Yes, it’s painful to watch. It is monotonous and extremely poor for the fans, particularly for all those who have travelled with the squad. The team might even lose a little respect for playing such negative football. But, what would you rather be doing; watching your team play in Europe or having to watch whatever else is on midweek because your team were trounced by a bunch of unknowns? Give me the dullest, most boring 0-0 imaginable then, please.

 

So, the FIFA Ballon d’Or award is due to be given out at the end of the year, isn’t it? I wonder how many votes Paddy McCourt will get…

No, seriously, the hype that the guy has been given by Celtic fans has been verging on ridiculous… But it’s more than deserved. His goal last week against Hearts was worth the ticket price alone and again we’re left wondering why Paddy won’t start (I know he’s just back from whiplash).

We all know he’s not fit like most footballers, but 60 minutes of Paddy McCourt, hell 20 minutes of Paddy McCourt, is better than a full game from most other players. It’s the way he goes by players with such ease, his finishing is painfully accurate and the way he puts a smile on every Celtic supporter in the stadium.

Neil Lennon really has to sort the team around McCourt when he’s on, because not only does he makes things happen on the pitch, but he gets the fans on their feet and the whole atmosphere among the support rises considerably.

I said a while ago that McCourt could easily play behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation, as he is a classic #10 type player. Given Maloney is playing some blinding football at the current moment in that position, McCourt really only can play wide and come in. But even if he doesn’t track back that often, we still have to play him whenever we can. Instead, we have a player who literally has an amazing skill of going by players… Yet we bench him more than we play him.

I say, play Paddy as much as we can this season, as more game time means more match fitness and since McGeady has gone to pastures new, the fans are crying out for a new favourite player. We have him, so let’s start playing him more.

Now, a job in PR or as an agent can be pretty difficult, as if you have a failing artist/player, it can be hard to sell them/him to others and make money out of it. Seems fair enough, but what Scott Brown’s representatives are doing is nothing short of wonderful PR for the Celtic captain, despite him having an on/off time at Celtic Park over the last couple of seasons.

To some, he’s a midfielder who can’t pass and can’t shoot. I think he’s ok, but that’s about it. What do some of the biggest clubs in the world think of him? Yeah, they only want to sign him…

It was in the media yesterday that not only Juventus, but the current European champions, Inter Milan, want the Celtic skipper. Steady now, hold the tears.

Baffling is not the word. I thought it was funny when Juventus were linked with Peter Lovenkrands all those years ago, but this is like when one of your mates takes it too far. But it doesn’t even stop there; Manchester United this morning were added to list (Of mental clubs) who are ‘interested’ in Brown, and a quotation from the article suggested that Brown is a ‘£12m rated Scottish international’. Ooooft.

How could Celtic get by without their inspirational captain? Who would give those stare-downs to the opposition? In all seriousness, if Celtic can recoup what they paid for Brown, then it is good business, as Juarez, Kayal and Ledley are all ahead of him in the starting line up in my opinion, when there’s only two central midfield positions going.

Finally, just a quick word about Evander Sno: I’m sure it came as a shock to everyone to see a fit and able professional footballer having serious health issues, and for him to be revived not once, not twice but three times is really something.

There are far too many professional footballers today that are having heart attacks and serious health problems, yet are the fittest people on the planet. When I read the news about Evander, all I could think about was Antonio Puerta, the Sevilla full back who died with a cardiac arrest three years ago.

Sno wasn’t everyone’s favourite player, but he was only young, and still is. I have great memories of him dominating the 3-0 game at home to Benfica years ago, and dearly hope, with a lot of hard work and luck, that he gets back to good health and can play professional football again.