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Still pathological roulette football 10 years on

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

You and I have seen it dozens of times.  The manager rests half the team in a cup game against lower league opposition and those who participate somehow play as though the game was less important.  Whose fault is that?  Nothing gives out signals that we are not at fully strength like rotating seven players from the starting line-up.

Players are not machines; they cannot climb the mountain every time as though this time was the most crucial.  That is why systems need to be robust enough to see them through mundane days.  Ange Postecoglou was right to rest so many ahead of an important European game.  This act, however, rendered him unable to convince those selected that their adrenalin should be pumping at full throttle.

The angry manager routine from the touchline, and no doubt at halftime, was enough of a top-up to comfortably see the game over the line.  I doubt he was truly angry, as he has seen as many of these type of games as we have.

That ball from Reo Hatate to Jota for the second goal is totemic of how Celtic are playing now.  In any season of the last 10, that ball would have been carried into the final third before circulating down either flank looking for an opening.  This ability to exploit the space behind defenders separates the talented from the earnest.

If you wander down Buchanan St there’s a good chance you will see someone doing a Find the Lady trick, where a queen card is shuffled around a board with two others.  The object is to not take your eyes off the card until you make a decision (you will still lose).  Refereeing can be a bit like that.  When an offence occurs that you decide is punishable with a card, keep your eyes on the player until you have sight of his number.

Referee Steven McLean decided to book the Raith player whose arm met the ball for Celtic’s late penalty.  Steven, however, let his eyes wander off the already booked Sean Mackie, who handled the ball, to the uninvolved Ross Matthews.  A second yellow would have been harsh for Mackie, but still………..

10 years ago today the “they are going to crash and burn” predictions we made of Oldco Rangers for 8 years came to fruition.  Chairman Craig Whyte stood on the steps of Ibrox to say he was putting the club into administration.  Subsequent attempts to negotiate with HMRC failed.  The basket of assets were sold to a consortium and administrators Duff and Phelps wrote a letter of comfort for Companies House to permit the Newco, which had applied for membership of the SFA as Sevco Scotland, to adopt a similar trading name to Oldco: “Rangers”, would be the name.

There were dozens of ways Rangers fall from perpetual debt and losses could have ended, liquidation was not inevitable.  Pain was, though.  You live within your means, or you face consequences.

Newco are approaching their 10th year in business and have yet to live within their means for a single season.  Like Oldco, they are playing roulette football, with no more than a gamblers chance of leaving the table with their shirt.  Like Oldco, I predict they will crash and burn.  It is as though there is something pathological going on.

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  2. JHB on

    Watching the Peterhead v Dundee game on a lovely big grass pitch. This at a third-tier club and in our top division we have the plastic rubbish at Livingston and recently Kilmarnock – unbelievable really.

  3. bankiebhoy1 on

    The Best of This Dear Green Place would have drowned the Guff-Nugget in indifference

     

     

     

     

    , silenced it by raucous good humour and insightful observation……dwarfed the idiocy in realistic intelligence.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Shown-up the charlatan – for all that it wasn’t despite the irritating constant din.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Years and years of actual supporting legacy writ large with Timmed-up humour and credible scrutiny.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    But some of the newer heads, Old perhaps without the wisdom that brings? – engage and reward the cancer on this place with the attention it craves.

  4. Celtic Mac on

    If anyone on here is interested in the roots of the Cold War and US Foreign Policy towards the USSR-Russia, then they need to read what became known as “The Long Telegram”, sent by ‘The Charge’ (Charge D’Affaires) from the US Embassy in Moscow to the US Secretary of State George Marshall in February 1946. Written by X, later identified as George Kennan, who died 2005, it is an 8000 word gospel on relations then and now between the two Victors of WWII. NATO is one result of this gospel. And rather than surround Ukraine as Putin has done I would make it clear to NATO that if it sets up one military base in Ukraine that would be treated as an Act of War against Russia, and that base would be immediately destroyed. Then lets see who blinks first.

  5. THE EXILED TIM on

    There won’t be a war IMO, it’s a squirrel, there may be a semblance of a skirmish and a few Sabre rattling shots but that’s it, Putin is in the same club as the two buffons who are running the show for their masters in the west.

     

    And we ain’t in it

     

    George Carlin CSC

  7. An Tearmann on

    Guyfawkesforeverahero.7.28

     

     

    Fine post..

     

     

    Greenpinata

     

    Will you be my Valentine?🤣

     

    Pint soon,when your down,pointing,laughing,talking shxxx.wont even mention yir post 🤣or when keev promises to align with Eton boys budget,soon then

     

    Roll on Thursday,

     

     

    HH

  8. Turkeybhoy on

    If,God forbid,Jota does not sign,my old mate Kristian Lovric,will go into the last year of his contract.

     

    Still doing the business.21 games. 8 goals ,4 assists.

  10. itscalledthemalvinas on

    Mauritius decide that enough is enough. They tear down the butcher’s apron on the Chagos Islands.

     

    Brits declare war on Mauritius citing that “the best troops in the world” will reclaim the Chagos Islands for the commonwealth.

  18. leftclicktic on

    That was some decision by the MIB not to give Peterhead a pen when their goalie to out the forward.

