So far, it is clear that Covid hygiene rules were not followed at St Mirren, where seven non-playing staff tested positive for the virus. Additionally, the SFA have launched an investigation into allegations Newco fielded nine players against Dundee United on Wednesday without receiving the required negative test results.
The anomaly came to light because Newco arranged two games on Wednesday. Motherwell, their opponents in the second game, had their results delayed by the same testing backlog. This brought attention to the fact that neither club received the all-clear until Wednesday evening, several hours after the Newco-Dundee United game.
There are significant health and commercial risks at play here. The seven staff at St Mirren could easily (and may have) infect the playing staff. If St Mirren then played a game, the virus would almost certainly infect not only the rest of the team but their opponents. Games involving these teams would be postponed for weeks, perhaps months. Dozens of carriers would travel home from that game and Scotland would have a fresh wave to worry about.
The SFA Joint Response Group reached a deal with the Scottish Government on how and when to return to training and then games, all predicated on safety rules being adhered to. Celtic, and others, have transformed their stadiums into an environment where socially distanced spectators can attend safely and be seen to do so.
They want fans back soon and wait on Government clearance. That possibility disappeared yesterday, when allegations emerged that one club has been cheating. Football is as trustworthy as its greatest rogue. I doubt the SFA considered how to discipline a club that flaunts Covid rules and risks the entire game in this country. No fine would be large enough to match the financial consequences for others.
There is no infection at Ibrox, the pain of any breach there will be felt by fans of all clubs not attending fixtures until later. St Mirren were less negligent but their issue is more serious and spooked me. If this happened in my workplace, when most others have returned to work, it could threaten the entire business. We are going to move into a stage when most of the world is getting on with things, and some businesses will be halted by infection, acute illness and worse.
I have spoken to staff at Celtic who have been impressed at the processes in place to protect club employees from infection, from everything I hear, we are getting things right. The evidence elsewhere is that others are complacent. If that is allowed to continue, next season and the health of many is in jeopardy.
You have to wonder what’s in the water at Ibrox with the incessant flouting of rules.
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GFTB on 25TH JULY 2020 9:00 PM
If we don’t get the 10 it’s Lawells fault
If we get the 10 it’s despite Lawell
Peter Lawell is a far more fervent Celtic fan than 99% of his detractors …
*careful or the kirki expat will be after you.
Iniquit 9.22pm
Seriously ?
You want me to answer a question on a “what if” and on that “what if” who wil I blame ???
the 10 isn’t the be all and end all for me, and in my opinion we are already well passed at as the Huns cheated … I will enjoy every Celtic triumph as much as the last one … life is far too short to worry about all the shoite some think is important … I don’t… Celtic winning and collecting every domestic trophy is amazing but I know it won’t always be like this … so I will just enjoy every minute of these terrific times … knowing one of these days we might win … won’t change my mindset … but it’s your right to enjoy worrying about the Huns :-)
Oh, and Peter Green, as KINGLubO says, was the best from these islands. His solo album post Fleetwood Mac is awesome. Nearest thing to Hendrix when he wanted to be but no one could play slow guitar like Peter. A man out of this world.
Tontine Tim 9.31pm
Your stuff on here is excellent, Celtic stuff I would never have known (I don’t read books for the attention span of a newt while reading a book :-)
I canny understand the mindset of “board v football” who cares … I enjoy Celtic and cannot understand one fan who can complain about these days … Celtic agreed “loan” deals with Fraser & Elyounoussi… big Fraz decided he wasn’t letting go of circa £90k @ week and quite rightly so … am delighted to go with Neil (the shower recruit) fir the 10… if we don’t get it (& I think we will) it won’t change my love for Celtic :-)
In Statistics you can have a Type 1 or a Type 2 error.
In very, very crude terms, that means that you decide whether an idea is probably true or probably false by the statistical level of certainty that you allow. If you calibrate your level too tightly you might decide that an idea is probably false when, in fact, reality does support this idea but only at a mild or moderate level, but you have rejected its reality because it was below the level of certainty that you set.
A Type 2 Error, conversely, can happen when you set a very low bar, and you end up accepting an idea as probably right, when the evidence for it is weak and unconvincing.
What’s that got to do with football?
Well, every year since I’ve been online here, we have debated what kind of a pre-season or mid-season recruitment drive we are having and those making Type 1 errors dismiss genuine evidenced based fears as Panty-wetting, and those making Type 2 errors dismiss the views of the satisfied or stoical as hubristic or complacent. It’s a dance we perform twice a year.
