Although my Saturday afternoon was spent in the local park with a grand-daughter ( isn’t it amazing what men – even old ones -get up to nowadays?) I did manage to travel up to Glasgow in the morning to meet the guys from the former Belfast Shamrock CSC ( now the Jim Craig CSC, I’m delighted to say).
As usual, they were great company and showed a marvellous enthusiasm for the club and all its activities. They were probably even more buoyed up by the fact that Celtic were meeting Hibs for the second time in four days, having disposed of them comfortably by four goals to one in the first match, at Easter Road last Wednesday. All of us were expecting a repeat dose of that thrashing at the weekend. Now, I have not heard from anyone since the match but I should imagine the expression ‘pig sick’ might have covered their emotions by the end of the game.
Like all of you, I was rather hoping that Rangers would have their usual struggle at Pittodrie, dropping at least one point if not three while we achieved a good win at Celtic Park, cutting the deficit down. Instead of that scenario, we now lie 12 points behind the Light Blues, admittedly with one match in hand, hardly a situation to the liking of anyone with Celtic’s interests at heart.
These are difficult times. Players and management will turn up again at Lennoxtown tomorrow, all feeling slightly miffed in their own way. The manager will be seething by the points dropped but cannot be too critical of his charges in case he causes relationships to deteriorate. The players who were on the field on Saturday will be annoyed by the stick the fans sent out and the criticisms in the press about their showing. And those not in the squad for the Hibs game will be queuing up to see the manager, demanding that they are included in the list for the next game……
…..which is another easy one against Rennes at home on Thursday, followed by a trip down to Fir Park on Sunday to face Motherwell, at the moment three points ahead of us in second place. Quite a schedule! Is this not the time for the players to show their worth and commitment to the cause?
Jim Craig
Jim Craig Celtic Supporter's Club 
Jim,
it was certainly an honour and a pleasure to meet you on Saturday. It was a great start to the day and we certainly could have spoken with you all day long (and then some!) on all things Celtic.
As you said, the game was a huge disappointment. The lack of ideas, urgency and passion from the players was startlingly. Given Neil’s reaction after the game and ‘outing’ his strikers as some of the main culprits it will be interesting to see how the squad reacts. I am beginning to think there is some issue behind the scene that we are not privy to – this is the same squad (more or less) from the one that last season nearly clinched the title. The difference in attitude between that team and this is quite marked.
Anyway, we will get that photo we showed you scanned in and passed on as soon as we can.
Regards,
Steve
p.s. your position on how you would have played Wee Jinky was quite interesting!
It certainly was great to meet with you prior to the game Jim. As for the game itself, it was a damp squid to be perfectively frank. Just so ineffective in the middle of the park, and up front. Forrest played half decent, and produced the best effort of the game, clipping the post in the 2nd half… buty apart from that there needs to be a fire lit up under some of our players a$$es. Its not good enough playing host to a team that we beat comfortably in mid week, thinking we have a God given right to get all 3 points – we still need to work for the victory which we didn’t do.
Lenny is right to out some of our under achievers – we might not have a greatest players in the world, but we should have the greatest players in Scotland… with the present attitude/application from the squad, I have to question their mental attitude to each game. I believe we can still claw back points in the title race, but we need to get more consistency in our games. Frankly we need to be beating the likes of hibs at home!
Rangers losing points is going to happen, and we need to be able to capitalise when it does. Perhaps their threat of administration will help as the season progresses,but we cannot simply relay on events off the field enhancing our title hopes…. we need to be doing our bit on the field.
Do we need to purchase in January? Do we need to have a bit of a clear out? If so, who do we get in and who do we clear out?
Jim – In hindsight the afternoon spent with your granddaughter in the park was time well spent, rather than at the game!! 🙂