Celtic Bloggers
Celtic Boggers and rebloggers
FAO All Irish Tims
Randalstown Celtic Supporters Club will be holding a folk night on the 25th of July at the Elk nightclub in Toome Bridge. Entertainment on the night will be from The Spirit of sixty7 .
A taster of the music that will be played on the night can be found at www.thespiritofsixty7.com/
Read more [St MacNissi CSC]
Celtic Linked With Kowalewski - McGeady, Charles N.Zogbia ,Tamas And Basa ?
CELTIC were today linked with a move for one-time Polish No1. keeper Wojciech Kowalewski, sparking fresh fears they may be willing to cash in on Artur Boruc.Free agent Kowalewski - who previously played for Legia Warsaw, Shakhtar Donetsk and Spartak Moscow - claims to have been invited for a trial.
Read more [St MacNissi CSC]
Celts beat Celts
Celtic made a long awaited return to Belfast, 24 years to be precise, as Willie McStay took a youthful Celtic XI to Suffolk Road to face Donegal Celtic.
The 1,500 capacity ground was packed with over 5,000 fans as Derek Riordan's goal gave the Glasgow side victory.
On Saturday Celtic face Newry Town before heading to Dublin to meet Shelbourne.
Read more [Video Celt]
Nakamura injured and might need surgery
It only took one game for Japanese free kick master, Shunsuke Nakamura, to pick an injury. Next Tuesday Naka will fly to Germany to have an operation for a sports hernia. The doctors are expecting that Nakamura will miss three weeks and only miss the opening game of the SPL schedule against St. Mirren. Apparently this is a similar injury to what Darren O’Dea suffered last year, in fact Naka is heading to the same surgeon that fixed up young Darren and got him back on the field in a few weeks. Naka has been in pain in the groin area (insert joke of your choosing here), as well as problems in his ankle. Naka missed a sizable portion of the season last year with injuries, but of course scored an important goal against Rangers last year. Naka will not be the only Celtic player going under the knife, as fellow winger and countryman Koki Mizuno will require surgery on his knee as he has a cartilage problem. Mizuno said “I’ve been in pain since injuring my knee playing for the reserves against Gretna back in March. It’s got so bad I can’t play any longer.” It’s not a good sign when we’ve got players injured already, but the depth that Celtic has at midfield shouldn’t be a problem. Once Paddy McCourt heals from his own knocks, he should expect some time and sooner rather than later Celtic fans should expect to see the hopefully winger of the future in the first team.
Read more [The Offside]
Mission Impossible IV - Part Dos
Well Tim I must say I am very disappointed at your attitude. I thought you would be delighted that I had got us involved with something Celtic , the...
Read more [E Tims]
Wednesday Gossip And Rumours
ROY KEANE was an interested spectator at Celtic's game against Middlesbrough last night.The Sunderland boss who is in the Algarve with his Premiership team for pre-season training tried to sign Bobo Balde at the start of last season and again enquired in January.
Read more [St MacNissi CSC]
Ugly.
Well, Celtic’s friendly against Middlesborough was quite shocking. A boring game with neither side bringing many scoring chances let alone goals ended in Celtic saving a 1-1. Middlesborough’s goal Celtic backup keeper Marc Brown BOUNCED THE FUCKING BALL OFF OF A MIDDLESBOROUGH PLAYER INTO THE BACK OF THE NET ON A CLEARANCE ATTEMPT! I think I speak for Celtic fans when I say, please don’t go Artur Boruc! Bobo Balde stuck his big head in the air and put the ball at Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink head and netted it in the 93rd minute to end the game a tie. There were positives from the match. The goal was not the fault of the back line’s and they did not have a bad game. Aiden McGeady created two great chances in the first half and played great crosses right to Georgios Samaras‘ head but Samaras could not get enough behind the ball. Barry Robson was centimeters away from netting another great free kick. All those that played at the striker position struggled mightily today though. Massimo Donati continued to look lost. However, I’m not worried about the team or the season. There’s only so much you can take from a pre-season friendly. As you have so many subs, it is hard to get a chemistry working. It was nice to see the backline work well, as well as more good performances by Aiden McGeady and Barry Robson. And finally, it’s always good for a striker to get his first taste of goal, as did Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink did tonight. So it is on to FA Cup finalists Cardiff City on Thursday. Hopefully Artur Boruc will be fit enough to go for this one and the offense gets into the flow of things.
