Heart-breakers again!
It was perfect timing for me, a post chores lunchtime fiesta awaited especially given the earlier results, and upon tuning in I wasn’t disappointed. The home crowd were fully up for this game, the war drums were beating, Celtic would clearly be playing the occasion and the opponents. It was a big game fullstop.
The team selection brought no real surprises bar maybe all three Japanese players in the starting lineup, their jetlag was something I believe Brendan had commented on previously. Nonetheless the ref blows the whistle and Saturday night at the movies begins.
Hand on heart after 4 minutes I said to myself ‘wrong choice, we need Bernardo!’. Callum is deepest, and Reo an Arne are passers, there was no-one to actually put their foot on the ball and start to dictate proceedings. Combined with their intensity and full-on pressing game, any uneducated neutral observer would have been vindicated in believing the home were the current Champions.
Half-time couldn’t come soon enough, for I knew Brendan would do something. That couldn’t continue, Kasper was much too busy, the midfield sloppy, attackers impotent.
Do something he did.
The second half saw a different animal emerge.
Just as I was thinking ‘haul Daizen off because it’s not his day’ he only goes and lays on the opener, boom, Kyogo breaks the deadlock.
We never looked back,,,the halftime teamtalk had worked, then the subs did likewise.
Kuhn did another ‘Kuhn’ for the second and while I punched the air I also realized there’s another potential suitor convinced,,jeez he’s top drawer in every way.
And then Adam grabs a brace. He must have a better chance to conversion ratio than Kyogo, he just has that knack of bulging the oul onion bag, and Garry Hooper had that same knack. But Hoop’s was a starter, Adam is a great finisher of games, our own Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Baseball involves a starter and finisher, I’m beginning to think they are a great partnership in that regard.
I’m going to hand out credit to out opponents, they didn’t try to kick us off the park, and even at 3 zip down they were still playing positive football and attacking hence their ‘Top Ten Goals of the Season’ consolation (should keep an eye on that lad).
It’s a big obstacle out of the way, I hope the guys start better on Wednesday and deliver the ultimate Christmas present of last 16.
By Mahe
*SENTINEL CELTS PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024-25*
*RESULTS FROM GAME #19 HEARTS 1 CELTIC 4 (KYOGO, KUHN, IDAH(2))*
Good evening, friends.
Apologies, but as I’ve just completed 2 long, happy grandwean babysitting days (11 till 8 on Saturday, 10 till 8 today) followed by an hour of checking emails then I’m too worn out for a detailed match report!
A bit huff and puff in the first half with not even any crunching tackles, often a feature of this encounter. Much better in the 2nd half and good contributions from our substitutes too. As full time approached Tynecastle had 3 times as many empty seats as fans, just as Ibrox had a few hours earlier. A bit disappointed that Aberdeen lost as I have no fear that they will last the distance. As for Triggers Broom they sit 11 points off the top but only 8 off the bottom 6! They have scored 17, we have more than double that 35; they have conceded 9 and we have less than half of that, 4. It’s all coming together nicely!
We have now played 19 games this season, winning 16, drawing 2 and losing 1. We have scored 58 and conceded 16 (domestically it’s 49-7 and in Europe it’s 9-9).
A dip in the contributors this week but a big thank you to the 71 who sent in their opinions.
The total votes cast for each player are as follows, with my own nominations asterisked.
