The most interesting point to make about Adam Matthews is that, for another month anyway, he is still a teenager. You and I have seen enough of these games to know that the occasion has a habit of consuming inexperienced youth but Adam patrolled Celtic’s right with remarkable authority last night. All the more remarkable considering this was his first game back after injury.
Football business for 2011 is finished and new signing, Swedish international right back, Mikael Lustig (25), is now available for selection. At 6’3” Mikael has previously played in central defence but Neil Lennon insisted the player was primarily recruited as a right back but, despite the rate Celtic right backs pick up injuries, the need appears greater in central defence. It’s hard to see Adam Matthews losing the right back berth.
1,021 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- ...
- 27
- »
TheRealist says:
29 December, 2011 at 14:02
Willie Collum
Hamilton v Celtic
12.01.11
James Forrest’s straight red anyone? Compare with Healy challenge.
The MIB has indeed bottled it.
share
Spot on I couldn’t agree more forgot about that.
Are the arrest figures in from the game yet? Under the new police/political clampdown I would expect quite a few arrests among the away support following their offensive and “illicit” singing.
And surely when these figures are announced our club will make a very public condemnation of the away supports behaviour, possibly warning them of ticket sanctions should they continue.
If it’s good enough for our own support…….
/div>
By CHRIS JACK
Share
16 Dec 2011
ALLY McCOIST insists he will not have to sell before he buys as he prepares to go shopping in the January transfer window.
The Gers boss brought several new faces to Ibrox in the summer but remains keen to strengthen his options ahead of the title run-in.
With the champions’ financial position well documented, McCoist’s transfer kitty could be enhanced by selling off some of his most valuable stars.
Everton today joined the growing number of English clubs interested striker Nikica Jelavic, while reports linked Aston Villa with a move for midfielder Steven Davis. But the Ibrox boss is adamant he will not be forced to offload his key men.
McCoist said: “Like every other team, if the opportunity comes for us to strengthen then we would really like to do that. Of that there is no doubt.
"There has been nothing set in stone. I would expect movement in the window.
"Like most clubs, January is a big time of the year in terms of personnel coming and going and I think we would be the exact same.
"I have not been told people will have to go before we can get anyone in. That is not the case.
"I would like to get [a spark]. We are sitting in a good position in the league.
"I think if you asked any manager if they would like a spark they would say yes. I would like to get one, I am not so sure we definitely need one. But I would like to get one."
McCoist has already seen his ranks enhanced before the transfer window opens after midfielder Kyle Hutton returned from his loan spell with Partick Thistle.
The 20-year-old thrived in the Irn-Bru First Division for Jackie McNamara’s side and McCoist insists Hutton could have a part to play as the Gers bid for a fourth consecutive SPL crown.
"I would not rule him out of being involved in the second half of the season," he said.
"To be honest, even watching him in the last couple of days since he has come back, he looks confident and strong."
The Gers boss has also not ruled out a move for Dundee United midfielder Scott Allan, who is subject of a bid from West Brom and available on a free in the summer.
Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson insists West Brom have "no interest" in selling midfielder Graham Dorrans, who has been linked with a move to Rangers.
I would also say mulgrew was rock solid last night.
That baw was over the line. Yous ken it wis.
Boohoooo BoOhO Booohooo.
SkySportsNews Sky Sports News
Huddersfield turn down bid from West Ham for striker Jordan Rhodes #SSN
Che says: 14:17
LoL.
Che says:
29 December, 2011 at 14:17
Brilliant mate:))))
ASonOfDan at 14:08
No problem. Was looking out the stats from seeing those figures earlier.
The original figures were, though, the wrong way round. PLG was 26 14 6 6, FPLG 26 15 5 6, though PLG was still in the UEFA Cup, not knocked out of Europe twice.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/dec/28/celtic-rangers-old-firm-derby-live?
Kyle Bartley: Rangers are still the best team in the country
I thought I had to much to drink last night bhoys lol.
bournesouprecipe says:
29 December, 2011 at 13:55
Your right its ominous and clearly a handout.
