Strachan lessons as Milan looms

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Neil Lennon will begin to get his players back at Lennoxtown tomorrow after, what for most of the first team, has been a two week international break.  For many of the established players, he’ll be hoping for a clean bill of health, but with trips to Tynecastle and Milan ahead, the manager will be keen to spend time with Teemu Pukki.

Teemu played 92 minutes for Finland in Tbilisi last night so will get little time on the training fields before Celtic’s next two games.  Tynecastle itself may provide the most effective training opportunity ahead of Wednesday’s game at the San Siro.

Delighted for Gordon Strachan, who has already caused an unlikely upturn in Scotland’s fortunes.  He is a better coach and tactician than he ever got credit for.  His Key Performance Indicators (winning leagues, knock out stages of the Champions League) were achieved in spades, but there was a soft underbelly which always seemed to undermine progress.  Curiously, his Celtic team went 15 months without keeping a clean sheet away from home in all competitions, despite winning the league in both seasons this run spanned.

The one game during this period of note was the 1-0 defeat to Milan in the Champions League knock out stage; the only game Celtic completed 90 minutes without conceding.  If Neil Lennon can replicate this achievement he stands an excellent chance of a second successive memorable Champions League campaign.

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  1. To the tune of Di Canio

     

     

    When the Law hits the MET

     

    and its no a veiled threat

     

    Its only Sevco

  2. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    MAGS

     

     

    Did you do the grovelling apology thingy to PAUL67?

     

     

    I did,a coupla months back. Got fed up wi a certain poster wi his “aye,but…” type arguments.

     

     

    Fortunately PAUL67 was out for the night,and my apology reached before the complaints from “Disgusted,Turnbridge Wells”

     

     

    Still feel guilty about it,mind. The fella has enough on his plate without me swearing on his blog. In fact,banning me for the s…e I usually spout would have made more sense!

  3. acgr@hotmail.co.uk - Only half a million free Zadok The Priest ringtones left to give away - Get them while stocks last. on

    BobM, don’t you worry about 16 roads, As long as we don’t wave a fat burd or a pizza in front of him that bhoy will hold true.

     

     

    Pete, I’ll tsake that as an affirmative. Excellent, my work is done…….unless we need mair rooms?

     

     

    BobM, let me know if there are any more who are overnighting, I’m thinking of oldtim in particular. I’ll sort out for him if you let me know the score.

     

     

     

    P.S. only twins and doubles left at the inn.

  4. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    ACGR

     

     

    Not that easy wi OLDTIM-have to get him to read his mail,for starters!

     

     

    I’ll text him later. Might do the same wi some others,they might not have received the mail I sent last weekend.

  5. FFS – 2:25 & 2:27 comments.

     

     

    Gaylord Fockers.

     

     

    philvisreturns.csc

     

     

    I’m Clubbing with 16 Roads and will be his Wingman, his water carrier and will chat up the other Lady.

     

     

    Me “Hi”

     

    !6s reject “Hi”

     

    Me “Do you come here often?”

     

    !6s reject “No”

     

    Me ” Me neither”

     

    !6s reject “silence”

     

    Me “Well what do you think of the prophecies frae Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49 about the Damascus”?

     

    !6s “I love you Brother but get back to the Hotel, FFM needs you!!!”

     

    Me “say nay mair, I’m a bad wingman”

     

     

    Bye Bye Badman

  6. acgr@hotmail.co.uk - Only 68 free Zadok The Priest ringtones left to give away - Get them while stocks last. on

    Cool bananas, I’m off to my chariot then, but before I do, here’s my three favourite CQN induced toons, in order.

     

     

    1. Kilkelly Ireland: gifted by Shady

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsOA-5H_L2g

     

     

     

    2. Happy atheist: gifted by PeteC

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOtpfansXqg

     

     

     

    3. Nice n Sleasy: gifted by………meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjnFTpp79Ko

     

     

     

     

    Hail Hail Celtic men and wummin. moff furra dram.

  7. Pedro,

     

     

    If you and 16 Roads can promise to stick to that dialogue then I’ll shout the pints next time…need all the help I can get on this …lonely…single…life….:)))

     

     

    Burds have been dumping me cause of my dedication to Moonhowling since 1969…..

     

     

    The ones that are attaching themselves to me cos of my good looks, I have little respect for !!

  8. BOBBY – And that was me putting my Heart & Soul into it, aww shucks so I’m not the bestest of the best? ffs I’ll never make a Supremacist like Bert Pike.

