Well, that was highly enjoyable!
Of course, nothing beats being there; it looked like a fantastic spectacle in Paradise.
Despite being far from Parkhead here in Dún na nGall, it was still a memorable watch for your humble correspondent.
I had the Big Fella sitting beside me for the first time in as long as I can recall.
His first match at the place itself saw Henke secure the points with a trademark header.
I could tell he was smitten with the pure theatre of it all.
He was eight.
His father was that age in 1966 when a wee red-headed man in the Hoops played hide and seek with frustrated giants.
This explosion of exuberance and colour captivated me, which was such a contrast to the drab austere world of my childhood.
Whether Jinky or Henrik, every Celtic generation has a hero defining their earliest memories, and this one will be no different.
I’m sure some wee one couldn’t sleep last night with the buzz of seeing Kyogo spin on that ball from Matt O’Riley.
The wonderful thing about the Celtic Fifth Estate is that there is great diversity.
I thought the ACSOM post-match knocked it out of the park.
Personally, I’m waiting for the more forensic take from the lads on the Huddle Breakdown.
Yesterday one of that trio, young Enda Coll, a Donegal load and already an accomplished broadcaster, put it very succinctly.
My own entirely unqualified take was that this Sevco team, despite straining every sinew, couldn’t get a result against a very below-par Celtic side.
Hampden will be an entirely different proposition, with a fifty-fifty split of the stadium.
However, Mr Beale will be hoping that Celtic do not bring their A-game to the semi-final.
Yesterday was a joyous occasion at Parkhead without the Fenian Blood Wading fraternity in attendance.
Of course, not everyone attending might have enjoyed the proceedings.
Before the match, which was, let’s face it, a league decider, there was no shortage of Sevco players in the media.
Apparently, THIS time it would be different.
Celtic were about to meet the REAL Rangers, so brace for impact, Timmy!
Conversely, Ange and the Bhoys stayed silent and quietly got about the day job.
Dear reader, you saw the results of that work yesterday.
Just Suppose any sentient sports journalist wanted to be honest about the pre-eminence of Celtic. In that case, the foot race between Jota and Allan McGregor is a perfect vignette for the unipolarity on Planet Fitba.
It was, to be fair, a cruel spectacle.
For the avoidance of doubt, if Celtic met with the real Rangers in 2023, it would be a global event.
The headlines would write themselves:
Champions of Scotland play club that died in 2012!
Instead, yesterday in Paradise, the biggest richest club in Scotland dealt with Nosferatu FC.
Yesterday even Paddy Power decided to skewer Beale’s Gumtree Galacticos.
Although the Ibrox klanbase was not allowed admittance, they still responded within the mores of their belief system.
Most people see this image as just lovely.
Ellie Dixon singing Jota on the Wing is joyful.
However, back on Planet Ibrox, it elicits this spleen.
As I have stated here many times, Celtic can SUSTAINABLY generate the largest football budget in Scotland.
If those resources are competently marshalled by a manager with complete autonomy, then the only thing up for debate in the SPFL is who is best of the rest.
That is a reality that the local media will do their best to conceal from their dignified demographic.
Being simply the second best doesn’t sit well with the supremacists at Ibrox.
At the end of the day, what they seek solace in says so much about them.
It is a fitting punishment that they are cursed to walk the earth constantly in second place.
In a world full of hate, injustice and mediocrity, it is a joy to behold when the good guys win.
Thanks, Ange!
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Good result but below par performance… this is as good as it gets for them though, this was their day in the sun and they couldn’t put away a Celtic team who didn’t perform to the standards we expect. It’s only going in one direction for them now, several out of contract players and no one left with sell on value, scrambling about for Bosman’s and decreasing their salary ceiling every transfer window. They’ll only ever be fighting for best of the rest now, and that’ll be a struggle if the rest get their act together … it’s a pleasant thought!
Beale talks a good game. Apparently happy with his team’s performance.
The same performance and result will see Celtic go through to the Scottish Cup Final and big favourites to complete another treble.
He appears to see things that others miss, the handball claim against Jota which clearly wasn’t for instance.
He’s already under huge pressure from the fan base re team selection and the use, or not, of substitutes.
