You know what I’m getting really, really sick of?
The mouthy tendency within our club.
Who the Hell is in control of “the message” over there?
John Collins, who this site defended at first, because all he’d done was state a simple fact, was the first to run it off.
There’s no argument that his comments were factually correct … but was there really a need to make them?
He’s been followed, in a relentless wave, by the manager, by players and by other club officials all singing the same song.
“Don’t worry. We’ll turn it around.”
“We’re still favourites. We’re still Champions.”
“We’ll show the doubters …”
It’s all about how we’ll do this and do that.
And all it’s done, thus far, is heap embarrassment onto reversals and inspire our opponents.
It also gives ample ammunition to those in the media who love nothing more than writing an anti-Celtic story, with the emphasis on how stupid we look.
It’s now clear that a big part of what is wrong with our dressing room, and the management team, is arrogance.
It permeates every part of Celtic, and it is unhealthy and it’s time the balloon was pricked before it swells even bigger and then blows up in our face.
Ronny Deila’s comments before the Malmo game had disquieted me. It’s all well and good for bloggers like myself to be confident, but when the manager, in front of a very difficult match, tells the media there’s no concern within the club over the outcome … I wonder whether everyone in Celtic Park is playing with a full deck.
I am already past sick of motormouths in our squad and backroom team going in front of the media making bold predictions only to see mind-boggling, clueless tactical decisions and gutless performances by players who look like they’re simply going through the motions.
End it, Celtic. End it now.
Save the big talking for after we’ve accomplished stuff, and in fact not even then.
Show the dignity and class in victory and defeat that our club is renowned for.
Because right now the public face of Celtic needs a right good slap to knock that cocky look off of it at a time when it’s completely misplaced.
We’re behind in the title race.
We’re already out of the Champions League.
Anyone at Parkhead walking with a swagger is thinking more of their wage packet or their night-time activities than they are about doing the job on the pitch.
That’s the only place I want to see them behaving with that much confidence; when we’re three or four to the good in a game and enjoying it.
There are rumours afoot that there are problems in our dressing room, clashes of personality, big egos at play.
I’ll tell you now, from watching recent performances nobody at the club has a heck of a lot to be proud of. The majority of the fans, even those who, like our players, are claiming not to be concerned, even they aren’t pleased with the level of fitness, skill or application they are getting.
Too many people at Celtic Park look like they’re taking the piss.
I agree with Commons and Brown about the Malmo game. Most of the players didn’t look scared.
But they did look like they couldn’t be bothered and I’ve seen nothing in recent weeks to suggest that’s changed.
Even Leigh Griffiths, who this site has praised to the heavens and who’s one of a very few who’s digging in couldn’t keep his trap shut at the weekend and has talked his way into problems with the SFA which, in the absence of our genius move in not signing a striker, we don’t need.
Some have argued that Leigh was right.
Should Considine have walked? Of course.
Should Hayes? Of course not.
Should Aberdeen’s penalty have been given? Definitely no.
Should they have had one earlier in the game? Hell yes.
These things don’t always “balance out.”
But at the weekend they did.
The bottom line here is that we lost to ten men. Players can look for excuses for that everywhere and anywhere, and the manager can feel free to endorse that if it prevents him asking hard questions about his own approach … but it’s not going to wash, I’m afraid.
It’s time our whole club started acting with a lot more professionalism.
If our players and staff are incapable of controlling themselves, and their mouths, then some order has to be imposed upon them from above.
Does the club need to impose conditions on its own people before they go in front of the media?
If they can’t keep from letting their egos get away from them then probably, yes.
John Kennedy is the latest today to open his mouth wide without engaging brain.
More big predictions. More big talk.
Essentially, “don’t worry … we’ll still win the league.”
Complacent. Stupid. Big headed nonsense.
Because those remarks won’t give Aberdeen any incentive for their game in hand, will they?
For God’s sake. Get a grip on this Celtic.
Do your talking where it matters; out on the pitch.
Do you know what.
I’m getting tired of listening to you James.
PAblo:
There’s an easy solution then. Stop reading what I write.
Not even remotely complicated. Unless you’re in one of those James Forrest Indoctrination Camps that are scattered across the country, where force-readings of my novel is mandatory and my last speech to the STUC Youth Conference is played over the tanoy in a never ending loop … in which case, you’re fucked!
Like I said … a problem with an easy solution.
Quite right James, there appears to be quite a few characters that just wont see what’s staring them in the face.
There is considerable disquiet amongst a few of the players and at this point in time it continues to fester, so not the ideal build up for Amsterdam.
Stick to the novels.
There’s an abundance of Celtic blogs talking about the crisis at ib*ox and pretending there’s none at parkhead. Perhaps you should head overhear for some light reading.
I hate fans who bury their head in the sand and claim everything will be fine (now what club have we seen do this for decades….)