Schmeichel*: 5
Johnston: 6
Carter-Vickers: 23
Trusty: 17
Taylor: 2
McGregor: 12
Engels: 0
Hatate*: 50
Kuhn: 57
Kyogo*: 13
Maeda: 0
Bernardo: 9
Forrest: 5
Ralston: 0
Yang: 0
Idah: 11
And so, the players receiving POINTS for the game against Hearts are –
Kuhn – 5 points
Hatate – 4 points
Carter-Vickers – 3 points
Trusty – 2 points
Idah – 1 point
And the overall positions after 19 games played are –
41 points – Kuhn
31 points – Hatate
28 points – Scales
25 points – McGregor
24 points – Maeda
20 points – Bernardo
18 points – Engels
17 points – Johnston A
14 points – Schmeichel and Trusty
13 points – Valle
9 points – McCowan
8 points – Kyogo
7 points – Carter-Vickers and O’Riley
5 points – Taylor
4 points – Idah
3 points – Forrest
1 point – Yang
0 points – Holm, Johnston M., Nawrocki, Palma, Ralston, Turley, Welsh
And so our focus now returns to the Champions League with our next game against Club Brugge on Wednesday evening at Celtic Park, kick off 8.00pm.
Hail Hail!
As you will all know,the site finally nominated a charity to be the recipient of the generosity and largesse of yourselves,and I think you all deserve huge applause for raising just short of £2k.
⭐️👏☘️👍🍾
That period has passed,and a new charity has been chosen to take us through to the end of the year. A landslide vote in favour of
Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust.
Once again,CHALMERSBHOY has done the spadework via JustGiving.
Here is the link for the Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust,our new charity which we will support.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/sentinel-celts-1722588284471?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fsentinel-celts-1722588284471&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share
This drive has already raised approaching £2000,so join in. The more,the merrier.
Default payment method seems to be ApplePay,which won’t suit everyone. There is an option on the page to change that to your preferred means.
https://x.com/scotlandscoeff1/status/1860792786112630883?t=dNeW8s2pUcPmJZGq8JIEUw&s=08 This set of Aberdeen’s accounts is worth reading as it provides comparisons with Celtic and other clubs costs.
I know what these grandwean babysitting days are like Jobo.
It’s no kyogos fault though that you’ve given his point to Idah 😉
Hoop hoop hooray
November 25, 2024 7:58 am
I know what these grandwean babysitting days are like Jobo.
It’s no kyogos fault though that you’ve given his point to Idah 😉
——-
Well spotted – but:
Was raised last night. Idah apparently got 14 votes.
I did check to see if it had been changed but as you saw it still shows 11.
Thanks Auldheid & TRM for the replies.
Auldheid,
It’s encouraging to read the post concerning Aberdeen’s performance. Hopefully supporters over time will begin to appreciate the value of the balanced score card in reviewing the performance of the management team at a club.
The introduction of the league format at European level and enhanced sustainability rules are the product of years of painstaking work.
Scottish clubs have a better opportunity now than they have had in years.
There’s always work to be done.
The market response to our Accounts was lukewarm. Celtic shares lost 25% of their value. We’ve somewhat recovered but costs are an issue.
The concern isn’t so much about the price but what analysts see in the background performance numbers.
Through necessity we developed a player trading model that maintained the sustainability of the club through those dark years post the collapse of the Setanta deal in 2008 and the demise of Rangers.
External economic factors often catch out operators who ignore market principals. It’s a numbers game.
Hopefully the board will continue to show the same level of fortitude in the face of the coming media hyped hysteria in the Transfer Window.
I have a nagging concern about the transfer of Engels. Not so much about the lad but about the background to the deal.
I’m at the game this week and sincerely hope the lad performs well.
It’ll be interesting to see if Sevco embrace the “live within our means” philosophy.
Till later.
Frodsham jobo
apologies
shoulda read back
Good morning, friends.
Apologies again about the wee error in the results. It’s usually around 8.15 that I tally up each player’s 5 bar gates. I note the total in brackets then put lines for any late notes they receive before getting the results finalised after 9pm.
So my notes read… IDAH [12] I I .
I then wrongly typed it as 11, rather than 14.
So the overall points were correct and Kyogo just missed out in 6th place.
T G M
Picking up on your point about Engels.
I too look forward to seeing him perform on Wednesday.
By one metric young Arne is exceptional – joint second on assists in the CL with 3.
Salah is first with 4. He is keeping excellent company.
