Based on the performances against Milan then O’Dea and McManus deserve to play with Pressley missing out.
Amalgamating my responses to Bandage on the other thread and thepiedpiper on this one:
Celtic were very disappointing, carried on from where they left off against Rangers and despite creating some decent chances in the first half hour we didn’t dominate them then and certainly didn’t get on top for the rest of the match.
Interesting observations on Strachan’s stubborn streak with regard to his convictions piedpiper. I agree to an extent but it’s also something every fan criticises their manager for. O’Neill had blind spots in abundance: Alan Thompson, Rab Douglas, Valgaeren left back but overall he did a great job for us. Liverpool fans will argue that Benitez is anti-Crouch or pro-Crouch or plays Gerrard in the wrong position. It’s part of the package of following a team every week that the manager makes a consistent decision that you don’t agree with.
All that said Strachan has alluded to not playing McGeady because of weather conditions before and I don’t think it’s a great excuse at all. McGeady was in excellent form and deserved to start. However, he’s playing more with each passing season and having signed a new contract (where the only discussions were on footballing issues according to all parties) and I’d say he’s doing some power of work in the gym to get him to the stage where he can play every week in those conditions. I wouldn’t be surprised if Strachan looked back on his own career and thought about games that didn’t suit him and he’s trying to prepare Aiden to get in a physical state where he can play every game.
Hopping over to the other thread to comment on what we need to change personnel wise.
Ivanauskashas left Hearts this evening!
They lost 4-0 at home the other day and the only Scottish players were Gordon and Berra. The rest were all Lithuanians signed by Romanov. I’d love to see Romanov and his son take over team affairs.
Interesting. Might go over to the Hearts game for what will probably be the trophy presentation. From the Celtic site:
Post-split fixtures
Newsroom Staff
THE post-split SPL fixtures have just been announced and the Celts will kick-off with an away game at Kilmarnock.
The game against Rangers at Ibrox will be played on Saturday, May 5 with the final match also being played away at Easter Road on May 20.
The Bhoys home games are against Hearts (April 29) and Aberdeen (May 12).
The final day top six matches go ahead on May 20, all kicking off at 2pm and two of the three games will be televised live by Setanta.
Sunday, April 22
Kilmarnock v Celtic 2pm Live on Setanta
Sunday, April 29
Celtic v Hearts 2pm Live on Setanta
Saturday, May 5
Rangers v Celtic 12.30pm Live on Setanta
Saturday, May 12
Celtic v Aberdeen 3pm
Sunday, May 20
Hibernian v Celtic 2pm
(Two final day televised games to be announced)
Might join you over there for the Hearts game.
SHAUN Maloney is not convinced life in the Premiership will make him a better player than the one he would have become had he stayed in Glasgow, but he is sure that, had he not made the switch from Celtic to Aston Villa in January, he would currently be a shadow of the player he can be.
Despite being nominated Celtic fans’ Player of the Year last season as well as creating history by becoming the first player to win the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards in the same year, discussions about a new contract meant he started this season in turmoil.
Headlines focused on the sums being offered by the club and the likely wages being touted by those who were chasing him. The belief was that Celtic failed to offer him some degree of parity with other squad members who had been less effectual and contributed less than the 16 goals and 28 assists he weighed in with last season. While the club eventually acceded to his demands, upping the initial offer from a basic 12,000 to 18,000 a week at the last minute, by then the matter was no longer purely financial, according to the player.
Speaking out for the first time about the situation earlier this week, the Scotland forward said he had not enjoyed the uncertainty and was now hoping to put it all behind him.
"There were certainly things going on with my previous club which we couldn’t come to agreement on but it’s a difficult one to say. There are reasons why I left the club which, I guess, should remain private and it’s unfortunate that things like that are said but to be honest it doesn’t really offend me, people can have their opinions.
"I’m certainly not bitter towards the club or the manager or anything like that, it just ended up in a way that I had to make the decision and that was the decision I came to at the time. It was certainly a hard one to make because it was going on for quite a few months. I had been there since I was 16 so I was obviously happy there. The last few months I found difficult, but a lot of players have been through that. I loved playing for the club for as many years as I did but people move on and that happens at a lot of football clubs.
“I found it quite difficult at times during that period. It was a decision weighing me down. My family are quite close, but it’s my opinion because I’m the one that has to live with it. I’m the one who had to live with staying at Celtic or moving down to Birmingham so everybody had their own opinion but it was mine that counted. It was quite a strange period. I was, I wouldn’t say confused, but I certainly had decisions to make and when it came down to it on the last day I just had to make the decision and I made the one that I would sign for Villa.”
