This season, Gary Hooper has looked well below form of last term; his touch, movement and goals record don’t match up, but he came off the bench on Thursday to score a truly excellent goal. Controlling a difficult ball in the centre circle, with defenders in close attendance, he picked out Giorgios Samaras before sprinting past his markers and finishing.
The winner against Motherwell was less spectacular but required sharp movement and spatial awareness.
Footballers cannot always play through bad form, sometimes they need a break, even for an hour on the bench, to get a different perspective on how they and the team play.
Despite his return to form I would retain the same 4-2-3-1 formation against Inverness next time out.
Issue 4 of CQN Magazine is out next week, let me know if you would like to advertise, celticquicknews@gmail.com.
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Thimboy 2
Corby does indeed have a large swathe of Huns..Equally we also have a large and vibrant Celtic support!!!
Would love to go to the game tonight but am working-Corby are in the F.A Cup 1st round on Saturday against Bristol Rovers
I have a feeling there may be a wee bit of Green and white on show tonight..:-)
p.s. go on you-tube and type in Corby Glasgow Rangers Supporters Club,possibly one of the scariest things you will ever see..The bar scene from Star Wars has nothing on this!!
ASonOfDan says:
8 November, 2011 at 13:59
I can understand the sense of frustration, anger and bewilderment should Phil’s article be accurate.
I can grasp that this would lead to many returning season tickets etc.
That’s not for me.
DD and PL are not and never will be what Celtic Football Club is all about.
We are, and Celtic dies only when we the paying supporters of the club, turn our backs on it.
Now is the time for Celtic fans to mobilise against the merest suggestion our board might acquiese in the Huns newco parachuting into the SPL.
What is the best way to get this message across to the board as forcefully as is necessary? I’m sure there are more than a few scribes on this site who could post a letter to the board on the net that can be printed off and sent by everyone who wants to, with their own name and address attached. They’d be inundated in no time.
Are the Green Brigade planning anything for the next home game?
I like the Man Utd fans’ idea to wear Green and Yellow scarves to protest about the Glazers’ ownership of the club. How about everyone against the boards’ possible intention to let THEM in, wears a green and red (one for all you Mayo lads out there) scarf to matches to give the board a visible idea of the strength of feeling?
I love Celtic. But if they let THEM back into the SPL with just a ten point punishment, then the board will be complicit in all their years of cheating. If it happens, there should be an FC Celtic playing in the Blue Square Premier within the year and leave the colluders to their bent SPL competition where they can be cheated out of titles for evermore.
DBBIA
On your head, mate!!
Just about to listen to one track.
See if I end up talking sheugh later….well you’ll know that everything is normal :-)
hail hail
Estadio
BontyBhoy, celtic40me
The boards position would become untenable they would have committed the worst betrayal since Judas. The club we love will no longer exist we will have been sold out for the modern equivalent of 30 pieces of silver. How any one could countenance supporting the remaining husk, which is all that would be left if the board actually do this, of a once great community / institution that was Celtic FC is beyond me.
It would no longer be the Celtic we support.
I hope it isn’t true but lets face it the current incumbents are not renowned for listening to the life blood of Celtic, the fans. We can all list various occasions where they have ignored us. Will they do the right thing this time?
I guess we will agree to disagree
Hail hail
Celtic were started for the poor in Glasgow of all denominations and could die for the same reason.
If the board support a slap on the wrist they will have trouble filling the dug out never mind the stands.
This artcile is alarming. Only Celtic could shoot themselves in the foot when their opponent was unarmed and lying blindfolded!
LB
weeminger says:
8 November, 2011 at 14:05
the whole article reads like a tabloid scoop, it’s very low on fact or even informed opinion, its totally based on information from an insider at celtic. it just doesnt ring true
doing a deal now makes no sense on so many levels.
Regardless of the moral justification, I have to say that I am surprised that so many excellent CQNers seemed to believe that there is any real possibility on NewGers being banished to the ole 3rd division.
