So its Friday again and what a quiet week we’ve had, NOT. This week we have seen some of the most despicable scenes from our greatest rivals, yet we still get the blame.
Let me say just now, I did not see ANY member of Celtic’s playing staff, coaching staff or even MEDICAL staff do anything that would incite any sort of violence. I did however see Diouf all night long attempt to drag Celtic down to his level. Bougherra was interfering with the referee all night long and as for McCoist at the end? Absolute pitiful from the ‘cheeky chappy’ Celtic taught Rangers a lesson on the pitch and they taught Rangers a lesson off the pitch.
Celtic 1-0 Rangers. Football 1-0 Anti-Football. Class 1-0 Classless
Rangers were upto so much the other night it makes it hard for me to even speak about the football. Whittaker’s challenge was clearly a straight red, he deliberately left the studs up to injure Izaguirre. His smile afterwards whilst walking away summed him up, didn’t last for long though as the ref correctly sent him packing. Why wasn’t Bougherra at least booked for trying to hold the ref’s hand? If a Celtic player did that he’d be off the park as well everyone knows it!
It doesn’t really matter if Diouf bumped into the Celtic doctor, whether he punched the Celtic doctor, whether he kicked the Celtic doctor, spat, or even verbally abused the Celtic doctor. The fact is that its the Celtic Doctor. It must be a new low when he has to resort to aiming for doctors. What a sad pathetic human being. He then has the cheek to have a go at Lennon, then demand Lennon is sent to the stands. I watched him from my seat at half time as he rampaged over to Scott Brown, who by the way showed remarkable calmness to just keep on walking towards the dugout. Ricky Foster then comes steaming in as if he’s some sort of hardman and creates a scene. It is obvious that Rangers were out to kick Celtic off the park.
Rangers realised from very early on in that match, probably just as the teams were walking out the tunnel, that they weren’t winning this one. They knew the only way they could get to Celtic is if they booted Celtic’s flair players out of the game, well fool them for leaving Mark Wilson off that list.
For the second cup game running the two Celtic full backs were playing one-two’s with each other at the edge of the Rangers box, instead of laying it off to Scott Brown however, this time Mark Wilson utterly thundered a drive off the unlucky noggin of Sasa Papac, before controlfully driving his shot into the ground and over Alan McGregor. Celtic were 1-0 up and football rejoiced. Papac needed immediate medical attention, and thankfully this time, Diouf allowed the physio on without giving him the hard shoulder.
Let me make this clear, I’m not a fan of violence, but when Diouf shoved our doc I wanted nothing more than the doc to drop his bag and knock 7 shades of Jimmy White out of Diouf. However professionallism and class, disclpline, and composure were the keys to Celtic’s victory.
Can I just say how delighted I am that Mark Wilson scored the winner on Wednesday night. In Joe Ledley’s absence I was forced into a change of bet for first scorer and plumped for Samaras but its great to see a born and bred Celtic fan, a bhoyhood Celtic fan, an absolute diehard in Mark Wilson scoring the winner, if anyone deserved that honour on Wednesday night then it was certainly Celtic’s number 12.
Celtic pressed and pressed, Samaras hit the post and then Rangers went all out attack and moved out from their 9-1-0 formation to move to the gung-ho 5-4-1 with 10 minutes to go. No avail, even 5 minutes of stoppage time only brought one shot on target (Rangers first and only of the game) and that was a 35 yard free kick Zaluska could’ve caught whilst lighting a cigar, reading the paper and on the phone to his missus.
Then Bougherra went, a nasty challenge which saw him completely clean out Commons BEFORE winning the ball, the only reason he even made contact with the ball is because he hit Commons that hard Commons couldn’t touch the ball away. Did he gracefully walk? No he once again pulled the ref’s hand and even attempted to put the ref’s cards back in his pocket!! Shameful scences from Scotland’s Shame. But it wasn’t over there.
Diouf decided that after the game he was going to throw his shirt at the ref whilst barraging the ref with vile abuse. He saw red, and instead of walking down the tunnel, he decided he was going to acknowledge his ‘adoring’ fans by throwing his vest and some other blue thing into the crowd, despite the stewards and police attempting to stop him.