     

     

    acgr – Wow, I knew ye liked the track but haud on a wee minute here m8, yer gonnae inspire me to go get ithers like that dont you know? can of worms. :))

  9. TBJ Praying for Oscar Knox on

    Morning champions

     

     

    So ian black is banned for next 3 matches… by next Saturday ban will have been served.

     

     

    Lucky the sfa waited until the registration ban was up or they might have struggled eh. Good ole sfa :)

     

     

    Mibbees Alistair will now bring the blank A4s out again and hold a candle in front of them to reveal the hundred names written in invisible ink.

  10. The Moon Landings are a bit of a distraction really. We are all conditioned. National Insurance Number.

     

    The Anarchists, they were DEMONISED straight away, well because, well because. The biggest EVER HHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

     

     

    Hey, Lets try to be Perfect here, Whilst Bombing elsewhere. St Elsewhere?

  11. Richie #TeamOscar on

    Plenty online about the Waco seige. Even every single autopsy photograph and photo and video evidence. Use google.

  12. Richie #TeamOscar on

    Waco, and man other state murders in the US (mainly university campus or prison) are well documented with no-one ever being brought to justice. A la Bloody Sunday etc.

  13. Richie #TeamOscar

     

     

    I was in Newcastle working when the Omagh bombing came through. I had deep revulsion for Irish Rebels that day but I now know in my mind that it was States and not just State terrorism.

     

     

    When the Middle East was going Secular, 911 happened, if you are a Christian in the Middle East, yer going early to meet the Boss, you Warriors deserve to go early.

     

     

    Divide and Conquer.

     

     

    Get familiar with the Creator is all I can say, short and sweet, bitter, whatever.

  14. TBJ Praying for Oscar Knox on

    Bmcuw

     

     

    I was a punk back in the late 70s and saw the stranglers a couple of times and then again.. 2012.

     

     

    Never noticed how similar grip was to stan dandy liver before

  15. Here is the Brilliant Muhammad Ali

     

     

    Riddles in Stone the Secret Architecture….. video is very long but essential viewing, IMO…. Meggido 2 and Meggido 1 are well worth viewing for the latecomers, dinnae worry they are both well long.

     

     

    ___________________________________________

     

     

    I’m reading and hearing that TSD is philvisreturns, well that really would put the Cat amongst the pigeons.

  16. TBJ Praying for Oscar Knox on

    BMCUW

     

     

    So you were in newquay.. strolling along… minding your own business :)

     

    I saw them at the apollo in renfield st. Many other bands around that time.. 999 … sham .. rezillos .. suzi and the banshees… never got to see the pistols

  17. Some people just have the patter…..

     

     

    A guy who I have the most respect for ever and is unlikely to read the blog but maybe he does…..

     

     

    This guy took great pride in his appearance and Worked his bollocks off to get to wherever he is today, anyone working under him will have a Fair Boss, even if they are a hun.

     

     

    When the Ladies enquired what he done for a living back then (Joiner) he replied with the Charming “Timber Technician” MAN.

  18. Top of the morning to you all from a still, gloomy Fife, which matches my mood.

     

     

    Having watched Celtic for over 50 years I would have to say that the last few years have been the most enjoyable. The team that cheated us out of many games and trophies and epitomised the worse type of sectarian, freemasonic, corruption in Scottish sport were finally getting their comeuppance.

     

     

    The fall of Rangers into liquidation followed by the departure of the SFA’s cheating boss and referee head man looked as if it heralded a new dawn for Scottish football.

     

    Sadly there have been reverses in the game and the recent treatment of Celtic supporters by the police, aided by laws specially introduced to “even things up” statistically with our rampaging Rangers rivals, has brought about scenes of “kettling” a peaceful protest in Glasgow that would not have been out of place in North Korea.

     

     

    Yesterday’s images of Ian Black, facing the most serious betting charges, striding into Hampden’s SFA court with Barry Hughes for a slap on the wrist, which the player said he was happy with, leave me to wonder if we have really progressed at all in the last few years.

     

     

    They are getting away with it aren’t they?

     

     

    They are still getting away with it.

  19. Went past Celtic park about 15 mns ago,

     

    very long queue,

     

    so if you are going, get yourself down there pronto, to avoid disappointment.

     

     

    Happy Celticing

     

     

    GBWOK

  20. fergus slayed the blues on

    Big Nan

     

    When was the last time you saw a Ragers/Sevco player walk out of an Hampden hearing WITHOUT a smile on his face .

