For you and me, it was a dead rubber, an opportunity to watch Celtic without the pressure of winning or losing. For the players and coaches, not so much. The entirely-changed 11 who took the field played like they wanted to make an impact, as did an almost-as-changed Real Betis side.
The game was competitive, the nine added minutes at the end of the second half passed excruciatingly slowly; by that stage of the evening, no one’s head was in dead rubber territory.
When Albian Ajeti pulled up lame in the first half, Ange Postecoglou had plenty to ponder. At that moment, he was left with only one fit striker, Kyogo Furuhashi, the most valuable asset in Scottish football, who was resting on the bench.
Of course Kyogo came on. Ange did not set his team out to pull their punches, he wanted and got a performance. He gave fringe players their opportunity. Would it have been right for him to pull his own punches, 30 minutes into the game, by leaving his only striker on the bench? If he expects the players to commit, he has to commit and play the game competitively.
Management is so subtle. Selecting the right players and tactics is not nearly enough. If you want players to follow you, you have to live the role. Ange knew this when he told Kyogo to get stripped.
So what did we learn? James McCarthy looks more than comfortable in a Celtic shirt every time I see him. The player he was is slowly emerging. Liam Scales can feel aggrieved he has not had a sniff of proper action before this week. Stephen Welsh continues to grow into the role of Celtic central defender, a year after breaking into the team.
We finished third in a group against the third placed teams in Germany and Spain. Collecting six points from Ferencvaros was an objective delivered, although so much more could have been achieved as we allowed comfortable positions slip in Spain and Germany.
If you are old enough, you will remember being told Celtic win trophies when they first emerge. Perhaps the Europa Conference League will have its compensations.
Motherwell on Sunday afternoon is anything but a dead rubber. The Celtic FC Foundation Bucket Collection returns for the first time in two years, those in need remain numerous. The work of the Foundation does is remarkable and literally life changing at this time of year. It is our greatest boast.
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AN TEARMANN on 11TH DECEMBER 2021 3:19 PM
‘Hastings fishermen have denied any involvement with abuse reportedly shouted at Hastings RNLI lifeboat crew by people angry at them for rescuing refugees in the Channel.’
https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/people/hastings-fishermen-explain-circumstances-over-rnli-lifeboat-blocking-3476922
AN TEARMANN , cheers bud , will pass on info .
crawford allan getting the bat signal to lie low after the controversial “goal” for aberdeen today
https://ibb.co/LkgWnpj
Has anybody else noticed how much more pronounced Seethin’ G’s Scouse accent is while being interviewed, compared with the last 3 years? It is almost as if he wants to put the subliminal message out, “I’m here now. I’m from Liverpool. And if Liverpool ever want a manager……….”
I wonder how many Scousers have noticed that he is a complete puppet, a front man and spokesman, whose staff is taking tactical decisions, including substitutions? Today, Beale decided who was coming off, who was coming on, and the timing of the substitutions. Unless these had been pre-decided, based on circumstances, ( possible but unlikely ), Slippy had zero input.
Ernie.ta for that article.
HH
Highland__Paddy
@Highland__paddy
·
Dec 6
From the original.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FF8CcR4X0AAjCqc?format=jpg&name=small
Well done Ronnie Deila. A few muppets in that team.
Enjoyed this.
https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/society-arts-culture/william-boyd-raymond-depardon-1980s-glasgow/
Hello again all you young rebels
From a beautiful sunny Melbourne.
Reading back, wow !!!
I understand good posters reacting to the trolls.
Obviously myself and many others have learned the hard way to
scroll by, but it does make you switch to another place.
We all know their agenda.
Anyhows my take on the game the other night.
Unexpected win, but pleasantly surprised that the reserves could step
in and replicate the established players in style of play, pressing, etc.
Ange has the place rocking, all we need is a good Jan transfer window.
Will we get it??????
H H. Mick
No he hasn’t.
Portland equalize with last kick of game on 94mins!
Ange saying in tomorrows papers that Kyogo could even make an appearance tomorrow but should be ok for final next weekend
Saw a Tweet earlier Paul that Kyogo’s knock is not too bad and he shouldn’t be out too long, my take was they were hoping to have him back for the Cup Final.
INIQUITOUSIV on 11TH DECEMBER 2021 4:55 PM
Not much warmth in that Klopp – Gerrard handshake at the end.