So I’m on my way home from the game saying ‘Tomorrow’s papers must be full of phrases like Riotous Rangers etc’ but obviously not, Neil Lennon gets the blame because after the full time whistle, whilst attempting to HUG McCoist, the Rangers manager in-waiting decides to have a go at our manager, who quite rightfully defends himself and his club.
Neil Lennon is a credit to Celtic football club.
I’ll finish off this week with what I expect to happen, or should I say, what would happen in any other country or competition around the world. Rangers are heavily fined for 1) Failing to control their players. 2) Bringing the game into disripute. And lastly 3) Being an utter disgrace to association football.
Diouf and Bougherra should be both banned for lengthy periods. Neil Lennon was the victim of a smear campaign when he was sent off at Ibrox for ‘attacking the ref’. Well there were at least 2 occassions on Wednesday night where Bougherra assaulted the referee. And what about Davie Weir? He should come clean and say that it was infact HIM who committed the foul against Scott Brown and that in the interest of fair play, Brown’s yellow card be rescinded for mistaken identity.
But who am i kidding? Celtic will be fined, banned, kicked out of all domestic competitions and Bougherra and Diouf will be named joint players of the year and Walter will maintain his dignity despite his magnificent ‘at least it was 3-0’ interview.
Its not easy being green.
Neil Lennon can’t control himself, McCoist usually does and I was disappointed in him. Lennon I expected it from. He spent his playing days snarling at and winding up opponents and is the same as a manager.
Rangers competed on level terms until Whittaker was unjustly sent off. The first booking wasn’t a foul at all, just as Browns booking was a complete joke. The challenge that saw him off was a genuine attempt to play the ball and both players had their boots up.
Diouff is an out and out prick and shouldn’t be there. He’s also been disappointing as a player. As for the rest of the debacle, Rangers lost the plot, Celtic weren’t great against 10 then 9 men, and all in all it was a poor game.
The Celtic fans were happy although the score was only 1-0. If Rangers were humiliated, and they were, it was self inflicted. The ones who were truly happy were the press and other media. The papers love nothing more than headlines and will report on soaps and the X Factor if there’s nothing else. The Old Firm have taken up page after page on what looks like handbags at dawn.
Instead of allegation and counter-allegation fuelling an already charged situation, those in charge at the clubs should have a quiet meeting somewhere and bury the hatchet. Having then reached some sort of accord both parties should then see that their own players wind their necks in.
Don’t give the papers material to work with, let them report on football.
Oh, and there is no conspiracy.
I didn`t enjoy that match because I could see it ending badly, a rammy, a last minute goal, penalties, you name it.
I just wanted a football match!
Celtic have a very gifted manager, the team has flaws but the attacking play can be brilliant. I think Rangers can see their dominance slipping away.
We have to stay calm and win the next game!
Ian
Like you, we all want to see a fitba match.
But as far as I could see there was only one team intent on doing that.
The other team, despite being “highly regarded across the football world for their approach to the game”*** were there for something else. The 5-4-1 formation suggest they weren’t up for it (possibly playing for penalties?)
*** quote from the Dark Tan Yin
Hoping for a good game of fitba today 🙂
bobocop
Whittaker was sent off for persistent fouling, as was indacted by the mib at the time.
Agree that Browns booking was a complete joke.
He really should be commended for not arguing the point with the mib. Any idea if a yellow card can be appealed (genuine question)?
They can appeal yellows in England I think, but in backward Scotland its not on. That would be challenging the authority of the SFA no doubt. To challenge Browns yellow card you would need to introduce video evidence, which the suits only use when they want to work it up someone. So much of whats wrong with the game here would vanish if the on-field cheating were caught and punished at the time. A lot of the bile and bitterness would disappear and I genuinely believe all the fans would be content.
In relation to the 4-5-1 formation, loads of teams in Europe play it and it is a successful set-up. It all comes down to the ability of the players which, unfortunatly for me, was posted missing on Wed night.