Celtic’s valiant capitulation last night had a familiar feel to it. We took the game to Milan, bossed them in many areas while the tie was still close enough to be called a contest, created chances but had no cutting edge and lost heavily, at home, to what is clearly the weakest of four Milan teams we have faced in the last decade. It was a similar story when Juventus came to Glasgow last season.
Am I the only one who thought it was familiar from stirring European nights of the 80s? Take on one of the most experience teams in Europe with two out-and-out wingers, inspire for a time but only earn a lesson in how unforgiving the game can be at the top level. Or at least, hope we learned a lesson.
We loved it in the 80s, of course, but it was like going to school when Martin O’Neill arrived and taught us how to win in Europe. Despite the defeat, the 10 men got it right at home to Barca, and in the home win over Ajax, where we allowed the visitors the majority of possession and territory, but with four minutes on the clock and Celtic playing well last night, I noted the game was “worryingly open”.
In Europe, an open game means defeat. We don’t have the midfield or attack to win playing adventurously. When setup properly, we can defend as well as anyone in Europe, this is our irrefutable strength, play to it.
Paul McConville
The first thing I did when I met Paul McConville at the Columba Club on Friday was dig him up for not being in touch recently. This gave him an opportunity to wax enthusiastically about the consuming joy of being back on the tools as a solicitor in Glasgow. He was a man who had arrived exactly where he wanted to be in life.
He was so full of drive, clarity of vision and purpose that it was with utter disbelieve I heard the news of his sudden passing yesterday.
As anyone who read Random Thoughts Re Scots Law knew, he loved his family. He also loved practicing law and held Albion Rovers in high affection. He was not, as has been suggested, part of the Celtic family. Had the snake oil salesmen turned up at Celtic Park they would have endured the same forensic analysis from Paul as he applied elsewhere, but he was an important friend and resource to our community, and ultimately our club, during an historically important time.
To most of us he was a unique blogger. Cheerful, incisive and unrelenting. He charted the story of Rangers insolvency, administration and liquidation, then picked up the even more complicated events surrounding the phoenix.
When asked on Friday why he had been less industrious recently, specifically covering the leaks from Charlotte Fakes, he conceded he just didn’t have the time anymore; he was back litigating and loving it.
The personal cost of his blogging was often all too clear, he was out there, but Paul managed to retain his determination not to be browbeaten, while enduring the numptites with more good grace and humour than most of us could muster. Before taking up his new role in Glasgow he worked a few minutes walk from me. We collaborated on a number of matters in recent years and marked one auspicious afternoon last year by sharing a bottle of Champagne; a genuinely treasured memory.
The fragility of it all is breathtaking. Our condolences to the McConville family. May he rest in peace.
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Hamilron dim heritage for you lies in your wolfetone albums , leave cqn and post on upthera news
TD
UTLR x
If the GB has been infiltrated by those with a purely (international?) political agenda, then THAT is not on….
University of Limerick
Department of Sociology
Celtic Football Club and Irish Identity
Kieran Clancy
‘There is more than one type of Irish identity expressed in supporting Celtic.
There is a ‘Diaspora Irishness’ involved in supporting Celtic. This shares
similar understandings about Ireland as those expressed by Irish-Americans.
These understandings are often quite different to, and fail to keep pace with
social changes in, the experience of actually being and living in Ireland.
Another type of Irishness expressed in the support of Celtic surrounds a
politicised or nationalistic form of Irish identity. This is, in fact, a very
particular one and for many it maintains strong links between republicanism and
nationalism. It is also powerfully and publicly associated with Celtic, despite
the clubs best efforts. While it is clear that Celtic, and its fans, may be bound to
the past and to religion, the club has worked hard to disassociate itself from
sectarianism and political agendas, instead emphasising its role as a football
club, and as a business.’
Well they broke there word and the trust CFC gave them, bang on all you like GB lovers, your goose is cooked, make all the snide jibes you want to me, you have been outed, and CFC will be better for it, once again your not wanted, take your agendas and yer politics somewhere else,.
Stephbhoy – with regards to rebuilding the team, moving players on, giving new signings/youngsters a chance over a few games etc. etc. Many posters have been saying the same thing and there is a lot of logic to it.
However, give or take 1-2 enforced changes, either by injury or due to Jan sales, you can predict with confidence that the first XI that Neil picks won’t change much in the coming months. It’s not his style just as it wasn’t MONs.
