We have a recurring theme on here: never make excuses before an event. Allow players, the manager, or anyone connected with a performance an opportunity to make an excuse for a failure, and they will take it. Before a game, I don’t like to hear complaints about a plastic pitch, hopeless referees or injuries. Be ready, or don’t be at Celtic.
Yesterday, Mick Beale told the media “We’re competing against the odds if you like. In general, if you look at any league in the world, the team that spends the most is first. So, we have to compete against the odds because we’re not going to spend the most money.”
This is sport. If you want to compete with only 50/50 odds, go home after the coin toss. There are some narrow openings for this kind of chat in football. I would let Ange away with it in the Champions League, where we have no expectation of winning. But here, in Scotland, I’d march any Celtic manager out of town for throwing excuses for failure around.
Losers lose not because they have fewer resources, but because they have a loser mentality – and that’s a few days after listening to a self-help coach who recently picked himself up from a cell bunk after a DUI conviction! Can you imagine what they would the mood would be like if they didn’t have that pep talk?
While we’re on the subject of the other lot measuring themselves against Celtic…. John Lundstam gave a really nuanced interview yesterday. “It is one game, they turned up and we didn’t. I think the combination for that didn’t complement each other well. It looks like there is a massive gap but I don’t think there is a massive gap.”
Compared to his manager, this is faultless. To you and me, Celtic dominated, but there was only one goal in it, they hit the post and really should have converted the rebound. By objective measures, the gap was narrow.
There is a problem here, though. Being narrowly worse than the team you need to be better than is almost as bad as being miles worse. Winners can have planned improvements, losers have a responsibility to break-up even good teams, sometimes sack even good managers that reach European finals, because being narrowly worse is to fail.
There is a combined message from these two interviews: a team that is worth less money came close against powerful champions, which is respectable. Being second to this Celtic team is respectable. It is where they are in the food-chain and where they are likely to remain unless something incredible happens. Maybe the Qataris will buy them! (Joke, honestly, no one with real money is interestined in Scottish clubs). Ibrox has had a buyer from Motherwell, then Hamilton. Can’t you see, it’s circling the Larkhall sinkhole!
There is a few years of this type of chat to come before someone levels with their fans. Second place with a puncher’s chance is where they are. Take it or leave before your side’s runner up medals are awarded.
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Goal!
To the Celtic
Speaking of making excuses…
More money than sense. I’ve decided to fly to Glasgow for the next week to watch the football. Got a ticket for Wednesday and away to Hearts. Landing Sunday morning at 9:30, taxi to St Mirren’s ground. Email didn’t get me a ticket, phoning didn’t get me a ticket so I’m walking up to their ticket office and see if that works. Assuming it doesn’t work who knows the best pub in paisley to watch the game?
T
VAR check
Good Article Paul67,
The thrust of the winners mentality is spot on and completely necessary, this howevah…
I would let Ange away with it in the Champions League, where we have no expectation of winning.
… runs counter to the jist of the article, Ange shouldn’t be making excuses for not performing before any competition is complete.
Good news is, I don’t think for one minute he will
Hail Hail
Getting stuck in there Paul, even with some measured triumphalism.
I agree with all of it! (The underlying message at least).
The fundamentals look bleak for der hun.
Schaudenfraude it is, then.
Poetry………..
Hee,hee.
Excuses or trying to set expectations?
The greatest joy for this week is the reminder that their own sense of self-entitlement is what kills them.
“Back where we belong…’ has been the mission statement and drives their entitled view of being top dogs in the country. It sells season books. Every defeat, every lost cup and league is an existential threat. So they live off BS that the next push is all that matters (rebuilding the team into Govan Galacticos will go into overdrive in the next few months).
This time last week, they would hammer us. The transformation to now is glorious self-realization of their place in the chain and the Beale honeymoon is over. He’ll be gone by Halloween.
We remain relentless, professional and eyes on the weekly prize until the cups are handed out, the Euro cheque submitted and the next target for improvement in play.
Up the Celtic ! Gis a treble……
HH
Ass brilliant as last week was Sunday is all that counts now,
St Mirren is a team Ange has not won away at yet
Last year after winning league cup a 0-0 draw then defeat this season, tough 90 mins ahead for us, no slip ups full team and full concentration, we do our job nothing else matters
Leave the other mob to themselves
As brilliant as last week was………
Well I guess one day without It’s-definitely-not-Rangers was something, at least.
