Best news of the day? Kris Commons wants to be involved tomorrow against Barcelona. I doubt Kris is anywhere near match fit, so there’s no chance of him starting on Wednesday against Astana, but a 15 minute cameo, when the Astana players’ body clocks are telling them it’s after 2am, would go down a treat.
I’ve always been a bit more ambivalent about Leonel Messi than most. “He’s not hit the levels of Ronaldinho” is my stock comment, and then there’s the dirty little subject. (Tax).
But his media comments ahead of tomorrow’s International Champions Cup game, “I have a Celtic jersey at home. The games against Celtic were special and I want to remember them”, proves there’s substance to the man.
I’ve a Celtic jersey at home too, Leo. A few of us here do.
Former-Rangers former vice-chairman Donald Findlay is to defend Craig Whyte is his forthcoming trial.
Whyte’s urban legend is going to be difficult to shift, but it’s not accurate. We mocked Rangers fans a few years ago, referring to him as “Our Hero” but he never was. He was the bag man for a very dirty job.
How he handled the SFA, Uefa, HMRC and, most crucially, the insolvency court, when he managed to secure the appointment of Duff and Phelps as Rangers administrators was crucial in the continuation of football at Ibrox.
It was Duff and Phelps who gave Newco the right to use the name “Rangers”, after which point Whyte could claim he was passing on “Rangers”. Everyone else mocked this liquidation fantasy at the time. Until liquidation became a reality, that is.
Whyte left Newco relatively safe in the hands of Charles Green, where it would have thrived, if it hadn’t faced a hostile and damaging takeover bid from its first week of life.
Our auction prize, donated by (the pretty fabulous) Celtic sponsor, Intelligent Car Leasing, closes just after 1pm today.
You can win:
2 seats in the directors’ box
Champagne reception
5 course meal in the Walfrid Suite
Fully expenses bar (pre and post-match)
Half time snacks and refreshments
Car Parking
At the game against Kilmarnock on 24 September.
Money raised from the auction will go towards building a school kitchen in Malawi for Mary’s Meals. It it will be the 5th CQN school kitchen.
Our four existing kitchens feed over 2000 primary aged kids every day. School attendance has increased 30% since kitchens were built, as kids attend for their daily meal. This has an impact on health, education and life chances.
You can follow the auction on eBay here. Thank you.
I’m off to Aberdour now for the 12th annual CQN Golf Open. I’ll be the one holding the jackets.
See you then.
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Some thoughts on our current squad.
The A Team:
Gordon
Lustig Toure Sviatchenko Tierney
Roberts Brown Rogic New
Griffiths New
Back ups…
GK: Bailly Fasan
LB: Janko
CB: Simunovic Ajer O’Connell
RB: Izaguirre
RM: New
CM: Christie Johansen McGregor Allan
LM: Armstrong
CF: Dembele New
I reckon we need a new first choice LM (who can provide quality delivery into the box, to head and feet) and CF (who actually knows how to put the ball in the net!)…
…and a back up RM and CF.
We also need to be aware that Toure is only really viable probably for one season, after which he could be incoporated into the coaching team, and that Roberts won’t be with us next season. Hopefully one of the three back up CBs will step up (Simunovic remains unproven to me), but we probably need to add a new RM to replace Roberts during the coming 12 months. Sadly we can’t afford one who is fit to do much more than lace Roberts’ boots for him!
This leaves us probably needing to consider moving on most of the following:
Boyata, Fisher, Ambrose, Forrest, GMS, Commons & Ciftci. I thought we’d already jettisoned Henderson and Scepovic, but they are both still listed on Celtic’s website. If they are still contracted to Celtic then they can be added to this list.
Hopefully, going forwards, we can bring through a few more Academy players, and pick up one or two potential gems under the radar.
All in all I don’t think we are a million miles off having a team capable of cleaning up domestically and giving a good account of themselves in European competition. But BR is going to have to work very hard to bring all the individual pieces together into a cohesive unit that is (as he seems to have already suggested as an objective) hard to beat, but also more clinical in attack. We may be the perennial top scorers in the SPL, but comparing our possession, territorial and shots at goal stats with other leading SPL teams, we should probably be scoring 10-20% more goals than we do.
QF – Agreed, but that’s up to the coach to get them to play that way.