The Bhoy is just 21 and getting to grips with agricultural domestic football. A recent starter for his country. He must be doing something right. The lad is settling in just fine.
Negativity/ finding fault is so predictable for some who seem to go looking for it a bit too enthusiastically. Kühn was recently on the receiving end, months into his career here.
Always has been with certain elements of the support who, even when we’re in a successful period, love to hound a scapegoat.
THE NABBLA & Auldheid you are both entitled to your opinion of the board, as am I, it’s a blog after all, and if we all agreed it would be boring. Both of you have had a positive meeting with board members, however this doesn’t qualify them in everyone’s eyes as being top fellows, who without, we would have little to no success.
I doubt many thought the Whites and Kelly’s were a class act either. I stand by what I stated. Celtic are a successful club in spite of the board, not because of them. Let’s agree to disagree
Enjoy your day.
HH
In my opinion the selfless sacrifice of the Celtic PLC over the last 20+ years knows no bounds in enhancing its customer experience .
ASWGL
November 25, 2024 10:50 am
THE NABBLA & Auldheid you are both entitled to your opinion of the board, as am I, it’s a blog after all, and if we all agreed it would be boring. Both of you have had a positive meeting with board members, however this doesn’t qualify them in everyone’s eyes as being top fellows, who without, we would have little to no success.
I doubt many thought the Whites and Kelly’s were a class act either. I stand by what I stated. Celtic are a successful club in spite of the board, not because of them. Let’s agree to disagree
Enjoy your day.
HH
===========≈===========
No worries ASWGL :-))
A lot did think Whites and Kelly’s where a class act,they were wrong,as David Low confirms they and their sycophants to Celtic to within minutes of becoming a memory.
Celtic are not ‘successful in spite of the board’who then makes decisions? signings etc,we need an executive(liked or not) to me there is no them and us,One Celtic my friend.
Let’s agree to disagree-nothing more Celtic
ASWGL :-)),we don’t need to look to far for a support whose hubris/entitlement was fed
by a board so long as it did not question……..until it was to late.They died.
Good conversing,
Hail Hail
TMG
One of the reasons I take so much interest in the business side of Celtic is I firmly believe that what the Board decide is directly reflected on the park.
My concern is the narrative based on the past that there is any degree of separation between The Board and the support in reality.
Reality is what it says on the tin and not what it says in our heads.
The thing about reality is we only experience it over time as unknowns that make our previous judgement wrong become known.
It can be a challenge to recognise our beliefs were wrong.
Take BR appointment. How many were dead against it at the time based on past experience?
How many have changed their minds as result of recent experience?
Regardless of what any of us think in our heads, outside of them the universe is unfolding as it should.
To help cope with the past in a healthy way we have the gift of forgiveness, but the very mention of the word can raise hackles This is understandable as wrongs are hurtful and leave deep scars that harm our spirit.
Forgiveness has healing powers but it is going to take the experience of those wronged in their past their lifetimes to learn.
I sometime wonder if that is why we have the gift of life.
The Nabbla
“to me there is no them and us,One Celtic my friend.”
====
Me too, but it saddens me that there is division, the cause of which Celtic should address but are afraid to because of the expected response.
ASWGL
November 25, 2024 10:50 am
THE NABBLA & Auldheid you are both entitled to your opinion of the board, as am I, it’s a blog after all, and if we all agreed it would be boring. Both of you have had a positive meeting with board members, however this doesn’t qualify them in everyone’s eyes as being top fellows, who without, we would have little to no success.
===
For me it was a number of meetings over the years that influence me, not only in terms of the decency of two of those I named but also their ability to engage in dialogue to enable mutual agreements on next steps. They are able people working in a divided culture to square circles.
Over the years I said as I lost my rag in the early years.
I come at the issue from a very different angle as a result of my life experience.
You might end up agreeing with me in your lifetime 🙂 but check my reply to The Nabbla and TGM on my version of reality.
