I’m not going to say I saw this coming, I didn’t see defeat, but when I wrote a couple of days ago that you and I have seen a lot more games like Celtic’s away to Lincoln Red Imps than Brendan Rodgers, and about European football in July, I knew this one was never going to play out in a triumphant manner.
On the first day he was appointed I asked one of you to compile Brendan an Efe highlights video – I assume we were all busy. God love Efe, he’s a fine man by all accounts, but he’s three years into a slump which is not going to end at Celtic. Brendan must now be aware. It’s no longer Efe’s fault if he costs us again.
I also made the point previewing this game that we can’t expect a squad comprising only one addition to last season’s group to perform remarkably different in qualification than a year ago. In this sense, Celtic performed as expected, this one had all the hallmarks of our recent Icelandic ventures.
The manager may not be embarrassed at the result (I suspect he might sound different privately) but many supporters are. Gibraltar has a population similar to Bellshill, but without the football heritage and support mechanism. Would defeat to Bellshill Athletic be embarrassing? You bet. Yesterday’s result was too.
We are woefully slow in build-up and have only one player in the squad who can create the 7 or 8 chances per game needed to get a result, and he’s 33 next month and currently injured.
We remain strong favourites to qualify for the next round but there is an enormous amount of work to be done in the next month. This is not a Champions League squad.
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I await the post from one of the bar stool managers, explaining how the club can” get rid” of the perceived wastes of space, cowards and any other label, when such players are under contract and wish to ” fight for their place”.
Perhaps someone with Trade Union experience will know how this is done, in one fell swoop.
Maybe the Tory Party will have some ideas on how to sack unwanted employees.
Brendan Rodgers said he would need time to transform the club.
BSR, who knows his football, reckons three or four Windows. I agree.
Interesting that, almost to a name, it is the more mature gentlemen on the blog who are offering a more rational response. .
Something to be said for auld age, eh?
So what players played to their capabilities? No one.
Which players had played 90 minutes prior to last night? No one.
So we go in to our first competitive game and not one player has 90 minutes in the tank.
Is it just me that thinks this is scandalous?
We then feign shock that they put in a deplorable performance.
If I’m a player im thinking, how do you expect me to have match sharpness when all I’ve played is bits of games.
My old man is a coach and on the staff of a lower league team in Scotland, they start the season this weekend.
The team that will start has played 4 x 90 minutes.
They will not ask their players to do something they haven’t done yet.
Celtic have over 20 players who are half fit/ match sharp, what good is that? Scandalous.
Just popped in before bed to wish ” Happy Birthday to Old Tim”
No comments on a dire game but listening to Chris Sutton having a fixation about Efe just reminded me about Sydney Tim & Neganon’s fixation with PL.
Night night
THOMTHETHIM FOR OSCAR OK on 13TH JULY 2016 6:33 PM
How about biting the bullet and buying out contracts.
Can’t wait for the post from the bar stool managers that will explain how we get this lorry load of misfits willing and capable of being Celtic players and a winning Celtic team.
MWD
That cup semi final defeat was the catalyst for change. DD / PL had to act. They did, and in came Brendan.
So, did Brendan under estimate Imps? No. They’re very poor.
What Brendan did was possibly over estimate his squad, but only in the respect that he would’ve felt that despite the obvious shortcomings, he’d enough at his disposal to get through. He still does, and we WILL get through.
However, that performance last night will have accelerated the incoming transfers. You can bet your life that he’s told PL today that he needs 3 players minimum , and needs them now.
I’m convinced he will get them. Quickly.
It’s a long time since I’ve felt so positive about the direction I felt we were about to take. I’m not letting that dreadful result last night curb my enthusiasm. I hoped for a decent EL run if the CL proved a bridge too far in Brendan’s first season. I’m still hopeful, though one of the few who remain hopeful, that we might still make it to the CL.
Having said all of that, I’m regarding the 1-0 reverse last night in the same way I looked at the cup semi final loss. The catalyst for something good to follow.
Time will tell.
QUONNO on 13TH JULY 2016 6:41 PM
THOMTHETHIM FOR OSCAR OK on 13TH JULY 2016 6:33 PM
How about biting the bullet and buying out contracts.
********
Any serious answers?
Butler? Anyone?
Sid
Exactly. Shambolic preparation by the manager.
