Call the IT department
Next season’s fixture list has emerged and the Champions shall host the Dandy Dons in the Sunday evening game.
As matches go it’s a hard start, their new manager will reinforce now he has a few quid to spend as Ramsay’s going, and Goodwin himself will be very keen to make a positive impression at Aberdeen.
As usual we face the dethroned Champions early September, which Sky Sports shall use as their appetizer before the main (EPL) event, demanding an early Sunday kickoff. It’s actually a bizarre choice of kickoff time given later in the day events bring a more crowd hence occasion, a fact they either don’t care about or haven’t cottoned onto yet.
Anyhows, it’s come to the stage you could almost predict this fixture, six games in.
It struck me that it’s never the first, second, third, even fourth out of the hat.
Both teams always seem to meet after finding their feet, so to speak.
Call me cynical, but this doesn’t strike me as the act of a random fixture computer, no Siree. Call me cynical, but I could almost swear it’s conspired to make it happen right about then.
I mean there’s only twelve teams, surely to goodness two of them get drawn against each other on opening day over the course of decades? The SPL was founded in ’98, yet never once an opening day derby clash?
Can anyone recall an opening day Tynecastle derby?
Call me cynical but the fixtures wouldn’t be “massaged” by any chance? I recall dodgy Sepp claiming he learnt the hot and cold balls trick from Scottish football’s representatives (if manipulating the fixture calendar the term custodian would be incorrect) however there are no balls involved on this occasion.
Input data, push go, fixtures emerge.
It’s not that simple but believe me it’s not that hard either.
The SPL couldn’t get a sponsorship correct, nor a major death in the family, nor their officials, not their drug testing, nor FFP,,,,I could go on.
But we are being asked to believe the early September derby fixture is “by chance”?
Every year?
Either the computer needs fixed or the fixtures are fixed. Given the SPLs leaders and history, I know which one I favour.
As they say in England “you’re ‘aving a laugh mate!”
They are, and the jokes on us.
By Mahe
Napsters follow the link
https://sentinelcelts.com/2022/06/13/royal-ascot-2/#comment-219896
Morning,
A reply to Twisty’s post earlier…
I’ve came to a kind of a peace with Celtic by accepting that Celtic are not the Club I thought they were.
I’d created an image of Celtic as being mainly an Irish or Celtic institution dedicated to many of the principals I’d been brought up with.
That’s just not what the Club are and my attachment to that image will always be a source of suffering. The club’s goals have been primarily about business since the end of the 19th century.
The problem with the marketing of a Cause, Calling or Culture, is that those things mean different things to most people.
Unless I accept that Celtic are a commercial enterprise, dedicated to making money, I’ll suffer unnecessarily.
How they maximise those profits is the Board’s job. I’m a customer after all. If the product is poor, I don’t watch.
The Board aren’t going to make decisions to challenge the status quo. They’re job is to sell tickets and making commercial deals.
That means the Old Firm rivalry and all of its baggage. The Irish connection is just a handy way to boost income but that’s about it.
When I accepted that the source of much of the pain associated with Celtic were based on my false expectations of what the Club were, most of that pain lifted.
It’s much the same with most relationships, the problem comes from what I expect from the other party. I’m usually relying on a false image.
The page below from Kevin McCarra’s book – ‘A Biography in Nine Lives.’ Finally made me let go of my expectations about Celtic and helped me understand the Board’s actions.
The irony is that the decision to maximise profit created a reliance on that sectarian divide, slowed integration into Scottish society and undermined the performance of the football team.
Celtic’s business partner across the water have never fully embraced the sound business comes first mentality.
It’s easier now to take it or leave it with Board decisions. They’re just doing a different job to what I expected.
There’s plenty of positive things like the Foundation and the camaraderie. Most big clubs have that. I was always searching for something deeper with Celtic.
That search meant there was always a sense of lack of fulfilment. I was searching for an image of Celtic that I’d created. It doesn’t exist.
Celtic just aren’t what I thought they were.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/199OG3Hfurr7Rc5NnuEZR6TyQwoAdsxP-/view?usp=drivesdk
Good read this morning Mahe,
I came across this link which has Bobby Madden’s refereeing stats.
