There is a narrative in our media that we should all be big boys and girls and suck up and take what’s hit us right between the eyes this weekend.
Our media is good at this stuff, at sneering at its customers, at sneering as those who the hacks, in their ivory towers, view as the unenlightened scruff.
It’s one of the reasons I despise almost all of them.
We are forever being lectured by these people – people who make their living on the fringes of the game, people who haven’t paid a penny to watch a football match in years – on how we are supposed to feel about our teams, our players and now our managers.
We are treated as though we deserve a good using, that it should wake us up to how “the real world works” as though we were all utterly incapable of understanding it.
And I’ve long been sick of this, but today I’m particularly pissed off and wholly unwilling to suffer it in silence.
Kicking football fans when they are feeling down is the stock in trade of an industry so far removed from the people in the stands that it can barely see them as its members look down. The arrogance of it, especially when so many of them are woefully inadequate in their own understanding of the sport and the issues around it, is hard to credit.
This idea that our fans have played the role of “wilful idiots” for daring to believe that a man who spoke of integrity and loyalty actually embodied those ideas is garbage.
We are well aware that there is little loyalty in the game; this is why we so readily embrace that handful of people who seem to be cut from a different cloth.
We did nothing wrong here, except put our faith in someone who seemed to exemplify an attitude which is uncommon in our sport.
That’s why he was embraced in the first place, because he did appear to be different. I will not apologise for that, and I will not accept that somehow I am an idiot because somebody else chose to act dishonourably.
Some of the same journalists who are sniggering at us today will call Postecoglou a man of principle, a straight shooter, a man of character … even as they criticise us for having dared to believe those self-same things. That he has turned out to be much less than he claimed does not make the average Celtic fan a moron who deserves to be cast as one.
We, like all football fans, are entitled not to be treated as such, and if we feel pissed off today I’m betting that’s nothing compared to how people inside the club feel … and they too are entitled to think that our club was owed a modicum of respect.
This is the only industry where its customers are actually scorned for their loyalty, and the people doing it are those who have a responsibility to promote the game.
In Scotland it’s made worse because these same people do nothing but slavishly praise the league down the road, and you can tell some of them would love to be working in its environs instead of up here.
Hey, if they had a modicum of talent then they would be.
But I’m really sick and tired of these condescending tossers having a pop at our supporters because we occasionally fall prey to the idea that there might be more to some people in football than greed and naked ambition.
When someone promotes himself on the basis of integrity then aren’t we entitled to expect it? When someone sits in front of you and pledges to be around for a while longer why are we treated as if we’re arseholes for believing that?
The media ought to save its contempt for the people who play these sorts of games, but of course that would involve telling a little bit of truth to power and nothing scares them more.
Fans are easy targets, and they view us as unimportant anyway.
But let me repeat; this is not our fault.
We did nothing except put our faith in someone who said all the right things.
I am not going to apologise for that, I’m not going to pretend to feel embarrassed by it.
I’m pissed off because somebody lied to me.
I’m not asking for understanding or compassion, but I’m damned sure I’m not going to let some idiot hack take the piss out of me either.
I mean what was he meant to say listen guys I’m leaving then put a dampener on the treble.. I mean a reality check is indeed required here. Big Ange was brilliant for us.. and I am not going to be a hypocrite and start criticizing a guy for this. Ange has got a fondness for the club, but it’s too good an opportunity to turn down. Say he gets a 2 year contract on 100 grand a week, and gets sacked after 6 months, they will still have to pay him the remainder of his deal. He will be testing himself against insane teams like Man City etc, it’s far too good to turn down. The next manager who comes and performs anything like Ange and he will also be in the premier league as well. I have absolutely no problem with this as long as we are winning title after title.