Even the same event can lead the same people to make a Type 1 error at one point in our history and a Type 2 at another. For example, the failure to sign Steven Fletcher in January 2009 was cited by many a Captain Hindsight as the reason that Celtic lost that league, the only one WGS ever lost with us. But now, any move to sign Steven Fletcher in the summer of 2020, will be stored up and cited as evidence of why we lost a league in 2021 (if that disaster does indeed happen).
Every year the Type 2 pantywetters will have strong evidence at the start of any transfer cycle that Celtic have transacted very little and very poor business and can still have strong evidence for that view right up to the final week or two of the window. And the Type 1 complacents can remain satisfied that somebody big is coming and it is just around the corner; they are just weighing up rival options before committing.
The dance has several sub-routines. There are predictions after the first buy or two that there will be no further buys or loans because the Board is parsimonious and complacent, there are sometimes people who state there will be no buys at all. Even when there has been evidence of buying, many stick to their original positions and still assert that, while the club bought more than they ever predicted, they have not bought enough to “guarantee” winning.
On the other side, if the planned big purchases don’t happen in the final few weeks, as happened in the Willo Window, or have to be scaled down because of CL qualification disasters, or last minute gazumping, we don’t hear much reconsidering of the initial view just a repetition of the view that we are highly likely to win the league still.
All I can confidently assert at this stage is that the club will bring in a keeper that they hope will prove good enough to claim and hold the number 1 spot. I am also confident that an experienced defender will be bought or loaned in.
After that it is all conjecture. We could lose Edouard, Ajer, N’tcham, Christie, McGregor, Rogic, Forrest or Griffiths, if silly money is bid for any of them or if Leigh has burned his boats. Some of those positions can be filled by our development players – Soro, Dembele, Robertson and Welsh- but some will require a last minute dip into the transfer market, because of an unforeseen loss.
Then the real angst starts.
Because you can make Type 1 and Type 2 errors in your transfer strategy too.
You can buy a player who turns out to be less useful than you thought he was (Bayo, Kouassi etc;) and you can overlook or fail to land players who turn out to be better than your valuation (Drogba, Steven Fletcher, John McGinn etc;).
If only we had anyone inside CP or on any of the Celtic blogs who never made Type 1 or Type 2 errors- who signed only guaranteed winners and never let definite talent be underestimated and slip away, we would not need to be having this debate. We would place them immediately in the top recruitment position.
As someone who once preferred Jim Plumrose to Brian McClair, I rule myself out.
How come Celtic Fans say that he isn’t up to it ,I go along with that if certain players get a chance,but it’s plain after a decent run in the first that they are not going to make it at Celtic.but for others who haven’t had a decent run in the first time that’s very unfair,I’m sure there are plenty off Celtic Supporters who read in the media about players at Celtic who sadly believe what football journalists print about some players at Celtic
GFTB
I’d moved on from the Sevco will finish bottom six, i was playing with you, i sincerely apologise that it still wrankles you 3 yrs later. Please accept my apologies, lets move on.
You keep posting you can’t understand supporters with differing ways to support our football club, theirs a word for that, intolerance.
I post because i have a lot of experience in the game, well connected through myself and family. I want our club to continually improve and develop, i see areas where we are doing fine, other areas not so much. I like to stick my kneck out, test my knowledge, before the event not after. I post because i love Celtic not because i want to have a dig. You prefer the more wallowing in glories type posts, that’s fine we can co exist together. You think that makes you a better supporter, fill your boots. Your posts are more popular, im not on here to be popular.
My son coasted through the first 4 yrs of pro youth, when i then saw his performances dropping over a 2 month period, i warned him he was about to miss out in playing Milk Cup against Man utd. It’s called tough love, I was far from popular, he vehemently disagreed, took the huff. A couple of months later he didn’t make the trip. We then agreed he’d give me 20 mins,twice a week doing hill sprints until i was sick, which i was. I told him we don’t quit sprinting until at least the third, message from the body to the brain to stop.
Month later he was the best player on the park for the last month of the season and was offered a 2 yr deal, the boy’s that went to the Milk Cup didn’t need to improve as they were already successful, just like Celtic are now. Strive to be better and we’re uncatchable.
Then we can celebrate together despite our differing styles of supporting.
Happy 50th🎉🎉🎂
Good evening, friends.
8 sleeps till the season starts. Wondering about the appetite for doing the ole POTY thing again. Last season’s poll has of course still to be finalised now that we know that the VIP semi, and hopefully final, are still to be played.
dearie dearie , some on here especially later in the day can get rather personal and aggressive if they don’t like or agree with others opinions
Sid 10.15pm
All the very best to your Bhoy ..
