Smell of blood on the brown brogues

Read this morning that the Tynecastle pitch is 19-years-old.  Celtic’s is less than three-years-old.  Hearts have responded quickly to criticisms of their surface and will have a new pitch laid before the end of the month.  Having a top quality football pitch in Scotland isn’t a cheap business.  Celtic pay £500k per year in running, maintenance and depreciation costs for the sunlamp system which keeps the grass as alive as it is.  On top of that there’s costs for ground staff, under-soil heating and various other equipment.

And more at Lennoxtown, of course.  You wouldn’t believe the costs involved in running a football operation at a club with facilities the size of Celtic Park and Lennoxtown.  Modern football in massive stadiums isn’t something you can carry out on a shoestring.

On the Newco debacle at Dundee yesterday; this wouldn’t have happened under Mike Ashely’s watch, whether you regard that particular scenario as malevolent or benevolent. With an active link to Ashley, Newco would benefit from professionalism in the boardroom and better players in the dressing room.  What we’re now enjoying is 100% the work of Dave King, who during his electioneering phase promised so much.

Instead of an Ashley appointed CEO, manager and selection of players from Newcastle’s secondary squad, they’ve sacked their manager and given the guy who put the cones out for the youth team responsibility to finish above Aberdeen. The upshot of this is that the players they need to dig them out of this mess – like Kenny Miller who is not being offered a new contract – know that the decks will be cleared for the new manager.  This is a perfect way to demotivate a squad.

If Celtic (or Aberdeen) win the Scottish Cup, the top four Premiership places qualify for Europe, which would be reassuring for Newco, were it not for St Johnstone, who sit six points adrift from them. But unlike Newco, St Johnstone only have to play Celtic one more time this season.  Saints manager Tommy Wright will smell blood on the brown brogues.  Don’t bet against him.

The message below is from Vmham, who is one of the brave souls cycling from Celtic Park to Lisbon in May.  Please get involved with this magnificent project if you can, there is more information on the MyDonate page linked below:

“CQN’ers, as you may know I’ve been training most of last year for an epic cycle from Celtic park  to Estadio Nacional in Lisbon 25th May 2017.  We wanted to mark the 50th anniversary of the “first British team” to win the European cup, Celtic done it in style with a team whose 11 players were born within a 30ml radius of Celtic park.  As a CQN’er I was involved in the bringing home Kano campaign way back and have contributed financially to support CQN’s website and still do. If anyone would like to sponsor me you can by clicking here on MyDonate page, thanks folks and see you at the party in Lisbon :>)

Vinny”

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