You will note the most right-winged, left-wing government in history was yesterday resisting attempts to repeal the Offensive Behaviour Act. The Act was sheer populist electioneering by Alex Salmond, who decided after watching several Rangers players dismissed at the end of a game at Celtic Park that something should be done about the 60,000 spectators who attended the game, and its aftermath, left the stadium in an orderly manner.
Football was well covered by policing and the existing legal framework, but Christine Graham MSP hoped to “equalise” non-criminal behaviour at football, specifically by Celtic fans, with criminal behaviour. It was the most uber-right-winged, thought-police, actual-police-backed policy on these shores in decades. Political capital was poured into policing this law, as was significant financial capital.
All other political parties in the Scottish Parliament oppose the Act, due to its fundamental flaws, so on the face of it, yesterday’s initiative by James Kelly MSP, to repeal the Act has a chance, but no more than that.
The Scottish Greens, who have historically opposed the Act, are prevaricating. They are in a position to vote through SNP policy, so hold leverage over the government.
Meanwhile, police numbers in Scotland have dropped to their lowest levels since 2010 and Police Scotland can no longer afford to man traffic signals when tens of thousands of fans leave football grounds. In 2016, we can’t afford a police officer to oversee traffic signals to allow vast volumes of traffic to proceed in the same direction. In Scotland!
We must be the only country in the developed world who can’t afford traffic-signal policing for major events (if you hear someone yelling this on London Road post-game it’ll probably be me, I’ve been known to go on about it).
You are being taken for granted. Don’t be. You can participate in the Proposed Football Act (Repeal) (Scotland) Bill by letting your views be known here.
Scott Brown did well to acknowledge that Aberdeen and Hearts are our most likely challengers this season. The notion that a newly promoted team will come close to Celtic next season is a fantasy.
The Telegraph today run an article on pressure from Spain and Italy to revamp the Champions League. There is a real danger that the already wealthy large leagues will look to further secure their positions by tipping Europe’s top competition in their numerical favour. We should be OK while the current TV deal is in place but all bets are off next time.
The root cause of the demand for change is the pre-eminence of the English and Welsh Premier League cartel, which is slowly colonising not just Scotland, but Spain, Italy and elsewhere too.
The football model is broken pretty much everywhere. Change will happen; let’s hope it’s benign when it comes, as it threatens to finish the game outside of the “top five leagues”. Your clubs will be impoverished and irrelevant, your infrastructure will be denied investment, even the trickle-down of resources to kids football will mean your children are disadvantaged.
Bear that in mind when you cheer Barca and Real Madrid.
I think we’re going to have fun with this Shitov character tomorrow, who thinks there’s nothing new to see about Celtic Park, but needs to dry his eyes because Leigh DIDN’T punch him!
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anyways, a smart progressive government , local , regional , and council, would have opened a “Stadiums” rail station by now.
calling it Paradise
Not only did Scott Brown do…. ” well to acknowledge that Aberdeen and Hearts are our most likely challengers this season. ” in terms of not feeding the OF lie but he also helped bring Dons and Jambos onside . The more we can involve supporters of other Clubs, the less chance the Big Lie has of becoming a `fact`.
It is, I believe , increasingly likely that New Rangers will have fewer clubs seemingly rolling over than did the Old Rangers.
JJ
Scott Allan to Rotherham on loan
Hmmmmmm?
http://videocelts.com/2016/08/blogs/latest-news/shy-bhoys-pose-in-nice-and-different-new-kit/
Scott Allan off to Rotheram United apparently
Never really given a chance.
Makes sense a suppose.
http://www.insidefutbol.com/2016/08/02/celtic-agree-to-loan-scott-allan-to-rotherham-united/297933/
That a bonus, .
http://celtsarehere.com/kolo-toure-makes-celtic-squad-for-qualifier/
Too many midfielders so would expect one or two more out the door on loan.
Would rather have seen Allan, and Henderson, given a chance and got rid of Bitton and Johansen.
Scott Allen looked like a wee boy against Barca, the incredible blowing smoke up his arse on here never ceases to amaze me..
