Tarnished football brands, Europe recovers, Craig Gordon

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Lots of credit to the USA and Switzerland, who bowed out of the World Cup in dramatic fashion yesterday, leaving four European and four Latin American teams fighting out for the spoils.  Europe has recovered from its shaky group stage performance, keeping the door open a little longer for smaller European nations.

While plaudits for a fine tournament will be spread far and wide, the tournament has not provided a breakthrough credit for Africa, Asia, or the USA, none of whom will find the going any easier when the bandwagon reaches Eastern Europe four years from now.

Surprised it’s taken this long to get a deal sorted for Craig Gordon.  Considering the player’s lengthy injury history, Celtic have perhaps delayed to allow fitness tests over an extended period.  I’m treating tabloid comment that the potential arrival of Craig is linked to Fraser Forster moving on as idle mischief.  We need three keepers and usually have three, as do most top clubs.

So, a day after Luis Suarez issues a heartfelt mea culpa, Barcelona let it be known they are in talks with Liverpool over acquiring the player.  He is without question one of the most gifted players of our time but the phrase “transparent charlatan” seems appropriate.  Brand Barca is slowly slipping, with tax scams, directorial bungs and contrived contrition.

His actions caused enough dissonance on Merseyside to damage brand Liverpool, he’ll win Barcelona football games but stands a high probability of doing the same in Catalonia.  The commitment to reform is meaningless, as he is not in a position to make good on it.  Yet.

Barcelona led the way on establishing an ethical, aspirational, football brand.  I think they’ve forgotten what I’m hoping we learn.

The 10-in-a-row CQN Charity Golf Day takes place at the magnificent Aberdour course on Friday.  This year we will hear from Celtic legend, Frank McGarvey, and former Glasgow lawyer after dinner specialist, Len Murray.


This year we are raising money for Glasgow the Caring City and The Cookiejar Foundation.  We have two copies of this magnificent canvas, signed by Billy McNeill, one is available to the highest bidder on ebay here.

The other is available for raffle.  Every donor to this JustGiving page gets an entry in the raffle.  The minimum donation is £1, which we can all afford to participate in, although you can donate as much as you want.  Our thanks to @BarryMcGonigle for the image on the canvas and OPG Graphics for creating the work.

Glasgow the Caring City said, “Glasgow the Caring City is Glasgow’s people’s charity.  As well as working with the underprivileged in our own city the charity has delivered literally millions of pounds of overseas aid and development gifts-in-kind on a shoestring budget.

“From educational supplies to soap and medicines, from tents and warm clothes to prescription glasses.  We once delivered a donated fire truck! Having provided emergency relief to war, famine, flood and earthquake victims in the past the charity would love to take this relatively quiet time in terms of world emergency to invest in its development projects, taking children out of war and teaching them in agricultural sustainability projects.

“The support of the CQN community has always been received with huge gratitude, thank you once again for supporting us this year.”  Rev Neil Galbraith.

The Cookiejar Foundation was set up in memory of Christopher Coutts who died from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 19.  Money raised from this raffle will go towards the Cookiejar’s providing of vein finders for the Chemotherapy wards at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy & cancer wards in the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh.

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555 Comments

  1. Curly

     

     

    Maybe you could do the after meal speech and let Frank McGarvey watch Murphy :-)

  2. Hamiltontim

     

    09:43 on

     

    3 July, 2014

     

    turkeybhoy

     

     

    I think the worry that some of us have is our recent history of signing a couple of players who it was known were prone to injury, Derk and Steven Mouyokolo.

     

     

    Despite their injury record both were deemed fit enough to be given contracts and I assume that this was done after detailed medicals.

     

     

    If we get Gordon for nothing, he remains injury free and plays his part then I’d be delighted.

     

     

    I do have reservations though.

     

     

    We all seem to forget that the Mouyokolo injury had nothing to do with his previous injury.Just the boy was dreadfully unlucky.As for Derk,he is a different proposition entirely.Think this guy has some psychological problems with playing football for anyone.

     

    Some would just call it cowardice.I think they could be right.