Damn right Boab!
It seems to me that the players took the plaudits and praise from the second half of last season and let them go to their heads. Is it the managers fault that individually and collectively they are not playing to the same standards? Maybe, but he is basically an inexperienced manager who has never encountered the ‘second season syndrome’. How do you keep the momentum going from one season to the next, is something he’s going to have to learn quick. HH
This is a very good point … The second season syndrome … Together with constant downsizing is how we can see if Ronny is really what we thought /believed after last seasons double. Once more JK is talking about how great the zonal marking is … Just as he did after the Malmö game ?! Will he do that after every match we lose if we concede from a set piece ?
Well said!!!
About time someone stepped up and said something with that conviction!
Pity the team couldn’t do that with playing on the pitch!!
HH
I have already suggested hat Ronnie`s “jakit” is on a “shoogly” hook.
we are one of the best teams in Europe but why do we always let our good players go and never replace them we do have a lot of brill players but why did we let van dick go and never got a good player in his place go on do something about it now be for is to late
Why because VVD went for 45K per week James agree staff should be wary of what they say .Our midfield players have been playing for 2yrs solid unless injured we need to play others Aberdeen had 1 player away on International duty so had 2 weeks off we had 10 away on Saturday Considine should have walked & left them with 10 men for 55 mins & they should have a pen McLean could have walked would they have attacked us for 55mins with 10 men ? and to cap it off Cosidine pops up in last min to clear the ball off the line . If Delia etc say nothing then they get blamed for hiding The media don’t need any reason to kick us you would think Aberdeen carved us open for 90 mins & created lots of chances they never The Ref told Griffiths it wasn’t a Red because he was going away from goal how long should we put up with this .
You are right James from the boardroom down,why isn’t delia not playing commons has he got a problem with him ?HH
Well said James,couldn’t agree more.
I’ve already addressed this on another blog and compared it to Politicians saying what they think we want to hear…and you know what the public at large, thinks of Politicians.
I’m sick fed up being “patronised”…and listening to cheap “sound bites.”
Something’s not right at the Club…so quietly get it fixed Celtic.
Maybe then we’ll listen.
Hail hail
You know what James I was actually lying in my bed the other night with this whirling round my head. We were taking it tight on Facebook about Leigh Griffiths & the hypocrisy of Celtic FC. The more we tried to argue our case & defend Leigh Griffiths with regards his racist chanting, which subsequently led to him pleading guilty then admonished in court, the bigger fannys WE look. We all do it, jump to the defence of our partners or pals even when we know they were out of order & in the wrong, that’s human nature blind loyalty perhaps. But Celtic had to bring out a charter in front of the media & cameras didn’t they zero tolerance to racism, anyone caught at it was out the door 1st Tim no ifs or buts, the trumpets were out & they were being blown hard in front of the world, then up pops the Tonev situation & the Leigh Griffiths clanger caught on camera… My point is WHY oh WHY did we have to play to the gallery with this when as sure as night follows day it would blow up in our pusses!! By all means let the players know what’s acceptable & what ain’t at our club on a one to one basis when they sign on the dotted line to play & represent us, supporters too should be given this information too with their tickets or ST info you dont have to have it trumpeted on national tv so that it can be used to batter us around the head with & branded hypocrites for not sacking Leigh Griffiths & be labeled as the club that is full of shit!!! Get a grip Celtic as its getting harder & harder to defend us & fight our corner.
C Gallagher:
You’re gonna love the latest piece lol …
Totally agree with this. Time to get the head down, shut up, and sort out our problems on the park.
James,
All correct in what you say….it seems that people at our club speak before thinking.
John Kennedys latest comments are a prime example of that, am quite sure they will be pinned to the Aberdeen dressing room. The manager does not seem to grasp that the fans will not put up with anymore excuses or displays that we have had recently. I don’t think Martin would have allowed any of his backroom staff to make the comments that have come out recently.
Unrest in dressing room?…….that must be a factor BUT. .lets not kid ourselves the Manager is not “right” for this job…….neither in my opinion is Collins (just what is his input)…..John Kennedy should be practising his zonal marking with the reserves….big changes needed at Celtic Park……….starting at the top and then the players who should never be in a Celtic jersey. Ambrose and Boyata for starters
“mind-boggling, clueless tactical decisions and gutless performances by players who look like they’re simply going through the motions.”
Would give this piece more respect IF you had commented on Collins at the time. Or on Ronnie at the time.
You just seem like a bed wetter bringing it up now.
And every Celtic fan should praise Griffiths for speaking out.
Neil,
I agree SOMEONE should speak out….but not any of the players.
If Griffiths gets done for this, by you know who……would you still praise him ?
Our Club’s PR is all wrong IMO…needs to change….quickly.
