Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi were our original players from the east, recruited during Ange Postecoglou’s first season in charge. Kyogo was transformational, a truly special player. Despite injury midway through that season, his influence over Scottish football was profound.
Like Kyogo, Daizen made a blistering start, scoring four minutes into his debut against Hibs. A few weeks after arriving, Reo demolished Newco, scoring twice and assisting with a third.
Yosuke had the opposite introduction to Scotland. He was assaulted during a brutal Cup game at Alloa, the resultant injury saw him used sparingly on his return. The 28 minutes he got in the final league game of the season, against Motherwell, was more than the sum of all bit parts he played in other games following injury. This season has been a wipe-out.
If asked to give your view on the player, you would struggle. An alarm bell may have chimed for Yosuke when he discovered he was cover for captain, Callum McGregor. Across football, captains and central defenders are seldom shuffled. Callum has the added attribute of being almost indestructible, although he was a fellow assault-ee that night in Alloa. If the captain is never rested, his understudy is not going to see action.
The world moved on in January and Tomoki Iwata, our sixth Japanese player, after the recent addition of Yuki Kobayashi, joined the most profound Japanese influence on western culture since the Plastic Ono Band co-opted John Lennon and Eric Clapton (don’t bother troubling your streaming service for that lot).
Tomoki was crowned Player of the Year in Japan in December, he is a talent who should be given the opportunity to flourish. Can you see Ange resting Callum, even home to St Mirren on Saturday? Me neither. A reputation for improving and propelling players has to be a part of the story. If we ‘waste’ them, supply of the good ones will dry up.
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‘mon the Fleetwood Town!
Ooh I say
Leave Yoko out of it Paul ,her contribution to music is immeasurable…😜😜
Agree with your summation Paul 67, it is a indictment on Scottish football that a ‘manager’ and I use that term advisedly, was unapologetic about setting up a team and instructing them to ‘harm’ opponents. Not with guile, skill and tactics but with brutish force. Both Ideguchi and McGregor were assaulted. Not only was there no punishment for Callum’s assailant at all the ‘footballer’ for Ideguchi was only ‘punished’ after the fact. No Commission of Enquiry into what happened that night, under instruction. No hand wringing on why Scottish football is being left behind, no cringing at the out and out thuggery just a shrug and a ‘what else are players supposed to do against far superior opposition?’ reaction, pathetic.
It was ever thus!
Give peace a chance.
There was an excellent interview with ange regarding Callum and his contribution to the team.
what did suprise me though, while out celtic won all 8 domestic fixtures he missed
Interesting Paul on Iwata
I think it asks questions of our midfield strength,where we have been in a state of flux since Calums injury.MoR done well,Reo has excelled and Aaron Mooy have meant the dynamic and strength of team has shone through.it is up to Iwata to become first pick,i hope his transition is successful and he emulates the heights he reached in japan otherwise to coin another yoko ono single he will be ‘walkin on thin ice’.good luck to him
HH
To the Mod
I have no complaint to make if Ernie Lynch wrote a resignation note with personal nastiness towards you after his one day ban (alongside canamalar and Tom McG). As moderator you do not deserve personal insult – it’s a tough job and I wouldn’t do it.
However, if the posts that I read this morning were the reasons for instituting a one day ban, then I think your original decision on all 3 was way OTT.
I accept there may have been deleted posts that I did not read but until re-assured of this I cannot see that
a) ernie lynch was at his worst in terms of responding with personal insults
b) Tom McG was at his grumpiest either
or c) that canamalar got close to expressing an unacceptable political opinion- we have heard a lot of unpalatable thoughts but the idea that there are some bad yins on the side of Ukraine or that Covid lockdown was not a sick and perfect operation, are ideas that we can at least tolerate, even if we do not agree with their intent.
Hmm.. we get it @p67.
I have not posted in over 5 years or so…!
However I felt compelled.
Mr lawwell was CEO at one of our most fruitfulness times of our football clubs existence. For that I am grateful. However we missed the true boat. To destroy that club and all the bigots with it. Newco is an even harder vitriol to take.
