The Celtic soap opera season continued through the weekend. We were taken to the school of St Mirren on Saturday, then watched incredulously as a central defender we knew little about but who Sky incorrectly reported had signed a pre-contract, was instead heading for Liverpool.
Vasilis Barkas was dropped after the 2-2 draw with Livingston, he would be forgiven for being grateful as Scott Bain was given the unenviable burden of coping with a level of defending unseen at Celtic in decades. For the good of the player as well as the team, Neil Lennon has to accept Shane Duffy does not have what it takes at this level. A midweek pantomime against Hamilton went unpunished, while St Mirren fully exploited his meanderings.
In early December, I was assured Neil Lennon had the full support of the dressing room. Speaking in the heat after Saturday’s defeat, he questioned the players’ attitude and behaviour. There was no containment of the problem, no deflection of pressure off the squad and onto his more capable shoulders. Whatever goodwill exists must be under strain.
It must be difficult to find the words for so many post-match failures but throwing players under the bus is not the received wisdom. You and I are left to ponder what direction our season will plunge towards next.
Deadline Day in the ‘January’ transfer window leaves us with little to get excited about. We can hope for a central defender to fill the gap left by Christopher Jullien and a right back to allow Kristofer Ajer to move back into the middle. We cannot, though, buy confidence.
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Celtic40me – Hoffenheim was a massive step down from Shalke and he did that, so who knows.
He may have left Red Bull but I vaguely recall reading that when the Milan job fell through he was given an alternative (probably largely ceremonial) job in the RB empire. I could be wrong though.
I don’t think Mackay will get the manager job no. But as a previous player, manager and whatever his SFA job was, he seems like the sort of guy we’d appoint as DoF – especially given our new CEO is new to football having a former SFA man may make sense to him. For many reasons let’s hope not.
What I’d want Rangnick (or any DoF) to do:
1) Introduce and embed a playing philosophy that permeates every level of the club;
2) Revamp the Academy scheme accordingly, with clear pathways and development journeys for the kids who show enough talent and determination;
3) Do similar with our coaches – from Head Coach/manager through the main age groups have coaches who work toward the same aim and have similar opportunities to learn as coaches, hopefully creating an internal pipeline of talent to move up (eg assistant becomes head coach);
4) Revamp our “back room” functions – there are lots of areas where we ought to be “world class” as we don’t have to spend fortunes to get there:
A) medical staff and facilities – so we don’t have Tierney playing with a dodgy hip, Forest with a dodgy ankle, etc;
B) fitness, nutrition, psychology and sports science – so regardless of who is in the big seat we have the very best folk supporting our players development athletes. The manager supports their development as footballers.
Those two Departments would report directly to the DoF – so if the doctor says “player X can’t play without the risk of serious long term injury” then the decision is taken out of the manager’s hands (we shouldn’t risk a potential multi-million pound asset – or a boy’s career – because of a desire for 3 points on a Saturday). It also means those staff are “ours” and won’t bolt like they did when Rodgers left.
5) Revamp our recruitment and scouting operation – so we know what profile of player we are looking for and act accordingly – rather than chasing (and failing to get) players who fit our profile then bringing in a Colin Kazim-Richards or Ajeti.
celtic trying to sign last gasp CB – what a mess. We fell asleep at the wheel for the 10 , now we’re turning up a day late for the driving test…….to finish 2nd!
If we don’t sign a half decent CB by the witching hour it’s even more proof of the amateurism endemic in the club right now. Lennon would rather watch Duffy and Bitton embarrass us than give Welsh a chance .
Anything could happen at Rugby park .
has anyone ever seen one night & st tams in the same room ?
maybe they live in the same head.
GDT – aye.
Agents.
Same types in every sector.
Interesting long read on BBC website
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/1y3kadznaf/the-suspected-gangster-at-the-heart-of-world-boxing
I share it without further comment
HH jg
looks like our best bet will be players released from contracts! some recruitment team Celtic!
JAMESGANG
Panorama covered that story tonight. Should be on the iPlayer if you can access that. A very dangerous man
So, Peter, did we come out of this transfer window stronger?
That’s always been the plan, hasn’t it?
Good riddance and take Lennon with you…NOW!
Well…..at least we’ve held on to the rest of our non performers
If anyone thinks we recover from this season any time soon they’re on the deludamol. This is collective nervous breakdown territory. It’ll be years before we heal.
Lawwell’s legacy.
Build the guy a statue. Of a fat cat.
unbelievable we didn’t bring in a CB! if not to relieve Duffy and put him out of his misery, at least to replace Julien who has been injured now for 3 weeks! Thats how long we’ve been dithering!
Its like a sick joke to the green brigade! well, what about the rest of us who have to watch the junk in display?
It will keep our interest up I guess in the battle for 2nd or 3rd!
Good morning cqn from a very cold but snow free Garngad
Welcome to League matchday 25 or as some may call it the 25th league shit show.
Make no mistake this will be a very tough game for us.
For the first time in a very long time my bravado/confidence is not there and I fear for us tonight.
Fear for us against Kilmasonic FFS how bad have we become.
D :(
David66
Thanks for the weather report for the Garngad, now my day feels better.
Do I bounce out of bed at 02:30 for the game or just turn over in bed. It’ll be the former as just need the hoops although it’s been painfull to watch recently.
