I never really understood what was so special about Roy Keane as a player until he came to Celtic, where he opened my eyes for 11 games (his first two performances, against Clyde and Kilmarnock, were awful).
He’s right up there in terms of great footballers I’ve seen play for Celtic, but he’s difficult to feel affection for. Today’s comments are a case in point:
“When [Celtic] qualified [for the Champions League]the celebrations were way over the top.
“I thought they’d won the competition. People were hugging each other, the manager, the coaches, the players.”
And the fans, Roy, Celtic fans were celebrating every bit as much as anyone you watched on television. No one thought we’d won the competition, but we are all aware of the transformational impact group qualification has on our football club. That’s worth celebrating. Fans all did, even if some former players found it difficult.
Brendan Rodgers qualified for the group stage with what was largely the same squad which disintegrated in Europe last season. He became the first Celtic manager to reach this level in his first season.
This challenge, coming a few weeks into your time as manager, is viewed as hugely difficult objective by the club. New managers seldom takeover successful gigs, with an upward trajectory and a list of targets ready to sign up.
The significant achievement in Europe this season, which has largely gone below the radar, is beating last season’s Champions League group stage participants, Astana, 2-1 at Celtic Park, with 11 starters who were all at the club before Brendan took over (one Rodgers signing started the away leg).
By any measure, Astana should have considered their chances that night and concluded, “We were better than them last season, and they’ve not added a player to the team”. (Two of Brendan’s signing came on as second half subs).
Going into this season we turned-over around 10% of what one of Roy’s other former clubs, or Barcelona received. If we had around £450m extra to spend, every season, there would be less celebration at reaching the group stage, as it would no longer be transformational. Maybe we’d be like football fans in Manchester, and only fill half our stadium against a Bundesliga team.
Or maybe we’ve not lost the joy in supporting our team. Neither have the manager, coaches and players.
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Hapoel win 0-2 ….EXCELLENT, SO PLEASED FOR THEM
2-0 to the Beaver Shavers
‘Joey And The Giant Orange’
JOBOBALDIE
I threw my fixed odds in the bin?
BSR…
I can’t link that one mate. HH
Jobo Baldie,
The Sonics.
Deep.
I know.
I know you are True.
Jericho.
The Voice is why Celtic will be in the Last 16.
Beaten by the Smallest ever team, the Imps, YES.
HAMILTONTIM on 15TH SEPTEMBER 2016 9:18 PM
Will do Mhate…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
If there was a comment of the day award then pog@9:58 would win with ease :0)
The Unbroxibearable Shiteness of Being (at Sevco)
LET THE People SING. :))
A bit late today to rejoin the party on the Barca result.
One question I do have — was Tuesday the first time BR had played them in a competitive game?
However we have 11 weeks to get motivated for the return leg.
Looking for a bit more engagement — hopefully not autograph hunters in our own midden.
Ole Craigy Broon starting to look a bit like the old Biff in Back To The Future 2.
Inter losing 2-0 at home, but should, in future, be straight into the CL. Dearie me!
Madmitch
our own midden.
You on about Paradise?
Watching Ep 4 of Scotland’s Game there and I think Anne Budge is the first CEO of a SPL club I have witnessed call for our professional game to only have 20 clubs instead of 42. Did she not recently get voted onto the SPFL board?
MadMitch,
I asked that ? earlier to a work colleague.
He wasn’t sure, I doubt he has went up against them.
Learning.CSC
Could be total bollix but it’s enjoyable all the same :-)
Simon Rowntree @SRowntreeNews
It is believed that Halliday was in the receiving end of a strong challenge from Barton and Halliday then called Barton a “fenian b*****d”
Simon Rowntree @SRowntreeNews 1h1 hour ago Ibrox Stadium
Barton then responded to Halliday’s outburst and replied “Who are you calling that, you orange c**t”, and subsequently PUNCHED Halliday
The boy o halloran doesn,t seem to be in the plans either . Can’t understand how he could have hooked up there anyway .
Madmitch
Midden?
Get a grip.
Clydesider
Saw that…the fecking cheek of Ann Budge, who takes it upon herself to decide the fate of clubs in Scotland.
Chancer who likes the Huns, what can you expect.
HH
Vogue Punter…….. you take care of that Gentle Giant….
Celtic Hero – Selecta (so many) Celtic.
Some more Possible names for barton’s book-
Snide and Prejudiced
Of Weiss and (orange)men
Gullible’s Travels
The Great Glibsby
Five flew into the Sevco net
Around the SPFL in eighty days
The invisible man (a homage to barton’s sterling performance on Saturday)
Two men in a boat
Charlotte’s Web (in which joey muses on the role of minty moonbeams in the death of RFC)
JimTim
Money, it talks :-)
The more that milk them the better imo.
HH
I’ll say goodnight with this cracker –
Eddie Cassidy @edcassidycomedy 32m32 minutes ago
Joey Barton has assaulted more Rangers players than the entire hibs support
Sleep well and be nice now!
Ann Budge?
It’s like a Caledonian version of Animal Farm.
“All else good. Celtic bad!”
The exiled Tim
Rowntree is a known troll on Twitter. Makes up nonsense for attention
SFFS
Joey won’t do walking away, from £1m a year.
Interesting that Ralston of the DR was given the scoop.
John James will be interesting tomorrow.
CLYDESIDER on 15TH SEPTEMBER 2016 10:07 PM
She’s right. There’s too many clubs in our professional game.
HT
Her sash was showing, pity she couldnt hide it.
HH
Mad Mitch – Midden is Paradise to so Many.
In the beginning there was……
Jack
THEEXILEDTIM
Simon Rowntree is a fake account,bud. Just someone with a keyboard,making things up.
Mind,if he was Scottish he would be Sports Journalist of the Year!
‘Hum Kampf’ by Joseph Anthony Barton
Gary67
Its not up to you or Ann Budge to decide how many clubs there should be.
Sorry
A wee hun loss at the weekend would go down extremely well.
Can see it happening.
I thought Presley spoke a lot of sense.
It’s pretty simple though, give the weans a ball each in conducive surroundings on decent surfaces.
If Barton was harry potter his time at the hundome would be
Joey Potter and the Philosopher’s EBT
Joey Potter and the Chamber of Masons
Joey Potter and the Prisoner of Dave King
Joey Potter and the Goblet of Goats Blood
Joey Potter and the Order of the Masonic Temple 99
Joey Potter and the Half-Blood Centre Half
Joey Potter and the Deathly Hundome – Part 1 – Pre Celtic Game
Joey Potter and the Deathly Hundome – Part 2 – Apres Celtic Park
_______________
If he was in Star Wars
Star Wars (1977)
The E.B.T Strikes Back (1980)
Return of the Coisty (1983)
The Phantom Broonie (1999)
Attack of the Tax Man (2002)
Revenge of the Tim (2005)
The Mason Awakens (2015)
You get the drift
‘Hun Kampf’ I mean…
oh, Joey just tweeted an apology. Sort of…
TGM
Her own supporters were assaulted outside Ibrox. Windows on supporters buses were smashed.
I’ve heard nothing since.