Totally agree, having confidence is one thing but some of the guff and arrogance with some of the shite that comes out from some of the management and players pisses me off, and If I were john kennedy I would be more concerned about our defenders being unable to deal with any sort of cross ball, than talking to the media, most of whom are current buns only to happy to spin any story regards us
I agree with most of everyones comments on here! But i,m finding it harder and harder to stomach whats going on at celtic! selling our best players all the time and mostly ending up with duds! Totally just a buy and selling club! C,mon celtic please sort this out for your fans.
We don’t seem to have a plan b never mind a plan c.get it sorted or face a bleak future in Europe.
Couldn’t agree more james, I thought as a graduate of sports science myself that it was good to hear in his first few days but now I am totally fed up with reading nearly every day the same old stuff from delia , even when someone’s played really well he just says yes they did ok but it’s about improving , being an athlete making choices blah blah blah . How many interviews of this do I have to read, as if he is some sort of football visionary who has brought through superstars of the game in the past. Now I’d understand if this was van basten , cruyff , someone of this calliber, however the reality with the greatest respect to ronny is that he is a thirty nine year old guy from Norway with a limited playing career and the only player of note he has nurtured is the boy who’s at Real Madrid. Now if I am fed up reading all this visionary stuff for him then watching that translate to total pish on the field, what do you think seasoned pros with multiple caps are thinking if he is spouting this every day in the dressing room. It’s not hard to figure out where the problems lie
To many of the Celtic players THINK they’re better than they actually are and the Manager has them believing because he thinks he is actually a LOT better than he is…John Collins is a lackey and I couldn’t believe a quote from JK after the Malmo game someone criticised the zonal marking and JK’s defence was and he used big Virgil as an example he said if he asked Virgil to pick say their number 8 up all the number 8 needs to do is go to the back of the box taking Virgils height out the centre FFS virgil just tells someone else to pick up the number 8 I nearly fell off my chair at that reply schoolboy stuff pure nonsense.
If I was the celtic manager my team for Thursday would be
GK Gordon
RB Janko
CB Lustig
CB Simunovic
LB Tierney
RM Brown
CM Bitton
CM Armstrong
LM Izzaguire
FWD Commons
FWD Griffiths
Izzaguire has been slated time and time again he’s asked to go up and down that flank like a donkey all night /day long he can get past some one and deliver a good cross..and he can help tierney defend we’re away from home so defending comes first!!!
I can’t agree more James, it seems to me a lot of these players think there better then they are. Yes they have every right to say we’re a better team and things such as that but they need to back it up. If people look at some of celtic greats they have always said intelligent and thought provoking things, now all we get is arrogance and egotistical players thinking there great. They definitely need to sort them selves out and I think the only way to do that is to get rid off the bad influence as people will generally lower themselves to the lowest they can get away with if in a group.
At last , I have been saying exactly this for months. Everyday it’s someone else giving it we will do this and that. When we all know that any player or coach worth there salt simply let’s their feet do the talking on the pitch, and in some regards I fear our club is becoming a laughing stock.
Can I remind everybody its September, ok we got horsed out the Champions League but what happened to faithful through and through.HH
I never thought I would say it but we are becoming like the old rangers arrogant.Celtic need to get a grip ASAP it cannot always be someone else to blame.
I have read many of your daily blogs and have held back commenting but I think you have nailed this one right in the head so apart form myself and any of the the many true Celtic supporters that reply to you does your message actually filter through to the larger egos at Parkhead I will continue to read your excellent blogs and hope that someone more than the Minnions take heed of good common sense as we don’t want to be following the route of them on the South side have gone Hail Hail
One things for sure nothing in life is Guaranteed you have to work for it Come on the Bhoys for the first time in his Managerial life Ronnie and his backroom staff are being tested and coming up short so far lets hope they can turn it around.
James
I admire your writing very much and your analysis of the others is forensically accurate and compelling but, essentially, when it comes to your own team, you’re just an eloquent whinger blinded by fandom of the worst kind, the mismatch of expectation vs reality!
Ronny’s…….. latest wise words
“We know what we are doing and know exactly what is wrong” we are losing too many goals
says our manager………….Thanks for that wonderful info Ronny, never would have guessed
that was the problem.
Just wonder where the vast improvement is going to come from?
Why not take a good look at your tactics …..the gaps in our defence are nothing to the gaps you will see on the terraces if there is not a rapid improvement……and when the fans stay away the writing will be on the wall for the management team.
Well put together James. For a long time now, our club has suffered from a lack of leadership. A blanket ban on these non media savvy guys is overdue just as a gutsy, playing for the jersey performance is. I’ll keep the faith with Ronny for as long as he does with us but he needs to savvy up. I believe that the media bloodlust for him last season swung a support which was very sceptical. We’re still with him, but unlike some we will not go blindly on the promise of domination, questions will be asked. Give me effort, two up front and a wide pacy man and we’ll deal with the rest later! Hail hail.
