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Want to face stronger opponents or go home after the coin toss

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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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  1. GFTB on

    BRRB 11.13pm

     

     

    Delighted you all had a great day …

     

     

    No chance I was getting an early louse after off Monday … earliest I could finish today was 4pm, ffs no chance trying to understand all of that mob with a 4/5hrs head start ….

     

     

    Just a pity I wasn’t minted & retired like all of you lot :-)

     

     

    Hail Hail 🍀

  2. bigrailroadblues on

    GFTB

     

    No problem young fella.

     

    Your absence was noted. You missed some of BelmontBrians classics.

  3. GFTB on

    BRRB 11.34pm

     

     

    ha ha

     

     

    happy to hear them all, over an over again, sounds like a terrific day … there has never been a bad day yet

  4. Saint Stivs on

    i always think the every few months brigands should be called

     

     

    THE SHIPBANK BUCCANEARS

     

     

    versus

     

     

    a bunch of rowers

     

     

    THE GALLENT PIONEERS

     

     

    the good guys win

  5. bognorbhoy on

    Saint Stivs .

     

    Any pics or info on 44 Stevenson st , spent the first 10/11 years up that close .

     

     

    Cheers .

  7. GFTB on

    BognorBhoy 11.54pm

     

     

    Am sure St Stivs will have them, if not not get them

     

     

    A bit like your team information on every live update :-)

     

     

    That’s a compliment to you both

  8. Aipple on

    Just home from work. Proper mental storms here. TV crew on. my street asking for soundbites. I told them to talk to Beale.

     

     

    PHILBHOY re: awesome afternoon.

     

     

    Love the wee afternoon update. Would give an arm (OK, maybe not an arm, a pinky?) to spend an afternoon with a bunch of mad Tims and the bookie beating Big Jimmy.

     

     

    ———–

     

     

    SAINTS STIVS re: Tommy

     

     

    Thanks for that post!

     

     

    ————-

     

     

    BURNLEY78 re: foundation

     

     

    Great post, thank you!

     

     

     

     

    Still have mental wind here. Not me before someone comments. Weather wind, not chilly wind.

     

     

    Good wee read back tonight after work. Thanks all.

     

     

    HH all!

  10. GFTB on

    Some might mump n moan about Hampden and rightly so …

     

     

    But … with sun shining and lovely blue skies is there a better sight than a Celtic goal from wee Kyogo to Joe Miller (and many others) with lovely blue skies

     

     

    As you might guess … just watching wee Kyogo owning Hampden 🍀

  11. Aipple on

    GFTB

     

     

    I hear you. Stadium is a joke but the memories are etched.

     

     

    Will always be be the centenary season for my Hampden moment. Fancied myself as a keeper for a while and had the Packy strip. Don’t judge me! Lived next door to blazered huns then and just remember screaming and cheering in my back garden in Cumbernauld.

     

     

    Thatcher *spits gave us the trophy. Bloody hell.

     

     

    Just realized my Hampden moment was in my garden!

  12. GFTB on

    Aipple 12.58am

     

     

    For some crazy reason my mum allowed me to go to the 1980 cup final (I was 10yrs old) with 3 Rangers fans and me & another Celtic fan (in a ford escort sport thing) probably because it was her neighbours boy and not any of our Celtic supporting family …

     

     

    I always associate Hampden in the sun .. 80, 89, 85, 88, 89, 95…… then the Martin years 🍀🍀🍀

     

     

    Happy days … now we are just enjoying terrific days

     

     

    Hope that looval lover is still keeping you on the straight n narrow

  13. GFTB on

    Wee Joe Miller final .. was soooo good I mentioned it twice …

     

     

    Stopped the cheatin huns treble …

     

     

    Still my best ever Celtic day ever … (there have been many but that one is a bit special)

     

     

    🍀

  14. petec on

    Katie Forbes as the new SNP Leader, Defo happy if she is fighting for the unborn.

     

     

    She might be frae a different denomination of Christianity from Moi… but needs must.

     

     

    She has been Brutally honest, hats off.

     

     

    Quandary.CSC

     

     

    ernie is a big loss to this Amazing site.

  15. GFTB on

    Petec ..

     

     

    Kate Forbes & Ernie ????

     

     

    Concentrate on Reo & Callum

     

     

    Celtic should be your only focus on here 🍀

  16. petec on

    Gerry Bhoy, I knew it was gonnae be a mad wan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qparhhC1YB0, I was jumping about on the Train frae Central to Kings Park.

     

     

    It was all new to moi.

     

     

    I also took a long way to the City Centre efter the game.

     

     

    OH

     

     

    OH

     

     

    OH

     

     

    Physicality brought in Big Time.

     

     

    CELTIC

     

     

    CELTIC

  19. GFTB on

    Petec ..

     

     

    Excellent …

     

     

    Canny wait for Sunday … just watched Ange & Reo’s press conferences … I know one day we might not win things … but for now … it’s magic

     

     

    And every Celtic player seems to want to win more

     

     

    Reo ??? Player of the year

     

    Kyogo ?? Player of the year

     

     

    Player of the year …. It’s Callum 🍀

  21. Aipple on

    PETEC

     

     

    I’m really in camp AJ. My boss (a Fulham supporting yank) turned me onto him. He’ll keep working on that decent cross and as mentioned on here I believe, he is a hockey playing Canadian and they don’t take shit.

