Celtic Bloggers
'This Is Football'
Peeeeep Peeeeep Peep!
Is that the MIB blowing time on Edson Braafheid's World Cup dream? You see, he really should have checked the small print before commiting to 6 months in the Graveyard Of Left Backs Ambitions. Better men than Edson, have, and will be left with a legacy no better than: Great tattoos, nice bling , bet he has one of those massive plasma screens that is on MTV Base 24/7 so he can watch fit ladies with bubbalicious bottoms shaking it to the newest dirty beats but he was no better than Undisclosed Fox or The Weasel.
"I think it's a dream for any footballer." he said of his 50 inch plasma stuck on MTV Base. "Anyone who plays fooball, dreams of playing football at the biggest tournament in the world. I have also worked really hard and came to Celtic to play more." he parped.
Those who have watched him play over the last few weeks feel that playing more is decreasing his chances of missing that vital penalty kick for the Dutch in the predictable quarter final defeat in this summers World Cup.
The Board are getting bang for their buck. Robbie Keane was dragged out to speak to 'The View'. The Tallaght Talisman was in the mood to praise a player that will be around long after he has went to Sunderland. "He's strong and, although he's not overly-tall, he's not small either (a giant midget?). He's very good in the air so I think he has a good future ahead of him." said Robbie not saying why being good in the air will be good for Rasputins future. With his looks a don't think he will be troubling any Air Steward interviews.
"He's obviously a goal scorer" Robbie boasted of a man who has not scored in his last two first team outings.
We have a new Uncle Dhim. Another hero bites the dust. Lubo Moravcik was brought out of storage to give his views on ToMo's Celtic. "It's not a good excuse to say we tried to play football" starting Lubo, shiftily staring at the assembled mircophones in front of him.
"Pleasure is a good result, pleasure is not 10 passes and you lose the ball." hold up I thought, he has been watching us. "You must go forward and score goals and push the other team to make mistakes. This is football." sounding like a Slovakian Cantona.
"I remember many games when we just scored goals from corners and free-kicks" he continued, oh, how I remember those days as well as I got an uncomfortable movement in the nether regions.
"Technical football and winning football can go together. Technical football is not keeping the ball until you lose it. Technical football is using the players to win. You use technical football to win a match, not lose it." pondered the Messiah as I started wondering if The SSM had Lubo's number on speed dial.
"It must be everyone together, organisation, discipline. This is football." fuck me!, he's onto something. Get him in a tracksuit, get some cones out, get the bibs....who has the bibs?...this guys a soccer genius and not just some Slovak who is trying to sound like Cantona while dressed like a Marks and Sparks model with a bond villian hair cut.
Of his time in charge of top European side Vion Zlate Moravce he mumbled: "I had six months. I was sacked."
Meh!
Wednesday 10th March
Black Wednesday
This feels like a Black Wednesday.
No, the pound hasn't been withdrawn from the Exchange Rate Mechanism but, after last nights result, the thought that our club would not either 1) have won the league on the final day of the league season or 2) still have the chance of winning the league on the final day of the league season for the first time since 1999/00 season.
Mr Celtic you really have been spoiling us.
The Huns despatched the Ayrshire Huns to go 13 points clear. The Huns are on a remarkable run that has seen them only lose 1 game in 38 league games. It's constancy not seen since Saint Martin's Of O'Neills 2003/04 team. That team could go toe to toe with Barcelona though, The Huns version can't go toe to toe with Gonorrhoea FC and struggle to beat, but eventually do, The Mirrens and Hammyaccies of this world.
Without checking, or having the will to check, The Big Book Of Orange Stats this Huns team could be, statistically, the best team we have faced in the last 9 seasons. So how do they do it? Have they not the guts to say?
Well, they win games they should be winning. No matter their financial difficulties they still have a team that is better resourced than most. They are like a Pot Noodle. When you take off the foil lid and look at the dusty, solid mass with the smell of musty undercrackers it looks like nothing. Add boiling water and you get a wholesome, nutritious dinner for those living on benefits in council estates. It still smells of musty undercrackers though.
