Here is a brief communiqué as I take a break from manuscript duties.
An excellently placed source reached out to me late this afternoon.
I was of a mind to tell him that I was wrestling with a plotline and that we really should park the chat for another time.
However, he was very keen to impart the following scéal.
He told me that the Blue Room last night was not exactly imbued with the spirit of “Everyone Anyone”.
Apparently, three gentlemen were told that they needed to take a moment.
I think it is fair to say that there wasn’t a great deal of love in the room for Sevco’s resident MBE.
Therefore, it was probably a good move to have players like Ryan Jack and Steven Davis there given their connection to Unsurpassed Dignity.
So far so predictable.
My guy then told me that although Alfredo was a big part of the story of the final that wasn’t how it had been envisaged by the Sevco High Command and their propaganda ministry.
His information was that the current Director of Fantasy had been dispatched to tell Mr Let’s Go that Alfredo was to take the inevitable penalty at Hampden.
It was meant to be all about Alfredo with the usual suspects in the Stenography Corps lined up for copy and paste duties.
I challenged my source and told him that he was making a very serious allegation on this matter.
However, he was adamant.
In fairness, he has been gold dust to me over the years and he has no reason to lie to me.
As well as that given his organisational location, he is in a position to know.
Moreover, I’m convinced that he personally likes Mr Gerrard.
However, if this is true and I am not saying that it is- then it is clearly a case of PR trumping the football judgement of an in-post professional.
If he is on the money with this one then the origin of this cunning plan was probably south of the Limpopo.
So, according to my guy, the putative plan was to make Alfredo the story of the cup final with Sevco triumphant.
Of course, what transpired was that Morelos repeatedly choked in front of goal.
Consequently, his alleged market value has tumbled in the aftermath of the cup final defeat to Celtic.
Now, I would love to check this story out with the Sevco press office.
Sadly, they never acknowledge my emails.
Perhaps they are not accustomed to real questions from a journalist.
I’m not looking for special treatment.
Rather just to be replied to with courtesy.
Indeed, as you would do with everyone anyone.
I’m sure that the fact that this Fenian in Donegal used to be on the staff of An Phoblacht doesn’t matter to them one bit in these more enlightened times at Ibrox.
Everyone anyone.
Especially if they have an NUJ Press Card.
I still live in hope that someone on Planet Fitba will desert from the Stenography Corps and start asking questions on matters Ibrox.
It would make my workload easier if they actually started to do their jobs.
This cup final clusterfuck might bring things to a head between Mr Let’s Go and Sevco’s inter-galactic PR guru.
I’m told that the “Kamara to Juventus” squirrel lead to a free and frank exchange of views on the delicate subject of job descriptions.
Mr Gerrard was quite clear that he would say what he wanted to the media and no one would write a script for him.
You may recall that Stevie G shot down that squirrel as a “made up story”.
Now, if I didn’t know any better I would be thinking that it must now occur to the Liverpool legend that he has wandered into the wrong movie in Glasgow.
His charges played above themselves at Hampden.
Moreover, they caught Celtic on a day when the cup holders were seriously below par.
Yet the League Cup is back in the trophy cabinet at Parkhead for another year.
Failure against Young Boys this week could make the regular meeting of the High Command on Friday especially tasty.
I’m sure my guy will be on to me about that.
In the meantime, I just hope that I’ve moved my plotline along by then.
Sadly, I know that whatever I can come up with it will not be as enthralling as the bizarre Sevco shitshow.
I suppose that is how Mr Gerrard feels at the moment when he looks across the city.
Playing “simply the best” on the team bus just doesn’t alter the reality that they aren’t’ anywhere near Celtic when the going gets tough.
Mr Gerrard might be saying to himself “let’s go!”
There’s a couple of points I’d like to make….
First up…Last Sunday’s performance was terrible and I’ve since read with interest, the various suggestions put forward for it.
As far as I’m concerned when you have 6 players ( McGregor…Christie…Forrest….Elyanoussi… Morgan and Johnstone) who couldn’t tackle a fish supper between them…that there is the problem…pure and simple.
These players were swept aside by Sevco’s physical domination and high press.
