Celtic fans were given another demonstration of the dark arts employed in top level football as they watched their side lose 6-0 to Atletico Madrid.
There is a massive gulf in ability between the two teams but under Diego Simeone the Spanish side know how to milk the system by pushing match officials to the limit.
When Daizen Maeda pulled out of a potential red card challenge his opponent, Mario Hermoso made sure that contact was made, rolled around squealing while his team mates and the Atleti management team howled for a VAR review and red card.
They got their wish, the match effectively ended at that point with Maeda suspended for Celtic’s match away to Lazio at the end of the month.
Meanwhile other similar or worse incidents went unchecked and unpunished.
Got sent this… arguably worse than Maeda’s challenge as his weight it behind the straight leg.
Why aren’t we telling players to roll around and get these reviewed? Even St. Mirren were savvy enough to give it a bash at Parkers! pic.twitter.com/bw0d5W7hnT
— ? Gastro Celtic ? (@Gastro_Celtic) November 8, 2023
Kyogo Furuhashi and Alistair Johnston suffered worse that Hermoso but nothing was made of it. Clearly in the modern game you have to apply the dark arts to ensure a level playing field.
Celtic players need to go down and stay down, team-mates need to harass officials into action. Only then will they be able to concentrate on matching opponents in terms of ability.
Kyogo should be rolling on the ground and we should be surrounding the ref putting pressure on for a red card. All the top sides already do this so why not us. pic.twitter.com/OZST1d5Mtd
— Rikos (@Rikos67_) November 7, 2023
100% agree. Their guy did a double pike Greg Luganis and his mates swarmed the ref with the card gestures. Gamesmanship, cheating, whatever. Play them at their own game. They actually coach it into them.
— John (@Brady99John) November 7, 2023
We’re not ‘cute’ enough for the CL. These are the times I really miss Broony, as he’d be in their’s and the ref’s faces at challenges like that.
— T (@thefavritwan) November 8, 2023
Any worse on Kyogo ????? pic.twitter.com/jz5s9asorh
— azzurri 13 (@13_azzuri) November 8, 2023
Athletico Madrid are an absolutely repulsive club. They always have been, and always will be. Repulsive and cheating head coach, who is also cowardly. They have repulsive and cheating players whose behaviour is shameful. They learn that at that club. The so called head coach is a disgrace to humanity.
The referee yesterday is either a cheat, accepts bribes, is easily influenced or is incredibly stupid. He may indeed be all of these. He is certainly incompetent at the very least.
UEFA have totally corrupted and destroyed the game of football as we know it. All for the sake of money – the new God. This is not the great game we grew up with.
Our club, officials and players always have shown restraint and respect for others, as do the clubs we are closely associated with, such as Athletico Bilbao, St Pauli, Villarreal, Celta Vigo, Raya Vallecano and our lovely Japanese clubs. etc etc.
Yet we have had to share the same turf as this trash from Madrid.
Really? No green tinted specs there? We were our usual naiive shite selves. We know we can compete but our lads enter every game trying to shake the nervous monkey from our backs. We don’t believe we are better so we lose…. Every time. We are just as talented, and have just the same level of skill. We lack one thing….. Belief…….. Fix our mental state and we will not make fools of ourselves
I agree, Atletico are a despicable Club. Always have been!
The one complaint I have about Celtic is the Board.
Are they just going to accept this like the pussy’s they seem to be, or will the Lawwell do what he should be doing as use his influence, considering he is well in with these guys. I suspect he is only I terested in how full his bank account is.
Guess what? Our board were always self-serving c@nts. That all changed when The Bunnet was in charge. ‘cept it didn’t. He was also a self-serving c@nt. Diff was that he knew we all loved the club (as did he). He put his money where his mouth was and Celtic is as strong today because he did. Yes he fucked off with his payback, but, currently, do yo begrudge him? I don’t. The diff with the current board is that they did not invest a single penny, they were co-opted on to the board with the promise of ham tomorrow and they now spread that jam today. It’s in the wrong hands. HH
The baws burst European football over for another season.
Aberdeen will beat us on Sunday and sevco will take full advantage of that.
We won’t be winning the league this season that’s for sure.
Oh and Roy will be gone by Christmas time. BOOM!.
That is total bollox
Better watch what you are putting in your Cornflakes now, Scud!
You need to get a grip Scud. Last season you told us that ICT would beat us in the cup final, after some poor results once the league was won. How did that one turn out?
Now there is a small possibility that Aberdeen MAY beat us on Sunday, but I won’t be betting on it, not when we have two more rest days than them.
As for your claim that wd wont be winning the league this year for sure – hmmm let’s wait and see. You can be sure I’ll be around to remind you.
Brick for Brick – Boot for Boot – Bottle for Bottle –
That’s the only show Celtic should have in Scottish Football (and in Europe v the likes of Athletico Madrid)…
But we don’t – won’t – and never will in Scotland or Europe…
Forelock Tug for Forelock Tug – Belly Tickle for Belly Tickle –
That’s the Celtic boards way I’m afraid…
Well not in my name – And certainly not in ma season ticket money for the last ten years and probably never again…
Whilst most of us don’t like to see players acting, rolling on the ground or surrounding the ref,
IF that’s what has to be matched in European games, then the coaching at CFC is lacking?
And whilst the Board ‘richly’ deserves all the abuse coming its way,
I’m not convinced BR is the guy to deliver any meaningful progress in Europe,
even with better players.
Today, BR’s CFC European record is 46 managed, 16 wins for a 35% win ratio.
At Liverpool, and much better players it’s 22 managed, 9 wins for a 41% win ratio.
Combined: 68 European games, 25 wins for a total 38% win ratio.
BR ‘should’ still deliver the SPL titles, but don’t think he’s the guy to make inroads in
European competitions?
[And, that’s not being simply p!ssed off about last night but a concern that’s grown since his
surprising, “I work with the players I’m given” quote.]
He came back on his own, without his previous backroom staff. So, they got him on the cheap.
That is why he was
“The Outstanding Candidate”.
Nothing to do with ability!
From what I hear generally, the fans have just about had it with this Board. Disillusionment setting in deeply.
You can con some of the people some of the time but ………..
[Edit]
Forgot to add LCFC Euro stats, and BR did get them to the Conf League semi 21/22.
29 games managed, 13 wins for a 45% win ratio (highest of his 3 clubs in Europe).
LFC, CFC, LCFC combined: 97 games, 38 wins, for total career 39% win rate in Europe to date.
Just as a similar-ish comparison,
David Moyes whose Hammers lifted the Conf League trophy last season,
has a significantly better European record than BR:
Everton, ManU, West Ham combined: 66 European games, 40 won for a 61% win ratio.