Token of a wretched campaign

259

If ever 90 minutes told the story of a season, it was last night in Dingwall.  A miserable team, bottom of the league and who sacked the manager that won at Celtic Park in November, took to the field with a cunning masterplan: put numbers behind the ball and wait for a set piece.

Ross County’s goal was exasperating.  Diego Laxalt did not get close enough to Jordan White to impede the striker’s movement, perhaps taking lessons from the lumbering Tom Rogic, who was equally lax at a first half corner that went unpunished.  The speed of delivery caught Scott Brown cold as White rose behind him to score the only goal of the game.

Despite Celtic enjoying the vast majority of the ball and territorial advantage, County could consider themselves unlucky not to be ahead at the break, after Spittal’s shot was stopped by Scott Bain pulling off the finest save of the game.

Eduard and Christie both had gilt-edged chances before that to put Celtic ahead but neither troubled the keeper.  Both are stalling on a contract offer and will hope prospective employers were busy watching something else on TV last night.

The only consolation is that this wretched league campaign will be over soon.  Well done to John Hughes and his County players, never short of endeavour.

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  1. Bhoy From The Boyne on

    I doubt NL is hanging around as a favour to PL/DD, given he told Sportsound last night he thinks he can rebuild the club next summer.

     

     

    Not the words of somebody who wanted to quit.

  2. BHOY FROM THE BOYNE on 22ND FEBRUARY 2021 3:45 PM

     

    I doubt NL is hanging around as a favour to PL/DD, given he told Sportsound last night he thinks he can rebuild the club next summer.

     

     

    Not the words of somebody who wanted to quit.

     

     

    ————-

     

     

    maybe he is to be the mythical all powerful Director of Football.

  3. Unfortunately, SG has proven to be a better manager than I thought when he joined them. He’s definitely getting performances from his players that Neil Lennon is not able to match. I don’t think they have better players than us, far from it, but collectively they are a much stronger team on the park. It’s really just about shape and effort. In addition, the players need to respect the manager and do what he tells them when they get out there.

     

     

    Our problem is that either the coaching team are not coaching the players well enough (Lenny seems to think that is not the issue), or the players have just given up. Individually, we can look at the players yesterday and see a lot of commitment, but there’s no team cohesiveness and no shape, either when we’re attacking or defending. There’s anxiety and lack of confidence all over. This is something Lenny should be dealing with.

     

     

    We can’t blame just the Board, or Lenny or the players – it’s the club that’s sick, from top to bottom. The CEO has been fixed and I have no problem with the way this is being done. The Board have not acted to replace Lenny, and that is a big problem. The players should be ashamed of the way they have let the fans down this year. At the moment, I would be focused on holding onto Ajer, Callum and Eddy, and building around them. The rest can easily be replaced. The problem for us as fans is that there is no mid-season solution in sight. This is going to drag on for the remainder of the season and next year is going to be another tough one as the new manager takes time to build his squad and re-energise the club.

  4. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

     

     

    ‘Sigh, to go back to those days and some of those posters.’-

     

     

    yes, a return to the Generation of Domination is long overdue.

  5. “AN DÚN on 22ND FEBRUARY 2021 12:17 PM

     

    I do find myself wondering how bad things have to get before p67 calls for the removal of the manager ?

     

    Seriously, how bad ?”

     

     

    “ST TAMS on 22ND FEBRUARY 2021 12:27 PM

     

    Still no call for the manager to be sacked Paul !!!”

     

     

    Why do you two need Paul to support your respective views?

  6. lets all do the huddle on

    sevco only had 1 scottish player in their outfield 10 starting line up yesterday

     

     

    we had 6

     

     

    just saying like

  7. The only consolation is that this wretched league campaign will be over soon.

     

     

    are E. Howe and HIS coaching staff still looking for employment.

  8. someone remember to tell Lenny to pick up all those playing cards lying all over the floor and to put the lights out.

  9. Bhoy From The Boyne on

    ONENIGHTINLISBON on 22ND FEBRUARY 2021 2:34 PM

     

     

    Can only speculate why the current custodians have been so negligent and complacent.

     

     

    Certainly interviews with PL / DD over the years suggest they highly value the ‘old firm’ brand.

     

    It’s certainly plausible.

     

     

    My guess though is that Celtic Football Club is not the greatest priority to DD. He has been happy to keep it ticking along without loss until an opportunity presents itself to leave the confines of domestic scottish football. Pie in the sky stuff of course but he simply does not care for the club to same extent as the fans….

     

     

    A couple of prominent fan podcasters with historical business dealings with the club have suggested the PL micro manages all aspects of the club. He has been generously compensated to the tune of £18m in his 17 odd years of employment.

     

     

    It would suggest to me that it has not been in PL’s personal interest to have made the necessary structural changes this past decade to allow the football club maximise its full potential. To do so, which would mean relinquishing some control and his salary compensation presumably.

     

     

    Just my opinion of course and nothing that hasn’t been said a thousand times by other posters these past years.

     

     

    If rumours are true re: DOF search underway, then the board might finally be gearing up to make the changes they should have made 7-8 years ago. Dominic McKay doesn’t sound like the type of guy who will run the club in same fashion as PL based on his SRU record. Reading Bankier’s interim results statement last week, he talks of changes within European football and the club are preparing changes in preparation for this.