It doesn’t seem to include the Cup Semi Final but it looks like Celtic are top of Mr Madden’s league.
https://www.whoscored.com/Referees/1073/Show/Bobby-Madden
Anyway,
The barrage of dossiers, complaints, court cases and moaning from the across the river continues. It’s not easy keeping up with the press briefings from the Mr Graham, the DUP Cooncillor, who left his Belfast constituents in the lurch.
David headed to Ibrox to start a new career in PR just before the curtain fell on the DUP controlled Stormount.
Mr Graham’s also a much improved Powerlifter. He’s bulked up considerably in recent months…
Credit where credit is due…
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/world-records-expected-tumble-south-17745562
Maybe David’s impressive physical development is from lugging around all those weighty dossiers at Ibrox?
– Who knows?
– Where’s Mr Graham’s Hate Speech dossier we were promised after the last Sevco game at Celtic Park?
– Where’s the Seville dossier?
– Where’s the full dossier of all the correspondence in relation to the Cinch contract?
– Did Parks of Hamilton or Sevco receive Costs or Compensation?
– Why the blitzkrieg of media propaganda in every local newspaper the length and breadth of the UK? Even the gentile hamlets of Cornwall carried the news of the Rangers victory?
– Why does this reported victory feel similar to when Dave King ripped up Mike Ashley’s contract?
Did Bobby Madden pick up a Cup Winners medal before heading South?
Till later, enjoy the glimpses of sunshine.
Twisty, that’s a good idea for the Saturday Naps comp. Although I would suggest making it a voluntary £10 donation, in case a poster cannot afford at the time.
Cheers for the work you put into it, likewise Bobby!
Gombean man for people not on google what’s the paragraph in Kevin McCarra’s book – ‘A Biography in Nine Lives.’
Morning TGM
Ty for response. I can completely understand you’re position. I think the club have become alienated from the ethos that it was formed for. I’ve no affinity whatsoever with them.
It’s the team I cannot let go . DNA, tradition… Ach yev heard it all before bud but that’s how it is for me, and I suspect many others.
Jim- yeah voluntary probably a good idea.
I’ll await Bobby’s response.
Charlinik,
Hi, I’m not great with the workings of computers. I’ve probably given all and sundry access to my phone by posting that.
I didn’t know you had to be on Google to view the page.
It’s from Chapter 1, John Glass I believe, p26-27.
Twisty,
Yeah it runs very deep.
I never could get the same connection with any team or sport, even political party or job.
Even when I know it’s going to cause me bother.
We’ll just have to live the journey I guess.
I suppose it could be worse.
Dugs to walk.
https://youtu.be/0ma5GtydKIQ
Is there ever a bad time to share or listen to this? 🤷♂️
One of the few men to speak up confidently on this issue ffs.
GBNL
This has been Uber Tim, reporting from a dark country in the arse end of Europe.
Back to you in the studio.
We played the Huns in the fourth fixture last season. Aug 29th.
Last year we were complaining about the difficult run of away games in the first 11. This season to come the Huns have us, Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts away and start at Livingston.
I’d say the “computer” has evened things up.
Don’t see what the problem is.
Twisty from prev blog.
On the subject of horses:
The Saturday naps competition will start soon. Probably 2 weeks today. I’ve a load going on at work right now or I’d have got around to it sooner, but Bobby’s Ascot has kept ya occupied for now.
I’d be interested in some opinion on the following;
As regulars will be aware – I don’t qualify myself for any prizes from the naps competition. Purely for the fun. However, this year I would like charity to gain from it. I’ll sponsor the prizes again, but how would the regular participants feel about an entry fee of say £10, with the entire amount received from entrants going to charity? Normally there’s around 20 plus entrants? Couple hundred £ would no doubt be welcomed by some deserving cause.
Problem is of course I’m equally aware £10 might feel a bit heavy for some in the current economic climate?
Would appreciate some opinion on this.
Prize money will be announced as and when we finalise entry conditions.
Also the CL starts on 6/7 September I think.
So we might not play on Sunday If we are allocated a Tuesday fixture.
Mahe.
I read something about the fixture list, the other day.
Loads of fixes put in it, on is ” Old Firm ” and Hearts don’t meet after European fixtures.
