If Only Carlsberg Made Champs League Nights

It couldn’t have got any better than Tuesday. Celtic decided to scrap the swipe card at my turnstyles thus allowing me to get in on time. Traffic problems but a kybosh on my plan to get to the ground for 7, arrived at 7.30 and was in for the tablecloth waving in the centre circle and Celtic played like a European team.

It was a kind of performance you have seen European teams execute against us numerous times. A pass and move system that becomes tight when you lose the ball but expansive when you win it back. Play on the break with pace and stretch the opposition. In fact I struggle to remember such a performance from a Celtic team.

Our game plan in the 2nd half would have been executed perfectly if our footballing triangles had managed to find the final ball. That was our only fault. We let the pace drop, became scrappy and nervous. But were a team whose tactics were drawn from chapter 22 of Alec MacDonald’s Airdrie 1992 book of tactics ever going to trouble our back 4?

When Copenhagen had the ball we got tight and said to them pass through us, go on you know you want to. When they tried, Lenny or Gravesen stole the ball back, Big Mick won a heider or Lee Naylor crunched into a challenge.

The ball was then passed to Aiden or Naka who proved nights like these were made for them. The teased, created, committed players and generally tormented the life out of the land of the giant’s full backs. The tireless Magic and the excellent Miller then dragged the lumbering coo’s of centre half’s around the place like bulls tormenting a matador.

The support once again proved it is a different beast on European nights. It backed the team. It sang. It never left early. The Copenhagen fans were great as well. They had a sense of humour and made the biggest gaff of the night by singing “They’ll be coming down the road” song that the tartan army sing and expected us to join in. Or were they being ironic?

In the end it’s 3 points. Nothing has been decided and we know Benfica will be a different proposition. Benfica could punish our slackness when we lose the ball. Benfica could expose holes in our attacking set up.

Even though Lenny was magnificent and, much to sevens justification, is now a must 1st choice pick for certain games, he could be let down by Tommy G’s tendency to charge around like a demented 3 year old after a packet of smarties. Against Benfica the Gravesen will need to haud his weesh or Lenny, even though he is looking fitter than a supermodel, might be exposed.

Our back 4 will need to be more on their toes, as Benfica will be quick and nimble not big and slow as Copenhagen were. Remember how much trouble Louis Saha caused us at Old Trafford? If Benfica go for it then they will stretch our defence.

Up front the return of JvoH will be a boost. Even though Magic played well the big Dutch fellow gives us something different something the Portuguese won’t like. In Kenny Miller we have a nark that will trouble defenders who like to pose on the ball and like time. In Kenny Miller we also have a player who is annoying our friends across the river with his interviews, his goal scoring celebrations and general loving of life in the Hoops.

Magic eh?

It might all come crashing down against a streetwise Benfica side. A team that won at Anfield last season. A team that should have been in pot 2 instead of us. A team that won’t fear coming to CP.

Hell it might even come crashing down at Westfield on Sunday as the CL hangover kicks in. But at the moment we have a nice glow. We seem to have a team dripping with spirit that only winning games can bring. We also have a system and set up that allows flair players to play and limited players to excel.

Magic eh?

Hail Hail

If only Carlsberg Made Swipe Card Systems…..

There is nothing better than a European night at CP. The Champs League, the most corrupt league in the world, ever, seems to have raised the bar amongst supporters with even the most consumer of consumer fan singing for at least one song.

When Handels “The Priest” bombs out from over the PA, the teams run out into the floodlit gladiators den and the ball bhoys wave that giant tablecloth aboot in the centre circle it really is the place to be. No matter how much we denied it last year we were jealous of them across the river. Doesn’t matter if your only there to make up the numbers, the champs league is the only place in town to be seen at.

For me this game is more important, bigger even than the return match against Man Utd. This is a game, which if we win could go a long way to ensuring that we still need our passports out in 2007.

So makes me wonder why tickets are still available for this game? Why have 3 match packages been offered to season ticket holders, then to huddle club members then to public sale and eventually to any man and his dug?

Are we now being blasé by this gesture? Is the lack of interest in this game due to the fact that our expectations have been raised by our narrow, but still an away defeat yet again, in our last outing? Our is it just the fact that all over Europe CL games fail to sell out due to high ticket prices and saturated TV coverage.

The CL still has a novelty factory for me. The fact I think we didn’t qualify for it, for years it still seems like we are gate crashing a wedding and trying to cop of with the bridesmaid. But for some, the big team supporter mentality comes to the fore and FC Copenhagen have been dismissed by some as cannon fodder and labelled group’s whipping boys.

There results should dispel that notion, beating Ajax and the fact that a good Benfica side saw a draw, as a good result in match day one should make us sit up and take notice. Now I really don’t know much about them, and I’m not going to say other wise all I have got to go on is a 20 min conversation I had with a Bronby fan in Dublin the other week.

This lad was gushing with praise for his chosen teams rivals. He said that they will execute a game plan and if we allow them to settle a long evening is on the cards. They play a direct style that should suit Big Mick, and play to Marcus Allbacks strengths up front. He also said they have a Swedish playmaker and if we give him time and space he can hurt us.

But they lack experience in Europe espsically in the CL. An early goal could desettle them and if we coax them out we could win by a few goals. The bottom-line is they are a handy side that can hurt us and if our performance level doesn’t improve and application level is not the same as it was at OT then we will have a hard time.

From what the guy said to me, I think they will be about Anderlects level. A team that troubled us away from home on a night when our performance was so poor that it reminded me of mid 90’s European performances. And it was bloody freezing that night it Brussels, ticket less standing in a field with a couple of hundred fellow Tims.

But I digress. The question is how far above Anderlects levels are we now or are we above Anderlects level at all? The team that gave Anderlect a doing at CP, I think, was a better team than we are now. With that team I would have been confident of getting 3rd place in our current group but with our current squad doubts still remain.

We have not been firing on all cylinders this season. The fact that the squad was not settled until late in the transfer window, the international break disrupted the chance for them to gel and our program has not been conducive for them to work on things in training, for me has lead to disjointed performances but on the whole winning performances.

Things is, we need our top guns, or big game players to be fully fit and them to talk our younger less experienced troops through the game. News that Tommy G and JvoH does not bode well especially the fact that we let Jvoh play on after it was obvious he was limping on Saturday.

We need a big performance and hopefully the fans will play their part if they get in that is. I’m not going to blame the swipe card system for the delays. The swipe card works it’s just a bit slower than the usual hand over your ticket stub system. The main reason for this is the delay between the person in front of you going through the turnstile and the light turning green to allow you to get in.

On Saturday I was quite sad and worked out there is about a 10 second delay in the person going through, the system rebooting itself an allowing the person behind to get in. I’ll do the math and that’s about 6 people a minute the system should let through if the person with his card is not trying to stick it in the slot or getting impatient waving the card aboot before the light turns green.

Now tomorrow night we will all have paper tickets. Tickets that warning has already been issued regarding bending them. Tomorrow will be worse due to this and as usual midweek games the fans arriving are less staggered due to the lack of time between finishing work and getting to the stadium.

Tomorrow will be bedlam if people don’t change their habits. On Saturday I left the London Road Tav at 12.15, I knew I would never make the kick off due to the slowness of the system. In the queue the amount of moans about the time and how the system was better was unreal. When I asked why one of the moaners, like me, hadn’t left the pub earlier to ensure he saw the kick off he said he shouldn’t have too as the system should work.

Note to all, the system does work. Celtic have told us to get their earlier, thus giving the system time to allow all into the stadium. I for one will be at the stadium earlier than usual on CL nights to ensure I hear Handel booming over the PA. Would advise everyone to forget about that fly pint on the way to the ground and go straight in.

I know it will be bedlam around 7.30. We can’t change our footballing going culture to a more European style, which means arriving hours before kick off in a few weeks of this system being implemented. This culture will eventually change- our neighbours across the river are earlier arrivers- but it will take time.

Mon the Hoops

Hail Hail

New Season, But The Songs and Result Remain the Same...