BARNEY67 on 13TH JULY 2016 5:55 PM
Some real experts on today, ain’t there.
Easy this fitba managering.
How good at managing does one need to be to see off part timers reportedly earning £45 a week?
THOMTHETHIM FOR OSCAR OK
You are correct about these players. That’s the problem BR faces, too many duds on fantastic contracts. Why would they be bothered?
The problem is, who wants them?
We need to offload them before we can move forward. Buying them out may be OK for some but others will sit and take the money while contributing little or nothing. Think Boerrigter/Balde.
BR now knows, I hope, despite his public pronouncements, what he has inherited.
Can he use them to get us into the CL before he begins his real rebuilding?
That’s when we’ll know if we have a real manager.
It’s still very hard to be rational about the whole mess.
MWD
surely that’t the coaches / managers job. we can only comment on what we see before us. The debacle last night has brought things to a head. Are they all bad players – of course not – there is a fair number of internationals.
I don’t know the answer I only hope Brendan does.
This lot that’s running our club are after one thing from our supporters,and that’s our hard earned cash,nothing more nothing less,everyday you go on the Celtic Site ,they want supporters to buy season tickets,also the BT Section for the young ones,getting hammered everyday,tell you what Celtic get Brendan Rodgers not one or two players in get about at least five,you have the supporters cash,50 000 fans,so get the finger out ,splash the cash,and its about time Celtic employed a good P R Firm,because if there was a good one in place,no way would Brendan have made them comments after last nights embarrisment, honestly our club is being run by no body’s,give us your cash and that’s that,and really wonder what well helled supporters like Willie or to give him his Sunday name Lord Haughey,thinks at times how Celtic is being run,hopefully in the near future him and good few Celtic men take over the running of Celtic Football Club,because this lot that running the club ,are just not up to it,
!!BADA BING!! on 13TH JULY 2016 6:28 PM
Never knew Theresa May was married to Arthur Askey……
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Haha, just seen them at the front door of number 10. Looks like a pal of that fellow busy bee, Shug Keevins.
A ‘positive’ from last night, makes next week’s game a real atmospheric event rather than the expected stroll.
Remember being mocked on here a couple of months ago for suggesting that present squad was not good enough to qualify for CL. One poster went as far as cutting and pasting my comments so that he could throw them back at me if I was proved wrong.
For all the last coach gets the blame for bringing in players, not from me I may add, same with the coach before Ronny, it is 100% without a doubt that they had nothing to do with the financial side of things, contracts and the like.
So all the average players we have on the books sitting on very decent contracts that other clubs wouldn’t dream of matching is down to……….now let me think !!!
Before being appointed manager
PL : Brendan how many players will you need to take us forward.
BR: Maybe 1 or 2 , I will be able to mold this lot into a CL team. Don’t forget you are appointing a top manager.
after last night
BR: Peter remember that conversation we had when I was appointed well ……….
THOMTHETHIM FOR OSCAR OK on 13TH JULY 2016 6:48 PM
QUONNO on 13TH JULY 2016 6:41 PM
THOMTHETHIM FOR OSCAR OK on 13TH JULY 2016 6:33 PM
How about biting the bullet and buying out contracts.
********
Any serious answers?
Butler? Anyone?
Apart from a Board without the will power, what is not serious about buying out contracts.
For those calling for calm because we still have the imps to play at home please remember we have a squad with form for losing crucial games to inferior teams. Would you really be 100% surprised if we struggled to score against them next week?
What a difference two months can make – from the euphoria of Brendan’s appointment in May, to the carnaval atmosphere outside the ticket office in June – now we came back down to earth with a severe bump after the Gibraltar humiliation.
Last night was a disaster waiting to happen when we consider some of the inept performances of the last two years.
A few of Ronny’s twenty-three signings have now moved on, how many more will follow will be dependent on the interest of other clubs – after last night many will just ignore Celtic as a source of recruitment.
Of course we should heed those who say that we mustn’t over-react – I agree, however if we overcome the Imps next week, how on earth can we be anything other than nervous as we approach the next round – we knew it would be difficult to get to the group stage, it may well be outwith our capabilities to reach the play-off round.
Quonno
we could of course offer a few out on loan.
|Q
If we buy out their contracts, we won’t have any money to bring in new better players, it’s simple sums mi amigo.