Effective immediately Celtic should refuse to deal with STV and their reporters as to starve them of news will effectively impact the new co-operations revenue figures.
Will they get done for illicit littering last night?
So nice of them to wrap up the three points before giving them to us. Even if the colours were cack!
Just an idea…..
But could we not get the boul’ Grant fae Perth to come along an do a wee turn at one of the next CQN doos……..???????
Bring the house down so it would!
;)
HH
Che says:
29 December, 2011 at 14:17
Brilliant.
Re Paul’s article, I agree whole heartedly. Matthews was immense and is an abolute gem of a signing. As long as he holds his form he should be playing. Great Great feeling this morning, my head was pounding but what the hell did I care. Can’t get the smile off my face.
A clear red? Obviously.
What really does it for me, with Healy’s assault, is that, having played a bit, I know that you can easily take a player like Forrest out for a yellow (if unlucky). I’ve done it a few times. Off at pace, you just lightly clip an ankle or any part of the foot. If you do it lightly enough, the player will stagger a few yards before collapsing. If you’re really lucky, your victim will get booked for diving.
My point?
ah yes, my point. My point is: Healy didn’t try to trip Forrest. Not to take a yellow for the team nor to bring his run to a halt. He wasn’t even cynical or clever enough to lightly catch him hoping that Forrest goes down in a theatrical heap. No. Watching it again, Healy went in for a dead leg – his knee rises just enough in the challenge so as to not seriously injure Forrest, but certainly bruise him enough to miss a couple of games.
Absolute thuggery.
dirtymac
Good point. Everyone who has played the game understands that; perhaps we should send Mr Collum a ball for Christmas!
This lord haw haw guy is a hero on FF ..David Leggat
Seems he may Be hurting a little today…its all the SFA’s fault apparently
Thursday, 29 December 2011
CELTIC CONSPIRACY CAMPAIGN WORKS AGAIN
ALL of Celtic’s moaning, all their backroom politicking and their refusal to accept any refereeing decision against them as fair, has paid off. Big time! Officials are now running scared of Celtic
Referees and their assistants will now never give a borderline decision against Celtic. Or at least is certainly seems to be that way after another appalling decision went against Rangers.
Linesman George Drummond was the man who may just have changed the way the Old Firm match played itself out when he refused to signal that Lee Wallace’s effort had crossed the line for a goal for Rangers.
However, that would surely have come as no surprise to those who read what I forecast was likely to happen in the Old Firm match if there were any borderline decisions. Celtic would always get the benefit of the doubt and Rangers always suffer.
I was only wrong in pinpointing referee Willie Collum as the man who was going to have to make those calls, with all the pressure of perception being heaped on officials by Stewart Regan’s Scottish Football Association, for it turned out to be his assistant, Drummond who was put on the spot and appeared to many to have caved in.
Needless to say Ibrox manager Alistair McCoist’s reaction was a model of restraint when commenting on how his team were denied a perfectly good and legitimate goal.
But just imagine the howls of horror which would have wailed from inside Parkhead had the incident happened at the other end of the pitch. It is hard to believe that the phone lines to radio stations would not have gone into meltdown with Celtic supporter after Celtic supporter bemoaning that there is a conspiracy against their club.
The internet would have become swamped with vile and bigoted accusations of Orange and Masonic conspiracies.
Maybe the official Celtic Supporters Association would even have hired a private detective to try and dig some pro Rangers dirt on the official. After all, they’ve done that before.
As to whatever conversations would possibly have taken place around the Scottish Football Association boardroom table when Celtic chief executive and SFA director, Peter Lawwell, joined his pal, SFA chief executive, Stewart Lawwell?
As Francis Urquhart was wont to say….I could not possibly comment.
But it didn’t happen that way. It happened to the detriment of Rangers, just as it has been happening to the champions in a series of controversial incidents this season. There has been a sea change which has people questioning the old belief that decisions even themselves out over a season.