The discussion on the way home on Saturday was not about going 7 clear or the performance of Tommy G, Aiden or Lenny but it was all about how many players did you recognise from the r*ngers starting line up? I mean I thought the wee fat over weight bloke in the number 25 shirt was Gavin Rae, only to find out it was Charlie Adam or was it Libor Sinoko or was it Jim Bett? Maybe I should start paying more attention to our friends across the river, then again maybe I shouldn’t bother.

Reading the reviews of the game, unless I was watching a completely different one, then I have a very different view than the consensus of the fourth estate. The slaughtering of the r*ngers performance and the description of it being inept and all over the place I think is a bit wide of the mark. Yes they were poor, but so were we and if they had scored when they had their spell just after half time a very different result could have been on the cards.

But they didn’t. They didn’t really look like scoring but the 2-0 score line flattered as our 2nd half performance was just short of woeful as we afforded them too much time and space and couldn’t hold our water when we had the ball. Tell you the truth if r*ngers had any sort of confidence in their own ability they could have quite easily got a result.

At the end of the day they didn’t and probably our domination of the 1st half, when our midfield dominated proceedings and r*ngers couldn’t handle Tommy G and Aidens bursts into the box supporting the tired looking JvoH.

The game was littered with mistakes and nerves. Lee Naylor looked like he didn’t know what hit him and r*ngers game plan of sticking Burke on him nullified his usual application going forward. His usual game was tempered by a public show of nerves, which was surprising as at OT he was calm and collected but a little lacking in confidence of his own ability.

The rest of our defence, done the simple things. Caldwell nullified Boydchenko and Big Mick is looking more and more accomplished as this season is developing. I had my doubts about the big man but he is proving me wrong and his no nonsense style of defending puts me in mind of another Mick of the McCarthy clan. A wee mention about the much abused Telfer who kept r*ngers best player Prso quietish and like the rest of the back line didn’t do much wrong.

Our midfield was brilliant in the 1st half. Second was a bit different as Tommy G’s lack of games is coming back to haunt us and also the fact that he has not adjusted to the pace of the Scottish game. 1st game against Aberdeen his adrenaline kept him going but his time spent polishing galactico’s boots is there for all to see.

Lenny, again, proved that he is worth his weight in gold in games like these. His reading of the game is fantastic and he hardly lost a ball all game. Still think there are some games when he is a passenger and his qualities are not needed but away from home, against our nearest challengers or in Europe he must play. I did write him off, like many others but until a natural successor is found then Lenny will be vital to us as the season goes on.

For me, no matter how good Lenny was he was once again over-shadowed by Aiden McGeady. The bhoy kept the fit again, Shaun Maloney out the team and his selection was justified. He didn’t panic, unlike some, when he broke up the park for Millers- we just knew he was going to score- goal. As all in-sundry screamed at him to play the ball up the line, Aiden hung on, hung on ran at a backing of defence and when the time was right stuck a great ball through to Miller.

I was just as pleased for Aiden as I was for Miller. He was robbed for the 1st goal when the “Gravedigger” decided to bundle the ball over the line-did anyone else notice the r*ngers goalie boating the ball of Tommy G as he lay in the net? John Br*wn must be teaching them well in the r*ngers kindergarten- after he had drifted unmarked into the box and got in a heider.

This performance along with his last few performances against r*ngers prove to me that he now has the measure of these games. His game has improved under GS and he developing into our most influential player. He has one step to make. That’s in Europe. His last outing at OT was poor and I’m sure he will want to make amends.

Even though it was nice to get a victory, the performance was, like all our games this season, was so so. We didn’t need to be at our best and I think that showed in the 2nd half when we were quite willing to let r*ngers come at us. That’s a dangerous game and as I have said better teams will punish us. Another level needs to be found to ensure 3 points are won against Copenhagen.

If we find a higher level of performance which, I think we are capable of, then the only thing I’ve got to worry about tomorrow evening is what time will I get into the game and will my ticket work in the smart card reader?

Hail Hail

Different Styles, Same Goal......

After equalising last Wednesday against Man Utd what kind of team talk did you want at half time? Did you want a rousing we will fight them on the beaches, this is your moment type or a get them in calm them down a few tactical switches, remind a few players of their jobs then send them back out.

More importantly what kind of team talk do you think GS gave them?

I for one would have felt more confident going into the second half last week, with MON doing the half time team talk. With the adrenaline pumping through the player’s veins his famed type of team talk might have just pushed the team that extra 10% to get a result.

MON was a man manager. Never a football coach. He was a motivator a guy who breathed confidence into his troops no matter what the odds. A guy who the players knew they could trust and that he would reward them if they done the job. He also had the knack of getting that extra from the players but would never ask them to do something they couldn’t.

Hence his style and system of football was a more simplistic art, not long ball or ugly, just more simple. Player’s knew their job; average players could excel in this system. It was a system that was easy to coach, to get the message across and not one that needed to be worked extensively on the training ground.

Thus it produced some fantastic results in Europe and domestically but he was inflexible and also was found out on a few occasions being to loyal to players- playing them out of position- and lack of a plan B. More often than not though MON’s reading of a player’s character, man management and his own character, which players respected got him through.

GS is a different beast. I don’t think man management is his strong point, canny see him addressing the players in an our day his come tone and has proved that consistent performances on the pitch not reputations off it or what you have done in the past gets his loyalty.

But GS has proved that he is flexible. He has proved that he is a football coach in every sense. He ensures that he doesn’t miss training and works with the players on different systems and tactics for different games. His vision for the game requires players to be coached not just to give them confidence boosts or hand round the shoulder treatment when they have a bad game.

The difference between the styles is that young players will reacted better to a coach but if more experienced players don’t like the coaches methods or tactics then getting a shift out of them is going to be a chore. Sounds very familiar that doesn’t it?

Looking at GS’s team 2, as he calls it, then you can see he recognizes this. GS kept going on about characters to help the young bhoys through. He signed Roy Keane and Dion Dublin to help the dressing room in the run in last year. He knew that he didn’t have the MON knack of reading players idiosyncrasies so he required generals on the park and characters in the changing room.

This season we only had Lenny, so in came Tommy G and JvoH. Players with experience and espically in Tommy G a win at all cost mentality. GS recognises his weaknesses and has sorted this out by buying characters and also moulding young players into characters like Big Mick. Interesting to hear Tommy Burns talking about Balde, saying he has became a main player in the banter stakes over the last 18 months whereas before he was quiet.

Maybe that shows the dressing room wasn’t big enough for the characters, or egos and wage packets, both on and off the park. Also Roy Keane praising the dressing room spirit at CP last season saying it was the best he had experienced.

In the run up to this Glesga derby the battle of the managers is most interesting. GS had big Eck tactically in his back pocket last season. Celtic have not lost a goal against r*ngers on their last 4 outings and apart from the defeat Celtic won three of them comfortably playing to a game plan perfectly executed. Now he faces a highly rated so-called guru coach from the school Wengner. Another who will probably put tactics above tub-thumping.

What GS has over PLP is the fact that he knows if he gets his tactics spot on he also has characters on the park to implement them. He also knows that if the tactics are not working his players will stick to them but will have the savvy and the will to win, not to detract them from the game plan. And if we go 1 down that he has enough on the park to drag them who might feel a little bit lost back into the game.

The problem he has is that a few are making Glesga derby debuts and may freeze. Some may get caught up and rash challenges and silly mistakes may follow. He will be looking for a decent clam 1st 15 minutes executing the game plan and forcing r*ngers on the back foot. Players win games, as he said not managers. And he has enough big guns that if they play should be enough to carry us through, whether they follow his tactics to the letter or not.

One thing for sure he won’t be worried about the lack of a get up and at them style rant in the dressing room before the game as he knows the huddle is where it’s at.

MON and GS for all there different styles, both, well one at the moment, had / has the knack of getting one over them across the river. Different styles, same goal…….. Mon The Hoops

Hail Hail

He Anit Heavy He's My Buddie.....

Celtic’s fringe players and hangers on, no matter what the papers say, routinely dispatched with a 1st choice St Mirren team in, if truth be told a drab wet night underneath the floodlights at CP. St. Mirren apart from hitting the bar and causing slight panic with their high ball to the back post tactics at set pieces offered sod all really on the night, and if it wasn’t for their goalie the game would have been finished in the 1st half.

