I remember one of the Q&A evenings in Blantyre when it was suggested from the floor that Celtic pay whatever money necessary to retain John Park as chief scout. John out-performed his peers for several years, but, as you know, there are no gurus in football. A fallow period followed the recruitment of Mikael Lustig in January 2012; many players arrived in the years since then but few were able to enhance the team (with the odd outstanding exception).
Football scouting at this level isn’t really about being able to spot a player, it is as much about contacts. Your network keeps you. With many of these guys, their networks diminish over time. They fall out with each other regularly – trust is a precious commodity in football transfer negociations. Your value as a scout to an agent is largely dependent on your club. Since 2012 Celtic’s financial position relative to the English leagues has diminished. We will spend less than they will on any given player, and we will buy fewer players.
Perhaps for these reasons Brendan Rodgers decided a change was needed and has now secured his former colleague at Chelsea, Lee Congerton. Congerton has had recent spells at two highly dysfunctional clubs: Hamburg and Sunderland, but rejected a pretty spectacular offer to join Brendan’s revolution at Celtic. We have recruited a known quantity who will fit with the manager’s plans as closely as Chris Davies does. He will also bring a fresh batch of scouts and agents to the table. I hear they are working on plans for the summer already.
Amid the gloating at the hubris of English football amid another humbling in Europe last night, my Dad made the point that unlike Arsenal, or Manchester United, Manchester City didn’t try to cheat us by scamming a penalty in our Champions League encounters. They played with a straight bat.
We have also established a beneficial relationship with them. A year with Jason Denayer, the purchase of Dedryck Boyata and 18 months with Patrick Roberts. So far.
Roberts’ situation at his parent club should be easier to fathom after City’s exit. 10 points adrift in the Premier League and the only team to be eliminated from the Champions League last 16 by a lesser- moneyed side, what chance Pep Guardiola decides what his team needs for next season is a player City shipped out to Celtic in January 2016?
It is not going to happen. Patrick is caught in an impossible situation in Manchester. The Manchester City football model harvests innumerable players, but precious few young English players will make it onto the roster in any decade. None will do so in a season when there is a perceived need for them to up their game. Pep will spend big this summer, Roberts’ opportunity to breakthrough in Manchester next season have diminished.
My first reaction at full time last night? Our chances of getting to keep Patrick increased. Which would be a very good thing, for both club and player.
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For what it’s worth -I agree with Ernie Lynch.That said ,I don’t give a toss re the religion of a Prime Minister..(that would change if a PM tried to impose their religious beliefs on me)
Oh good, just logged in and we have a debate on constitutional law? Is it international break already?
Stunning headed goal from Lyons young centre half opens the scoring in Rome. Roma equalise immediately.
So, everybody crystal clear this week on the possibilities of winning the league now? Pretty straightforward. We need 6 more points assuming Aberdeen keep winning. In the unlikely event that Hearts win up at Pittodrie on Saturday then a win for us at Dens Park would give us 6 in a row.
DAVIDOPOULOS on 16TH MARCH 2017 1:11 PM
“Irish” is not a race unlike being Black or Jewish.
______
Firstly, neither of the above are a race as one is a skin colour & the other is a Religion.
I was led to believe that they all fall under hate crime
GORDYBHOY64 on 16TH MARCH 2017 7:27 PM
Nicpri28@gmail.com
Better organize your digs ASAP. Vegas has already doubled population with the arrival of summer early this year.
HH
If embdy is just joining in, davidpolous did not say the above quote.
It was part of a longer cut and paste job.
Thank you for your cooperation :)
HH
JMCCORMICK on 16TH MARCH 2017 8:17 PM
It’s not really about constitutional law.
It’s about people being determined to continue to believe a myth in spite of the facts being pointed out to them.
Remind you of anything?
Not read back yet.Only on to thank Davidopoulos for his Berlin guide. Mate very pleased.Thanks!
Any and all recommendations re trip to Berlin welcomed. None too big or too small!
ERNIE LYNCH
Yes, a night with the toothache.
Ghuys,
Anyone’s Bus going through Coatbridge on Sunday on the way to Dundee? Looking for two seats for my Cousin’s Husband and their Son?
Both have tickets, just a lift they are looking for, a Birthday treat for their Son, if you can help please e-mail me at lennybhoycfc@gmail.com
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Ernie Lynch
Put yer claws away:)
Debate is over….for the moment
HH
BMG doing well also, despite the main man Strindl being injured.
Ernie hoose a start empty Lynch in fight an.
BSR
Dont start talking about Frank McAveety…Ernie goes berserk:)
HH
ernie lynch on 16th March 2017 8:37 pm
Ernie..like the existence of Rangers?
JOBO BALDIE on 16TH MARCH 2017 8:23 PM
So, everybody crystal clear this week on the possibilities of winning the league now? Pretty straightforward. We need 6 more points assuming Aberdeen keep winning. In the unlikely event that Hearts win up at Pittodrie on Saturday then a win for us at Dens Park would give us 6 in a row.
__________________________________________________________________
Jobo,
if Aberdeen win can we no play a Joker against Dundee
AURORABOREALIS79 on 16TH MARCH 2017 8:24 PM
DAVIDOPOULOS on 16TH MARCH 2017 1:11 PM
“Irish” is not a race unlike being Black or Jewish.