And that sea change has taken place since autumn 2010, as the Scottish Football Association has been turned upside down and inside out ,creating a perception that Scottish football’s governing body is more concerned with conforming to Celtic’s wishes, thus putting pressure on referees, than anything else.
If Regan and Lawwell’s SFA wish to make a start in changing the way many view them, then Celtic’s Charlie Mulgrew’s clear dive, which conned ref Collum into awarding a free kick, should be viewed by Vincent Lunny, with lawyer Lunny then offering the Celtic player a two match ban.
Or does this new scrutiny of simulation by lawyer Lunny only apply to incidents inside the penalty area? And Rangers players?
And maybe there should be more whining and moaning and politicking from Rangers. Starting with calling in m’learned friends over a dreadful slur on manager McCoist.
What this space….
TOMORROW!!!!!
Only got the Sky Sports on my package for the game last night. Called up to take it off today (normally just stream it) lovely Scottish girl tentatively asks if I was happy or upset by the result, after telling her I was over the moon turns out she follows the hoops as well. She pointed out I was eligible for a discount that would take my monthly bill below what I was paying for the next 6 months and that is with the sports still on there.
Good blether about the game with her, money saved and Sky Sports for the run in. Another great encounter with a lovely member of the Celtic family. Good on ye ghirl.
:0)
JohnHartson10 John Hartson
Getting some abuse today. Why on earth do rangers fans even bother following me cos all I Do is block them! Unfollow now your not wanted!
Asonofdan at 12.48
Traynor did not write that. He wrote just the opposite. ie Celtic do NOT look like being overtaken anf McCoist`s Rangers are “ill-equipped to fight their way back”. He writes enough nonsense. We do not need to make stuff up or sink to lazy journalism.
JJ
Good Afternoon,
That was a statement of fact as as well as a greeting!
Today, marks the anniversary of the death of the late Harold MacMillan, former Prime Minister and author of the famous speech from where we get the phrase “Winds of change!”.
That is a timely phrase when we examine the state of Scottish football this December Day.
The winds of change have certainly blown through the SPL in the last few weeks with Rangers oft repeated substantial points lead being replaced by a 2 point deficit and inferior goal difference in favour of Celtic. Such a turnaround was unthinkable only a few weeks ago, with many rightly fearing for Neil Lennon’s future at Celtic Park.
The winds of change have also somehow blown through the perceived position of the Ibrox club. Some 9 months ago, the press were feeding us all sorts of stories about the ability to deal with the Big Tax case, the sale by David Murray, the arrival of the Motherwell Born Billionaire, his links to Braehead and the pots of Gold that lay at the end of his rainbow.
Now, that same press pack— of whom, one national and international journalist of my aquaitance who was home for Christmas said that they were no more than a bunch of scribblers with sharp elbows begging for a story that suits their daily need—have somehow gradually let it be known that Sir Minty has skulked from these shores in a blaze of ignominy, that Rangers financial health is pathertically dire and awaiting the last rights, and that far from having anything to do with Braehead,Craig Whyte is more likely ( but as yet not wholly confirmed ) to have more to do with Brigadoon.
Last, but by no means least, it might be said that the Wind of change has swpt through the Celtic dressing room like a whirlwind in the last few weeks, with the side who looked so shaky against Kilmarnock and in the early stages of the Europa league suddenly developing a backbone and a belief that had hitherto not been dreamt of!
Strangely, I do not believe in this Whirlwind turnaround approach. Nor do I buy into the notion that some form of miracle has been worked. There are plenty of occasions when I have written of the spirit of Celtic (both past and present) and while that spirit has no doubt played a part, not even the great Celtic experience and heritage can take the credit for the simple truth that now stares us in the face.
The plain fact is that Neil Lennon, his back room staff and his players have simply taken a chance– or rather one chance after another. This has not been a whirlwind turnaround at all, but rather a slow steady tortoise like progress in hunting down the Rangers hare.
It is like the opening of a door of opportunity, which in turn leads to another door, which opens onto another door and so on. As each door opens and you go through, you achieve a success and a confidence which bolsters you for the next door, the next challenge and brings the confidence for the next success.