I remember Jo Hansens’ first game and he was all ‘pass and move’ – look where he is now.
One huge gap we have in the squad at the moment is a full on, fully engaged defensive mid.
NB regressed all of 19 minutes to give his usual 2015/16 couldn’t be bothered cameo for the first 45 minutes. All last Wednesday’s vibe lost with a performance that reeked of “get me out of here …”.
SB looked as if his testimonial couldn’t come quick enough — two opportunities and two weak efforts. And the there was CMcG who was swatted aside by a Barca MF straight of the beach.
Then we had the second half where StA ran about with no purpose, direction or urgency. Not sure where he goes from here — he really looked totally out of his depth, out of his comfort zone and out of the team. His lack of energy and pace was shocking so BR has one huge job on his hands.
Bournrecipsuoup,I Agree with you regarding liam Henderson,I’m sure he is a better option ,than Allan Armstrong,McGregor,maybe Rogers doesn’t fancy him,loan him out to another club ,till January,don’t sell him,
An I thought I wiz dealing with Mrs Nilloc…..the cross-dressin alter ego….of our pal…..fuk u…..u know hu yu are…..;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
<QF (9.34pm): “in Scotland the player with the ball runs and everyone stops. in Spain it’s the reverse.”
Spot on. But I would suggest that the state f the playing surfaces through most of our season have a lot to do with that. The pitches in Spain will be a lot firmer, drier and flatter than the churned up, heavy cabbage patches that we are expected to play on through the late autumn, winter and early spring.
Given how many away Euro matches we seem to play on synthetic surfaces these days, maybe the SPL should be adopting the same model. Or would they see this as being too detrimental to all the other teams, and being tantamount to just handing us the Title every season?
THE EXILED TIM on 30th July 2016 9:42 pm
Take VvD or Vic Wanyama as an example, they came from leagues better than the spl imo, they were offered better money, obviously or they wouldn’t have come, they were tempted by the epl, again obvioulsy, these guys are better than we had, I would very much doubt they gave playing in scotland a second thought if you throw in the money the exposure, the euro footy, the medals, it’s a no brainer for them.
—————-
I accept all that, but I would guess (and it’s only a guess) we were the best offer on the table but the agent still offered it round England and other leagues before they accepted Celtic. Nothing wrong with that by any party.
I don’t think VVD or Vic turned down EPL football to sign for us.
I’m fairly certain that either of those players would’ve signed for an English championship team if they’d matched our wages.
Brendan finds a Victor Wanyama clone for Celtic and this team are flying.
Interesting that second half team showed a lot more promise and generated a number of chances but most of them came to nothing off the back of poor link up play and a desire to do everything on your own rather than pass and play as a team.
MD — Really needs to grow up.
I think he needs lots of game time but he is currently nowhere near equipped both as an individual and as a team player to be much use to the first team.
No confidence, anxious and self centred / greedy — BR work your magic.
MadMitch on 30th July 2016 9:53 pm
Interesting that second half team showed a lot more promise and generated a number of chances but most of them came to nothing off the back of poor link up play and a desire to do everything on your own rather than pass and play as a team.
——————–
I think our 2nd half team (the rejects :O) have performed better in all our friendlies, more freedom, more passing, more fun. Probably can’t read anything into that.
DD…..a Wanyama clone plus…..we’ve been left standing
Whilst other clubbs have been chasing Athletic tactics ….;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Athletical
I’ve been on this site for about 8 years and the slagging of players has never been worse.
Cultsbhoy for example calling a player sh&&&. That’s pub talk mate. Are you the same guy who had Keevins on the ropes but backed off letting him squirm away ? Efe getting dogs abuse at every turn? Tell that to Brendan. He plays them.
Let the manager get on with the job. We know the players not making it. Don’t judge players in a game against the world’s best team, and getting personal plays right into the hun/smsm pact.
Thomas Delaney would be more like the thing for us. Copenhagen captain 24, contract coming to an end. Not saying that is who we should go for but he fits the profile.
We desperately need more effort and players willing to help each other in midfield.
TLT
How did the Warbo galacticos do against relegation fodder Burnley? ;)
Mullet
My Grandad was Thomas Delaney fae Sligo. Would love that name on my shirt. :)
Apropros of boot…..pfft
PR is the next best thing…..no Jinky….