Turkeys, Xmas, etc. Ain’t gonna happen.
On stories of a potential deal with Rangers Newco….
I’ve spoken to ‘sources very close to the club’. They are aware of the fans feelings on the matter. No deal has been done and I confident there is no chance of Celtic supporting any deal.
The Honest Cover-up says:
8 November, 2011 at 14:02
I couldnt agree more with your sentiments, I cannot believe that the board are so out of touch with the concensus on this issue that they will effectively liquidate Celtic by their actions.
This is a gut reaction on my part but I will never set foot in Celtic Park again after 40 odd years of following them home and away. I could never forgive them for throwing away the heritage and ethos that is our birth rite.
If anyone has email contact details of Ian Bankier or Peter Lawell I would be very grateful for the receipt
DBBIA ——
It will be preserved with care ——
”
Maybe , in time to come , I will be able to flog it on Ebay for big bucks to some Old Firm United completist [ Perfect condition -played once only ].
I highly recommend –
The Fame Studios Story 1961 -1973
StMichaelsBhoy2 – You seriously talking about organising a demonstration based on a rumour?
Estadio says:
8 November, 2011 at 14:06
You say it soooo much better than me, but I echo (I say echo, echo…) your sentiments.
Paul67 says:
8 November, 2011 at 14:10
God bless ye, sir.
pigalle
See a load of people questioning Phil’s recent inaccuracies, maybe someone can remind me about these, were they to do with pending court cases which although listed in the court register did not make court as agreement was reached, not sure why this would count as inaccurate, can someone expand please.
Imatim and so is Neil Lennon says:
re your point from yesterday about lacking players over six feet to man mark.
-> You are absolutely correct. Our team are too small. We cannot compete with top european sides in terms of skill, but height and strength are variables we can control. More and more goals are coming from set pieces. (2009 – approx 40% of epl goals came from set piece!!) In the last 5 years, the figure has not gone below 30% odf all goals.
If so many scoring opportunites are available from throw ins/corners/free kicks etc, then why are we not building a team that can take advantage of this? Surely a long throw expert, and a number of big guys is the quickest (and cheapest!) way to close the gap on the big guns. Look at stoke city in england – they hold their own in the league, and qualified for europe by doing just this. Additionally, if so many opportunities are available for the opposition, we need (NEED) to make sure that we have enough air power to defend against these teams. Every SPL team plays a big striker against us…. every week. So why does this not dictate what kind of athlete we put up against them?
This might sound dramatic, but it is true. Gordon Strachan undid MON’s work in that respect, and brought in too many small guys. He got results, but despite his strategy. (remember his ’7 dwarves’ quote at the man utd game? Well… you bought those guys Gordon.
Things are slowly changing at the club, but not enough. the U19 team last night lacked the usual scrawny midgets (“talented but tiny”) that we always used to see in celtic reserve/age group sides. The Young Hoops had a few tall blokes (a bit skinny, but just due to age) and quite a lot of powewr in the team. At senior level Neil has signed guys like Mulgrew (“good athlete” -neil’s words) and Wanyama- who frankly the rest of the team should look at and think “… i want to look like him…” ie: players who are tall enough, strong enough and athletic enough to compete at top level football.
pulis gets it right at Stoke, it is about controlling the variables that we can control. We might not be the most skillfull team in Euroipe, but we can be one of the fittest, one of the biggest, one of the strongest.
Good Afternoon.
Back in the schooldays, some boys were afraid of bullies. That being so, one boy in particular, would pay one of the bigger boys for “protection” and in that way ensured that he was never bothered again. Soon others decided to seek the protection of the same boy and it was in this way that “Billy Boy” became aware of his own strength and developed a reputation.
