Loading ...Archive for Celtic Park
When The Trial System Works….
Posted by: | CommentsIbrahim Proof Of Trail And Error….
Much has been said over Celtic’s transfer policy, usually negative I might add.
The idea of having player after player come through the doors at Lennoxtown for a trial doesn’t always go down too well with the Faithful, myself included. It was almost as if there were more trials in the Campsies than at the High Court!
We would all much rather see the club pick an established player pay the money, throw him into the team and he becomes and instant success.
But in reality, it doesn’t work that way.
The old adage that you have to ‘kiss a lot of frogs’ could well be used when it comes to the number of ‘potential’ signings that make their way to Glasgow to earn a contract with Celtic.
The ‘frogs’ will come and go but every so often a ‘prince’ will emerge and the Bhoys will take him on to the next level.
By all accounts it looks like Celtic’s new number 40, Nigerian Rabiu Ibrahim will be that player. The 20 year-old has done what many before him have failed to do, earn a three and a half year deal with the Hoops.
Hopefully he’ll repay the faith manager Neil Lennon has in him and become a star at the club.
Welcome to Paradise young man!
Will Thomas Rogne Be The Only Legacy Of Tony’s Reign?
Posted by: | CommentsYoung Norwegian Looks Likely To Be Last Man Standing….
When a manager leaves a club there is always one player who comes good….call him a legacy for want of a better description.
Wim Jansen left Henrik Larsson, Dr Jo left Lubo Moravcik and to a lesser extent Martin O’Neill left Aiden McGeady.
As Lenny continues his own development of Celtic, it’s looking likely that the ONLY player left by former manager Tony Mowbray to keep his job at Celtic Park will be 20 year-old centre back Thomas Rogne.
Marc-Antoine Fortune, Diomansky Kamara, Edson Braafheid and Jos Hooiveld have all got through the exit door at Paradise, and with Morten Rasmussen unlikely to feature in any capacity under Lenny, that left Rogne and young Josh Thompson from Mowbrays time in Glasgow.
Yesterday the club announced that big Josh will go out on another loan, this time to Chesterfield, so his Parkhead prospects don’t look too good.
That ultimately leaves Thomas….
Beset with injury since he joined the Hoops, Thomas was brought back by Neil for the recent Derby match and played as though he’d never been away. It was like his early promise had come good.
Now, I’m not suggesting he can repeat the feats of those players previously mention, Mssrs Larsson, Moravcik or McGeady but if he keep up progressing he may well become a good Celtic player, a very good Celtic player.
Then Tony’s time wasn’t a total waste….
The All New And Improved Neil Lennon!
Posted by: | CommentsWhat A Difference A Year Makes….
Has anyone else notice how relaxed and controlled manager Neil Lennon seems at the moment?
OK, he’s just won the Manager of the Month award and his team have overturned a fifteen point deficit in two months to sit two clear at the top of the SPL.
But it’s not just that.
Since he was appointed gaffer at Celtic he’s had to contend with death threats, personal attacks, bullets and bombs in the post and yet through all that he’s still in the Celtic dugout.
He was absolutely demonised by a baying pack in the Scottish media who portrayed him as some sort of villain. Somehow they managed to turn his actions, that of managing his team, into public enemy number one.
And let’s not forget, there were managers who had a go at him too…..one of them returns to Celtic Park tomorrow, let’s not forget about him!
All that off the field nonsense took it’s toll and at the start of the season there was a real concern that it had all caught up with Lenny.
The team were inconsistent, we were dropping silly points and his big players just weren’t performing. Although there was no real call for his head, more than a few dissenting voices were being raised about his ability.
In fact Lenny himself admitted that during the half-time break at the Kilmarnock game on the 5th November, he wondered if he could turn it all around.
History shows that coming back from 3-0 down to get a valuable 3-3 draw was the turning point, not only for Neil but for Celtic as a team.
Our fortunes have changed considerably since then.
Although we bowed out of the Europa League at the group stages,we more than competed in a very difficult section. In fact our performances acted as a spring board for our league form if truth be told.
And all through this Lenny was changing.
He no longer got himself too involved with the field of play, although he still makes himself heard. He no longer gets too controversial in his pre or post match press conferences.