AH et al,
“The thing about reality is we only experience it over time as unknowns that make our previous judgement wrong become known.”
“?????????????????
what does that sentence mean? So is our judgement ALWAYS wrong and does “reality” ALWAYS demonstrate that?
I just cannot get any meaning out of that sentence, but it is probably just my reality.
Thank goodness for differing opinions on this blog, especially during times of success. The flint needs the stone. Morecambe needed Wise.
Have a nice day,
Rebus
Rebus67
Rebus67
November 25, 2024 1:33 pm
AH et al,
“The thing about reality is we only experience it over time as unknowns that make our previous judgement wrong become known.”
“?????????????????
what does that sentence mean? So is our judgement ALWAYS wrong and does “reality” ALWAYS demonstrate that?
====
Good question and good answer.
I don’t know about ALWAYS wrong, but as reality is revealed as time unfolds that tells us that we made a wrong judgement previously.
Had we kent them wit we ken noo, then we would change our minds and, IF INCLINED, wonder what made us think as we did previously.
What made us so certain, our religion, what our parents drummed into us, a traumatic event.
That does not mean to say we don’t make judgements, I don’t think that is possible or wise according to the circumstances, but (and this goes back to KNOWING) the fact is no matter how smart , how well read we are or how experienced we are, in terms of all there is to know, we as individuals and a species know SFA.
If we acknowledge that then whilst we might stick to our judgement it is healthy to leave a bit of room for uncertainty.
That way if something we were unaware of in the past does emerge in the future we are more likely to rethink than die in the ditch of we are right and nothing will change our mind.
The curious case of the Celtic Midfield.
Cast: Engels, Calmac, Hatate, Bernardo, McCowan, Holm, Turley etc
You could view this as a drama of extremes. For example, in terms of transfer value we have Engels at one end and McCowan at the other. Drama needs tension so is Engels eleven times more effective than McC? Deep down you know the answer to that! There is even more tension in comparing these two…if Engels falls flat would reputations be more affected than if McC flatlines? That scenario would create a new drama.
Further tension in our drama is created by comparing the appearance data of our cast. When fit Engels, Calmac, and Hatate start and Bernardo gets a usually necessary outing of 30 minutes or so, to patch up the midfield. Should it be Bernardo starts and either Engels or Hatate gets the 30 minutes?
Let’s spice up our drama by throwing in an element of mystery. What has become of Holm? Why has he vanished and why has he been “vanished” for so long? It seems that this particular drama has a trap door through which someone falls, ultimately to leave the play. McCarthy…exit stage left to join Iwata, Kwon, Kelly and Shaw in recent memory.
Did you see the recent interview with the very personable Amorin? He indicated that after just a three day break from training and involvement in a game, players lose something. Mr Holm would be well advised to consider that and push his agent for an exit or within a year his career could be stalled permanently. Whereas McC must worry about his waning opportunity to perform at his best. How will these sub-plots unfold? Drama, indeed!
Of course a play is often more than a single act. Act 2 will begin in January when some cast members may leave to be replaced by new players. The audience of this particular drama usually expects this even when it is not required.
This particular drama is headed towards some form of happy ending because rival theatres are either offering a comedy or a low budget production.
Rebus
Auldheid (yup I am answering myself and I’m sober)
You said
“Me too, but it saddens me that there is division, the cause of which Celtic should address but are afraid to because of the expected response.”
Can you elaborate?
====
I was thinking that only the Truth from The Board on key matters would heal the rift and lead to reconciliation but this scene from a Few Good Men suggests to me why it is unlikely to happen.
https://youtu.be/9FnO3igOkOk?si=AdVN38CIdNke97Ud
Imagine it is PL in the dock and the question put is.
” Did you Mr Lawwell or anyone in authority at Celtic participate in the development of the Five Way Agreement?”
Listen to Jack Nicholsons reply.
Could we handle that truth that PL acted to protect Celtic? (Not in same language or tone of course)
Or would he be condemned?