Billy Boy– the name is innocent enough. Yet Billy Boy’s physique continued to develop to the extent that he merely had to look at some of the locals in a slightly threatening way and they got the message that they should back off. One day, while working on a local farm, Billy Boy saw the owner’s son take off his belt and mercilessly lash a twelve year old with it. Billy didn’t know what to do about this and so went and told some of his friends what he had seen and soon it became clear to one and all that he had seen the belt incident— and had talked. Within a day or two he was confronted by the owners son about why he had told everyone about the belt whipping. When Billy Boy denied that he had told anyone about the incident, the owner’s son threatened him and hinted that he might be taking his belt off again– this time to use it on Billy Boy. In response, Billy Boy drew himself up top his full height, and suggested that it would be a good idea if the guy just kept his belt where it was and used it solely for the purposes of keeping his britches up! Billy Boy was not the most educated or eloquent but his meaning was clear. The belt stayed buckled!
That was the last time Billy Boy worked on that farm– in fact that was the last time he would work on any farm because quite clearly trouble was coming somewhere down the line. Whatsmore, he had already had some unexpected trouble with a 300 hundred pound pig! The Hog was a nasty ill tempered beast,but that did not stop Billy Boy tormenting it with a stick on occcasion. He would prod it and poke it and get it mad– all from the safety point of outside the pig pen. However one day, Billy Boy started annoying the pig without realising that the pen had been left open. This time in response to the torment, the Pig charged out of its pen and made straight for Billy Boy with the intent of doing some tormenting of its own. Billy Boy did the only sensible thing you can do when you are faced with a 300 hundred pound angry hog– he ran like hell. Ran as fast and as far as he could. Regrettably in his haste to escape the oncoming pig he fell and badly damaged his arm. He managed to rise and get away, escaping the pig, but the damage to the arm was bad and in fact it would never heal properly.
It was against this background that a 15 year old Billy Boy left his home and family by bus with a view to avoiding any more farm trouble at the hands of landowners belt weilding children or rampaging pigs. He would never return to farm life and instead he sought a life elsewhere without the hassle. He found a job in a factory working for Coca Cola–although he would not stick that for too long either. He didn’t really like it there.Iin fact he didn’t really like the city! So he moved on again– yet another journey by bus– to another city which this time he would make his lifelong home.
And he would change his name. He would no longer be Billy Boy. Instead he would gain fame– or perhaps noteriety–as Smokin Joe!
Joseph William ” Billy Boy” Frazier was born on farmland in Laurel Bay, Beaufort, South Carolina on 12th January 1944. He would find fame and fortune as a Heavyweight Boxer at a time when the fight game was at its zenith in the heavyweight division– although a careful examiniation of his actual fights shows that his was a career that was more carefully stage managed than one might imagine. He fought professionally for 11 years, and fought only twice in between beating Ali in the fight of the century at Madison Square Garden on 8th March 1971 and losing to George Foreman in Kingston Jamaica on 22nd January 1973. The opponents,Terry Daniels and Ron Stander, whome he beat by TKO in January and May 1972 respectively, were perhaps not the ideal preparation for meeting Big George at the height of his ” Big Bad George” era.
There is no doubt that Frazier was a fearsome fighter, with the heart of a lion, brave as they come, with that damaged left arm permenantly “cocked” to deliver that thunderous left hook. He had come through the ranks very quickly after winning the Gold Medal in the heavyweight division at the 1964 Olympics. He hadn’t meant to be in the Olympics at all and only travelled to Tokyo as a reserve to Buster Mathis who had defeated Frazier in the Olympic trials. However, Mathis damaged his thumb in an exhibition match with Frazier and so it was Billy Boy who represented the USA when the games got underway.
After those geames he quickly progressed up the professuional ranks and when Ali was stripped of his title he had won 14 straight contests including a win over Oscar Bonavena the tough Argentine ( who would go on to own the best little whorehouse in Texas! ) and perhaps the most impressive fight Frazier ever had– the 4th round TKO of the extremely tough Canadian George Chuvalo who had never been stopped by anyone and who would eventually retire from the ring without ever being knocked down despite facing all of the big hitters. That was a real result.