Like yourself we post our thoughts and if they didn’t differ the blog wouldn’t be as good as it is …
Am glad you have reminded me about the “bottom six” post and also glad that you remembered my post of 3 years ago … puts my January 2020 post into perspective … although if Stevie Gees mob won every single league (Covid apart) they would have reached 94pts exactly… so you could have been correct :-) … but I think the 94pts minimum part was under doubt …
Roll on next weekend when we can discuss the actual fitba … god willing, far too many serious things going on but good to have Celtic (or Rangers) ya discuss … I am no longer referring them to as Sevco … the Rangers are coming :-)
GFTB
Nowhere did I say I enjoyed worrying about the Huns ( who are deid, by the way ). But for Forster, Sevco would have blown us away and embarrassed us in the League Cup Final. What have we accomplished to replace him, and the defensive and midfield issues ahead of him that were made blindingly obvious that day? Nothing to date, with the season opening in 8 days, and one leg CL qualifying ties looming, possibly all away, where a Red Imp or Astana type disaster cannot be redeemed at Celtic Park.
Maybe we will fill the gaps, maybe we won’t, and I probably fall into SFTB’s Type 2 category system, so I am highly skeptical about our succession planning. I am also tired of us repeatedly buying projects that are not first team ready. I suspect I am not alone in that view.
im a type 2 too
Inquit 10.44pm
Chairbhoy posted his opinion about our first team / pool and a few posters agreed … I missed the post so had a wee look I think he had 8 or 9 first team selections already in place … this habitual winning Celtic team might need a wee signing or two and as fans we would want about 6 new signings just because we want new signings … u still think Fraser will be back … him & Neil work well together … getting on with your workmates or boss is half the battle … the pandemic has effected every day life … football is no different and in my opinion way down the list of priorities .. but for the spend spend spend brigade nothing will ever change
u = I …
GFTB
Cheers, they’ll always be Sevco to me, whether they’re coming or not☺
Timbhoy 2
I don’t know if your post is in relation to my observation that Klimala or Soro aren’t at the required level yet?
I keep hearing this they haven’t had a chance nonsense.
A players first level competition is the guys you sit next too in your own dressing room, the next level of competition is across the corridor in the opposition camp.
Everyday these players get a chance to show they deserve a start, these pre season friendlies ARE their chance.
They then have to show more than the guy in possession of the jersey, it’s meritocratic, try telling Edouard he’s not playing in a vital game, when Klimala has shown very little, then see how that helps or hinders the ultimate aim of a successful club.
Me and you could say we haven’t had a chance either, you have to show it to get a chance, like Frimpong has, that suggests its not a closed shop but when the first choice players are good, your chances are naturally more limited.
Sid 10.59pm
:-)
Yet again we will disagree …
Just have a wee gander on here or if fans can attend in October … like it or lump it … use Sevco, Newco, Oldco or whatever … but on the day of the “that” game look in the mirror and ask yourself one question …. “why have I knots in my stomach over a club that’s younger than Livingstone” … hopefully you answer the question truthfully :-)
Again… good chatting and hope your Bhoy keeps keeping a ball as long as possible and wish him well, keep us updated how he is doing if that’s ok with you
GFTB
Gone are the days when I get those knots when playing sevco unless it’s a cup tie when I have knots whomever we play
People are entitled to ask questions of the people in charge and to call them to task , if we don’t keep the board on their toes they become complacent like some of the support
After all we like the board are only here to pass on our club to those who come after us
BT 11.25pm
I was in contact with somebody who used to give his thoughts on here the other week … BMCUP … I told him my posts on here sometimes read like I am some sort of board apologist which is so far from the truth ,.. but some stuff on line is way over the top … I try to make my mind up with punters who go UK the games but also friends and family … funnily enough since the original Huns liquidated any time I was in your post code was an “Old Firm” game … if the Huns no longer exists why do you think the Parkville (pre-Covid) would be ticket only ? The old commercial … doors closed only entry through the back end (regulars only) one question … hope you don’t mind, does Mr Fallon treat the new Huns differently from the old Huns ? He has the advantage of playing against one of them :-)
Peter Green
Oh well
https://youtu.be/Z-C6p-GwHfA
Rip
HH
Jobo, I enjoyed it, and will miss it if you don’t do it for the new season. It must be a tad time consuming mind, so your shout!