Read more [The Offside]
STEIN SOLD HIS SOUL FOR A FEW £££
"Up until Jock Stein came, Celtic were nothing, absolutely nothing."
Celtic had one or two decent players but as a team they amounted to nothing. Crerand was decent as was big John Hughes, but that was about it.
We used to love humiliating them, rubbing their noses in it. Back then they ...
Read more [The Daily Hun]
KENNY MILLER HAS A SCORE TO SETTLE
Kenny Miller declared himself to be 'delighted, honoured and proud to be once again back at Ibrox with his 'ain folk'.
Kenny also made it clear that he had a score to settle with Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, who he accuses of " humiliating and belittling' him, by forcing him ...
Read more [The Daily Hun]
SIR DAVID MURRAY IN GERS EURO SUMMIT
Gers Chief in Summons to Top Club Bosses to Thrash Out New League Plans.
Rangers supermo, Sir David Murray has not been seen or heard from in recent weeks, since jammy Celtic won the league and rioting Chelsea fans trod all over the Gers Euro dreams in Manchester, but that doesn't ...
Read more [The Daily Hun]
FIFA RE-WRITE HISTORY TIMMY STYLE
In a move likely to cause permarage amongst the Ibrox faithful, FIFA today attempted to rewrite history Timmy style by publishing an article entitled: Classic Clubs; Celtic Spirit Shines On.
Whilst the front page article on the official FIFA.com website heaps praise on Celtic Football club the author neglects to even ...
Read more [The Daily Hun]
RANGERS MASTERS IN IRA SHOCKER!
Screengrab of the telly as Rangers masters went 1 nil up against Celtic at the Scottish Masters final at braehead.
Rangers Masters In IRA Shocker! Rangers Masters In IRA Shocker! Rangers Masters In IRA Shocker! Rangers Masters In IRA Shocker!
Photo: suttonsbootShareThis
Read more [The Daily Hun]
A ROMAN IN THE GLOAMIN
A pale and clearly exhausted Peter Lawwell is expected to emerged this morning at an impromptu press conference, to announce the signing of Gabriel Tamas for Celtic for a fee not far shy of 5 million pounds.
An ashen faced Lawwell will no doubt be tetchy and visibly irked by the nature ...
Read more [The Daily Hun]
Scotland vulnerable to racial intolerance gestated in football
Aiden McGeady is the victim of more racial crime than any other individual in Scotland. He is regularly the subject of assault and racial abuse and at 22-years-old, cannot walk the streets of Glasgow alone.
I have sympathy for the police, who are seldom aware or involved in Aiden’s problems, I have sympathy too for the football authorities, who are charged with the responsibility of protecting young players from hoards of profane Neanderthals, but at a time of significant immigration, Scotland cannot be allowed to turn into a ghetto of racial hate.
I have been reluctant to write about the truly awful, “go back home” chants heard from the visiting support at Celtic Park on Sunday, as I am a Scot, and feel the image of my country has been violated by such racial intolerance, but the slide must be stopped.
Football has been hijacked as a breeding ground for racial intolerance all over the world and difficult though it is to combat, Fifa and Uefa have found ways. Whether it is a Polish goalkeeper celebrating a Polish Pope (and goalkeeper) or a Scottish born winger playing for Ireland, which he is entitled to do, Scotland’s institutions; the police, football authorities, education authorities, the media, even you and I, must continue to repeat the mantra; One Scotland, many cultures, until its resonance penetrates the thickest of skulls.
Aiden in particular needs all our support; he is not here to become a poster boy for protest, he just wants to play for Celtic and enjoy a normal life.
