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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some weather
https://twitter.com/i/status/1355929723055067143
I feel sorry for players like Turnbull and Soro , coming into the club full of optimistic expectation , bright eyed and eager and suddenly realised the lovely beach they’re walking along is actually quicksand .
Frimpong just pulled himself out of it .
Something is seriously amiss with the club. The PR damage this is doing between club & fans by keeping NL in situ and club not communicating their future plans, I really don’t understand it.
I think some of the things said about NL are just ridiculous. I want him sacked too but I still respect him. Admittedly he’s lost his way but all managers do eventually unless they quit before they do lose their way. Look at Celtic’s managers and NL doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb. Some of them failed, made strange decisions. You only have to think back to our good managers to relaize that. Was the football under MON always great, were all his buys always good buys? I think many were glad when he left and certainy woudn’t want him back. And even BR – he got an easy time of it with no rangers to compete with. When SG sussed out to counter an essentially weak team technically playing out from the back style of football he won and I don’t believe it’s for sure BR’s Celtic would ever have regained the upper hand.The test for him was Europe and he didn’t do that well. I think he definitely improved players but he wasn’t going to motivate them forever. I’m sure Sinclair would have faded even if BR had stayed, just as Thomson and Sutton faded even with MON.
Bada
You have my total respect my friend.
I would happly call the season now – there is nothing left.
I know people will talk about perspective and believe me, events in my recent
personal life have given me cause to reflect, but Celtic will always mean so much to me,
and to see this self inflicted shambles playing out is beyond the pale.
Stay Positive.
marspapa on 1st February 2021 12:10 pm
Right now we need to know the answer to that question, if its Neil its wrong, if its lawell its wrong, if its the dreadful scouts its wrong. So just who is out there picking players loan or not?
Just another example of the rudderless shambles of a club that we are.
the board HATE Celtic fans so don’t GAF.
they like Celtic fans money. If you have been at AGMs you will know none of them care. few of them know anything about being a fan and nobne of them would pay yto watch any football game
DD is worst of all. i am sure he couldn’t find parkhead if he didn’t have a chauffeur to take him there
Werll i dont respect him, Im allowed to say that its not any more ridiculous than your position.
!!Bada Bing!! on 1st February 2021 3:21 pm
I just beat you by 3 years or so but I feel exactly the same, of the friends I attend games with everyone has 30+ years as a season ticket holder and of the remaining 8 I reckon you’ll be lucky if 3 renew.
Also need to add none of us are happy about it.
I might still retain a grain of respect for him if he was truthful in press conferences . The last thing we need now is a manager in denial .
I don’t think NL threw the players under the bus. Thay threw themsleves under the bus because they signed longish contracts so Celtic would claim a higher fee for them only to discover they weren’t going to be allowed to leave. They responded by letting it affect their play, their motivation. The Board had no long term plan so had to keep them. We are a disaster as a football club. NL has limited opportunities to change things. He’s not blameless of course but he’s far from being solely to blame.
We need a RB to replace Frimpong. Elhamed is reported to be back home on family grounds. No mention has been seen on a date for his return from Israel. Antony Ralston is still here but is he good enough. Ajer can play RB but is also needed at CH.
We also need a CH, Julien is injured and out for the rest of the season. Bitton has been filling in but he is not the answer, Duffy is not performing well and is clearly not the answer. We need to use Welsh and Ajer as our first choices.
we need these 2 positions filled now,
Not solely to blame –that I can agree with . The Ceo ,board and DD also in denial .
I hope the GB have a few more ‘pull no punches’ banners in production .
Whatever else we’re second best at this season, we are spectacularly good at finding excuses as to why we can’t or haven’t secured an intended signing.
One or two, I could cope with. However, there does seem to be a pattern.
Why do Celtic seem, uniquely, poor at this?
James Forrest @ 2.35
Hope you’re well, long time no speaky.
Sadly, I fear Celtic will never be able to satisfy your exacting personal demands of ‘the transfer market’ whether we have Peter Lawwell or Peter Brady.
The reason we’re in this pickle is because of who we have signed not those that we’ve failed to convince to sign a pre season contract that will max at £15K a week. We regularly entice players on that level of money, sometimes we pull it off, sometimes we don’t, sometimes we beat the sharks, sometimes we don’t .We only need look as far as our bloated breakers yard squad, for evidence of how it works out.
David Robertson (Liverpool) earns 60K per week , and when you have two contracts placed in front of a players agent in this present day, its unlikely he’ll choose the SPL over England, or 15K over Liverpool type money, regardless how nicely we sugar coat it. That’s the way I see transfers and always will even starting over again from the 01/07/2021.
I am able to reconcile in mind, that those running Celtic do so, to their level best, again within the parameters that are set, with the wage structure and transfer kitty, I don’t apportion blame to the club or its individuals when Jeremie Frimpong or Ben Davies find somewhere better than our £600 season ticket per skull, can afford.
You think departing Lawwell drags his feet? I don’t care, whether he does or not, they’ve all had their innings, and any incoming transfers in this particular window are too little, too late. My locus is already on the new Celtic era which should be the antisthesis of dropping into the same markets that new city rivals seem to have utilised to as good as, effect.
CELTIC40ME on 1ST FEBRUARY 2021 2:56 PM
No I don’t think so
My position is that the Liverpool issue is a red herring.