There is very little random about it.
What about European dates for 2022/23?
Firstly, it’s great news that we have three clubs – Celtic, Rangers and Heart of Midlothian – guaranteed group stage football, with Dundee United and Motherwell hoping to join them. Scotland has climbed to ninth in the country ranking list for UEFA competitions, helped by Rangers’ fantastic run to the Europa League final. That ranking means direct entry to the group stage of the Champions League for the winners of the 2022/23 cinch Premiership.
UEFA have had to condense the group stages of their three competitions so that they finish before the World Cup. Some UEFA matchdays are therefore back-to-back midweeks so we had to be mindful that, for example, Heart of Midlothian could be playing in Europe on Thursday and domestically on Sunday. In those weeks they couldn’t therefore play Celtic (or potentially Rangers) who might have a Champions League fixture on the Tuesday following the Sunday. This complicated the process further!
What goes into the fixture recipes?
There are many things. All clubs have three home and three away games in their first six fixtures. The ‘big city’ clubs generally don’t play at home on the same day, although there are two clashes in Edinburgh in the second phase of the cinch Premiership, largely because Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian both have six home games across those 11 fixture rounds.
All the pairings in the cinch Premiership have been flipped – for example, the first meeting of Motherwell and Livingston will be at Fir Park because it was at the Tony Macaroni Arena last season. Clubs which had 17 home games before the split in 2021/22 will have 16 this season and the opposite also applies.
Clubs which are at home on Christmas Eve will be away on January 2 and vice versa. We try to minimise travel around the festive period but unfortunately this is not always possible. If we solve one issue it can tend to give us problems elsewhere in the fixture list. As ever, it is a difficult balancing act.
We also factor in club request dates and the police may ask us to avoid other major events. For example, Ayr United generally won’t be at home on the same day as big meetings at the nearby racecourse. Where possible, Hearts will be away from home when there are major Autumn Tests or Six Nations matches at Murrayfield given its proximity to Tynecastle. Sometimes clubs will request to start the season with an away game due to pitch or stadium works.
Twisty.
I’m all for the 10 quid charity donation, but if someone can’t afford it, they should still be allowed to enter.
Open to all.
That’s my thoughts on it.
Mahe
Your thunder has been somewhat stolen by an article today on the BBC sports pages – How do you compile a fixture list in Scotland. Its an interesting read over a morning coffee. They’ve had to factor in the World Cup in December, 5 Scottish teams in Europe and the likely disastrous impact of the absence of Madden on Sevco’s chances of another mighty wan-in-a-row run. OK, they didn’t actually include the last one but I was reading between the lines.
Funnily enough, I’d been out for beers yesterday and came in last night to peruse the fixtures. Initially, it looks like Sevco have the slightly easier start but after 10 games we both have 5 H & A. Also, its a reversal of last season’s fixtures so this time they are away to the top six in Q1. In short, I reckon this means that we’ll secure the title considerably earlier than the season just ended.
TWISTY
Very much in favour of the voluntary donation. A good point by JIMTHETIM53
Thanks very much indeed for your continuing work and generosity with the Naps competition.
The Big Match Revisited ITV 4,jumpers for goalposts, marvellous..
McCaff,
Just read back and noticed your clever post! I hope you were joking but you caught me!
The last couple of days have been full of family issues and I have not been paying attention to the blog.
Health has been an issue.
Rebus
Rebus, best wishes. Take care.
Rebus…just a childish wee joke, no more no less! 😉
I hope your family and health issues are not too serious. Keep well!
Rebus- all the best
Leggy…from last page – a low blow that might actually stop me hitting the decks of an evening! My feelings are hurt.
Shitey music you say?
Simple Minds! Ian McCulloch! Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins! The Pastels! Martin Stephenson! The Silencers!
Have you been under a rock for the last fifty years!!
Here I am, giving up my time in the early hours to entertain the masses only to wake up to this criticism. Like Neil Lennon says in User Feenyin’s posted video I’ve got to reconsider my position!