The stretched out Big Cup last night produced the exact opposite of Wattienaccio. Arsenal destroyed a half-decent Porto side (is it just me or does the last 16 of the Big Cup contain a lot of half decent sides but no fantastic sides?) 5-0 by playing an attacking, passing game as beautiful as Sandra Bullock in Speed.
You would pay to watch Nasri, Arshavin and Co. Who was the best player on the pitch last week at Hampden? Aye, that wee bugger Rosicky.
At the weekend our manager promised: "The bottom line is the two coaches have a different philosophy of football. "I spoke to Walter about that and he sets his team up as he sets his team up. They've found decent consistency but my teams just don't play like that. I've been successful to an extent playing attacking, attractive, open football."
During The Huns run we have had two managers, two philosophies and two completely different set of players.
I'm for riding the train for a while longer.
Tuesday 9th March
Any Dream Will Do
You wouldn't let it lay.
Geoff Brown, St Johnstone Chairman and Sheep rustler, has returned to the topic that I didn't want to talk about. That TOPIC. "As one of the clubs that has to go to Celtic Park, I don't think we would ever believe we would be getting a decision in our favour." he pointed out in a statement that was faxed to Hugh Dallas this morning with a copy of St Johnstones fixtures with one on the 20th March highlighted in pink.
"..as a provincial club, you live with it all the time" he baa'd hiding behind snobbery that all 'provincial' clubs have. Guys like him look down on Big Club followers like they are trespassers on his land.
They use the term provincial and family to prove that they are good guys in the game and their clubs don't have the baggage we are supposed to have. They think that saying they don't support us or them is some sort of badge of honour and not just window dressing the fact that they are just arseholes.
These clubs don't knock the cash we bring. They should think about that before inviting us out in the street for a spot of pavement dancing.
Our manager, basking in the glory of a 2-0 victory at Westfield, wrote a sonnet about Robbie Keane. "Getting him to stay isn't something that has crossed my mind" went the first verse.
It has crossed my mind. Every night before I go to bed, I kneel down, place my head on my Henrick Larsson bedspread and pray to the Ghod of Cheesy Beanos that Robbie can continue to play for his 'bhoyhood team'.
I then spend the night dreaming about 'Arry twitching in the Bothwell Services awaiting the arrival of Aiden McGeady, who is blindfolded and tied up in the back of a transit, and Noel Edmonds who will declare McGeady for Keane as a 'swap!'.
"The treatment room is full" garbled the wearywearsider awaking me from the dream and bringing me back to the reality of that we are facing THE BIGGEST GAME OF OUR SEASON on Saturday.
Listed as missing in action are Hoovield, Loovens, Rogne, Fortune, Nancy Kamara, McGinn and Captain Caveman is described as suspended (not from the Forth Road Bridge, hopefully).
Shaun Maloney is not described as anything at all.
Rasputin must be hoping that higher paid forward players don't return after his impressive run out at the weekend. He still has a hunger that most of our players lost last week at Ipox.
"We must look in each others eyes and know that we have done the best we could" he preached while wondering why Samaras was looking at the floor and ensuring his fringe was covering his face.
"We have to win every game and then see how it is looking- anything can happen in football. Is it hopeless? No."
He's still getting to know his team-mates. Awe bless. Maybe he should check their Facebook status. I hear most read Chicken Hearted.
Monday 8th March
Stay Off The Grass
I think it's about time we drew a line under 'Appeal-Gate'.
Our manager claims a 'political' decision while his better respected counterpart says that there is nothing wrong with the appeal system and that 'everybody' wants something from them (the Huns). This comes from a man who had a public meltdown over a decision at Fir Park, when a Boydchenko goal was wrongly chopped off, which he called into question the integrity of the linesman (meaning that since that date, no major decision has went against them) and the last time they went to 'appeal' Madjid Bougherra was let off after dangerously booting a goalie in the head.