Gary 67
Not to worry ! I am pretty sure that if Bitton and Johansen had been moved on, someone would have rather kept them and got rid of Allan and henderson 0:-))
Hot Smoked on 2nd August 2016 3:24 pm
True
On penalty shoot outs – hit the ball as hard as you can without losing accuracy, either left or right. Hit it either high or low. Anything mid height is the keeper’s best chance to save it.
There’s a fascinating chapter in Football: The Numbers Game (I think that’s the one) about the Champions League Final in 2008, when Chelsea were given a dossier on every penalty kick Edwin van der Saar had ever faced and the recommendation was he was most likely to save a penalty hit “naturally” (ie a right footer hitting the ball to the left, left footer hitting it to the right) at mid height.
The Chelsea players were told to hit it “unnaturally,” (ie right footed, hit to the right, left footed, hit to the left). It makes an interesting watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBqQEcBi-o
Chelsea missed two penalties. One, John Terry hits it as instructed but his standing foot gives way as he strikes it and he hits the post.
All but two Chelsea players hit it “naturally.” Ashley Cole keeps his low and Van der Saar nearly saves it. The last, hit naturally, and at mid-height, was saved by the Dutchman.
Access and egress ….some thoughts.
I can walk at my own sluggish pace from stadium to city centre with no bus passing me.
A fleet of buses or a revised timetable for buses would be sensible, especially for evening matches.
Express service to train stations, park and ride locations etc would be helpful in dispersing the crowds.
In the days of Fergus, there train and bus deals from Bellgrove and other stations.
Police at traffic junctions sometimes caused more bother than anything else.
Eric doubtful for tomorrow, so young O’Connell will probably start. I wonder who will be beside him? Efe or Kolo? Will it be a back 3 or 4?
Team guessing was much easier last season!
Always told my keepers to follow the ball, not the man. The basis for this is that many players taking a spot kick are more concerned with missing than with scoring, especially in critical penalties, so tend to ‘play safe’, with the majority of attempts within 8 feet – and arm’s length – either side of the keeper.
Worked too. Quite often.
BRENDAN`S Team for tomorrow:
Gordon,
Janko Lustig Ambrose Tierney
Roberts Brown Johansen Armstrong
Dembele Griffiths.
JJ`s Team:
Bailley
Lustig Ambrose Toure Tierney
Roberts Brown McGregor Armstrong
Ciftci Griffiths.
That is if Bitton and Sviatchenko are injured.
Oh, I forgot about O` Connell !
TBB
” many players taking a spot kick are more concerned with missing than with scoring, especially in critical penalties “.
Although not immune to pressure, I think professionals are usually more confident than amateurs. Then again, professional `keepers are also more confident!
For me, a penalty is similar to a three feet putt . Make of that what you will 0:-)
JJ
Kolo’s availability is a huge plus, I also welcome Scott Allan going on Loan. Apart from reducing wages it cannot be good for team morale to have a big bunch of lads part of first team squad, clogging up the training routines and never making the team.
Celtic are usually very quick off the mark in either adding or deleting players from photo gallery of first team squad.
However Muldini is still listed as a current player & Scepovic is listed as a loanee, I wonder why.
Brendan would be silly to play Ambrose tomorrow for a lot of reasons,Kolo or Lustig with O’Connell at CB for me.
Bada
If it would be `silly` , Brendan won`t play him. If he does, then it won`t be silly ! 0:-)
Just read back.That should have been a three foot putt. The English can be just as tricky as the putt sometimes!
Good hard-hitting article, Paul.
I cannot think of any occasion when the SNP, in, or, out of power, have ever espoused a left-wing agenda – it is simply not in the DNA of any Nationalist movement.
The OB act is typical of Nationalism – we should not have in the least surprised
Toure in squad for tomorrow. Sviatchenko and Bitton both out.
Nir Biton out injured for tomorrow nights game
The Telegraph today run an article on pressure from Spain and Italy to revamp the Champions League. There is a real danger that the already wealthy large leagues will look to further secure their positions by tipping Europe’s top competition in their numerical favour. We should be OK while the current TV deal is in place but all bets are off next time.