Don’t always agree with you James but I have to this time. The club’s PR Department have to start doing their job by telling the press – and the staff, including the players – what is, and isn’t, up for discussion. After that the management, the players and the scouting staff who couldn’t find a decent striker with a map and compass, need to start doing theirs.
One thing wrong about you finding fault with Deila’s talk of winning before Malmo game . The boasting by Deila was very small time compared to the naked aggression and spiteful boasting by the Malmo manager and his players.
I hate reading about these possible rumours of dressing room discontent . If they are real publish the whole story warts and all , or else stop doing possible damage to the club we love .
The Scottish media always tries to upset us before important matches , why should our bloggers help. The players , the managers and more important us the fans need us all together to lift the gloom .. Spreading unsubstantiated rumours doesn’t help
I blame Johansen for all of this, he is an energetic player in the role he was used in last year, but this season he acts like a spoiled brat on the field. It’s almost like the coach is pandering to him because he has a hot mother. Deila loves the guy and plays him in RW & CM when there are clearly better options. He acts like he has already secured a move to Northern Italy with his silly head band. Armstrong clearly like to mess with him. When Johansen scored in the qualifiers Armstrong went straight up to him and pulled his hair out of his head band. He needs dropped for 5 games to get his feet back on the ground. The only player that had said anything that needs saying so far is Gordon he pointed out that we lost almost our whole defence. All this positiveness is coming across as arrogance and motivation. I agree it must be stopped.
Dj is spot on,if you’ve got Info on the dressing room woes then put it into your blog,even if it turns out to be untrue or slightly off the mark,spreading rumours about our dressing room and slating ex players who are on the coaching staff is for the Daily Hun and the rest of the Scottish media, who’s sending jk out to speak to the press in the first place, I think we all know RD,JC,are the problem with a special shout out to a certain Mr Lawell,get Lambert in before someone snaps him up,and I’d guarantee any players with so called egos, will be put in there place by a true footballer with the medals and managerial nous to help us in the defence of the title, and maybe even European football after Xmas,the current management are clearly out of there depth at a club of our stature and status within the Scottish game…..
Brilliant.
Their arrogance beggars belief.
I do wish they would all stf up and let the football do the talking, cos at the moment their football is saying ” We are overrated Shite “.
And it’s bloody soul destroying to watch.
Fed up listening to Celtic fans saying why do we always sell our best players, well if a player wants to go to a better league, better money, more status to get international caps WE or no one else will stop them, get real now we are a selling club cause you sure as hell don’t make money out off Scottish league.
whats going on at this club, know people are not happy behind the scenes, stephen frail away, club doctor away, only club without a doctor, players and staff not happy with collins, thinks hes the greatest, have to get rid soon, these people left because of him, celts wake up.
That dietician masquerading as a team manager needs to go and shut the fuck up while he’s doing it . Take six-pack Collins and zonal Kennedy with him along with the dud defenders they’ve signed too , ideally . We’re a fuckin’ shambles , I shudder to think what’ll happen in Amsterdam . I suggest putting out a traffic cone in Boyata’s place , that mug is worth a two goal start to any opposition .
Right on the money , in a previous response I mentioned I thought there was a consummate lack of style about the club ,and this is part and parcel of that , players mouthing off , usually in conjunction with them either being just in the door , having a mare of a game, or being out injured. There is no percentage in it , and no up side for the club. Behind the scene’s is no better , and if anyone is in any doubt about the mind set and message from Celtic Park being out of touch , misguided or inappropriate , then look at what it has culminated in this week. A letter being sent out to supporters about personal hygiene , which was always going to end up in the public domain. Lets put aside whether that is appropriate or not , how could anybody be so clueless as to sanction such an absurd decision and open us up to the inevitable world wide ridicule that would inevitably follow . It stems from arrogance , an across the board disregard for the support , and more worryingly a complete lack of sense . If you think what has been put on this blog this season is off the mark , then I would respectfully say this to you, if you take a step back and look at the domestic set up that we compete in , given what has happened over the last few years , don’t you think we should be so far over the horizon from the rest of Scottish football as to be completely out of sight . Im sure we will successfully compete domestically this season , but I fear the continued downsizing and lack of strategy will see us making a hard job of it . If you think this is a breach of faith with supporting the club , I think just sitting and swallowing every bit of sh@t they throw at you without question is a breach of that faith. At an AGM a couple of seasons ago , a newly appointed suit , whose name for the moment escapes me , said to the support at the end of the meeting , having been questioned on the clubs finance,s ” you just behave yourselves ,and let us worry about the money ” there it is right there. I would like to see ” Us ” back , but im not holding my breath.