Off course there is nothing up with the MIB's and The System, Walter. Bottom-line. Brown's red card was wrong, the appeal decision incorrect and it adds to the long list of crimes we have been subjected too. I include our poor defending and wastefulness in front of goal in that list.
But I'm a 'fair-minded' person.
So, lets move on to 'Pitch-Gate'. BBC 'reported' that we had made a compliant to the SPL about Falkirks pitch, which had been diagnosed with alapica and acne. This got The Wookie all heat up with him mhawing that he was 'infuriated' with the pitch slurs despite Celtic denying and being backed up by the SPL who shouted: "We keep an eye on all pitches" emphasising that it's only terrible pitches they keep an eye on.
The SPL 'product' is as stale as a week old loaf. Talk of expanding the league to 18 will only make games, like yesterday on terrible pitches, in front of sparse crowds, in strangely odd looking stadiums more common than they are just now. Sky must be crawling back to the Blue Square as we speak.
The Dutch League has 18 teams but they have cool names like VVV Venlo, ADO Den Haag, RKC Waalwijk and Heracles while we have teams that represent clusters of nothingness like Dundee, Inverness and Dunfermline. The Dutch League also have massive financial problems and do you think the Greed who pollute the boardrooms of the SPL will agree to seeing the cash cow roll into town only once a season?
Falkirk and Motherwell blame financial issues for the state of the pitches. Kilmarnock have moaned about the cost of switching on their under soil heating. What chance have Queen Of The South and Partick Thistle got of producing pristine bowling greens then?
If you allow the league to expand, 3G pitches, a winter shutdown or summer football needs to be looked at. You also need to look at the pricing and the return of standing areas. Plus how to produce home-grown players that can do the basics.
Stuff this, I'm too serious.
"I signed a 4 year deal" announced Tony Mowbray on Friday shocking all of us who thought that he was on a one year rolling contract. "This club has to win something every year" he pointed out, ignoring the league table and the up-coming league cup final: "If you don't do you throw everything out and start again?" he asked looking for support from the masses or getting his preparation in for a dole interview.
"If your logical about it you don't" he preached in the hope that the board are listening and will ignore, league tables, cup defeats and being out played by Falkirk for the 2nd time this season.
At least the 'magic' of the club can still inspire and enchant those who come into contact with it. Jan Vennegor Of Hesslelink spoke of what playing for the club meant to him. "I truly believe I played for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Not too many can say that and I am proud to be one of the chosen few." he gushed.
He doesn't deserve Phil Brown. I love you Jan!
Match Report: Falkirk (A)
Keep Our Heads Down And Don’t Complain..
That’s Going Back The Way!
The media and no doubt some of the fans are getting fed-up with the referee, cheating and Rankers bias fiasco that’s still raging on.
Me too. To an extent.
You see, when you want something to change you have to keep on about it. Nagging away, annoying people, getting up the noses of the very same who like the status quo. Because they have what they want.
There was a time when you were encouraged to ‘keep your head down’ and ‘don’t say too much’ about your faith, your heritage and your opinion.
Well I’m sorry folks. None of the above now apply.
By fighting our corner we, Celtic Football Club, Celtic supporters, Catholics , Irish and every other ethnic person have gained some sort of equality in this country.
Do you think we should give it all away?
And go back to the ‘keep you heads down and don’t complain culture of the past.
No. Me neither.
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Remembering the Wembley Cup
Running the Celtic Offside blog, even as poorly as I do, does produce a good bit of humour next to a healthy dose of heartache and more often anguish. As you write down posts that you think might be generally interesting, you have to also monitor the comments that come through on the posts. Sadly, the majority of comments coming down is spam, though I do want to thank the many that continue the conversation in a positive, forward-looking way.