I think that fear of the latter is why the truth will never be known and why a reconciliation is unlikely that would see a trusting relationship with custodians and support emerge.
TGM @ 09.15
“Through necessity we developed a player trading model that maintained the sustainability of the club through those dark years post the collapse of the Setanta deal in 2008 and the demise of Rangers”
—-
I really have no idea how the collapse of the young Cu Chulainn deal in 2008 affected Celtic, was it that significant? But to include the demise of Rangers 1872 as being ‘dark years’ for Celtic is, imho and the opinion of most Celtic supporters i’d venture, taking it just a wee bit too far. The demise of the Hun offered a new start for Scottish football that was short shortsightedly spurned. Lawwell supposedly claimed not having the Huns in the league cost us £10 Mill. Me – well i am very firmly in the ‘any part of my club that needs Rangers (old & new) i’d willingly and happily lose’ camp. £10 mill for not having the Huns – now that was money very well spent / lost.
REBUS67
I’m very much in the camp that has Bernardo as a starter. The only explanation for Engels playing every week,from what I can see,is to gain experience of his colleagues. I know he does a lot of work off the ball,particularly in closing down avenues for opposition passes,but we need to see much more in a creative sense.
That’s not to suggest that I’ve written him off. Far from it,as I expect him to find his rhythm soon,but Bernardo is currently the more effective player for us.
OGLACH
I could not have put that any better,or more plainly,than you have. Sevco should not have been allowed into the fourth tier in 2012. The rules at the time explained that,and they were ignored. And they would have been ignored even more but for the courage of the likes of Turnbull Hutton,so sadly lacking in our own leadership at the time and since.
Oglach
The demise of the Hun offered a new start for Scottish football that was short shortsightedly spurned. Lawwell supposedly claimed not having the Huns in the league cost us £10 Mill. Me – well i am very firmly in the ‘any part of my club that needs Rangers (old & new) i’d willingly and happily lose’ camp. £10 mill for not having the Huns – now that was money very well spent / lost.
===
It certainly did and I wish it had, but it wasnt just Celtic who stood to lose money and some of those other clubs depended on TV money and that in turn would lead to administration for them.
That is why PL and ND went to Sky to keep the TV income alive.
Celtic could afford and survive the loss of £10m a few of the other clubs could not.
Events in 2012 were not under Celtic’s control as a single SPL member with same vote as say Motherwell.
It was not in Celtc’s interest to see the competitiveness and quality of SPL being diminished as result of collateral damage from Rangers demise.
I think what really rankles is the idea Rangers had not cheated other clubs and kept their tainted titles and became presented as the same club.
The 5WA was accepted by Celtic on basis SPL would conduct an investigation into Rangers use of ebts, but did Celtic know that the investigation would be the LNS sham?
Had Celtic insisted Rangers return as a new club would Green have walked away?
A couple of unknowns that might change beliefs if the truth ever emerged.
Auldheid @15.14
I fully understand the potential financial and survival implications the demise of the the Huns had for some clubs in Scottish football. I still contend it was a massive opportunity for a new and improved league set up that would have benefited the Scottish game. Would the death of Rangers meant other clubs may also have been liquidated? Probable but others would have thrived given the need to start afresh. As for stating it was “not in Celtc’s interest to see the competitiveness and quality of SPL being diminished as result of collateral damage from Rangers demise” i am not buying that as they seemed to be more than happy to maintain a duopoly on finances and trophies with their ugly sister to the exclusion of other Scottish clubs prior to her demise.
Anyway we will have to disagree on the Celtic’s Boards reasoning behind their involvement with the 5WA and their subsequent frequent participation in the Rangers survival myth.
Auldheid
As long as the taxpayer got fucked Celtic were ok with anything to keep profit alive. Public debt private profit. Nothing special about Celtic there.
That’s the great thing about Theology.