How many times has he used the empty threat of saying under performing players will not get picked for the CL games? It’s supposed to be motivational, a kick up the backside for the slackers but it doesn’t work. They still get a game. Sammi did next to nothing last night, he should have been replaced by Balde after an hour but Neil isn’t ruthless enough with players, maybe too chummy with them?
Burghbhoy
20:56 on
27 November, 2013
Perhaps, but it is not me you need to persuade but UEFA. Why should the club be put in that position with attendant consequences if unsuccessful?
tonydonnelly67
21:03 on 27 November, 2013
just as a side issue – why do you not learn some grammar
smoke and mirrors
21:00 on 27 November, 2013
Hamilron dim heritage for you lies in your wolfetone albums , leave cqn and post on upthera news
——
It’s Gaelic isn’t it ye cannae fool me?!
Burghbhoy…..
This might be unpalatable to some on here,but one of the former inner circle at Celtic Plc (the late Paul McBride)was a main architect of the politically crass Offensive Behaviour at Football Act.
Yessiree,if the Plc board want to push a political agenda then they are capable of doing this too.
If Paul McBride was involved in something football related, then guaranteed it would have at least covert approval by Celtic Plc.
No surprise that Dr.Death was on such a board in the recent past.
Thought the banners were really well drawn last night and their purpose seemed to be drawing attention to the SNP sponsored criminalisation of anything related to Irish Republicanism- especially singing about it- the reasons for this have already been made clear by Christine Graeme- to jail tims so the figures for sectarian related arrests seem even.
Fair enough if you think that CP is no place for such singing- but if they cant even the numbers up through that what else will they criminalise- the wearing of the green?
THE EXILED TIM-Free the Dam 5
21:00 on
27 November, 2013
Aye, we are a mixed bag right enough.
From the rhebel to the forelock tugger.
HH
Yip the history book can be used for our current trials. Partition created by the soul sellers is next.
3-0 Man U
Tony Donnelly
Your comment at 20.52 is the biggest load of garbage I’ve read on hear.
You can disagree with someone’s point of view is fine .
To tell them to clear off is something else.
Real obnoxious Bully boy stuff I’m afraid
adi_dasler
Well there you have it, the Cream of Scottish Offic’ialdom, by God the mind bogle’s.
Awerabest PJ
Canamalar – As the Huns are only too aware, the costs of running and maintaining an all-seated 50,000 plus stadium have to be met by a certain level of income. Too long “in the wilderness” could affect our ability to keep Newco (and other clubs) in their place, if the tribute act ever makes it into the top division.
Burghbhoy/ht – I think it was Oglach who pointed out the difference between some of us acting to help the victims of Amsterdam on Saturday and the lack of similar for young members of the GB who have been targeted by FOCUS.
Some of the intimidation tactics employed by Scotland’s finest are completely despicable, but thankfully the Gallowgate kettling was not in the same league as the Dam Romeos.
We all know why the Offensive Behaviour at Football act was introduced – you only have to think back to the SNP’s Christine Graham questioning Prof Tom Devine. A new phrase appeared where certain songs were no longer just political or sectarian, but were now deemed to be “politically sectarian”!
I would like to think that any convictions in Scotland could be taken to and overturned in a European court…is that the case?
I think the majority of Celtic fans would defend the rights of their fellow fans to sing certain songs, while they wouldn’t particularly want to sing those songs themselves. You only have to compare the singing at home and away games. It brings us back to the ole songbook debate!
I’ve found the return to the 80’s songbook, even before the act was implemented, particularly disappointing. Fifteen years after the Good Friday Agreement, personally I just don’t get it.
T4
Football and celtic are starting to become incompatible.
We now have a situation where the spfl are tying themselves in knots trying to make the national anthem break the rules of the game because celtic supporters had it on a banner.
It’s only a matter of time before green and white shirts are outlawed.
The GB have just hammered the nails into their own coffin with that statement.
smoke and mirrors
20:53 on 27 November, 2013
Close 111.
——-
Flat 2/1?
Leverkusen doing zonal marking 0-3
Papa John
Re Colum
They mentioned in commentary….this referee was officiating at …….Dundee v Partick Thistle at the weekend.
Insinuating that he shouldnt have the gig.
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar
21:00 on
27 November, 2013
Macjay
I find not paying anyone a Living Wage to be offensive it’s not limited purely to Celtic.
Mate.I find the concept of a “living wage” extraordinary.
Rhetorical questions:
Does this refer to a single mum with six kids and also to a single guy?
What body decides on the amount?