When Ali was stripped of the title, The New York Boxing Board arranged a decider between Joe and old foe Buster Mathis which Joe easily won by knockout in the 11th. By 1970 he had defeated Jimmy Ellis– Like Ali from Louisville Kentucky for the undisputed title. Ellis had won an elimination contest among 8 other boxers for one version of the title– a contest which Frazier had refused to take part in on the advice of managers Yank Durham and Eddie Futch. Ellis could not continue at the start of the 5th round. That was february 1970. He would have one more fight– in November 1970– against light heavyweaight champion Bob Foster (TKO round 5 ) before meeting Ali for the first time the following March.
Of course it is the rivalry with Ali that became the great focus of Fraziers career and this was mutch to Joe’s detriment. It overshadowed everything else that he achieved in Boxing and I for one think that this is most unfair.
Far more could have been done to enhance Joe’s career but he was managed by the Cloverleaf consortium who would stage and manage all of his fights and look after his wealth– a wealth that he would ultimately lose much of and so be forced into numerous legal battles with former advisers and agents. His management steered him to the titles and avoided some of the pitfalls that both a young and later an ageing Joe might have faced along the way. In My opinion this deprived Joe of several big name scalps.
For example he never stepped into the ring with Zora Foley, Ernie Terell, Henry Cooper, Cleveland Williams or Floyd Patterson in coming up the ranks. He may well have beaten all of these fighters but the risk was never taken by his management. Similarly, after winning the title he avoided the likes of Ken Norton and the dangerous Ernie Shavers, let alone the up and comimg Larry Holmes.
By the time Big Bad George lost to Ali in Kinshasa, George was already into his 41st pro fight. He would retire eventually after an incredible 81 fights ( admittedly with a load of bums on the guest list– and a lot of noteable names missing like Holmes and Shavers for example ). Ali would fight a total of 61 times with the three and a half year lay off at his peak ( March 67 -Oct 1970 ) and had fought 5 times in 1966 and had had two bouts by March 67 ( Terrell and Foley ). It could not be said that Ali had avoided anyone– although it could be argued that there are a few later ones he should have!
By Contrast Frazier fought a total of just 37 times including only twice after the Thriller in Manilla including an ill fated return to the ring in 1981 against Jumbo Cummings. The other fight was a rematch against Big Bad George which no one ever remembers and where George despatched him in 5 rounds!
As I say all of this leaves a focus on the bitter rivalry with Ali. Yet that relationship did not start out as any kind of rivalry at all. Frazier had actively campaigned for Ali’s legal reinstatement to Boxing and had signed petitions to President Nixon in connection with the same. Further, while Ali was still banned and Frazier held one version of the title the two had travelled across parts of America together by car campaigning together and joking about how the two would square up in a fight. Frazier would claim that Ali had never faced anyone who would come forward and in as quickly as Frazier– Ali would counter that he could come in all he wanted but he ( Ali ) would not be there as Frazier had never faced anyone who moved away and countered so quickly!
Ali undoubtedly overdid the “ugly” jibes and the “Uncle Tom” references over the years and I would have to say that this was not a pleasant side to the Ali legend. However the fact remains that of the great fighters of the time Frazier was “managed” far more than others yet was far less willing to play his part or come to terms with his given persona in the media merrygoround.
He was not as menacing and gangsterlike as Sonny Liston. Not as Brooding as Big Bad George– who after a years long sulk reinvented himself as the happiest smiling big old Boxer the world ever did see! And he was never going to be as charasmatic as the Louisville Lip who went on to be the most famous face on the planet– famous for Boxing, wit, humour, poetry, politics, religeon and in Joe’s eyes for his barbs against Joe and for beating Joe twice.
In Joe’s eyes– Joe lost to Ali and Joe lost to George.