  3. Thindimebhoy

     

    10:12 on

     

    3 July, 2014

     

     

    Morning Ernie

     

     

    Sacre red white and blue

     

     

    The polls predict come the other referendum the in out of the Eu one

     

     

    England will take Scotland out of the Eu

     

     

    Too many of the wrong kind of immigrants is ticket rallying the English

     

     

    How sad

     

     

    I might be in the minority here but I have quite enjoyed my Eu membership and all its inter nation freedoms

     

     

    Would hate to lose those freedoms

     

     

    Because England voted no

     

     

    Still not to worry it’s still in our hands

     

     

    You can always vote aye in the coming referendum to keep Scotland in the Eu

     

    ——————————-

     

     

    I dont people should entwine the issue of EU membership with that of independence, they are two distinct issues, a bit like equating independence with an SNP government

     

     

    There are a lot of good and important things that EU membership brings, but a lot of the time they just look like another layer of politicians riding a gravy train, a bit like some of our politicians

     

     

    I suppose its a bit like independence versus keeping the union – a lot of good things come out of being in the union but a lot of people want us to stand on our own 2 feet without interference from either London or Brussels or both, so 2 similar arguments, but people shouldnt tightly link one with the other

  4. i forgot to add to my last post :-

     

     

    Hoopy-Do says mibeeeeeeeesssssss

     

     

    OnDaFenceCSC

  5. Turkeybhoy

     

     

    10:05 on 3 July, 2014

     

     

    ‘ernie lynch,

     

     

    Your ludicrous rant about Salmond waving the Saltire,’

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

    What interests me about this story isn’t that Salmond made an erse of himself (he’s vulgar and crass, we knew that already) or how Andy Murrat reacted to it.

     

     

    No, what interests me is how the nats have tried to lie their way out of it by inventing a quote from Andy Murray and trying to claim that the story is that he was embarrassed by the reaction to what Salmond did.

     

     

    It’s not that difficult to find the truth here , but the nats still lie and prefer to believe a lie.

     

     

    That’s the interesting bit.

     

     

    They prefer fiction to fact, because it suits their purpose.

  6. jeez_I_thought_blinker_was_pants on

    Re Gordon at corners – Maybe just putting on the Maroon Jersey makes them try that wee bit harder against Celtic.

     

     

    I remember Paul Hartley booting Ross Wallace out of sheer frustration playing against us – and no-one could doubt his Celtic credentials.

  7. turkeybhoy

     

     

    10:15 on 3 July, 2014

     

     

    I don’t know about psychological issues with Derk, you could be right.

     

     

    I do know that Ajax supporters believed him to have issues with his ankles.

     

     

    With regards to SM. I’ve a mate who specialises in sports’ injuries. He’s often told me how top level athletes, such as footballers, have a tendency to develop other, non associated injuries, as a consequence of over compensation for prior breaks and strains etc.

     

     

    Just my opinion but I don’t think we should have signed either of them.

  8. jeez_i_thought_blinker_was_pants

     

     

    I also remember Hartley coming over to the Celtic support at Tynecastle and mouthing ‘&@£& off’ at us before kissing the Hearts’ badge.

  9. Coolmore Mafia on

    If CG has signed, it’s time to put all this corner nonsense behind us. Didn’t King Kenny have to take his Rangers posters down in his bedroom when JS or SF came round?

     

    Hail hail Craig and God bless your dodgy arms.

  10. Thindimebhoy

     

     

    10:12 on 3 July, 2014

     

     

    ‘The polls predict come the other referendum the in out of the Eu one’

     

     

    ###

     

     

     

    Do you have a source for that?

     

     

    It would make an interesting scenario of course.

     

     

    A separate Scotland in a currency union with a non EU country. Yeah the EU would accept that.

     

     

    Oh, and border controls.

     

     

    A separate Scotland would be sharing a land border with a non EU country. That would require border control at Gretna. And another border control at Dover if you were going to France. Terrific.

     

     

    I’d like to see an EU referendum though. It would shoot UKIP’s fox. A bit like our referendum is going to shoot the SNP’s fox.

  11. Jeez

     

     

    Good point these players are playing to orders and if the manager at the time was Jim Jeffries then that would explain a lot. Anti Celtic in the extreme and just back from holiday with Ally.

  12. !!Bada Bing!! on

    So Zaluska is our No 1 GK now? Signing Gordon has told other clubs Forster will be sold asap.

  13. bognorbhoy oscar in my thoughts on

    The Green Man

     

    10:08 on

     

    3 July, 2014

     

    Bognorbhoy

     

     

    Pat….you about?