Jobo 10.27pm
Player of the year 👍
Excellent initiative and the results are interesting to read how other Celtic fans view the 90mins even just in a 1, 2 3 view …. in my opinion a terrific addition to the blog, and 100% about Celtic & football :-)
GFTB
Whether you call them Sevco, The Rangers or the deady bears is insignificant, Scotland’s landscape and the size of the support will mean they will be our main challenger regardless, that fact doesn’t ressurect them , im always winding my old man up when he regales his tales of the night with 16 mins remaining and two goals down they reached the petrofact cup final beating the Gardner’s finest 3-2. The original Rangers didn’t lose games like that or too the bottom managerless team of the bottom division, Stirling Albion, they want to be the same club they have to own those too.
Here’s a wee pic from my best football memory out with Celtic.
Those are tears of Joy from slaying the hun from ex season ticket holder😊
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30323878
That story was from around 10 yrs ago, GFTB, he went from Hearts, too, Wigan, (bad cruciate) Morton, Brechin Stenhousemuir, now working real job , still earning a decent Bob or 2 at BSC Glasgow.
GFTB
The young ones as in those under 30 don’t really know about Rangers 9iar and the cheating years, they are used to our domination TBH the pubs are full of young females watching this game, my Daughter aged 20 goes home and away with my Dad except to the bigotdome .
He laughs at them and their delusional fans and media hacks .
The difference being guys my age and your age should be educating the youngsters, it’s really only a major fixture due to hype and rubbish by
Media and Huns trying to keep themselves relevant . I know they have improved but they are still light years behind us and people like me who complain want them to stay there
The big clown behind the bar in PV lost £500 to myself and my cousin because they actually believe they are Rangers and not Sevco, Scottish media perpetrate the myth and should be called out for it
So to answer your question no he doesn’t treat them or think of them as Rangers that he knew
People who do are falling into their trap imo
Sid 11.46pm
Great stuff
BT 11.50pm
I know they cheated, I know they used to cheat and I know they are still cheating … I prefer to concentrate on Celtic I can hardly educate myself never mind the young team … remember I have drank in the Tyre and there are plenty of the old brigade who still think Rangers are Rangers … each to their own, the party line on here and other blogs about … Sevco, Newco, Oldco or The whoever …. are the same blogs who go mental about this new team getting closer to us … anyhow it’s up to the individual… canny understand the need to “enforce” people’s thoughts onto others …. Celtic are stronger with a team from Govan … and the young team I know don’t care what the over 50’s call them … they still call them Rangers and don’t care about their cheating they just want to beat them :-)
We want to beat everyone we play
BT 12.03am
One team more than any other :-)
Bedtime …
Still think big Fraser is a goer when Southampton blink
Fellow Celts gngb
GFTB on 25TH JULY 2020 9:39 PM
Tontine Tim 9.31pm Your stuff on here is excellent, Celtic stuff I would never have known (I don’t read books for the attention span of a newt while reading a book :-)
*thanks I get a lot out of it tae.
I canny understand the mindset of “board v football” who cares … I enjoy Celtic and cannot understand one fan who can complain about these days … Celtic agreed “loan” deals with Fraser & Elyounoussi… big Fraz decided he wasn’t letting go of circa £90k @ week and quite rightly so … am delighted to go with Neil (the shower recruit) fir the 10… if we don’t get it (& I think we will) it won’t change my love for Celtic :-)
*I’m the same, there are times they upset me and I vowed never tae go back, that usually lasted until the next game.
However, there are some out there that are contrary, even attention seekers. I used tae watch in the company of one at games over here, he had followed the club home and away when he lived at hame, when they were poor during the years in the wilderness he followed the reserves instead who at the time were very very good.
One day though I heard him say, quite loudly as well, “If big amoloser disnae get the player of the year award there should be a stewards inquiry”, problem was he didnae see any of their games unless against us. Tae avoid getting intae a row with him I changed my viewing position after that.
I’m not saying we shouldnae criticise the side when its due but just for the sake of it hmmmmm.
Now we know who I’m hinting at here with his constant carping at an employee, he usually holds back on the first couple of posts then lets loose, with comments like he’s been holding the club back for years and we’ll never go anywhere as long as he’s in charge. Calls him a charlatan.
