Nine days without a game is technically not a winter break but it is double the normal interval Celtic players have between games. Ironically, it arrives when they found a formation that resolved the performance problems that plagued the club until December.
I would have preferred a midweek game than a break, with three games to make up we have applied pressure to our spring programme, although I’m sure Celtic did not anticipate the turnaround in form when these matters were settled.
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There are certain individuals who should not have got on that plane.
HH
CQN canvassing to get rid of players? The epitome of Lazy Journalism, shameful.
Repost from the last piece.
https://thecelticblog.com/2021/01/blogs/celtics-jolly-boys-outing-to-dubai-is-an-expensive-folly-and-an-insult-to-the-fans/
Other than the Scottish cup , I’m not sure that the spring programme will be all that meaningful unfortunately .
Principles F.C.
There is a well known mantra which is that every good team stems from a solid defence. However, I can’t help but feel that I have been in the same movie over and over again when during and after any given match, the thought screams out that instead of 1-0, or 2-0, it should have been 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8-0. So, it seems to me that there is an over emphasis on the defence at the expense of under-performing strikers. Oh, and some decent defenders would help too.
HH
Paul67,
Keep the diamond from Saturday. It works.
Celtic social media working overtime this morning with pictures of sweaty players on the training field and repeating the word “hard” and “tough” a lot.
I wonder why that is :)
HH
there is a global pandemic which is now out of control
we have a manager that no-one thinks is very good ( the split is on how and when he leaves)
we have a captain that some people think is a legend who is now over the hill and should coach and others think can’t spell tactic and has ruined our play during an easy ride in the league in the last 9 years
we have a CEO that some people think is parsimonious and others think has wasted millions
I think everyone agrees that none of them should be in Dubai right now. Last time I was there on business it was €12 a pint. My ‘virtual’ season ticket was about €725
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There are certain individuals who should not come back
Is it a case of sell EDDY and any others to make up a shortfall on income due to the boards scatter gun approach to buying players and a possibility in less season books /merchandise.
if we lose four of our best players in the window who is confident enough in our board to bring in replacements to secure second….
FRIESDORFER on 4TH JANUARY 2021 12:19 PM
I don’t think any part of our system should get credit at the moment but I have sympathy with attackers (to an extent) who have been badly served by nothing from the wings, little (until recently) behind them, single point of attack and no support, etc etc.
We just look badly coached and badly put together…
On the current course of ‘do nothing’ we’ll be back to Nir Bitton and a returning Jack hendry as our great hopes for ECL qualification again.
HH
If club did not anticipate a turnaround in form when booking Dubai trip, then why would they have kept NL or was the trip intended to help a new manager bed in with players?
Or maybe simply to say Paul67 that club wouldn’t have wanted to break any recent momentum gained, zombie lost aside.
I’m baffled by this comment…
Sell Edouard. Save Peter’s Bonus!
So influenced by the result of the last game
if we had won at Ibrox, Dubai would have been welcomed as a recharge of the batteries to push on to the 10
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 3RD JANUARY 2021 4:37 PM
Pat McCluskey, Ronnie Glavin, Roddie McDonald, Peter Latchford, Billy McNeill, Tommy Callaghan, Andy Lynch, Jimmy Johnstone, Stevie Murray, Danny McGrain, Paul Wilson, Harry Hood, Kenny Dalglish, Jim Brogan, Bobby Lennox, Dixie Deans, George Connolly, Vic Davidsn, Jimmy Quinn, and Jimmy Bone (manager Jock Stein)
Heroes or Villains??
Seems a stupid question , doesn’t it?
With the possible exceptions of Latchford, Quinn and Bone- they are all heroes to me.
But, just like Neil Lennon, Nir Bitton, Odsonne Edouard et al yesterday they were called out as every kind of snake and failure, 46 years ago, when we contrived to lose the 10iar bid first time round.
You won’t find any Celtic supporter admitting to it now, but, rest assured, from one who was there, they were called everything that we are calling the players now.
Before we lost that league, we had George Connelly walk out on us, twice, having lost his best pal, the irreplaceable Davie Hay the season before. We saw the retirement of Billy McNeil and free transfers for Jinky and Jim Brogan, leaving Buzzbomb as the Last of the Lions and of our EC triumphs.