     

     

    Hopefully that signals a new dawn for the club with new CEO, DOF/Head coach and complete overhaul of entire football operations department. Better late than never.

  10. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    In 76-77 we won the league by 9 points, and the following year we finished 19 points behind, so a gain of

     

     

    -28 points on the ole Swingometer.

     

     

    Desmond White went home and treated himself to a heated bus stop outside his front door.

     

     

    DBBIA /PeterSnowCSC

  11. I don`t know if we have better players than Sevco but I do know that their players are playing better than ours.

     

    Cheerio for now.

  12. Pure random through away fact for the day.

     

     

    Desmond White for the Queens Park goalkeeper on the day that James McGrory scored his last goal for Celtic

     

     

    notalottofpeopleknowthatcsc

  13. Old firm then, old firm now, old firm forever

     

     

    ————————————————

     

     

    The Loving Cup Ceremony at Ibrox in January 1982.

     

     

    The Toast to Her Majesty the Queen was proposed by Celtic Chairman Desmond White, pictured with the Rangers directors holding the cup.

     

     

    The news article states that ‘Mr. White sang God Save The Queen with great gusto.’

     

     

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DloS1zBXoAASqEc?format=jpg&name=medium

  14. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Ole Des, mental Sex Pistols fan.

     

     

    Had ‘Sid’ tattooed on one set of knuckles, and ‘Nancy ‘ on the other.

  15. The worst ever combination is arrogance and incompetence, this is shown by our club, particular Lenny.

     

    Has he not an ounce of decency, if he had he’d be gone last October or earlier. It’s obvious that despite his protestations he cares nothing for our club.

     

    All very well being sentimental, but I kinda like when in The godfather or Sopranos, when they ” wack” somebody, it’s never personal, just business.

     

    Our club is run by people who treat us like idiots and sadly we are if we take up season tickets again. The galling thing is to me, that the only people who love Celtic are us. The board and Lenny and his useless crew don’t give a monkeys.

     

    Any respect I had for Lenny has totally gone, never to return, such a shame.

     

     

    SCHUMMI

  16. The question is .

     

    Why is Paul not calling for managers head , like the VAST majority of fans are.

  17. I’m not really sure the argument we have better players than Sevco holds up anymore. How can it?

     

     

    Taking off the spectacles for one minute, if Slippy had the choice of any of our players right now, who do you think he would take?

  18. Damage reduction now.Leave today please. We could lose more money because the managment have lost the players, we could lose quality players (we have them btw) and be fugged for years. The refs and cheats will find money and give them more titles.

  19. Sunday night in our house is always a family night having dinner and watching TV, all serious football matters have been done and dusted by late afternoon and last night was no different. I would never miss a Celtic game so recorded the match and when all had departed to the leaba sat down to watch into the early hours.

     

     

    It was hardly worth the effort as what followed could only be described as puke football. Ross did not want to play and Celtic didn’t want to score, dreadful stuff. Only Barcelona in their pomp could ticy tacky through a defence, why do Celtic persist with this tactic when faced with massive traffic. Calmac had a good game and Diego made some good breaks when he came on and could not be the only one to blame for the goal.

     

     

    All of a sudden Hibs are appearing on the horizon and if they win the match in hand Celtic will be in their sights for that second Champions League spot.

  20. onenightinlisbon on

    HANKRAY on 22ND FEBRUARY 2021 4:52 PM

     

     

    Jack Ross will be offered the managers job then….

  21. 67 European Cup Winners on

    Lots of sensible comments on here – all speculative as none of us know what’s going on – but our collective knowledge of Celtic allows us to try and make sense of our predicament

     

     

    My own view is that NL is here until the league is lost or the end of the season

     

    For whatever reason

     

    I believe (hope) we have a few things lined up (not just a Manager)

     

    PL announcement followed by McKay appointment is stage one

     

    We had to make it public (Plc and McKay notice period)

     

    But I think there is more

     

    A Director of Football – whoever he is – cannot come until the end of the season

     

    And he is is already talking to our next manager – whoever he is

     

    Our next Manager could be waiting until NL is gone or he too could be contracted till end of the season

     

     

    But I must believe work is advanced and this shambles is going to end soon

     

    I do not believe PL has just decided to Foxtrot Oscar

     

     

    BTW on another point I dont think NL cares anymore I also think that has hit the players

     

    NL has been picking debatable teams for months now Kennedy looks suicidal and Strachan plods on as if nothing is happening

     

     

    what a mess

     

     

    67ECW

     

     

    I really do believe that there are some on here that would do a better job

  22. onenightinlisbon on

    It’s not about people on here doing a better job but the fact that the guy in the job is garbage and has been allowed to continue to be so for such a long time.

  23. Whatever money is in the kitty should be used to get a top manager, and I mean a TOP manager.

     

    That would get success and get bums on seats , win win I say

     

     

     

     

    SCHUMMI

  24. ST TAMS on 22ND FEBRUARY 2021 4:49 PM

     

     

    The question is .

     

     

    Why is Paul not calling for managers head , like the VAST majority of fans are.

     

     

    __________________________________________________________________________

     

     

    To what end? Curry favour with like minded posters? I just don’t see that Paul67’s opinion is particularly important, the same as my opinion isn’t particularly important,

     

     

    This blog is just a meeting place for posters to share their thoughts on Celtic, Paul shares his thoughts with new articles, as to what those articles are about – who cares? As long as he keeps the blog open that will do for me👍

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