The truth is, football is not always exhilarating. If we were two points off the pace going into yesterday’s Premiership game, all sorts of dramas would have taken place, but with an 8 point lead and a game in hand, there was no conceivable jeopardy.
Instead of contesting for all three points with his strongest available team, Brendan Rodgers chose to rest limbs ahead of the trip to St Petersburg, where he will attempt to defend a one goal lead. This was, without shadow of a doubt, the correct course of action. There are few enough advantages of playing in a weaker league, being able to rest players before a European game is the principle benefit.
Brendan also has developmental considerations. Jack Hendry, Calvin Miller, Odsonne Edouard and Charly Musonda will all gain from game time in the first team. The expectations when playing for Celtic are uniquely onerous, these four young players will learn that from occasions like yesterday.
We came through a unique season last term. The treble was won with a procession of brilliance, but our European endeavours ended in at the Champions League group stage. If you look at the league table, you might be tempted to assume there is clear evidence that we are weaker now than a year ago, but the jury is out on that question. If we progress to the Europa League last 16 on Thursday evening, Brendan’s second season will be set to eclipse his first. This is perhaps a consequence of enduring some afternoons like yesterday.
Developing great footballers, building great teams, is not a linear process. It takes time and patience. Don’t bet against this squad delivering another treble and a European run which extends into the light nights.
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Bada bing those boots where made for walking wooft HH
Gary67
Disagree.
Michael Stewart givin it to them. Chico & Kenny trying hard to say Deidco are the biggest challenger to us.
May turn out that way but they want the recognition early…..
Bada
Broke doon (again) Saturday night,was going to use wee mans own cab for couple of weeks,couldn’t be arsed
going through TOA thing again,hopefully back next week.HH
Sssshhh Sssssshhh turn that doon turn that doon
Sandman on 19th February 2018 6:07 pm
“Title.
TEN in a row is everything; The ultimate victory of a generation raised on the Hun triumphalism of Murray, Souness and Smith.
Destroy their historical claims, set unsurpassable domestic records that will sicken every last one of the Scottish establishment goat-pumping cabals and marching tango twats.”
SANDMAN were you and I seperated at birth?
If you truly want sevco dead and gone the way to do it is laid out inthe above quote from SANDMAN.
Keep winning titles and trophies destroy any record claims they think they might have.
As KEVJ would say jist empty the park but make sure it’s their park not ours and if we keep winning we will empty their park they will die for good.
SANDMAN don’t know who or were you are but I love you tae bits.
KEEP THE FAITH
GREENINBINGLEYINOSLO on 19TH FEBRUARY 2018 6:31 PM
Quite right. The trouble with our midden is………….it is exactly thet. A midden.
THet=that
I just watched Si Ferry interviewing Tony Watt.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tony was very open and gave a great insight into how difficult it can be for a young footballer.
He also gave good insight into what it was like at Celtic.
Hail Hail
BADA BING – great story, and a genuinely nice thing for him to do – :-)
HH
BGFC
An interesting article relating to our lack of goals recently. Trying to worm our way through packed defences with dazzling Barca-esque short passes and breathtaking off the ball movement just isn’t working for us for a variety of reasons. It invariably leads to the familiar turning back, and before you know it, a promising break up the opposition flank finds the ball being played back to our own half.
When the opportunity for a shot outside the box arises, we often find ourselves closed down by dithering and too many touches.
http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/long-range-lament/
On Seville tickets, I was in the ballot as were 2 of my lads.
Expected nothing.
At work I get a call from my son:
“ dad there are 3 letters here for us from Celtic. It’ll be the news of the ticket draw”
I told him to open his:
He shrieks down the phone. “ I’ve got a ticket, I’ve got a ticket”
I tell him to open his brother’s.
“ he’s got a ticket too!! “
Oh fur fox ache I’m thinking I’ve no chance then. Won’t get 3 tickets.
“ will I open yours da?”
Naw. I’ll do it later. Aye just open it. Naw don’t. Haud oan…. Ach just open it.
Yeeeeees … 3 tickets!!!
Never gave it much thought at the time but thinking about the odds of a ticket being extraordinarily high, odds to get 3 from 3 is astronomical surely?
I reckon the ballot must have been in sections rather than individual seats? So maybe section x row x seats 17-20 or something?