The_Huddle
You are digressing away from what you said at the start, you said players wouldn’t really want to sign for us, I said the opposite.
All you have to do is look at our squad, we can’t get rid of most cos of the outrageous money they are on, so we are stuck with them till their contract runs out or we take a hit.
We will always be able to sign players is my point.
HH
The second half team looked disconnected. Lots of space between team mates. No one willing to run along side a team mate or run behind to front of a player holding the ball up. We also played against a second half Barca side that we didn’t need to press and I’m glad of that as none of our lads seemed willing.
When Barca are under pressure they move and a team mate appears. We freeze.
I learned something tonight, I have learned that Puerto Rico is in the US, never knew that.
MULLET AND CO 2 on 30TH JULY 2016 10:08 PM
Another way to look at it is the second half team got a draw and kept a clean sheet, compared to the first half team who managed to score a goal , but….. :-)
HH
CRC
BMCUWP…..wiz……alright fur me….;-))
FTSFAH.HH.
THE EXILED TIM on 30th July 2016 10:06 pm
You are digressing away from what you said at the start, you said players wouldn’t really want to sign for us, I said the opposite.
All you have to do is look at our squad, we can’t get rid of most cos of the outrageous money they are on, so we are stuck with them till their contract runs out or we take a hit.
We will always be able to sign players is my point.
—————-
Your original point was why wouldn’t they sign, my point was that even after offering all those riches we would still be second choice to an English Championship for example. Of course lots of players sign for us, your post seemed to be why after all we offer how could they not sign.
The flow started after the post about how difficult it is to make signings, I responded by saying even after offering riches, agreeing deals etc etc then we can still be stood up at the alter as a better deal came in.
I think that was why we signed the 3 Dundee Utd players and Ryan Christie, they are players that you can tick all the boxes during negotiations and then sign no issue.
My initial response was really highlighting the posts on here on how we should sign X player before this date because it’s that simple.
Take Kolo for example, why didn’t we sign him earlier? Lots on here will say because PL didn’t do his job, I’d argue Kolo’s agent was looking at all other deals before accepting Celtic’s
Dont think its 100% US territory but more or less..
Colin wrong ;-))
The_Huddle
“Your original point was why wouldn’t they sign, my point was that even after offering all those riches we would still be second choice to an English Championship for example. Of course lots of players sign for us, your post seemed to be why after all we offer how could they not sign. ”
We are going round in circles here, lets agree to disagree :-)
HH
.HH.HAFSTF…
ADARKMIRORcsc
FTSFA
H.H.
Delaneys Dunky (10:02pm): “How did the Warbo galacticos do against relegation fodder Burnley?”
Aye, they may have been roundly beaten, but that’ll be the last penalty they concede at Ipox this season.
Sorry, sis I say “they concede”? I should have said “given against them”.
CRC
My two bhoys and I enjoyed the 2nd half Celtic performance, compared to the tired 1st half show. Some good young yins chappin the door.
Tictaewin
Reason I said that is I have just got an order from San Juan and it clearly says it’s in the US, US postcode n all.
It was news to me
HH
From what I,ve seen of Dembele so far (every minute he,s played)he,s been crap.
There I,ve said it.
THE EXILED TIM on 30th July 2016 10:19 pm
“Your original point was why wouldn’t they sign, my point was that even after offering all those riches we would still be second choice to an English Championship for example. Of course lots of players sign for us, your post seemed to be why after all we offer how could they not sign. ”
We are going round in circles here, lets agree to disagree :-)
HH
———-
Yep HH :O)
The Wheels On The Bus – Rudderless movie
https://youtu.be/GY50ILD1R2I
Bigchips
Who gave Burnley a penalty?
Treacherous act against her majesty’s tax dodgers.
guid grief!
Celticfan1961 on 30th July 2016 10:22 pm
From what I,ve seen of Dembele so far (every minute he,s played)he,s been crap.
There I,ve said it.
———–
He was very good every time i seen him for Fulham, and poor for us. This signing lark is easy :O)
Celticfan1961
I agree wi you.
Are you a hun?
Celticfan1961
Have you got a problem with your ,,,, ?
Celticfan1961
Do you eat pepperami and drink out of green straws?