When spread of Covid in the UK was at its peak in March, two days before Celtic were due to play in front of 50,000 at Ibrox, the SFA took a decision that should have come from Government – football at all levels would stop until they knew how to resume, without endangering the health of players and spectators.
During this period, government ministers and their public health advisors were still happy to send untested patients from hospitals with Covid infections to care homes, pubs and clubs were open, and trains were packed with commuters. These were fatal errors, literally fatal. When the next history of the SFA is written, the Association should get enormous credit that they took the painful steps necessary while governments in both Edinburgh and London froze.
Indoor social and entertainment venues, like pubs, are again open. Outdoor venues, like football stadiums, with their easy to enforce social distancing measures and far lower risk of virus infection, remain closed. The same government ministers who were caught in the headlights in March, again appear incapable of acting in a coherent and evidence-led manner.
Opening pubs while keeping football stadiums closed has nothing to do with public health. No evidence is offered to support this position because none exists. It is a random and incongruous act from a government that knows it sat on its hands while football took painful but responsible steps in March, and which has transformed its stadiums in the subsequent months to make them fully compliant with government safety advice.
Only the Holyrood cabal know why they allow you to watch football at an indoor pub but not an outdoor stadium. It is a terrible policy and shows that their Covid public health strategy remains an evidence-free lottery.
I can’t help but think we are in this mess because Boris Johnson is a disaster of a human being and Nicola Sturgeon’s personal best interests are served if she adopts close to, but not exactly the same as, his policies.
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Labour betrayed
SNP cabal
Tory scum
Pro or anti union covid is new to me.
Hh
Janey Godley has a lot to do with Nicola Sturgeon’s popularity amongst the youth in Scotland. Does her brilliantly 😊👍
It’s not the “outdoor” aspect of the venue that is the problem for me. It’s the entering and more especially the exiting process that would be a concern.
Can’t imagine “today we are going to be exiting by row number” being a practical or accepted method.
Chairbhoy
BRT&H on 18TH JULY 2020 @ 8:43 AM,
Earlier this week there was a post about Celtic monitoring any potential shake up on The European Football front, and a couple of weeks ago we were told that such was the potential financial crisis among football clubs in England that an invitation for Celtic to join the English league was nearer than ever.
Whether you would agree with either or these moves, or to any change with would see Celtic play outwith Scotland, what can’t be ignored is that “the business” of football is now one which is attracting serious money people who are willing to invest with a view to making money.
What is of key importance to any investor is not how many titles a club has, what league a club plays in or who the star striker may be. No what is important has been described in the following terms;
“We look for companies that have an excellent business, brilliant management and a solid and healthy balance sheet,”
That being so, as a club run under a PLC structure, and attracting ever better deals with the likes of Adidas and other commercial partners, you have to ask is the writing, as opposed to the graffiti, on the wall for Celtic?
♧
https://offthepitch.com/a/minority-stakeholder-dortmund-lyon-and-ajax-earnings-outlook-football-clubs-remains-positive-long?autologin=55652999d1378058e0cd1462083df135&email=david%40lowdit.com&wv_email=david%40lowdit.com&wv_id=8d4f42ed-2a4c-4e69-9813-d6d7b22b85b3&wv_name=
Just catching up and this piece caught my eye – obviously.
It is now an obssession with Celtic supporters to have a “well run club”.
Of course this is smoke’n mirrors, the people who “run Celtic” have used a pincer movement involving scare tactics and managing expectations to ensure Celtic supporters equate a well run business with a high performance football club.
As Clubs like Lyon, Dortmund and Ajax have shown a well run business supporting a well run football club is of course not only possible but is highly effective.
Yet Super Clubs like Real, Man City, PSG etc are of course basket cases as far a business goes, yet create highly succesful football teams, because excelling in the sport of football is their be~all and end~all.
Celtic are the other end of the spectrum, where running “an excellent business, brilliant management and a solid and healthy balance sheet,” is far more important than what the team does on the pitch.
Of course the businessmen can’t just ignore what happens on the pitch, outwith player transfers and sponsorship, all major income streams are dependent on team performance. That said of course, the former is a resultant of said performance.
