The other day, Paulina, our new writer, posted a piece on Kyogo and the ridiculous story that appeared in the newspapers last week suggesting that the Ibrox club might make a move for him. Even as a joke, it’s absurd—as she rightly said.
But it does raise the question: how much of the media should we treat as funny? How much of it is a joke? Some of these stories are deadly serious, yet sound every bit as idiotic as those. So telling the difference is very hard at times. I said at the start of the month that Kris Boyd’s suggestion that the Ibrox club should move for Greg Taylor sounded like an April Fool—but with these people, you never know.
Suggestions that aren’t meant to be funny and are actually supposed to be taken seriously are, at times, just as dumb. One of the worst offenders lately can’t seem to stop bumping his gums—and he’s a former player of ours.
Although, calling Scott Allan a former player of ours might be stretching the definition. Because Scott Allan spent an awful lot of time sitting on the bench. He didn’t spend an awful lot of time on the pitch, or showing us that he had something.
Allan was a terrible signing for this club—one of Peter Lawwell’s ego signings. We only seemed to do it to one-up the Ibrox club, not because the manager had a plan for him or saw a role for him in the team.
The other day he was full of stories about how, in the summer, there might be uncertainty around the future of Adam Idah.
Naturally, because I wrote about this the other day too, Mark Hendry—over at 67 Hail Hail, allegedly a Celtic fan site—picked it up and claimed Idah had been “told a truth he won’t like and now faces a summer of uncertainty.”
None of that is true. It’s pure supposition based on Allan’s own stupid assertion. It’s an ignorant opinion being spun as a fact.
This is a wannabe hack suggesting that Idah could leave, and an actual hack talking up that idea and trying to turn it into a story where no story exists. There is no question that Adam Idah will be at Celtic next season. Rodgers was speaking yesterday like a man with summer plans—but selling this guy isn’t among them.
Everyone knows that. For starters, there’s the £9 million transfer fee to begin paying back. I’m an Idah fan. I think he’s done enough this season to prove he’s a very good striker. It was his goals in Birmingham that convinced me—that was a top-class performance, and he’s not going to flop.
Allan is a clown who wants to make his name as a controversialist. And Mark Hendry? The less said about him the better. He’s a joke, and he always was.
Yesterday’s result is only going to increase the speculation that a lot of players will leave in the summer. I said in my last piece that we shouldn’t fear a rebuild. Why should we? We’ve rebuilt three or four times in the past decade. The latest player Allan’s bumping his gums about is Kuhn—simply repeating what’s blatantly obvious to every Celtic fan: that he was taken off because he wasn’t performing.
I said yesterday that if Kuhn wants to go he’ll be allowed to, but you know what? I expect Kuhn will still be here as well. We can all be angry watching performances like that yesterday, and the manager is just as angry. He’s probably more furious than the rest of us. But he said his piece. He’s told those guys straight—they’re falling below his expectations and ours.
This team has professional pride. This is a team of winners.
Neither Allan nor Hendry has any say in their future. Neither of those people will, in any way, shape or form, decide who stays and who goes. One man will make up his mind on that—Brendan Rodgers.
I won’t even ask what Hendry is doing using a Celtic site to sow seeds of doubt about the futures of Celtic players and the Celtic manager and whatever else he’s trying to do. That’s neither here nor there. If we’d won yesterday instead of losing, none of this would be relevant.
None of it would matter. But the result, coming on the back of recent form, has given them their window, and so these people are sowing their seeds at just the right time, and the last thing the rest of us should do is fall into the trap these self-promoters and self-publicists are trying to set.
If the team were doing their job properly there would be no ammunition for the snipers rifles, as it is though we are wide open targets.
Plain and simple we brought our C game and were never at the races. Their goalie was great and St J played really well. The question is why did we fail to rise to an important occasion again.
The manager and players warrant the criticism for that no show and on those wages can’t expect for there not to be subsequent speculation that comes with such underperformances. But a bit of balance and less angry Ferguson like responses over here would be a bit more fitting.
Some just love to be angry in the face of diversity. They’ll blame and target certain players repeatedly or attack the board or cast aspersions about others views like only theirs is valid; but it’s divisive and unhelpful.
Across the divide some folk love Ferguson for it but really it’s a laughable and a weak reaction and truth is invariably it resolves nothing. Hasn’t for him.