A recent (spam) comment:
“Let’s hope we get to Wembley again with a win this weekend.”
Now, your guess is as good as mine as to what this pusher is pushing, and I’m not going to justify his/her silliness with my own wanton curiosity. AT THE SAME TIME, it’s not the worst spam I’ve seen, as Celtic did play Wembley earlier this year in the prestigious tournament to end all tournaments : The 2009 Wembley Cup.
Remember the tag line – Four Teams, Two Days, One Wembley
The Teams : Celtic, FC Barcelona, Totemham Hotspur, and Al Ahly
Celtic began by beating Al Ahly 5-nil, with two goals from Scott McDonald, and singles from Massimo Donati, Shaun Maloney, and Chris Killen (highlights here). Spurs and Barca would next play to a 1-1 draw, leaving Celtic in first place after the first of two days.
On the following day, Barcelona had a crack at Al Ahly, rattling four goals of the own off the Egyptian side, but also conceding one. So, given the points and goals system of this tournament, it was Celtic’s to win, just so long as they could get past Spurs.
And that’s just what they did – another tournament goal from Chris Killen, alongside Georgios Samaras’ lone effort (highlights here), and the Wembley Cup was coming to Parkhead for the first time in Celtic’s illustrious 121 seasons.
But I know what you’re thinking What if Al Ahly had had played Spurs in a third place consolation match… or perhaps, even better, what if Celtic had had a chance to face the Spanish and European Champions in a Wembley Cup Final.
Who knows? Maybe this.
Either way, silverware is silverware, and for those of you out there bemoaning our season and that the Scottish Cup is the only chance for trophy honours, I tell you
Remember the Wembley Cup!
–
Celtic travel to Rugby Park Saturday to play Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup Quarter-Final.
Other fixtures include Dundee against Raith Rovers, who in the round prior cupset Aberdeen 0-1; Hibernian against Ross County; and Rangers host Dundee United.
Bhoys must keep Keane - Moravcik
Spinning the Rangers 'takeover'
Finding out that retail and catering have both been out-sourced on long term contracts denies any new business plan some obvious revenue streams. Remembering the long debate and battle to take-over Celtic in the early nineties there wasn't much discussion going on about player contracts or the management of the club.Uncovering the level of debt, stabilising the club and putting in place a business plan of investment to take the club forward were the main issues, issues that the then directors had failed miserably on.Finding out the identity of those behind the Ellis consortium and the level of Ellis's own investment is probably of much greater meaning than the eye catching 'New deal for Walter' headline. Trailing by 13 points in a two horse race is very concerning but can largely be addressed on the football pitch and dressing room.No prizes are handed out for balance sheets but from a distance it looks like Rangers have much bigger matters to address before securing Boyd, Novo and Broadfoot onto new contracts.
Bhoys must keep Keane - Moravcik
Stan IS The Man
Billionaire in Rangers Takeover Talks
Title With No Credibility..
Three SPL Managers Speak Out..
When one of your opponents, your fiercest rival speaks out about refereeing favouritism then it can quite easily be dismissed as sour grapes.
Two? Well just another manager unhappy about a defeat.
But three. Well that’s a different story.
Tony Mowbray, Craig Brown and now Gus McPherson* have all accused Scottish referees of bias towards Rankers this season. Whether it be penalty kicks denied, perfectly good goals disallowed or inconsistency in cautions there can be no denying…..the officials have collaborated in making the title run-in as easy as possible for the Establishment team.
25% of SPL managers have now spoken out about this blatant cheating, yet the SPL themselves do nothing about it.
They are just as guilty of making this seasons title one of NO CREDIBILITY.
*McPherson was once on the MM’s books, unusual for ex-players to break rank and criticise their former paymasters.
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Rasmussen earns Keane praise
Moravcik- Dont blame foreign stars
Twardzik twins lead the Celtic squad to Dubai
Some of the world's best young players will be taking part in the Emirates 7's over the next few days with Celtic taking a cosmopolitan squad out to the event with a strong contingent from the club's recent scouting activities in the North West of England.