That’s not to say that it was a high tempo, fantastic performance from the fringe hoops. Don’t know what game GS was watching when he said our pace was phenomenal, unless he meant our pace was phenomenally slow.

The 8 changes in the side from Saturday were always going to lead to a disjointed, bitty performance and the team done exactly that. Players regaining fitness, getting match sharpness and making debuts in alien positions to them does not lend to a cohesive flowing performance but then have the 1st team been playing cohesive flowing football?

Only when Aiden McGeady came on did a sort of urgency and direct-ness come from the midfield. Jaroisk, Pearson and Sno were quite happy at times to pass the simple ball, to keep possession for possession sake and basically not make an arse of themselves by grabbing the bull by the horns and running at the buddies.

Evander Sno while he was the best player on show, also showed he is a 19 year old with a lot to learn but with bags of ability and self-confidence. His imposing frame should really get put to better use as his stealing ball style is at odds with his hulking frame. He did show maturity though, as he was demanding the ball and his direct promptings in the 1st half was the sum total of Celtics creativity.

He really was doing what I expected Jarosik to do when he arrived from Chelski. Jaro was a shadow of the player he was in pre-season and at the start of the campaign. When he arrived from Birmingham I spoke to a Brummie season ticket holder who said while he was the most skilful footballer at St Andrews he hid when the going got tough and his confidence takes heavy knocks.

Judging by his body language last night, his slouched shoulders, head down demeanour and frustrated challenges this is a player lacking in confidence. It was no surprise he was hooked at half time. No doubting his ability but I’m beginning to doubt his style fitting in to the Scottish game.

His replacement oor Aiden lit up the game with his directness, pace and skill. Aiden’s performance for me puts him ahead of Shaun and Naka for a starting slot on Saturday. The boy can play in the words of dire straits and in this mood no team can live with him. Right he looked like he froze last week at OT, but r*ngers are no Man Utd and he has experienced Glesga derbies before.

Potential match winner written all over his pretty little feather cut.

But he still annoyed his doubters when he played a ball behind, the disappointing, Pearo when it seemed easier to put the ball in front but hey it’s not a Celtic home game without a moan at a homegrown talent.

One word about the crowd, they never panicked like they would have done if it was a league game and we were watching a team struggling to stretch a team with limited ability. Maybe it was something to do with the 20,000 that were missing or that we just don’t care about the CIS cup.

What did the game tell us? Well that if one of the 11 had to come in, while not being maybe up to 1st team quality they would certainly do a job and are tidy enough footballers. It also told us that GS is happy to let the team keep the ball for spells, not go anywhere and be happy about it. GS style, while pleasing on the eye, can sometimes see the pace of the game drop and relies on individual creativity rather than the team’s power and pace. When the creative players are having a mare, well hopefully he will have a plan b or c.

I would expect most of the games against lesser opposition to follow the same lines as the last 2 home games in which, we have won comfortably and have not looked troubled at anytime. But they have drifted along and really we need to kill teams of.

Good result, clean sheet and we created chances with a makeshift team. Not bad for a freebie really when you think about it.

Hail Hail

Sing When We're Winning......

Think all we can take from Saturday is the fact that even though it was a tired lethargic performance we got the expected 3 points. We were lucky that Dunfermline’s players didn’t have the ability to execute their game plan. But a win after our European exertions is not to be sniffed at as I think, vaguely, I remember struggling under MON after European nights and during the Seville run we dropped 12 points after European games.

But you would have thought the “supporters” would have appreciated that? Seems the new breed of consumer is an unforgiving beast and not one inclined to partake in the Celtic Way.

On Saturday the teams got read out and one name was loudly booed, and he wasn’t an ex r*nger player. Paul Telfer’s name was booed by his own support. Not a minority of the support. The vocal majority. During the game his every touch was roundly jumped on, abused and berated- sometimes justifiably- with venom only usually seen at Glesga derbies or against Hearts.

Now looking at some of the vein popping eye bulging supporters coupons I thought maybe they really think, that if they shout loud enough Telfer will turn suddenly into Ronaldinho his passes will always find a Hooped player and his crosses would always find his target.

Logically this was never going to happen. Doesn’t matter how loud you boo, hiss, scream or give yourself a hernia he is still going to be a 35 year old, journeyman of limited ability who has made a career of being a journeyman of limited ability.

It doesn’t matter if we think it is right our wrong to play Telfer. For the record I think Caldwell should move to RB when Balde is fully fit, but if Telfer plays then he deserves our support and a bit of a break. A couple of times when a Telfer mis-placed pass was hit and meet with howls, a few seconds later a Maloney, Naylor, Gravesen or a Naka would do the same thing and they were met with the cries of unlucky, c’mon son and applause.

Double standards I think and all players deserve our support no matter what our personnel preferences are. The bottom line is we have no cover in the full back areas so maybe we might need to get use to seeing the Telf again.

But then again what do I expect when the board interrupt the John Thompson song for an advert to get more cash from us? An important moment of our history interrupted for a money making appeal to the consumer advertisement. What do I expect when Celtic sell their travel rights to Thomas Cook, give them the majority of tickets and then ensure that fans lose out on a trip to Old Trafford when the travel company hand back tickets the night before the game thus ensuring empty seats in the away end and tickets on sale around Old Trafford.

The board don’t care about us or the Celtic way and the home support are beginning to morph into the consumer disposable fan willing to be fleeced and only there when were winning. But only happy when were winning 15-0.

Since I have talked about oor Paul may as well talk about oor Lee Naylor. Now on Wednesday night at Old Trafford I thought his crosses were rushed and looked of that of a man unsure of his own ability. The amount of 1st time crosses he swung in without taking a touch reek of panic to me. But we did sign him from the midlands and not Milan so he did well with it being his CL debut and all that.

His performances since joining have been decent and he has proved to a player who can perform at a decent level but lacks what makes a top drawer full back. Too many of his crosses are swung in hopefully without a look up first. Then again if our strikers read them and moved accordingly then maybe they would be more productive.

As someone said on Saturday if Henke was in that team he would have scored a few at OT and a few on Saturday. Problem is JvoH is no Henke and Kenny Miller is usually outside the box and nowhere near getting on the end of the majority of crosses.

After his disaster on Wednesday Tommy Gravesen had a quiet home debut. The gallus-ness of his debut was replaced with a refrained performance, one that looked like a pit bull being kept on a leash. Maybe he just needed to settle himself down after Old Trafford and due to his lack of games needs to play against St. Mirren of Paisley on Tuesday night.

With our hectic schedule, which by the end will see us playing 7 games in 17 days then team selection on Tuesday without compromising quality of the fielded team is a difficult balance GS needs to find. JvoH is looking tired, Balde needs a game if he has to come into contention for the derby, Maloney’s recovery must continue with another start and will we see the lesser spotted Deek Rioirdon that feather haired creature last seen doon Leith.

Our back line is creaking with niggling injuries- says a lot for the commitment to the cause- Craig Beattie could do with a run out, Kenny Miller needs a goal, Magic needs a run out as could do a lot of our squad players.

Do we treat this competition with content, which the consumer will by not turning up, or play a strong team, which will take us through and worry about potential injuries afterwards or play a strong-ish team, which should take us through and give those a needed rest and those a needed run out?

Why has the penalty kick shoot out game with Partick just sprung into my mind?

Hail Hail

Dublin- Mau Utd 3 Celtic 2

On travelling to Dublin I was wondering if I would find answers to whether, for what I think is an ever diluting passion towards all things Celtic, in Ireland is a reality or just a musing I have. I didn’t find out whether that was true or not, but what I did find out that worldwide the name of Celtic is known.

Walking around Dublin’s, too busy, multicultural city centre on the game of the day you would have struggled to guess that a game between two of Irelands favourite sons was happening that evening. The fact was that I was quite perplexed at the lack of atmosphere in the city pubs with even one when I asked if they were showing the game they didn’t have a clue what I was on about.