Shitey music indeed!!! 🤣🤣🤣
https://youtu.be/rDyb_alTkMQ
JNP…excellent post about the fixtures list. Your insider knowledge was really impressing me, not for the first time by the way, until the last paragraph starts “We also factor in…” and the lie was laid bare!! 🤣🤣🤣
TGM…the Bobby Madden stats don’t say very much. There can be no inference of cheating from the little amount of information available – but the subtleties of how refs can change the game; where fouls are given, when they’re given, fouls ignored, cards not issued etc etc are where the vagaries of the game are altered!
Although, if you look at the fouls awarded to TRFC it’s a slightly different story!
He won’t be fecking missed!!!
McCaff,
Sorry for hurting your feelings 😜😜😜
I just am too old to know some of these groups.
I still love the patter and some of your tunes 👍
Keep em coming 🎶🎶🎶
Twisty/Bobby M – Count me in for the charity horse racing competition, please.
Many thanks.
HH. 🍀🐎🏆
MCaff,
I hope you’re well…
Agreed it’s a limited timeframe but this type of data is valuable over the medium to longer term.
Even over a Season those numbers, say quite a bit.
Look again at the for and against numbers between Celtic and Sevco. Even the overall averages.
It’s about subtleties, slowing the game down and the opposite in Sevco’s case.
He doesn’t throw about loads of yellows and create a trend. (When were the cards given? Early in the game??)
Madden was a matercraftsman at that side of the mismanagement of the game.
Given Celtic’s style of play Bobby’s numbers, although not conclusive of anything, they’re interesting.
If I were monitoring refs these type of trends would be ones to follow.
Are Celtic really less fouled against and commiting more fouls?
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with VAR, noting that it’s fouls that are at critical times that’s important.
The more scrutiny of the data the better.
Whether anything is done is another matter.
Over a period of time these types of trends will highlight inconsistencies and refute the tedious noise out of Ibrox.
The stats make game mismanagement more difficult.
I only came across these this morning…I wonder if there’s overall stats available?
Bobby can referee down south without the added pressure of assisting his favourite club.
https://www.whoscored.com/Referees/1073/Show/Bobby-Madden
In other news,
The line you mentioned yesterday ;
‘ Heid on a stick.’
Reminded me of the quote made by Sorley Boy MacDonnell, when he was shown the head of his son Alisdair, nailed to a pole outside Dublin Castle in 1585.
MacDonnell said to the English soldiers in his company,
“My son hath many heads.”
(ie, There’s plenty more where that came from.)
Bizarrely his line was absorbed into the British aristocracy via Randal Mac Donnell the Earl of Antrim and eventually through marriages to the Churchills.
There’s something of Winston himself in the words,
“My son hath many heads.”
(Scottish Gaelic for Sorley Boy MacDonnell = Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill)
https://www.thegiantscausewaytour.com/about-dunluce-castle/
Rebus.
Sending Love to you and your loved ones. 💚
McCaff. 11.52. 😂😂.
Leggy.1.13.
Too old!!!!
Not a chance, you must be younger than McCaff
He’s about 70. The oldest swinger in Shawlands, they call him.😜😜
JNP, Leggy…wtf have I done to annoy you two feckers!!
Shitey music!
The Oldest Swinger in Shawlands!
At least TGM took the time to rip my comments apart and reassemble them in a more defined argument ( Thanks for that, by the way, TGM!) 🤣🤣🤣
For me…
https://youtu.be/0sOPRIdY0ns
Twisty, count me in for the Saturday naps
🐴👍
Chalmersbhoy on previous blog.
Mags and Auldheid you and we are peeing in the wind now.But I’d rather have a Celtic and support to face these bastards head on with their lies.,as one of ou r supposed supporters!!Where do you stand???
======
The wind comes as much from Celtic Park as Ibrox and Hampden.
If something emerged to face up to the first two via Celtic would you support it or would perceived futility of any challenge stop it gaining traction?
That is my fear that the justification for doing nothing (futility) justifies doing nothing and wrong continues unabated.
McCaff,
JNP and myself are coming for you 😜😜
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hQo1HIcSVtg
Plus we’ll get BRRB to help us out 😜😜😜
McCaff. 1.47.
Brilliant. 😂😂
As you know, I love the music you post.
I need never get old. Nathaniel Rateliff and the nightsweats.