We told Quinn Davidson, Bone and Lynch that they could leave on frees too as they were not thriving. Our only major recruitment was Ronnie Glavin but we retained our 2 prominent lightning-rod scapegoats for the support to berate, in Tommy Callaghan and Harry Hood.
We lost a pre-season friendly 4:0 to Schalke in Germany.
We won the Dryburgh Cup on pens from the Huns
We got knocked out of the EC in the first round to Olympiakos
We beat Hibs 6:3 in a classic LC final
and we ended the season with a 3:1 SC win over Airdrie
but we finished our bid for 10iar with a 3rd place in the league, 11 pts behind Rangers and 4 behind Hibs. We shipped 13 points in 10 games at one point.
So, we have been here before.
I am not naive. I know that the foolish approach to management that we have in Sports, requires the regular bloodletting scarifice of players and managers and coaches. This season will demand the same.
We won’t be saying goodbye to quite the calibre of player as JJ or, even Billly McNeill but we are likely to lose a fair bit of genuine talent in Edouard, Ajer and Ntcham, as well as guys who are very bit as good as John McGinn, in Ryan Christie and, possibly Callum.
The bid for 10 kept them here and now they have nothing to prove in Scotland, they will look for new pastures and challenges. We will have a major re-build.
We are also, highly likely to lose a genuine Celtic hero in Neil Lennon, probably at a quiet time when we have had a proper wake and set some distance between yesterday and his firing. Neil won 5 titles of our recent 9iar , 4 of our SC’s and 1 LC. He has sacrificed his health for this club and damaged his rep as a person and as a manager as Scottish Society had to learn to deal with a genuine unrepentant fenian. And many of our own have rushed to tarnish him, swallowing the hun and SMM narrative , as to what kind of man he is.
No, for sure, Neil will leave but he wil leave with more dignity and honour than many of our support still retain and like the guys named from 1975 will always be welcome back at our club . In 15 years time, you will find no-one admitting to the embarrasing vitriol that was spouted at this time.
I wish it was reserved for our custodians and their moral failure in handling res 12 and the events of 2012, but, when we can find no way to get at them, that does not also harm Celtic FC, we will slate our blood lust on a cull of the players and coaches.
Well, as I said , yesterday, fill your boots, but it’s not for me.
Today I want to thank Neil Lennon, Scott Brown James Forrest, Callum McGregor, Mikel Lustig and all of the 117 players who gave us 9iar (even forgotten cameos from Atajic, Berget, Ciftci, Fisher, Gershon, Herron, Ibrahim, Janko, Kouassi, Loovens, Mouyokolo, Nouioui, O’Connell, Pukki, Rogne , Scepovic, Toljan, Van Dikl, Watt and Zulaska.
Not all of the 117 can be counted as heroes but there are a good 40-50 players plus 3 managers who deserve to be so remembered.
And I don’t care if Brendan is the superior manager of the bunch, the one that delivered most to my club, was Neil Lennon and he has my fullest gratitude now and when he leaves, and forever after.
————————–
👏👏👏
marspapa/!!bada bing!!
Kind of poll you find in the low level tabloids, not the company we should be keeping.
If we are to lose Odsonne I would prefer that it was after a good second half to the season for him, somewhere near his best, even if it was only to maximise his value. To advertise him as part of a yard sale, would see us net a fraction of a potential transfer fee. Poor poor show on CQN.
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 4TH JANUARY 2021 12:09 PM
Big Jimmy
Thanks for your reply regarding the crossword clue.
I also hope things improve for you Jimmy. Going to your local is obviously a very important part of your support system, passing the time, socialising with others and having a drink.
Let’s hope it’s not so long to go as you think.
Hail! Hail!
……………..
Despite Saturdays loss, I am also missing telling a few Huns in my Local about Hun Refs and the Cheating that goes hand in hand with Refs etc and Hun players year in and year out !
I have asked some Huns in the past about Morelos…what would THEY think of him IF he was a Celtic player, and before they even try to answer I would TELL them that THEY would be going aff their Nut at him…IF he wore the Green and tried to kick, stamp, punch, slap any Hun player players..or any opposition players especially how often he gets away with it.
HH
“I’m sure Celtic did not anticipate the turnaround in form when these matters were settled.”
———-
Leaving aside the obvious matter of whether you think a draw with a lower league side is “form”, surely the statement they put out backing the management team was them believing there WOULD be a return to form?
Or did they think things were going to carry on as badly they were but they were going to stick with them anyway? In which case why bother with the (mythical) review?
