That was the only reason they were able to hang on to us for most of the second half. We were killing them in general play but because they were given a free kick every 30 seconds they were able to get the ball into our box. In that respect Pressley and O’Dea were smashing but our midfield were superb. A mention to The Beat also. I would have let him go to Hibs as part of the Brown/Thomson deal yesterday but based on that match turning performance off the bench he’s going nowhere. I can’t believe the grief Strachan’s getting on the huddleboard again. We fooking won and were excellent.
Just been on the HB and it’s unreal. I really love Aiden as a player but there’s a concerted campaign on there to drive Strachan out because he doesn’t play Aiden enough. Forget the fact that MO’N never played him. He was poor against Dumbarton by all accounts, got dropped for the most physical game of the league, and his direct replacement scored the winner. Still they’re not happy.
Match report from the huddleboard mentions Sno’s flick to Naka in the move where Naka hit the bar being like a lesbian in a Heinz factory. It also says Naylor whipped more balls into the box than the most prolific of sexual deviants. Quite funny.
David Weir’s off to the huns. Ha ha ha. What could possibly be next?
Tommy Burns has quit Scotland.
Good news for Celtic I think because losing McDowall and Burns in the space of a couple of weeks would have been big backroom changes to a system that is working very well at developing young players for the first team.
Burns severs ties with Scotland
Burns will continue with his coaching duties at Celtic
Tommy Burns has resigned from his position as Scotland assistant manager to concentrate on his first-team coaching role at Celtic.
He had been considered a front-runner for the vacant Scottish manager’s job.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Scottish national squad and have made a lot of good friends in the process,” Burns Celtic’s website.
“I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone involved with Scotland every success for the future.”
Burns, who had assisted Beri Vogts and Walter Smith with Scotland, is also head of youth development at Celtic Park.
The 50-year-old, who won eight caps as a player for Scotland, underwent treatment for skin cancer last year.
But he resumed his coaching duties with both Celtic and Scotland after a brief recovery period.
Smashing news about Tommy. He’s Celtic to the core and is a crucial link from the youth squad right up to the first team. It would have been a huge blow to lose him.
We hoped the second half at Hearts, with Jan back in the side, would signal the beginning of a good run of form to bring us up to the Milan game. Saturday was promising again with Jan and the Beat looking like they can build a decent partnership. From the official site:
Beattie hopes for run in side
David Friel
CELTIC striker Craig Beattie has set his sights on a prolonged run in Gordon Strachans side after marking his return to full fitness with an impressive showing in the 5-1 win over St Mirren on Saturday.
Despite failing to find the net, the youngster had a hand in two of the Hoops’ goals and hopes that display will have been enough to ensure he takes to the field when Celtic travel to play Inverness CT on Sunday.
"I need to get a run in the team, said Beattie. But I don’t blame anybody for what’s happened to me up until now. I’ve had injuries and thats held me back.
There’s no set pairing up front at the moment. The situation is pretty open and I think Jan’s (Vennegoor of Hesselink) brilliant to play beside. Hopefully, we can be the ones to forge a partnership.
"If I get a run I know I can score. I don’t want to look back when I’m feeling so positive about the future.
Staying upbeat has been the easiest part of working my way back into the team because I know in my own mind that I can chip in with my fair share of goals to assist Jan.
“After all, I am playing beside players such as Shunsuke Nakamura and Aiden McGeady, whose vision and passing is incredible.”
While McGeady is charged with much of the creative responsibility in the Celtic side, the roles were reversed on Saturday with Beattie setting up the Irish youngster for the killer third strike.
I was delighted to get a goal, said McGeady. "It’s something that I have to add to my game and hopefully there is a few more to come.
The winger also singled out in-form team-mate Vennegoor of Hesselink, whose hat-trick to his SPL goals tally to eight in just eight starts.
McGeady said: "Jan is similar to John Hartson and Chris Sutton. He hasn’t scored as many goals obviously but that will come in time.
"I think he is slightly better (than Sutton and Hartson) on the floor with the ball at his feet and obviously he has ability in the air, as you could see from his first goal.
“He’s not had the best run of luck with injuries but that’s him in the team now and hopefully there will be more of what he did against St Mirren to come.”
John Kennedy played his first full 90 minutes of football in 35 months for the reserves last night. If he ever gets to play in the first team again then it will be a deeply moving experience. He has to be treated correctly though. In Football Manager 2007 I brought him in for the cup tie at home to Brechin and have been picking and choosing his games in the hope of avoiding a recurrence. We need to do likewise in reality.
I think Strachan could learn so much from you Bandage. It’s a pity he’s too big for his boots to see it. Was reading a report of the game yesterday and they reckoned Kennedy wasn’t great - a bit nervous but that’s to be expected. 3 years out of the game would do some damage to your first touch and confidence.