What a tune. Good video, too.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-2hxU4UG3dA
JNP, Leggy and TGM get ready to take down The Oldest Swinger in Shawlands…
https://images.app.goo.gl/b2DBZ4YXqnQFG2oG7
JNP…here ye go, read the first comment, too, most relevant!! 😁
https://youtu.be/-2hxU4UG3dA
Leggy, you have a non runner, 17.35 Chairman
CFC
We played the Huns in the fourth fixture last season. Aug 29th.
Last year we were complaining about the difficult run of away games in the first 11. This season to come the Huns have us, Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts away and start at Livingston.
I’d say the “computer” has evened things up.
Don’t see what the problem is.
====
The “problem” arises every second year when the previous years fixtures go into reverse.
Last season it was Celtic’s turn to have a difficult run. This year it is Rangers.
That’s the reason trotted out every year.
What folk make of it is up to them every year.
McCaff 2.28.
It’s such a brilliant song.
Love the comment too.
It’s one of those songs, that when I play it, I have to let my neighbours enjoy it, too.😯😁
JNP…I first heard of Nathanial Rateliffe about 7 years ago now, as I was approaching my 50th, aye ye read that right, my 50th birthday. I was having a do in the Knights in the Renfrew and a big pal was DJing. Now, I was compiling the music, I wasn’t up for his Agadoo shit! Him and his mate are first class DJs, they do big boxing and corporate events but I knew what I wanted (even if my invited guests didnae want it). I was bombarding him with playlists on a daily basis until he phoned me one morning at 10am, he had a hangover from a gig in Edinburgh and was in receipt of my latest email “Who the fuck is Nathan Radcliffe?” “What?” “Who the fuck is Nathan Radcliffe?” “Stevie, I’ve got no idea what your on about? Are you pished?” ” A wee bit, I just got another email from you with some guy Nathan Radcliffe and Harry Belafonte on it. I’m sitting here with Bobby and he’s just told me to tell you to get tae fuck wi aw this pish your sending us!!” So that was me telt!!🤣🤣🤣
On the night he played everything I asked for btw and it went down a treat with most folk. Ask big SM if he can remember, although he was probably running aboot efter weans that night!! 😁
Anyhoo here’s the Nathan Radcliffe song and the Harry Belafonte song I asked for…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbkybaDR_Co
Auldheid
Last year was an exception in terms of tricky away games.
Which was why we felt hard done to.
This year it is equally so for the Huns.
It has not always been so.
So I don’t see a problem.
TMG
The unforeseen consequence of Res12 was the realisation that Celtic were not the good guys in ethical term you and I at the very least wanted them to be. I suspect we are not alone.
Any loss is followed by grief in all its stages.
Denial what was uncovered is true
Anger it’s true
Bargaining to make our belief remain true.
Depression on realising what we thought was true and attracted Celtic to us, was in fact not true.
Acceptance that Celtic are no more reflective of our ideals and consequently a self decision of how we handle that.
I’d say I’m at the final stage of bargaining but acknowledge that others are at different stages in the grief process but that I’ll need to stop getting pissed off or stop reading/contributing to blogs when results go against us because of questionable governance of our game but those complaining are contributors to their own anger by their inaction.
However one of the reasons for wider inaction is the capacity to express supporter anger in meaningful terms does not exist, so in a last roll in my bargaining dice I’m going to suggest how that capacity can be built and how to test both it and the resolve of the support to address their underlying cause of anger when results go south.
Morning troops on this day of Saturn from a bright, blue skied central California.
CFC,,I obviously forgot we met during the fourth fixture last year but,,,
Call me a cynic but that was the perfect time to meet us, still comi g to grips with Ange and with players looking to leave.
Up against a settled system and team, plus Management set up that had our number.
Call me a cynic but it now looks to have been timed.
One fourth fixture meeting doesn’t take away from the fact the derby never happens straight away or second. That can’t be a coincidence imo.
I see a problem.
TGM, isn’t it funny how all those reports never see the light of day,, the report into Celtic staff being harassed inside Ibrox,,the one into the broken glass etc
I won’t hold my breath.
JNP, cheers for that. Aye there’s a lot of variables but I’m not accepting it’s random when the derbys can almost be predicted.