Read more [Celtic Quick News]
Aberdeen - Dundee United game could determine final day motivation
One of the reasons points look so difficult to collect right now is that two of the top six are chasing the league title and another three are chasing the Uefa Cup spot, but Aberdeen have an interesting couple of weeks ahead.
They play Dundee United at home next, followed by a visit to Motherwell. With Motherwell, Hibs and Dundee United all playing Celtic and Rangers over this period, Aberdeen will hope that two wins will bridge the gap and set them up for a final day showdown against Rangers.
Of course, if they beat Dundee United on Saturday, only a point for United at Ibrox is likely to see them still in the hunt for a Uefa place when they play Celtic on the last day.
Read more [Celtic Quick News]
Oh Rangers did you really think it’s over?
Rangers had not lost to Celtic after getting their noses in front in 15 years, so they must have felt they had done enough yesterday when they edged in front.
Celtic Park was at its very best though, which I am sure helped drag the team off the ropes and on to victory. Perhaps one small aspect of getting the mood right was the return of some traditional supporters songs on the PA system.
Getting the tone right with traditional music is more difficult than getting it wrong, so well done to whoever made the call yesterday. More please against that lot from Hibernia.
Read more [Celtic Quick News]
One away win against top six opposition all season for Rangers
Rangers will enter May with still talking their league chances up, but with only a single league victory from seven away games against top six opposition all season; over Hibs, who won at Ibrox.
With a full nine months of the season expired, the premise that they cannot handle pressure away to reasonable SPL opposition appears irrefutable. They have visits to Hibs, Motherwell and Aberdeen, as well as St Mirren still to come.
Celtic have won five of their eight away encounters against top six opposition, and have away games against Motherwell and Dundee United to play, where they won 1-4 and 0-2 respectively earlier in the season, two of their best away results all season.
All Celtic could do these last two weeks is win their games and put Rangers under pressure. If the Rangers players are as exhausted after yesterday’s game as I was watching it I don’t fancy their chances of handling that pressure.
Extra time and penalties for the work-shies in Florence please.
Read more [Celtic Quick News]
Lusty celebrations the sign of a team reborn
Even though Rangers played as well as they have at Celtic Park in years, they still ended up losing to a Celtic fight back which will live long in the memory.
I am never concerned when Celtic defend a corner kick; although I cannot give you the stats, we lose very few goals this way, so as well as the predictable frustration of conceding two ‘preventable’ goals (aren’t they all) I was genuinely surprised.
Barcelona hadn’t lost a headed goal all season until they arrived in Glasgow two months ago, when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Barry Robson both scored headers in the first 45 minutes, which was not statistically (or tactically) significant, so I have to conclude that losing two goals direct from a corner today does not reach statistically significant proportions for Celtic.
What may be more significant is the ratio of goals we lose to direct attempts on target.
There can be few more satisfying goals than one which comes from both your strikers linking up. 11 days ago it was McDonald who headed on for Vennegoor of Hesselink and today Jan returned the compliment. Both players looked tired and off form recently which for me was typified in the penalty miss by McDonald against Rangers, but that injury time winner seems to have changed things.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player who didn’t score celebrate as lustily as Scott McDonald did then. He set up a really important goal and it looked as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
His touch, which we have despaired at recently, was perceptively better against Aberdeen last week and when I met a couple of CQN’ers before kick-off I predicted he would be our winning player today.
Can you tell me when we signed the hard man, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink? His tackling in both Rangers games this month was uncompromising, it’s as though he has realised that these games are as much about the physical battle as silky football.
He was not the only hard man today, Robson and Hartley again were up for the battle, even Samaras knew when to make an important foul.
Talking about lusty goal celebrations, what can we make of Mr 167%, Barry Robson? I get the feeling this guy is loving every minute of life as a Celtic player. He also showed the experience we missed in central midfield earlier in the season, as the match drew to a close he held the ball and carried it into space.
He even tried a cheeky wee one from a corner kick that hit the post. First name on the team sheet for me.
Read more [Celtic Quick News]