I had my Artmedia last night. Inverness went 4-0 up after half an hour. I eventually lost 4-1. I completely lost the head after the game and transfer listed Gary Caldwell, Kenny Miller, Stephen McManus and Mark Wilson. In the League Cup Final against Hearts, Cup Semi Final against Ross County but 5 points behind Rangers in the League with 11 games to go. I fear I may not see out the season.
What’s your favourite Rangers team of the past 10 years?
I’d go for:
Letizi
Eggen
Berg
Papac
Bernard
G Rae
Emerson
Sionko
Ostenstad
Flo
Capucho
Subs:
Jeffers
Flo
Gayle
Sebo
Mine would be:
Lionel Letizi
Maurice Ross
Daniel Prodan
Bert Konterman
Olivier Bernard
Emerson
Stephen Hughes
Capucho
Tor Andre Flo
Filip Sebo
Egil Ostenstad
Subs:
McGregor
Marcus Gayle
Franny Jeffers
Dan Eggen
Libor Sionko
Rangers just released Danny N’Guessan (who da fook he?) and sent William Stanger on loan to Gothenburg (who the fook he?). With them signing quality young international players who haven’t at all been terminally injured for the past 4 years like Ugo Ehiogu the future’s bright, the future’s Rangers.
Football Manager 2007:
Rookie Manager Ba Aherne has led Celtic to Scottish Cup Final victory over arch-rivals Rangers in Hampden Park, Glasgow, today only a week after his team sealed the league title on the last day of the season. Their 9 league games in a row winning streak, including a critical 2-0 victory over Rangers at Ibrox 3 weeks ago, saw them come from the pack to pip their stunned neighbours in as sweet a title success as the Celtic Park faithful have witnessed in a long time.
But better was to follow for a Celtic side decimated by injury in the Scottish Cup Final at a sun-splashed Hampden as they defeated Rangers 7-6 on penalties after a tight and tense 0-0 draw. Young midfield dynamo, Charlie Grant, was the man to convert the crucial spot kick that sent the Celtic hordes into raptures and secured another domestic double for the Bhoys.
Indeed Aherne was quick to point out the turning point of their season as the promotion of young Grant to the first team starting XI after a series of superb displays for the reserves. Putting the League Cup Final reverse to Hearts and an earlier embarrassing 4-1 league defeat at Inverness behind them the Celtic side drew on their vast reserves of heart, skill and desire to salvage their season with Grant being to the fore since January.
With Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Aiden McGeady winning the Player and Young Player of Year awards respectively Aherne, the Scottish Manager of Year, is confident he has the quality within his squad to push on and deliver more silverware to Celtic Park. Igor Tudor and Calum Davenport are arriving on Bosman free transfers in the summer and there are further funds available for transfers as Celtic firmly signal their intent to build from this position of success.
And after surviving the dreaded vote of confidence from the Board while his side were in the midst of a disastrous run that saw them fall 8 points behind Rangers in February and tamely depart from the UEFA Cup at the hands of Austria Vienna, Aherne dedicated the first trophies of his managerial career to the Celtic supporters who never wavered in their support for him and the team.
‘I am honoured and privileged to bring the League and Cup titles home to Celtic Football Club. At one stage this season it looked as though I may not be here to see the job through but now there is nowhere in the world I would rather be and it’s thanks to the support of the fans that we got there in the end. I am more emotional than I could wish to convey right now - this is the greatest day of my life.’
Papac forced to stay at Ibrox after Vienna rule out prospect of return
MARK WILSON January 25 2007
Austria Vienna last night closed the door on the only clear escape route from Rangers for Sasa Papac by insisting they did not want the Bosnian defender back in their squad.
Walter Smith’s signings of Davie Weir and Ugo Ehiogu have pushed Papac further down the central defensive pecking order at Ibrox, while Ian Murray and Steven Smith are ahead of him in contention for a left-back place.
There had been suggestions from Austria that his former club may seek to re-sign the player whose chances of first- team football have diminished since Paul Le Guen’s departure.
continued…
That notion was dismissed by Markus Kraetschmer, general manager of Austria Vienna, who said FIFA’s international transfer regulations mean that Papac would have to stick it out at Ibrox until the summer. In broad terms, a player moving between countries is allowed three registrations within one 12-month period, but can play official matches for only two clubs.
“I last spoke to Papac before Christmas but that was purely a personal call to see how he was doing,” said Kraetschmer. "He was happy then, but I know there has been a change of manager, which could perhaps change his situation.
