If you want to criticise Celtic for taking a January holiday while the country suffers and you have been stuck at home for 10 months, go for it, there’s acres of space below. The football bubble is difficult to reconcile when people are currently falling ill and dying in such numbers, the optics are poor; Celtic, really?
But if you are responsible for setting the rules of the football bubble, like the Scottish Government are, you are responsible for what is permitted within that bubble.
If you gave specific permission for Celtic’s trip to Dubai, like the Scottish Government did, you and you alone have no right to issue PR statements of condemnation.
This contrasts with the Scottish Government’s congratulatory comments for Newco after punishing their players who broke bubble rules, a marked contrast to their reaction after Celtic punished Boli Bolingoli.
I get that this Government is a world leader at PR, that their leader appears to spend much of her day preparing and delivering her message of PR brilliance and that they effortlessly dig into Celtic without self-awareness.
And I know this is a lot easier than their day job, like deciding whether to send infected patients to care homes or not, running an education system, controlling a police force who witness sectarian crime without concern, and ensuring NHS hospitals do not have to issue statements of regret after poor cleaning-related deaths.
All this magnificent PR keeps eyes away from how that day job is being performed. Scotland has a death rate higher than all but six countries in the world, including countries run by incompetent fools, like the rest of the UK – who we continue to shadow for inexplicable reasons – and the US.
Your government wants people to talk about Celtic, not look at the death count. The former is embarrassing and the latter is worse only in Peru, Belgium, Italy and three former Yugoslav countries. I am not part of this cult.
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Re: C Bell.
Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the chairman, said: “The passage of time does little to erase the memories of his genius. The fact that we have a stand at the Etihad Stadium named after Colin speaks volumes about the importance of his contribution to this club … There is always the thought of what might have been if injury had not affected his career. Undoubtedly more trophies for City and far more than the 48 England caps to his name. Our club has lost a true great. Everyone’s thoughts and best wishes are with Colin’s family.”
From the Guardian
COSY CORNER BHOY:
First up, I never posted anything refuting the suggestion that Lennon left more money at Leicester than he was getting at Celtic Park. I neither know that nor care about it in the slightest. I never mentioned it in an article because it’s a total irrelevence as to whether or not he’s suitable to be manager.
But I’ll tell you this; I can basic maths. He was at Celtic for seven years as a player; assume he never got a pay rise in all that time, assume that although it’s ridiculous. He would have given up earnings of £2.2 million or thereabouts.
He was manager for four years the first time, in a role which no other club our size would have given a guy without that experience; now assume he was on a “mere” quarter million a year. Ludicrous, as he was on well over twice that as a player. But assume it.
Over the course of his time in his FIRST spell as manager he would have commanded a basic salary of nearly £2 million over the course; so there’s most of it back right away, with a red ribbon on it. That’s without considering for even a minute what he’s made in the last two years.
None of which matters, as you’ve said. But for those who want to paint Lennon as a picture of altruism and “he does it all for the love of Celtic” even with the £6,000 a week wage cut, you know how much money he made just as a player? A minimum of £8 million over the course of his deal.
Believe me, if it was a sacrifice he’s barely missed the money.
My last post should read a HALF not a QUARTER million a year of cours;e my sums are based on that assumption.
£30,000 or £24,000 it’s a fekn conundrum
God, you know what? Let me do that again.
Lennon’s earning would have been a MERE £5,000,000 not eight.
Someone send that guy a bag of groceries.
James Forrest @4.29
You are not even close to being even handed in dishing out the blame for Dubai between Celtic and the Approving Authorities.
“The Scottish Government is right to say the exemptions exist for competitive games. An intercontinental Jolly Boys Outing, is not a valid reason for an exemption”
You describe it, variously as A Jolly Boys Outing, a mini break, a wee jaunt, and a trip away. You compare it with military training to say it is not that hard. Well, it’s not an Antartic trek either but it is worthwhile as a football training camp and that’s all it is. During that training camp, the players will have time off and some might even drink a pint or two but let’s face it, it is the pictures of outside drinking that led to the publicity. There will be damned few pictures, despite Celtic’s efforts to publicise the following days training session or the ones after that, appearing in our Press because they are only interested in stoking the fires of jealousy- “I wish I was allowed to go on holiday… I’d run for 5 minutes too if I was alowed 20 pints after it”. We are going to suffer enough from those who hate us and who control this narrative without us joining in.