Mrs G decided against my plan to go off the beaten tourist path and try and find a local pub to watch the game. After I had dragged her to Kilmainham Goal that day I decided that if she wanted to go to the expensive temple bar area to watch the game then I would agree. So headed south across O’Connell Bridge into the height of the tourist trap.

Found a wee pub that had a band playing, for the wife, and once had ascertained that the game was on bought a 5-euro pint and found a seat. The pub we were in had 3 TV’s in the area we were sitting. A big one and 2 smaller one’s unfortunately where I had got a seat the bar manager decided that the telly I was watching was going to show the Arsenal game.

The game started with five hoop wearing fans in the pub and a lot of interested, but albeit passing mixture of locals and tourists watching the game. Next to me were 3 lads, who turned out to be just as vocal in their support of the hoops as me.

These lads were French and were travelling to Derry to watch PSG last night. These lads were belting out “You’ll never walk alone” when the TV panned to the travelling Celtic support and made it known that they were backing us at every opportunity.

When asked way they were supporting Celtic, was told that the passion of the Celtic support is famous in France and they, the PSG Nord Curve Ultra’s, look to the Celtic support as a blue print for how the club should be supported. Was shown their members card and when in return I produced my Celtic team card the look on their faces was like a wean on xmas day.

A number of pictures were took with my team card, with me holding it, them holding it and a photo with it on the table. It was a magical experience probably one we don’t get very often that fans of opposing club were over the moon to meet what they called a card carrying Celtic fan.

It wasn’t for show, as when speaking to them one of them said his favourite player was Shaun Maloney and all off them could name the Celtic players. They had a genuine love of the hoops and that’s when I started thinking that our club is something very special.

Thank god then the team produced a performance that by the end of the night would make me proud to be wearing the hoops and have everyone talking to me in the pubs about a Celtic performance, which after our pre-season world tour woes gave us back our pride.

The other hoops in the bar were not as vocal as the ultras and myself. When JvoH scored, there was delay, had it went in I couldn't tell from my vantage point in the bar. JvoH wheeled away celebrating I started to think we could do something here. I knew at that point even if e were to end up losing the game we were going to give a performance.

Would have basked in the moment longer if that ref, a rush of blood to Arthur’s heid and a cheating Welshman hadn’t all got together to give Man Utd a boost just when it looked like we were going to frustrate them.

Then came what makes the fact that if you don’t keep the ball at any level of football then you will be punished. Tommy G gave the ball away, but his mistakes were punished. Naka and McGeady gave the ball away more so than the baldy Dane but they got away with it.

Naka made up for it though. His free kick was a special moment for the Japanese Bhoy. But it was one, which I expected. The way the wall was lined up and the fact that he had a target the size of the Stretford end to aim at, always made him favourite to score.

Later on that evening I meet 5 Japanese tourists with Nakamura 25 on the back of their Hoops tops. Hands shook all round. What a moment that must have been for them. Pity Naka wasn’t at his best all evening.

But then maybe I’m being a bit hard on them. It was a step up in quality and all our creative players worked hard to keep the shape of the team. They had to, as it was not a night for passengers.

Right maybe we were outclassed, we made our own mistakes, had Arthur to thank for not getting a doing and ran out of steam when we should have been pounding them for an equaliser. I for one think that Miller was brought on too early and GS played a possibly tactical trump card a bit too soon.

But at the final whistle I applauded my team. The PSG fans sang “You’ll never walk alone” and the Hoops came out with the plaudits. Everyone who came up to speak to me after the game, Irish Man Utd fans, a Danish Bronby fan apologising for Tommy G mistakes and telling me of the dangers held in Copenhagen and that Morten Weighthorst is his favourite ever player and English tourist saying that they expected an easy Man Utd victory.

We gave Scottish football a shot in the arm but more importantly the good ship Celtic a boost after that night in Bratislava.

But after glorious failure comes the heightening of expectations. Playing Man Utd and getting a performance is an easy job. Playing games, which now some are expecting to win easily is harder. The Bronby fan told me enough to believe, while we could beat Copenhagen, if we don’t produce a similar level of performance as we did on Wednesday they have enough quality to trouble us.

I maybe didn’t get any questions to the answers I wanted concerning how Celtic is viewed in Ireland. I never meet enough locals to make a judgement. What I did find was performances increase your worldwide appeal and that the Celtic fans are held in high regard by fellow football fans all over Europe.

Now I wonder how these “special” fans will reacted if we get a sluggish performance tomorrow against Dunfermline and maybe. “Help my boab” go 1-0 down as the team struggle to pick themselves up. Maybe for once after Man Utd the fans will know that this team can produce the goods and we should give them our backing win lose or draw.

Hail Hail

The Beautiful South?- Manchester Utd

The “clash of the titans” Sky is building it. But for me at the moment it’s more like another meeting with a distant Uncle who really we have seen to often over the last few months. You know the type of Uncle. The one that’s does bad dancing at weddings, reeks of whiskey and leers at your wee cousins.

The Scottish meeja have got them into an awful kafuffle regarding the master against the apprentice. The fact that GS and old red eyes haven’t seen eye to eye for many a year they are trying to put a spin on it, which really isn’t there. The fact is that Man Utd fans probably see this as no more than a game against say, a Charlton, Fulham or Portsmouth.

Their Champs league failure last year will still be fresh in their minds but they will see this game as a gimmie 3 points, a chance to score a few goals and most will be looking towards Sunday’s games with Arsenal as the big one this week. They probably won’t be bothered if players are rested for the Arsenal game as, as was proved in the pre-season friendly their reserves are good enough to step up to the plate.

In the Seville season, I remember being asked by the scouser who got me the ticket for the Kop that night, if I could give him my ticket stub after the game as that would entitle him to an extra ticket for the semi final home leg.

I agreed as really we were punching above or weight, the tie had swung in Liverpool favour. It was only when Hartson scored the winner that I took notice of the arrogance of the boys request. He expected to win. He expected to go on and win the UEFA cup. He never expected a bunch of limited ability vagabonds to play them off the park.

That night ranks as the best I have ever had watching Celtic. The fact I was in the Kop, had walked through Shankleys Gates and seen a Celtic team, play the Celtic way over turn our bigger and richer neighbours was top drawer.

Wednesday night will top that though if we manage to pull off any sort of result. Man Utd are on a different level from that Liverpool team and our team was on a different planet than the current, work in progress, that takes the field in the hoops at the moment.

Celtic and Man Utd are linked through Irish catholic connections and the fact that we have played each other so many times in testimonials in the past. We are also both have worldwide support and a brand name, which will always attract players, of a certain footballing knowledge and not money grabbers to come to us.

But the financial differences between us mean that we should not be able to live with Man Utd. The fact is what could GS have done with £18.6 million during the summer instead of selling our best player? To fund raids on decent level CL players?

GS said quality and players win games and sometimes tactics don’t matter. That’s true. One of the match ups’ on Wednesday night will be Lee Naylor v Ryan Giggs. Now Naylor is a decent lower reaches of the EPL full back up against a world-class winger who this season has been unstoppable. No matter how you set your team up better players will win individual battles if they are up for it.

GS will set his team up as Aberdeen did against us. Try and make Man Utd play through us deny them space and hopefully our quality on the ball and speed on the attack may get us chances. We have to keep the ball for spells as if we give them it back we are in trouble. Set Pieces. Two words but take a note, as regular match of the day viewers will know what I’m on about.

The banter between the fans will be interesting as well. We all know that Man Utd don’t like “You’ll never walk alone”. We all know that we don’t like their version of “The Billy Boys”. Testimonials take away the competitive edge of rivalry but at Keano’s testimonial the banter between us and the corner of the Stretford end was a bit heated.

Be interesting to hear how the Man Utd fans will treat us and how we will treat them, as on Saturday our away support regained it’s sense of humour and moral ground with their choice of songs. They also regained a sense of colour and political values with the banners regarding Arthur Boruc.

Unfortunately I won’t be able to experience another Anfield type night, if the result goes our way, as I will be watching the game from an olde alehouse close to the River Liffey. Might end up in the Liffey if we getting a doing. But my cohort Seven could have a great could have the night of his life at Old Trafford.