22 points behind the huns when we next kick off and we’re talking about our spring programme, someone is taking the pish here while being on it, it would seem. The season ended on Saturday, that’s why the manager has taken the players on a swally.
Onwards to next season, in Lennon we trust.
Paul 67,
“Celtic enjoys a greater community spirit than any other club in the world.”
” A football club that still like to think of themselves as an extended family ”
This is what we used to be.
This is not about the pros and cons of a winter break. Lots of families have had to cancel travel plans. What part of necessary travel does this farce tick the boxes
It’s about doing the right thing. Its about a caring community employer setting an example, It’s about empathy with suffering supporters in our midsts.
Some supporters cant even visit their seriously ill parents in hospital.
Some can’t even hug their loved ones, and haven’t done so for months.
Some have cancelled weddings and buried loved ones in horrendous conditions.
For God’s sake we will soon be told our children cannot go to school.
And yet they think it’s morally acceptable to have a jolly in the sun. You could not show more contempt for long suffering supporters if you had a CQN poll of divisive actions.
This reckless indulgence will have legs and consequences. It is a PR disaster and an apology should be forthcoming.
HH to all.
ST TAMS 10.42 ?
I am okay mate, I am used to being on my own although Ive got Rocky Bhoy the Cat to take the Piss outta me every Feckin Day LOL !
I cant complain too much, as I realise that this Covid situation MUST be worse for parents not able to go to work and having 3 or 4 kids running about the hoose while trying to stay in their family bubble.
At least I dont have any weans or nagging Wife to be on my back all day etc !
I am NOT being Sexist, as I am sure that many wives would say that its their Husband who does all the nagging ?
LOL.
HH
Big Jimmy
Thanks for your reply regarding the crossword clue.
I also hope things improve for you Jimmy. Going to your local is obviously a very important part of your support system, passing the time, socialising with others and having a drink.
Let’s hope it’s not so long to go as you think.
Hail! Hail!
THE BATTERED BUNNET:
Embarrasing vitriol? You mean calling Lennon a third rate choice?
I’ll still be repeating THAT mantra when I’m on my deathbed. I’ll go to the grave blaming Lawwell and Lennon for the fiasco that was the ten in a row campaign.
You call it whatever you want, but all this “Lennon will leave with integrity” and the rest of that garbage you can stow where the sun won’t shine. Lennon will leave, as Lawwell will, with his pockets bulging and a mess of enormous proportions in the rear-view of his fancy car.
Our club has made these limited men multi-millionaires. They are laughing at us today.
You call that integrity?
My good mate who works in my Local Pub has invited me to His hoose ( and his wife, who I have met), this Saturday afternoon for a FREE Dinner and a Free Bevvy of Beer etc.
He is arranging for me to get picked up and driven to his hoose in Hamilton for a few hours, and i will get a Taxi home.
Normally I dont Drink in the Hoose mainly due to being on my own…but this time I wont be on my own so I am looking forward to it, although I am a bit concerned about Covid Regulations etc ?
It will be nice to be in some good company, as I havent had ANY Alcohol since Oct.9th when the Pubs closed….I hope that I am NOT pure Steaming after Two Cans of Beer ?
LOL
HH.
I perhaps might have made it even clearer that my post above is a copy&paste of SFTB’s post of the given date and time yesterday.
I made one correction for a typo (sorry, old habits…) and added the applause emojis at the end, which are fully deserved.
THE BATTERED BUNNET :
Then the apologies are mine. I direct the same response to SFTB.
Peter Antoinette.
Let them eat cake.
James, the world is pretty mundane in black and white. There is light and shade to be found between the two extremes, and a whole spectrum of beautiful colour. You should try to see it.
Time For Change ..
We have a poor PLC Board, a Poor Manager and a Poor Playing Squad ..
The PLC Board are not capable of taking the Club forward anymore ..
It’s now up to each and every Celtic supporter to decide what ownership model of the Club they want ..
Celtic currently have 27,000 Small shareholders who have 25% voting share ..
But how many of the 27,000 actually still have their shareholding, and how many are actually still registered to vote, is currently not known ..
The maximum number of small shareholders who have ever voted at an agm is only 1200 ..
The maximum proxy voting share the Celtic Trust has ever had is 4% ..
So the balance of power for change in the short term is definitely with Season Ticket Holders, rather than small shareholders.
