Solid CL performers, realisation dawns at Ibrox

971

I remember some disparaging comment from sections of the Scottish sporting media regarding Mikael Lustig’s performances for Sweden at Euro 2012.  Mikael had only recently joined Celtic and was still finding his feet in Scotland.  In short, we didn’t have enough information to make an informed judgement before the Euros.  We do now.

His energy levels, speed, height, crossing and general levels of performance has been remarkably high and consistent.  Sweden handed him the job of subduing one of the world’s top three players at their recent World Cup qualifier in Portugal, Ronaldo was shackled, scoring only when he left Mikael’s area of the field.

There is a notion that this type of player, who can perform solidly at Champions League and international level, but who we can convince to renew his contract, is more important than the more stellar performers, who have an eye on the exit door.

Adam Matthews timely return from injury will compensate for Mikael’s absence as he recuperates post-op, but we’ve never looked as effective on the right since both of them were fully fit.

The reaction to yesterday’s AGM at Ibrox has been surprising, mostly as it surprised anyone.  The outcome has been a forgone conclusion for weeks (if not months), while the realisation of what the future is going to look like for Newco has finally dawned on a few.

A generation brought up to believe in sugar daddies will have to learn: expenditure must equal or be less than income over any given business cycle.

In this respect, I cannot figure why fans are so unhappy with the Newco board, whose central failing has been to spend far too much money on wages for a manager and players.  From what I hear, no one at the AGM demanded football budget is cut to an appropriate level.

As their new chairman said, costs will be cut; doing so is a financial imperative.  The current Rangers might play in the same colours as its liquidated predecessor, but things will never – eeeeeeeever – be the same again.

This afternoon is the final pre-Christmas posting time if you want your CQN Annual before the day:


Puchase Options




Willie Wallace, Heart of a Lion:


Delivery Options




[calameo code=000390171ece27dd9e54e lang=en page=98 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

971 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. ...
  10. 26

  1. nakasammi

     

     

    14:03 on 20 December, 2013Who was the last Celtic player (male) to play for Scotland at full international level whose christian name and surname both end in the letter ‘r’?

     

    Peter the Pointer…..simples :)

  2. Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar on

    ohits

     

     

    As SoT kindly donated his runner up prize from earlier, you can have that.

     

     

    You’re welcome :-)

  3. HT

     

     

    Tis the season mate , I think its only right we donate them to more deserving Bhoys and Ghirls .

     

     

    HH

  4. 45 minutes left if you want to order the fast selling CQN Annual and get it delivered in time for Christmas. A fiver goes to the CQN Malawi Kitchen Appeal. You can send to a friend or family member as an ideal Christmas present.

     

     

    It’s been a tough shift on this this year but it is a lovely thought that so many Celtic fans – literally thousands – will be getting a copy of the CQN Annual in their stocking. I haven’t read it since putting it together in October but fully intend to read from cover to cover on Christmas Day and put my fiver into the Kitchen fund.

  5. I played well at the golf today and, full of the joys of a successful round, thought it might be a wee idea if we had a virtual golf league on CQN along the lines of posting a score each week and letting the table develop from there. Anyone interested?

     

     

    JJ

  6. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    I was also seething that comunication between Shangri La and the capital was so poor.

     

     

    Supposing the Vikings invaded [again]?

     

     

    Or even worse those dreadful Hibernians.

     

     

    We only have a limited number of women of easy virtue to appease them with.

  7. “We only have a limited number of women of easy virtue to appease them with”

     

     

    and with breests of varying degrees of heaviness….I agree it would be a big problem

  8. Sorry if already posted but there’s a cracker of an article on Phil’s site about Brian Stockbridge.

  9. Tricoloured ribbon, thanks for that, was a great read.I’ll make sure I get a copy of the shamrock at the game tomoro- cheers

  10. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Fond of the ole sackin’ was ole Alaric the Visigoth.

     

     

    He’d have made an excellent EPL chairman.

  11. I picked up this bluenose the other night there. Started chatting about football. We’re f***ed he said. I was trying to be diplomatic and said “why not just spend what you bring in in season ticket sales”. He said “it’s all the fault of David Murray” which I agreed with. He then got starry eyed and said maybe Dave King will come back in. I said we have two billionaire shareholders but I wouldn’t expect either to throw their money down the toilet in the Scottish League. I said I was surprised no one at Ibrox copped on to the fact both Whyte and Green were crooks. He then went back to say “it’s all the fault of David Murray”. Hahahahaha.

     

    To be fair he gave me a tenner tip.

  12. Afternoon all. Dreadful weather down here. It’s like last Saturday. I hope tomorrow isn’t the same.

     

     

    It saddens me to say it, but I believe it might be best if Sammi were to go now. He has been a real Celt and has been brilliant for us but he doesn’t seem to fit our current developing pattern of playing the game. He loves the Club and has served us tremendously well. So, I feel we should do well by him.

     

     

    Joe Ledley is a gifted player too. I think, if he won’t re-sign, we should try and sell him now.

  13. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Tri- coloured ribbon- very informative.

     

     

    I’m not sure that the snow fallin’ across the page adds to the story..

  14. Steinreignedsupreme on

    DR: ‘Exclusive’ – Green Brigade tried to kill the baby Jesus – pages; 2,3,4,5,6,7 50, 51, 52, 53

  15. masty is neil lennon and both of us are supporting wee oscar on

    BoscoBhoy02

     

    I was under the impression we actually had 3 billionaire share holders..

  16. HT, sorry for the tardy answer, working.

     

    Not overall, and it’s not an easy one to research, a quick scan showed Celtic Foundation giving lots of gifts, not so easy to find the same for Celtic FC, but they donated a large sum, £20k? To Mary Meals.

     

    They have at various points given money directly to other charities, the Poppy Appeal got £10k.

     

    Maybe they just don’t like to talk about it.

     

     

    The Foundation isn’t just a conduit for the club to give, it’s also, indeed mostly for fans to give via the Foundation. For the Club as a whole to be involved in fundraising for Charity.

  17. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    yorkbhoy

     

     

    14:13 on 20 December, 2013

     

    Old Trafford is in Salford… Not Manchester

     

     

    Come on the Pedants…

     

    ……………………..

     

     

    Happy to oblige:-)) I say it’s in Trafford Park not Salford.

  18. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    cadizzy- a strong claim

     

     

    Better than ‘Hot Licks, Cold Steel and Trucker’s Favorites’?

     

     

    I don’t think so.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. ...
  10. 26