Matty Hughes and Johny Marsden are included in the squad as well as former Stockport County players Curtis Jones and Michael Ordish who have been on the fringes of the u-19 side in recent weeks.
Also included with the squad that flew out with Stevie Frail today is goalkeeper Connor Fairley, Jordon Lowdon, Greig Spence and u17's Callum McGregor and Ryan Hutchison.
Celtic face Brondby, Leeds United and AC Milan on Friday with the legends facing Paolo Maldini and his AC Milan friends in their opening group match.
Former Scotland u-21 captain Sean Sweeney (who used to add CFC to his autograph, because he played for Clydebank) makes an appearance as a Celtic legend while Rangers have swooped for former Dundee United madman Davie Bowman and Zoran Mirkovich who is a pal of Gordan Petric.
Emirates 7's website
Unrating The Game: £25 For A Bag Of Grass. Purcell Prices.
Tale Of The Tape
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Falkirk 0
Celtic 2
(Keane 34, 79)
FALKIRK (4-5-1) Olejnik; Barr, Scobbie, McLean, Twaddle; O’Brian, Arfield, Flynn, Lima (Moutinho 80), Healy; Showunmi,
Subs: Wagenaar, Lynch, Compton, Duffie, Davidson, Bloom
CELTIC (4-4-2) Boruc; Hinkel, Thompson, O’Dea, Braafheid; McGeady, Crosas, NGuemo, Samaras (Wilson 90); Keane, Rasmussen (McGowan 90)
Not used: Zaluska, Naylor, Ki, Zhi, Caddis
Booked: McLean (Judas) and Twaddle.
Style Council
A rating of -2.58 mainly due to playing on a surface that makes Mars seem as flat as the Netherlands. More chance of life on Mars than in the chemical wasteland of Westfield.
The Fall Out.
"I judge it from where we are, and I thought we deserved to win. We were pretty controlled, so it was okay." Marc and Landry were good in central midfield on a difficult surface."
ToMo has a no shit Sherlock moment akin to the one in Sister Act when the Nuns realise that Whoopi Goldberg is a Las Vegas Showgirl.
Those Who Stare At Goats
Bernie Winters 2.698.
Had a quite a quiet afternoon. Can I be controversial and say he took into account the state of the pitch when making decisions, which according to the Laws Of The World shows that he used some common sense, something not seen from a Scottish MIB EVER!
Mind you how can you say someone had common sense when they were dressed like a Baboons arse needs to be questioned.
Sleeping With The Enemy.
The Wookies Wallies have deserved to beat us twice this season. 2-0 on Sunday flattered us and they may get relegated cause they never beat us. From what I have seen they are better than Hamilton and St Johnstone but are rooted to the bottom of the league.
In Arfield they have a decent player but they lack The Bastard Factor, on the park anyway, that would see me want them relegated and never be seen again. Problem for them long term is that they are toothless up top and the Leeds Utd 5th Choice Striker they have on loan is a hoot to watch.
We'll meet again, I'm sure.
The Bhoys A Bit Special
Keane was zippy a do da but that's expected. Marc Crosas returned and added balance but, again, his previous efforts meant that wasn't a surprise either. The manager praised Josh Thompson but I reckon that his partner deserves the plaudits.
Darren O'Dea, the Ex-Reading loanee benchwarmer and now Celtic Captain (in the absence of Captain Caveman), has impressed me in the last two weeks. A wind of change in my opinion? Will need to be a bloody hurricane.
The Bhoys A Bit Special Needs
Georgios Samaras. Look like he was waiting in the queue for an enema. As floaty as a hippy, at Woodstock, ripped on homemade LSD and wandering about a field wondering why Crosby, Stills and Nash are not on. Waste of space.
