Playing away domestically after a Champions League away game is statistically the time you are most likely to drop points, so Manchester City’s defeat at Tottenham was unsurprising. The manner of Barcelona’s defeat at Celta de Vigo, 4-3 after being 3-0 down at halftime, was distinctly out of character, but showed signs of their exertions in Germany on Wednesday.
Borussia Monchengladback’s 4-0 defeat at Schalke, who were bottom of the Bundesliga having lost all previous five games, was the shock of German football this week. Gladback have one game before coming to Celtic Park, home to Hamburg, who took over Schalke’s mantle at the bottom of the table, with one point from six games this season.
Borussia are the only team from Celtic’s Champions League group who will be rattled by their weekend reversal; Barcelona and Manchester City will take the defeat in their stride. It’s unlikely they will drop points to Hamburg on 15th October. Their defeat to Barcelona was the first competitive game at home they’ve failed to win since January, while it’s been straight away defeats this season for Hamburg, but as we know, playing bottom of the league is a no-win scenario for a Champions League team.
There will be a hangover from that 4-0 defeat, one which will be allowed to fester for a fortnight. Think what you will of Celtic, but the prospect of travelling to Glasgow in two weeks will not be relished in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Before heading off for the Great Scottish Run yesterday I read through the donations to the Celtic Foundation. There’s nothing more effective than putting the wind at your back than knowing a lot of people put whatever they could afford into supporting the Foundation’s cause.
It was a brilliant day. The green competitors’ t-shirts with the Foundation’s Health, Equality, Learning and Poverty written across the back were storming through the streets of Glasgow in force. Well done to all.
Thanks to everyone who supported all of us. The MyDonation’s page hasn’t closed, yet, but this will be the last call, honestly!
Thanks also the lady who while out pushing a go-chair with her child in town yesterday, took off my shoe and bent back my toe. Over and above the call of duty – but it was that kind of day.
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So wee Karamoko Dembele is on all the back pages this morning after his 9 minute cameo for the Under 20 team last night! Probably rightly so, but probably mainly because it’s a slow news day because of the international break.
The bhoy is a prodigious talent and I sincerely hope he makes it and breaks Jack Aitchinsons record as the youngest ever player and goalscorer for Celtic. But let’s not get carried away just yet. Plenty of emerging talents have fallen by the wayside before – Isalm Feruz being the most recent.
I’m old enough to remember the Quality St Gang. OK, we got McGrain, Macari, Wilson, Dalgleish and Hay. And George Connelly for a while; and Vic Davidson also stayed around for a bit. But we lost Tony McBride, Pat McMahon, John Gorman, Davie Cattanach and Jimmy Quinn. Brian McLaughlin had his career ruined by injury; a similar fate befell John Kennedy. Bothe immensely talented individuals but never reached the heights.
Later on Danny Crainie never fulfilled potential; Liam Miller took the Yankee Dollar (ok, the Manc Pound) and never re-surfaced. Amongst many others, Jaimie McQuilken, Davie Elliot, Michael McGlinchey and Ross Wallace were all young lads destined to make the grade; very few of them made an impact on the first team and some have made “journey-men” careers for themselves.
So wee Dembele is at the embryonic stage of a promising career but let’s put it in perspective and say he’s a “mibbe” just now and watch his progress without any great expectation at the moment!
Hopefully he will be one of the exceptions!
FAC the Act
KTF
De mortuis nihil nisi bonum
Blaming RD for our perceived failures under him is just making excuses.
He didn’t throw away good leads in Europe,for instance.
VFR
I am certain SFTB was having a wee dig at those who had previously described James Forrest in such a fashion,
JJ
Hot Smoked on 4th October 2016 10:28 am
I am thinking in a similar fashion, but just wanted to be sure it was irony! That’s why I asked the question.
FAC the Act
KTF
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 10:25 AM
De mortuis nihil nisi bonum
Blaming RD for our perceived failures under him is just making excuses.
He didn’t throw away good leads in Europe,for instance.
============================================================
Et tu , Bobby ?
He was a disastrous coach.
He cost us squillions of pound notes which ,for one , might have been used to retain the services of Virgil .
And that`s why he`s gone.
Where does the buck stop in the rest of the footballing world ?
He has been snapped up by precisely whom ?
