by A trip to Celtic Park – a date in the calendar I always try to avoid – turns out.
Our record there is generally miserable – although our rare wins tend to come when you least expect it. Our points at Parkhead this season have certainly come from nowhere, and I suspect we’ll need the same level of defensive stoutness and, in particular, a goalkeeping performance if we’re going to grind anything out here.
It’s worth pointing out how different our team is now from that day in August. That day we started:
Mitov, Robinson, Considine, McClelland, Olufunwa, Carey, Smith, Phillips, Costelloe, Turner-Cooke, Jephcott.
The last three named have left the club. McClelland is out on loan for the Championship and Olufunwa is a bit of a part player at best. That’s quite a significant turnover in just over six months.
And that turnover is for the better, no question. There is more depth, a bit more quality, and in general we made ourselves harder to beat. That day there were a couple of excellent solo performances, and the work rate was off the charts.
Most of all, Celtic had an off day. There have been quite a few of them lately. They are far from the dominant, powerful force that swept all before them in the last few years. There is something that is not working enough for them and that opens the door, at least crack.
But what worries me is that they also have the ability to click out of the blue, as much as they did against Dundee hilariously a few weeks back. They are also putting pressure on the refereeing fraternity in a way that always works for them. I can’t shake the feeling that Saturday is going to be a long day.
Fortunately, because I’ve tried to avoid this day on the calendar, I’ll be far, far hoping for a great result – but above all hoping we avoid a big win, injuries, suspensions or anything else that could jeopardize the most important thing. the games we will have before the split – and especially after.
—
Sorry for the tangent – but last weekend’s game was canceled to look back on I want to climb on my soapbox.
“THERE WILL BE GOALS, THERE WILL BE DRAMA, THERE WILL BE… VAR!”
Those were the literal words that introduced Scotland’s main football radio show on BBC Scotland a few Saturdays ago.
That’s right, top billing given to a much-hated piece of technology, loved by people in the stands but adored by watchers who provide endless hours of controversy and tedious talking points without any need for research, insight or even really pay attention to the. games they are covering.
Sportsound was the soundtrack to my Saturday evening in previous years. The build up to every game, the team news, the anticipation building as you drive to the game or get on the supporters’ bus. Open All Mics was a great innovation – allowing up to minute updates from every game as an alternative to live game commentary.
Now it is a rabble. A complete shadow of what it once was.
The format hardly changes from week to week. A preview that discusses any of the week’s controversies – often topics that have been beaten to death online, in the news and on other podcasts and radio shows over the past seven days.
Then an extended interview with the Rangers or Celtic manager, depending on who is playing that evening.
Then a short trip around the rest of the Scottish Premiership grounds and maybe one or two in the lower tiers picking up team news, by which time it’s 3pm and the frequencies have been split to live commentary on whatever Old Firm team is on playing, or Open All Mic.
Inevitably, you mostly choose Open All Mics, and very quickly you wish you hadn’t.
In fact – a few weeks ago a large period of time was taken with those on the show talking about their Gladiator names. The nadir was when someone said someone else would be called “The Tadger”. The kind of teasing you’d get from an old boy in the pub you do your best to stay away from. Shortly after one participant at a Championship game was stabbed by Willie Miller for trying to update their allotted game.
You will then be able to Pat Bonner if you don’t recognize any of the players on the pitch who are not Celtic, and you will no doubt be trying to get any real sense of what is happening in your team’s game , or indeed. anything else.
The issue, to me, is that there are core players who want controversy, and others who are basically paying their season ticket for their team at the BBC. There’s a complete lack of insight, and unless you’re interested in top-billing VAR decisions every week it’s a tough listen.
It is understandable that the Old Firm is given prominence – at least to a certain extent – but I also think it is an insult to the spirit of Rangers and Celtic fans that the producers think they are incapable of listening to a show with a wider programme. remit are those two clubs.
There is a format that works. Find the formula that suits her and they’re onto a winner.
