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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VALE BHOY on 13TH JULY 2016 7:25 AM
Embarrassed? Aye.
Humiliation? Never.
Humiliation is letting a festering bigoted institution die, while shafting hundreds of creditors in the process, and all the while kidding on that it still exists.
Now that’s humiliation.
I’d keep Gordon, Tierney, Dembele. I don’t think anyone else is good enough. Even Griff who is another Kris Boyd.
Nothing we didn’t really know.
However, I think Brendan will sort it out over three transfer windows. I think yesterday is a blessing in disguise, and will serve to underline the progress Brendan will make.
Well what to make of that.
I see the usual suspects are having a field day,
pish poor performance from last years team and we are surprised,my wee gran was fond of saying “ye canny make a silk purse fa a pigs ear “.
Seems that Brendan has found that out,its time to open up the silk purse and bring in some improvements to the squad.
Still confident that we will win next week and maybe even get through the next round, but know way can I see that lot making it past the 3rd qualifier.
The only way is up.
H.H
Radio Shortbread
Is this the worst result ever in footballing history?
Packie
Well when you take all things into consideration Yes it probably is
Shortbread
Could things get even worser when the Imps come to Scotland next week?
Packie
Probably not, I expect Celtic to win that one comfortably,
Shortbread
Are you sure Packie are you sure – can you no gee us a wee glimmer of hope that it could get even worser?
Packie
Away ye go ya wee daftie and dont annoy me……
BRENDAN Rodgers conceded tonight’s 1-0 loss to Lincoln Red Imps in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round first-leg was a disappointing result but he’s adamant that Celtic will still prevail in the tie.
Lee Casciaro’s early second-half goal was enough to give the home side an unexpected victory, with the Hoops hitting the bar twice through Leigh Griffiths on a frustrating night in Gibraltar.
But the manager, who was taking charge of his first competitive game for the Bhoys, is refusing to panic with the second-leg still to come at Paradise next Wednesday.
He said: “It was a game we dominated and had enough chances to score but sometimes you get games like that with a long ball up the pitch and awkward bounce and then suddenly the players is in.
“We have given ourselves a bit of work to do in the second-leg but we have seen enough of the players in that game to show that we can get through in the second game which was always going to be important for us.
“It was difficult, of course. They set up 5-4-1 and, it doesn’t matter the team or the level, when you have 11 players behind the ball it’s very difficult to break teams down and when you throw the pitch into it as well, it was very tough for the players.
“We created enough chances and their keeper made some fantastic saves. Obviously we were disappointed to lose but we will let the local team have their night and we will expect to press on next week. We will have another week’s fitness for it and we will be better for it.
“We understand what we want to get to and what we want to achieve. This was a tough game in tough conditions and we never took our chances and they took their chances but the second-leg will be different.
“There is no panic. We know the type of quality of player to get in and help the team and squad and that’s something we will work on. In the meantime we have enough quality players to get through into the next round. We have to stay together as a team.
“It’s a two-legged affair and our objective here is to get through and I have seen enough in the game for us to get through in the second game.
“The message to them (the fans) is to stay calm. This is a good group of players, they are good guys who are working hard and in a week’s time we will need the support next week to hopefully get the job done next week.”
Celtic struggled to find their fluency on a bumpy and sticky artificial surface and in baking heat but the manager wasn’t using these elements as an excuse for the performance.
He said: “They were also going to be contributing factors in it, you are playing in the mid-30s after 20 days preparation and you have an astroturf pitch, but we are making no excuses We accept the result , though we are disappointed with it of course.
“It’s a disappointing result but there are many factors for it, we didn’t finish like we wanted to do and they took their only chance. We have to accept it as a group, continue to work and put it right in the next game.
“A result like this will always provoke a reation but for us it’s about getting back into work again. We have a friendly at the weekend and by time next Wednesday comes around, we will be another seven days down the line.
“We wanted an easier job after the first leg but this makes it a bit more complicated but we will be fine for the second game.”
Happy birthday Oldtim
Now Brendan, do yourselve a favour, and remove John Kennedy from your coaching staff
Defensively we have been diabolical under his coaching this past 2 seasons
He can go with numerous imposters we have as alleged Celtic players
Once again another spot on article.
Been a long time reader but never posted before so please bare with me!
I really cant understand the boards inabilty to learn lessons and imporve things.
We continue to wait out and see if we can struggle through dangerous qualifying games before improving the team.
Lets put the pitch and the fact its only the 13th of july aside, we should be better and have stood still now for 3 years.
Dont know about anoyne else but i believe we need to get back to basics and play the celtic way.
That would be a 4-4-2 formation with 2 wingers and 2 stikers!!!shockerooney
We have the player in the team at the moement who would fit that formation and at home espicailly we would tear teams apart..
this is what we should play next week and i would line up like this;
Gordon
Yanko Lustig Erik KT
Roberts Armstrong Rogic/allen Christie
Dembele Griff
We need to give the young guys a chance and stop trying to put square pegs in round holes.