You admit the Government approved training camps (not just competitive games). Lots of sportspeople will be making use of them and whisper it, some of them will even drink alcohol in moderation when they are training. The main difference will be the lack of photos of that activity and the lack of interest in that activity. If the Government approved training camps that’s what we are currently doing. Even when Callum MCGregor tells you so, you are sceptical that the balance betwen actual aerobic exercise and team-bonding is not to your taste.
Of course it looks bad; it was designed to look bad and we should apologise for the pool drinking session but all the rest of it- including your cynicism about the training benefits is basically a reach (you are a wee bit outside your comfort zone on Sports Science) and you are too quick to accept the SNP politicking on the issue as “reluctant comment”, when in fact it is a welcome squirrel for them, yet again.
They have the power and responsibility to shut down our public drinking and meeting, during a pandemic, and I applaud some of what they did there. But, when they approve foreign travel for elite sports, they could add, but cannot enforce, that no sportsmen should enjoy any free time abroad and it should be just training and sleeping 24/7. But unless they are going to hammer Andy Murray for a fly pint at one of his many training camps or the GB athletes or Rugby players who go to a club after training or after an away match on the continent, then this is just so much manufactured outrage.
Yes Celtic could have cancelled Dubai this year but no-one , not a supporter or a politician, asked them to do so after granting permission. We were aware of it for two months, at least, either overtly, or at the back of our mind. Nobody wrote that Hibs were right when they kicked up a fuss over moving the game by two days.
Only two events have changed our views on this, and the worsening of the Covid pandemic is not one of them. The first event was the bad look of the poolside drinking for which we should unreservedly apologise. But the major reason for us getting tore into our players is that they lost at Ibrox. Only since then have the majority expressed their outrage.
First Class post today. A site I don’t normally read on but this post today sums up everything I believe about this Scottish Government.
We may or may not agree with Celtic going to Dubai but when it comes down to it, the Government approved and the SFA approved.
This government has like to stick the boot in at every opportunity throught this pandemic into our club and you capture it in your post perfectly Paul.
A Government who has played a political game through this whole pandemic to progress at every opportunity the chance of another Indy Ref. If I hear anyone say to me again how well the First Minister has handled the pandemic in Scotland I will respond with “Show me the evidence to back that up?”
Celtic fans seem to forget that this government forced home the offensive behaviour act, lost data which showed that Catholics are attacked more than any other religion in Scotland and did not want a No Deal Brexit but was willing to vote for it last week.
Celtic fans better wake up to this Sectarian National Party.
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX:
See, this is total bollocks what you’re attempting to do with that latest post.
“It was DESIGNED to look bad”? What as if this was a conspiracy? As if this a manufactured controversy?
Maybe you think the Cummings one was a manufactured controversy? Just enemies of the Tory Party and the left wing media swinging the hammer because they could.
But nobody FORCED our club to take a trip to the other side of the world, to the millionaires paradise, in the middle of a football week, in the middle of a global pandemic, in the middle of a national shutdown when ordinary folk are being told to stay at home and not even visit their families.
People inside Celtic MADE THAT DECISION and didn’t care what it looked like or how it came across.
Stop blaming the media for reporting the news.
We did this to ourselves. You may support the decision; if so DEFEND IT ON ITS MERITS.
Do not turn it into a witch-hunt. That is not what happened here.
JAMES FORREST on 5TH JANUARY 2021 7:26 PM
AN TEARMANN:
You
Do you know one of the principle reasons Rangers died whilst their supporters stood around and waited for someone else to come and save the day?
Me.
I do recall james.they were impotent as an 87% shareholder “ticked”out their deid club.
Similarities with that shareholders action and say a dd/iinddsell axis blocking say res12.That axis worries me.Celtic fans are not asleep at all.they know change is coming,that was going to happen 10 or not.alas it looks like or not at moment.The recriminations and slaughtering of Neil Lennon as a tension rod is not on imo.rein it in
You
A combination of two things; a sense of entitlement and sheer laziness.
Me
Entitlement -sir hunner of pence could do what he wanted
Laziness- on the part of fooball governance
Criminality-in football as in business combined.
You
They, too, were winning things and enjoying success. When you tried to tell them their club was badly run and that they were on the downslope they never believed a word of it.