But he denied that there was a pre-contract in place, claiming he only had the choice to make once the clubs had agreed a fee. “I don’t know where that would have left me thought-wise,” he said. “It’s a difficult one and I’ve obviously seen Liam Miller go through that situation when he signed for Man United and he had a very hard time.”
Maloney has been luckier. He insisted he has not received any hate mail or met with an adverse reaction when he has bumped into Celtic fans. "But, then again I haven’t played in front of the crowd or anything like that yet!
“In hindsight, I would like to have had things tied up a lot quicker because this season, up until I left Celtic, I know myself I wasn’t the player I think I should have been. Football was not the main thought in my mind. No matter how much I wanted it to be, it wasn’t and my manager at the time knew that. To be fair, I think he had been through a similar situation and he did know what I was going through so, yeah, it was a difficult time and I would have wanted it all done quicker because I think I didn’t portray myself well or I didn’t play enough games this season. It was just stop-start and it probably wasn’t good that my manager kept having to talk about non-football things with me on a constant basis. It probably didn’t help him and it didn’t help me.”
Used sparingly, featuring in less than ten Bank of Scotland Premierleague matches as Celtic established an early lead at the top of the table, ironically, he was far more pivotal a player on the European stage. A star performer against Benfica as Celtic served up a classy 3-0 victory in Glasgow, he was also a star turn when introduced for the second 45 minutes in the bettering of Manchester United at Parkhead.
Playing at such a lofty level is one reason why he is convinced he would still have progressed as a player if he had chosen to stay at Celtic but at least the move to Birmingham has offered him the opportunity to sample a different side to the game.
“To be honest, in a lot of ways, it’s very similar to Scotland and the only difference I notice really is that when I was with Celtic I was attacking for the majority of the game, whereas with Aston Villa it’s definitely a bit more even and maybe the opposite way, especially when we are playing the top four. That’s when keeping the ball is such a big thing against the top four in England. When you do lose it you are pretty much straight on the defence. The pace of the opposing team to get into your last third is pretty quick and that was one of the things I noticed in the couple of games I’ve played.”
Those appearances have been Spartan. Reunited with former Celtic boss Martin O’Neill, his two outings, against Reading and Fulham, have yet to secure him a win bonus, while a stubborn virus picked up on a club trip to Spain has forced him on to the sidelines in recent weeks, denying him the chance to play against both Arsenal and Liverpool. But while medals and European qualification are no longer considered the most realistic of carrots for a club struggling in the bottom half of the Premiership, Maloney claims there are other sticks driving him forward.
“Now I just want to play as many games as I possibly can to try to bed myself into the team. I’ve had a couple of games but then missed a few but, yeah, it’s just basically to bed myself into the team and get to know my new team-mates and for them to know me, that’s the plan. I was very motivated when I was at Celtic. I think every year you have goals that you have to win, well you don’t have to but you want to win the league and, obviously, Champions League is a major factor. But I think because it’s very much an unknown for me and I’ve done very little in the English game, it’s the fear factor that I guess is pushing me on to greater heights and that will help improve me as a player. I think I would have done that anyway at my last club but hopefully I will do it at this club as well and that fear factor will probably hurry me along.”
Having spent such a long time in purgatory already this season, he could be excused his impatienc
He’s done well so far, hasn’t he?
Thing is we could have done with the little rat against Milan.
Yeah he would have been very useful to bring off the bench at the very least against Milan. I’m wondering if one of the reason he left is because he wasn’t guaranteed a game with us and he was up against McGeady for left wing position.
I reckon he left for cash. Just checked there, he’s been injured for their last few games so although he was superb last season, that was one season only and he’s been injured for 3 of the last 4. Could have made an impact off the bench in Milan though (if he was fit), like he did in both ManU games.
I see we’re heavily linked with Scott McDonald from Motherwell today. Need to set our sights a good bit higher than this (even though he is a far better striker than Miller).
Check out the bit about Roy Keane refusing to speak to the loyalist scumbag when he joined ManU. Keane’s an idiot at times but on other occasions, like this one, I just can’t help admiring him. From the BBC:
Goram recounts Scots walk-out
Goram was popular with Scotland fans during his career
Former Rangers keeper Andy Goram feels he was misrepresented over his retirement from international football ahead of the 1998 World Cup in France.
Goram quit the international training camp in the USA just three weeks before the tournament started, but insists was he was just protecting his livelihood.
“I was told that I wasn’t going to be playing in France,” said Goram.