The Bhoys Will Sing
Ra, Ra, Ra..Ra Ra...Rasputin must play with Keane and we will take the clean sheet. We finally have beaten the bottom club, which is a sign of progress this season.
Black Wednesday
This feels like a Black Wednesday.
No, the pound hasn't been withdrawn from the Exchange Rate Mechanism but, after last nights result, the thought that our club would not either 1) have won the league on the final day of the league season or 2) still have the chance of winning the league on the final day of the league season for the first time since 1999/00 season.
Mr Celtic you really have been spoiling us.
The Huns despatched the Ayrshire Huns to go 13 points clear. The Huns are on a remarkable run that has seen them only lose 1 game in 38 league games. It's constancy not seen since Saint Martin's Of O'Neills 2003/04 team. That team could go toe to toe with Barcelona though, The Huns version can't go toe to toe with Gonorrhoea FC and struggle to beat, but eventually do, The Mirrens and Hammyaccies of this world.
Without checking, or having the will to check, The Big Book Of Orange Stats this Huns team could be, statistically, the best team we have faced in the last 9 seasons. So how do they do it? Have they not the guts to say?
Well, they win games they should be winning. No matter their financial difficulties they still have a team that is better resourced than most. They are like a Pot Noodle. When you take off the foil lid and look at the dusty, solid mass with the smell of musty undercrackers it looks like nothing. Add boiling water and you get a wholesome, nutritious dinner for those living on benefits in council estates. It still smells of musty undercrackers though.
The stretched out Big Cup last night produced the exact opposite of Wattienaccio. Arsenal destroyed a half-decent Porto side (is it just me or does the last 16 of the Big Cup contain a lot of half decent sides but no fantastic sides?) 5-0 by playing an attacking, passing game as beautiful as Sandra Bullock in Speed.
You would pay to watch Nasri, Arshavin and Co. Who was the best player on the pitch last week at Hampden? Aye, that wee bugger Rosicky.
At the weekend our manager promised: "The bottom line is the two coaches have a different philosophy of football. "I spoke to Walter about that and he sets his team up as he sets his team up. They've found decent consistency but my teams just don't play like that. I've been successful to an extent playing attacking, attractive, open football."
During The Huns run we have had two managers, two philosophies and two completely different set of players.
I'm for riding the train for a while longer.
Tuesday 9th March
Any Dream Will Do
You wouldn't let it lay.
Geoff Brown, St Johnstone Chairman and Sheep rustler, has returned to the topic that I didn't want to talk about. That TOPIC. "As one of the clubs that has to go to Celtic Park, I don't think we would ever believe we would be getting a decision in our favour." he pointed out in a statement that was faxed to Hugh Dallas this morning with a copy of St Johnstones fixtures with one on the 20th March highlighted in pink.
"..as a provincial club, you live with it all the time" he baa'd hiding behind snobbery that all 'provincial' clubs have. Guys like him look down on Big Club followers like they are trespassers on his land.
They use the term provincial and family to prove that they are good guys in the game and their clubs don't have the baggage we are supposed to have. They think that saying they don't support us or them is some sort of badge of honour and not just window dressing the fact that they are just arseholes.
These clubs don't knock the cash we bring. They should think about that before inviting us out in the street for a spot of pavement dancing.
Our manager, basking in the glory of a 2-0 victory at Westfield, wrote a sonnet about Robbie Keane. "Getting him to stay isn't something that has crossed my mind" went the first verse.
It has crossed my mind. Every night before I go to bed, I kneel down, place my head on my Henrick Larsson bedspread and pray to the Ghod of Cheesy Beanos that Robbie can continue to play for his 'bhoyhood team'.
I then spend the night dreaming about 'Arry twitching in the Bothwell Services awaiting the arrival of Aiden McGeady, who is blindfolded and tied up in the back of a transit, and Noel Edmonds who will declare McGeady for Keane as a 'swap!'.