The Champions League is in no way a genuine competition and has not been since the European Cup, at the behest of Rangers and other self interest parties, abandoned a straight forward knock out format for sectionalisation.
starry plough on 2nd August 2016 3:23 pm
Scott Allen looked like a wee boy against Barca, the incredible blowing smoke up his arse on here never ceases to amaze me..
_—————+++++++++++++++++————-++++++++++++———-++±++++++++++++—-
Me too!
JJ
If a penalty is hit with decent pace within a yard of the post, it scores most times.
Reality is, most aren’t. It amazes me the number of players who hope the keeper dives the wrong way. And ‘Hope’ is the word for it. There’s so little conviction or confidence. Look out for it in senior matches: If the keeper doesn’t sell himself, it’ll be within his reach.
I’ll take Graham Alexander over anyone in a penalty shootout. Apparently, he practiced penalties quite a lot, and NEVER used a goalkeeper while practicing. Said the keeper was irrelevant. He just decided on the penalty he wanted to perfect, then banged in umpteen of them every day, same place, same power, until he had it on auto. Thereafter, that was ‘his’ penalty.
Scored 77 or thereabouts in his career that way, over 90% scoring rate.
I don’t know how many times UEFA has to make this point before people hear it.
They are interested in fostering GREATER access to all their major tournaments, rather than less.
You saw it with Euros. The “Champions Branch” for qualifying is another example of it. They’ve said this, on the record, over and over again. They have a voting system which is fair and equitable and makes our own look every bit as backward as it is. One member one vote, at the Congress.
No major change can be forced on clubs or nations. Bottom line.
UEFA operates on 11 principles. This is the last of them.
“UEFA is a European body and we remain totally committed to the European model of sport, a model characterised by promotion and relegation, the solidarity principle, as well as open competitions and opportunity for all. This is what sport – and especially football – is all about. We have to protect this model because sport is not simply a business like any other and we cannot allow it to be treated as such. We will continue to defend the specificity of sport and are convinced that our arguments will prevail for the good of football.”
As far as I’m concerned it’s all in there.
There is NO CHANCE of the Champions League becoming a closed shop. if they coulda, they woulda. If they wanted to they’d have tried before now. Instead they’ve opened it ever wider. All the rest is noise, and when that noise is played in Scotland it’s all about Peter Lawwell riding to the rescue.
I’d far rather he was doing his ACTUAL JOB, the one we pay him £1 million a year to do.
You know, supporting the manager.
Former celtic player Kelvin Wilson
Joined Rotherham United
One year contract
Starry Plough ,I’m sure the team we are playing to morrow evening, didn’t mean to be disrespectul,probably that lousy hun infested media, that has wrote that,as I said earlier our club let them away with murder,
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i wouldnt be suprised to see the CHAMPIONS league group stages expanded even more.
either more groups maybe 12 of 4.
or bigger groups 8 x 6.
and them some convoluted last 32, last 16,
Good Luck to Scott Allan at Rotherham,
just my opinion was not anywhere near a Celtic first team regular
And was of a list of around 9 or players we should be looking to move on
Been saying for months, put young Ryan Christie in middle as playmaker, and you will see a very very good player who wants to play for us.
Hail Hail
Just one query, why are we loaning these players, an aren’t we selling them?
an=why
Penalties ?
” Very easy , if you don’t entertain the possibility of missing.Do that and missing becomes distinctly possibile”
Andrea Pirlo.
Incidentally the question n London RD being closed
There is major works going on out front of the Emirates stadium, where the road ( under ground) has been collapsing into the old mine works, similar issue to what caused the old London RD school to be demolished ????
So that part/section is closed in one direction, coming from Springfield junction
Hail Hail
Good luck to Scott Allan at Rotherham, never quite understood why we signed him, especially when he never really got a chance to show what he could do.
Hope he does well and gets a permanent move, one wage off the books, a few more to go.
Gordon
Janko Lustig Toure Tierney
Roberts Brown Ambrose McGregor Armstrong
Griffiths.
Would the above be good enough for either 0-0 or 1-0?