With a few new additions like duffy and sinclair we would have a team good enough to qualify.
However it would seem the anti 4-4-2 policy in football these days will see us struggle on and continue to be frustated….
Lets hope i knwo jack shit and we have the league won by xmas and we ares still in europe but somehow i doubt it.
Thanks for your time….
THAT was an embarrassment and I hope Big Brendan gave it to them all tight.
Hump them at Home Bhoys and get thru……………….
The team must be strengthened and the best players played in their best positions for progress in Europe.
Anything else is public confirmation of failure.
TheGreen,GreenGrassOfHome CSC
Is it safe yet ?
SIN CITY BHOY
This morning I can’t even think about anyone else.
Still can’t get over our lack of pride and seeming acceptance, by our players, of that kind of performance.
Brendan is playing a very dangerous game showing faith with that lot.
I have to say that I’m worried that he actually believes what he is saying in public.
Last night confirmed, for me, that our team is nowhere near good enough.
Goalie … usually good but was very poor at the goal.
Janko…poor defender who offers little in attack
Efe…
Svietchenko…has a bit of dig but should never have let Efe be last man
Tierney…our best asset but what are trying to do to him?
Bitton…way over-rated. One paced, can’t tackle, absolutely no desire.
Broon…wtf? Back to his old self, trying to start a fight then doing little positive. Always available but no forward drive.
Rogic…another one paced over-rated ‘star’. No 2nd gear and can’t or won’t tackle.
Griff…40 goals, move to outside right????
Dembele… who knows?
Christie…not for me. What does he bring?
Forrest…imposter.
Cifti…WTF!
Armstrong…can’t trap a ball.
For those who wanted Roberts he didn’t get on because he showed nothing in pre-season friendlies, absolutely nothing.
And then there’s the whole batch of squad members who are OK but nothing else.
This could be a very difficult season.
just after reading about the red imps result
didnt keep up with match last night, assumed celtic would hockey them
ffs this is alot worse than the gordon strachan artmedia result 11 years ago
is the brendan rodgers reign fatally damaged already??????????
Happy Birthday Old Tim, you are a grand mhan and the epitome of what a Celtic Supporter should be. Unfortunately you rarely post now and I don’t blame you. Another wonderful Celt Hamilton Tim again a real magnificent Supporter hasn’t posted for ages. I know he is disillusioned with the way the site has gone but I still hope he will return soon.
Re the game last night, Yes it was awful but the pitch was a huge factor. If we lose the tie it will be the greatest embarrassment ever for the Club, if we win the tie comfortably last night will be put more into perspective.
The team does need a major overhaul of that there is no doubt and the Brendan honeymoon has been the shortest ever,
We are all hurting this morning how we express our hurt will say a lot about us.
……….oh Aye…
WEST OF IRELAND CSC
On a positive note, not that last night had anything positive, WGS recovered well, eventually, from Artmedia.
Morning all.
Bad night made worse by, imo, the Labour Party being in the grip of the far left and becoming totally unelectable.
Old Tim,
Many happy returns.
Lets be honest Brendan got it wrong he played wrong players Efe Forrest and played our top striker on the wing and played a young lad who has yet to score for us as our striker.The tatics were also wrong as we were slow and ponderous.Now if he is half the manager I think he is he will have learned a lot from last nights game we are now standing on the banana skin and if we are not careful next weeks second leg could end in complete humilation.So Brendan get it sorted you and the players have had a nice 3 weeks in the sunshine and last night you all appeared as though you were on your holidays well the honeymoon is over reputations are on the line Celtic fans deserve better in fact we demand better. H.H.
How can it be the worst result in the history of Celtic Football Club, it will certainly be if we get beat next week,by Lincoln Imp,but for some saying its the worse,well that’s them just stirring it,but as someone mentioned, this team is the same as last seasons ,which if truth be known were not that very good,oh I forgot,about Dembele,being 1addition,this season,if Brendan gets another winger in,then he would play on the right,and Roberts on the left,also drop Rogic an Bitton,for Saturday’s friendly, replace them with Henderson, and Allan,Ambrose’s time is up,try Lustig at Centre half,till a new centre half comes in,then lustig can go back and play his natural position at right back,Janko isn’t that good plenty of pace ,yes but a football,player no, as for James Forrest like a few more his time is up,playing for Celtic Football Club,
OLDTIM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Have a good day HH !
Moan away Paul67.
Last nights debacle was the culmination of the policy you have supported this past 7+ years.
Until that policy changes and yer man Peter stops worrying about collecting his bonus and yer other man realises that this shambles needs more than just a proven manager then suck it up.
We all just need to suck it up. We have renewed on the expectation of a new direction. If that is not forthcoming then we have been conned at just need to suck it up, sit back and support The Old Firm.
MWD
I just watched Brendan’s interview. He was raging. I expect an acceleration in recruitment and disposals now he knows what he us working with.
Happy birthday OldTim67
Hope your day is far better than the team we support.
