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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Parkheadcumsalford- no decent young player should go to Celtic; we don’t know what to do with them.
We don’t have the support structures in place either on, or off, the pitch to allow young talent to flourish.
We seem to be able to develop players up to a certain level, and then they stagnate or are discarded.
How can euefa take action against celtic for fans having a banner of they’re all time favourite m.p.
Also what did bobby sands do that William Wallace didn’t do.
Chairbhoy
15:09 on
27 November, 2013
Strange that oul’ BMCUW left the blogding for a couple of day’s to miss the Fallout from last nights result and we have some of the best constructed and thoughtful posts we’ve had in sometime – great debate and some of the CQN humour and banter back.
So enough of that…
Just to say for me it seems the chaps who say we have been unlucky in our European campaign because Mulgrew, Van Djyk etc have missed chances that could have made all the difference to the course of the game(s), are the same chaps that state a Striker wouldn’t necessarily have made a difference.
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I mentioned game changing moments not that we were unlucky because of missed chances, although I did say Finboggason was not some magic wand that would have compensated sufficiently to raise the overall standard to a last 16 level.
A good striker would certainly have changed the focus on what we complain about though.
My point about the misses was that we are like a darts player in the final who has to throw a double to win and misses. His opponent has a three dart finish to win and does simply because he is a better darts player.
Apply that across the two teams and the question is how do you get to that higher level as your opponent with a wage budget much less than he has?
Bring Back The Megawattie….
He Can Mentor The Wayward Goldenballs
From Prestwick……
Right ? Right !
OH NAW ,SEE YOU ARE TALIKING A LOT OF NONSENSE,ITS GOT F ALL TO DO WITH THE MASONIC ,SFA THING ITS OUR CLUB THATS AT FAULT, NOT GOOD ENOUGH.THATS THE BOTTOM LINE, THAT POST OF YOURS ,LETS THE BOARD AND THE MANAGER OF THE HOOK. WAKE UP MAN ITS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH SEVCO,ITS OUR PLAYERS WHO CHEATING US , FOR GOD SAKE GIVE THIS SEVCO THING A REST ,ITS JUST AN EXCUSE,
Cork Celt
What a long way to travel in order to be let down by the team. Like you I am finding it hard to continue happy clapping and again like you I am extremely happy to be a tim.
On the GB singing their hearts out I agree, however when oh when are they going to learn to be smart and not push the boundaries.
Last nights banners were totally unneccessary and will result no doubt in another fine for the club.
Once again I say support the club and leave your ideologies at home. I too am a republican however I do not wish my beliefs to harm the club I love.
Stop it or GTF.
In writing this I have no doubt I will be slaughtered by some but hey ho!
!!bada bing!!
Where did you hear that ? And do you think its true ?
Who is the Manager of the hook that hunbhoy2 is shouting about.
Hello fellow Celts.
Like everybody gutted about last night. Charlie Nicolas said on sky that we have bought players not good enough and mentioned Pukki and Balde, could he be right. We spent approx £4 million on these 2 so im told. Could we have found 1 better striker with a bit extra cash that would score at that level rather than 2 on the cheep.
We have relied on Sammi to do the business in Europe he needs help. I feel once again that the tactics were wrong, and team selection for this occasion. Paul 67 was right when he more or less said we need to defend well first and not go on all out attack unless we have an Henrik Larson, Van Hooydonk or a caddette up front. Just an opinion.
tractorbhoy
17:00 on 27 November, 2013
Cork Celt
What a long way to travel in order to be let down by the team. Like you I am finding it hard to continue happy clapping and again like you I am extremely happy to be a tim.On the GB singing their hearts out I agree, however when oh when are they going to learn to be smart and not push the boundaries.Last nights banners were totally unneccessary and will result no doubt in another fine for the club.Once again I say support the club and leave your ideologikes at home. I too am a republican however I do not wish my beliefs to harm the club I love.Stop it or GTF.In writing this I have no doubt I will be slaughtered by some but hey ho!
Fair point..
HH
Reading the blog is not making me feel any better, I need a few days to lick my wounds. Maybe I’ll be back for the Hearts game. Bye all for a wee bit.
If you have decorations up I’m fully within my Christmas rights to snap them off,as it’s only November.
Dear Mr Minogue,
Thank you for your message. Our Deputy Head of Mission Margriet Leemhuis met with a group of Celtic fans on Friday 15 November during a peaceful demonstration outside our Embassy. She listened carefully to their concerns and reported these both to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to the Public Prosecution Service in Amsterdam. She also sent a personal reply to a letter presented to her by a representative of Celtic fans during the protest.
The Embassy is not in a position to further influence or comment on legal cases. For consular enquiries involving British nationals in the Netherlands, the British Embassy in The Hague should be your first port of call.
