The Hooper-Scepovic lesson

830

Gary Hooper has scored once in his last 23 appearances for Norwich City, an ultimately meaningless goal as his team lost that day.  Prior to that, he scored five in eight in games in which Norwich collected 10 points, while he opened his account for them with a brace in the League Cup against Watford.  The latter stages of that 23 game desolate run has been marred by an injury he collected preseason, returning to league duty this month.

This is not the player you or I will recognise.  Gary was more than capable of going through a dry patch, but he was an undisputed penalty box finisher, who seemed to perform better, the better the competition.  Now he has to sit alongside Jos Hooiveld on the Norwich bench, as his in-form club, with in-form players, occupy a play-off place.  Think of that for a moment, Hooper and Hooiveld, largely indistinguishable on form for Norwich.

It’s no surprise that Neil Lennon wanted him at Bolton, he knows Gary is a better player than probably anyone in Norwich realise.  Norwich rejected the bid, as they were reluctant to weaken their squad, but already this season is looking unlikely to add much to the end of career Gary Hooper Highlights DVD.

Celtic are already on the case to sign John Guidetti on a permanent deal, he’s looked the part since he first touched the ball in a Celtic shirt, but by contrast, Stefan Scepovic has looked awkward.  The early goals didn’t come, he looked short of a game plan and when a header missed the target on Thursday night, one guy behind me bellowed the kind of comment you hope a player looking for confidence doesn’t hear.

I don’t know any more about Stefan than you, but I absolutely know we’ve not seen the best of him, just as Norwich haven’t seen the best of Gary.  This guy has the background we want in a new recruit, scoring well in the Spanish second tier and wanted by top tier club.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Celtic player as happy to score as Stefan was against Astra.  The finish against Kilmarnock will have built on whatever confidence boost he received.  The project is back on course.  He needs to continue to find the net, and we need to remember how to support a player as he settles into a new life.

We’ve had a great run of momentum with the help of Magners in recent weeks. The club sponsor have offered a couple of premium match tickets, on the back of which we’ve asked for donations from £1 to Mary’s Meals.

It’s been great to see this in action.  We get lots of £1 and £2 donations, but plenty of people chip in with a lot more.  It’s been a great way of ensuring prizes are open to everyone.

Today we formally launch the bid to build a fourth school kitchen in Malawi for Mary’s Meals.  During 2014 you funded the construction of three kitchens, which feed close to 2000 of the world’s poorest children each day.  All of them live below the UN measure of absolute poverty.

Over the last 20 years the number of people living below $1.25 per day has halved.  Organisations like Mary’s Meals are making enormous inroads.  Those kids aren’t just getting a meal, more of them are able to attend school (up 30%) as they don’t need to work for food.  This improves their academic achievements and gives them skills which will be with them throughout their lives, increasing personal, regional and national productivity.

93% of the money raised by Mary’s Meals reaches those on the ground.  It costs around $12 to feed a child for an entire year.  It’s almost incalculable what your money does.

Magners have kindly offered two debenture hospitality seats for The Celtic Suite, including buffet lunch, for the Inverness game on Saturday, which are available for auction here on ebay.  The journey we had last year in building those three kitchens was remarkable, I know we’ll enjoy the new project.

Current bid is £1 to get in quick!

Big thanks to Magners, b.t.w.  This help goes a long, long, way.

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  1. Lennon n Mc....Mjallby on

    Crossroads…..Cream

     

    Hey Joe…..Hendrix

     

    I Am The Walrus….Oasis

     

    Living For The City…Tina Turner

     

    Twist n Shout….Beatles

  2. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma on

    Jobo,

     

     

    I have to give Mr Ferry great credit for deciding to cover Jealous Guy in the first place as even his fellow band members thought it was a real bummer of a choice as a tribute to John Lennon.

     

     

    Ferry of course forged a solo career largely based on a desire to re- record standards such as Smoke gets in Your Eyes, These Foolish Things, Help me make it through the night, Tracks of my tears and so on.

     

     

    These days it is pretty standard practice to have an American songbook, or some other kind of songbook but it was pretty unconventional back in the early 70’s.

     

     

    Some covers work, some fall flat on their face but I will always have a sneaking admiration for someone who gets up and gives someone else’s standard a go because unless you get it very right you are on a hiding to nothing.

     

     

    Then again maybe I take that view because at the given moment I am prepared to have a go at murdering any number of good songs!

     

     

    God help us all!

  3. Summa,

     

     

    “Come away ma wee geordie”, made me laugh that so it did.