What Lennon has managed to do is to instill a confidence in his young team that was so obviously missing at the start of the season. That confidence, from Goalkeeper right through to Centre Forward, acts like a glue holding that team of players together. A team of old heads may well have that confidence automatically, but this is a team with an average age of 22. A team that has been ravaged by injury and enforced change throughout this season, and a team that until now has had to dig deep for every point and face opposition who, until recently at least, would have taken to the field believing that this Celtic team may just be there for the taking!
But not anymore! Now, the teams in the Scottish league face Fraser Forster– the maker of miracle saves and man who just might look twice his size between the sticks. They face Adam Matthews- no longer a 19 year old prospect, but one of the best International backs certainly in Britain possibly in Europe. Charlie Mulgrew is no longer a utility player, but a commanding figure in whatever role he is asked to perform. Joe Ledley is just a plain all round class player–someone you would want in your team every game. Wanyama– no longer an unknown kid from Kenya but a tower of footballing strength who will take nonsense from no one and who will do damage with the ball in the midfield. Kayal has returned to those commanding performances that made everyone rave last year,and Brown – now a veteran at 26- appears to have realised that he is meant to be a leader, a general to these young bucks with his tenacity and drive.
James Forrest will only grow in strength and others will seek to nullify him by doubling up with twice as many in opposition– by doing so you leave twice as much room for Hooper and Stokes. Hooper of the barrel chest and tremendous strength in front of goal, Stokes who has improved his game and effort from his Hibs days and who has a real threat to bring to the fore. Ki, when playing amongst this lot packs some guile and silky skills to worry an opposition, and of course the greatest tunround of all is Samaras. Georgios is not so much of an enigma any more, but rather a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that at long last someone has figured out. Leave him out there on the left. Don’t ask him to come inside and spearhead an attack– just let him do his thing way out there, because like Forrest there is not a single defender in the SPL who will deal with him– it will take two or possibly three. He may not score a huge number of goals from there but he is such a pain to play against– such a streaky bundle of pace,skill,ingenuity and torment— that a defence must always look at what he is about so taking their eyes off the others.
With an injection of confidence we at last see what Samaras can really offer. More importantly, big Georgios can see and feel in himself what he can really achieve!
I could go on and mention Dan, Rogne,Commons, Lustig , Cha, Izzy, McCourt, Kelvin Wilson etc etc etc but the fact is that I don’t need to. Then there are the youngsters like McGeoch & Co who will soak up this atmosphere like a sponge.
I see others talk about the January transfer window and that we should not be complacent. I agree. There would be no harm in a really top class centre forward, and some cover for the goalkeeping position. A commanding centre back would never go wrong nor a midfielder who represents both grit and guile. To strengthen must always be our goal– but recognise that to really strengthen you do not wheel in players who will be here for a year or two– you want a lasting presence, someone who will embrace the constant and permanent improvement on the field. The short term fix is a thing of the past– like form is temporary and class is permanent. A certain group of young men seem to be reminding people of that right now!
But the truth is that at Celtic Park there is a momentum– a momentum that stems from the under 19′s and beyond. A philosphy that says we will get the good young players and we will develop them into champions, into great players. As yet, Neil Lennon has not delivered that championship and the win over Rangers does not guarantee any such success. But it does point to the fact that what he has assembled so far is a tremedous bank of raw material to work with and fashion into the finished article. They are not there — yet— but with the opening of each door, the achieving of each small success,the accumulation of each three points, the young raw material gells into an unstoppable force, a free wheeling juggernaut. By the end of the Europa league campaign who could say that they were out of place on the continental stage? With a bit of strength and class added, who could say they could not do some serious damage to the so called more fancies outfits? Progress further and that day will come!!!
There will be setbacks and slipups, and that is when Lennon,Brown and co must pick up the younger guys– but I suspect that those younger ones are no longer as delicate and impressionable as they were a few mionths ago. They now have it, they believe, and over the past few months they have proven their worth and value against teams that are far better than any in the SPL– so who should they be afraid of or concerned about? The answer is no one!