Yours sincerely,
Netherlands Embassy
From: THOMAS MINOGUE [mailto:tomminogue@btinternet.com]
Sent: donderdag 21 november 2013 11:32
To: LON
Subject: Dam Square Noodbevel
Dear Sir or Madam, with reference the above order enacted on 7 November prior to the Ajax versus Celtic Champions League match, I would like to protest in the strongest possible terms about the conduct of the Dutch police and especially the plain-clothes officers and the uniformed dog-handlers who can bee seen on many videos and photographs acting in a way that would not have been out of place in Soweto in the 1960’s.
Did the Afrikaners from the South African force transfer back to their old homeland when Apartheid ended?
I have travelled the world and have witnessed police brutality in many countries from the Deep South of the USA during segregation, Salazar’s Portuguese African colonies through to Communist China at the height of the Cultural Revolution in 1967 and your Eberhard Van der Laan, Mayor of Amsterdam, has put his thugs masquerading as police officers right up there with the worst of them.
The actions of the Amsterdam police force and the conduct of the Ajax supporters visiting Glasgow bring shame on your country.
Yours sincerely,
Tom Minogue, 94 Victoria Terrace, Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 0LU
timbhoy2
16:48 on
27 November, 2013
There’s not that many people prepared to drop £20M and not really have anything to show for it. That’s roughly what it would take to buy him out at current SP. I’m pretty certain he’d want a premium to persuade him.
So who in this land is prepared to offer £30M for something worth £20M that you may never get more than an emotional return from? Even if I won the Euromillions I wouldn’t, would you?
Cheer up Guys we will be back at the Champions league table next year, and hopefully we will do better, dont forget we are up against teams which are the very best in the world and we are not far away. Better tactics and a quality goalpoacher could make the difference.
Tractor bhoy
Very well put
Big nan
I received the same e-mail
HH
Big Nan
You may want to repost that ,minus your address….get Paul to delete previous.
hh
Weet x3 at least they took the trouble to reply.
H H
VP My address is public knowledge from my petition and letters to the press.
Celtic Football Club statement
By: Newsroom Staff on 27 Nov, 2013 16:44
FOLLOWING Tuesday´s UEFA Champions League match at Celtic Park against AC Milan, UEFA have confirmed that they have opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic for an incident of a non-sporting nature (illicit banner).
Celtic Football Club has released the following statement.
´During the last two matches at Celtic Park, banner displays have taken place which have not been approved by Celtic Football Club. These were displays which were in no way football-related and which have no place at Celtic Park.
Celtic Football Club can confirm that any individual or group identified as being involved in any form of political display at a match involving Celtic will be banned immediately from attending matches involving the Club.
With regard to last night´s display, the Club made it abundantly clear in advance to the group in question that only football-related displays would be permitted and that any political display would lead to a UEFA charge. We, in turn, received an assurance that all displays would be 100 per cent relevant to Celtic. Therefore, the actions of this group are clearly very disappointing. We have been inundated with complaints from Celtic supporters regarding the display.
Celtic does more now than it ever has to liaise with and support the numerous fans´ groups which exist. We have encouraged and facilitated all groups and their support for the Club through various initiatives. It is clear, however, that by some at least this courtesy has not been reciprocated.’
Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: “Last night was nothing more than clear disrespect for the Club and our supporters who now face another UEFA charge.
“There have now been a number of UEFA charges made against the Club during the last three years, relating to behaviour, displays and pyrotechnics – it cannot go on any further.
“Let´s be very clear. Following the actions of a small minority, these charges are made against the CLUB. It is the reputation of Celtic, our great Club and our great fans which is damaged, while others carry on indulging in such behaviour.
“Our supporters do not want this any more. We are a non-political organisation, a top football club in fantastic shape, aiming to play its part as a major football club on the European stage.
“Regardless of the political views people hold, football stadia, whether it is Celtic Park or anywhere else, should not be used to promote these. This is something which all football authorities, including UEFA, have stressed for some time and something well known by all supporters.
“The Club don’t want it, our manager and our team don´t want it, our supporters don’t want it and the football authorities don’t want it – it has to stop.
“Celtic is a world-class football club and rightly proud of its wonderful reputation in the game. This is a reputation hard-earned by our supporters over many years. We cannot and will not allow this reputation to be tarnished any further.”
Big Nan
No worries,just don’t be expecting a Christmas card…have you seen the price of stamps?
The bhoys in Amsterdam undoubtedly got some rough treatment handed out but was it as bad as in the Deep South in the 60s and the black townships in the apartheid era?
By all means point up injustice but try and keep some perspective.
parkheadcumsalford who is supporting the amsterdam 5
16:50 on 27 November, 2013
EK
, I would field our most experienced team at the weekend.
There will be opportunities over the next few months to try out our younger players, however the manager will be applying the old adage that a scrawny 19 year-old needs to show up in training just to get a place on the bench.