After waiting 6 month to claim the quadruple treble have the player relaxed and now can’t get their mojo back. I don’t know but I’m sure the scouts/coaches/managers on here will be able to put me right
Watch Ajers penalty in the cup final and watch the players reaction, all as one! Now it’s like pub team who meet once a week to play.
One more 1/2 a sleep till we see The Famous Glasgow CELTIC. HH
Off oot
D66
Have the same feelings exactly- from a tricky ground but we should manage it to I really fear we could lose badly to a manager less team- the fall is monumental. Worse is the apathy setting in – wasn’t interested in the window last night and normally there would be a wee buzz of expectation. Having said that it was normally extinguished at midnight. I watch games now with the VST out of some perverted loyalty or strange macabre that something awful might happen and you don’t want to miss it – fairly sure I’m not the only one?
Good morning Celtic fans on a match day.
As usual, I’m excited for tonight. Not because we are in a title race or even the spectre of perhaps not even finishing second – we will.
No, just that I’m excited to see us get back to winning ways. With excellent football. Clean sheet? Maybe too much to ask. Just an additional six goals in the for column will do.
Why are we ” signing” a player on loan until the end of the season. ?
Nothing against Jonjoe Kenny but why ?
If we cannot play developing players for the remainder of this season then why are we wasting time, effort and money on a development squad.
We need change, from top to bottom.
I may be a birdbrain, but I don’t need a birds eye view to declare the parrots are absolutely correct and the angry bird osterich types are deluded.
I will watch the game tonight in expectation, but I wonder if some on the park give a flying flock.
HH.
I guess we’ll also see if the Griff v Lennon bout actually has any credence. Though of course he may be omitted due to “injury”. He was limping badly.
So waster Ntcham is gone, sorry for the personal abuse but that guy deserves it, we lose a young goalkeeper and bring in a loan full back who can’t find a club. Sounds like every other transfer window in the recent past, despite all the evidence to the contrary we’ll have to suffer Duffy again.
Earlier I read some on here stating that no matter what happens they will renew and I probably thought that way up until December, but being treated like absolute garbage by the club and watching the slow motion car crash we have been since the turn of the year has changed my mind.
One thing in particular is really pissing me off and thats the fact that after 4 years( I think) we have not replaced Van Dyke, I understand that we may never find that quality but surely a reliable run of the mill CB can’t be that hard to find? Or give the young guys a chance? What have we done to deserve a CB partnership of Bitton and Duffy?
Good morning from a damp North Staffs
Welcome Jonjoe Kenny
I think we’ll get beat tonight for the simple reason Kilmarnock is traditionally one of those games where they get in about us and make it difficult for us to get into any rhythm. To win there you have to win your battles first and foremost or at least not lose them and unfortunately I have seen nothing in our players that would make me think that they’re up for a fight. Sad but honest assessment I’m afraid. Still I’ll watch it tonight and as the great song says, “with hope in my (your) heart” as it’s Celtic after all.
After lot!
HH and have a good day y’all…
Ha ha Aaf oot = After lot
Is it possible that PL has resigned because he wants Neil Lennon sacked and Dermot Desmond doesn’t?
TT
Can anyone think of another example of a manager who is so completely disconnected from the opinion of the fans? Who is failing at every measurable level since the season began yet believes he is the right man for the job?
Does he understand that the ONLY reason he is in a job is because the stadium is empty? There are no ifs, buts or maybes – NL would have been forced out by the board if they had 50,000 fans screaming for change week after week. The pressure would have been intolerable.
The Covid bubble he lives in allows him to be in a complete state of denial.
His conference yesterday confirms this.
Does anyone know what the story is with Elhammed.
He seems to have just disappeared
Having said all of the above I still cannot wait to see the Hoops tonight.
D :)
DAVID66
I know.
Can’t wait to see our new right back play centre half
DeniaBhoy on 2nd February 2021 8:58 am
Totally agree, can you imagine the crowd response to the two goals we lost against St Mirren at the weekend? Duffy surely would have been subbed at half time for his own sake?
Anybody reckon Eddie Howe will replace Gerrard ?
SPIKEYSAULDMAN – is that after Klopp comes to us :)
The carpet tiles at killie is a surface we struggle on even when our form is good…
Could be a long night….💚
Stepbhoy Lennon was well backed financially to sign players,unfortunately he choose the wrong players,that happens,but sometimes you can work to make them into good players,But in Celtics case laziness comes into play ,and it’s easier to send them out to loan,and as long as he is at the club ,young players like Welsh and Robertson and others they will never get into the starting eleven,So if I was one of these players and you know he still at the club next season, I would be seriously thinking of looking for another football club
Fix fitba; Empty Hampden.
…and “Say No To Lino”
HH
St Tams – :)
D :)
In the last few years, our team had players who thrived under pressure. They managed to get results when it was needed. We had big players for big occasions.
For the remainder of this season there is literally no pressure on them. Sometimes footballers perform better when they can relax, when they are not scared that a mistake they make could cost us the league. The terrifying possibility is that we put a run of results together and that is used as justification to keep NL in a job. “Look we’ve turned the corner . . .”
TINYTIM on 2ND FEBRUARY 2021 8:47 AM
Is it possible that PL has resigned because he wants Neil Lennon sacked and Dermot Desmond doesn’t?
TT
………………………………………………………………………
If that’s absolutely the worst interpretation one can project onto a currently poor situation based only on speculation and conjecture…….then, going on the trajectory of previous “rumours / teets etc”.
….Yes.
HH