Thank goodness for a sensible comment. What’s with the mass hysteria on these forums? We weren’t used any more than all Scottish clubs are ‘used’ by ambitious people looking for an upward step on the ladder. Ange was great for us and I wish him every success in his new job.
he did lie to us….he is not the straight talker we all thought he was…
i see snake rodgers has distanced himself from the post – thank jesus ! just hope he was never in the boards list of possible replacements….
i hope, no matter who gets the position, the fans don’t sing songs to him/about him…they are just mercenaries….including the players !
all this heart thumping and badge kissing – all boke inducing !!
the only honesty in football comes from the fans – and we be shafted time after time…
HH
The Board gave him a rolling one year contract. Hardly a vote of confidence for a man with a young family. That screams succeed or go with very little compensation. Every year! He succeeded after year one so where was the 3-4 year contract as a reward for that success? I agree with you nothing to do with the supporters but could the Board have done more earlier to secure a longer term contract with a ridiculously high get out clause – I think they could have.
Utter bs!! He was offered a contract last year! Do catch up he and his agents been whoring it down south all season ” mhate”!!
I always had it in the back of my mind how he walked away from his Japanese team. I hope he remembers not to
leave the dross behind that he signed. I felt he treated the boy Welsh poorly and even, at times, Ralston.
Idiot
James, Ange was great for Celtic, but he has now moved on for a financial step up, who can blame him. He has been up front in every way, and we should wish him well. Please continue to scrutinise our dire sports ‘writers’ but dont get hung up on them, as they are a joke. Treble winners again .. as you have stated many times, we are so far ahead financially our next manager will continue success.
Down south i meant
” Up front” ha ha you got s strange definition of that no more this fan bhoy bs he is a chancer and showed our club zero loyaly ! As i said below he been off mid season if he had an offer from any club in that league! As i told you all on here months ago!. Celtic are one of the most iconic clubs on the planet! Living in Australia i saw that even more with our fanbase so commited but save us from this bs if we were in that league down there he never got a job with us people slated Rodgers but he was a top manager there provan and still is! This guy nahhhh no more please! As it making my and our Great club look small!! Same with some the so called Celts on radio from down south today.Go support the aussie in let us focus on CELTIC A CLUB LIKE NO OTHER!!
He came to Celtic as an unknown, here anyway, and that helped him a lot and the fans were willing to give him a year anyway. We could have refused to buy the season tickets even but he surpassed our expectations, which also helped him. Even Keegans` Absolutely Not Good Enough turned out to be a positive for him. He now has a reputation which will mean there will be no honeymoon period and will have to hit the ground running and running faster than at Celtic.
He might find his luck running out rapidly now.
I will wish Ange well . When he was appointed everyone said WHO , many supporters as well and after the first six league games how many people actually had him staying beyond Christmas. What he has achieved is nothing short of miraculous and the club is in rude health with the prospect of more CL money . Compare that with the shite across the city . Hopefully the club are bold and move for someone like Graham Potter . Hail Hail ??????
He looked as if he was going on sat.
Good managers will always be in demand, unfortunately our neighbours are cash rich thru tv deals and can pay much more and offer a better squad in a far bigger league.
If our next manager comes in for 2 seasons adds quality to the team, has them playing attacking football and wins 5 of the 6 trophies going that suits me.
Best of luck to Ange. I suspect in a few years time he will look back and see the mistake he is making. He will have his work cut out for him at Spurs thats for sure.
Good manger! Celtic put this guy on the map!! Yes he built a decent side but he would never got a job in a million years down without us ! I warned plenty on here about aussies and the ” epppllll mhate” you need to live or have kived there to see see its like,and its vomit inducing! Same way they madly love the monarchy its all about validation and relevance for them suppose its living so far away thst dies it but its real alright!He has been whoring himself to plenty clubs down there also with his agents believe it! And he would have went to a brighton leeds etc mid seasom given half a chance! The guy showed zero loyalty and that bs pumping the chest on saturday bs! Tho he never fooled me for a second! He be back in Melbourne for his Christmas! With plenty time on his hands i might just bump into there. Lets move on from this guy no more fan bhoy crap! He was a chancer!
We will pick up £5-6m for him most likely not a bad piece of business. The rolling contract is not such a bad thing you will always have a year of the contract to run.
Talk of £30m for Kyogo…. Thoughts?
