Or should that be CFC(B)?
I said quite a bit about Jackie after the game on Saturday in my article and after having two sleeps on it I still feel exactly the same way - Jackie's tactics cost us any chance of a result on Saturday when a fragile Celtic defence looked there to be exploited.
The whole Celtic reserves thing has been said quite a bit since Saturday but in fairness that Celtic XI still had a number of internationals and certainly had far more Scottish Premiership experience than our team. Even the young lad at centre half has had more minutes at this level than both our centre halfs.
Back to Jackie though, and his refusal to try to attack in the first period really cost us the game. We played 8 behind the ball and in truth we were still cut open time and time again. The game really should have been out of sight by half time but Scott Fraser, probably our only bright spark in the first half (along with the much worked Luis Zwick), got us back in the game with a lovely bit of footwork to win us the penalty.
We were certainly better in the second half but we couldn't have been much worse. We missed Rankin's tenacity in the midfield but we did eventually get to grips with things in there. I thought we were pressing well and we were certainly looking for an equaliser when another Jackie mistake, leaving on the clearly exhausted Erskine, cost us the game. He couldn't control a simple pass on the edge of the Celtic penalty area and Celtic broke up the park and scored.
I felt sorry for Zwick. A big deflection and an og went by him and there was simply nothing he could do about it. I thought he was terrific and he deserved better than what he had in front of him.
There's not really much else to say. We were exceptionally poor and it's like everyone is just coasting along waiting for the moment when the axe falls on Jackie. Celtic deserved to win and given the fact it was a much changed team it just shows how poor we are.
Mr Thompson, it's about time you took matters into your own hands and got your eye back on the ball here. Jackie needs to go. Get it done.
DUFC 1 CFC 3
posted on 24/8/15
The finances are a sore point.
Everyone was on board with the debt reduction plan and we accepted we'd have to sell someone every year. However, the "debt" was mis-sold to us as supporters. We were told we had a certain amount of debt yet this was in fact only the bank debt - which has gone. We still have "soft" loans to wealthy supporters - apparently the guy that runs GE Engineering who has been rumoured to be interested in buying the club and Lorraine Kelly(!) - and it now appears that Thompson is intent on paying these off as swiftly as possible, despite their being no great pressure to pay them off.
I have no idea what our debt actually is because we're constantly being told different things by the club. Given how much we've taken in with fees, we shouldn't really have any debt left.
posted on 24/8/15
Bit harsh on the signings front Ivan. Those two were stand-outs but he's also signed a number of good players. Morris, Fojut, Paton, Erskine, McGowan and Spittal have all appeared to be at least decent signings. Plus the likes of Telfer, Connolly, Donaldson, Bodul and Zwick look promising from the limited time they've had.
I'm not sure what quality you're expecting on a mid-table Premiership budget, but they're all at least acceptable players for our level.
Also been a few stinkers of course such as Szromnik, Oyenuga, Anier, Bilate (due to his injuries) and potentially Dixon. The decision to loan out Graham to our rivals also wasn't the best, plus Gomis going and ending up at the team currently dominating the Premiership shows something's wrong.
That's what makes the team's current form unacceptable. We do still have a decent squad of players. The excuse of losing our best players doesn't hold water as we still have enough quality to at the very least see us top 6. The fact that he only got 4th with Gauld, Çiftçi, Robertson, Mackay-Steven and Armstrong is the problem. 4th & 5th over the last two seasons weren't successes but it makes our current form look better, as we're still underachieving. We should still be aiming for 5th, 4th or possibly even 3rd this season. How many teams actually have a better squad than we do?
posted on 24/8/15
Morris, Fojut, Paton, Erskine, McGowan and Spittal have all appeared to be at least decent signings.
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Decent yes, but good signings?
I liked Fojut but he and Morris had a terrible run last season for conceding goals.
I'm not a fan of Erskine if I'm honest. I don't see it with him.
I like Spittal but we've only seen him play well a couple of times this season. Last season he struggled (due to the manager). I do like Paton too although I accept he's a limited player. McGowan I like although not in midfield.
I think he's had more flops than successes to be honest.
posted on 24/8/15
"I think he's had more flops than successes to be honest."
The story of my s ex life over the last 35yrs
posted on 24/8/15
Depends on your judgement of good/decent. If it's only players the quality of Robertson of Çiftçi you see as good then I think you're expecting too much.
How many truly good signings did Levein have? He certainly had his fair number of flops. I just think that's the nature of playing at our level - no team in the Premiership has a stellar record at picking up players. Especially Celtic.
I just think for all of McNamara's problems his signing record isn't one of them, other than playing a system that relies on pace and refusing to sign anyone with any pace...
posted on 24/8/15
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 9 minutes ago
The finances are a sore point.
We still have "soft" loans to wealthy supporters - apparently the guy that runs GE Engineering who has been rumoured to be interested in buying the club and Lorraine Kelly(!) - and it now appears that Thompson is intent on paying these off as swiftly as possible, despite their being no great pressure to pay them off.
I have no idea what our debt actually is because we're constantly being told different things by the club. Given how much we've taken in with fees, we shouldn't really have any debt left.
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It might be a sore point for United but it'll be even worse for Lorraine if she's considering pimping herself out to the guy who runs GE Engineering.
posted on 24/8/15
Good catch.
posted on 24/8/15
Maybe I am overly harsh but on Erskine for example, he's really only had a good half season in 2 and a bit years.
I like both Fojut and Morris individually but you have to judge defenders by your goals against column.
posted on 24/8/15
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 24/8/15
Strikers signed by Jackie:
Boulding, Oyenuga, Graham, Goodwillie, Ciftci, El Alagui, Bilate, Anier, Muirhead, Murray & Bodul.
At the risk of writing off Muihread, Murray and Bodul, only Ciftci has been a success up until now.