:44 PM
For the avoidance of doubt.
That Michael Higgins fella isn’t one of us.
—————————-
That’s not the view of either our chairman or at least one of our board members.
The Exiled Tim
They have arrested genuine Celtic supporters for a whole lot less.
Wonder if anyone will actually investigate the source of the abuse?
http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=yn4kUeEYzM4&u=/watch?v%3Dm2Fxp1FX2I8%26feature%3Dem-subs_digest-g&g=1YXTb40vnT4vsrkDef906rpCg90Y2izeDzK5S8m0ysJ3RSgXi_Ko1DUWYvSPyYjugK9hrojrkjW3NxEeyzOTV_J-Q2cjo-Td-Z221hTnipfXTthknHWDHNIbFRiNe0Kuz0q5QrwhTAD9KvKvFiJ3iyR9veHVfdUaEkmh5J2Q
John Lewis,eat your heart out…..
‘You would expect Arsenal to win this game comfortably to-night’ – the usual arrogance from the commentator on the CL game completely dismissing Zagreb as mere canon fodder.
natknow
Tories get defeated over one of their major policies, (albeit not in their manifesto) and Celtic supporters end up being vilified in the Jewish Chronicle, something wrong somewhere.
CELTIC MAC on 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 7:58 PM
The Exiled Tim
They have arrested genuine Celtic supporters for a whole lot less.
Wonder if anyone will actually investigate the source of the abuse?
———————————————————-
Someone needs to get the police to investigate who they are.
Lord Livingston won’t do it.
Ian Bankier won’t do it.
Perhaps the Affiliation or Trust should do it?
Who represents the fans?
The Wilko Johnson Story on BBC 1@ 10.35 tonight
Is all this bullshit over a single comment? Made on Fudbook I presume?
Jeezo
!!bada bing!!
And made by the same man who made ‘Oil City Confidential’ the brilliant Dr Feelgood documentary movie, Julien Temple.
I thought us Papists were touchy anaw :-)
Auldheid
Thank you, always can rely on you to tell the truth :-)
HH
……………….
BT
It would be rude not to indulge in the national tipple, and a fine drop am partaking in tonight, all the Christmas stock is in, some amazing stuff, tonight it’s a 2011 Garancha Tintorera called El Miracle, not bad :-)
HH
……………..
Celtic Mac
Aye, seems to me they ain’t looking too hard, might not like what they find.
HH