"According to the FIFA rules, I think the only possibility would be for him to come back to Austria Vienna this month. A player cannot play for three different clubs during the one season and Papac played for us before moving to Rangers.
“But we are not searching for a defender right now, that is clear. We are only looking for a striker, but I can also say that it will not be Filip Sebo.”
Papac, Sebo and Libor Sionko were signed from Austria Vienna by Le Guen for a combined fee of 2.4m, but all have failed to make a positive impact at Ibrox.
I presume Lawwell negotiated a decent financial package for this. I expect another could of Japanese games this summer too. I wonder if Beckham will be lining up for the opposition. From the Celtic site:
Celts to face MLS All-Stars
Newsroom Staff
IN a major coup for Celtic, the Scottish Champions have been confirmed as the opposition in the 2007 MLS All-Stars Game in Colorado this summer.
Gordon Strachans side will face the top players of Major League Soccer in the prestigious game on Thursday, July 19 at the Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.
And Major League Soccer are absolutely delighted that Celtic will be coming to the United States.
MLS Commissioner Don Gerber said: "We are thrilled to welcome Celtic, one of the worlds most popular teams, for a quality match against the best of MLS at our newest soccer cathedral, Dicks Sporting Goods Park.
We look forward to an exciting evening in this tremendous new soccer-specific venue.
Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: We are absolutely delighted to be traveling to America again this pre-season to take part in this match versus the MLS All-Stars.
Celtic has a world-wide audience with thousands of fans in the United States and I am sure this passionate support will be looking forward to welcoming the team back. Everyone at Celtic is very much looking forward to the trip.
The venue for the first Major League Soccer All-Star event hosted in Colorado will be Dicks Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids.
The newest jewel of Denvers sports landscape, Dicks Sporting Goods Park, is considered the biggest and most state-of-the-art professional stadium and field complex in the world and features an 18,000-seat stadium surrounded by a 24-field, fully-lit professional soccer complex.
Colorado Rapids Managing Director, Jeff Plush, said: We are thrilled to play host to both Celtic Football Club and the best players from Major League Soccer in the leagues marquee mid-season event.
This is just an example of some of the world-class events that the diverse soccer fan base in Colorado can expect here at our new home of Dicks Sporting Goods Park.
Pepsi and Sierra Mist continue to support soccer in the United States by being the title sponsor of the MLS All-Star Game for the sixth consecutive year. Pepsi has been a corporate partner with MLS since the leagues inaugural season in 1996.
The Sierra Mist MLS All-Star game has once again attracted one of the best teams in the world, making it a must-see event for the fans, said Ralph Santana, VP of sports marketing, media and interactive, Pepsi-Cola North America.
The fact that the game will be played in a brand new soccer stadium will add another level of excitement. Its another great chapter in MLS history.
The on-sale date for the general public, along with individual ticket prices, will be announced in the near future. For more information visit www.coloradorapids.com.
Mark Wilson, Shaun Maloney and Stephen McManus are all back in full training but won’t feature on Sunday according to the press conference today. It’d be smashing to have Wilson back for Milan.
Bobo and Caldwell are the only long term absentees now.
Surprised Wilson is back - I thought he was touch and go for Milan, still I suppose he has fitness to recover. Is Doumbe in the squad?
Doumbe is available for selection alright.
I was just checking there. We only have 4 games before Milan; ICT away, 28th Jan; Livingston away, 4th Feb (cup); Hibs home, 10th Feb and Aberdeen away, 17th Feb.
For Wilson to be ‘match fit’ for Milan you’d really want him at least playing in the last 2 of those games. I wonder about Caldwell, he’s looking ever more doubtful now. My main worry, as I think I said to you, was if McManus and O’Dea had to play against Milan. Not just because they’re both relatively inexperienced but both are left footed and have yet to develop a proper partnership with each other.
Just watched the Huns Hearts highlights there on Setanta.
Terrible pitch. Huns had Ehiogu and Weir as centre halves and Sionko started instead of Burke. Sionko missed a great chance first half and Banks made a decent save for Hearts from Boyd I think it was.
Second half Huns got a disallowed goal which was great craic because it took them ages to realise it - they were playing music over the tannoy and everything. Ferguson was a good yard offside though from a cross by Burke.
Anyway the 2 game winning streak which the Scottish media were salivating over has ended.
Neither Gordon nor Hartley played for Hearts today - Setanta were suggesting that Hartley is on his way out but Gordon was just dropped for footballing reasons because Banks is playing well for them - doesn’t explain why he wasn’t even on the bench though.
At the other end of the table Dunfermline drew at Dundee United - they really need to start winning a couple of games if they’re to have any chance of staying up.
Good interview with Telfer:
http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shfootball/display.var.1152780.0.moving_on_up.php
Moving on up?
