The LOTW Diary Hoops 1 Well 0

Like Renton in Trainspotting i vented ma spleen, fuelled by Tennents, yesterday on the way home on the bus. Just as, when ask to survey the countryside Rents went into a rant aboot oor country being the lowest of the low the scummist of the scum, i went of on one regarding the state of play at CP.

I berated GS for his failure to deliver the promised vision, the fact that oor last performance was Benfica and that the team lacks quality. I ended wie the line

"It won't improve until wee ginge has left"

Too which a wag replied which one?. Both i replied.

It's a fair statement and one which i have to blame the London Road Tav for as they fed me beer. But it's one i'm going to stand by as anyone who attended CP yesterday or saw the game will agree it was even worse than last week. That bad i expected wee Luigi to be on the touchline telling Brian O'Neill that he was a centre forward.

Turgid sh*te was how i describe it at half time. Nae shots, nae creativity, nae pace and at half time i thought nae hope. The atmosphere was one on a knife edge and if Motherwell had scored it would have turned nasty and i would have expected car park protests and mars bar throwing.

It was that bad, Faither G, again, taking advantage or a freebie as the guy would rather play golf than watch his team, left 10 mins before the end to partake in his filthy nicotine habit. "Knew i widnae miss anything" was his excuse. "How have you pit up wie that aw season?" he asked and one i couldnae really answer except for "Blind Faith"

Got me thinking, CP has not been full very often this season. You would expect a Championship winning team to have us singing from the roof tops. No not GS's team 2. A lack of tempo is the main downfall. It starts from the 1st whistle and allows teams to get comfy wie their surroundings. They don't fear CP anymair. Teams as poor as the well can go aboot their business easily.

The lack of tempo steams even to the baw balls. Have we the lazist baw balls in the league? They sit on their wee ikea plastic seats and watch the baw run oot of play and into the camera pit. It takes them an age to get it back and when they do they half hearted roll it to the player? Every heard of multi baw?

If it's oor by kick, then Arfur takes an age as well. He then hoofs it naebody when a short baw to one of the CB's or full backs is an option. He must get told to hoof it long.

Yesterday, as Ian pointed oot last week, Hartley sits behind Lenny. Both sit that deep that we almost play wie a back 6. They sit deep and oor CB sit deeper thus allowing teams to come on top of us. If Hartley continues this form then we have been sold a dud. Same as Elvis. How many times did he commit the same foul? The folly of signing players who shine in medicore SPL teams is there for all to see again.

If GS see's Hartley as a deep lying midfielder, then so be it. But he has to play an attack minded player alongside him not Neil Lenny. As i have said both sit so deep the gap between them and the wingers and forwards is as wide as the clyde.

Again they must be getting told to do this or Hartley would have been hooked for not following managers instructions. Arfur must get told to look for the long baw to JVOH, again i'm begining to question is he really any guid and i'm longing for BBJ again.

I said things won't improve until GS leaves, maybe i'm being a bit OTT. Performances can improve from players but i'm wondering really wondering if GS can improve his performances. I'm looking for out the box thinking from him when things are not going well. Yesterday after saying Riordan was not a centre forward he bows to the public view and plays him as a centre forward. Could you see a Jose or Ferguson doing that?

No me either. Hell i couldnae see PLG doing that.

Right, i will celebrate winning the league wie ma usual gusto. If we do the double i will thank the wee man. He has got the right to build a team 3 due to being successful but nagging doubts remain over his signings, tactics and ability to get us into the CL last 16 on a regular basis. I'm not calling for him to be sacked, no sir we are not Hearts. I just think maybe two years is enough and for us to make real progress maybe an out the box appointment is needed.

GS could win the league next year nae probs. He could win another double as he has proved he has got the ability to do that. So could Wally the cardie. He has proved in the past that he has the ability to win the Scottish League. But ask any r*ngers fan if wally could take them to the PSV level, which we are aiming for as well, they will say no.

Ask me if GS could take us to that level i would say no. I'm willing to say PLG could have took us and them to that level given time. Before MON we went for Hiddink. I still say if Hiddink would have came then we would have been in the last 16 of the CL long before this season. In fact we would be regulars.

I know it's all if's and buts but i think that would have happened.

I type this hoping deep doon that ma views are wrong. That while i will fully support GS as long as he is the manager he has brung us success this season using limited resources, but more than any other team in the spl, and maybe he got the best oot of average players who are now proving to be average players. Thats a great trick.

Thing is Celtic have always entertained and i'm wondering why the other Ginger in the dug oot husnae reminded him of that.

Forza the champions in waiting.