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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Agreed Old Tam,
Neganon went a bit further last night he more or less said that every Supporter who didn’t agree with him was to blame.
We were very poor last night and I would definitely have preferred Roberts to Forrest as the substitution but it is about winning the tie. If we went totally gung ho last night & conceded a second, we could have been on a knife edge. Concede at Celtic Park and you need four.
I drew comparisons last night to the Artmedia game, we went mad that night chasing a goal and it ultimately cost us the tie.
I expect us to win comfortably at home and progress to next round. If we do last night might be seen in time as a blessing in disguise, if we don’t then yes it will have been an absolute disaster and let the floodgates open.
Anyhow I’m offski for Golf, be nice ghuys.
EWAN443
Welcome aboard. I hope yer smiling a bit when you make your second post!
He should have played the Development Squad last night. At least you can call them a TEAM, not a bunch of average players.
The notion that Brendan’s honeymoon period is over is absurd.
Instead, it has started in the traditional style with a fumbling, awkward and embarrassing shagging.
At least the weather was nice…
SALTIRES IN SEVILLA 654
Excellent analysis,bud. Well worth reading for those who missed it.
BR may be an excellent manager,but a combination of Jock,Fergie and Clough would struggle with this lot. I expect a few to be given one more chance-at best!-before being advised to find a new club.
THEBATTEREDBUNNET
You should have practised first!
Happy Birthday Oldtim, have a grand day.
One thing you can be sure of with Celtic, they will always strive to find new ways to fckin embarrass you.
A team from Gibraltar ffs. That is a new one.
EWAN443 on 13TH JULY 2016 7:59 AM
was going to ask the question but as you left BROONIE out of your team you obviously know a wee bit about football.
for a player who can’t pass a ball 10yds to try and pass it 40yds is nonsense.if BR has not seen how bad he is we are DOOMED.DOOMED I TELL YEES.
Many Happy Returns to The Oldtim, have a good day mate!
TRADITIONALIST88
It not that bad…as long as you don’t intend going out for a while.
Just think, that team that breast us last night are probably back at work this morning.
Painful as it was,I have just watched the goal a few times. A bounce which defied the Laws of Physics favoured the Imps player. Had the Celtic defender been Tierney, I suspect many more Celtic supporters would have noticed that and excused the young man.
JJ
Breast.. Beat!
BMCUWP
I’d give them one more chance also.
To see how fast they can run down the Celtic Way along London Road into town, hop on a train to Paisley, where Saltires can give them a boot up the erse before they jog to the Airport and fly off to somewhere obscure. I’d also request that in doing so they carry Peter the bonus collector with them as his time was up before half of these pretenders arrived.
The clear out should have been well under way. Ok, maybe BR is playing fair giving some of these guys a chance to prove themselves but as expected amongst them are too many with nothing more to prove.
Time for Brendan to start identifying the positions he requires to be filled with the type of players he wants, then and only then will he be afforded time to let his team gel. There is no amount of time that will make this last few years pretenders work.
MWD still waiting Old Tom?
vale bhoy on 13th July 2016 9:17 am
If it gets to the hour mark next week and we are not burying them it has the potential to get a hundred times worse.
HH
JJ
The bounce was pretty bad but the anthill mobs striker managed to read it well enough.
MWD
Hot smoked, Ambrose was the wrong side of their man, not just the bounce.
MWD
He didn`t read it at all.
JJ
MOONBEAMSWD
I tend to agree,hence why I said they’d be given one more chance-at best!
Brendan apparently watched every one of our games last season,which is more than I could face. He either had his eyes shut,or was clutching his rosary beads.
There is little point in bringing in a top craftsman and handing him blunt and useless tools.
Barney
Had it bounced the way Efe had a right to predict, he would then have been in the correct position.
JJ
We lose to the champions of Gibraltar – Still can’t get past that. Brendan obviously does not fancy Roberts – that’s a worry. Griff will play in that position – what a joke . The whole point of the 18 month loan deal was with these qualifiers in mind. Did Brendan watch the Aberdeen and 2 Hearts games where Paddy destroyed them ? Or any of Leigh’s 40 strikes? Why tinker with the 2 of 3 positives from last year (KT being the other) his game has also regressed under the man with the suit and the tan .Liverpool fans sussed him out a while back.
My friends in Celtic,
As bad a result as I have witnessed since watching Celtic from the age of five. Lincoln Red Imps. Not even a footballing name, possibly formed by persons not entirely serious about their football aspirations.