Yet there was far more to Joe than this. There should have been more fights early on to reflect on and build a career. There should have been more money– but he was robbed of that– and there should have been a honing of the personality of a genuinely good and nice man. Instead Joe became bitter– especially towards Ali. He would say there was no problem at one moment and at another make it plain that he hated Ali and the mention of his name. That attitude grabbed attention– it maybe even made money!
Personally, I have always believed that the worst thing that ever happened to Joe Frazier was the fact that Ali succumbed to Parkinsons. This robbed both Ali and Joe of that most persuasive of voices. It robbed both of Ali’s ability to hold an audience outside the ring for a prolonged period of time and to make it plain to the whole world that all that Gorilla stuff was just promo material. Compare the relationship between Borg and McEnroe today to the pair at their zenith. The one time Superbrat openly holds Borg up as his one time all time hero, and Borg openly talks about how his former rival played a huge part in bringing him out of severe depression after he had lost both marriage and fortune. That respect and friendship is aired publicly and often. Not so with Frazier and Ali. Ali is not the talkshow draw anymore and Frazier was never that personality.
Ali openly became friends with and laid compliments on “our ‘Enery” who also dumped him on his ass with a left hook, and would discuss that on TV shows. Such attempts were less successful with Joe.
In one documentary, the extent of Joe’s bitterness was revealed by a one time colleague calling Joe’s mobile just to let the public hear Joe’s voice message. Referring to Ali’s difficulties with Parkinsons, you heard Joe’s voice saying:
” Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee?
Look at him now- well that was me!”
Yet there is little doubt that was not the real Joe Frazier. That was just a man who was wounded by the fact that others in boxing, others in his own camp, had let him down and had left him with a public legacy which was far inferior to his own personal talent and to his own sense of decency. In many ways Joe Frazier was too nice a man to be a Boxer at all– he was not equipped for the dirty tricks needed for outside the ring!
Away from the public eye, Joe Frazier was an extremely good father,ensuring an education for his kids ( his daughter became his Lawyer ), was a very generous man to his friends and who raised a lot of money for charity. However deep down he was still Billy Boy—- the big strong lump of a boy who stood up for others against bullies and who made sure that a farmers son called Bellamy knew when to keep his pants on and keep his belt to himeslf!
By the way– the Bullies and the Farmer’s son were both White and standing up to them in the late ’50′s and early
’60′s down in South Carolina showed a bravery which was not protected by the Queensbury rules.
Joe Frazier aka Billy Boy– Heavyweight Boxing champion and anything but an “Uncle Tom”.
I agree with the 4-2-3-1 formation. I think it is a strong formation to play and one that maximises efforts both in defence and attack.
This should be the team against ICT
_______________________Forster_________________________
Cha________Majstorovic___________Wanyama_______Matthews
________________Kayal___________Ki_____________________
Forrest_________________Samaras_________________McCourt
_______________________Stokes_________________________
I think Wanyama is doing a great job in midfield. Very strong on the ball and good in the tackle. He is also good in the air.
When everyone is fit and ready to play Neil Lennon is going to have a massive headache.
Here is the players to come back!
Scott Brown (want rid of – doesnt strengthen the team and I reckon his heart lies elsewhere)
Mulgrew
Izaguirre
Kelvin Wilson
Mark Wilson
Commons (back but not match fit)
Where is El Kaddouri? Is he injured also?
Paul67:
Thank you for clarifying that mate. Years of prudence all point towards one conclusion … that the people in charge of our club are fortifying us to withstand the financial effects of our rivals suffering a negative outcome.
No other scenario makes a bit of sense. Certainly we did not do it just to fortify ourselves against a negative fan response when we bale them out of their self inflicted hole.
I think we have smarter people in charge than that.
Paul
Let’s hope so.
oglach says:
8 November, 2011 at 14:09
lets just see before we start comparing them to judas.
one thing that’s for sure is that phil’s done well out of the whole thing. even if the board do the right thing he’ll say it was because the fans made them change their mind.
