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Taking the foot off the pedal talk

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

The count of how many times I’ve heard “I hope we don’t take the foot off the pedal like we did last year” has reached double figures. This is never a good sign. Football games, against any level of opponent, need to planned for and respected.

During last season’s League Cup semi-final, Celtic went two goals up early on, then made 100% sure the result would never be in danger by denying Newco even an attempt at goal (the match stats recorded one attempt, which was actually a wayward cross from a free kick). Compare and contrast with Borussia Dortmund’s two goal advantages last night. While I’d love to score a barrel-load, winning the game is all that really matters.

We have seen enough Celtic teams dominate possession in Europe against less-resourced teams only to lose to the sucker punch. This has been a harsh lesson, which I hope has been learned.

I doubt many of us know what to expect from Newco. They won the Championship but this season didn’t have to contend with vastly superior Hearts team. They are also in the semi-final because they thumped Premiership Dundee 4-0 at Ibrox, which is a huge result for any lower league team (we’ve failed to score twice against Dundee recently).

All my “Rangers” supporting pals tell me they are hopeless at defending, so there’s a decent possibility they will defend deeply and play on the break – just as several others have done effectively against us this season. We’re going to have a lot of possession in the final third, but Scott Brown and Nir Bitton will need to offer a lot of defensive cover.

Most of all, we’ll need discipline. There’s a red card winging its way to the first Celtic player to stare at an opponent in a rash manner. The First Minister will probably get involved too, so be prepared.

Did you read Walter “dare I say it, 10 in a row” Smith? What a man to have in your corner days before a big game. He’ll have them thinking it’s 1957 all over again!

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Charlie Gallagher! What a Player! is the new book by Celtic historian David Potter, published by CQN Books at the end of the month. Order your signed copy HERE or click on the image below.

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  8. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    May 7th, Sat in fun city. all are welcome, except hunsand yoady’s.

     

     

    Sorry Al McC, you were right and I fecked the date, See above.

     

     

     

     

    Let the people sing

  12. Alasdair MacLean on

    7th it is.

     

     

    The hardest thing about wearing the red these days………is feeling the red white and blue crawling over you when you’re against the green.

     

     

    Especially when I remember how much they hated us.

     

     

    Back home in the highlands now though……the County of Ross never played Rangers in the league….and sadly never will.

     

     

    Wonder what it will be like against the reincarnation?

     

     

    PS Aberdeen big team. – County first man.

  13. petec on

    Lets go

     

     

    The End Game is Live.

     

     

    Delighted the Celtic End is not full.

     

     

    Satan maxes out Power at the End. Satan deceives the deceivers. Seeing some of that stuff. Fractional stuff really.

     

     

    Matt24-24. dinnae ride that Road to Damascus.

     

     

    Brilliant Villareal.

  18. petec on

    The Prince of the Air, never forget this phrase when it crops up, or is promoted in Modern things. Dark and Demented, IMO.

  20. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Alasdair MacLean, you sir will be treated in a very appropriate manor,

     

     

    We will love and protect you because you are one of our own, and you will revel in fun city…..aka Glasgow

     

     

    hH bruv

  21. petec on

    Alasdair MacLean,

     

     

    Not read the thread or your correspondence with acgr.

     

     

    For sure, you will be well looked after, in fact you will be treated like Royalty because you are not a Celt – Respecting Celtic in Scotland is to be Cherished.

     

     

    If you are a drammer then you will have an amazing Time.

     

     

    Be warned acgr drinks like a fish.

  23. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    PETEC on 16TH APRIL 2016 3:59 AM

     

    G’night

     

     

    What the hell do we care.

     

    What the hell do we care.

     

     

    :-)

  24. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    Petec

     

     

    One of the comments:

     

     

     

    dixie deans2 years ago

     

    ” this is actually a Glasgow Celtic song ”

     

    

  26. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    HAMILTONTIM 1127

     

     

    Magic!

     

     

    (Hoping to do similar next June. And in good company also)

  27. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    HAPPY HOOOOOOOPY BIRTHDAY to

     

     

    PHILBHOY!!!!!!!!

     

     

    Hope yer lovely ladies spoil you rotten,mate.

     

     

    (Magic number,btw…)

  29. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    The Proudest Man in Scotland award for 16/4/2016 goes to

     

     

    (…drum roll…)

     

     

    LEFTCLICKTIC!!!!!!!

     

     

    Hope everything goes great for you all,big fella. Love and kisses to the blushing bride,and please give her and her new husband my very best wishes.

     

     

    GocommandoCSC

  30. Hunderbirds are Gone on

    Just saw off Mrs HunderbirdsAreGone on her way to the airport to visit her daughter in Cottonopolis.

     

     

    Home alone til Sunday evening. What to do?

     

     

    Cold morning up north. Thinking the Internet will be toiling to cope with all of the O– F— bull that will be out there today. What will today or tomorrow’s “Celts Shock” front page headline be? Hmmmm.

  31. newradbhoy on

    Morning fellow celts.

     

    Big favour to ask.

     

    I’m working 12 hour shifts all weekend.

     

    So consiquiencely I will miss the match.

     

    Could some kind person please post the match after the game is finished.

     

    Please help. Many thanks in advance.

  32. Hunderbirds are Gone on

    Just thinking about a few previous Hundump meetings against Sevco’s predecessors.

     

    Two that stand out in my memory are the 1980 Scottish Cup Final (the riot final) and the 1982 League Cup final (the singin’ in the rain final)

     

     

    I was at the Scottish Cup Final with three mates. We were in……ahem……good spirits, as was the pre game norm in those days. It was a cracking sunny day. The game itself was pretty poor, and limped past full time with no goals scored by either team. Extra time was a nervy affair, with both teams sensing that conceding a goal would be fatal at that stage. We were in the Celtic end, and were shooting towards the Hun end in the 2nd half of extra time. Danny fired in a shot, from outside the box, after a poor clearance which was heading well wide, but was diverted on target by a rather tired flick from George McCluskey. The deflection wrong footed big McLoy, who although he got a hand to it, could not stop the shot.