My concern is…what happens the next time ?
Bitton and N’Cham aren’t exactly in the Wanyama mould either…and we don’t have many more alternatives…and that is a worry.
We all know that when teams sit off us and allow us to play…then the aforementioned 6 can do their stuff.
IMO, however, that will never happen again with Sevco…so over to you Lenny.
Good luck wi’ that.
And as for the greetin’ faced Blogger on his Pay Per View Site…dear oh dear oh dear…you can almost see the vitriol dripping from his quill.
It’s nice to visit a balanced site.
Totally agree. I remember the talk about the team that became the Lisbon Lions. Seemingly Sean Fallon had them playing great football but they were “bullied” in most games, especially against Rangers. Rumour has it that Big Jock, knowing he was coming to Celtic, got them to buy Ronnie Simpson and more importantly Bertie Auld, who then brought a bit of steel to the team which, of course, had a knock on effect. He also changed Bobby Murdoch, from a lumbering inside right into a world class midfielder and one of the best in the history of the game in my opinion. It comes down to identifying your weaknesses and dealing with them. Maybe there is hope, the 18 year old Scott Robertson looked the part.
As an aside, people used to talk about Pat Crerand’s passing ability and I recently Googled clips of him and to say it is accurate is to do it an injustice. Can’t they teach that!
Cheers Charlie…
I’m auld enough tae remember Sean Fallon…now there was a real powerhouse…as well as one of the nicest men you could meet.
It is a concern that we are so lightweight …if we didnae have Broony…we’d be in deep trouble at times.
Your point about Auld and Murdoch are well made.
Hail hail.
Terence, I guess you had too much grace to point out it was Jimmy McGrory from whom Big Jock took over. Cheers.
I’m surprised that the Scottish football media isn’t leading a campaign for the match to be replayed given the nature of the winning goal.
Perhaps the old maxim that these decisions even themselves up over the season has won the day?
The honest mistakes video doing the rounds with 5 of the most blatant, cheating, penalty decisions not awarded to Celtic v Rangers is an absolute belter.
How did these officials get away with it?
Are the 14 fouls committed by Morelos on Sunday without being shown a card of any colour a Scottish record?
I’m extremely comfortable with the claims that Celtic won the Cup with an ‘offside goal’.
It just makes the win that much sweeter, and yes, is a small payback instalment!
Does anyone think HMRC are taking the p1ss with old Rangers? They’ve adjusted their tax bill down a number of times until it settles at £67m.
‘67 the magical number.
Someone’s clearly having a laugh.
Sounds like its you, Hector. 😉
Neil Lennon seems a likable and intelligent guy and the latter quality must ensure he knows what everybody else knows and that is if you press Celtic high up on the pitch they cannot cope. This means one of three things He didn’t expect it on Sunday, he doesn’t know how to deal with it or he doesn’t have the players who can deal with it. I think they have to sort that out before we meet Sevco again.
They say the first casualty of war is the truth but it is also dangerous to kid yourself. Morales is a great player in the making. He makes the correct runs and the midfield, if allowed, know how to find him. Don;t allow them. When all is said and done they could have won handsomely and things would have gotten real ugly.
You make valid points re Lenny and the tactics but what is strange is that Rogers made the exact same miscalculation last year. Which is even stranger because then there was evidence that it wouldn’t work with Morgan as a solo up front. And yes, they had better figure out a different plan of attack for the next game.
On Morelos, I disagree that he is a “great” player in the making. I do think he is a good player, but there isn’t much more of an upside to him from what you see. Even his country doesn’t rate him that highly.
I think he has great potential because at the moment he has two of the three things I consider essential in a center forward. Firstly, he has but one thought and that is to score and secondly, the ability to lose his marker. He has these in spades. The third not so much. The skill to vary his final shot which he tends just to blast it straight at the keeper but that is the fault of his coaching. He should be practicing chipping, shooting with the outside and inside of his foot but to be honest the first two can take you a long way. I was sad when they calmed his temper as he will beat most keepers if he can stay on the pitch. There is also the negative influence Ibrox has on players to consider, where they are allowed to get away with almost anything by the authorities. Morelos has a childlike quality and like all children he needs boundaries. I thought similar of Gascoigne who never quite reached his potential due to the SFA’s indulgence. I have, of course, been known to be wrong!