Then again maybe not.

Hail Hail

It's Grim Up North- Aberdeen 0 Celtic 1

Must be a pain being an Aberdeen fan. I mean going from the heady heights of the early 80's to seeing your ex heroes turning up, to their former stomping ground, and turning you over with relative ease. Worse of all, with teams from the west that you were lead to despise by old red eyes.

For all Celtic huffed and puffed yesterday, the gulf in class was plain for all to see. As GS says players win games, not formations or tactics. Again it was left to quality to win the game for us.

Jan Vennegor of Hesslelink showed he has the John Hartson knack of doing sod all during the game, but he will turn up and put the ball in the back of the net. His goal was a half chance, the sort of chance we created all day, and showed that the big fellow could be priceless for us over the next few months.JVoH was well marshalled by the impressive Russell Anderson, Zander Diamond and Scott Servin so much so that i'm struggling to remember him winning a heider against any of them during the game. His link up play was disjointed and there was no connection with Magic or Miller.

Partnerships take time to form and with JVoh being a stick on starter then Magic and Miller will have to improve if either one of them are to stake a starting claim.

So much so if Craig Beattie finds any sort of fitness and learns to play close to big Jan, something Magic and Miller haven’t done yet, in fact Magic was that far away from him he was almost in Dundee, he could benefit from Magic’s loss of form and Millers lack of goals.

But JVoH scored and thats what he is paid to do. It was also his 1st away game in Scotland and he looked like he was blowing out his arse at the end of it. Adjusting to the pace of our game and also his new team mates, is probably a fair excuse for disjointed but in the end productive performance.

Talking about new team mates, i thought Tommy G was going to run the game after his explosive opening 25 mins. He was everywhere, charging around with his barrel chest puffed out, his bald naiper getting in folks faces and a wee step over trick that Aiden would be proud off. His lack of 90 mins over the last 18 months showed as he drifted from the game before the end, but that is understandable.

It was also a hard place for both JVoH and Tommy G to make their away debuts for the Hoops. A place even though we have a good record there we always seem to get it hard.

Aberdeens tactics of flooding the midfield- there tactics made Lenny a passenger for long spells- and sitting back are probably something both men are used to as Real Madird and PSV are probably no strangers to opposing teams using those tactics.

The main thing for both will be getting up to the pace of the game and understanding the limitations of their team-mates. Once they get both these attributes correct then they will be big players for us.

You would expect JVoH and Tommy G to look out of sorts, but they didn't look as out of sorts as Magic and Naka. Both these players know the score of Scottish football now, so away trips should come as no suprise to them. This season both are struggling to find form and i have a nagging doubt that Naka has been found out by opposing managers.

Naka has been getting shutdown quickly and getting hit early doors. This seems to be effecting his game and yesterday i was wondering how poor he would have to be before he would get the hook. For all his creative merits he was a passenger and wasn't contributing at all as the game was drifting to a 0-0.

Since Naka was a passenger it was left to Aiden, again, to be our most creative force. It’s a big ask for the bhoy, but he is rising to the task, even when the lack of options makes him hold on to the ball one tackle too long. Naka really should be helping Aiden but especally in the last few away games Naka, like the rest of the team, has been found wanting.

Magic, is this the same player that finished last season? Is the fact that he now has strike partners that move throwing his game plan out the window? Lack of confidence has grabbed the man from Poland, which could have a grave effect on him. Him and Miller will be slugging it out and on current form and posture Miller gets a shot at starting next week.

Overall it was a decent enough performance in a difficult away game. Lack of chances is still a worry but our ball retention and play from the back to the front is ok, but a little laboured at times.

Gary Caldwell, again for the 2nd week in a row was our best defender and seems to have grown in stature and now looks competent at domestic level. Big Mick again also showed he is competent at domestic level and both our CB showed courage and team player spirit by playing with injuries.

On Saturday we had the bulk of possession and were the hunters. On Wednesday night we become the tight unit and the hunted.Players win games as does quality.

"Who the F*ck are Man Utd" sang the impressive away support yesterday. I fear we are about to find out.

Hail Hail

Celtic V Scottish Executive

Last week when Justice Minster Cathy Jamieson launched the football banning orders against Football Hooligans in Scotland she wasn’t kidding anyone. We all knew what these orders were for and how they will be used. The banner behind her proclaimed “Straight Red Card” and the 1st bullet point was Sectarianism.

Now why this was launched under the pretence that it was only to catch Hooligans was laughable, and another example of the Scottish Executive trying to cover up what they call Scotland’s secret shame. They are trying to pin a social problem on football and in doing this saying that only people who partake in sectarianism are Stone Island wearing thugs.

Nice bit of media manipulation getting an ex hooligan to launch the campaign and for him to talk about the inconvenience his banning order has caused him. Yeah, stopped him bashing other hooligans in chain pubs up and down the country. What a bugger.

By using an Ex Hooligan they are portraying, also creating a myth, to the public that these orders will only affect hooligans and us the normal fan won’t be affected.

Bolloxs. A wee look at the remit of these orders and the scary fact is that the polis can enforce a civil banning order on you even if they don’t have enough evidence to convict you. Guilty by association.

So there you are standing in a section at Aberdeen on Saturday, the guys behind you are giving the BOTOB the full monty, and the polis decide this is offensive. They steam into the section and grab the nearest ones to the singing and one of them is you.

Monday morning your found not guilty, no evidence, but the polis ban you anyway and your £450 pound season book is up the swaney. 10-year ban all for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now, I think the Scottish executive is trying to paper over the cracks here by targeting football. If sectarianism disappears from our most public sport then they can go it’s no longer a problem. What they don’t understand is the ”problem” was improving; it was no longer as big a factor as it was in the 70’s or 80’s.

By highlighting it and bringing in these orders they are giving a platform to the “90 min bigot” and the wannabes who will see this as an opportunity to make a name for themselves. They now have a platform on, which they can become infamous.

The problem the executive have is that they have not defined sectarianism. What they and unfortunately UEFA have highlighted is a word that I for one don’t find being called offensive and many don’t find offensive when used in a football context.

The word fienan for me is not offensive in this way and like h*n, orange, Tim, fat and bald is part of football banter and abuse. Even outside of football I struggle to find being called a fienan b*st*rd offensive, maybe the fact I’m not a catholic dilutes the word, and in fact a lot of Celtic fans are quite happy / proud to be called fienans.

Right I know that sometimes when these words are spoke it is with so much vemon then it is hatred, as I have been on the end of it myself, but I actually don’t find the words offensive. What I find offensive is the way it is said or sung.

And in Scotland it is sung with hate.

The Scottish executive wants to be seen to eradicate this problem but instead they have got the wrong end of the stick completely. They are hiding from the fact that Scotland is basically a racist country, unable to accept anyone that is different or from an immigrant background.

It happened with the Irish and it is now happening with Asylum seekers and Eastern Europeans. Maybe it’s because we are an island some can’t accept that people are different.

What sums up Scotland’s problem is the Arthur Boruc affair. No matter what the CPS says the only complaint was because he blessed himself. And that offends people in this country.

The constant booing of Neil Lennon and Aiden McGeady sums up Scotland’s problem.

The executive will try and hide this as tourism will be hit as how many practising Catholics spend their money each year in Scotland? Also how many practising eastern European Catholics are now working in this country contributing taxes?

What about Celtic? Celtic are been targeted and will be punished due to their Irish background. Nothing more nothing less. They can’t play on the, enforced by them, public perception of sectarianism with us because it’s not black and white. So what they do is invent that political songs are sectarian. That singing about our Irish heritage is sectarian.

That basically being a Celtic fan of Irish catholic descent is sectarian. That Celtic is basically the cause of all sectarian ills in Scottish Football. If Celtic weren’t formed they wouldn’t need to be doing this.

Right I know some songs have no place at football. But do the executive really think that if we stop singing the BOTOB at away games then problem solved? Do they really think that the words orange and finen won’t be used on a daily basis in the work place? Do they really think that the Wolftones will not sell out the Barrowlands anymore because of this?