By Natasha Woods
Paul Telfer insists that Shaun Maloney should not sell himself short by joining a middle-of-the-table Premiership club… if he leaves Celtic at all.
GIVEN HIS age, experience and astute nature, Paul Telfer qualifies as one of the sage old heads at Parkhead. Which is why Shaun Maloney would be wise to listen to the veteran’s views on the decision that now lies ahead of him.
Should the team-mates find themselves in a quiet corner of Celtic Park discussing Maloney’s future, the conversation would centre on Stilian Petrov - the last Celtic player to quit the Scottish champions for the lure of the English Premiership.
If there is a Bulgarian equivalent to “the grass isn’t always greener”, Telfer is of the opinion that Petrov may well be muttering it under his breath at Villa Park, however much his bank balance may have swelled in recent months.
continued…
“I always found Stilian’s move a funny one,” admitted Telfer. "He is a fantastic player and to leave a club which is winning things, that is top of the league and in the Champions League to go to Aston Villa, who are maybe going to end up as a mid-table club it’s funny.
"I have watched Stilian a couple of times on television and looking at his body language, he doesn’t seem to be really enjoying it. And maybe that is because Stilian is a winner.
“There are a lot of ordinary games in the Premiership. No disrespect to teams like Fulham and Charlton, but you flick on hoping it is going to be a good game and a lot of them are just mediocre, which maybe is what Stilian is finding - it is not as good a league as he maybe thought it was.”
With Fulham believed to be the latest club interested in tempting Maloney to sign for them rather than extend his stay at Parkhead, Telfer is well-placed to promote the attractions of staying put, while understanding those of going to pastures new.
Given relegation-threatened West Ham reportedly offered Lucas Neill 70,000 a week to sign for them, it is easy to view the English Premiership as the land of milk and honey.
But Telfer, having played in England’s top flight for Southampton and Coventry, reckons Maloney should set his sights high if he does want to pursue a career away from Celtic Park.
“If you are leaving Celtic there is no point setting the bar this high and then going somewhere else just to be in the Premiership. I don’t see the point of dropping to a lesser team,” he argued.
"If Shaun asked me, I’d say that. It has to be right for him. He was Scotland’s player of the year last season, and he could definitely play for one of the top teams in England.
"But the Premiership is a funny league at the moment. You’ve got Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, but apart from that they are beating each other week-in, week-out, so you see teams like Villa and Portsmouth, who started off with great runs, now getting dragged back into the mid-table stuff.
“There are a lot of clubs down there who have no ambition beyond surviving in the league. I just think it is hard when you have been at a club like Celtic, where you are winning things and you have this winning mentality, and then going down there to play at a club where the attitude is it’s alright as long as we survive’.”
Gordon Strachan could not have put it any better. The Celtic manager has maintained for many weeks now that Maloney wants to stay at the SPL champions, but when Sunderland, a Championship side, can outbid Celtic for the services of Anthony Stokes, he knows he stands no chance of competing with the financial muscle of Premiership sides.
Telfer’s view is simple enough. If Maloney, having learned his footballing trade at Parkhead, feels the need for a fresh challenge he should at least pick one that matches what is on offer at Celtic. And that certainly wouldn’t be at Fulham or Aston Villa or Wigan.
But maybe that is the attitude you’d expect from a 35-year-old coming to the end of a career which has involved a relegation battle or two, but which is ending in the unexpectedly rarified atmosphere of a Champions League campaign. Telfer’s enthusiasm is reflected in his anticipation of today’s match up in Inverness. It may not be the San Siro, but it does represent another step towards the league title.
However, he understands how a player’s perception might be different if they were, say 24 and had played all their life in Scotland. And someone was now talking telephone numbers with them in terms of salary. "I was reading the papers down south the other day and they were talking about John Terry getting a wage rise to 125,000. I can’t even relate to that, but when you get to that level does money come into it?
“When you are a top player, an international, you just want to win things and play in the best competition and at club level that is the Champions League,” he added.
Next month Celtic will re-enter that arena with their quarter-final tie against AC Milan. With Mark Wilson returning to fitness and new signing Jean-Joel Perrier-Doumbe able to play right or left-back, Telfer knows he faces a fight to retain his place.
“I think the manager was a bit worried because it is bad enough having to play me, but there was also no cover! Hopefully, by the time we play Milan, he will have plenty of options to choose from.”
It is the sort of self-deprecating assessment you’d expect from Telfer. He appreciates just what an opportunity he has been presented with during his two seasons at Celtic. And if he has a message for Maloney, or anyone else contemplating the merits of a move elsewhere, it would be to appreciate what you have got. And not to settle for less elsewhere.