Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Ross County - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - March 19, 2022 Celtic's Georgios Giakoumakis celebrates scoring their fourth goal to complete his hat-trick REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Look at the headlines today and yesterday and what do you see? Celtic in an “injury scare” or the papers trying to dream one up. Today it’s about Giakoumakis, and how the Greek’s are monitoring him after he’d had a scan on his thigh that revealed nothing wrong.
Nothing wrong. They are monitoring him just in case.
But the media wants that to be a bigger story, and so they are talking about how Celtic are “in a sweat” over it.
No, we’re actually not.
The scan says there is no problem and if the Greeks are being a little over-caution let’s be honest here; that’s not something any of us are going to squeal about.
I’ll take their word for it, and those doing the scan, over the barely concealed glee of the Scottish media. The big guy is going to be just fine for when we need him.
Aaron Mooy has been sent home by Australia.
The press are speculating about him being injured, but he’s one of a number of players who has been allowed to leave so that the might prepare for upcoming domestic fixtures. Again, nothing to see.
We all know that Turnbull was withdrawn for Scotland after picking up a knock.
That’s a concern, but a lesser one because the midfield is the one area where we could afford to have a player or two out. O’Riley and Hatate and McGregor are our first picks most weeks, so provided it’s not an injury to one of them then we’re in good shape regardless.
Which brings me to the drooling the other day when Hatate was not selected for Japan.
Was he injured? Was it possible we’d lost one of our top midfielders?
Certainly, you got the impression that people in the media were hoping that he was. They were the only people speculating about an injury; others were just raging he wasn’t in the side.
Our media is a disgrace at times. They would love nothing more than to write about a new Celtic “injury crisis.” In fact, one player has been withdrawn from his squad because of an injury and all the rest appear to be fine.
Sorry to spoil a good story for them.
James,for years I think you are the best Celtic Blogger,and all that it means.Sometimes,too interested in what our enemies,of which we have Legion,but nevertheless,a person who speaks for the majority,of the fans.
If not I will say so.:-).
Haksabanovic showed last night that he’s more than capable of filling in the midfield positions if need be.
He started off on the left of a midfield 4 but moved right across the Montenegro midfield sitting deeper in it acting as playmaker, and doing a good job of it, as the game wore on, albeit in a short cameo role after coming off the bench.
The more i see him play the more convinced i am we’ve picked up a cracking versatile player here
On another point entirely, for years now we’ve been denied the chance of creating a bigger Premier League in Scotland in large part because the smaller clubs needed the extra revenue their games against Celtic brought in for them, but given that most clubs now are reducing our supporters capacity at their grounds, surely this is a good sign that they’re willing and ready to stand on their own and therefore removes the stumbling block of needing a smaller league.
Of course a bigger league would likely mean less Glasgow Derby’s a season if we done away with the split, but it could also negate the leagues dependence on the Derby being its only selling point to tv broadcasters as more teams could possibly be challenging for top spot with fewer fixtures against the Glasgow teams equalling fewer probable points dropped, coupled with a good run against the rest, giving them a chance
Been saying this for years. Teams play unadventurous backs-to-the-wall turgid pish against us and thems and sometimes each other because they’re scared of dropping points and ending up relegated. A larger league would allow a bit of breathing space in the mid-table and allow teams to try and be a bit more adventurous and that alone would help bring more fans back to grounds and put more money in clubs’ coffers. Who in their right mind would pay for a season ticket to somewhere like Livingston or Killie where a few bad results leads to a relegation dogfight full of “hanging on for a point” unentertaining garbage. The game here will never grow unless we allow clubs to grow and to do that there needs to be a bit of a mid-table safety net for say a decent-sized club like Hibs to have a bit of a bad season without worrying about relegation and seeing their best players leave for other top flight sides. How can any club build a consistent team that hopes to compete in the current set-up? Whether the clubs like it or not this should be the plan going forward. Playing thems only twice in the league would add even more excitement to those games.as well.
GET IT DONE YA FUDDY AULD BLAZER TWATS!
…and ye can bring back the bloody reserve league whilst yer at it.
Suppose the ultimate safety net for them would be to have a closed/no relegation Premier league for the full time professional clubs only; think we have around 21-22.
Would let clubs get experimental with tactics & play more youth, though i obviously couldn’t say if it’d work well and it’d definitely meet fierce resistance from the part timers.
Outside of that, we’re a small country with few clubs, so why do we have or need 4 divisions when we’d get by fine with 3
Excellent stuff here, could not agree more.
These guttersnipes really are disgusting.
Sitting behind their desks with a hard-on at the mere possibility of injury crisis. Sickos.
Just like they keep going over the McGinn never came to Celtic story
Should just hit them with the “Ronaldo/Ronaldinho/Cafu/Batistuta etc. never signed for Rangers either…oh and noo your klub is deed!” patter…
“Our media is a disgrace at times”, when are they not?
All for a larger league, some good arguments for it but wouldn’t want a closed/no relegation top league. That’s a Euro Super league thing and just not sporting to me