” I would let Ange away with it in the Champions League”
——————
Ange doesn’t strike me as an excuses type of guy and I don’t think he ventures into the Champions League to make up the numbers.
That’s the kind of manager I want at my club.
There are certain games that inflict damage below the water line for managers.
I don’t believe Lennon ever recovered from Cluj. Sure we went on that season to have more success but when the bad results resurfaced, that game always popped up in the conversations.
For GVB, that 3-0 in Feb 2022 did for him.
Beale will limp on yet but I think we’ll be looking back in the time ahead to last Sunday putting Beale’s exit into motion. The goodwill is now gone.
Tobago Street.
If you don’t get a ticket for the game, I would head for The Wellington Bar in Causeyside Street. It’s a good half hour walk so I would get a taxi. (01418877770)
O’Connors is closer to the ground but it’s shut now.
There are pubs in the town centre and would be ok to watch the game in but the Welly would be my choice.
Don’t go into the Tea Gardens which is in Causeyside St as well. Smelly people use it. I HH
Quatari money? Asian investment more likely with the squad we are building. With a Japanese and a South Korean summer tour coming up, maybe someone will see the opportunity and offer DD a fistfull of Yen.
7 of the starting 11 against Frankfurt started on Sunday, 1 came on as a sub, fatty would have started in May if he wasn’t injured. Their squad was good enough to finish 4 points behind us last season, and finished the season with an extra time win and a draw against us.
They start every game poorly then sort things out at half time
Beale’s the problem, not the players.
The interview with David Low was strange. Like you said, Paul, there’ll be no petrochemical cash coming to Scotland.
https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1631303010021154819?t=_j3m1GO2PCKKOvsO7F6vTA&s=19
Belter.
:-)
HH
ITSCALLEDTHEMALVINAS on 3RD MARCH 2023 1:09 PM
Brilliant stuff! That’s exactly where I’m off to if I can’t talk my way in with my ‘Canadian’ accent!
Cheers mate.
T
Shouldn’t gloat, but why the hell not, eh
KINGLuBO
ITSCALLEDTHEMALVINAS on 3RD MARCH 2023 1:09 PM
Brilliant stuff! That’s exactly where I’m off to if I can’t talk my way in with my ‘Canadian’ accent!
Cheers mate.
T
Ps note to self…don’t wear your scarf!
Tobago Street.
No problem,
Afraid to say I don’t hold out to much chance of a ticket.
I’m in Paisley tomorrow and will stop at the ticket office and see if they have any. Would you take one for the home section of there are any ?
Beale telling the hun hordes, they are skint, As long as Lawwell doesn’t start his usual cutting back,when the huns are skint routine
10-9-8-7-6…
Here we go, Ten in a Row….
Too early ?
:)
HH
TOBAGO STREET I Take it you stayed there ,if I remember there was a Police Station there,
What a shower of charlatons I am mixing with in this Shipbank swaree.
There has been 1 casualty as Leggy just decked it 🤣🤣🤣 so funny.
For Health and Safety reasons I can confirm that there was no drink involved.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
D :)
Huns talking points calling for a revamp.
Not a rebuild, as the obviously don’t have the finance to rebuild their aging side.
So instead of zombies they will now be called vampires..
Go on bite me.
David66,
Are yous playing best man fall??
Premier sports showing last Sundays game atm.
The wife is even enjoying it again.
KYOGO 1-0
Three Celtic players inside Hun 6 yards box.
Shipping forecast, lots of wobbly legs due to the floor moving a lot.
I could only watch a few minutesof that Beale presser. The cringe was way too strong. Lower league EFL style manager/ coach. Uttering learnt soundbites from his coaching badge and pseudo psychology self help tutorials.
The table doesn’t lie. They are a level above the rest of the Scottish clubs but they are also a level below us.
What is really frustrating me still is how we let that shower win a league title. Still, night us darkest just before the dawn. …
Sakala off the post. Talks the talk but can’t walk the walk.
KYOGO 2-0
Beale’s half time talk fell on deaf ears.
Even Ange smiled at that
In general, if you look at any league in the world, the team that spends the most is first. So, we have to compete against the odds because we’re not going to spend the most money.”
that is just rubbish, everybody in scotland knows, buying better players does not have any sporting advantage.
Beale is actually Mike Bassett- Fact