“But if I went to the World Cup and broke a leg or got injured, I wouldn’t have had a club the next season.”
Interview: former Scotland keeper Andy Goram
In an hour-long interview with former Celtic midfielder Murdo McLeod and former Rangers forward Gordon Smith on BBC Radio Scotland, Goram said the media unfairly portrayed his retirement as a betrayal.
Goram also spoke candidly about his early career, his time at Rangers, and his experience at Manchester United, where Irish international Roy Keane refused to speak to him when he arrived at Old Trafford.
However, his retirement from the international game remains a contentious issue for him, and he regrets not being able to line up against Brazil in the opening match at France '98.
“The press had it as ‘Goram walks out on Scotland’ three weeks before the World Cup started,” he said. Jim Leighton did the same thing ahead of a double-header, two days before a qualifying game. And, yet, he retired in the press’s eyes.
Andy Goram
"I gave them my letter, there was no nastiness about it, it was a nice letter.
"I’d just left Rangers, so I was clubless.
"It’s your livelihood. I was earning decent money at Rangers, it’s your mortgage.
"But I was told by two different coaches that I wasn’t going be playing in France.
"There’s no point in me sitting on the bench, nearly a 40-year-old. I would rather a young kid came in, like I did in Mexico as a young lad, and go and learn your trade that way.
"I took the decision and retired. I spoke to Craig, and to be fair he didn’t put up too much of a fight.
"I thought I was good enough to play in France. I had never played in a World Cup, but I thought I was good enough.
"To get told you’re not playing is fine, you’ve got to accept that, but I didn’t want to risk getting injured just by training when I had no club, as that would have been my livelihood.
"Jim Leighton did the same thing ahead of a double-header, two days before a qualifying game. And, yet, he retired in the press’s eyes.
"Even now, Andy Goram walked out on Scotland, but Jim Leighton retired.
"At least I gave them three weeks to bring reinforcements in, but did it two days before, and he retired gracefully.
“But the two of us were tarred with two different brushes.”
The full interview with Andy Goram aired on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound programme between 2000BST and 2100BST on Tuesday 27 March 2007.
A 6th SPL Reserve league title in a row was secured today by Celtic. Dundee United were beaten which handed us the title, despite having half the squad out on loan.
Winning the Under 19 league by a point (and in the cup semi-final) so could be on course for a clean sweep of leagues and cups.
Spurs after Brown?
- It’s from the Daily Record so pinch of salt required
- They mention “secret talks” which is handy because it means they don’t need to quote anyone
- 5m is way too much for Scott Brown
12 April 2007
SPURS EYE BROWN SWOOP
Premiership side make move to pip Old Firm for Hibs star
Exclusive by Keith Jackson
SPURS have launched a bid to snatch Scott Brown from the clutches of the Old Firm after opening secret talks with the player’s agent Willie McKay.
Record Sport understands McKay met yesterday with the White Hart Lane club’s chairman Daniel Levy in London to discuss a possible summer switch.
News of the meeting will infuriate Hibs who, despite agreeing to listen to offers for the player this summer, have yet to grant McKay permission to seek out potential buyers. It will also come as a major concern to both Celtic and Rangers with the Glasgow rivals already braced to battle it out for Brown’s signature.
Spurs boss Martin Jol will now send director of football Damien Commoli - his chief star finder - to Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Dunfermline at Hampden.
If Commoli’s report confirms what Jol has already been told of Brown’s enormous potential then a big-money bid could be sanctioned at the end of the season.
Commoli has been charged with the task of recruiting some of Europe’s hottest young talent and was in Lisbon recently to run the rule over Sporting Lisbon prospect Nani, who is already being billed the new Cristiano Ronaldo.
Spurs have been told they will have to shell out almost 14million to land Portugal’s latest young star but Levy and Jol are confident they can secure a relative bargain in Brown for a fee closer to 5million.
Everton manager Davie Moyes is also keeping close tabs on Brown’s situation, all of which is bad news for the Old Firm who could be in serious danger of being priced out of the race for the 21-year-old.
Both Gordon Strachan and Walter Smith are desperate to secure Brown’s services in the summer but, even if they could afford to get close to a 5m fee, neither of them would be able to match the kind of lucrative wages which would be on offer in the Premiership.
I plain and simple just don’t believe that story. the figures quoted are far too high imo regardless of interest from epl clubs.
I certainly hope we don’t go near him at that price.
Still the article doesn’t look believable - it seems to be Keith Jackson’s opinion (not Martin Jol’s) that Brown has immense potential.