Thanks Peter, could have done better though
Back 5 minutes and life time bans being handed out
McPhail Bhoy
Agree with everything you said there.
I was delighted to see that the appeal against Ryan Edwards red was unsucessful today.
Despite the fact that the challenge was perpetrated on a particularly odious character I am very happy to see that the authorities are hopefully sending out a message regarding this type of challenge.
The fact that Halliday isn’t in Hospital today with a broken ankle is more by luck than judgement. The force
of the challenge was utterly dispropotionate to the play situation and Ryan Edwards should, like the Alloa thugs, take a long hard look at themselves. Perhaps if Mr Edwards and his team mates put more of their effort into playing better, they might not be bottom of the league. Scotland in my opinion is the only league in the civilised world where a player would consider attempting this type of tackle. We know why all of this is still allowed to happen, another tentacle of the beast that haunts this country.
Good morrow kind sirs in Celtic.
Yoko Ono will be 90 in ten day’s time.
Pick on someone your own age😀
SFTB
Yeah was more like handbags at dawn and canamalar was expressing an alternative view, point of the blog. Anyways…….perhaps the mod was in teacher mode and decided the belt was appropriate 🤔
All we are saying is….Give us a Goal !
Im STILL singing ” No 9 DREAM”…..Despite having nothing to do with Celtics ” 9 in a Row” achievements.
What a GREAT Song.
God Bless John Lennon……and NEIL of course.
HH.
My dad is obsessive compulsive about his vinyl and owns every single Beatles record except for one.. I think he needs Help.
First they came for Mad Mitch and I did not speak out because I was not Mad Mitch…
Hopefully, a cup final win may prompt an amnesty for all those in the sin bin?
G\od Bless Pablophanque, sadly missed often.
I hope Zelensky goes to Primark and buys himself some new, brightly coloured t-shirts. It seems he’s been wearing the same one since the start of the ‘special operation’…😉
Markiebhoy, what chance do we have when Neilson didn’t think it was a red card offence:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/23303473.dundee-united-appeal-ryan-edwards-red-card/
Perhaps he changed his opinion after seeing it again.
FWIW, if Iwata is any good I think we’ll see CalMac moved forward and rotated with Hatate. I also think Turnbull will be moved on and O’Relly sold for a good profit. That would also free up space for the captain to move forward.
I agree 100 per cent with Canamalar’ s political views, so I suppose I should receive a one-day ban. No-one will notice anyway, I haven’t been posting for a while.
Guys, Moderator,
To moderate is a necessary but thankless task. But what if moderation is so zealous and that it actually destroys debate.
If we are closing down legitimate and diverse debate then.that is a slippery slope.
Imo the blog was quite tame this morning and banning orders were not justified, draconian some may say.
As for a life sentence, even the repulsive, dangerous and serial maniac David Carrick never even got that.
HH. Discressioncsc
Saint Stivs
We never stop
I always think of him when youtubing Beatles tracks
https://youtu.be/XTfmuDjwQTw
HH
What is a horse’s favourite Beatles song?
Answer: Hay chewed.
I’ll go quietly!
Haste ye back Ernie,Canamalar and Tom.
HH
AIPPLE on 8TH FEBRUARY 2023 12:38 PM
My dad is obsessive compulsive about his vinyl and owns every single Beatles record except for one.. I think he needs Help.
……………
Very Good AIPPLE.
LOL
I often play songs on my local Pubs Juke Box…..too many sometimes.
Whenever I play The Beatles, I always play ” LOVE ME DO” and ” EIGHT DAYS A WEEK”.
John Lennon with his mouth organ on ” Love me do” is just superb.
John Lennon and ” NO.9 Dream”…is also SUPERB.
HH.
Does anyone know where the Stirling University team play their home matches.
After the rangers B narrow win last night v Gretna and Tranent winning tonight’s match is a must win for both teams to stay in contention at the top of the lowland league.
Any help appreciated as to where the university play ?
I like the look of Iwata but given the over reliance of Callum I do worry about him being bit-part. I wonder if we go to a double pivot in Europe to avoid us being as exposed to turnover as were in year 1 Ange but that won’t solve the problem this season.
