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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Remember these were the buffoons that said in March large scale gatherings pose no risk….and also said it is a highly contagious disease easily spread. They have since said masks don’t need to be worn as they offer no protection….and have since told us that masks should be worn as they offer some protection. The SNP have literally been step for step with Uk govt and the top buffoonery on show, but for some reason NS seems to get accolades for her ‘different approach’ if someone can enlighten me exactly what this difference is I’m all ears…death rates north and south oh the border have been equally catastrophic.
PSG are in the mix.
Cracking game for our Bhoys.
I know Lenny will put out the best possible Team for Celtics development.
I reckon we will beat PSG. It’s a friendly though.
A good bet.
I really hope the nonsense about the SFA being proactive and having everyone’s best interests at heart is very much tongue in cheek. Everyone could see there were only 2 outcomes in that match, either Rangers lose, or they get humiliated. Stopping the match going ahead served two possible outcomes, it gave them time to turn things around, before going into a title deciding game, or it meant that if the league did need to end early, then there was not an even bigger gap, and the match not being played could be used as a possible 3 points to rangers null and void argument. I can accept that perhaps some things were unknown, but it was possible to see, that there were more advantages to the match not going ahead, than to play it out, and have us basically won the title. If we were on the slide, and with injuries or suspensions to key players, and they had been winning matches, and there a chance they could go one point clear with a win, I really struggle to believe that the match would not have gone ahead.
delayneys dunky
Imagine having that as your goalscoring soundtrack at Celtic Park
Suit Eddie to a T
Celtic Mac
Can very well imagine it. 😊👍
https://g.co/kgs/dqhLQj
delayneys dunky
Now you are talking my language
Petec too
Good afternoon all from the Star Bar.
https://www.balls.ie/football/gareth-mcauley-james-mcclean-441151
What a pathetic individual is McAuley…
GFTB @ 1:53 PM,
Well, I’m not at all sure the old-firm derby is as revered in Sweden, France, Slovakia etc, etc as it is in Coatbridge:)
In fact, rumour has it that Odsonne is for the off if we don’t get UCL this season.
Fraser Forster signed permanently when Rangers died and VvD was signed during the wilderness years.
There’s no evidence to suggest that we have managed to sign better players because of the new Rangers and plenty of evidence to suggest.
Better coahes/managers
European football
And more money
Are all bigger factors in bringing in foreign football talent.
One of my first comments on CQN was we shouldn’t use Rangers as our benchmark, we should look to our peers in Europe.
That was several years before Rangers died, it was my view then, it’s my view now.
Still really looking forward to the old-firm games this season.
Hail Hail
Sneddoni @ 2:27pm.
An interesting take on the matter.
I certainly agree with your final sentiment.
On Turnbull…
I wouldn’t mind signing him. We are coming to the end of a cycle and may need to replace Christie or Ntcham in the next 12 months. So that’s fine.
I’d also like to see Hickey and McKenna in this window.
Chairbhoy:
`In fact, rumour has it that Odsonne is for the off if we don’t get UCL this season.`
As you have seen fit to post that on CQN, can I assume that you believe there is some substance to the rumour? Where did it originate?
CHAIRBHOY on 20TH JULY 2020 12:35 PM
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…
____
Think this is a bit of an unfair reading.
Celtic will struggle to have any impact in Europe for reasons beyond the boards control. Coefficients and seedings set us on a difficult route.
Playing qualifiers so early in the season and the route to qualification is only getting harder in the Champions pot. Teams like AEK Athens and Slavia Prague are of a higher standard than those we used to have to play against.
Navigating European competition while remaining dominant domestically is a hell of a challenge. Reflected in the amount of games our key players play (CalMac’s world record for example)
The deck is stacked against Celtic every way.
If Old Firm games (by whatever name) are good for Celtic, does that mean that the five way agreement was also good for Celtic?
HOT SMOKED @ 2:54 PM,
Not really, it wouldn’t surprise me if Odsonne went whether we get UCL or not.
As most of us are now aware all our “high value” players are up for sale.
I would think that the deciding factor would be OE signing a new contract or not.
I simply posted the rumour as it was relevent in respect to GFTB’s comment.
I believe it originated on E-Tims.
Where else:))))
Hail Hail
Ernie 3.00pm
Of course the 5 way agreement was good for Celtic or Peter wouldn’t have gave it the green light (that’s a wee joke by the way :-)
Chairbhoy 2.46pm
From personal experience whether it’s big in Coatbridge or not I think it’s big in most places … your wee throwaway remark about Slovakia or Sweden read what the players say after playing in this fixture … again like it or lump it this game is an attraction to players we bring to the club … unless you and a minority of Celtic fans would like to see the back of a team from Govan even if it impacted on your “own” team negatively …. it’s usually fans who don’t attend these type of fixtures and now have moved to pastures new (not all) who push this view … just my opinion and probably not factually correct …
Chairbhoy
If no Champions league games would be a factor in Edouard leaving, do you think no Celtic v Rangers games would also influence his decision ?
By the way I don’t think you answered my question earlier … but you don’t have too if you don’t want too :-)
At this exact time 30 years ago, I got married and she’s still with me😱😵😂
Papajoe…just been in Muthill…doing ancestry with her indoors…spoke to Kathleen Sweeney and her man..got two crackin pictures of a tricolour in someone’s back garden!!!!! It’s your house isn’t it ha ha!!!! In crieff now…
Odsonne may or may not sign a Celtic contract.