Anyone any idea how it worked? I didn’t speak to a single person on my flight that had got a ticket, and there we were with 3. Gotta be a “ sectional draw” yeah??
Philbhoy,
Saw you post yesterday that you had a big day today ?
Hope everything is good with you and yours !
Twist n Turns 7.35pm
Not sure about a “sectional draw” but that’s some going for you & your Bhoys…. “if” the 3rd envelope did not produce would you have pulled rank
:-)
Gerry
Maybe not pulled rank but certain ‘privileges’might have been withdrawn had I lost out :-)
GFTB- I was given the option to have the tickets posted out,but i collected them from the hotel UEFA were using in Seville.
16roads-league every time for me
Russian Curling Athlete tests positive for drugs!…….Curling?
BSR
he was stoned or was it hammered
BSR
High on ice?
Must’ve bought them from a slider ..
Bada Bing
Rubbing shoulders with the suits :-)
Twist n Turns
Does that mean they might have had to pay their own flights :-)
Just a pity the result but am sure the 3 of you all in attendance their memories will last forever
BSR
Many moons ago I worked for a co in the Glasgow area, one of the owners was a member of the scottish athletics board, any time there was a meet in scotland they were supplied with a list of what athletes they were NOT allowed to test, I swear on my grandweans life, he showed my one of the lists, there was all sorts on the list, bowlers, sailors, shooters, you name it….even today they make some of the drug cheats Sir’s and laud them as if they are heros.
HH
But we really shouldn’t worry, cos the real cheat’s are the big bad Russians
I always thought Sir Minty was a bit Russian looking:-))
.
Davidoff Murrayovski
Gerry
I indeed paid the flights, and in fact, I ended up paying twice. That’s a story for another day.
The whole experience was memorable. From the moment we got to the final I said we’d need to score 3 to win.
I wasn’t confident right up until the afternoon of the match. I said to the kids I suddenly had a feeling we were going to do it. The drink, the emotion of the occasion, something told me we were going to win it.
When we got to the silver goal stage, I still recall we broke on the right. My memory terrible but I think it was wee Shaun Maloney? I looked to the box and all it needed was a good ball inside and I think we’d have won it.
I absolutely loved the occasion. I don’t suppose I’ll ever see another European final unless the structure of football changes but you never know for sure I guess.
TET
the bbc are always keen to expose cheating in sport when it comes to the russians – not so with Oldco
My friends in Celtic,
Just read on the Facing Book an article that states Athletic Bilbao only play players from the seven Basque regions in France and Spain.
If this is true , then what a record they have with such restrictions. But can it meet Eufa or European law ?
HH.
BATEEN BHOY
All well here thanks!
A big day workwise and it went great!
Thank you for asking.
Hope you and yours are well too!
ADI_DASLER on 19TH FEBRUARY 2018 6:48 PM
GREENINBINGLEYINOSLO on 19TH FEBRUARY 2018 5:45 PM
That’s the journo that had acid thrown at him. Not nice BTW.
————
I don’t know what you mean, Adi. Who had acid thrown at them?
Gene
Or thems who win medals, the cyclists, the runners et all, they never cheat cos they never question it, it’s as if didny happen, yip they are good at that are the brits.
HH
Greenpinata 8.16pm
Am sure back in the 80s when we played Real Sociedad they also only played players from the Basque region, I could be incorrect, I am quite often :-)
GERRYFAETHEBRIG on 19TH FEBRUARY 2018 8:21 PM
John Aldridge was the first non Basque to play for them, signed in late 80s
‘For many years, Real Sociedad followed the practice of its Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao of signing only Basque players. It abandoned the policy in 1989 when it signed Irish international John Aldridge from Liverpool.’
Gary67
The way some of our posts come out at the same time is spooky.
On the Seville tickets, never got one but knew a few people who hadn`t been to see Celtic in years got one.
Twists 8.16pm
My Seville memory was how good Neil Lennon was and how gutted Henrik was, in saying that Porto were dirty cheating diving baskets :-)
Hope we all see another final, Lyon 2018 ????
A Bhoy can dream :-)
TET
All those Tour de France winners suffer from acute asthma!! Cough, cough.
Gary67 8.23pm
Cheers, wasn’t sure if I was posting nonsense