As for the rest of us? We too find our confidence lifted and belief in the club reassured. We walk taller, and stride forward with a confidence that our Celtic is putting a team on the park who are worthy of the name.. Celtic!
There is a Celtic way, and when the wind blows the Celtic way then all others are simply blown away as the rest of the SPL have found out of recent. We support– as we did last night— and that support lifts the young fellas afield, who in turn lift themselves ,which in turn lifts the support who then lift them higher still and so it goes on. That is the Celtic way– with messages on here and on twitter from Celts in every corner of the globe. The players and the press see these messages- it reinforces the plain simple fact that what 11 young men do in a patch of grass in the eastend of Glasgow is anticipated and debated throughout the whole globe. Now there is a miracle! From Bargeddie to Brisbane and all points in between, when you pull on the shirt you pull generations of support with you– and that is the case whether you are a player or a supporter!
As for Craig Whyte and Rangers, well they must look to tomorrow.I am not concerned as to what they do or don’t do, because in truth I do not believe they possess anything or anyone who need bother this Celtic team in their current mood at all. What Rangers and their fans should be afraid of more than anything else is the truth. The truth that there is a huge wage bill that cannot be sustained. The truth that there is a huge tax bill on the horizon that simply cannot and will not be paid. The truth that there is no money for investment in a new playing squad of any significance. The truth that there is no evidence of the Whyte pot of gold nor a plan to take that club forward. The truth that there have been changes at the SFA which means that the administration of Scottish Football will no longer be conducted by a cabal or secret society of whatever nature and that their decisions where unfair can be scrutinised and subjected to legal enquiry. The truth that there no longer exists any financial institution which will allow simply mental corporate governance or financial slight of hand and recklessness which allows that club to flaunt proper financial rules, football rules, or any other rules that provides them with the ability to buy in or influence championships. The truth that they will have to play by the same constraints as everyone else, within their means, and on a level playing field. They have not been used to that, and such a circumstance represents yet another wind of change!
Rangers have to face these truths, and no amount of spin or public slight of hand can keep the truth hidden. They have been masters of spin over the years, and ably assisted at times by a press who seriously have to ask the question: Am I journalist or simple mouthpiece and messenger boy?
Spin makes for myth, but remember all myth is in reality a falsehood and falsehoods get found out and exposed– eventually.
Perhaps, the greatest spin merchant of all time was the Russian Grigory Rasputin. The so called mad monk and fabled mystic gained unparalleled support and favouritism in the Russian Royal household after supposedly saving the Tsar’s son! This was a dubious claim to say the least, and eventually those who had welcomed him realised that he was no more than a charlatan and a phoney. Accordingly he was poisoned,shot and thrown into the icy river where he eventually drowned! A somewhat harsh and oppressive sentence that would not be tolerated in polite society today of course. However, his end- like the end of any other charlatan– was and always would be inevitable!
But all that happened on 30th November 1916– some 95 years ago tomorrow.
Rangers should fear tomorrow and the tomorrows that follow– but for Celtic— tomorrow can’t come fast enough!!!
For those of us who are Celtic fans throughout the world whether in the far off places or here at home, This Celtic team has a message:
“This is tomorrow calling– wishing you were here!”
Celtic Football Club——- a breath of fresh air and an invitation to come see—- since 1887 (ish)
T will be of no consolation for those Rangers fans still smarting at the perceived injustice of their Old Firm defeat to Celtic.
Yet the farcical scenes which resulted in a legitimate goal being ignored at Parkhead last night could, at long last, soon be consigned to the past.
There is a very real possibility that goal-line technology will be in use in the SPL in the near future.
========================================================
Anyone think Matthew Lindsay of the Evening Times is hurting or just me?
First time I have ever heard of farcical scenes where nobody really involved. After all they did not even claim for the “goal” at the time. We matt also seems to have forgotten a clear and farcical offside award. Oops that was in favour of the Orcs so play along now boys.