Aye? Well I don’t think you’re far off the mark with anything there.
Phil, you appear to be more outraged by the fact the PR man was making tactical decisions. Personally think the fact they knew they would get a penalty is more disturbing.
Morales diving or should I say his ability to fall over with the breeze gets them penalties no other team outwith Glasgow ever get a sniff of.
His goal against hearts was a clear foul on Hickey but the goal stood, I can be 100% sure, had that been the other way round the foul would have been given. The bias shown the the Glasgow teams needs sorting and a clear out of the HQ along with moving the HQ out of Glasgow is an absolute must.
Ridiculous statement from you.
I have a finite supply of outrage.
I conserve it for children sleeping on hospital floors and homeless people freezing to death in doorways.
No other team WITHIN Glasgow would get many of the penalties they get.n
Just a short note Phil, on how much I enjoy your posts, I find it particularly refreshing that you do not use your blog as a vehicle to bad mouth other bloggers, like some do. Keep up the good work and good luck with your current project. Robin
Many thanks
Agree 100% with your comment. It’s a shame really, if he could stay away from name calling and general vitriol he would have quite a lot to offer but as it is I just glaze over when the inevitable name calling starts.
After El Buffalo’s cosmic performance on Sunday this has inspired to write the following to the tune of “That’s Amore” by Dean Martin:
When your sat in row Z
And the ball hits’s your head
That’s Morelos!
When the ball hits the stands
or in Fosters safe hands
That’s Morelos!
Slippy Slippy G, Slippy Slippy G, Slippy Slippy G
Still (pause), no trophies
Who’s the one they adore
Against Celtic, no score!
That’s Morelos!
On repeat for 90 minutes on Thursday please!!!
McGregor only needed to make one save! One save! He couldn’t do it.
Pish goalie.
Another SEVCO player that couldn’t get in the Celtic squad.
The quality of the cross had him stranded.
He’s a quality keeper.
You are spot on there Phil. If that lot didn’t have McGregor they wouldn’t be anywhere near being able challenge for league or be in with chance of qualifying in EL. He’s bailed them out so many times….
He’s a quality keeper and he has proved that over many years.
He’s probably saved them 15 points every Season since he returned.
Some of those saves have been top drawer.
Lol the BENNY’S are in meltdown over in FF there is an article of opinions on the cup final decisions oh dear . A big massive cluster of BENNY’S trying to outdo each other on how stupid they can be with what they want done to the officials from the game ,how corrupt the SFA are as they are all celtic men , demanding their club make statements calling out the officials and the mistakes from the game .
This terrible BENNYS chat is never catching on mate. As soon as I see it I flick straight past your comment but felt compelled to tell you this time…give it a rest man
I’m not looking for it to catch on it’s my own way of describing the KLAN nobody is asking you to like it . Hope I haven’t touched a raw nerve there .
I much prefer Sevconians, it reminds them of who and what they are.
Animals is another appropriate title.
Thank you uppercase bennys
I don’t expect it to catch on that’s not the reason for it being posted that’s my way of describing the KLAN . Now I do believe I may have touched a raw nerve .
Friend, lose the BENNY’S shit will you? It’s terrible patter.
I have little against Slippy G and I almost feel for him as clearly he’s battling with the PR machine and board about autonomy. Anyone who thinks the new contract is anything other than a compo lock (ie what we did with KT) is delusional. SG will move on, sooner rather than later, and have a career of who knows what success in management. When he does he can go with my best wishes. He’s rarely said anything nasty about us and has achieved precisely nothing for them. Ideal.
It would be nice if at least once in a while he could accept defeat, or even a draw, gracefully, instead of it ALWAYS being because of a bad decision by a ref, a linesman, one of his own players or a fourth official.
Failed manager from a failed resurrection incarnation of a failed club failed again.
Simple.
Yesterday a miracle was filmed for the first time ever. 10-0 wouldn’t even have flattered them.
Time we all realised that Celtic, after all the patter of the past seven years, have now by their own
frailties managed to narrow the alleged twenty year gap down to twenty minutes, as I had feared.