The people who tried to hang him out to dry, the Scottish media, are now feeding off scraps. And there’s nothing they can do about it.
Few men would have come through what Neil Lennon has, I’m not the only one who is glad he’s got this far, sooner or later he’ll get rewarded for the faith he showed in his team.
Maybe even as soon as March with the League Cup….
The Highs And Lows of 2011….
Posted by: | CommentsWas It A Year To Remember?
To say 2011 was a year of mixed emotions is an understatement as far as Celtic are concerned. As expected there was so much going on around the club, off the park as well as on the park.
Let’s take a look at on the field of play first.
Highlights:
The New Year started so well with a makeshift Celts going to Poundland and winning 2-0 courtesy of big Sammy. The result was major surprise and one that turned the Greek from zero to hero. (Although that wasn’t to last)
We also had a great day in the sun the following month, whipping the Dark Side 3-0 to continue our good SPL form. The highlight of the game Kris Commons’ 25 yard ‘swerver’ that left McGregor scratching his arse.
Into March and The Hoops did it again against the MM, this time in the Scottish Cup thanks to a goal from defender Mark Wilson. The game was later to be named the ‘shame game’ though Celtic and our players’ discipline was exemplary throughout the night when the Govan Mob lost the plot.
For manager Neil Lennon the Scottish Cup took on a whole new importance with the loss of the Co-op Cup and eventual misfiring in the SPL. The Cup Final at rain soaked Hampden saw Lenny finish the season with his first trophy as Celtic manager when the Bhoys thumped Murderwell 3-0. Not the league title but a trophy nonetheless.
If we thought last season was hard to take, then this season has produced a real mix of highs and lows. Keeping on the ‘highs’ theme the second half performance against Kilmarnock when the Hoops found themselves 3-0 down must rate as one of the most dramatic 45 minutes the club has ever played in.
Little did we know then the goals from Anthony Stokes (2) and Charlie Mulgrew would galvanise the team and ultimately go on an unbeaten league run that would turn a 15 point deficit into a 2 point lead.
And that lead was achieved by ending the year with a 1-0 win at Celtic Park on Wednesday thanks to Joe Ledley’s headed winner.
Celtic sit proudly at the top of the SPL after underachieving during the early part of the season.
Not only can Neil and the Bhoys be proud of their recent league form but they can equally be proud of their performances in the Europa League after FC Sion were banished for fielding ineligible players.
In a group that featured Atletico Madrid, Udinese and Rennes, the Hoops were effectively denied progress to the next stages by a ‘dodgy’ penalty decision against the Italians in the final minute of the game at Celtic Park.
Our off the field highlights must begin with the Celtic Park ‘huddle’ in the final SPL game of last season. The whole stadium, including Rod Stewart had Paradise rocking even though it was the day we lost the league.
The Faithful repeated the feat just a few days ago but this time the audience were undeserving of the spectacle!
And we can’t leave this year without mentioning the impact of the Thai Tims.
These children have touched the hearts of the Celtic support near and far even though their existence was brought to our attention by the tragic murder of Reammon Gormley.
They are a credit to the Bhoy and a reminder of how special our club and the people who support the club are…
and of course, you The Fanzoners who visit the site day in, day out, make producing the Celtic Fanzone a real honour, thank you all!
Lows to follow……
Our Biggest Danger Not In Blue…..He’s In Black!
Posted by: | CommentsWe’re Good Enough But Willie Collum Isn’t…..
There’s no doubt in my mind that if Celtic turn up tomorrow night, then we’ll have more than enough in our locker to take the top spot in the SPL off the Dark Side. If only it was that simple.
Our recent form suggests we should take all three points but as we all know, Derby matches don’t always go with the form book.
Also there is another factor we have to take into account. The referee, Willie Collum. Why the SFA appointed him in the first place beggars belief.
He is without fear of contradiction, the worst referee to shove a whistle in his mouth for the last twenty years. And that’s what worries me.
His ability to give a penalty when facing away from the incident like he did in his first Derby match last season sends shivers down my spine. His inconsistency is almost legendary.
And there’s no doubt the Sneaky One’s team talk will encourage the ‘cheats’ and ‘hammer throwers’ to go about their business of diving and fouling their way through the match.
In other words, play their normal game….