     

     

    I couldn’t give a flying feck what each do for their nations if I’m honest. It’s too hard and unfair to compare.

     

     

    Sammy wins hands down on the character front but is wayyyy behind in the footy front imo.

  4. Sleekit prowling the technical área trying to look as if he knows what he’s doing.

     

     

    …and failing miserably.

     

     

    HH!!

  5. WDH,

     

    Have you stayed in the Dakota in Glasgow,

     

    was going to take the mrs over for dinner and a nights stay

  6. HT,

     

     

    I’m braw my man thanks. I’ll be even brawer if I get the wee mans brakes fixed in time to catch the saints winning. :)

     

     

    In fact…I hope I have them fixed before our own game the morra. Lol

  7. saltires en sevilla on

    Lip reading on Beeb

     

     

    Ashley -‘How we making any money with these attendances?’

     

     

    Placeman- ‘erm …we don’t. Half of them are on complimentary tickets’

     

     

    Ashley – ‘ wots this gaff worth’

     

     

    Placeman ‘cough’

  8. tomtheleedstim on

    Paul Young – Love Will Tear ………..ok I was kidding.

     

     

    Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 You was pretty good though.

  9. Gordybhoy,

     

     

    Sorry for butting in…

     

     

    Haven’t stayed in the one you mention but the one in South Queensferry is fine. Something dark and moody about it I liked. Good grub.

     

     

    And the local views are much better too ;)

  10. corkcelt

     

     

    19:20 on 28 October, 2014

     

     

     

    How’s the floating pitch? 12″ or 18″ elevation?

  11. .

     

     

    Geordie Munro

     

    19:23 on

     

    28 October, 2014

     

    Summa,

     

     

    “Come away ma wee geordie”, made me laugh that so it did.

     

     

    ..

     

     

    So You are ‘Wee’..?

     

     

    Most Sammy Haters are in Fact ‘Wee’ and dare l say..Lacking in the Follicle Department..IMHO..;-)

     

     

    Ps..And some of them (Not All) Ken He Haw aboot Fitba..Ha

     

     

    Summa

  12. Always liked a Willie Nelson cover of anything but “Dont give up’ (Peter Gabriel) and ‘Always on my mind’ are favourites.

     

     

    Dylan does ‘Watchtower’ Hendrix style on the live album ‘Before the flood’.

     

     

    A cover version of a cover version.

  13. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Sorry to read of FFM´s departure from the blog.

     

     

    CQN Nightshift R.I.P

     

     

    Is resolution 12 gathering pace to be fully reported on at the AGM ?

     

     

    Hearts done the decent thing. Good for them.

     

     

    Cover versions too many good ones to mention

     

     

    Johnny B Goode Jimi

     

    Allelujah Tim Buckley

     

    wild is the wind Bowie

     

    raindrops keep falling on my head sasha distel

     

    …Too many to mention

     

     

    Scepovic is a player

     

     

    With the lights out, it’s less dangerous

     

    Here we are now, entertain us

     

    I feel stupid and contagious

     

    Here we are now, entertain us

     

    A mulatto

     

    An albino

     

    A mosquito

     

    My libido

     

    Ronny Deila

     

    Ronny Deila

     

    Ronny Delia

     

    Ronny Deila

     

    Ronny Deila

     

    Ronny Deila

     

    Ronny Deila

     

    Ronny Deila

     

    Ronny Deila

     

     

    HH

  14. Don’t know what all these records are about, but guessing cover versions, so I propose Van Morrison “Raglan Road”, though not as good as Patrick Kavanagh himself with Luke Kelly.

     

     

    However if the rule is cover versions better than the original, then I withdraw from the competition.

  15. Another spineless pr#ck of a ref at Mordor letting the vermin smash the opposition with impunity.

     

     

    They really, really want us in the semis for the cash.

  16. Phyllis Dietrichson on

    If the mark of a great cover version is that you thought it was the original, I give you:

     

     

    I Write the Songs by Barry Manilow.

  17. “Most Sammy Haters are in Fact ‘Wee’ and dare l say..Lacking in the Follicle Department..IMHO..;-)

     

     

    Ps..And some of them (Not All) Ken He Haw aboot Fitba..Ha”

     

     

    I’d agree with that as I’ve found the overwhelming majority of Sammy haters are supporters of thon deid club :)

  18. glendalystonsils on

    The Stones did some creditable covers of Chuck Berry numbers in their early days.

     

    Round and Round, Oh Carol…..

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