Me
James.i know.i do not see Celtic as a badly run club.i see the football this season in dissaray.but we are not.i repeat not a club run along the lines comparable with the one Sir Hunner toileted.To me james we(celtic) wejust need to vary how the scarce resources available to Celtic meets the infinite wants of all Celtic fans.its a toughie indeed.
You
Their entire support was sleeping at the wheel; I laugh at how they blame everyone else for it, including Murray, including Whyte, when had they done a little homework and looked at their club with any sort of critical eye they’d have seen the trouble coming a mile down the road as many of us did.
Me
James i re iterate the above we are not a badly run club,we are well financed,good tick record,strong and consistent financial records and capitalized.we are nothing like the 87% murderer club.We have masssive issues with shareholding democracy.imo.You and i could gather the whole Celtic support(pitchforks to the left please) outside Celtic park but if DD and Mr Lindsell vote against.to bad.that must change.
You
Tell yourself that our job is to be cheerleaders as you like; some of us take it more seriously than that. I know this; if people weren’t doing it, people like you certainly wouldn’t be.
Me
The assumption there is that you have clout.i dont think you have(you know what i mean here) re democratic deficit.but the constant feed of 24 noozceltic means content gets diluted.less is more at times maybe with a resultant increase in quality.
It is interesting you bring up minty,have you ever heard any of them get into Murrray? I mean openly,like in the way it is open season on Neil….just a ponder.as i know it does not look good at mo.but as JNP posted i remember disappointnent at not getting 10 in 1975 i dont recall anything even coming near as what i read about Celtic manager Neil Lennon. Any suggestions as to why that
may be James?
You
So accuse of being in bed with the enemy as you well; Ibrox fans would have said the same about any of their own bloggers had there been any who were giving Murray stick during “the glory years.”
Me
Again James.your assumption there is that of a media man,that of in the know.it may well be true to some obviously agree wi your view.
i dont recognise the association along your lines,what is it minty-glory-dissenting huns and say dd -pl/celticboard -you/cellic soshul eunuchs/meeja.
I dont see you in that way at all.most of your stuff is interesting,maybe to assumption based/scenario thats not heavy.i just dont like the line of personal integrity.
You
We know exactly what we’re doing and why.
Me
I dont think you do james.we differ in view but Celtic goes on.that is our energy.as you say you dont have to far to see look happens when uniform opinion(nodding dogs)
HH
AN TEARMANN:
Good post mate :) I hope you understand I’m gonna need a while to answer those points!
HH
SFTB. 9.31.
Only two events have changed our views on this, and the worsening of the Covid pandemic is not one of them.
I cannot agree with that part of your post, that’s had a big influence on myself and my circle of friends and this whole event.
I will 100% agree that when it was announced in Nov, I never gave it a second thought.
It was actually my big Killie supporting buddy, who said to be on Christmas Eve, are your team still going to Dubai, with the figures going through the roof? again.
It made me think about it, if Celtic had won, i would still have thought this wasn’t appropriate any longer.
SQUIRE DANAHER on 5TH JANUARY 2021 9:21 PM
Re: C Bell.
Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the chairman, said: “The passage of time does little to erase the memories of his genius. The fact that we have a stand at the Etihad Stadium named after Colin speaks volumes about the importance of his contribution to this club … There is always the thought of what might have been if injury had not affected his career. Undoubtedly more trophies for City and far more than the 48 England caps to his name. Our club has lost a true great. Everyone’s thoughts and best wishes are with Colin’s family.”
From the Guardian
Fine tribute to a fine player.class.:-)
Thanks for posting
HH
Nijinsky
JIMMYNOTPAUL:
it’s funny you should say that actually, because when this was announced in November, I took didn’t give it a seconds thought. Not one. But as this crisis spiralled I just assumed on some level that the club would cancel it, as it seemed absolutely mental.
It was on Christmas Day that my brother in law said to me that he thought it was barmy, and I said “Didn’t we cancel that already?”and it was him who said we were still going.
I mentioned it in an article last week, and said the idea was crazy and we shouldn’t be doing it. The outcry was entirely predictable and we still don’t know whether it’ll have consequences.
Like youself mate, it went right out of my head and the reason it did is that when the lockdown was introduced, even prior to the “cancellation of Christmas”, I just assumed that people at Celtic would take what seemed, for all the world, to be the logical decision.
This stuff about Lenny coming to Celtic is true if you count only the wages.