HH
We lost a Champions League qualifier last night to a part time team from Gibraltar, and some are telling us that being resentful of the fact is over the top? Geez peace.
I agree that Brendan is going to need 3 Windows before we see his own team out there, but a few our pampered, disinterested millionaires currently infesting the squad need hunted.
Nobody is probably more aware of this than Brendan and his two assistants after last night.
Auldheid alluded to enJOYing the game earlier, and I couldn’t agree more. Enjoyment comes from watching 11 committed, passionate representatives of your Club play with blood and spotters for 90 minutes, even in the end if they are beaten by a superior teams resources. Iceland and Wales come to mind for a start.
THE EXILED TIM on 13TH JULY 2016 7:00 PM
|Q
If we buy out their contracts, we won’t have any money to bring in new better players, it’s simple sums mi amigo.
HH
And if we don’t buy them out the Board will still refuse to release serious money required to improve squad.
Paul, what gives with sleazy ads that are getting past Ad Blockers?
Q
It’s a balancing act, some out some in, hopefully better in and more out, but it takes time, far too many in the squad at present picking up very good money for feck all.
HH
I can just imagine walking into the boss’s office the day after my first day went like Brendan’s and demanding 3 new team members.
If he can’t do better than that with what he knew he was inheriting then he shouldn’t have taken the job. But I’m sure he’s smarter than that
THE EXILED TIM on 13TH JULY 2016 7:08 PM
Q
It’s a balancing act, some out some in, hopefully better in and more out, but it takes time, far too many in the squad at present picking up very good money for feck all.
HH
Trying not to get involved in posting ping pong.
However, strict nothing in until something out, only leads to panic deals on last day of transfer windows.
THE EXILED TIM on 13th July 2016 6:56 pm
For all the last coach gets the blame for bringing in players, not from me I may add, same with the coach before Ronny, it is 100% without a doubt that they had nothing to do with the financial side of things, contracts and the like.
So all the average players we have on the books sitting on very decent contracts that other clubs wouldn’t dream of matching is down to……….now let me think !!!
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But we’re told PL doesn’t spend the cash , he pockets it all.
But now it’s he spends the cash bit just on the wrong players.
And these players aren’t good enough to beat part timers so we need to spend even more money (I’m assuming on “good players!” this time) to make sure results like last night don’t happen again :O)
I wonder how much money we need to fork out to beat teams that are spending a pittance.
Q
I agree, so it has to change from the top
HH
quonno on 13th July 2016 7:06 pm
Paul, what gives with sleazy ads that are getting past Ad Blockers?
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You can still block the adds, just have to do it manually.
On Firefox in the drop down Adblocker menu , you have an option ‘select element to hide’ it then let’s you highlight one of the dodgy pictures. This should get rid of them, then you can do it again to get rid of the text.
The_Huddle
Are you trying to justify the size of the squad ?
Good luck with that
HH
Kitalba.
There’s nothing wrong with your memory fancy remembering that post after ten years,I was worried about that year,but as you said I’m still here.
THE_HUDDLE on 13TH JULY 2016 7:15 PM
quonno on 13th July 2016 7:06 pm
Paul, what gives with sleazy ads that are getting past Ad Blockers?
—————–
You can still block the adds, just have to do it manually.
On Firefox in the drop down Adblocker menu , you have an option ‘select element to hide’ it then let’s you highlight one of the dodgy pictures. This should get rid of them, then you can do it again to get rid of the text. Have you any idea on how I can do this on chrome
Old Tim…
Happy birthday, may you have many more. HH
I won’t get involved on our display last night…keep it sensible.
THE EXILED TIM on 13th July 2016 7:15 pm
The_Huddle
Are you trying to justify the size of the squad ?
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Don’t see how you got that from my post.
I was highlighting that we’ve signed plenty of players, we’ve spent plenty of money yet can’t beat part timers. The solution on here seems to be we need to spend more money – when do we get to the point of asking why can’t these players win these types of matches (it’s not just last night, it’s been going on for years, before Ronny and Lenny and WGS)
Calling it a night.
Hope site is cleaned up by tomorrow.
Quonno – try here, I don’t use Chrome but it should be the same (though this is for PC/Laptop, mobile/tablet might be different)
https://adblockplus.org/elemhidehelper