     

     

    HH

     

     

    yep no work till 12

     

     

    HH

  14. MWD –

     

     

    Hahahaha, cheers for that. Boss lady broke into a smile when I told her! She is taking this hard as Murph is “her boy”.

     

     

    Off out to get stuff for him, laters.

     

     

    Lurcy

  15. Can anyone explain to me what all this YES/NO shenanigans is doing on a football blog? Why don’t you guys start your own blog? I notice most of you post very little if anything abour Celtic or football. Rant over. Hail Hail Hebcelt

  16. Delaneys Dunky on

    BB

     

     

    I would be delighted if Craig Gordon was signed as back up for FF. Fearful if he is back up for LZ.

     

    Welcome to the greatest club in the world Craig!

  17. ernie lynch

     

     

    “They prefer fiction to fact, because it suits their purpose.”

     

     

    As you are certainly a very aware man politically, could you tell me any party which does not adopt the same approach?

     

     

    JJ

  18. traditionalist88 on

    Not too bothered about Gordon coming up for a corner against us, forgotten about.

     

     

    More concerned with the goal he scored for us whilst playing for Hertz at Paradise…or maybe I shouldn’t be;)

     

     

    HH

  19. Geordie Munro on

    Hebcelt,

     

     

    They are all as bad as each other.

     

     

     

    Intersting to note that one of the nits n nats has never ever posted on ‘nuts and bolts’ fitty.

  20. hebcelt

     

     

    10:43 on 3 July, 2014

     

     

    People post about all sorts of stuff. Golf, tennis, horses, holidays, illnesses, black pudding,music, the perils of inter racial breeding, bevy, weird conspiracy stuff, history, religion.

  21. Geordie Munro on

    Trad88

     

     

    Great game/ goal soitwiz:)

     

     

    Welcome aboard the Celtic rollercoaster ride MR Gordon. HH

  22. traditionalist88 on

    An Tearmann

     

     

    I agree with all of that, interesting times – I think we are all on the same page in that we realise the potential of Celtic(and to be fair, other Scottish clubs with significant support) and want to see that potential realised sooner rather than later. It is frustrating knowing we have this potential but have one hand tied behind our back but as SFTB alluded to yesterday, they thought the Berlin Wall would be never be brought down and how wrong they were.

     

     

    HH

  23. The Green Man on

    Bognorbhoy

     

     

    Will you be up in Glasgow this season?…be nice to have a wee catch up over a bite to eat or whatever.

     

    Btw….its Bridies bhoy here…..the clever one:)

     

     

    HH

  24. traditionalist88 on

    Geordie Munro

     

    11:01 on

     

    3 July, 2014

     

    Trad88

     

     

    Great game/ goal soitwiz:)

     

     

    Welcome aboard the Celtic rollercoaster ride MR Gordon. HH

     

    ================

     

     

    Aye, absolute pandemonium when that went in!

     

     

    HH

  25. Bada Bing

     

     

    If FF is sold and, as said, LZ wants to move on, then we are a keeper short por cierto

  26. Jungle Jim

     

     

    10:54 on 3 July, 2014

     

     

    It’s one thing having different opinions.

     

     

    It’s another thing entirely to deny the truth and and promulgate a lie in its place.

     

     

    I just wonder about the mindset that allows that sort of behaviour.

     

     

    The Murray thing is insignificant in itself, but it does give a bit of insight in to how the nats operate. That’s what I find interesting about it.

  27. Celtic sell Forster and have no back up – Fans go mental

     

     

    Celtic sign an international class goalie for nothing – Fans go mental

     

     

    Just before he goes up for his first corner is Gordon a Lawwell signing or Ronny’s signing or does that decision get made on how well he does?

     

     

    LB

  28. Livibhoy

     

     

    You don’t think it strange that Gordon was being assessed by Celtic prior to Ronnie getting the job?

  29. Apologies because I can;t remember who it was last night who was asking about Pat Stanton.

     

    Pat drinks in the 4 in hand which is owned by Paul Kane. Whoever was looking for him should call the pub and ask for Paul Kane and he will sort them out.

     

     

    Spoke to my Hibs contact at work. If anyone can remember who posted it last night please pass it on or re-post when they appear.

     

     

    LB

  30. LiviBhoy

     

    you are spot on there,success is measured on the Liewell scale,

     

    at the minute he is high on the scale as he is a cheap option but

     

    if he were to do well he slides to the Deila end of the scale as an inspired first

     

    signing by the new manager