Decent article on Strachan
Spring in his step but Hampden on his mind
HUGH MacDONALD, Chief Sportswriter April 14
His outlook was so sunny that when Gordon Strachan offered the assembled press pack a history lesson we had to bite our tongues not to ask if we could take our desks outside.
This bright mood may owe something to the realisation that Celtic’s occasionally fraught ascent to the title can be abandoned briefly in favour of the joy of the cup.
An ebullient Strachan bounded into the press conference after a training session to announce: “There’s a different atmosphere about the place. Getting three points again against Motherwell last week helped, that’s for sure. In terms of atmosphere, there’s an edge to it, but there is also a relaxation about it because it’s different from the league. It’s given us time to work on one or two things.”
If Strachan and his team are focused on the immediate future, the Celtic manager had time to lecture gently on the history of the Scottish Cup. As befits a fanatic of the game, Strachan went to the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden on his day off this week. “It was fantastic,” he said. “I didn’t know it the Scottish Cup was the oldest trophy in the world.”
advertisementStrachan, who has an impressive personal history in cup finals as winner of the Scottish variety in 1982, 1983 and 1984 and the FA Cup in 1985, elaborated further that the English competition was the older one but its cup had been replaced.
Suitably educated, one was then treated to an amiable Strachan comment about a famous Sir Alex Ferguson diatribe - “absolutely fantastic” - that occurred after Aberdeen had merely won the cup by one goal in 1983, before the Celtic manager launched his own criticism of the 12.30pm kick-off with less heat but with the same sincerity. He said the early start was a result of the game “being dictated by money”.
He added: "I think we all enjoy a semi-final on Saturday at 3pm. I don’t think any of us really enjoy the early start. There doesn’t seem to be enough time for a build-up, to get an edge to it. It’s also a difficult journey for people who come a long way.’’ He also touched on a piece of personal history. Strachan has been critical of the Hampden surface and on his visit to the museum, David Kells, Hampden Park’s managing director, invited the Celtic manager out on to the pitch. “We have a good surface to play on,” said Strachan. “It’s far better than it was last year when we played in the League Cup final. It’s the best pitch in the country at the moment.”
Strachan could even wax historical when reflecting on the nomination of three Celtic players - Artur Boruc, Shunsuke Nakamura, and Lee Naylor - for the Scottish Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year. “I’d loved to have seen more forwards,” he said slightly mischievously given the recent lack of goals in the team. But he added: “The ones who have been picked have been consistently playing. They’ve been free of injury. The guys up front have all had to handle a lot of injuries.”
The historical perspectives flowed. On Boruc: “I can’t remember the last time a Celtic goalkeeper was nominated. Ronnie Simpson won in 1967.”
On Naylor: “I first saw him aged 16 on a school pitch at Coventry.”
On Nakamura, the lesson was economics/history: “Naka wasn’t that expensive. The price that was quoted was nothing like what was paid.”
It was time to move on to modern studies, particularly the scrutiny of today’s opponents, St Johnstone.
Strachan has watched the Perth side twice recently and has been impressed. “I saw them against Airdrie when their power and physique won them the game. I watched them at Partick when they lost. They were unfortunate because they had a couple of chances.” He said of Owen Coyle, the St Johnstone manager: “He’s done the right thing. He’s got some good experienced players who can lead the rest. This is a reasonably experienced side. Playing against Premierleague opposition has not been too much of a problem for them.”
Concentrating on his own team, he said: “What we’ve got to do is raise our game and just basically pass the ball better.” He hoped for a classic. “That would be brilliant,” he said. Just like the weather outside, sir.
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Good win for Dunfermline again tonight: 4-1 against Motherwell. Leaves Dunfermline 1 point behind St Mirren and 5 behind Motherwell with 2 games to go. St Mirren play Motherwell at the weekend which means one of them is dropping points there.
Jim O’Brien (Irish guy at Celtic on loan to Dunfermline) got the first goal for Dunfermline - not on the video below unfortunately. Scott McDonald (on his way to Celtic) scored a penalty for Motherwell and was subsequently sent off.
Goals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdthsie3xLI
Red Cards
Huns sign Darcheville from Bordeaux on a Bosman. Not the most ambitious signing in the world.
think le guen was tracking him aswell for a while
No idea if he’s any good. I read that he used to play with Notts Forest.
He was indeed. That’s all the evidence I need to welcome the signing.
Many thought Agent Le Guen’s time might be finished whe he resigned from the huns. Seems like he might have put a scouting structure in place though. Very clever.