So League cup semi final is weekend after CL home BMG
and if we get to the final it is after home CL to Barca
Wonder who dreamed up those dates with
Sheep Tarts and hoops in Europe and an obvious omission
VFR- P67 tweeting last night, he will post about Dembele later, and we won’t like it…..another Feruz possibly
Ronny Deila was not an unqualified success ; neither was he an unqualified failure…….unless, of course, you work in the Scottish Media.
JJ
JC2
Obviously a Tympathiser. Otherwise, we would have been playing the LC tie after our furthest away game in Europe 0:-)
JJ
!!Bada Bing!! on 4th October 2016 10:39 am
I saw that on read-back. There’s a lot of time in the next 2 or 3 years for his head to be turned.
I did read somewhere that Newcastle came a-calling and he told his parents he would stop playing if he had to leave Celtic. Hopefully that ethos remains.
If he looks at the differing attitudes of Islam Feruz, who went for the money, leaving Celtic; and Moussa Dembele who rejected the money, coming to Celtic then I hope he chooses the latter as a role model!
FAC the Act
KTF
What is Karamoko`s background? As far as I can see, he does not yet have a Wikipedia page.
JJ
PS Admittedly based on a few You Tube viewings but my impression was that Karamoko doesn`t look all that enthusiastic . Is his head already elsewhere? If so, that is understandable in one so young.
!!Bada Bing!!
Disney sound good!
But if he’s for the off why play him at all?
Even if he is a13 year old prodigy.
Disney make sense tae me.
Options : a quid now or pie in the sky later.
Gimme da munny.
Such is life.
Ronny made 30,000 Celtic fans disappear oot they’re seats!
I’d say that that defines him as a failure.
But,…..but,…..but,….
Ronny has captured the fans attention to the degree that, he’s made the easily gulled Celtic supporters forget all about, who brought him in and, fall for the ‘planted’ mantra that, Chris Sutton was a soup taker!
Big Chris Sutton was 100% on the ball!
Ronny was dick who was recruited by dicks – simples.
Ye see, Ronny had come from nowhere and, went back to nowhere.
LG was asked on Sportscene about the improvement that RD had made to his game ?
LG looked puzzled before answering – “Ronny hisny improved me – it’s John Collins who has improved me!”
Johnny ‘the clique smasher’ Collins – CSC
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 4th October 2016 10:31 am
I agree with you in general that Ronny Deila was a failure at Celtic despite 2 League Championships.
However, the players have to take some responsibility for the poor performances, especially against Malmo and Maribor – where VVD incidentally played all 4 games.
The money wouldn’t have kept VVD – he was determined to move to the EPL and Jason Denayer had no long term intentions for Celtic either.
We now have a group of players who WANT to play for Celtic and their performances evidence that.
RD couldn’t foster that attitude; Brendan Rodgers does. For that, we should be thankful.
FAC the Act.
KTF
Anyway,…..Brendan’s here so,….enjoy the ride.
Would Celtic have appointed Brendan Rogers if the huns hadn’t been promoted?
I suspect not.
….next-time……
67 heaven
sound post.:-):-)
Is This latest echo being serenaded
doonstairs?
:-)
67HEAVEN .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I AM WEE OSCAR…… IPOX BELONGS TO THE CREDITORS
on 3RD OCTOBER 2016 7:10 PM
My rendition of Grace, for the ‘purification of your soles’ ….. get it learned, and let’s make it our Paradise Anthem …
. https://youtu.be/G6Oi7CdBc78
Hail hail
VFR
I don’t think that you can say that Moussa Dembele moving to Celtic was rejecting the money.
It is a sensible move by his agent, to increase the income he will receive from his client over his entire career and not just a one off payment.
Dembele will leave Celtic one day, possibly as soon as next summer, or more likely the one after. He will have improved his technique in that time, will be more experienced, and as a result his value (in the sense of his wage earning power) will have increased.
The experience Dembele is gaining with us, including Champions League games, will mean he will earn many times the money that an Islam Feruz, or even a Liam Miller, will earn during his career.
Moving to Celtic was chasing the money. In a smart way.
ernie lynch
Would Brendan have accepted the job if the huns hadn`t been promoted?
Would we have sold so many tickets if the huns hadn`t been promoted?
Who knows?
JJ
AN TEARMANN on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 11:05 AM
It’s too niche a song to be a football anthem. The subject matter and mood make it suitable for times when you’re getting gubbed and have lost hope, or are cruising to an easy win. It’s never going to be a rousing song to spur the players on to greater efforts. It has its part in the repertoire, but that’s it.
Hunderbirds
Moussa moving to Celtic suggests that he/his agent has given thought to the longer term career of the player. I don`t think I would call that ` chasing the money`.