Is it index linked to inflation? And deflation?
Very suspicious that the concept is simply a political tool used by those who wish to provoke political controversy.
leverkusen to score and another goal in Manchester please >}
HH
GB statement is a poor attempt at obfuscation
Their argument is tenuous at best …nonsense at worst
I am a GB supporter but the above is just BS
Just read the GB statement…
It is sweet of them to plead guilty and not blame it on the big boy who ran away. Blimey!
So, Celtic did check with them that the display would be football club centred and not political.
So, despite the risk of uefa sanctions the display was deliberately targeted for a televised CL group match under the auspices of uefa.
Well that’s alright then, Celtic are in safe hands with the GB!!!
Speechless (almost)
ryecatcher
21:06 on
27 November, 2013
===
Correct Mo Chara, Mr Right wing Tory boy Paul McBride was indeed one of the architects and main proponents of the offensive behaviour act.
I think the club need to be very careful in their language or they could cause a lot of fans like myself to turn our backs and move on.
I’m a republican that doesn’t see the need to wear my politics on my sleeve. I don’t sing rebel songs and I don’t approve of last night’s banner.
That said, I do take offence at this idea of our club being ‘tarnished’ by such things. This language is uncalled for and only makes the young lads in the green brigade more determined to highlight their beliefs.
The club need to talk to all the supporter groups, highlight the need to stay within the rules but please don’t use language like tarnish when speaking of a young Irishman who died courageously for his country.
TonyDonnelly 67 we had better watch out for the dim man obviously a man of letters , well 3 actually ARI rearrange as necessary
the long wait is over
21:08 on 27 November, 2013
The GB have just hammered the nails into their own coffin with that statement.
——–
In what way?
an dun …
A measured response. What word would you have used?
Kick ham
Is that your best shot my grammar ? Lol, pathetic , by the way my spelling is not to swift either, but am sure you get the gist of my post, by the way any name on who the GB spokesperson was, don’t hold yer breath, prob. A Another.
If we ate down the routes of taking punts why not look at Billy McKay of Inverness
the long wait is over
21:08 on 27 November, 2013
Have they peter ?
Watching the man city match . These boys are having a go here, and playing some nice stuff . But viewing getting wasted by playschool commentators .
The furore over the banners is a welcome distraction for the MSM. Things are imploding at the dungheap and any story taking away from that is manna from heaven.Now, as regards the banners—was the poppyfest with attendant armed forces dancing not a political act? Is it just EUFA who involve themselves in these disputes? If you were offended then make your point to the GB. When Peter Lawell shows as much balls tackling The SFA and the SPFL as he does taking on the GB then I might be impressed.
Celtic’s name has been their glory–Scottish MSM on a daily basis try to tarnish it. Celtic and Mr Lawell need to take on the BBC and the rest of them head on. Too many things have gone unpunished from Dougiegate to EBTs to Collum and the rest of the Blackshirts of the referee brigade allowing Celtic to be kicked off the park.
Remember Steven Craven, the referee/linesman who wouldn’t lie for Dougal and Dallas?
He’s not in football at all now to my knowledge. Now there was a case to go for.
There is a school of thought that says the refs are just incompetent. No they are not–they are as bigoted a bunch as you’ll meet, and that includes Collum.
So, before I develop blood pressure–yes, the GB are infantile, but they are an easy target for Lawell and the board. I won’t be holding my breath on the same people tackling the powers that be, where their real enemies are.
PC has so much to answer for – the songs me and my mates sang in the Jungle during the late 70s and 80s would probably get us a life sentence now – and the police didn’t bat an eyelid. The sanitisation of society continues apace, when technology allows we’ll be done for Thought Crime and Orwell’s nightmare society will be here.
I find myself returning to Anthony Burgess’s demanding question – would you rather have a clockwork orange?
But that is a singular question and depends on notions of freedom and boundaries.
The issue that is becoming apparent to me is that although the GB are quite certain within themselves of what they want to say and who they perceive are saying it (Although – Geography changed last night) – there’s just as many folk have a right to say – no I don’t agree with that but I don’t have a tifo to respond with.
And they have to embrace the fact that in an immediate digital world what they put up is how Celtic Fans (Not the Green Brigade) are viewed and is an indication of their outlook.
It’s an ongoing quandary.
I find it rich (Excuse the pun) at people slagging a PLC for making money – yet rushing to purchase a CQN annual.
Just saying like.
U
tonydonnelly67
21:14 on 27 November, 2013
Daly, group member……… Next