Had Celtic acted promptly, acted on what had been a declared interest and made the club and player an acceptable offer to come in January he would’ve been our player.
I suppose there exists the possibility even in such a scenario that the deal gets gazumped. However if you do your business in private and conclude it promptly, as opposed to dragging it out over months in the full glare of the media there is less chance of that.
To be honest, I think you’re just looking for any reason not to point the finger at Mr Lawwell.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE:
I’ll drink to that, brother. Definitely.
The manager’s comments at today’s press conference are a total disgrace.
According to BBC-
“Why would it be my intention to go?” Lennon said.
“Peter’s decision has got nothing to do with my position at all, or my coaches or any of the players. So I don’t understand the context of the question at all.”
1. The petulant, self-absorbed comments do yet another disservice to his legacy.
2. How does any journalist present let that type of nonsense go unchallenged?
He is alienating even greater numbers of of the support. The hiatus regarding the CEO only increases the likelihood of a growing chasm with the fans.
As said before, no season books should be bought or renewed. None.
BSR
You very realistically set out the huge financial disparities that work to challenge us in recruiting talent.
All the more reason for our recruitment to be fleet-footed, not sharp suited.
Take care.
HH jg
With Dermot Desmond as owner, Peter lawwell as CEO and Neil Lennon as Manager,we sold around 53,000ST`s
If the predictions on here ( made before PL`s retirment was announced) are correct, we will be losing about 25,000 ST holders .
Logic would suggest that something else must be the cause of disenchantment among so many.
Personally, I`ll be renewing and look forward greatly to being able to go again whenever that may be. I am certainly not happy with The Board — particularly with their performance re Res 12 — but, selfishly, I am able to separate the plc and the team in my mind.
Well if some Celtic Supporters were thinking of not renewing next season,well Lennon not walking away has made there minds up ,15 thousand at least won’t be back.
JohnJoeKenny signed on loan? why? there is nothing to play for ! Am sure Ralston or one of the youths would be good enough to secure second place
As for Lennon, just trolling the support now, and seems to be enjoying it if the dress conference is anything to go by
press conference
MARKIEBHOY- you take it easy,it’s only football…..as somebody once said, but the Club means so much to so many people. HH
Bon Soir Olivier
Ne laissez pas la porte vous heurter les fesses en sortant.
Translation guide courtesy of Google Translate
Porte = door
Heurter = bottom.
You can guess the rest.
22 August
“The players’ attitude was tremendous”
26 August
“Get your mentality right, get your attitude right”
1 November
“I’ve never questioned their character”
—-
23 October
“I am past the stage of my career where criticising players probably works and I don’t think they deserve it”
5 November
“Lack of application, lack of hunger….. the players need to change quickly as well because that’s totally unacceptable for a club of our standing”
—-
5 November
Celtic 1 Sparta Prague 4
“This is definitely a turning point – it won’t happen again”
26 November
Sparta Prague 4 Celtic 1
—-
5 November
“There has to be a culture change and I’ve got to change it quickly and the players need to change quickly as well because that’s totally unacceptable for a club of our standing”
27 November
“I don’t think it’ll take that much. I just think the players are lacking a little bit of confidence”
—-
27 January
“It was an excellent team performance and one to build on.”
30 January
“It was dreadful. We deserved what we got today.”
—-
27 January
“delighted with the team and their attitude.”
30 January
“I need some support and performances from players. Too many of them have been insipid this season, to say the least.”
—-
30 December
“(Barkas) has come in as number one and I want him to play.”
28 January
“I think he needs a bit of adaptation, more time. I don’t think he is up to the speed and physicality of the game.”
SQUIRE DANAHER on 1ST FEBRUARY 2021 2:04 PM
…………….
Cheers SQUIRE.
NO Alcohol allowed isnt a problem as Ive not had any since early October when the Pubs closed.
Thx for your advice.
Stay safe and well.
HH
Big Jimmy
You too m8 👍
I have no problems with the club losing out on the player from Preston.
Unfortunately that is the transfer game.
I would be slightly concerned however if I was a Liverpool fan going forward that they have identified the same 1-2 million pound player that we have……lol
SQUIRE DANAHER on 1ST FEBRUARY 2021 3:47 PM
Had Celtic acted promptly, acted on what had been a declared interest and made the club and player an acceptable offer to come in January he would’ve been our player.
Of course they would. Offer any player and club enough money and they’ll do a deal.
As it was the player was negotiating pre contract deals with clubs, not a deal including a transfer. We agreed to what he wanted, what else do you want?
Kilmarnock 8/1
Celtic 1/3
Draw 4/1
To win the league: Sevco 1/1000;
Celtic 100/1.
Those title odds would suggest any truth in `wishful thinking` is more likely with the adverb than the verb !!
Cheerio.
Lazy D
:-)))))))
Losing Davies might be considered a blow but surely teams have a list of players and targets they work down? Isn’t there a plan B?
When Paul67 said the plan was to win our “easy run of games” then start recruiting in January to make a fist of the title run-in, was that all hinging on Davies? Was he and he alone the “recruitment” we talked about that would swing the title race back in our favour?
“Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos will miss the next three matches after the club admitted his stamp on Hibernian’s Ryan Porteous.” BBc site.
:;”/