Word wrap alternative facts and even drivel appears plausible
MAHE
“I’m going to hand out credit to out opponents, they didn’t try to kick us off the park, and even at 3 zip down they were still playing positive football and attacking hence their ‘Top Ten Goals of the Season’ consolation (should keep an eye on that lad).”
————————————
Hi Mahe:
Good lead article. I really should write that after every article by both you and BMCUWP, but it would just lose its effect and posters would get tired of reading it.
And as usual, the blog is a good read as I sup my morning coffee. Posts by Rebus and Auldheid are always insightful and I am enjoying the discussion re the Board. ( and that is not to diminish in any way the contributions from all other posters ).
I remember that years ago now, Auldheid made a comment on here that if the Board and support were consistently on the same page, one communicating effectively with the other, Celtic would be an unstoppable force. That resonated with me, and it is as true now as it was then.
Mahe, I was also struck by your comment highlighted above, as I felt the same way about Drammeh of Hearts. Callum and Reo simply jogging beside him was not a good look, and I believe that either Bernardo or McGowan would have tackled him.
At the weekend, I was impressed by two St. Mirren players in a first class battle with Aberdeen. Take a peek at the lightning fast Olusanya scoring the first with an electric burst of pace and their center back Taylor simply soaring like Michael Jordan to score their second. Both displayed superb athletic ability, and I’ll be keeping my eye on both from now on. Here’s the highlights:
https://youtu.be/VTcJZdnQQaE
IQ4,
I just watched those highlights and by goodness thon fella nearly took flight such was the leap he somehow conjured up. There’s some decent players around the league.
Picked up my sis and her two daughters from SanFran yesterday, her husband and son are ST holders, and I might just be having some potato bread for breakfast!
Two weeks off, and it’s raining of course.
Ah well.
Hail Hail
TGM
“I have a nagging concern about the transfer of Engels. Not so much about the lad but about the background to the deal.”
Care to elaborate?
Hope you’re well. Enjoy the CL game, I’m jealous here.
Hail Hail
Mahe
Your leader was an excellent start to the week.
I have many good memories of the good ould Celts putting Hearts to the sword. My two favourites are:
1. The 1985-86 season. The season started for Celtic with a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle. The Maestro scored a last minute belter to rescue a point. A point that would prove absolutely crucial, in the destination of that season league title. After Celtic were beaten 1-0 by the Jambos at Celtic Park in October, Hearts went on a run, which would see them top the table till May. I was at Uni at the time. My best mates there,were two Huns and a Hibee. Any Jambos that I knew, were totally unbearable that season. On the 3rd of May 1986, Celtic, on the last day of the season, won 5-0 at Love St. All would be in vain though, if Hearts, who were playing Dundee at Dens Park, managed to take a point from the game. In that event, they would win the league. With seven minutes of the game to go, up stepped Dundee player Albert Kidd, to score a beauty. If the game ended with this score, Celtic would pip Hearts to the title. The scenes at Love St were Unforgettable, as we were all jumping about in celebration. During this mad jumpabout, Albert Kidd scored again. It was lift off at Love St. I always felt sorry for the poor Hearts fans, who were greetin’ their eyes oot at Dens Park. 😂😂😂
2 The Scottish Cup semi-final. Hampden Park. April 1988. With 3 minutes of the game remaining, Hearts led Celtic by a goal to nil. A goal that should never have stood, after an assault on Celtic goalie, big Packie. After yet another Celtic corner, unfortunate Hearts keeper, Henry Smith, dropped the ball at the feet of Celtic striker, Mark McGhee. Surrounded by a sea of Hearts players, McGhee somehow managed to squeeze the ball into the net. Cue mad jumparound by Celts all over Hampden. I was in the front of the North Enclosure. During the celebratory madness, Celtic unbelievably scored again, consigning poor Hearts to another season of winning hee-haw.
Hearts fans to this day, are still greetin’. 😁
Big Packy
Best wishes to ye and Joan.
Hail Hail.
Mags
That’s the great thing about Theology.