I’m hoping Brendan sits himself and the players down calmly, reflect on things with humility, accept their failings, stand up and input the necessary changes and go again to produce the better end to the season we all deserve. HH
“I’m hoping Brendan sits himself and the players down calmly, reflect on things with humility, accept their failings, stand up and input the necessary changes and go again to produce the better end to the season we all deserve. HH”
In that case you’re going to be sorely disappointed re Brendan – Brendan has never accepted he has any failings far less reflected what he needs to do to change such failings. I have no doubts the players will put in a far better performance vs Killie but in reality it’s too late by then – yesterday was the day for to perform!! It’s easy to get up for a game at home to win the title but you need to be up for every game – you won’t win them all – everyone accepts that – but what we don’t accept is a lack of fight, effort and (I’ll be honest and say I thought yesterday there was a serious lack of) desire to win the game. But that starts from the Manager – yes h’es a cool, calm, collected and well-rounded manager which is important in the modern era but so is Arne Slot but you watch his anger on the sidelines when Liverpool are underperforming. Even when we are terrible all Brendan does his shout words of encouragement, clap his hands and make notes !! How about occasionally losing it to show the players (and the crowd!) that he cares passionately – hell get booked for having a go at the 4th official or the nearside assistant ref just giving a throw-in the wrong way if necessary – anything to show your anger/displeasure at what you’re seeing!! Being calm, controlled and rationale is important but if that is your only way of delivering the message then the players will become complacent and that’s what we’re seeing.
‘Necessary changes’ – Two words that Brendan simply doesn’t recognise in his vocabulary wotakhun…
However as in all walks of life – It’s never too late to change and hopefully he will learn –
As for the team they absolutely deserve all the criticism going…
But a failed football player like Scott Allen certainly doesn’t get to dish it out…
And who in the fuck is Mark Hendry – I’ve never heard of him or who the hell he played for !
There’s no doubt that we are going through a sticky spell and even the manager is a bit baffled by the recent trend and mentality/motivation of the team.
However, in a way the heavy lifting has been done and the league is virtually in the bag with just 2wins needed to ensure the title.
In view of the upcoming cup semi-final, I look at yesterday’s loss is a massive and timely warning.
A win yesterday and we might have been thinking that the semi-final vs St Johnstone would be a walk over.
I’ve now Ive no doubt that we will be fully focused when we run out at Hampden.
Better to lose points at this stage that to slip up in the cup.
Its a celtic site because it lumps 67 and hail together ? Gimmie a break.
I didnt want to do this as there are those better qualified but here we are.
Plan B. The gaffer cant, why ? No personell for the job!. Allow me to try and explain team. 2 ways to play this type diamond set against us, play through it or push it up by the backline flooding the mids.
Remember the gaffer wants pace and power right? Who in the backline has pace , real pace? Aj and skelped for sure plus power, the rest? No. Carpet slippers? No way , naerocks? Nae chance, justin nae trust? The brickie? The salmon? ( death wish). So… some power no pace in that backline at all you will notice i have not mentioned taylor for obvious reasons as he tends to linger in the opponents half, less said the better.
So the gaffer knows he needs to effect the change but cant, go to plan b say on the hun game and you invite death by hoof ball! Actually play plan b on any team who break with us on plan b and our mafia goalie vinnie salo will have his work cut out no matter how many offers he makes.
Whats needed? Daft as it sounds 2 A damn heider ! 2 of them in fact!!pace and power better known as Adam idah . Adam is by far the fastest guy in the squad or close to it and the strongest . Can you imagine 2 of him or rather the protype in that backline playing plan b from mars ( i will leave that movie ref with u jf).
I made this a bit lighthearted , all true but after the weekend there are those jumping into br not realising he is hampered and its true a few are holding of , holding back. Even meada had an off day, personally i think with the end in sight more than a few of our ball winners our games winners are scunnered with the lack of protection, getting bootted black n blue week in week out and refs doing the square root of fuck all that they have just had a gutful and who could blame them .
Brendan doesnt need to look at how he motivates his teams, he does need to demand he gets the players to play his systems and that those players are protected. His board and his ceo are to be found wanting at these requirements.
The Dragon
The players blew it big time, the stage was set for a great week of anticipation and then celebration on Saturday, what a let down, BR and the backroom staff never show any emotion on the touchline, maybe they should. To lose goals so early in games, as they have in defeats at Easter Road and Parkhead against them, then compound it in Perth against the team at the bottom of the League is a bad bad habit to get into. It isn’t a surprise because we have started games very slowly in a lot of games this season, let’s face it, if our main opponents weren’t having such a bad season we would be really struggling to win this League.
Time for BR to look at himself in the mirror and kick a few axrses around Lennoxtown, and after that, how about working on a plan B plus practice defending cross balls from set plays.
We’re now liable to win the League on a lazy Sunday afternoon, with no Celtic Park celebration. We’ll take it, but that display yesterday has left a wee bit of a bitter taste.
“This team has professional pride”
That is what is being questioned, we need to see it for the rest of the season