Lenny from the day he set foot in paradise hasn’t dropped a dime.
He was on how much at Bolton/Hibs
FB
I need to bring it down a notch, are you serious, ffs the lies being spouted and regurgitated on here and by the MSM and I need to bring it down for telling the truth, jeezo, I thought you were better than that.
I am still waiting for someone to challenge me on what I have said is not true, the truth seems to hurt so it does, I have asked for months now for someone to tell me that what I have posted is not true, again still waiting.
Fair enough though, if that makes me a prick in your eyes, so be it, I can’t help the ignorance of folks, I am only trying to waken people up, but if they don’t want to find out what is going really down, not my problem, ignorance is bliss they say, me I would rather be aware that ignorant.
I suppose when I say that the vaccine that they are promoting won’t cure or stop the C-19 is also a con theory, I can see why some would think that given the MSM’s push that the vaccine is the answer, well if you actually read the small print from the pharma co’s about their vaccine, it kinda tells you that all the vaccine does is relieve the symptoms, no more than that, as always if you follow the money you will find the truth, but that seems so hard for so many.
BTW, I am many many things but a prick is not one of them.
Take care
Gents, believe it or not it was a real pleasure to spend the day debating with some of you guys.
Honestly, this was more like the old CQN. Everyone challenging everything else, from everyone else.
Excellent stuff, and a great credit to the site.
Adios amigos, for now.
JAMES FORREST on 5TH JANUARY 9:49
As I said on yesterday’s thread, I was oblivious to this jolly and what got my dander up was being on holidays for past ten days home here in Prestonpans.
Now that has encompassed two riveting vists to the supermarket and weather permitting dog walks alone either Prestonpans or Londniddry beach !
And these bhoys are half way round the world, a complete PR disaster but now used to that😱😵
James F
“They celebrated the appointment louder than most Celtic fans did.”
—————————————
They celebrated the appointment on 26th February 2019.
They stopped fairly quickly after when the results came through afterwards including the 2:1 win on 31st March. Even when they won the dead rubber in May, they were still scared of him
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 5TH JANUARY 2021 7:26 PM
An tearmann
From earlier : Cheers. Never thought a discussion on shares would be a light relief.:)
=============================
Lol true ha
Hope 21 goes well for you and yours mate.
HH
JF
““It was DESIGNED to look bad”? What as if this was a conspiracy? As if this a manufactured controversy?”
No, because the Press were mainly interested in a “Celtic Bad” angle to the news. Their favoured club could either not afford a winter training camp or had decided it did them no good last year, so only one club was in the firing line for going abroad.
That Design was the old ever-lasting design of covering up for them and sticking the boot into us.
Bringing Dom Cummings into the comparison is fairly risible. He never sought approval, was never granted it and didn’t need it as the powers that be lined up to cover his back. The only way there is an equivalence to the 2 situations is if a majority of Tory Supporters put the boot into Cummmings for his actions, but they didn’t.
The crucial question to you and others who have been so forthright in condemnation this week is where was the indignation on this issue before the Sevco defeat?
If it’s morally wrong, it is morally wrong regardless of the result last Saturday but only a tiny few Celtic supporters and not one blog called this out until we had lost to them.
TET-I know you’re a great guy.
But then I found the healthiest 80 year old I knew dead in bed.And his doctor while I was still sitting with my dad said it looked like a heart failure connected to COVID.That was Thursday afternoon.My dad had went for the test on Monday and got told he was positive on Tuesday.He wasn’t tested positive by his doctor.
Show a bit of compassion for those of us that don’t buy into your beliefs.
Sorry for calling you a prick.
TET 9.53.
You probably don’t intend to but you are coming across as uncaring.
It’s not only F.B, a good few others have lost really close loved ones and, indeed, a few of them have asked you similar to F.B to tone it down.
People are grieving, your opinion, appears, as if that’s more important to you, than how people are feeling about their terrible losses.
P.S. I think everyone knows the vaccine doesn’t cure, the save way a flu jab doesn’t cure.
I’ve said all this with good intentions, I’m done for the night now
THT ! Why are they giving the vaccine, in your opinion! Catch up later, thanks in advance!
TET, sorry 😞
JNP
A measured response.