This is a window dressing exercise, which innocent fans will be banned for. It will probably re-stoke the flames even more as they were dimming as the years rolled by. The executive should be tackling socially accepted bigotry instead of this. Instead they are attacking our right to free speech.

Once again Football is carrying the can for societies ills. Football has always been a place where political views and different opinions have been expressed. Football has always been weapon of choice to show your support of your area, town or heritage

The way the executive are going with this and the way our board are pandering to their views, investigating the singing at Inverness, Brian Quinn statements, the team card, lack of comment about Arthur Boruc, makes me even stronger in my belief that us, Celtic, and the Celtic spirit and Celtic Way is only alive in the fans. And it’s up to us to make sure that continues.

Let The People Sing

Welcome to the shiny new Lord of the Wing Blogspot

I have tried to cater for the more discerning blogger this season, so decided to give the blog a broadsheet/widescreen look.
Many thanks to ALBINI Productions for designing the banner

Please leave a comment, as they may make me change my mind of the layout and colours of this thing.
Some dandelion skill and we'll soon be away with the head down..............

Hail Hail

Kevin G

99 Problems But The Midfield Isn't One

Last Sunday was laying on the couch dying from self-abuse on the Saturday night. While doing the hungover channel hop I came across “Madrid” a film about the galacticos on ESPN Classic. Now the blurb said a fascinating insight into the world of the worlds biggest club Real Madrid.

All it really showed you was Raul on the treatment table and them joking around in training. One of the games in training was hitting a dead ball from near the corner flag off the far post into the net. In the group doing it were Zizou, Fat Ronnie, Boaby Carlos and our Tommy Gravesen.

Zizou 1st up and missed. Fat Ronnie hit the bar, Boaby Carlos kills a Japanese tourist and our Tommy strolls up pings the ball perfectly off the inside of the post into the back of the net.

So what type of player are we getting? Is it a combative defensive “eat your weans, dug and wife for breakfast” type midfielder or an attacking replacement for the sulky Bulgur? And how will he fit in to what is an already over crowded midfield?

After our dealings this summer we now have 10 midfielders. Jaroisk, Nakamura, Gravesen, Lennon, Sno, Pearson, Thompson, Rioirdon, Maloney and McGeady. If you add other 1st team squad members Ferry and Grant, maybe Quinn, then we have more midfielders than spurs.

So how do we fit them all in? Last Saturday I was dreaming of a combination of Tommy G, Stan and Jaro with a.n. Other in the middle of the park as I was sure MON didn’t have the dimes to purchase him. That midfield for me was a dream.

Have said on this site, no matter how often Lenny states GS told him he has a big role to play, a bit part role and more instances like Tynecastle where Neil will find himself on the bench will be the norm. He will get dusted down for battle games and left out in the wide-open flowing games that happen at CP.

Tommy G according to David Moyes and Evertonians is an attacking midfielder who played for Hamburg, Real Madrid and Denmark as a defensive midfielder. Jaro played as a wide man, defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder for CSKA and Chelski.

We have paid big money for both of these players so in the most instance they will play and could we see them swapping roles in a dynamic midfield that when one goes the other sits? Both can play, both are comfortable on the ball and have more creativity than Lenny. Both seem more flexible than Lenny so both will play more than Lenny.

Pearo having come back into the managers good books, could be the biggest loser in the signing of Tommy G. Having seen an opportunity with Stan leaving he was probably hoping that the who ha surrounding the supposed failed medical was true and a run in the team was on the cards.

Having impressed over the last few weeks the 21st century Burns could find himself an utility bit part, filling in wide left when Naka doesn’t fancy it or late sub when Tommy G or Jaro fancy a rest.

Our wide midfielders must also be a bit worried about GS plans. I mean he could play 3 centre midfielders and a player in the hole behind the front 2 or more in likely force one of the central midfielders, would be Jaro, to play wide.

Not our favoured option as it unbalances the team, but big names, big money means bigger huffs when they are not playing.

With Aiden the only wide player who ‘s performances so far make him a stick on start, then Naka, Shaun and the missing Rioirdon could find themselves up beside me in the stand more often than not.

The midfield options are suited to what I believe will be our CL 4-5-1 formation. Domestically some are going to be disappointed as it might be horses for courses and they may find themselves left out when they don’t want to be. But if GS does this and rotates the engine room, I fully expect disjointed performances to follow.

GS has given himself a massive dilemma, albeit a good one to have, and also will leave himself open to all sorts of abuse if his team selections fall sort of the now over expectant targets. In the coming months all you will hear is this one should have played, that one should have played etc.

If only at the moment we had those abundance of choices in defence. We have Kennedy and Balde to come back but we only have 3 fullbacks and one of them is Paul Telfer.

Up front Jvoh and Magic are stick on starters, with Miller and The Beats deputies. Even then we can also shove wee Maloney, McGeady and Rioirdon into forward roles if needed.

I said earlier that I believe this is the strongest squad we have had in years, maybe not the strongest 1st team, but the squad is about all of the same quality. GS will need to prove he has the coaching ability and decision-making ability to gel them together.

Big few months ahead………..

Hail Hail

KevinG

Hail To The Thief or Praise The Kaiser Chief

Now the transfer window has nearly slammed shut, it is now a good time to have a look at where we, Glesga Vienna and Kanus of Midlothian are. Truth is the fact that I have called them Glesga Vienna and Kanus of Midlothian say’s it all.

Message to the fourth estate- There will be no massive spend of JJB money at ipox and Romanov is a false dawn to our friends in the east. Both have a link nasty fans and crooked chairmen. Allegedly.

Us? Well our doubts that the board were penny pinching descendents of the Kelly and White dynasty have been firmly put to bed with an overall spend nudging the 8 million mark. But with savings a net spend of only £1 million. Anyone for a biscuit as the tin is open.

While I feel there is still cause for some criticism, albeit pernickety, I grudgingly applaud Peter Lawell for his poker face and hard nosed negotiating skills, which has seen players courted by clubs with more spending power, ending up at us.

The criticism I feel only lays with the fact the business has been done when the season started, we went on a world tour to pay for these players, or PR leaves a lot to be desired, our image was badly by this world tour and hefty defeats to lesser opposition and we had to sell the best midfielder in Scotland to allow the money to be freed.

In a radio interview with Radio Snide Lawell or Kaiser Sose said that we didn’t need to sell Stan to fund deals. Well, we did buy JvoH and Naylor, before Stan left, but that outlay and the hold up for Tommy G proves to me that Stan P leaving was vital to those deals going through.

The Kaiser took a risk knowing the inner workings of MON and gambled that if the money weren’t here by the 31st Aug then it would be here in Jan. He knew how much MON wanted the Bulgur and was willing to wrangle every god dam dime from Randy Learner to ensure we only spent £1 million in our transfer dealings.

Smart eh?

So for £1 million net spend we have basically ended up with the strongest squad in years, the wage bill has decreased, the age of the squad has decreased and we now have players who will still have sell on value after 2 years.

Double smart eh?

On top of that we have had the biggest selling Celtic top and another new away top released that these signings ensure will fly out the door due to the feel good factor, which has washed over the club. Add to that the £15 deal to get big Jvoh on the back of your top then it’s been a great week on and off the park.

Smoke and mirrors springs to mind but this pre-season and transfer window spend can only be judged by the results on the park. And that’s the hard part.

Surely GS canny mess up with the strongest squad we have had in years?

Hail Hail

Farewell Stan..

As the old timer at the end of the bar saying goes “you take with one hand and give away with the other” that feeling sort of applies to Celtic today. On the one hand we have obtained Keano’s replacement and a nasty streak into the middle of the park on the other we have lost the best midfield player in Scotland.

The forever forlorn and sulky looking mono-browed stereotypical Bulgur Stan P has got his wish and is moving to the over-rated EPL to team up with Saint Martin and what will become a growing colony of ex hoops.

Good move for Stan, a lot better than the one to the Pompey Chimes and Arfur Redknapp. Villa are on the up with MON and the porn king Randy Lerners money on board European football is a possibility and maybe a wee outside chance of winning the Carling Cup as MON likes that competition.