Yet Celtic while not being exactly unique in this regard are a very special case.
Because Celtic are: “More Than Just A Club”.
So this gives the business folk huge leeway, the passion and commitment of the Celtic fans if managed correctly and that is where Celtic PLC and their main shareholders are brilliant – they can simply minimise outgoings by managing the expectations of the fanbase, while maximising the profitable income streams such as season ticket sales, merchandising and marquee player sales.
Let’s face it, what other major football Club’s supporters would allow their better players to be sold season after season after season… none, the exact opposite…
What other major football club’s supporters would be content at their team failing in major European competition because keeping funds securely in the bank is of utmost importance… none, the exact opposite…
That is the brillance of Celtic PLC.
It wasn’t always the case, no, even in relatively recent memory, the lengths we went to to keep the King of King’s at Paradise and the pride, anguish and frustration we felt at Seville is palpaple in all but our youngest fans.
So why do Celtic supporters put up with this? Simple, the smart Celticwise businessmen understand the value of the old-firm brand, beating Rangers is what it’s all about, it’s an obssession bourne out of tribalism, ideology and bigotry… the fanbase falling into one or other or all of those categories.
As long as there is the old -firm the money roles in.
Of course the main pay day for Celticwise buisnessmen is not the old firm matches and the tens of millions of pounds it generates
The big pay day is when Celtic go to a higher level league; England, Pan-European or even a bespoke “Atlantic” type set-up is going to bank those guys hundreds of millions of pounds.
And the beauty is, they don’t have to give up the “old firm” money go round, by ensuring Rangers are competitive, Celtic ensure their “rivals” will get an invite to whatever party Celtic are invited to…
Celtic & Guest… RVSP
Celtic don’t need a strong Rangers, but it sure helps.
Hail Hail
Yo Garry,
Virtual Celtic Reality.
I didnae expect what has happened.
Believe it or not…… I have a mad playlist that incorporates Everything. Right Here Right Now……Colossians 1 is playing through my mobile anker Speaker.
CELTIC
CELTIC
Well there is someone holding Celtic back but it certainly isn’t Nicola Sturgeon.
Sixteen years of failure in Europe and yet still we get bound tighter and tighter to the failed old firm “model”.
At least it does benefit our partner club though. Both versions have won knockout ties since we last did, so it’s good to know that all the effort hasn’t gone completely to waste.
And we are a charitable club after all, so why not help out a neighbour in need!
Call the Cops…. yer twisting my melon man next on the playlist.
Mad.🤓🤤🇮🇪🇮🇪🍻🍻🇮🇪🤤🤓
Do Not ever stop Believing in Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Good Morning all.
Forgiveness Brings the Greatest rewards. Even in this utterly Fallen World.
Petec
Happy Monday indeed. 👍😎♬
Buddy 12.25pm
Spot on … think she is playing a blinder to the voters of the future :-)
Delaney’s 12.27pm
At one of our Europa games big Mjallby was in the studio with Chris Sutton, Johan said Neil absolutely loved Elyounoussi since he tore us apart playing with Molde (?) … I couldn’t remember him myself probably too busy slagging our players more than concentrating on the other teams strengths … but Johan said Neil loved Elyounoussi from way back then
Petec
Mad Ferret!
https://g.co/kgs/vk23to
Chairbhoy & 2/3rds
Like it or lump it the majority of the paying customers want to beat a team from Govan … but type your wee keyboards until you canny see the letters … you probably won’t need to see the letters as it’s just the same old same old story … you both, ironically, mention “old firm” more than the old firmists :-)
GFTB
Moi destroyed us home and away for Molde.
Scoring in both ties. Stood out a mile to me then. My kinda player.
Petec
The Comet is Coming
DD 12.59pm
Good spot … I probably underestimated Molde and thought we should have beat them, Johan was raving about how much Elyounoussi impressed Neil (& obviously impressed you as well :-)
Celtic Mac,
I never thought like that.
Wow.