But not to worry, apparently the Hearts top scorer is bound for Ibrox for a fee of £500k. Really? I doubt if Hearts will take less then £1m for their top man and with money tight all round payment over a period of time may not be an option for the Ibrox club.
88 points and Kyogo scoring every 88 minutes #HoopyMondays
It’s about time Celtic actually brought their A game to this fixture,we’ve had too many close games against what is a bang average side, Saturday shouldve been a party from start to finish but again we were left with relief more than anything,it’s not good enough for me and not doing the treble will be a massive failure.
Life’s hard for the wee fella that takes penalties at Ibrox. Was he really awarded four debatable spot-kicks in one game?
Truth is, Tavernier’s attained one solitary championship medal in an empty stadium. Yet, certain ‘columnists’ seem to imply he’s a top performer.
Can’t see it.
He was without any doubt their top performer yesterday. Two goals from a full back, and arguably he should have had a third, I would say is a reasonable performance. Okay, he got a huge helping hand from Hart for the first.
Again, it’s worth analysing the incredible amount of dodgy penalties that Tavernier’s been awarded. The goal tally flatters him as a player. Biased officialdom has assisted him since arriving at Ibrox.
https://imgflip.com/i/7hkslc
from Imgflip Meme Generator
Nothing about the real Glasgow Derby on Friday night? Some cracking goals and civilised away fans.
No one cares
Two unnecessary free kicks here and in the cup final cost us. We need to stop giving them set pieces. The second thing is that Beale team always plays the ball to the back stick between the defender and full back. Always. Tavernier scored one and should have had a second
Celtic “cinch” the title,
while sevco look like they carry a sponsor board to away games
with “SPFL” stickers covering “cinch” logos…… just for media interviews?
Take it sevco wont qualify for prize money ???
Beale https://youtu.be/pbMB7rbreqc – 0 “cinch” logos ??? 4 “spfl”
Ange https://youtu.be/EeIfPPg_B2Q – 8 “cinch” logos on wall behind him…. 0 “spfl” logos….
Whatever their dispute with the SPFL, they should not be allowed to walk into any other team’s ground and change anything, even if it is only stickers on a wall-board.
Hi charger…. Sevco getting away with it as noone highlights it!
look at any cinch youtube match (EPL/SPFL) and lots of cinch logos – getting loads of eyeballs… behind galaxy of stars…..
Cept when sevco on bt/sky/youtube…… how odd…. At one point in sky coverage the sevco logo board was on screen briefly….
They are carrying it to all away games… and only tav/beale have onscreen if it behind them……
How bizarre…..
Done enough to win the 3 points and more or less shut the door on the title chase yesterday.
Now the Ibrox club face a cup semi final which will make or break their season.
Imagine the pressure on the shoulders of the Rangers squad.
Defeat would not only be the final chapter in a trophy less season but also impact on shifting season tickets for the next campaign.
Oh and also further reducing the difference in total historic trophies won by either of the Glasgow giants, a difference which has long been widely acclaimed by the Ibrox fan base.
The good guys got away with it yesterday. We had TWO lucky breaks for the second and third goals. They had a good goal chopped off. It could have been 3-1 the other way and we couldn’t really have complained. However, them’s the breaks, and you take them when you get them.
I personally don’t think we’ve played particularly well for weeks, and if we turn in the same level of performance in the semi, it’s unlikely we’ll get away with it again.
On the upside, I watch every Celtic game and know that we are more than capable of playing several levels above the one we played at yesterday. I don’t watch every Sevco game, but I do watch a lot of them. Yesterday and the New Year game, where again I don’t think WE played particularly well, were as good as I’ve seen them play all season, and they still couldn’t beat us.
Three scenarios:
If both teams turn up it could be a right good game, but our quality should edge it.
If both teams put in the same level of performance as yesterday, we’re likely to go out.
If we turn up and they are even slightly off, we’ll destroy them.
Charger…You have posted everything that I was about to…Very well put.
Getting further into detail…Mooy was way off the pace from the kick-off…and should have been hooked a lot sooner.
They pressed us really well…and we were forced into too many poor passes.
They will repeat this tactic in the semi-final…Will Ange have an answer ?