"The treatment room is full" garbled the wearywearsider awaking me from the dream and bringing me back to the reality of that we are facing THE BIGGEST GAME OF OUR SEASON on Saturday.
Listed as missing in action are Hoovield, Loovens, Rogne, Fortune, Nancy Kamara, McGinn and Captain Caveman is described as suspended (not from the Forth Road Bridge, hopefully).
Shaun Maloney is not described as anything at all.
Rasputin must be hoping that higher paid forward players don't return after his impressive run out at the weekend. He still has a hunger that most of our players lost last week at Ipox.
"We must look in each others eyes and know that we have done the best we could" he preached while wondering why Samaras was looking at the floor and ensuring his fringe was covering his face.
"We have to win every game and then see how it is looking- anything can happen in football. Is it hopeless? No."
He's still getting to know his team-mates. Awe bless. Maybe he should check their Facebook status. I hear most read Chicken Hearted.
Monday 8th March
Stay Off The Grass
I think it's about time we drew a line under 'Appeal-Gate'.
Our manager claims a 'political' decision while his better respected counterpart says that there is nothing wrong with the appeal system and that 'everybody' wants something from them (the Huns). This comes from a man who had a public meltdown over a decision at Fir Park, when a Boydchenko goal was wrongly chopped off, which he called into question the integrity of the linesman (meaning that since that date, no major decision has went against them) and the last time they went to 'appeal' Madjid Bougherra was let off after dangerously booting a goalie in the head.
Off course there is nothing up with the MIB's and The System, Walter. Bottom-line. Brown's red card was wrong, the appeal decision incorrect and it adds to the long list of crimes we have been subjected too. I include our poor defending and wastefulness in front of goal in that list.
But I'm a 'fair-minded' person.
So, lets move on to 'Pitch-Gate'. BBC 'reported' that we had made a compliant to the SPL about Falkirks pitch, which had been diagnosed with alapica and acne. This got The Wookie all heat up with him mhawing that he was 'infuriated' with the pitch slurs despite Celtic denying and being backed up by the SPL who shouted: "We keep an eye on all pitches" emphasising that it's only terrible pitches they keep an eye on.
The SPL 'product' is as stale as a week old loaf. Talk of expanding the league to 18 will only make games, like yesterday on terrible pitches, in front of sparse crowds, in strangely odd looking stadiums more common than they are just now. Sky must be crawling back to the Blue Square as we speak.
The Dutch League has 18 teams but they have cool names like VVV Venlo, ADO Den Haag, RKC Waalwijk and Heracles while we have teams that represent clusters of nothingness like Dundee, Inverness and Dunfermline. The Dutch League also have massive financial problems and do you think the Greed who pollute the boardrooms of the SPL will agree to seeing the cash cow roll into town only once a season?
Falkirk and Motherwell blame financial issues for the state of the pitches. Kilmarnock have moaned about the cost of switching on their under soil heating. What chance have Queen Of The South and Partick Thistle got of producing pristine bowling greens then?
If you allow the league to expand, 3G pitches, a winter shutdown or summer football needs to be looked at. You also need to look at the pricing and the return of standing areas. Plus how to produce home-grown players that can do the basics.
Stuff this, I'm too serious.
"I signed a 4 year deal" announced Tony Mowbray on Friday shocking all of us who thought that he was on a one year rolling contract. "This club has to win something every year" he pointed out, ignoring the league table and the up-coming league cup final: "If you don't do you throw everything out and start again?" he asked looking for support from the masses or getting his preparation in for a dole interview.
"If your logical about it you don't" he preached in the hope that the board are listening and will ignore, league tables, cup defeats and being out played by Falkirk for the 2nd time this season.
At least the 'magic' of the club can still inspire and enchant those who come into contact with it. Jan Vennegor Of Hesslelink spoke of what playing for the club meant to him. "I truly believe I played for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Not too many can say that and I am proud to be one of the chosen few." he gushed.
He doesn't deserve Phil Brown. I love you Jan!