—————————-
I never said that neither ah did big man.
As I understand it, ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, religion etc come under the “racial group” definition in relation to racially aggravated offences.
So calling someone an Irish ______ is racist.
I think…
Sevco have asked Hamilton to do a guard of honour for the draw.
COSY CORNER BHOY
You are very welcome. Delighted it is of use to your pal!
Sin City Bhoy,
mail sent
Just to be clear, my post above was ambiguous, so calling someone an Irish sweetheart may not be racist…
Maybe…
Prior to the recent game at Inverness I was a bit concerned we would get roughed up, we passed and moved and they never got a kick at the ball, Sunday we got roughed up and did not react properly, still should have won though they missed two 1 on 1s with Craig as the keeper made geat blocks. I hope BR has had a look at that, it has seldom happened this season when it does we are stifled.
Gordy
Our pal Mountblow Tim was in Vegas last year.
Will get D’s tips for you too.
‘ I’m was Rangers ‘secret’ Catholic ‘
Don Kitchenbrand
Delaneys,
good man ,thanks very much
TONYDONNELLY67 on 16TH MARCH 2017 3:53 PM
I’m for The Scottish Republican Party, no sovereignty, there isn’t one, so I don’t vote, it’s rigged anyway, you can’t have a catholic PM, so really! What’s the point?
———-
Michael Gove disagree’s
Michael Gove says Theresa May is a secret Catholic who can’t be trusted to deliver Brexit
Niamh Ní MhaoileoinNiamh Ní Mhaoileoin
10 March, 2017 (6 days ago)
The Brexiteers’ historical fantasies are out of control
This year marks the quincentenary of Reformation, and Michael Gove is celebrating by claiming that a Catholic plotter has taken over the British government.
In today’s Times, Gove writes that Theresa May’s is not a devout member of the Church of England, as she would have you believe. Her Lenten sacrifice of salt-and-vinegar crisps tells us that she is actually Britain’s ‘first Catholic prime minister’.
It’s hardly the gunpowder plot, but Gove has more! On Desert Island Discs, May selected a Catholic hymn as one of her eight records (she also selected both ‘Walk Like A Man’ and ‘Dancing Queen’, but that’s a conspiracy theory for another day…)
May’s every political act, the cabinet-minister-turned-tinfoil-hat-wearer warns, is infused by Catholic thought. Her emphasis on the common good, resistance to corporate buccaneering and concern for workers clearly links her to a string of papist thinkers, form Pope Leo XIII to John Cruddas.
And most disturbingly of all, May’s closet Catholicism threatens Britain’s future outside Europe.
The man who once thought he could be Prime Minister explains:
“Britain’s path to preeminence in the past followed our break with Catholicism and embrace of the Reformation. We pursued a global, maritime, buccaneering, individualistic, liberal destiny — the spirit of our capitalism was infused with a very Protestant ethic. Now that we are once more freeing ourselves from a conformist Continent to make our own way in the world the question of whether we need to be more radical to maximise opportunities or more cautious to reassure and protect is central to our politics.”
For all the usual verbosity, Gove’s message is simple: Brexit should be delivered by Protestants. And while the delivery is laughable, the premise must be challenged.
This is shameless sectarianism, delivered by a senior politician and published by a supposedly serious newspaper. Gove is claiming that the state has fallen into the thrall of some shady religious influence — that’s a well-worn path that never leads anywhere good.
He’s alleging that one group of people, by virtue of their religion, are better placed than the rest to govern, a claim that has no place in a secular democracy.
It was bad enough when the Brexiteers want to drag us back to the 1900s — the 1600s are out of the question.
Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow her on Twitter
See: Melanie Phillips tries to soothe nationalist tensions by claiming Ireland doesn’t exist
28 Responses to “Michael Gove says Theresa May is a secret Catholic who can’t be trusted to deliver Brexit”
DAVIDOPOULOS on 16TH MARCH 2017 9:03 PM
Apologies. I never meant to quote you, I was taking an extract from the article posted.
OK, I’ll get it out there early; my choices this week were limited so to my shame I have selected The Rangers (with a joker) for GFS this week.
Tin hat on!
KTF
AURORABOREALIS79 on 16TH MARCH 2017 9:15 PM
Michael Gove is like Ernie Lynch; he disbar quite get the argument!
KTF
not disbar – disnae
KTF
If it looks like a Catholic, swims like a Catholic, and quacks like a Catholic then its probably is a Catholic.
abductivethinking CSC
DAVIDOPOULOS on 16TH MARCH 2017 9:03 PM
They were claiming that when Leigh Griff was chanting “Go home you f….ing refugee” about Rudi Skacel.
Gordy
How your Cheltenham going?
I am doing well on the each way market, chucked trying to pick winners. :)
VFR800 IS NOW A MONSTER 821 on 16TH MARCH 2017 9:18 PM
Wow, and wow again.
Are you still celebrating the point and now have illusions of grandeur.:-)))))))))))))))))))
VFR.9.18.
I view that as another act of kindness by you.
The Rangers are rotten and you have played your joker on a team who will be lucky to score. I’m asuming this is to allow others the chance to win.
Well done.
St J. for me this week.
Hail Hail.
AURORABOREALIS79
Rules, laws, ethics…those are for other people…
GREENPINATA I have delusions of adequacy!
KTF