Without getting complacent…Scotland is no longer our yardstick…It’s Europe…and we will not get away with some of the performances we have produced recently.
Harsh..??
Well I think not…Work needs to be done…
Over to you Ange,
They did not have a good goal chopped off. That’s crap pundit talk. The push was clear and Clancy’s view was unobstructed. They did have a good 2nd half penalty shout ignored though.
I’m 68, and that ‘push’ wouldn’t have put me down!!
I’m 72 and I think you and those who agree with your (fair minded keeck)are talking out your erchie.
I have to say that when I saw the angle shown from behind the goal – which the SMSM pundits are more reliant on – I was with you 100% Charger. I was pretty convinced (and surprised) we’d gotten away with one, however I didn’t care.
Today, I saw several replays of the incident which showed the opposite view, as seen by Kevin Clancy. I find this a much more compelling piece of evidence and it seems apparent to me that there was more force in Morelos’ push with his right hand, probably down to his and Johnston’s positions relative to one another. As difficult as it might be, I’m honestly trying to be objective here and I now believe that Clancy was absolutely correct in his call, even if Johnston may have over-egged the pudding…
Agree totally. I don’t see how it’s not a foul. Reverse the scenario and Johnston pushes Morelos to prevent a goal then it would be a deserved penalty. Good call by Clancy.
Morelos ‘goal’ was a foul.
Simple as. That’s why it was disallowed.
That kind of foul is always given by referees while defenders tend to get away with murder with their holding and shirt pulling.
We won fair and square whatever the SMSM would have you believe.
And the ball did not even hit Jota’s hand.
It quite clearly struck his thigh and rolled down to Kyogo.
They have nothing to complain about when you consider how good VAR has been to them up to this point.
I would have been furious if we’d scored that goal and it had been chopped off. More-or-less was simply too strong for Johnston, who I actually thought was our best player yesterday.
At no point did I say that a foul was committed by any of our players in the lead up to any of the goals. I said we got LUCKY with the second two goals, which we did, since BOTH came from monumental defensive fuck-ups on their part.
Of course we won fair and square, but fortune smiled on us. As I said, you take the breaks when you get them. They’ve gone against us often enough in past.
Just don’t mistake a good result for a good performance. The result yesterday was brilliant, the performance was, by our standards, pretty poor.
Morelos had two hands on the Celtic defender-and pushed him. In most European leagues that would constitute a foul.
Really? Jeezuz. Whether you like it or not a two handed push in the back is a FOUL. As for the two lucky breaks. That happens when you press high up the park. A wee lie down in a dark room wouldn’t go amiss pal.
Hate is a strong word to use against anybody or thing, but it rolls off my tongue as easily as fascist or clan. Yesterday we were waiting on the worst news possible, but a phone call yesterday morning said our dads doing well and out of danger; when Jota made it 3-1, the tears of joy poured out of my soul like no other day I can remember.
good for you and yours man !! fantastic !! i ‘ll be praying for yer dad !! god bless
Brilliant piece Phil and my favourite part was ‘Nosferatu FC’ sheer genius mate, God bless you.
Yes, we play poorly – but still have the focus and ability to get the win. Also, a clear validation of the winning mentality and spirit Ange has cultivated throughout his squad.
Apart from a distinct lack of cash and a lack of an experienced manager,
sevco simply doesn’t appear to have the right mindset or ability within Gio’s squad. And it can only get worse for them next season!
🙂
Seen us play better but who cares, we had enough quality to take our chances when they came our way.
Strange to see Dermot at the game also, he’s usually at Augusta for the Masters.
He must have seen the weather forecast.
One day on and we can safely say, without a word of a lie, that we saw the real rangers is the last old firm derby.
That was 11 years ago now.
We can never let them forget this.
I had a sevco fan in my taxi stating that 166 people were abused by 8 employees of Celtic. I said rangers fans are obsessed with child abuse. He denied it.
Really enjoyed reading this Phil, thank you. Me and my partner were at the game, 72 yrs old and still just about managing the steps up to our seats, yes the good guys won. Hail Hail.
I liked the comment from the woman on Sportscene. Great plan, but players are not good enough