The issue here is the way that he left. It is now clear that he had been talking to Spurs and had more or less agreed to go there, even before we had played the cup final. All that unhelpful speculation and the distractions of last week was caused by this. Maybe that ways a factor in the mediocre performance. But what if we had been playing a better team than ICT? Would we have won? Ange was quite happy to do this because it meant that Ange could get a better job. At the end of it all, all the chest- beating and big talking, there was nothing much there in terms of a genuine attachment to our club
Loving these comments wishing this insincere and dishonest low life of a man well particularly the, “What else was he meant to say”, excuse making nonsense. This is a man that’s just well and truly shafted you all with his pre-prepared Spurs contract ready for the inking lies. How sad if you think he’s an honest man and has integrity, how naïve, how gullible.
This man has lied to you all, through his lying snake breathed teeth. On Saturday and with guilt written all over his lying face whilst continuing that poisonous lie on camera, bare faced, in front of and to you all and your misplaced adulation. Not a second thought to or for any of you, but only for one thing, his own self promoting egotistical desires.
His actions without a parting word of thanks or decency in any shape or form stinks to high heaven and the more I’ve thought about it those actions are lower than anyone has treated this club or its fans in my book. Ever.
It was pretty damn bad when Rodgers left, though I always felt it was because the board and Lawwell in particular refused to back him financially in building a squad for a decent go at the CL and this played a large part in his move. The board gave more even in support of Lennon clearly a far worse manager but given Ange had more backing and support than any other before him he’s proven to be an out and out self centred and selfish to the core disgrace. Australia certainly does have the world’s most poisonous snakes. To the future and hopefully a manager that respects this club we love. HH
As i said all along he be off first chance he got! But its worse than that as he was a shyster i woukd had more respect for the guy if he said he was going last week i honesty think this guy thoughy it be ok to go down the road like its ” come on its the epllllll mhste” its an aussie thing.The love in for this chancer ends now lets all forget him same as the tierney i couldnt care less what they do now, people slagged Brendan difference is he was and is a provan top manger that could have stayed in england the aussie ” bloke” wouod never got a gig down there in a million years i almost wish we hadnt gave him the job now a total shyster! And he would have went to any club in that league any! He can do one save of all the nonsense you fan boys out there geez a break! Heard some on radio today pathetic! Making our club look small thrse clown shoesl!We move on now! The biggest mistake was not giving jk the job till end of season when rodgers left as he now been ready to be manager but the chancer lawell gave it to the fraud lennon! Big jk a real Celtic man that is a fact ! Got to know him a bit to as he trained at my gym and now the aussie going to take him to! Jks knows he never get top job unless he leaves. Lets move forward and forget the Aussie who i probably bump into at Christmas time as i am sure he be back in Australia to!! With plenty time on his hands! ” ehhh mhhhate”!
So you’re talking in the singular? Absolving yourself from us mere mortals?. All the adjectives ( look it up) you applied in your rant apply them to your good self hun worshiper.
“His actions without a parting word of thanks or decency in any shape or form stinks to high heaven and the more I’ve thought about it those actions are lower than anyone has treated this club or its fans in my book. Ever.”
By God this is a good post. Well said – all my thoughts in words I unfortunately cannot put down myself. Thank you.
Fair play there JF.
My comment on this is, Brilliant piece well written James and i believe most Celtic fans will agree with what you have commented to them even of it takes a while to sink in. Bottom line here is gave us unbelievable success in 2 years but has not been truthful to support or Celtic board when you go back over comments manager made to both in interviews and directly to support. Money talks in football but there is no way a contract to go to another club is just there after one meeting this has been in place for a while and means manager has spoken to Spurs before weekend cup final. What does this say about his Celtic commitment.
Agree its not about him moving on its the way he did it, there was a previous article ” a leopard never changes its spots” and hat sums up Ange as he did the exact same thing at Melbourne Roar, going on about making it three inn a row after their second League win, two days or so later he was off for another job.
There’s a glass ceiling that Celtic can’t rise above playing in this Country, we have a worldwide passionate support, a tremendous history and are an iconic Club but we will always be regarded as a stepping stone to a richer League by Managers and Players, I get that but don’t prattle on about future plans and improvements when you’re chasing up EPL jobs behind the scenes, that’s the poor bit, its not always about what you do but the way that you do it.
Brisbane Roar lol