Rangers looking at O’Connor to replace Jelavic
There’s another rumour from the higher echelons of rumours
celticrumours
James Forrest / Moonbeams
In best Liverpudlian accent…
..calm down calm down calm down
..not worth it guys, life’s too short,
So we have a choice. Believe Paul or Phil.
I know who my money is on being correct in this instance.
Paul67 says:
8 November, 2011 at 14:10
thank you.
RogueLeader says:
8 November, 2011 at 14:15
Who?
weeminger
Having thought about Phil and what has been happening to him recently I tend to agree with you that he may have been a tad over anxious with this blog.
There are people within CP who have no love for him, and for him to be discredited is as good a way as any.
All the board have to do is vote no, the rest of the spl will vote yes, problem solved.
I was reading Phil Mac Giolla Bhain’s article earlier and while it wouldn’t totally surprise me if his claims are true, I think he is playing Devil’s Advocate with this one.
Having read Phil’s book and his blog for some time I think it’s safe to say he has better placed sources at Poundland than he does at Celtic Park. But I appreciate where he is coming from and this may be a good way of alerting our support to the worst case scenario should the worst case scenario at Poundland arise.
We could discuss the possibilities on the internet, and we are, but anyone with strong feelings on the subject would be better off writing to Celtic and letting those in charge know that their support of the club will be withdrawn should Phil’s claims come to pass.
Providing you feel strongly enough about it of course. I know I do.
VP – Our host
Paul67,
That is the best news I have had today.
Does anyone have an email address for Lawwell?
Every Celtic fan against us supporting the huns years of cheating and financial doping which cost our club tens of millions should send him an email stating their view.
I understand there may be no truth in Phil’s article, indeed it may have been written with the intention of provoking the reaction we’re seeing, irrespective this is not the time to wait and see, give them a chance. I have been a STRONG supporter of our financial prudence. Celtic supporting rfc in this would be a slap in the face to each and every one of us, even more so for the board apologists (myself included) who have continually supported our own failed strategy.
I’m as angry as Mr Angry on an angry day, and it is just a rumour at this point. Phil has been wrong before, but this is very very worrying indeed.
If the board and PL support thei cheating I will never contribute financially to Celtic again. There will tens of thousands like me.
hh
bjmac
Dougie Bhoy says:
8 November, 2011 at 13:21
ernie lynch says:
8 November, 2011 at 13:07
‘My point was that we only had ourselves to blame for throwing away our winning position. The refrerees had no bearing on that.
Do you agree?’
No.
If the refereeing had been fair the league would have been over by the time we played ICT, so the result woul have been irrelevant.
Pigalle :-)
Brogan Rogan, I’ve bookmarked that for later.
James Forrest, difficult times ahead but one thing I can absolutely assure you of: Celtic have received and understood the message on this issue.
TBB, celtic40me, cheers.
Parkheadcumsalford, indeed.
LuxCelt says:
What about Barca, i think most of their team is under 5 10″ and the worlds best player is 5’7″. Don’t Barca rip most other teams, full of huge players, apart? It is skill not height we need a combination of both would be good also. Could Barca operate in the SPL without having the bejaysus kicked out of them now that is a different discussion.
Brutal Well – can’t deny Celtic
Paul67
Let’s hope your info is correct.
Paul67, music to my ears your last post! Let’s hope you’re right.
That said, I don’t think we can entirely rule out the possibility that Phil may be on to something; no telling what might happen should the Huns eventually meet their demise, with media campaigns to ‘save the new rangers’ in full tilt and the possibility of tv deals and suchlike being cancelled.
At the very least I’d imagine we were well placed to ride out the storm of Rangers going under. Then its up to Scottish football to reinvent itself.
Paul67- thanks for that post. I very, very much hope your source is on the money.
cheers