—————-
Cold AF.
ahhh
i see the hyper-inflated alcohol squirrel is about to be produced again by the government to justify imprisoning us in january
the biggest red herring ever
I heard that the liverpool manager was german and the villa manager was not german.
Tune in later for the next thrilling update
squirrels v herrings
c’mon the squirrels
Well done Ronny Deila 👍
Wee Ronnie in tears.
Ohhhhh Ronnnnny
Way to go Ronny.Pity you were back stabbed by some of our players IMO
The Ronny Roars again :-)
Well done Ronny.a good man.
Congratulations
HH
Glad for Ronnie but such a shit backing from the hell slave regiame
Steve Bronski rip.
https://youtu.be/88sARuFu-tc
HH
Go on Ronny Deila & NYCFC… great result!
:)
On another note – does anyone know of any Celtic/Scottish Football collectible stores?
I’ve been going through some of my Dad’s stuff and found the following Celtic books:
Passed to You 1958 – by Charlie Tully
(Signed by CT)
Celtic Triumphant 1967 – by Ian Peebles
(Signed by some of LL’s & Jock Stein)
Playing for Celtic No.1 1969 by Rodger Baillie
(Signed by some of Celtic squad & Jock Stein)
Playing for Celtic No.2 1970 by Rodger Baillie
(Unsigned)
Celtic by Sir Robert Kelly 1971
Cheers, fleagle1888
Good morning ! decided to stop yesterday with the verbals !! and honestly thanks for the guys putting on a balanced view! there’s no doubt that there’s a nat agenda on here ! gold coast tam kidding on he never read back 😂!! anyway going to take a break and won’t read for a while as a I would have to comment!! there’s many a good on here !! Ido regret some things I have posted!! but in on all honesty, cheif nat is a fake in my opinion!! watch his posts!! and now excuse my Language!!a foul mouthed bag of shit arrogant nobody, and above all a fake !!! Ernie, MM and DO seville thank you 🙏!! probably pop in next year for a laugh!!! Tam hope you get prozac in your stocking, ( not yours) for your kid on shock !! or some toilet roll for yur lips 😉
wishaw tim
I’ll gie ye aboot five minutes fore yer posts descend once agin to the level of the sewer, if not lower. If there’s a more foul mouthed poster on here I’ve yet to discover him. And that’s just yer personality talkin! As fer yer politico views Jesus, yer on the one road there, as in yersel. God only knows whit Scotland wid end up like if they pit the likes a ye in charge, prob a bit like Wishy if I’m honest!
Only jokin ma mhan, keep up the gid work!
Ange’s comments re. his way of training and playing and the collateral injuries it incurs especially early on – he seems to be suggesting there is some mitigation after the players get used to the high intensity training and playing – certainly suggests the need for a DoF and for the Board to be totally supportive. It’s clear that this is the way fans want Celtic to play and so everything needs to support it and the academy needs to replicate it. A DoF and proper scouting system will identify players that play this way and are immediately ready to fit in and good sports science folk will keep them fit. Ange won’t be around forever and we don’t want to go back to square 1 when he does go. We are far way from that now and we receded considerably after BR left. We don’t that to happen ever again!
Wishaw Tim
Bye bye.
Refugees are welcome.
=========================
Madmitch
Spare if your interested?
Fleagle1888
I will try get 2 or 3 addresses from Twitter.have messaged will Post later.There is a massive market in memorabilia,the books are usually valued on condition,state and authenticity of the signatures etc.
Keep a hold there,someone could be looking that final book to make a collection
HH
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/542467-pope-francis-eu-equality-commissioner/
Someone posted comments earlier about the Pope’s concerns for Catholicism in the EU.
This is the only article I could find in some searches. Try again tomorrow. 🍀
Fitbaw Today!!
At home to an in-form Motherwell with our attack depleted.
Still only one winner though.
I’ll be keeping an eye out for the strickers, Dawson and Moffat for us.
And a wee eye on Tony Watt – top scorer in the League dontcha know. Scotland NT need a prolific striker next year and hope it works out for the Bhoy from the ‘brig.
Not today though Tony Eh!!
COYBIG!!
SFtBs @ 4:59 PM,
We kinda get there eventually.
We must say that TBB hasn’t clarified any position so we are doing this from memory and both agree we may be miss remembering.
So with that caveat – we agree that sometime preBR that TBB put the odds on us qualifying for the UCL through the “champions route” at around or less than 50/50.
We don’t know the exact methodology or figures he used but his outcome was that we weren’t favourites to qualify for the UCL but about evens or less.