     

    They are hopeless as well as chests

  20. quadrophenian on

    Interesting seeing the different quality of Ange interview when speaking to Aussie sports meeja, innit…

     

    Good watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNwuxFkM0IM

     

    Significantly – as a true mark of the man Ange is – he starts by humbly offering an olive branch to Craig Foster – an ex-footie player/pundit who infamously started a disrespectful spat w Ange when AP was looking after – I think – the Olyroos.

     

    Bigger man than I, Ange immediately congrats Fozzie for his admirable work on social rights. Fozzie then recognises and praises our fans’ human rights ethos. The Ange love-in is currently spanning the world.

     

     

    Aside, anyone see the irony in Bazza Fergie managing the WASPS ;))

     

     

    Hope all you beekeepers, epileptics and lovers were well-looked after by your patron Saint yesterday. HH

  21. Turkeybhoy on

    Not the easiest tie,but we can beat anyone.Huns easier,but again,no dosh going into the coffers from crowd.

     

    Every little helps.

  24. Saint Stivs on

    Heart of Midlothian v St Mirren

     

     

    Dundee United v Celtic

     

     

    Dundee v Rangers

     

     

    Motherwell v Hibernian

  25. Melbourne Mick on

    Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    How are we all this fine Celtic morning ?

     

    Need to be out early this morn, so must be the first time I’m

     

    hoping the daftie is dominating the blog, then I can get my scrolling

     

    finger going like the clappers and get in the car before the school

     

    traffic clogs the roads 🚛🚑🚗🚜🛻

     

    H H. Mick

  27. Tontine Tim on

    LEFTCLICKTIC on 14TH FEBRUARY 2022 9:55 PM

     

     

    That was some decision by the MIB not to give Peterhead a pen when their goalie to out the forward. They are hopeless as well as chests

     

     

    *no corrections required, chests = breests = diddies etc

  30. An Tearmann on

    Quadraphenian

     

     

    Quality.👍9.57.

     

     

    Good manager.Great club

     

     

    Now is the time,work for it,sets the bar individually and for the team,and learning.interesting thurs coming up.

     

     

    HH

  31. JHB on

    QUADROPHENIAN on 14TH FEBRUARY 2022 9:57 PM

     

    Interesting seeing the different quality of Ange interview when speaking to Aussie sports meeja,

     

     

    Significantly – as a true mark of the man Ange is – he starts by humbly offering an olive branch to Craig Foster – an ex-footie player/pundit who infamously started a disrespectful spat w Ange when AP was looking after – I think – the Olyroos.

     

    —-

     

    Watched it – when you are confident, honest & respect yourself & others – there is no need for grudges to be held, or, abuse to be levelled.

     

     

    Sure there will be differences of opinion, sometimes profound, however civility costs nothing and is the mark of civilisation.

     

     

    Ange is a ‘big’ principled man in all he does – we are lucky to have him….well done Michael Nicholson for bringing him to Celtic…..as they say down under “a stonking decision” – G’day!

  34. quadrophenian on

    AN TEARMANN – cheers: your points make me realise that Ange has led and effected the ‘culture change’ that oor Lenny used to use or talk about. Re Thurs I’m like Scotty McDonald – kinda ambivalent about the game. I really want our focus to be winning the league and denying them CL monies – anything else is a bonus. HH

     

     

    JHB – to me, mutual respect also means not judging anyone else too harshly or thinking I’m superior in any way; I’ve been thinking a bit about compassion recently. Mibby Ange has too…I was genuinely blown away by how gracious he was towards Fozzie (who I’ve also heard being a bit dismissive of Scots fitba and us as well.)

     

     

    The Oz phrase I’d most associate with the Boss is that he’s a ‘bloody bewdy!’

  35. JHB on

    QUADROPHENIAN on 15TH FEBRUARY 2022 1:04 AM

     

     

    JHB – to me, mutual respect also means not judging anyone else too harshly or thinking I’m superior in any way; I’ve been thinking a bit about compassion recently. Mibby Ange has too…I was genuinely blown away by how gracious he was towards Fozzie (who I’ve also heard being a bit dismissive of Scots fitba.

     

    —–

     

    Yes indeed, good points.

     

     

    Compassion is a necessity, not a luxury, without it the human race could not have survived.

     

     

    My two best friends for over thirty-years and I had only one thing in common when we first met – that was Celtic. But being able to discuss things openly, without rancour,and with empathy & compassion, builds trust and a respect for others’ honestly held beliefs. Of course we have mellowed now and learned from each other over the years. We still differ in some things – but difference is interesting & educational.

  37. David66 on

    Good morning cqn from another stormy Garngad

     

     

    Bring on the Glimnits.

     

     

    Work beckons, play nice now and remember the best way to get to know bloggers/fellow supporters is turn up for a wee afternoon tea session on the 4 March.

     

     

    It is always good to put faces to monikers.

     

     

    D :)

  38. Big Jimmy on

    DAVID66 on 15TH FEBRUARY 2022 7:16 AM

     

    ………

     

    AYE…ALL are welcome EXCEPT CHUMPS !

     

    Just to repeat…IF ANY of the CQNrs are planning on turning up on the 4th March at local Pub…PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN ADVANCE ON HERE !

     

    Due to Covid etc, I MAY NEED to give approx numbers to the Owner of the Pub for seating arrangements, just like last time.

     

    HH

     

     

    IF your a CHUMP….FECK AFF.

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