When Celtic played Aberdeen at Hampden in May 2017, it was a pulsating encounter
The men in the Hoops looked unnaturally fit as they probed for a winner in the dying embers of the match.
Finally, Tom Rogic glided past a brace of defenders in red.
He uncharacteristically finished with his unfavoured right foot beating Joe Lewis at his near post.
Even my untrained eye could spot that the Dons were out on their feet that day as relentless Celtic swept forward in green and white waves.
I fear that tomorrow it will be a somewhat different encounter.
Now it is the Celtic players who look to be out of gas in the final minutes of games.
Even going two-nil up in France midweek did not convince me that Neil Lennon’s men would see out the match.
The previous encounter with the Dandies at Pittodrie showed that, with only minutes remaining, the Parkhead side could not see out a game at pick up all three points.
Today a Celtic insider pointed out to me that the champions were “light in the dugout”.
Damien Duff is undoubtedly a big loss on the training ground and I do not believe that he has been adequately replaced.
If a different decision had been taken, then this chap could have been on hand to assist in recent weeks.
I’m told that instead, Neil fancied the input of Gavin Strachan.
Managers make decisions, and that’s a vital part of the job.
In the end, in a results-driven activity, they will be judged in retrospect if they called it correctly or not.
Even though he considers it unfair, Neil is now under intense scrutiny.
Rud amháin eile.
I rarely ask a source a simple closed question.
As in my experience, it rarely yields up the full answer
Indeed, if I’m reduced to that tactic then I’ve usually run out of road.
One this one Shirebrook Guy has straight-up refused to answer was the following questions:
Does Mike Ashley have a beneficial interest in Castore?
For the avoidance of doubt, it was a genuine question in that I do not know the answer.
On the several occasions that I asked him, he simply would not go there.
In the end, I realised that I was getting nowhere with that avenue of questioning, so I let it go.
Now this piece of public data.
What I DO know is that Newcastle United had a sweetheart deal with Puma because of their commercial association with Sports Direct.
Therefore, if the Toon are to be kitted out by the Amazing Castore Brothers, then that does lead me to believe that my unanswered question was a pertinent one.
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If they” don’t owe Ashley nothing”, as you say,then they must,by definition,owe him something,I was of the opinion they had lost the court case and the next step would be the announcing the actual amount.
The lack of an answer gives the answer. If the answer was “NO” there would be no reason not to give it.
Two good goals against a poor Aberdeen, However the ref played a big part. NOT one Celtic player boked? Brown should have conceded a penalty with his shoulder barge and then walked for his dangerous tackle later on. I heard that when the ref stripped for his shower he had to remove two tops. His ref one and a Celtic on he worn underneath.
Excellent 1st half yesterday, looked tired in the 2nd half.
Rangers accounts were released on the 1st November last year, £11.3m loss, previous year £14.3m loss, most of which was covered by a debt for equity swap by the investors.
The latest annual results are due out this week and should make interesting reading.
The link between Castore, Newcastle and Ashley doesn’t appear to be a spur of the moment decision.
I was walking past Ibrox late last night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For a zombie from his grave began to rise
When suddenly, to my surprise,
He did the mash
He did the zombie mash
His brain was bashed
(That Hibs cup final clash)
He took a slash
(He’d been on the lash)
Then sang the Sash
And danced the zombie mash.
From the Record office at Anderston Quay,
Radio Scotland and the BBC
The press all came from their humble abode
To join the dance in the Copland Road
They did the mash
They did the zombie mash
Their hopes were dashed
(Those title dreams were rash)
Their sales have crashed
(Their reportage is trash)
They’re unabashed
They love to zombie mash.
The zombie was having fun
The party had just begun
The first guests were Keith Jackson, Chris Jack and Chic Young.
Regan and Doncaster were hanging around,
Jabba chained up like some rabid hound,
Fat Derek Johnstone was next to arrive
With the supporters’ bus from Radio Clyde
They did the mash
They did the zombie mash
Their teeth got gnashed
(They’d seen their team get thrashed)
The bogs got smashed
(The Huns have no panache)
Whit a stramash!
At Sevco’s zombie mash.
With the refs at the head of an Orange band
The zombie mash is sweeping the land
All you Tims can join the dance too
Just go to Ibrox and say the madhouse sent you
Then you can mash
Then you can zombie mash
Don’t come from Mass!
(You’ll need a gravestone fast)
Don’t carry cash!
(It will be gone in a flash)
Nae need tae wash!
You’re at a Sevco bash.
Perhaps Neil Lennon felt he might be overshadowed by having such a high profile second in command.
That might be so but it reads like putting the personal over the team.
Having said that, if Larsson had joined and then Barca came calling, I can’t imagine he would have stuck around.
Things happen for a reason: good to see that Larsson is now an Assistant at Barca, where he will learn a lot. He will have a lot more to offer CFC if/when he returns.
I’m hanging onto the belief, (prayer?), that regardless of how good or bad we’re playing: over the course of a long season – assuming it’s completed – the squad size and depth will deliver 10.
Might not win either SC’s or the LC, but can live with that.
And I do concur: why drop Puma for relative nobodies in Castore – unless you are ultimately securing a SIGNIFICANTLY bigger percentage of the kits’ selling price?
Perhaps Ashley’s expensive team of lawyers has ensured that there is no paper trail from Castore to Ashley – in anticipation of nosey journalists / fans? 🙂
it would be amazing to have larson back. why doesnt neil lennon make his strikers watch games of larsson an sutton. im sure they would be better strikers
Interesting, as I thought Strachan was foisted on him, although that still may be true if he was given the choice of 2 from someone else’s picks.
NL needs to get subs on sooner, instead of waiting until we do run out of steam or let teams back into games.. 5 subs allowed now and he still waits too long.
Yerman 25. Couldn’t agree more. It was obvious he should have made the subs at least 15 mins before he did. The use of subs is worth a long discussion as I feel neil only reacts… after the event …instead of seeing and anticipating before trouble has happened
Yep,Neil Lennon will cost us the 10.
That’ll be the same Neil Lennon that’s delivered 5 of the 9 Including the previous 2 👍🏼
I cannot get my head around the Lenny bashing.
Clutching, what was the realistic competition for the majority. He is not convincing me.
He doesn’t need to convince you Alan.
The players looked convinced today despite all the nonsense that has been written or spoken.
You question the competition when he took a Celtic side further in Europe with less budget and a side that cost less to n the previous incumbent who’s Budget dwarfed his nearest rivals.
Seriously away and have a lie down.
Rangers for the first, Sevco for the final two. You can only beat what’s in front of you.
You’re one of those he will NEVER convince, no matter what he achieves. When he took care of Lazio home and away last season you were probably hankering for the good ol’ days under BR when we were losing to the mighty Red Imps and shipping seven to Barca.
On that basis he’s already lost 2 league titles to a Rangers.
The silence to your question was indeed an answer, which the ‘Magpies’ have confirmed.
I don’t understand what difference it makes. Indeed what happened to the court case that Ashley won against them a year down the line we still don’t know how much the owe Ashley. Please fill me in if I’m missing something here.
They don’t owe ashley nothing, phil is clutching at straws..
They don’t owe him nothing, you’re absolutely correct. LMAO.
They will owe him the amount of compensation as awarded by the court when the judgment is handed down
‘They don’t owe ashley nothing’ is correct.
So they do owe Ashley something and Phil is correct??
Aye? Well the judge must have been clutching at straws as well when he stated in his summing up that damages would amount to MANY MILLIONS of pounds
Learn to write in your Queen’s English. If they don’t owe nothing they must owe something.
Double negative = positive.
That’s a maths lesson for you as well.