MWD
happy birthday Oldtim
boy does this guy have serious cohones
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/36776087
Made the point twice here in recent weeks, when it has been suggested that Rodgers presence has resulted in extra effort/commitment from the players, that in many of those players cases the technical and mental ability is not there and running a little harder is not going to make too much difference.
If they weren’t good enough before, they are not good enough now.
Lets not delude ourselves – you’d ditch more players from this current squad than you’d keep.
Having these games this early is tough but that must not detract from the size of the clearout needed. I hope those at the club are aware of this.
I wouldn’t be cutting BR slack for picking Ambrose. He watched every game from last season and would have received detailed reports from those in the know. It stopped being Ambroses fault at least a year ago. We are far too nice as a football club. We need a ruthless streak that will help raise standards across the board.
We have just lost to a team from Gibraltar – no one gets cut any slack here.
HH
Yesterday’s result should have surprised no-one. The previous three managers had terrible starts in Europe, though this was the worst of all.
I must be one of the few who wanted Ronny to stay. But losing a penalty shoot-out to Sevco is apparently a worse embarrassment than losing to Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar. Ronny would not have started with Christie and without Roberts and Armstrong on the flanks. But BR wanted to do things differently (he can’t have watched the last game of last season against Motherwell or indeed the Euro championship in France) and tried all kinds of permutations in the pre-season friendlies without getting an established team playing a few games together.
Ever since BR was appointed the players have been telling the media what a great manager he is – before a competitive game was played. A good manager would have put a stop to that. Before BR was appointed someone on CQN quoted a Liverpool insider’s opinion of BR: someone who talks a good game. BR has now said that the return leg will be a formality. I am worried.
The fruits of the PLC tree.
Ah canny believe nobody hasn’t blamed the new black strip yet, we’ve blamed everything else!
Seriously still gutted today!
JFH
Spot on, Brendan got it horribly wrong last night. I could have done better and I’m not kidding. Dembele, Griffiths, Roberts as a front 3 and McGregor in the engine room. Would have skooshed it.
Ewan443. Welcome, u could be right an it worked for Leicester.
vale bhoy on 13th July 2016 8:14 am
Spot on.
Worrying that BR looked at that squad and picked that team in that setup.
I thought we were all clear that ripping it up and starting again was the only way forward. We didn’t need more evidence, but we have it.
HH
Aye, if you haven’t got anything sensible to contribute, you can always blame Paul67 for Celtic being a shambles.
Bizarre.
Auld Tam
I assume that last comment was directed at me?
MWD
Give young Christie a bit of slack,
thetimreaper on 13th July 2016 8:47 am
JFH
Spot on, Brendan got it horribly wrong last night. I could have done better and I’m not kidding. Dembele, Griffiths, Roberts as a front 3 and McGregor in the engine room. Would have skooshed it.
=============
McGregor would have been perfect last night. He’s a squad man at best if we manage to raise the bar with the squad but he’s a squad man who can change games, score goals from inside and outside the box.
Our current level of squad man is a random collection of projects and guys who have let us down before.
Bottom line if they are technically garbage don’t sign them in the first place.
HH
Having slept on last night’s embarrassment a few things spring to mind.
Ambrose shouldn’t play for us again. Sign a centre half as a matter of urgency.
Janko is no where good enough at the moment, or perhaps at all. Send him out on loan and sign a right back to compete with Lustig.
Brown and Bitton shouldn’t play as a pair in centre midfield again. PL should be on the phone to Espanyol this morning begging them to resurrect their apparent interest in Bitton. Brown is finished. We need to sign a central midfielder who can control and dominate from the middle. Play the likes of McGregor, Armstrong, Allan, Henderson or Christie as attacking midfielders.
Rogic is an impact player who doesn’t have the fitness to play 90 minutes. He has the ability but is too slow.
Griffiths isn’t a winger, even Ronny sussed that out early on. Sign a winger and play Roberts.
Dembele was a star at Fulham playing in a partnership with McCormack. Why not play him in a partnership with Griffiths. It might work.
Hopefully it will dawn on those who close out transfer deals that these need to be done sooner rather than later, we need to,sort out the team before we play the qualifiers not during them.
I always tend to laugh when I see comments starting with ‘The world is….’
Nobody around the world cares what’s happening in Scotland in relation to football. We’re a backwater.
But having checked the news sites, actually this result has had the world laughing at us so fair play.
What a very long morning…..the people of England, now recovered from their Icelandic shambles, are using our embarasment as therapy. Painful stuff. Bet our underachievers never lost a minute’s kip though….
Sack the lot of them….
We do have to remember we have now begun a new start with Brendan when we let Ronnie go we were wiping out the 2 years he and his team had put in to the club.Any new manager coming in starts at the beginning again with new ideas and new players.Brendan is not a magician and cant change things overnight real change takes time last night may well do us more good than harm as Brendan has seen first hand how poor our players can be I think there is a real lack of quality in our squad which will take time to sort out.However Brendan is not stupid he will know his managerial reputation is on the line and he has to succeed at Celtic or he will be finished as a manager as far as high profile jobs go so he needs time and money in order to ensure change happens. H.H.