So what are the villains getting? One of the best midfielders in the country, great engine, work rate of an eastern European mule and at least 10 goals a season from the middle of the park. Stan has impeccable timing and will arrive in the box to get on the end of crosses or through balls constantly and for his lack of height is good in the air. He is also versatile as he can play on the right, middle and even up front if called upon.

Our memories of Stan will be of his lung bursting performances in Europe and against R*ngers. The uncanny knack he had of scoring against r*ngers and the fact he loved scoring against r*ngers. I mean my favourite ever Stan goal is his flying heider in the 6-2 game.

On the downside maybe just maybe if we had made him captain last year we would have seen him become a testimonial Celt, but he made his decision and we got a fair bit of wonga for him.

Good Luck Stan, wish you well and you will always be welcome at CP.

So what did we get in return? Well a r*nger fan just said to me “£45,000 grand a week of rubbish”

In the words of John Lennon “He’s just a jealous guy” Says it all really.

Hail Hail

Keving

Celtic 2 Hibs 1

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of my dad’s company at the football. So we could sit together I had to move seat, so I was in the traditional Celtic end. Dad had never seen the Brother Walfred memorial so instead of my usual pre-match pint I took him to see the impressive statue.

On seeing this it was mentioned that Jinky should probably get his own statue as well and the conversation turned to how well received the Celtic fans take to you if you are successful. Well 63 minutes into the game a new hero was born.

Jan Vennegor of Hesselink goal was met by the type of reception I have only seen twice at CP. When Jorge Cadete scored against Aberdeen and when Henke scored on his final home game against Dundee Utd. Pure Bedlam. The superlatives were flying out the fans months with regards to the big man just proving that once again the fans are desperate for a new hero.

The big man didn’t need to do too much to be impressive. The fact that what had gone before him was so woeful and inept then the fact that he was looking for the ball, was moving and was generally giving the 2 lumbering coos that were disguised as Hibs CB’s a hard time was enough to win us over.

Miller and Magic were woeful. Even though the magic scored his day and performance for me was summed up when he raced through on goal in the final minute, only to hesitate, dwell to long and allow the defender back to tackle him. Last season that would have been buried and the fraught final minutes would have been avoided.

Miller is now looking like his South Park namesake. He is hiding underneath a hood and his confidence is so low that hopefully a turkey shoot against the fishermen of the Faroes on Saturday might do him the world of good. But then again it is Scotland so a defeat to Faroese is probably on the cards.

On Saturday the great Lennon debate was sparked again. I thought Lenny was that far of the pace in the 1st half that Broon, Thomson and Stewart had the length of M8 between them and Lenny. Hibs only stopped being dominant when Pearo horsed that we nark Broon in the air and received a booking for it- for me it was a fair but hard challenge.

The second half was a different kettle of fish, with Pearo being no more than 5 yards from the impressive Hibs midfield anytime they received the ball and he gave them no peace to play the same way they had in the 1st period.

Begs the question if a good but not European good midfield can boss us what will a decent European midfield do to us?

The rest? Apart from being nut-megged once again in a one on one the Gourock Ferry did well as stand in for the going to jail Arthur, Caldwell was a rock when all around him were trying to give Hibs an equaliser and for me gave his most impressive Celtic performance, Aiden one again proved he can change games but really him and Naka were anonymous in the 1st half.

Once the goal went in the confidence went up all through the team. This team only plays when they feel confident to do so. It’s almost as if we play in shackles at 0-0 and the fear of making a mistake stops them playing their natural game.

What they have got to realise is, if they play their natural game from the off 9 out of 10 times they will be 1-0 up before they know it.

Hail Hail

KevinG

ICT1 Celtic 1

A poor performance and another 2 points wasted.

At 1-0 we looked as if we didn't want to up it a bit and score the 2nd and it ended up costing us in the end.

Pearo and Aiden were the best men by far and must both be looking to start v Hibs next week which won't be an easy game.

Thats if Aiden has recovered in time as every time he got the ball they kicked lumps out of him.

Again the tactics and line-up can be questioned. Why only play with one up-front, who does Strachan think he is, Paul Le Guen?

Fair enough if Magic wasn't 100% fit but Jarosik looked lost were he was playing and it didn't work at all.

Hopefully before the Hibs game we will see a Centre Forward and Left Back signed and Bobo and Maloney will be back within a few weeks as we need to be a lot better than we were yesterday in the League never mind in Europe.

Wouldn't it make you look forward to the Champions League draw a lot more if we went out and signed a couple of real quality players this week..

Its still early days but 7 out of 12 points isn't a great start and we need to get our act together quicky.

A wee start for Riordan against his old team anyone?

Celtic 2 Buddies 0

The main thing I noticed about Saturday was the general apathy that greeted a comfortable but all in a poor Celtic victory against a side that didn’t want to get a doing. Once again a poor performance did nothing but raise more questions.

As one poster on here text me at half time “This is officially pish”

I’m beginning to wonder now if the boom period of MON and the effect it had on the support is now beginning to fade. Empty seats aplenty once again on Saturday and the feeling that our pre-season trouble and lack of any big named signings have made us not a good choice for an afternoon out.

On the way back from the ground the general feeling is that GS is now on borrowed time. The board have hung him out to dry with the lack of funds and he hasn’t got the coaching nonce to take raw materials produce a team.

Now following a legend with a fraction of the funds was always going to be difficult but one of the legends main qualities was an uncanny knack of making average players play constantly above average level. Can we say GS has got that knack?

GS will need to find that knack, unless quality reinforcements arrive. But as time drags on and the window is about to slam shut it looks more and more like we will sign players who are not the finished article, need coached and will need to punch above their weight.

GS will need to prove himself as a bloody good coach. This is where the doubts creep in.

So what is up with us? We threaten to be a good side without ever getting round to actually being one. We play football for football sake, with one pass to many, make nice wee patterns without going anywhere and there seems to be a lack of leadership to just get it wellied and take a chance.

Our most creative, grab the game by the scruff of the neck player was Aiden. Now he only plays in spells and lacks the constant menace of Shaun. Why was Riordon not on the pitch when we were lacking that spark to break down a defence containing a 141 year old.

St Mirren came with a gameplan and we went along with much to the delight of their bar-coded throng singing their 1st division ditties. Notice that all teams that come up have songs that deserve lower league status?

We got the 3 points without ever looking like a good side and with the talent on the pitch that is criminal. Lack passion, leadership and creativity. Hell even the r*ngers and he*rts results doesn’t brighten up our result.

So many questions but not enough answers at the moment…

Hail Hail

KevinG

He*rts 2 Rebels Won.......

Right lets get my rant over with first. I hate He*rts. I hate them almost as much as I hate r*ngers. I hate the way their jumped up fans, manager and chairman over-react to any result, nothing is won and loss in the 2nd game of the season, and really wish they would crawl back under the dirt where they belong. I really want them all to be put in a submarine and sunk.

But most of all I hate the way they were better in every department than us yesterday.

Football is a simple game. You keep possession, make good decisions when your in dangerous positions and make sure your concentration is tip top then you’ll win more games that you lose. Celtic did none of that yesterday.

1st goal, slack pass in the middle of the park allows he*rts possession and the chance to exploit the space left behind by Telfer, who had not a bad game, the ball is played into this gap and lack of communication between Mick and Caldwell, both didn’t do much wrong all game, allows Bebnar a free run on goal, which he finished well.

2nd goal, as the game is drifting to a nil-nil we regain possession in the middle of the park, few passes later Lenny decides to pass the ball back to the goalie from the halfway line. It’s short, Arthur bolts from his goal but Bednar was always odds on and it’s 2 points dropped.

It’s one thing losing goals to the other teams creativity but gifting them two goals is bloody annoying.

Celtic played for a 15 min spell after we equalised but overall we were not good enough. Our passing was shoddy, we couldn’t hold our water and our decision making in the final 3rd was non-existent. We worked the ball well at times into dangerous areas only then to give up possession easily or make the wrong choice of pass.