On that basis, we should not be spending vast amounts of money on the team for UCL qualification as failure to qualify could have lead us to a deficit.
You repeated this conjecture t’uther day in a response to INIQUITOUSIV.
We now have established that…
By investing in the team we can change the odds in our favour – the actuality of the BR era showing a 2/3 odds on qualifying rather than the predicted 1/2 odds (50/50).
That these odds are fluid and can be positively influenced, at least to some extent by Celtic FC.
So whether counter-intuitive or not, and I feel not. Celtic investing in the Players, Manager, Coaches and support staff gives us a better chance to qualify for the UCL group stage with the riches and other tangible and intangible benefits that brings.
So the Board should back Ange to qualify for the UCL, starting January I’d suggest.
On the holistic front I’m going to carry on regardless.
I may seem to be pretentiously riding on my high horse, that’s others perceptions – I’ll carry on developing mine:)
Hail Hail
Hearing the news this morning about Kyogo is a great start to the day. I’m assuming he’ll miss a couple of games though, I’ve lost count of the number of reports that a Celtic player was two weeks away only to see nothing of them for two months. Let’s hope the Kyogo news is more accurate.
Really looking forward to today’s game.
A win keeps the pressure on and another game closer to the window, don’t know how /if they will improve in the window but our potential signings gives me hope…. We can maybe win the league barring another bad run of injuries.
Gooooood match day morning from a rather mild but wet Garngad.
Now it’s our forward line that’s short on numbers as opposed to the defensive line in the past. We need guys to step up and I am sure they will.
4 – 2 to the good ghuys today.
Reading back since Thursday and there is posters getting their knickers wet about posters having an opinion on the Kyogo substitution.
Surely everyone’s entitled to their opinion and I know this post is a bit Ironic.
Anyway I cannot wait to see the Bhoys today.
My team would be:
Hart
Jura – CCV – Starfelt – GT
TR – Bitton – Cal Mac
Jamsie – Abadda – Johnson
Give DT a Chameo from the bench.
D :)
Morning all; cold but clear near Catterick
Attack, Attack, Attack
Or
Tora, Tora, Tora
Ps feck the Europa league tournaments they have never been kind to us, luck wise.
D :)
Good morning from the Village.
Thank goodness the Bhoys are playing today and we can get back to talking about football and Celtic, which will naturally exclude a certain foul-mouthed poster and his fellow political pygmies who have zero interest in such mundane topics.
Peace in our Time. For a time anyway.
Good to hear that Kyogo’s injury isn’t as bad as first feared. The wee man’s made of strong stuff. Don’t expect to see him today or Wednesday but next Sunday Hampden and the first leg of another treble awaits.
Well done to oor Ronny on his latest success across the pond. That’s what happens with fair and honest referees at work. I just don’t get the stripper act but each to their own I suppose.
Motherwell will be a potential banana skin this afternoon after some decent results, but even without our dynamic duo up front, we should still be too good for them.
Getting picked up at 10:15 for today’s trip to Paradise. So another early-ish start. A couple of pints in Leith to whet the appetite before the westward journey across the M8 with my Celtic brothers and sisters.
2-0 Celtic.
Hail Hail.
☘️
Let’s get the headline figure on refugees in the UK straight and put an end to the abhorrent use of this subject to make snide political points.
Between 2010 & 2020 the UK settled c30k refugees under Asylum & Resettlement Programmes, more than any other EU country (incidentally 70% of which came from Syria),
The UK has always ‘ done its bit’ when it comes to refugees and it is dishonest to suggest otherwise.
There are currently c70k cases awaiting to be resolved. The current rate of acceptance for those with genuine claims is 57% – rejections are mostly made up of direct economic migrants and visa over-stayers, e.g. ‘holiday-makers & students.
The North East of England houses the biggest number – Scotland ranks 7th on the list.
Let the CQN SNPcult contingent lobby their masters to include in their next “thick” White Paper on ‘Scotland’s Future’, a manifesto commitment to accept every migrant that wants to come here regardless of status and see what happens…the truth is it won’t happen as it would be a vote-loser for them – and they know it!
Today every first-world country needs a managed Immigration programme if genuine refugees are to be catered for, their indigenous populations demand it.
Economic migrants will always greatly exceed those with genuine asylum claims – those who, quite understandably, look for a better way of life; whereas refugees are fleeing for their life. This is a world-wide problem and needs a solution as such.