Match Report: Falkirk (A)
LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD
Back To Square One?
Spence nets double as youths bounce back
Spence had suffered the agony of seeing an injury timer shot against Rangers slip over the bar todeny the hoops a draw but showed great character to score from two one-on-ones with the Falkirk keeper.
"I'm pleased for Greig that he scored two goals, one on his left side which we've been working on," coach Stevie Frail said.
"We looked again at the chance against Rangers and we both said that it was a one that he should have put away.
"Maybe coming on as a substitute didn't help him on Saturday but he started today and showed his ability with two well taken strikers goals".
The former Alloa striker was restored to the starting XI alongwith Michael Ordish in place of James Forrest and Patrik Twardzik.
The new look formation saw Ordish and Sean Fitzharris playing on either flank with Spence through the centre in front of a three man midfield comprising of James Keetings, Grant Gallagher and Filip Twardzik
Celtic got off to a bad start when the Falkirk No.7 was given space in the penalty box to collect a cross from the left and drill a low shot beyond Daniele Giordano in the 13th minute.
There were some harsh words exchanged between the players after that goal but seven minutes later Spence equalised after being sent through on goal by Twardzik with the striker showing composure to sent his shot inside the keeper's left hand post from 18 yards out.
After the Falkirk goal Fitzharris swapped from left wing to right with Ordish moving over onto the left.
Keatings was looking impressive in central midfield with the balance between the midfield trio posing Falkirk problems.
Six minutes from the interval Richie Towell put in a typical whiolehearted tackle 40 yards from goal to win the ball, with one pass the ball was sent through to Spence who showed confidence from his earlier goal to net from the edge of the penalty box.
Early in the second half substitute Patrik Twardzik secured the points when he headed home from close range after being set up by his brother Filip.
TEAM: Giordano; Towell, Gallagher, Hughes, Lowden; F Twardzik, G Gallagher, Keatings; Ordish (P Twardzik 56), Spence (Jones 70), Fitzharris
The January Shopping Spree
When did we last have such a busy transfer window? All started with the announcement of Ki Sung Yueng early in the season. Most of us thought that this would probably be all we were going to get as we are not known for spending in the January window, if spending at all.
We have all been aware of our most two pressing problems this season have been defence and attack, so it is nice to see that Tony has been aware of it also. Defenders Jos Hooiveld and Thomas Rogne were then brought in, Jos looking to go right into the first team with Thomas marked as one for the future. The Danish penalty box striker Morten Rasmussen was next to appear and as we have seen he does what it says on the tin, score.
One could argue that we would have been happy with just that but Tony kept dropping hints that he wasn’t finished as yet. The press as usual were linking us with anyone who had ever kicked a football so it was quite difficult to see who would be coming next, if anyone.
Today has been quite hectic with a defender and three attackers. Dutch left back Edson Braafheid joining from Bayern Munich, striker Diomansy Kamara joining from Portsmouth, Paul Slane joining from Motherwell and the Pièce de résistance Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur.
That’s a total of Eight players, which is beyond any of our wildest dreams for this window. Way to go Celtic.
Ki Sung Yueng is a South Korean international who was voted Asian Young Footballer of the Year 2009.
Jos Hooiveld, Finnish defender of the Year: 2007, 2008 and Swedish Player of the Year: 2009.
Thomas Rogne quoted as being “the best young talent to come out of Norway in the past ten years” I don’t know if this is an omen but he has been given the number 25 shirt, previously worn by club legends Shunsuke Nakamura and Lubomir Moravcik.
Morten Rasmussen, Danish International.
Edson Braafheid, Dutch International.
Diomansy Kamara, Senegal International.
Paul Slane, future prospect.
Robbie Keane, Republic of Ireland International.
Not a bad bit of shopping if I don’t say so myself.
Hail, Hail.
Serenity
Now is the time...
P/C 30th & 31st - Expect Excellence Edition