If it took a wee bit of a reminder from a Killie pal to bring it abck to mind, did you immediately think it should be cancelled? Should all sports winter camp approvals fro Scottish sportspersons be cancelled? Should business trips be cancelled? Should air travel be suspended?
All of these things were undertaken by various world governments. Dictatorships like China and liberal democracies like Australia.
Our country chose not to do so; it has still chosen not to do so. But it won’t stop it from putting the boot into Celtic because the pics are out there and even our own fans are saying it’s a jolly holiday.
I knew we would find it difficult to cope with losing a league to Sevco but I underestimated how self-loathing we could become.
Aff oot again
Hello again all you young rebels.
Phew! what a great read back this morning for us Oz bhoys.
Great stuff from some very prominent posters.
Yes we had the usual guff from the noted Lenny haters, but the
respective debate from a few notables more than countenanced
that.
Regarding the yes or no regarding the Eddie debate is it the old
Eddie or the recent Eddie?
Asking for an agent.
8-))
H.H. Mick
SFTB-I honestly don’t know one hun who didn’t celebrate when Lenny got the job.
Maybe celebrate is to strong.But not one was worried.
A bit like we all were when them appointed a youth coach from Liverpool
Fairhillbhoy! Don’t know any Hun who wants Lenny out ! Says it all really, hope you’re doing good buddy! Wasn’t Covid with me mum cancer, still hurts bud , JNP well said!
WISHAW TIM-don’t like arguing with TET.
I have what I want to believe regarding my dad.
Thanks for asking.
God bless yir mum 💚
FB-JNP
Listen, I am a lone voice on here and if you can’t see what you are doing by trying to silence me I am not the one with the problem, sorry if that sounds harsh but….
Please don’t think that I have also had nobody close to me who has died either, I am old and most of my friends and acquaintances are of the same age, trust me many have passed in the last few months, a few have supposedly died from the C-19, the people who have been left behind are challenging that lie to no avail, but it is what it is, there is an agenda going down, just ask Klaus Schwab and the great philanthropist Bill Gates, or as he should be known, Kill Gates.
It’s all about the money, and the control of course, I wonder if anyone will bother apologizing to me when in the next few years what I have been saying will come to fruition, I doubt it, but don’t say I didn’t try to warn yous all.
Education is an amazing thing, it really is.
Take care
HH
TheGeorgiaGuidestonesshouldgiveyou CSC clue
WT
Money
HH
I booked a holiday in Dec 2019, for Oct 2020
I had to pay fully 3 months before I left
I was going to Antigua, a country with very very low Covid levels, and which was not on any Government restrictions list
I went on holiday to Antigua in October, as the travel Company and resort did not offer any option
I did require to provide a PCR Covid test, to both get on the plane and entry to Antigua
I completed an online questionnaire to allow me to get entry back into the Uk
Now
Celtic planned the trip to Dubai, mid 2020
Probably had to pay full costs by Nov 2029, getting full clearance from both FtSFA and the Government
Dubai, is still today open to travellers from Scotland – PCR test for entry
May not mean a lot, but both flights and hotels etc, would Not be offering any refund to Celtic for this booking, said f cancelled
Celtic are testing their players at least twice a week, and will return to Scotland at the weekend, following full goverment guidance
Today, there are no restrictions to travellers returning from the uk
Players will be tested pre Hibs game
What is FtSNP problem with Celtic ???
What laws or regulations have they breached ???
And just for clarity, I do not agree with this trip, there is no mid season break, we could have played one of our games in hand tomorrow night
But the trip was known about, paid for, and to a country with NO travel restrictions ( PCR test complian) in, or back to UK
Noise to distract from Incompetence
The Huns worst nightmare would be Scott and Lenny holding aloft the trophy at the end of the season.
Might even be the same for some on here.
.
KTF
THE EXILED TIM on 5TH JANUARY 2021 10:31 PM
Are you still maintaining that George Floyd’s death certificate stated he had died of Covid?
The only reason I ask is that it is a good measure of your credibility.
TET-I never tried to silence you. I asked you to show some compassion for someone you doesn’t have your beliefs.
Stay safe out there please 💚
And again sorry for name calling 🍀💚
NORRIEM
Exactly.
H.H. Mick
Well we were meant to be going on holiday at the end of the month.Week in Tenerife.
Officially cancelled yesterday.But I definitely would have went.If my government let me.
CLINKO
Quite a few on here, and they’re breeding.
H.H. Mick