Either way, he will be only sold if the valuation is met. The club allowed Boyata to run his contract down because the only bid that was acceptable arrived on the last day of the window when we would have been unable to replace him.
Celtic aren’t going to let Eddy go for 60% of his value for the sake of it.
The EPL & LaLiga won’t be joining the market until next week the earliest. They will only assign their budgets one the final standings have been decided.
Who’s to say what the market will be like?
PPB 3.24pm
Happy Anniversary…
30years is a fair shift :-)
Prestonpans Bhoys
Congratulations mate 🥂🥂
Think your article is incorrect Paul 67, it was the SPFL not the SFA that cancelled that weekends fixtures, they were SPFL fixtures.
Neil Doncaster saved many lives if the UK had allowed those fixtures to go ahead i believe it would have been utter carnage.
TIMALOY29 @ 2:57 PM,
While I take your point and we’ve gone over the advantages and disadvantages of playing our football in Scotland, that comment was from a wider perspective.
It was addressing the current mind-set of Celtic supporters.
We seemed okish with the fact that Cluj sent us packing in the UCL qualifiers and Copenhagen knocked us out of the Europa… Even though we are the much bigger club with a mountain of cash in the bank.
On Boyata – think the Board wanted to sell him and they had agreed terms but BR refused to let him go until he got a replacement.
ERNIE LYNCH @ 3:00 PM,
From a business perspective the five way agreement was very good for Celtic PLC.
From a sporting integrity perspective it has been a disaster for Celtic and Scottish football.
The fact that Celtic knew about it and not only covered up the fact but actually pronounced faux outrage, was for me crushing.
GFTB @ 3:10 PM,
I’m not sure you are correct but it is fair comment. People who have moved from the West Coast of Scotland view things differently when looking back.
And it’s not all… let me tell you that I love you and I think about you all the time… although that always brings a tear to my eyes.
Apologies thought I’d answered your question.
The fact is the old-firm derby is viewed as a strange curiousity in England and is less of a sporting event every season.
Of course the big games are always attractive to “big” footballers but it’s never been much of a pull for them imo.
Look at it the other way, how many players have left to play in the Manchester, Liverpool or London derbies.
Hail Hail
Prestonpans
Happy Pearl anniversary to you and Mrs P
CHAIRBHOY on 20TH JULY 2020 3:47 PM
While I take your point and we’ve gone over the advantages and disadvantages of playing our football in Scotland, that comment was from a wider perspective.
It was addressing the current mind-set of Celtic supporters.
We seemed okish with the fact that Cluj sent us packing in the UCL qualifiers and Copenhagen knocked us out of the Europa… Even though we are the much bigger club with a mountain of cash in the bank.
On Boyata – think the Board wanted to sell him and they had agreed terms but BR refused to let him go until he got a replacement.
_____
I don’t think anybody was okay with those results. The atmosphere in the stadium, on the supporters bus and in the pub were poisonous.
The board got it, Neil Lennon got it and the players got it.
I still maintain that Celtic had the players available to beat those sides. We weren’t beaten because we lacked talent. We were beaten because of tactics, desire and our mentality.
I think if we played Copenhagen 10 times we’d win the majority of games. An Opta guy I follow on Twitter pointed out how much of a shocking result it was against the statistics.
On Boyata:
“think the Board wanted to sell him”
I’m sure we all would love to have taken the money from him. But the coach said that’s how he wanted it to go down and that’s what was done.
The same will apply with Eddy. If we receive an offer of £30 million tomorrow he’s off. We’d have ample time to replace him. That’s unlikely.
This is perhaps the most irresponsible thing I’ve ever read on here, Paul.
Reckless bordering on negligent.
Chairbhoy 3.47pm
Cheers, always enjoy our online conversations … I think you answered my question that the Celtic v Rangers fixture is an attraction to entice better players to our club :-)
Just have a wee look at what Moussa posts even though he is now back home playing in France … am not on twitter but my nephews usually forward me his posts about Celtic
Prestonpans- Happy Anniversary welcome to the pearly gang.
I hope you and the good lady have a great day.
HH
D :)
Afternoon all,
Just read the article and agree cancelling the Glasgow Derby was the right thing to do. Hats of to SPFL or SFA, whoever made the decision. What I can’t understand was why the Liverpool and Sevconia european games were allowed to go ahead the previous Thursday when we knew the pandemic was rampaging throughout Europe at the time.
Should have read Sevco.
Happy Anniversary PPbhoy,
Well done bud,
HH
KLV
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.
Cannot in anyway agree with this tbh!
Happy anniversary, Prestonpans and your good lady.
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 20TH JULY 2020 3:58 PM
This is perhaps the most irresponsible thing I’ve ever read on here, Paul.
Reckless bordering on negligent.
Bang on !
FOUR-LEAF CLOVER OVER & OVER on 20TH JULY 2020 10:51 AM
Nailed it!
Banned from attending a game at Celtic Park
. Anyone over 65
. Anyone with underlying comorbid conditions
. Anyone with exposure to Covid-19 in the last month.
. Anyone with a temperature over 99F
. Anyone refusing to wear a mask
Bolingoli
PRESTONPANS BHOYS
Congratulations to you and your good lady.HH