Also that boy has some eyesight to be so sure of himself. Not even a hint of potential or alleged goal. Just a matter of fact statement.
Incredible quotes from McCoist on the Rangers web-site regarding a bid for Jelavic.
ALLY McCOIST has admitted Steven Whittaker may need a hernia operation after he missed tonight’s 1-0 Old Firm loss to Celtic.
The full-back was omitted from the squad after a groin problem flared up in training ahead of the match at Parkhead.
Kirk Broadfoot replaced him on the right side of defence and now Whittaker could be out for the foreseeable future.
The standard lay-off following a hernia operation is between four and six weeks and that means the Scotland international could be out until early February.
That means he may miss matches with Motherwell, Arbroath, St Johnstone, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dunfermline.
McCoist said: “Steven might need surgery but we don’t know yet so we’re going to send him to the specialist. It might be a hernia.
“He pulled up in training yesterday and we’ve not had a chance to send him for a scan yet but as soon as we can do that, we will.”
McCoist, meanwhile, would not confirm rumours of a written bid from Premiership side QPR for Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic.
The Londoners have been credited with an interest in him along with West Bromwich Albion, whose manager Roy Hodgson was at Parkhead to watch him this evening.
McCoist added: “I can’t confirm anything and I don’t know anything about it. Someone from the club mentioned it to me in the passing before kick-off but that was all.
“It was someone from the club but they said themselves it was just a rumour.”
…scartch that, we could invite Leggat instead………..
Paul-le-guen: P26 W15 D5 L6.
Fat PLG: P26 W14 D6 L6.
The Honest Mistake
Hope those fitness issues clear up. Some interesting observations there… I really like Rogne.
BSR
If those Rogne stats are true (I don’t doubt that, just never heard it before) then they are stunning.
A quality centre half who knows how to read a game is, if this wasn’t obvious, huge for a team like ours. He rarely looks out of place, but has sailed under the radar somewhat, maybe now is his time.
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
Sorry M ,taking the wife out for birthday dinner tonight
or I would come down and see you.
‘What this space….’
The phanny can’t even finish a rant properly… :)
notthebus says:
29 December, 2011 at 14:40
The paranoia is ripping right out that leggat bhoys haha.
He calls out to the hun on the street
“Pleb, can you help me?
For a pound I got you dirt cheap,
I need millions now can you help me?”
Hun walks on, doesn’t look back
Hun pretends he can’t hear it
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there
Oh think twice, a few more days and then
You and me in paradise
Oh think twice, a few more days and then,
You and me in paradise
He calls out to the hun on the street
He can see Grant from Perth’s been crying
No bus fare so blisters on the soles of his feet
No orange walk but he’s trying
Oh think twice…
Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh lord, there must be something you can say
You can tell from another court case
You can see how often he´s been there
Medically a diagnosed serious mental case
the Motherwell born billionaire
Oh think twice…
Never mind the fans active participation at the game, if you can, get along to the Celtic panto.
Every time the audience hears the word Rangers they’ve to shout “THEY’RE BEHIND YOU”
oh yes they have !
from BBC
But the Rangers manager Ally McCoist was convinced, and believes the technology would have proved him right.
“I have seen it and it has definitely crossed the line,” he said.
Apparently Ally is so super he negates the need for any goal line technology. He can see it definitively.
For Adam,and Joe, and big John Cymru am Byth!
notthebus at 14:50
Unfortunately, those stats are the wrong way round, but another comparison is:
FPLG 26 15 5 6 – 58% win rate
NL first 26 22 0 4 – 84% win rate
Jungle Jim
I will take your word for it, stopped buying papers years ago! I view some of their stuff on my mobile app.
Just shows you how poorly we rate them when that can be passed as legitimate.
He will be hurting today… :)
“What’s that Skip?”
…………..Jelly is about to be swooped for………., and by QPR, you say………?????
Didn’t Whytey’s commercial supremo Ali Russell no just work there?
What a coincidence!