The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

[T Fearon]

LB O'Neill left a team that was over the hill, Sutton, Thompson, Hartson etc. Strachan did well to rehabilitate the team, and win the league in his first year.

I agree that O'Neill is a better manager but he had more funds and most importantly Larsson.

Where Strachan  triumphs over Mowbray is in mental toughness. Also with Mowbray, you get the impression that f he had Messi, Kaka, Rooney and Ronaldo he still wouldn't produce a winning team. As others have said there is no sign of progress whatsoever and I see no reason in persisting with a busted flush

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

Clearly you werent looking as carefully as you claim lynchbhoy. There was a clear foul in the box by Hinkel on Edu which Ive actually just been watching on BBC Scotland. That well know Rangers man Pat Nevin saying it was a penalty too. I see Craig Dargo put in two dangerous tackles in the St Mirren - Accies game as well and wasnt sent off, must be that infamous anti Hamilton bias of the officials . If people want to blame officials despite looking closer to home to see the real source of their teams problems thats fair enough though, its certainly the easier option.

As for Mulgrew having a good game against Celtic is hardly a great achievement thesedays. He was moved on by Celtic due to his dodgy defensive abilities, moved on by Wolves and it seems likely he will be moved on by Aberdeen in the summer. He can hit a superb dead ball but is a weak link defensively at left back yet doesnt do enough going forward to play left midfield. Saw him at close quarters being ripped to shreds by a part time winger last season.

[Hound]

I thought the ref had a good game. He let the game flow as much as possible (for these type of games), he generally only blew up for proper fouls and only gave yellows for dirty fouls.

I'm sure Bougherra was one foul away from a 2nd yellow, but after Celtic went down to 10 men, he kept his nose clean. Thompson and McCulloch did nothing wrong, just got rightly stuck in as you'd expect your midfielders to do in such a game.

The Brown red was a big error of course. To suggest the ref was cheating is laughable. Brown was silly to get involved, and from the ref's angle and Lafferty's reaction, it looked a lot worse than it was. The simple fact is that Lafferty conned the ref and got Brown the red card (no surprise that he was whipped off straight away). The ref's biggest mistake was not consulting his linesman who standing a few yards away and saw everything clearly.

Can't understand how Fortune and Samaras get into the Celtic team ahead of Rasmussen. Maybe they look better footballers in training or something, but Rasmussen is a predator and a goalscorer, very much unlike the other two.

[lynchbhoy]

Clearly you werent looking as carefully as you claim lynchbhoy. There was a clear foul in the box by Hinkel on Edu which Ive actually just been watching on BBC Scotland. That well know Rangers man Pat Nevin saying it was a penalty too. I see Craig Dargo put in two dangerous tackles in the St Mirren - Accies game as well and wasnt sent off, must be that infamous anti Hamilton bias of the officials . If people want to blame officials despite looking closer to home to see the real source of their teams problems thats fair enough though, its certainly the easier option.

As for Mulgrew having a good game against Celtic is hardly a great achievement thesedays. He was moved on by Celtic due to his dodgy defensive abilities, moved on by Wolves and it seems likely he will be moved on by Aberdeen in the summer. He can hit a superb dead ball but is a weak link defensively at left back yet doesnt do enough going forward to play left midfield. Saw him at close quarters being ripped to shreds by a part time winger last season.

certainly didnt see it - was it in the first 60 mins?
again - mulgrew is no worse than a litany of left backs Celtic had and imo and the opinion of many others- esp at the time, he was better than what Celtic had. It is a case of what if - Celtic let him go and he ends up like a lot of players that get rejected, dont fit in etc - but he has given attacking perf and some decent def ones too that are as good as most LB's. Celticmoved him on as like many others he fell foul of strachans inability to man manage (or fall out with players as we call it!)

[T Fearon]

You hardly need a left back of Danny Mc Grain or Tommy Gemmell proportions these days in Scotland.

The main difference on Sunday was that every Rangers player played up to his potential  and with conviction, ffs Davis controlled midfield at times as if he was Platini, whereas the likes of Mc Geady and Brown were pale shadows of themselves (they were ten times better last season under Strachan), with arguably only Boruc playing to his for Celtic. That has to be down to the respective managers.

Also if Strachan was a poor man manager how come so many lads were very happy to rejoin him at Middlesbro?

I can only assume that the total lack of any credible alternative and a big pay off, is the only thing that is now keeping Mowbray in place at Celtic Park.

[lynchbhoy]

You hardly need a left back of Danny Mc Grain or Tommy Gemmell proportions these days in Scotland.

The main difference on Sunday was that every Rangers player played up to his potential  and with conviction, ffs Davis controlled midfield at times as if he was Platini, whereas the likes of Mc Geady and Brown were pale shadows of themselves (they were ten times better last season under Strachan), with arguably only Boruc playing to his for Celtic. That has to be down to the respective managers.

Also if Strachan was a poor man manager how come so many lads were very happy to rejoin him at Middlesbro?