     

    As is the way with Hundump goals scored at the opposite end from the one you occupy, it is very clearly etched in my memory in a kind of telescopic super slowmo, with delayed sound affects. This despite the over 35 years that have passed since.

     

     

    We stood after the game to watch the ensuing mayhem, which is well documented elsewhere.

     

     

    Later on, drinking and celebrating in the town, with scarfs hidden to get in the bars, it was easy to spot groups of happy Tims, due to the dust covered matted hair, and beaming red sunburnt coupons. We could not stand out more if we were painted head to toe in emerald green paint.

     

     

    I was out celebrating the next day, and bumped into a mate from Partick, who was not at the game, who said that you could see the column of dust rising over the southern sky from north of the river, when Chicken George scored.

     

     

    The weather for the 1982 League Cup Final was somewhat different, as a dark, driech, mid December day dawned. Again, well oiled with copious amounts of alcohol, we set off to the game in good spirits. An old school friend of mine, who was not in to football, had come along to sample the event, his first, and as far as I know, his last game. After too many beers, and an African Woodbine, that had appeared on the Corpy bus on the way to the ground, my mate had to be held up by the rest of the group, two at a time, in sequence throughout the entire game. He had taken a “whitey” as we said in the day.

     

    This was a good game, and all 3 goals, in a 2-1 victory, were scored at the Celtic end, the highlight being a Murder MacLeod special.

     

    Towards the end of the game, my mate, being held up by his arms around two other mates shoulders, with his eyes still shut, started singin Fritza grandole team…………… To be immediately dropped by his erstwhile helpers, who were not too impressed.

     

     

    Again, “plain clothes” Celts were easy to spot in the city centre that night, only this time looking like drowned rats :)

  33. ohits on

    Good morning fellow Tims

     

     

    Just read back , it was almost like the night shifts of old !!!

     

     

    You had ACGR talking pash about dramming and beating people at golf , you had Alasdair McClean telling everyone how he will definitely be attending a hootenanny in the big smoke ( cannae drink for peanuts ) , but the best of all was auld snake hips HT telling us how he slithered under a fence at the Estadio to reach the SPOT . Now I have this vision in my head of H stood there pulling at his legs to get him unstuck , you know what I would have paid good money to watch that .

     

     

    On to the matters in hand this weekend , myself and a good few like minded chaps will take our positions in Paddys Point to watch the Famous Celtic F.C. inflict a good old tom ducking to the tax dodgers on Sunday , so if anyone is in the Costa Blanca South area come along and watch the game with friends .

     

     

    To all who are attending enjoy and stay safe , to every other Tim whether watching , hillwalking , gardening or whatever have a great day and enjoy the result .

     

     

    HH

  34. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 16TH APRIL 2016 6:42 AM

     

     

     

    Great account.

     

    The `80 game , I was already in Oz , but amazingly in those days ,they showed the game on the A.B.C.

     

    I remember thoroughly enjoying the after match entertainment , begun at the hun end and finished by the Celtic end.

     

    Seriously wish I could be in the company of the C.Q.N. brigade for Sunday.

     

    Nevertheless ,arrangements are in train for a comealye in downtown Sydney where , I fear , copious amounts of licit substances are in danger of enthusiastic consumption.

     

    An uber home is the plan.

     

    Do it for your doubters, Ronny.

     

    Just do it.

     

     

    Calling Sydney Tim .

  35. Hunderbirds are Gone on

    MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON

     

     

    Another tag on memory after that game, was trying to find a phone box to call wives, girlfriends and Maws, to let them know we were OK.

     

     

    I was a student at Strathclyde at the time, and on the Monday or Tuesday after the game, I was walking with a mate from Queen Street to the Press Bar, and just at the City Chambers, heading west along George street were 2 police horses, one of them white, and mounted (ooh err missus) by a police woman. We asked was that the Hundump horse? To which she just smiled and nodded, obviously enjoying the notoriety, as the horse was all over the papers and tv as the “hero of Hundump”. I still reckon that was Chicken George.

     

     

    The next weekend, I had a drink of cider out of the old trophy at the London Road social club.

     

    Great times :)

  36. Malorbhoy on

    Any Cqnrs going to Ayr Racing Today? If so you will know me whenyou see me, l will be tearing up my betting slips in the paddock after getting tips from Pf Ayr and Ritchie ( we smiley Thing)

     

     

    Paul 67

     

    Did you get my email?

  37. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 16TH APRIL 2016 7:54 AM

     

    MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON

     

     

    Lucky man you were.

     

     

    I was at the other place early `70s…….

     

    Affectionately titled Strathkelvin by your mob.

     

    :-)

     

    Great times, right enough.

     

    And more to come.

  40. Gerryfaethebrig on

    The sun is shining in ML5 today…..

     

     

    Leftclicktic

     

     

    Hope you and all the family have a smashing day, anytime you start to fill up look at the wee mhan and he will make you smile…….

     

     

    Am already anticipating your “Let The People Sing” post for tomorrow’s Celtic semi final

     

     

    Have a great day, all the very best

  41. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 16TH APRIL 2016 8:05 AM

     

     

    Well.

     

    Sorry pal.But if not,head must roll.

     

    One at least.

  42. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Philbhoy

     

     

    Many happy returns, am sure your good ladies will look after you the day and I hope Ronny has a wee cup final appearance in the offing as a wee belated present tomorrow……

     

     

    Al the very best

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