However it is ludicrous to blame Peter Lawwell. The manager takes full responsibility. We may not have a team of superstars, but we should play to a plan , with the correct attitude and as a team.
Unless you are Barcelona, possession football is so outdated. Even if we could compete financially with some of the bigger football environments, flinging money at players is not an answer. As recent events in football have demonstrated, the richest is not necessary the best.
It’s totally up to you BR. No-one else .
HH.
“ This is a good group of players, they are good guys who are working hard.”
Brendan after last night`s game.
Obviously, many on here feel Brendan is being insincere.
JJ
JJ
Ok.He didn’t read it but once he realised it wasn’t bouncing as anticipated he reacted to that. Efe obviously was still anticipating!
There is no excuse.
That said. He wasn’t the only complete and utter failure last night. Pass marks go to Griffiths and ermmmm…
MWD
Football is the great leveler as we saw last night. These things can happen and do happen. No excuses however, as bad a result as I can remember.
We need a good win next week and this loss will simply be viewed as a blip.
Not too bothered about Rodgers comments, all manager speak really – not disrespectful to his opponents (i.e. stating what an embarrassment it was), keep calm and lets get through the tie next week. Also suggesting that we need players for the latter qualifiers.
Big issues with this team – Not enough decent CHs fit at the moment. Central midfield is very poor – Brown, Bitton and Johanson. Not enough quality on the wings. I think we 4 players straight into the first team to stand any chance.
Hot smoked, so you should be happy for Brendan to pick Ambrose for the return leg?
Greenpinata
” Not even a footballing name,”
Lincoln City are called `The Imps` ( A mate of mine played for them) so, Gib being Gib, there might be some connection.
Cheerio for now. Golf beckons.
JJ
Morning all.
Many happy returns to the CQN governor Oldtim. Have a nice one.
My thoughts on last night’s debacle ain’t changed. The unexpected positive is Brendan know knows. The evidence from last season and last night is conclusive.
Most of last night’s team don’t do adversity.
Soft ,pampered and over paid.
Drop or get rid.
Back now to work. Stewarding empty stands on the course at Troon.
Let’s hope the stands don’t reflect Celtic Park in the coming months.
Get this sorted Brendan and Desmond. Please.
Barney
I am never confident when Efe is in the team.
Definitely off now.
JJ
Hot smoked, have a good round!
JJ
Maybe Brendan knows that he has to work with this lot and is just being professional.
We are supporters and rightly slag these less than worthy players off but as a manager who may or may not be being backed by his board (time will tell) he has to make do with the mean at his disposal without creating more of a problem than he already has. It is called management and man management in the forlorn hope of making the best of what is at your disposal.
I am sure they are a good group of players, but does he mean the are a good team or a group of players who are good people? I don’t doubt they are hard working, but hard working does not make an average player good.
MWD
BMCUWP
agreed.
MWD
OVERSEASBHOY
30 days in and one competitive game and you’re calling for the managers head??
What surprises me in this debacle , is that in Brendan Rodgers I believe we have a good manager . what worries me is , if this team doesn,t get improved with quality signings ,then Brendan has taken the job without having full control over all football matters , which is not what I was expecting . I am sure he knows the players who are holding the club back ,And who he wants rid off , he will need to be ruthless , and do the needful whether a big name or not . As is reported over 50.000 ST have been sold , many will have bought ,through the Brendan factor ,and the belief that he and not the suits were in charge of team building . So far I have watched the same team , same players as the last few seasons , and none of us wanted that . Brendan Rodgers has the job , but reading on here mostly all of us , see that the team needs a right good clear out , we know the players who we need to thank for their services , and who we need to move on . So I would say whoever is in charge of ins and outs , whether it’s the manager , or the suits , a clear out is needed and it’s needed now .
Hot smoked,
Enjoy the golf, remember expensive clubs are no guarantee of better rounds.
Yeah, not googled it but I would not be utterly surprised if the Red Imps have some connection to a deceased car or factory.
HH to you
BR is always going to have a problem in moving players on if smaller clubs cant afford the wages and bigger clubs arent interested. With this dilemma what would you do if a club expressed interest in a player(s) you were keen to offload and intimated they woukd be coming over to watch them play. They wouldnt be your first pick. Would you play them?
I can’t disagree with anything you say there Paul, but re Efe Ambrose, there are a number of people on here who continue to defend him, apparently because he doesn’t hide, whatever that means.
Thankfully these views seem mainly to be confined to this blog.
The defence has been an after you Claude invitation to a shootie in for far too long.
Let’s hope Brendan gets it sorted in the coming weeks.