Word wrap alternative facts and even drivel appears plausible.
===
I don’t get your drift so cannot respond.
Mags,
“Mags
That’s the great thing about Theology.
Word wrap alternative facts and even drivel appears plausible.”
…………………..
I fell off my comfy chair at that remark. Don’t lose it.
Rebus
Re the discussion on Bernardo & Engels. I am also wondering why young Arne is continuing to ‘ get the nod’ over young Paulo? Also still trying to understand what big Liam has done to deserve relegation to the bench. Is Auston really the better option? Having watched Saturday’s game again i thought Auston was guilty of 2 major defensive blunders that would have had resulted in Liam being hammered on here. Anywho hopefully Brendan will be able to keep all the 1st team squad happy.
Oglach
Res12 for me was about SFA reform which is why I supplied Celtic with leaked documents.
The damage to the integrity of Scottish Football remains still.
However the clubs in the industry were always going to act in their own self interest of staying alive. All of them.
Fear of redundancies and costs of failed contracts would be a major factor in the thinking of those making the decisions and Celtic are a business running a football club.
I naively thought that being Celtic they would do the right thing as integrity demanded, but can understand why their idea of the right thing differed from mine and yours.
They did not think the game as they understood from a business angle would thrive.
OGLACH
I think one of those errors saw Schmeichel diving at the feet of the Hearts player to block the shot. At least,that’s how the commentary team saw it. It was actually Trusty who got the block in,though Schmeichel would have done so.
That said,you’re right. Shocking error,and Scalesy would have got pelters for it. And probably dropped for the next game too.
Hi Magua taking a break from the blog but seeing your name wee Joan says get on there and give my best wishes to Magua who am I to argue 👍😎
Folk on here can argue about the merits of having the Huns/ Newco in the top tier, but the fact of the matter remains that between 2014 and 16, season ticket sales dropped alarmingly for Celtic and we had the ” seats of shame” covered up as a result.
Now , I accept folk voted with their feet over the downsizing of the club and the RD appointment, but for me, it was mainly down to the lack of Old Firm games that folk stopped paying up front, knowing full well they could buy a ticket for any match they liked at the last minute.
Not a bad position to be in for fan power, but the board can’t plan ahead with such uncertainty, so ” with the rangers coming” in 2016 they acted accordingly, knowing an upgrade in manager and players, plus the return of the Old Firm games, would mean sell outs every week and , they were correct.
So, whilst we all wish the Huns dead for good, theirs a business plan that can’t cope with that scenario . There are also many thousands of fans who can’t either.
Bobby,
Re Engels, Bernardo and life in general, I have lost confidence in my analytical ability. Thank goodness I still have numbers to play with 😀
Last year, I wrote Kuhn off after a few games…no guts, no shot, no confidence, and, worst of all, no smile. Bhoy, was I wrong.
Initially, I did not rate Scales. Now I admire his rate of improvement.
Although I am frustrated with Taylor, he is a much better player than I initially thought.
I thought Holm had it, but he never plays so how can I judge if I was correct? He never got a run of games.
I think Valle is a superior player to Taylor yet I do not get to see him demonstrate that.
My biggest problem is that I see what the camera follows…I do not see the whole field and positioning off the ball. So I make judgements based on incomplete info…this is never good.
Engels? I have a sense of disappointment with him after his first two games. As for living up to his price tag…no way! However, if he is doing something clever off the ball, then I shall not see it.
I have a long history of simply getting it wrong. The only saving grace is that I am aware of it.
Rebus
Big Packy
Cheers, Joan. Cheers, Packy. 👍
Hail Hail.
Seems the huns new CEO,is an Aberdeen ST holder….
Rebus67
I think Engles is judged by his price tag and I’ve yet to see anything to suggests he justifies it.
However Khun looked another dud yet is anything but.
From what I’ve seen of McCowan at Dundee I don’t understand him not getting more game time.