Yesterday was an utter disgrace and highlighted how they fairly s4!t in the nest regarding the John McGinn fiasco.
Gerrard certainly came out of it better than Lennon.
Oh dear, right enough.
They need rid of Morelos before managers figure out that SG is playing him in the Peter Crouch role. He spends his life hanging on the full back at the back post and it very nearly worked at Hampden. They simply play diagonal balls and crosses into him in that position and teams have been slow to catch on to it. It will work with Frimpong and Hayes/Talor. Not so sure about Elhamed and Boli. If you play Rangers play the best full backs in the air that you have
Steven (born slippy) Gerrard, routine failure guy, needs to sign right up for another four years.
As SEVCO will inevitably try to dump him, once they realise he cannot be sold, he will then invite them to buy out his substantial value contract.
Oh dear! Sevco geniuses slip up again!
The spin today was that Sevco players only got 6/10 and Morelos 5/10 and the blame for not scoring.
The spin is they played sub standard and can play better.
The truth is CELTIC players were the sub standard guys in second gear. Sevco players were playing their best ever football.
Sevco still lost. They cannot play better than that.
Celtic regularly play better than that.
I predict an Administration event at Sevco and dropping of debt and new ownership and a new squad with most (burdensome) contracts terminated.
‘Sevco’s Propaganda Ministry’ that’ll be right next door to the ‘Sevco Supporters Ministry For Silly Walks’ who perform for free throughout the Summer…..unfortunately;EVERY Summer.
Get back to the word mines,thought you might resurface after yesterday’s performance art
El Huffalo’s display was exactly what I wanted for Xmas,and plenty more besides…
Our beloved Bhoys were in full graft mode,tenacity and dogged determination was there for All to behold,The Walls MOTM performance surly makes his return almost certain,IF Southampton play ball
💚🍀✅
What do you mean by IF Southampton play ball? Seriously, what is meant by that? It makes about as much sense to me as We Are The People!
Southampton are entitled to state whatever demands they want for players under contract. Celtic are the ones who need to learn how to play ball in the transfer market as was proved when making a derisory offer for John McGinn.
I don’t believe for one moment that Jabba had decided that he was running the show. He was given instructions from higher up the food chain that the Colombian superstar was on penalty duties, purely as a (failed) exercise in hyping him up, and ramping up the value prior to the window opening in January. That it crashed spectacularly around their ears is neither here nor there – what this tells us all is that Moreorless will be sold, whether he likes it, or not.
Going to be a messy PR battle between, Jabba Sevco and the Celebrity….
Termeeenaddoo for me n mee stafff, yyyeaaa couurseeee, just in time for Liverpool’s title run in.
Mr G new contract may be indicative of King tactic. 3 scenarios: Mr G is successful and becomes marketable, a bigger asset than Moreles sevco get cash. Or Mr G bombs and he looks to exit left, puts feelers out and sevco get some cash too. Lastly MrG fails and the Klanbase turn on him and he has enough and goes thru the motions after a fallout, he is let go, is fired, leaves whatever.
Timing is everything, a bad December could be a killer, if Q1 2020 is gonna hurt then clearly King or delegate may have to get creative.
I wonder if there may be an ultimatum coming to tug on the klanbase heart strings. Pony up or we are down the stank and it was all Big Mike’s fault and the previous board. They historically havent ben the best at answering the call.
Fourth scenario – Mr King is disappointed at being forced out and has decided to leave his successors with some expensive gifts that haven’t yet been paid for.
It was a thought that I had just a couple days ago, when I read on social media, every possible platform and in the written press. SG was set to sign a new contract. Now some people read this, possibly correctly, as being a positive news story on the eve of a cup final. I personally read it as “they are pimping him out” testing the market. Rangers are fully aware of the fee Celtic received for BR and, my guess, given their financial position, is that they feel they can cash in. Otherwise the story would have been SG signs a contract extension not just set to. The set to alerts clubs and agents of the fact that he has not yet signed and speeds up any potential approach.
They won’t get remotely close to the compensation package Celtic got for BR and his team.
Mind you, when every penny counts???