I am perplexed why we need to be so “big ” across the whole team to beat mostly under-23 teams in the SPL, not expecting any real changes soon, I suspect events will force the club / managers hand.
Our midfield , I suspect will be very different in 18 months time and how we populate these positions from now on will dictate our style of play.
We need a strong response at the weekend.
HH
praecepta
12:40 on
27 November, 2013
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Pretty much the best summation so far IMO
Back four and goal keeper by and large are well up to the task at this level…….after that we become one dimensional.
Theres no guile, speed of thought (or legs).
Boerrigter needs the ball pushed in front of him (no midfield) and Forrest almost always cuts inside when he should go outside.
Samaras is really a link player between midfield and front…..this where you get the most from him.
I am beginning to think NFL is not getting the best from what he has available and that our limited resources are being squandered…….Rogic on his cameo evidence should have been on from the start……..We needed 1 winger for width and a target man with Samaras in the free role……..why was Balde not used?
Pot 4 is our level and every player who was on the park for Ajax, AC Milan and Barcelona would walk into our first 11…..thats the truth of it. How many Celtic players would get a game for those teams?
We need to be getting 2/3-0 up in the league games by half time and then giving subs a run out to see what we have sitting around or in the reserves then clear out the ones who can’t cut it.
Rather than waste money on projects (how much in the last 4 years?)…….just build some infrastructure that gives a yield……it has to be safer in the long run.
Agree with every word of the clubs statement because the football authorities have ruled such displays/statements are not allowed.
I may not agree with the football authorities but I do not believe any celtic fan wants to engage the authorities in a war of words which will never be won and will result in sanctions against the club.
If it is true the GB, or whoever told the club there would be no political element and did so cynically they are shamed.
Zonal marking works. Sports statisticians have crunched the numbers. Following that technique lets in fewer goals than man marking. We have lost very few goals from corners over the last 2 years. The downside of zonal marking is that you look complete and utter prats when it goes wrong. It doesn’t mean you drop the system. Losing two goals in consecutive might be a statistical anomaly but the coaches might want to do a little fine tuning.
Good evening folks.
I would like to pass on my sincere condolences to the McConville family on the sad passing of Paul. So sudden and unexpected at a relatively young age, Thoughts and prayers for Paul’s family and friends.
I was a regular follower of Paul’s blog. The three main blogs I follow are Paul’s, big Phil’s and of course this blog.
So it was a pleasure to attend the Knights on Friday night to listen to all three giving their honest and interesting opinions on footie matters.
Since hearing the sad news last night, just before the game kicked off, I have been reflecting on how important Paul’s, big Phil’s and our very own Celtic Quick News blogs are in bringing to us the truth about Scottish football, the Scottish Media and the scandalous actions of the SFA particularly since the Rangers downfall started.
Consider the alternative if these blogs, or the Internet did not exist. We would be relying on the MSM for our information. Over the last few years I have read the blogs, and then read the reports linked to the blogs of the MSM spin on stories and seen how the truth gets turned in to lies, half truths, or just plain fantasy.
Paul McConville’s blog, translated complex legal jargon and stories so that the ordinary guy like myself could understand them. He reported the stories honestly and gave his opinion without fear or favour.
I salute you Paul McConville, Phil Mac Giolla Bhain and Paul Brennan for putting your heads above the parapet to bring us the truth. It matters, and it’s very much appreciated.
Dan
Lionroars
Disappointing behaviour from the GB if the CFC. Statement is accurate
“Celtic Football Club can confirm that any individual or group identified as being involved in any form of political display at a match involving Celtic will be banned immediately from attending matches involving the club.
The Tories running our club have spoken. Celtic Football Club can go and **** itself as I have had enough.
Oh! I assume those behind the Indy Celts banner will be banned along with the fans who bring the Basque flag to games.
Why are we seeing banners with Bobby Sands on it at Celtic park ? What has he or any Irish nationalist got to do with Celtic FC, a Scottish club playing in the Scottish league ? That doesn’t represent me or probably the vast majority of Celtic fans.
Keep your politics out of our football stadium. It isn’t welcome and it drags us into the whole sectarian / bigotry debate.
QuitedisgustedCSC
Lawwell and his ilk, who refuse to pay people a living wage are the ones who tarnish our reputation.
Let players be what they are not what you want them to be….
Fed up with banner investigations…..
Politics and football.
Where in europe is Israel again ???????
HH
asonofdan
see you decided to follow your own advice after all
well done.
Tony Macaroni @macaroni1888 3m
The men now running a Club founded by and for, Political, Social and Economic Refugees now tell us Politics have no place at Celtic Park.
CFC cannot condone supporter behaviour which is prohibited by UEFA
It’s their tournament …their rules
I seem to remember recently Celtci on its official website announced Lord Livingston of Parkhead, is that a political statement ?