So the question is what are Celtic’s 50,000 plus Season Ticket Holders going to do ..
Are we going to unite under one body the Celtic Trust, and work for change ..
Or are we happy for things to continue as they are ..
Football corruption..
FIFA are Corrupt, UEFA are Corrupt, the SFA are Corrupt ..
The current Celtic PLC board are not going to fight corruption, they have made that clear over the last 8 years in particular ..
The ownership model of Celtic much change first, and then and only then will corruption be able to be properly challenged ..
It’s time for the Celtic support to come together and put any differences to one side, and put the future of our Club first ..
We as a support have to come together, leave aside any particular issues, and work together as supporters for the greater good of the Club, and work together towards a new democratic fan ownership model ..
I would urge every Celtic Supporter, whether a shareholder, season ticket holder, or a fan in general to join the Celtic Trust as an equal member, and help give Celtic Supporters a much more powerful voice, which will then help create a mandate for change ..
The more who join the Celtic Trust the quicker change will happen ..
If 50,000 Supporters joined the Celtic Trust, then it would be a seismic catalyst for change ..
Celtic’s future can only start now ..
Maybe next year we could send the Bhoys to the Faroe Isles.
They’re out there in the Middle East somewhere….
stevienicolcsc
No he is third rate and James is right
A dad standing at the sideline shouting at his weans.
Horrendous and lazy choice by the same board that signed him off for a break in dubai and run our season off a cliff. There’s your reward.
I am done.
KLV
I can appreciate the fans who have posted previously indicating that there are more or less no circumstances that would cause them to stop attending Celtic matches. It’s in the blood. There have been three times when I have ‘boycotted’ Celtic because I thought they were treating the fans as mugs.
The first time was when Charlie Nicholas was sold to Arsenal. The Board showed no immediate urgency to replace him. A good number of fans stayed away, including me, and Mo Johnston was brought in as a replacement. I immediately returned.
The second occasion was the game that thousands stayed away from at the height of the ‘Celts for Change’ campaign which brought down the Old Board.
The third time was the Willo Flood transfer window. I didn’t renew for two seasons but found myself at most games because my father-in-law couldn’t attend.
My view is that I never trust the Board. They are usually parsimonious and only spend money when there is unrest amongst the fan base. Like everyone else I am bitterly disappointed at squandering our chance of winning TIAR especially when we had such a position of strength financially. In my view the single most important factor in where we now find ourselves is the appointment of Neil Lennon as manager. Others may disagree, I think it has been a disaster.
So what I’m leading up to here is that my purchase of a season ticket for next season will not depend on is pulling off a miracle to win the League or even winning the Scottish Cup. It will depend 100% on whether Neil Lennon is still manager.
My only feelings of guilt are that in the past couple of seasons my teenage grandson has really got into Celtic and I take him to as many games as I can. He loves it, so I think that instead of a season ticket, I’ll purchase tickets for individual games that he is available to attend. In that way, Mr. Lawell won’t be able to count on my money at the start of a season.
C1M1V
Who is going to organise that? You need to get the supporter clubs on board as a start then individuals who are not supporter club members, are you going to advertise, not trying to be awkward but how do you propse to get the support to waken up to what is going on.
The board will tell you buy them out as McCann had to do with the Kelly’s and Whyte’s then sold out to the major block holders which is why we are where we are, a company not a footbal club
Have we signed the desperately needed new Centre Half yet ?
We knew in November we needed one
The Jullien injury has exasperated this urgent need
He should have been signed and integrating with the Squad in Dubai
Suppose we can always leave it until last day of January, and save a few thousand £’s
( meanwhile how much has the Dubai trip cost ? during the playing season ( there is no winter shutdown remember, we could have been playing one of our 3 games in hand on Wed night ???)
When we get back, we will still urgently need a new Centre half
CST will have zeo say. King and Peter are from the same cloth.
Hit them in the pocket might not even work now with sky and new Atlantic league money.
Baws burst for the whole sport, sky started the ball rolling and it’s done now. Sponsors and TV are all that matters.
KLV
I may have to rethink about my plans to go to my mates hoose this Saturday cos of Covid ?
I will wait and see what wee Nicola says Today about possible further restrictions etc…wonder if she will say anything about that despicable hun Mobs behaviour at the week end and the NON ACTION of the Polis…I wont be holding my breath for that one.
HH.