I can only assume that the total lack of any credible alternative and a big pay off, is the only thing that is now keeping Mowbray in place at Celtic Park.

caldwell really wanted to rejoin him didnt he !
killeen and flood were told they would not be part of the first team , and I suspect that Robson and mcmanus were told they wouldnt be guaranteed a place so they moved - I am sure that the percentage cut in a transfer (if it happens) would be a big lure also.

Do you recall mulgrew at Celtic Tony - I do and he looked darn good to me at the time.

[T Fearon]

I recall many potential superstars at Celtic Park that failed to reach their potential. If Mulgrew was seriously any good, then he wouldn't be playing for Aberdeen.

[clarshack]

think these stats say it all really...

                 Pld     Won  Drawn  Lost  Win%
Barnes         29     19        2         8         65.5

Brady (Season 1)    55    33      12      10        60

Mowbray               41    20      9      12        48.78

at least Brady & Barnes had decent Rangers teams to contend with.

[lynchbhoy]

I recall many potential superstars at Celtic Park that failed to reach their potential. If Mulgrew was seriously any good, then he wouldn't be playing for Aberdeen.

do you recall Celtic having a decent left back in the past 5 years
a lot of the time Celtic didnt even have cover at LB (or RB) - fundamentals for any manger
so its not just a case of how good mulgrew might have been (ask Celic supporters who would have seen him play at reserve level and when he was breaking into the senior side as you obv didnt see him much if at all) - but a case of actually having someone who could play LB !
basic managerial fundamentals that strachan didnt have or allow himself (and Celtic teams) to have because of his pettiness !

[stibhan]

You hardly need a left back of Danny Mc Grain or Tommy Gemmell proportions these days in Scotland.

The main difference on Sunday was that every Rangers player played up to his potential  and with conviction, ffs Davis controlled midfield at times as if he was Platini, whereas the likes of Mc Geady and Brown were pale shadows of themselves (they were ten times better last season under Strachan), with arguably only Boruc playing to his for Celtic. That has to be down to the respective managers.

Also if Strachan was a poor man manager how come so many lads were very happy to rejoin him at Middlesbro?

I can only assume that the total lack of any credible alternative and a big pay off, is the only thing that is now keeping Mowbray in place at Celtic Park.

Sorry Tony I have to question your assessment of McGeady's performance last season. In Strachan's last season he was demotivated and was a shadow of the player he was at the start of THIS season. As for Brown he's been injured a long time and has never really hit the heights, even last season I didn't think he was anywhere near player of the year. Would have sold him for 4 million upwards in the summer. Obviously you've been too busy following Spurs to be able to make an accurate assessment.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Aidaniho also went into Sundays match having been ill for the previous couple of days and not having played a competitive match in a fortnight. TM even said after the game that Aidaniho was in no state to even finish the match - should he even have started?
Robbie wasn't match fit either and it showed in the second half.
As someone here has already mentioned why the feck does Rass not get a run out!!

[T Fearon]

Saw Celtic live 7 or 8 times last season and Mc Geady did well in each and every game. Mind you in the game I saw this season against Kilmarnock, Mc Court looked as good a player as  Celtic have.

Today's Daily Record indicates exactly what Celtic fans think of Mowbray..they all want him out.

[lynchbhoy]

Saw Celtic live 7 or 8 times last season and Mc Geady did well in each and every game. Mind you in the game I saw this season against Kilmarnock, Mc Court looked as good a player as  Celtic have.

Today's Daily Record indicates exactly what Celtic fans think of Mowbray..they all want him out.

ahh the record...
these I take it are the sam fans that wanted strachan out and also MON out in his last season too

anyhow heres what someone who has managed and captained Celtic to a European cup has to say about the refereeing on sun and referees in general...
he knows better than anyone else on the internet


McNEILL - REFEREES FAVOUR RANGERS
Celtic legend Billy McNeill claims referees in Scotland have favoured Rangers over the Parkhead side for 50 years.

The build-up to Sunday's Old Firm game at Ibrox was dominated by the admission from Celtic, through an unknown source, that they were aggrieved by decisions they believe had gone against them in matches this season - including their first two games against Rangers.

The controversy continued when Hoops skipper Scott Brown was sent off in the 1-0 defeat following a tangle with Light Blues midfielder Kyle Lafferty, who escaped unpunished.

McNeill, who skippered Celtic to their European Cup win in 1967 and who later had two spells as manager, told the Scottish Sun: "Celtic have been suffering referee injustices against Rangers for 50 years.

"The big decisions have always gone against my club and in favour of Rangers. Nothing has changed.

"I felt that way as a player, during two spells as manager and now as a spectator.

"This season I've seen it in each of three derbies - and what happened at Ibrox on Sunday was as disappointing as any I've had to stomach.

"I believe that when it comes to players being red-carded and booked, Rangers have been more favourably treated than Celtic.

"Yes, we have been unfairly treated."

[T Fearon]

Ach Billy would say that. But in all seriousness, if this has occurred (and I doubt if it has in recent times, not intentionally anyway) it has not stopped Celtic winning 42 titles, when they have had teams and managers of sufficient quality to do so.

[lynchbhoy]

you mean like before strachan and mowbray