Charlie Nicholas should be one of my heroes. I am old enough to remember two spells he had at the club, the first in which he was a wonderkid.
That man is part of the 100 goals club, along with the other players I’ve seen who’ve made that peak on the mountain – Griffiths, Forrest, Hartson and Larsson – and I should think the world of him.
But nope. And I won’t even pretend otherwise.
I don’t know if the story is true or not, but a mate of mine once told me he witnessed Nicholas campaigning for a Tory in Maryhill whilst wearing leather trousers. Like the expression says, “if it ain’t true it ought to be” because it so perfectly encapsulated what I’d always thought of him anyway that I’m convinced of it.
Nicholas’s vanishing from Sky Sports was one of the best things to happen to the channel. I never thought him a particularly intelligent analyst and there, as with his newspaper column, he spent an awful lot of his time being extremely negative about Celtic.
This week he’s claiming that he believes, from sources – haha! – that the injury to Hatate is more severe than Celtic is letting on and he could be out for a while. Odd then that the player is back in training and looking good to make the weekend.
But he also said that Iwata was poor at the weekend, which I think we’d all have noticed had it been true. What’s more, his performance was acclaimed by almost all of the mainstream media – and you know they’d have loved nothing more than to write about a bad performance.
Nicholas is either totally unable to see what’s in front of his face or this is a classic example of criticism from somebody who isn’t entitled to. Like some of the comments I occasionally get on Twitter or elsewhere from people who dismiss the premise of an article based on the headline but never actually read any further than that.
For criticism, any criticism, to be valid you need to work a bit harder than that.
Nicholas has got a brass neck in attempting to critique a player who he clearly didn’t watch, or at the very least when he didn’t have a clue what it was that he was watching.
Worse is spreading an utterly false rumour about one of our players … it’s for this reason than he is virtually regarded as a non-person around Celtic Park, where he would otherwise be a hero.
He’s saying today that Alistair Johnston is a weak link to be exploited
He’s lost the plot this guy
I remember when I first heard of George Bush’s comment…”do the French have a word for deja vu?” the first person who came to mind was Charlie Nicholas.
He is a bam.
Iwata was average at best on Sunday. Poor passing and caught on the ball numerous times. He did improve slightly but was by no means a positive stand out. As was big Matt.
I’m the same, he was one of my top 3 heroes (behind Henk & McStay) however his pathetic comments about Awata & Johnson have now proven that his views are from an ill-informed (non celt) third party.
I have no problem with ex players (Sutton, Lennon etc) justifiably criticising Celtic but this clown (sic) is done for me…..
HH
He’s just another has-been clinging on to his past fame and trying to stay relevant. He is even picking Beale’s team for him and attempting to highlight Celtic’s weaknesses, which he says are our full backs. I don’t entirely disagree with that down our left flank as I do think we can be vulnerable there.
Is Hetate back in trainin and lookin good right enough ? Havenae heard that, hope so, that would make me happy.
That left back obsession of yours and you don’t even get paid to be critical man
I’m must be missing out here SSMPM, did you get paid for your criticism of Starfelt? 🙂
Just a wee wind-up Johnny bhoy, I knew you wouldn’t resist a dig back when I wrote it and naw but it’s an easy call and I wish I did get a few bob. I bet you agree though, should’ve hung on to Jenz. Enjoy fella 8 games to go. HH
I liked Jenz, I really did, and Ange does has his favourites, his only flaw.
Nicholas seemed to criticise Celtic when he was with Sky, as that was the “go-to” opinion and one which seemed to garner encouragement from all parties there. I’ve no idea what his motivation is now, but he remains absolutely clueless.
Nicholas,like most of the has been from newco!, seem to vent their stupid opinions in the media,why don’t they just retire gracefully and leave the opinions to the people who know what they are talking about.please get a delegation up to get rid of alan Hutton.
It makes you think if it’s worth reading anyone’s coloum at all. If someone is allowed to write just to fill in the empty spaces. Any sports writer is entitled to his comments just like we are but when it just becomes Google-de goog why is it even published.
Regarding Tory, he was at that Tory election rally in 1983, The “Let’s kick Michael Foot’s stick away” one along with Steve “Interesting” Davis. Of course, Foot was an intellectual and superb public speaker unlike Nicholas who goes 15 rounds with the English language and wasted his talent. He has no insights, offers nothing and like McCoist only says what the average punter already knows,
There’s one thing you have to admire Nicholas for; he is willing to say what he thinks he thinks without fear of contraception, no matter the constipation. There ain’t many as dishonest as that nowadays. Another thing, he’ll be able to sleep slack at night.
Nicholas (ass) has had to blow his own trumpet for years so that,s all he has to his profile now , little asslicker for Huns , still gutted he never got considered for position at Celtic after his playing days , what he can identify in a player u could write on back of a postage stamp just a wee two faced traitor