Thank you.
got a “Krups” machine from wife & (step)daughters for my birthday need to check see if the good lady has put a Heineken or an Amstel keg in for me … may as well make the most of a wee Monday day aff :-)
Fraser signed yet ?
For the Bhoys.
Oh yeah the lad can play.
https://youtu.be/OAg8NGTZf_g
I only post when something really sticks out to me.
Paul, your article is off the mark. ….”football stadiums, with their easy to enforce social distancing measures”. Absolute nonsense. 60,000 shouting individuals in close proximity immediately before, during and immediately after the event? For goodness sake, enforcing individuals to sit and not move horizontally has proven impossible so far. How will social distancing as required be enforced if that cannot be enforced? Many attendees also fall into the vulnerable category.
Could various football boards across the country drink a glass of water when you wrote your article?
Total nonsense P67,
Presently pubs are socially distanced with waitress service at tables and way below capacity. If there is a COVID-19 incident then the patrons can be traced relatively easily.
Tens of thousands at a football match mingling together cannot be traced easily. Probably better to stick to what you know and leave the epidemiology to the experts.
Buddy 12.25pm
Spot on … think she is playing a blinder to the voters of the future :-)
Isn’t she just?
Deaths in under 45 – 28
Deaths in 65+ – 3,800
You surely can’t be suggesting that Scottish Government advice on 5th March to “Hug your granny” was about future voting intentions?
Now away back to read the replies.
Both should be closed in my opinion.
We should either be in lock down or out of lock down , anything in between will lead to more deaths.
Buddy 1.23pm
I was meaning she is capturing the imagination of youngsters … far more than any other political leader … not saying the “policies” are right or not … defo offski now
Still bringing politics into a football blog.
Poor IMHO
GFTB @ 12:58 PM,
Wow!! Tad angry there with your demeaning comments.
I hated the expression “old-firm”, never used it in the past, didn’t like to be assocoated with “them”.
However, since Celtic and Scottish football evidentlh went to such great lengths to ressurect the old-firm it’s only fitting it’s used.
Of course it’s individuals choice, if you prefer to use Glasgow derby and newco, sevco, diedco to refer to Rangers fair do’s…
The obsession remains the same with most but not with me.
Hail Hail
Petec
I wonder if Mark Knopfler supported a football team, when he was a child in Bearsden?
Lucky Man……..
Something says to moi, El is gonnae be an alright player this Coming Season.
He was mighty Fine before an Injury. Hopefully Tom Rogic can get to mega fitness too.
Garry, believe me or not. I know not what team he supports.
I Love it though. I could guess, that would be unwise.
My manifesto is to bring people Together somehow.
Chairbhoy 1.34pm
No anger at all … I know the Huns liquidated but also know many decent people who still follow/watch Rangers, it really doesn’t bother me in the slightest …
You have posted many times you want Celtic to progress … answer one question do you think the old firm, Celtic v Rangers, Sevco v Celtic are a selling point for the likes of Henrik, Lubo, Moussa, Odsonne to sign for us ?
Like it or not the “Glasgow Derby” is an attraction for many non old firmists (many Celtic fans as well :-)
For Pete.
Love this song.
https://g.co/kgs/H5DRjv
http://zeta.ecommzone.com/lz/celfcp/102GQT/oYINtDqLPrSeyFkR6sq0Cg2XqYkROujuVroAgACsuXo1/home.html?g4id=1
ADI_DASSLER NOT FOR 2ND BEST on 20TH JULY 2020 1:29 PM
Still bringing politics into a football blog.
Poor IMHO
——————-
Why, it is part and parcel of football now. The poppy and BLM will forever make it so.
HH.
Petec
It is a powerful message.
If you want to add a soundtrack to it,
try the appropriately named ‘Summon the Fire’ version
preferably from Glasto 2019
Of course there’s politics at play here, Sturgeon has seen her approval ratings go up by being seen to act in the opposite manner to London.
Despite the fact as P67 correctly points out that she mirrored London during the crucial weeks of the pandemic and people died as a result.
Go get the main European Trophy Lenny and the Bhoys.
Celtic Mac
Summon The Fire is an amazing track. Sax bliss.