     

     

    Also, making more Celtic fans over here. Had 3 colleagues watch the final! One of which was the Fulham gent.

  22. petec on

    BOBBY MADDEN knew he was going, hence his disgraceful performance in the Semi last Season.

     

     

    I cannae even say it was bad eyesight. Aidan was behind the goal and I was in the best possible seat in the house, after seats became available.

     

     

    I offered Aidan a swap but he stayed with his ballot seat – escalators etc dinnae impress him much.

     

     

    Hampden, should be turned into an Athletics event and a new National Stadium, IMO, should be built in Perth.

  23. GFTB on

    Aipple 1.38am

     

     

    I have posted this on here before my wee maw kidded on she didn’t like Celtic her favourite phrases to me as a teenager were …

     

     

    “Celtic don’t put your food on the table”

     

     

    “Fit you better to sing at chapel on a Sunday than at Parkhead on a Saturday”

     

     

    But funnily enough she’d always ask … “did we win today”

     

     

    I was too scared back then to ask .. who is this “we” you speak of :-)

  24. ‘GG on

    Aipple and Petec

     

    I agree re AJ and I’m really pleased that with AJ, CCV and Oh we have players who can handle themselves when necessary. I also noted on Sunday that we were sticking up for each other when the like of Barisic and Lundstram were trying to impose their presence. Speaking euphemistically.

  26. Aipple on

    GFTB re: we

     

     

    There are those that pretend but are still us. Bless her cotton socks!

     

     

    ——–

     

     

    ‘GG

     

     

    Solid lhads, yip. We needed to replace the Broony steel and I think we have.

  29. GFTB on

    Aipple 1.59pm

     

     

    :-)

     

     

    Bedtime … looking forward to St Mirren .. nothing guaranteed but this team and the other 5 that will influence the match is important :..

     

     

    3pts is the only objective

     

     

    I have loved all of our managers, even big Tony Mowbray … Neil obviously my favourite… but Ange is something special … maybe we all needed a wee fresh approach … has my doubts, delighted to be wrong

     

     

    Am a dreamer … hope Ange stays for years to come

     

     

    Fellow Celts good night god bless 🍀

     

     

    Hail Hail …

  31. ‘GG on

    I see our rivals have failed to sign a promising American youngster from Orange County.

  33. petec on

    I’ve never been vaccinated and efter the hysteria I accepted I wouldnae be going abroad again.

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxqzQdN83cM

     

     

    Perhaps I might go again.

     

     

    By Hook or by Crook ye huv tae get me to the next Euro Final Celtic compete in.

     

     

    My Biggest Sister was re-marrying on the Friday (I think). It was a Thursday night?

     

     

    And it is coming very soon. This is a sensational Celtic Team.

  34. petec on

    Daizen he knows the Rudi Vata.

     

     

    He drops comments efter long translations that leave ye mesmerised.

     

     

    CELTIC

     

    CELTIC

  35. Tobago Street on

    TIMBHOY163 on 3RD MARCH 2023 8:51 PM

     

    TOBAGO STREET,Isn’t great some of the bhoys come on here and talk about the east end,all the old memories of some of these places come back , talking about Kerr Street my mother worked in Templetons Carpet Factory sadly a lot of them places are long gone

     

     

    TIMBHOY163 It really is great. I remember being able to see right down to Templetons carpet factory from my close and see the clock on the tower there. Odd the little things we remember.

     

     

    T

  36. Tobago Street on

    TONYROME on 3RD MARCH 2023 9:05 PM

     

    Tobago Street on 3rd March 2023 7:04 pm

     

     

    Sorry TONYROME, I don’t remember a Harry Leighton but the story doesn’t surprise me.

     

    I remember complaining to my Ma that I couldn’t find my favourite jumper. Holes in the elbows and we’ll frayed at the cuffs. A week later in the playground in St Mary’s I saw it on a younger lad.

     

    Just another small way of Keeping the Faith.

     

     

    T

  38. Big Jimmy on

    At the Bevvy Session yesterday, in defence of BIG LEGGY…..He was cut down by someone on a GRASSY KNOLL….

     

    LEGGY went down quicker that a Two Dollar Whore !

     

     

    i hope that LEGGY is okay….but Bhoy it sure was Funny !

     

    Sorry LEGGY.

     

    The FBI are searching thru the CCTV to try and identify The Marksman…..

     

    LOL

     

    HH.

  40. David66 on

    Morning all.

     

     

    Feckin cramp in my hamstring there.

     

     

    I can report that BRRB made it home after leaving the Shippy and sveral other pubs.

     

     

    He is like one of Diazans runs where he never stops.

     

     

    D :)

  42. David66 on

    Morning Jimmy🤣

     

     

    Im off back to bed.

     

     

    Laters “high there Mr Bridges, Sebastion, Sebastion”

     

     

    Kev B is Hilarious.

     

     

    D :)

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