For Iwata I’d also recognise the same in Kobyashi. Starfelt has some great attributes but if we are to kick on then that right footed left sided player needs corrected. Once again, we won’t be exposed between now and and the end of the season (huns apart) but Europe is a different set of problems.
Are they both primed for next season’s iteration ?
HH
BURNLEY78- The uni play their home games at Forthbank(Stirling Albions ground) HH
FOUR million more shares have been issued in Rangers’ holding company – at a cost of £1million.
The latest transaction in Rangers International Football Club PLC went through at the end of last month and was communicated on Companies House today.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYjbLh2u/
Ryanair
There’s an obvious distinction between debate and coming on to cause an argument and abuse others.
Someone mentioned the other day how the blog in its earlier years attracted a lot of intelligent people who now no longer post because they disagree with the editorial content.
I personally believe it had nothing to do with the latter and more to do with what I said a few years ago was a form of Gresham’s law at work: the blogs success attracted a mixture of those who were either jealous of its success or simply total rockets, which drove/ continues to drive many decent folk away.
So, I have a different take on the Leeds/Ange discussion…..
For me, the question isn’t why would Ange want to go to Leeds? It is why would Leeds want Ange?
They have plenty of experience with Bielsa Ball. It doesn’t work in the long term when you are facing better opponents. Better opponents are what Leeds face every week. Better opponents is what Celtic face in the Champions League.
It seems pretty clear to me that this isn’t the type of manager that Leeds need at this point. Right now, Leeds need to tighten up at the back, stop shipping goals, grind out a few draws, work on their set pieces in order to squeeze out the odd win. Not a job for Ange.
Even if they were interested, Ange would know that his style of play could not be introduced mid season.
And….
While I am being contrary….the beatles are the worst bloody band ever. Fact!
Ronnie
After today, I think you Scots should start planning for independence.
Seriously though, any of you who have been to Lisboa and can give advice or tips regarding visiting the Estadio Nacional?
SCULLYBHOY on 8TH FEBRUARY 2023 2:23 PM
Seriously though, any of you who have been to Lisboa and can give advice or tips regarding visiting the Estadio Nacional?
Scullybhoy,
I visited in 2018. I walked up. Gate was shut. Security guard said there was an event on (it was a saturday). Said I could get in on the Monday.
Came back on the Monday. Was welcomed in. I asked how long I had. ‘As long as you want’ was the answer.
Walked through the tunnel, onto the field, up in the stands. Fabulous.
I’d suggest the following:
Don’t go on a weekend.
Wear a Celtic top. That way you won’t have to explain at length why you are there.
Also, it can be confusing to find the gate, so give yourself plenty of time.
The staff told me that they know all about Celtic, as they get pilgrims ‘almost every day’.
Take tons of photos.
Enjoy.
Ronnie
I’ll repeat for the board apologists.
Peter Lawwell is a rat and ignore at your peril, screwed his own shareholders over through Res 12 & he screwed Brendan Rodgers over.
His comments to one of the requisitioners – Give me the bullet and I’ll fire it but done nothing. His last ever interview with Jingle Jackson from the daily record tells you all you need to know.
Jackson is no friend of ours, played for old Rangers & is Jabbas best friend & he also sat on the rangers taxcase story.
Lawwell is a rat and I would be absolutely shocked since his recent arrival if he hasn’t called his attack dogs out.
Lawwell just loves the OF brand & loves nothing more to keep the OF brand alive and kicking.
Couple of years of success and Lawwell will want to rein it in to allow sevco to overtake us to keep up the pretence of a competition.
Don’t care if you believe or not but he’ll be turning on Angie soon, too much success for one team isn’t good in Scotland for the OF brand.
The end.
Scullybhoy
what happened today?
I did the ‘pilgrimage’ in Lisbon 3 years ago. I jumped in a taxi with the Hoops on and the guy quickly knew where i wanted to go.
There was a security guard there and he just said ‘go on, but stay off the pitch’
Got out and realised I was effectively in a big park/uni campus and started walking back to town and a taxi was sitting in a bus stop. Maybe the previous guy radioed that there was a pick up there
Really enjoyed it