Anyway, Moussa MIGHT grow to love it at Celtic and stay forever!
Failing that, he MIGHT be a one season wonder !
Let`s enjoy it while he is playing well and let the future reveal what it does,
JJ
HOT SMOKED on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 11:07 AM
No.
and
No.
Have the huns actually made any difference to the standard of football or the degree of competitiveness in the league? No. But it’s all about perception. The myth of The Old Firm.
ernie
I listened to the song yesterday ( I had never heard it before) and came to roughly the same conclusion as your good self in terms of it never being a football song ( even whilst being gubbed or cruising).
JJ
Players don’t always follow the advice of their agents
Wasn’t Forrest the player that barely kicked a ball in months under PL’s appointee Ronny Delia?
Wasn’t Forrest’s Ibrox following agent unavailable for talks about a new contract?
What other clubs came in for Forrest?
Brendan Rodgers saw a player in Forrest and offered him a deal, Forrest is taking that opportunity fair enough.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if the parasites at the top of the Scottish game were made personally liable for their greed, by some form of Strict Liability?
Take personal action against the silent few who have allowed the same club myth to be perpetuated in pursuit of the bigot pound!
Now that would be Karma:))
Duty Calls
ERNIE LYNCH on 4th October 2016 11:03 am
Would Ernie Lynch be happy if Ronny was still here to give him something else to moan about?
I suspect he would!
FAC the Act
KTF
ernie at 11:14
I would rather discuss `perception and `reality` over a pint than on here.
JJ
Hunderbirds are Gone on 4th October 2016 11:06 am
Moussa Dembele could have gone to an EPL or European team this in January or in the summer window for much more money.
He chose getting playing time and winning trophies. Ultimately it should increase his value and earning potential.
That notwithstanding, he chose to reject the lure of money at an early stage in his career. I see that as a positive action, not as a cynical manipulation of future earnings.
Hey, ho – I’m an optimist!
FAC the Act
KTF
VFR
Are you aware that we have actually met?
JJ
VFR800A8 on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 11:20 AM
ERNIE LYNCH on 4th October 2016 11:03 am
‘Would Ernie Lynch be happy if Ronny was still here to give him something else to moan about?’
##
No I wouldn’t.
I though RD was a dud from the off. But I never once criticised him on here. Not once. He was doing his best in difficult circumstances. Those who deserved criticism were the people who appointed him.
I assume you agree that BR would not have been appointed if the huns hadn’t been promoted.
VFR800A8 on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 10:57 AM
Absolutely.
The only issue is to recognise a failure , to take action and to learn from it.
For me , his inadequacy was obvious very early in the piece . Maybe 3 months in. ( Viz. P.F. Ayr and W.I.T.S. )
Action should have been taken long before it was and thus the Board have to accept full responsibility for their dereliction of duty and the two years of dramatically reduced income.
Virgil ?
I suspect he may have stayed.
Based exclusively on my opinion.
:-)
Hunderbirds.
That’s correct mate. Brendan said as much himself recently and referenced Dembele’s agent as “a smart guy”.
Some footballers break the mould though: Larsson, was one, who did exactly what he said he’d do.
The greatest, James McGrory was another.
I suspect our young left back is of the same Celtic mind.
ernie lynch on 4th October 2016 11:11 am
AN TEARMANN on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 11:05 AM
It’s too niche a song to be a football anthem. The subject matter and mood make it suitable for times when you’re getting gubbed and have lost hope, or are cruising to an easy win. It’s never going to be a rousing song to spur the players on to greater efforts. It has its part in the repertoire, but that’s it.
__________________________________________________
Bah! Humbug! Ernie the eternal pessimist and merchant of doom!
The singing of Grace at recent games has been phenomenal, particularly last Wednesday night. As more people learn the words and join in, it will become even better.
I can imagine the young Ernie Lynch (was there ever one?) listening to YNWA and telling all and sundry: “nah, it’ll never catch on!”.
FAC the Act
KTF
MACJAY
RD was appointed above his own capability. The reasons for which are a mystery to me,but not to some of the power brokers.
I won’t condemn him for the failure of others,who seem to have survived criticism-free.
Hot Smoked on 4th October 2016 11:24 am
VFR
Are you aware that we have actually met?
JJ
_________________________________________________
No, I wasn’t!
You will need to enlighten me.
FAC the Act
KTF
Ernie
Is that the unions cultural view? :-)
HH