     

    the are the peepil right enough and another goat losses it’s virginity

     

    Hail Hail

  21. BMCUW

     

    Ah the stranglers. So many memories I wouldn’t have enough time to tell you. Kilmarnock to Kuala Lumpur….

     

     

    One day

     

     

    Good morning btw.

     

     

    Today’s travel less exotic than Kilmarnock….Bangor on dee

  22. By ROGER HANNAH

     

    Published: 5 hrs ago

     

    MARIO BALOTELLI told Champions League rivals Celtic last night: You can WIN this group.

     

    The Hoops kick off against Balotelli’s Milan in the San Siro on Wednesday.

     

     

    Super Mario said: “I don’t see why it has to be Barcelona that win the group. There are FOUR very good teams.”

     

     

    Kaka told me about Celtic Park… I can’t wait

     

     

    RENOWNED … Celtic Park on Champions League night

     

    KAKA has told Mario Balotelli all about it.

     

     

    Three times the Milan maestro has been to Celtic Park.

     

     

    Three times he’s headed back to Italy without the win he craved.

     

     

    Kaka’s only pleasant memories of Glasgow involved the frenzied crowd and spine-tingling atmosphere. Now Super Mario can’t wait to sample it for himself.

     

     

    The Hoops and the Rossoneri will clash for the fourth time in just nine years in this season’s Champions League.

     

     

    Their first encounter will be in the San Siro on Wednesday in the Group H opener.

     

     

    But Balotelli, in an exclusive interview with SunSport, revealed his mind is already drifting towards November’s visit here.

     

     

    He said: “Kaka has told us about the games he has played in for Milan against Celtic. He has warned us it will be tough.

     

     

    “Especially so in Scotland with the atmosphere they create.

     

     

     

    EXPERIENCE … Kaka has past memories of Glasgow

     

    “I am looking forward to the game at Celtic. I have heard lots about the atmosphere in Glasgow.

     

     

    “It is not something I fear — it is something I love. To play in atmospheres that are intense is when I play my best football.

     

     

    “They can really raise the game of a player.”

     

     

    Kaka, back at Milan after a spell at Real Madrid, had bitter-sweet memories of his clashes with Celts.

     

     

    He was frustrated in a goalless draw in December 2004.

     

     

    He scored the extra-time winner in Milan after another 0-0 draw in Glasgow in the last 16 in spring 2007. Six months later, he lost at Parkhead in a group game but celebrated a narrow win at home.

     

     

    Now team-mate Balotelli is ready for another clash of the titans in a Group of Death which also features Ajax and Barcelona.

     

     

    The strike star said: “We know that every game in this group is going to be tough and that includes the two against Celtic.

     

     

    “Last season they showed they are not in the Champions League to make up the numbers. They are there to compete with any team that they come up against.

     

     

    “They got further than Chelsea and Manchester City last season. That says a lot about their talent and character.”

     

     

    Celts’ charge to the last 16 in the spring followed a sensational group phase win over Barca. Scorers Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt won’t be in the Hoops squad which travels to Italy on Tuesday. Neither will the likes of Gary Hooper or Kelvin Wilson.

     

     

    But Balotelli insists he wasn’t shocked to watch Celts beat Barca last term.

     

     

    And he reckons Neil Lennon’s Scottish champions have it in them to produce another unexpected result this time.

     

     

    The Italy icon said: “I am never surprised by any result in Europe.

     

     

    “Maybe nobody expected Celtic to beat Barcelona — but this is football not always what you expect to happen will happen. There will be more surprises this season — there always is.”

     

     

    Lennon has brought in several new signings to replace the heroes of last season’s Euro campaign. They include Israeli midfielder Nir Biton, who had a trial at City while Balotelli was there.

     

     

    The Italian recalls the 6ft5in midfield enforcer and reckons Celts have bought well.

     

     

     

    CAN’T WAIT … Super Mario is looking forward to facing Celtic

     

    He added: “I remember Nir and the players at City were impressed with him.

     

     

    “I just think there were some issues with a work permit.

     

     

    “City, as everybody knows, have the money to sign the best players in the world.

     

     

    “So the fact they were interested in Nir is a big compliment for him.”

     

     

    Balotelli, 23, has been just as impressed with Milan’s own midfield acquisition, even if Kaka is short of match fitness.

     

     

    He said: “It is a big signing that we have Kaka back at Milan. He is one of the best players to have played the game — and he still has so much to offer.