In meantime Bernardo is the best tackler we have in midfield and deserves a start but at whose expense.
Trusty might be getting a start to justify his price tag.
I see little difference between him and Scales.
Evening all,
Life’s good 💚
San Luis
November 25, 2024 4:51 pm
Folk on here can argue about the merits of having the Huns/ Newco in the top tier, but the fact of the matter remains that between 2014 and 16, season ticket sales dropped alarmingly for Celtic and we had the ” seats of shame” covered up as a result.
Now , I accept folk voted with their feet over the downsizing of the club and the RD appointment, but for me, it was mainly down to the lack of Old Firm games that folk stopped paying up front, knowing full well they could buy a ticket for any match they liked at the last minute.
Not a bad position to be in for fan power, but the board can’t plan ahead with such uncertainty, so ” with the rangers coming” in 2016 they acted accordingly, knowing an upgrade in manager and players, plus the return of the Old Firm games, would mean sell outs every week and , they were correct.
So, whilst we all wish the Huns dead for good, theirs a business plan that can’t cope with that scenario . There are also many thousands of fans who can’t either.
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That was a reality, part of which was as you say, the absence of a hated rival to hate.
https://x.com/celticfcshop/status/1861100036148601217?s=48&t=GGKjQMlBVzgJCJ96FtPCeQ
The huns would be proud of this one….
Re Huns going bust and Celtic’s response….
For the life of me I can’t understand why we didn’t do all we could to bury them for good.
If they had disappeared then, give it a few years, and all of Scotland would be screaming for us to join an English League. This would have made the SPL competitive again.
So much for Dermot Desmond wanting Celtic in the PL. This would have been the easiest route. That was some rumour eh?
Personally, I want them dead but, I don’t want to move to England.
What to do?
HH
Calton Tongues
Celtic in England is a no go. They neither want us nor need us. That ship passed 30 yrs ago and won’t be returning anytime soon.
Europe is our out nowadays, we need to stay top dogs in Scotland and qualify and perform in CL to remain both relevant, competitive and an attractive proposal for players.
The Huns , despite their dysfunctional status, are always going to be our main rival in Scotland. They will win the odd league and cup, they will defeat us now and again, but in general, we’ll be the Kings.
San Luis,
Agreed but, do you think Scottish Football & Scotland in particular, would have kept quiet about us winning League after League with no prospect of a challenge. They would have tried to get us to move.
Was only rehashing the nonsense that DD wanted us in England. No chance.
Hopefully, the increase in CL Monies will keep coming in to help us dominate up here.
HH
San Luis,
Meant to add I can still remember the Press complaining as we were going for the 1st 10 in a Row.
HH
Some of the other Canadian SC’ers (and maybe even a few of the American ones) will know about hockey, and specifically the Red Army team (the ’72 hockey series between Canada and the Soviet Red Army team is stuff of hockey legend).
The Soviets were ridiculoulsly skilled. But the common knock was that the league and the team was a farce because the Red Army team was stacked. The Red Army team basically took all the best players from the league and the players did their compulsory military service playing for the Red Army team.
When the Soviet league was formed in 1946, there were 12 teams, 8 of whom were basically military/police teams. Every league was won by a Moscow based team, most often it was the Red Army team which won 32 times in the 40 something years the league existed (before the collapse of the Soviet union).
IT is considered one of the most ludicrous sports leagues in history due to the complete domination by one city and one team.
and then there is the SPL, which has not been won by a team outside of Glasgow in 40 years, and one team now seems to dominate. Shades of the old totaletarian Soviet system.
I am starting to think that Scottish football is dominated by Communists!
okay… I dont really think it is being run by Communists … I just said that to wind up 16R
🙂
Rebus Holm has been out injured with long term calf injuries.
Edit: I should add that a lot of people (myself included) thought that after we signed Luke McCowan, that Holm might be loaned out, perhaps the injuries have delayed that, or perhaps I’m thinking too much into it.