Early September and New Years clash every season can’t be an accident.
Billy Bhoy, I had intended to dissect the Cinch fiasco but the situation is still fluid, I’ll take my time on that one. In fairness it does look like Ibrox has done nothing wrong, for once.
Have a wonderful weekend no matter where on God’s green and white earth you find yourself.
Hail Hail
Oh, totally down for the Naps competition
CFC
I don’t see the problem either, but when complaints were made on past fixture releases, the reason I saw given was that Celtic and Rangers take turns at being short shrifted ie it’s cyclical.
McCaff.2.50
That’s one of my wife’s favourite songs. She appears to linger, a little too long, in my direction, for my liking, when she sings the S.O.B. Chorus. 😂😂
I will speak to S.M. On Tues.
I’m sure he will remember it well.
TGM@9:04am
Thats a pity.
REBUS
All the best….get well soon.
Rebus take care pal
JNP…hehehe – if the cap fits and all that!! 😁😁😁
Spanish rag claiming Morelos to Sevilla. 6.9million.
Reflections on Celtic.
I see others have described something of their relationship with our dear club/obsession. Scroll past if you are not interested in my efforts at self absorption.
I came to Celtic in my early teens, full of principles of equity and tolerance. I was a refugee from the bigotry of the other side, both in football and within my family. I liked the broad church that I saw in Celtic…the mix of religions amongst the players; the lack of persecution of players who dated non Catholics etc. Pretty soon, tho’, I encountered fans who were just as bigoted as those of Rangers, however, no where near the same numbers.
I also liked the underdog nature of the club, founded to address a deep social problem, and representing a discriminated group of solid working class people. In those early days Celtic was far from being guaranteed to be in the big two in Scotland.
I attended games and enjoyed the Jungle, singing songs that I did not always understand. Later I moved to London and shortly after married. Contact with my Celtic related life diminished as the weans arrived. I still had a soft spot for them and would seek out their results. However, a tie had been broken. After tiring of taking the English coin, I moved back to Scotland as a career move. Attendance at games resumed but, being more worldly wise, I saw the club differently. It was a business, but a business with a specific history, connected to an immigrant group and to social issues. I did not see Celtic as an Irish club, but rather as a Scottish club that had an Irish background. From 1967 onwards it had a European focus, more so than any other Scottish club. Stein was behind that change of emphasis….sadly much of that emphasis was to be lost later.
In 1980 I emigrated to Canada and following Celtic was next to impossible, except in print when the Globe and Mail used to publish Scottish results and the league table. In the province of Newfoundland, which is almost twice the size of Great Britain, there was one other Celtic fan. That changes your ability to support your team. Eventually, Celtic offered a live radio coverage of games, free for the first year, and that changed my involvement with the club. Eventually, this service evolved into Celtic TV, to which I subscribed until recently.
When you are distant from home, you simply absorb less of your club and beating your corrupt rivals and a governance system assumes greater importance, because there are few other positives such as the social aspect of attending games, or meeting players etc. Beating your rivals, winning leagues and cups is IT for ex-pats.
Twelve years ago, I retired and moved to near Ottawa where there is a CSC. At that, you can get back into the social aspect of being a supporter. However, it is clear that it is an aging group….like myself! You kick in $20 or so to watch CelticTV and chat about events. Booze has to be limited because I have a 70 km drive home afterwards. Most at the club have a long history with the club. They know the Stein era, for example.
The ambitions of Walfrid, Stein, MON are now all history….all gone….as European football has left both Celtic and Scotland behind. Clubs such as Celtic have to be run as a business if they have even modest European aspirations. However, that is not enough because of the need for balance between the two F’s….football and finance. Two seasons ago revealed that the CEO had totally lost that balance…indeed it was probably lost some years before that because there was little to no succession planning. Until last season, Celtic was both a poorly run football club and a poorly run business.
Last season was refreshing but will it continue? The “ten” season changed my attitude the club, possibly permanently, just as Ally’s Army changed my view of the national team. I could praise either a Celtic that was a well run business, or a well run football team, but to be neither is not acceptable to me. Hopefully, the club will emerge as both but I would not bet the house on it.
Bit of a rant…..sorry.
Rebus