The team fielded was good enough to beat an unadventurous and not very fancy He*rts side. Our defence handled their long ball tactics and power plays well, if only we could have been a bit sharper and more creative when we had possession.

The Argentineans place as much importance on keeping possession as scoring goals. It’s something that has to be worked on in the coming weeks, as European teams will kill us if we give them the ball back. Hell St Mirren could kill us if we give them the ball in dangerous areas.

Overall it was a poor game, littered with mistakes by both teams, two costly ones for us, and the only bit of flowing football came from us for a very well worked goal. Only time in the game we played at pace and had a bit of vision.

If GS is going to follow his football, Arsenal style ethos, then there are games like yesterday when it’s not going to click. Problem was there wasn’t a plan B when plan A was failing. To play football that way you need a balance that’s something that playing Wilson at LB doesn’t bring.

No surprise then that a good flowing performance last week was replaced by disjointed wing play and stuttering display this week.

We will miss Petrov, he was the legs yesterday as Jaro looked like a rabbit caught in headlights at the frantic pace of the game and constant by passing of the midfield that He*rts employed. For Jaro to be a success he needs an ankle biter and a nark alongside him, not a Petrov style player.

Only good thing to take from yesterday is that hopefully the team that started won’t be the team when He*rts come to CP later in the season.

If it was bad on the park it was worse off it. As the 2100 dunderheids in our away support gave away the chance to win the moral high ground with their display. Only took them 13 mins for TBOTOB, followed by the Celtic symphony then for good measure topped of by Forever and ever.A statement of intent I think from them and this must make Celtic minds up on how to tackle this problem. Banning all that got tickets for the game would be a start and 2100 season tickets up for sale would put the tin lid on it.

The support knew how we would be portrayed if they sung songs our society deems, rightly or wrongly, unacceptable. Except they couldn’t just sing Hail Hail and the Wullie Maley song for 90 mins. Couldn’t see through there buckfast / drunken haze what damage they could cause to Celtic.

Greatest fans in the world my arse, can see points deductions and CP being shut before the season out. Time to shape up and if they can’t ship them out. Cause if it continues we will end up being as bad as them………

Hail Hail

KevinG

Celtic 4 Killie 1

When Magic wheeled away with his new improved out stretched armed, look at me I’m great, celebration after his 2nd and Celtic’s fourth goal I could just imaging what was going through his head.

“Forget about that fat, baldy welsh fellow, I carried him last year, look at me I’m the man, I’m your new hero, now where’s my agent I need to re-negotiated my image rights”

For us to be successful this season we need magic to be fit all the time. His overall performance and his nose for a half chance prove that he is pivotal key for us. Fully fit for the whole season he will score us 25 goals but more importantly how many more will he create and how many will his partner in crime score?

“That Miller does some running aboot” proclaimed one wag, the other replied “Aye pity it’s always chasing his 1st touch” Touché and unfortunately true.

Miller proved on Saturday what we will get from him. A lot of work, he will be a pain in the arse to defenders- how the 1st goal was created- he will miss chances, moves will breakdown due to a poor touch, he will fly in Kung Fu style challenges due to frustrations at his 1st touch and he will get chances and I’m sure he will score goals.

But will he get the grace from the certain Celtic fan, even though he got a great reception when he left the field there were some still mumping and moaning. There are still some who only see Kenny Miller of R*ngers.

Never thought there would be many, but some have been vocal about it round me and these are the same loud mouthed ones who will berated any home-grown Celtic talent as pish after a lousy pass, while praising a new signing as being unlucky after a similar woeful attempt.

The only way Kenny will shut them up is with a wayward shot that hits them in the coupon when he is bearing down on the goalie. Nae goals wee man that’s the key, stick wan in the onion bag at Tynie on Sunday, strip bollok naked and jump into the Celtic support.

Maybe not but you get my drift.

Decent enough performance, with some of the most vocal voices against GS backing down on Saturday night, wait for this, praising the football we played and some mentioning in the smoking beer gardens in hushed tones Tommy Burns Celtic in comparison.

Maybe, but we are not there yet. When Lenny comes back the fast movement in the midfield will stop. The fact is we were that bad in pre-season that one decent performance shouldn’t hide the lack of quality that we had shown in the preceding 6 games. This team is still work in progress and might not bear any resemblance of the team that line up in September.

Jaro will probably not have the chance to cement a relationship with Stan P- full credit to Stan P he was back to his tigerish self on Saturday, watching scouts perhaps, and he fancies a bit of tax free fun? - our defence still needs work with Caldwell having lapses in concentration that shouldn’t happen, Mo is not the answer and we have a lot of players who are 1st team players to come back in hopefully backed by a few CL quality recruits.

If this happens then it begs the question, where do we fit everyone in? The revolving door and the constant stream of black Glesga taxi’s will be kept busy hopefully between now and September ferrying- not Simon- no marks out and could be in.

Saturday proved that at home at least we have the quality to get through the 1st month of the season until GS finalises his squad. Away? That’s a different story all together.

One swallow doesn’t make a season and getting carried away after a good result doesn’t for me make sense. Our problems could come home to roost on Sunday at Tynie.

Talking about pre-season here’s a wee link to a DC United site that D from the Dcentres- DC’s ultra’s- e-mailed about. Interesting read and if you can bear it go back and read his reports on the pre-season humping they gave us.

www.dcunitedblog.blogspot.com

Hail Hail

KevinG

New Season, New Dawn...........

Well it is now upon us. We go into the season as champions but under a cloud, which will sure to get darker when the annual abusing of the chairman takes place when he hoists the league flag high.

Our pre-season debacle has left everyone wondering what the hell is going to happen this season and GS has probably lost all the goodwill that the doubters allowed him because he delivered the championship.

The pre-season world tour- still dates left get your tickets- looks to have snookered the wee ginger one’s plans with regards to his tough training regime. Too many games mean not enough time to coach and gel the players together.

The team in pre-season has lacked sharpness and any cohesion. The team has been left weak by the departures of experience that haven’t been replaced yet. It looks like for this month, a crucial month, we will need to fly by the seat of our pants with the young un’s setting the pace.

Off the park it is just as important than on it this year. The fact that UEFA have told the SFA to clamp down on sectarian chanting in games and the fact that r*ngers have got their knuckles rapped- mint again in the paper today spouting off- means that we are the prime target.

I also think it’s no surprise that the games where the political, or buckfast fuelled, element of our support are at their most vocal are or 1st three away games. Hearts, Inverness and Aberdeen. One’s a cocktail of hate and the others are long journeys made easier by copious amounts of drink and rebel tunes.

This season will be the 1st when a Celtic fan will lose his teamcard for his behaviour at an away game. I fully expect over the top polis at every away ground ejecting guilty and innocent fans and cautioning them with some law that the government have conduced to stop Islamic preachers promoting terrorism.

With Celtic promoting that everyone should have a team card, season ticket holder or not, Celtic now have the ability to bar anyone from CP. Celtic have done what Thatcher failed to do and introduced an I.D card, which will control whom they let to watch Celtic, reward those who spend vast amounts on Celtic and also Celtic have shown to the SFA, Uefa and the Scottish Parliament that they are taking steps to control who goes to the games.

You may say that they already control, but this is a tighter rein, this is almost dictatorship material. When the full teamcard system is up and running Celtic will take away the spontaneity of deciding to go to the game they will decide if you can go or not.

All it needs is a check of the card.

Was thinking about this the other night, that if Celtic wasn’t such a cause, wasn’t more than a club and wasn’t such a way of life for me, this, commercialisation, diluting and dispersal of the Celtic ethos would maybe see me give up and go and watch lower league football.

But I can’t and the reason is Celtic are more than I club. Maybe I don’t like what is happening but I will conform in my own way but won’t sign up totally for new Celtic fan experience. I also when I watch football not involving Celtic the emotional attachment is not there.

The emotional attachment begins again tomorrow. For the next 10 months or so, I will hurt when we get beat, will feel joy when we win and will take pride in performances of players who are playing for OUR CLUB. Something that we all want to do.

Remember what ever happens it is OUR club and we should be proud of that.

Hail Hail

KevinG