*Is that the same charlatan that has given us:
3Titles 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 , 2018–19, 2019-20
8 SC 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
7 LC 2005–06, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019-20
Included in this are:
3 Trebles Scottish Cup, League Cup and League Titles:
2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
4 Scottish Cup and League Title Doubles:
2003–04, 2006–07, 2012–13
4 League Cup and League Title Doubles
2005–06, 2014–15, 2018–19, 2019-20
BT! Have to agree with your post!! and also again thoughts and prayers with friends you me lost to Covid TMcq family friend! God bless him! GFTB me and you don’t see eye to eye ! But it’s a better blog with you posting! Probably we will never agree! But HH anyway 👍
Possibly not a popular line of thinking on here but I would prefer us to sign Barkas to Forster.
I’m also sick of Griffiths and would much prefer Toney who Celts are Here reckon we are back in for. If we got 1.5m – 2m for Griffiths from a Championship team it would be a great deal for everyone. He would score loads at that level and enjoy being the main man/ number 1 striker for a team like Luton or Barnsley. We could add 3m to what we get and buy a younger, hungrier, more professional player.
SID on 25TH JULY 2020 11:46 PM
GFTB
‘Whether you call them Sevco, The Rangers or the deady bears is insignificant,’
No, call them sevco for that is their name.Never let them forget that.
God, these bastards were really terrified of Corbyn weren’t they?
Hi bhoys and ghirls. Not been on for a while, but have been lurking regularly.
STFTB is quite correct; we have this debate every window. For what it’s worth, my view is we need to replace Fraser and Joao with players of equal stature for their positions. Not easy, esp for the former. How good is the Greek lad? We should be able to recruit a CB, two if Kris leaves, but again it’s not easy, esp with the window open till October. I’m not averse to having a couple of loan players in.
Then, to improve the squad, I’d love to see a David Hay type midfielder and either a fit Griff or AN Other as back up for Eddy.
If we lose anyone else, they should be replaced. Depth of squad will be vital this year. Players like ElHamed and Nir Britton will be important.
There, fixed it.
One day the buns in one form or another will beat us. One day we will lose a Cup. One day we will lose the league but not this year. Get ready for ten in a row and hunmagedon. Can’t wait for this one to start. Mon the hoops? Bye the way Sid and GFTB that’s the way to have different views on the blog, respect. We will never all agree but we are all Celtic and GIasgow is green and white.
FRANKTERRY on 26TH JULY 2020 3:11 AM
I think you’re correct Frank. I don’t even think that he had a lot of support from Labour MPs, only a small amount. The GB MSM certainly had the boot in for him. I wonder what they all feared? Certainly, 600,000 members for Corbyn, apparently, several hundred thousand have joined WPB @WorkersPartyGB. That’s a, working class, socialist, party, who are supposedly even more radical than Lab2017 manifesto. So no doubt they’ll be the new whipping boys of the GB MSM. We’ll soon see.
I hope we get some addition’s in, having said that I fear there’s a move on to use c19 as a cover for abandoning the season, or, wait to see if at any stage the huns sneak in front of us, I fear they’ll make a move to end the season at that point, but announce after a few months that, no more football, huns are top so they win. Why do I think all of that, well my natural suspicions as a Celtic supporter, but look at the last four weeks, Scotland looking better on c19 than England, then enter Peter Lawwell, asking if fans can be allowed back into the grounds? Next day Nicola announces an outbreak? I think that sounds, iffy, at best. Given that OAPs were being taken from hospital’s to go to care homes to free up space for hospital’s when evidence from non MSM sources were showing timelines from phones from members of the public, clearly showing that most hospital’s were at best, one third full? So that tells me that unscrupulous people are using c19 for covering up other things. Now Scottish football has its fair share of unscrupulous people, so how can we be sure that they won’t use c19 to cover other agenda’s like stop 10 in a row! We can never lose site of were Celtic play, and with a Tory gov’t holding an 80+ seat majority,and elected with a manifesto that states on page 48 “This gov’t will be beyond the reach of any court” what could possibly go wrong? Hopefully none of this happens, but given what’s gone before, I wouldn’t rule anything out. Hail, Hail.
AN TEAR MANN 25TH JULY 2020 9:02 PM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY PAL . NO DOUBT I AM STARTING TO GET A BIT ANXIOUS AS I THINK WE STILL NEED SOME QUALITY BROUGHT IN . HH
Good morning cqn from a grey and drizzly Garngad
Be good to see the bhoys again today.
D :)
The only way to see if players are good enough is to play them in meaningful games.
We should use the domestic cups for this. Projects must get a chance and training is not the answer.
HH to all.
So cricket starts today at the Oval and there is going to be 1000 fans there.
Meanwhile at a 60,000 seater stadium in Glasgow there will no fans.
Whether that is down to the corrupt cabal that run our game or the Government I do not know.
D :)