As they desperately fight for an online future with print sales now measured in four figures The Scotsman has opted to go for the lowest common denominator that they avoided in their pomp as a national newspaper.
With a readership that could fit inside the Toni Macaroni with seats to spare The Hootsmon has given up most pretences and is looking for clicks from the Ibrox/unionist market
A daily diet of chucking stones at Celtic is on the menu with every option taken up to cast the club and especially supporters in a bad light.
One of the best examples was published on Monday as they surveyed the possibility of Celtic requesting postponements for matches involving three or more internationalists. The sort of thing that Ally McCoist would use to enjoy some R and R whenever Arnold Peralta was called up for Honduras with an SPFL match coming up against Forfar.
Lazily on Sunday The Hootsman had published quotes from Ange Postecoglou before the signing of three Japanese players including two current internationalists. Clearly that changes the prospect of postponing SPFL Premiership fixtures, going into three matches without four internationalists would be madness on Celtic’s behalf.
Leading with the sub-headline of Celtic are likely to have to ask for postponements of three cinch Premiership fixtures if they hope to avoid facing Rangers on February 2 without a host of absent internationalists.
The Scotsman ‘explains’:
It has emerged that the SPFL board would be unlikely to allow Celtic to be selective over which games they contested while they were without at least three senior internationals, and would accede to the postponement request only if the Parkhead club were also willing to re-arrange the away game against Hearts on January 26 and their fixture at home to Dundee United three days later.
Postecoglou stated this week it has been in his club’s “planning for a while” to deal with the loss of internationals across late January/early February. It may be that the knock-on effects of not playing Rangers – however understrengthed they might be for that derby – will be considered more problematic than taking the game on.
If Celtic and Rangers emerged unscathed from their first league fixtures back in mid-January, wherein Postecoglou’s side will host Hibs on January 17 before Rangers are in Aberdeen the following evening, then Celtic knocking out the three games scheduled to follow would give the Ibrox club an opportunity to take a strangehold in the title race.
While Celtic were inactive, their rivals would have the opportunity to open up a 12-point gap at the top of the table through taking full points from their home game against Livingston on January 26 and from a trip to Dingwall to take on Ross County three days later. Rangers are only expected to be without one player over this period, with Joe Aribo representing Nigeria at the African Cup of Nations.
As a box ticking exercise to the mobs on Ibrox message boards that little exert covers every conspiracy for the hard of thinking.
Once the Japanese and Australian squads are announced for the World Cup qualifiers at the end of January Celtic can make their request to the SPFL.
Meanwhile the better informed readership of Video Celts could fill the Toni Maccaroni several times a day with no subscriptions required and an audience that is independent of thought and growing steadily month on month.
Throughout their history Celtic have never once failed to pay Income Tax on time or requested a postponement of a game against Gretna. In 2007 Gordon Strachan’s team played Shakhtar Donetsk, Hearts and AC Milan over seven days while Walter Smith rested his Euro warriors from facing Doctor Kenny Deuchar and his pals.
Another masonic orange fuckin rag, the sooner these retards are signing on the better. HH
There you go again Johnny. Not engaging your brain and using the Retard term again. As stated on another site. Come over to the disabled section and use the term. The outcome wouldn’t be good for you. follow follow type comment from yourself. Go and educate yourself. DONT DISS MY ABILITY. And to you Joe McHugh. Is this the sort of language you want on your site. Sort it out or lose credibility.
I was led to believe that CELTIC and “9” other clubs wanted the winter break brought forward because of CELTICS injuries.. well that’s what “the rangers” told the media to say.
“The rangers” did NOT want the winter break brought forward WHY .because they had 3 players on international duty nothing to do with COVID . The SMSM should but won’t be ashamed of themselves. And where is the praise for the swift action taken by the “10”clubs including CELTIC from the Scottish Government.
I’m unaware of any statement from Celtic that would indicate the possibility of a postponement. Why wouldn’t we want to thrash them in February ?
The way this new variant is infecting the country we will be lucky to see any football shortly and why would you read all this $hit from the scottish blue media no wonder they have no readers they write complete rubbish anyway most of the news they print either comes from the Internet or the rangers blogs.
This form of journalism has become all too familiar since the demise of old Co, they can’t fing any other way to discredit Celtic. As a mid fifties Celtic fan who is accustomed to this shoddy practice, I still think they hope we suffered a dementia day on the 31/10/2012 and can’t remember liquidation.
All broadcast and written media should be ashamed of their hope that Celtic fans(all other teams) forget.
If you want to keep your history, have an unbroken payment history, don’t walk away from your debts, which the 2nd generation were only too happy to do!!