Nir Bitton, like Celtic supporters, is allowed his opinion, but it doesn’t make him right or the Green Brigade wrong…
Nir Bitton caused a bit of a stir with the Celtic support following yesterday’s game with Kilmarnock. The former Hoops utility player took to instagram to voice his opinion on the situation in his home nation by lambasting the the Green Brigade on their banners at yesterday’s match supporting the plight of Palestine.
Without going into the current situation over in the Middle East, as we all know what’s currently going on and everyone is currently giving their two cents worth.
Nir is of course an Israeli and knows more about his country than us outsiders. So he is fully entitled to his opinion just as the Green Brigade are also entitled to theirs, but he crossed the line big time in having a go at these Celtic supporters.
We do know enough about the current state of affairs in the Middle East to be able to voice an opinion and Nir should understand that. He is of course back home in Israel and being subjected to a very subjective and partial media in his nation which obviously hammers home that Israeli stance and ignores the plight of the Palestinians.
By fully venting his fury at supporters of the club who used to pay his wages, he’s made himself very unpopular indeed. He played for Celtic for nigh on ten years and knows what the supporters are about, it’s not new to him. And he never said anything during his time at the club. He really should know better.
His former team mate and countryman, current Celtic player Liel Abada showed his support for his nation without having a go the Celtic supporters. Maybe Nir should have shown the same restraint? His intervention is hardly likely to change the views of the Green Brigade whose support for the Palestinian cause was pretty much always there during his entire Celtic career lasting nine years.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
Come and join The Celtic Star live at the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park during the International break…
John Hartson will be just one of many special guests at a huge and unique Celtic Star event to be held in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park on Thursday, 19 October 2023. Tables for 10 at £180 or individual tickets priced just £20 for this special evening can be purchased now via Celtic Star Books.
Meanwhile here’s Matt Corr talking about his latest Celtic Star book on The Celtic Exchange Podcast…
Majic, Stan and the King of Japan is out in Friday 20 October and is available to order now HERE.
The Celtic Star presents a night with John Hartson and Stephen McManus at the Kerrydale on Thursday 19 October…
There’s no Celtic action for a few weeks due the latest international break, but you can still come along to Celtic Park on Thursday 19 October – on the anniversary of Hampden in the Sun, Celtic 7 Rangers 1…to join The Celtic Star team live in the Kerrydale with special guests John Hartson and Stephen McManus as we launch Matt Corr’s new book ‘Majic, Stan and the King of Japan’ which tells the story of Gordon Strachan’s first season at Celtic and we’ll have the trophies Celtic won that season there too!
There’s live music from the wonderful Boolavogue and many more Celtic guests coming along which we’ll start to announce tomorrow. Tickets are selling fast so get yours now, just click on the image below and we’ll see you in the Kerrydale. it’s going to be some night and a great Celtic fix during the international break!
Join The Celtic Star at the Kerrydale on Thursday 19 October when we celebrate the launch of Matt Corr’s new book Majic, Stan and the King of Japan which tells the story of Gordon Strachan’s first season as Celtic manager. We’ll have the trophies that the Celtic team won that season plus well delighted welcome our special guests John Hartson and Stephen McManus, both stars of that Celtic team.
And we have other guests to be announced later this week plus there’s live music from the wonderful Boolavogue. Tickets are selling fast for what is sure to be a wonderful night of Celtic conversation and music and you can order below…
I’m very much behind the Palestinian people but I have to take aim at the Green Brigade. They were very quick to make their point. People were still being slaughtered when the match kicked off. They were making their point when there quite literally was blood still pouring on the streets.
I get Nir, he feels this closer to home than most. I grew in an Irish Scots household and I have always been a supporter of the Irish independence movement. My father was Irish and he had four sisters and a brother all in London, with their families (my cousins) during the troubles. My Old Man lived in London for a few years in the late 60s and was familiar with the city geographically. There were times when bombs went off and he was none too worried, there were other times when the bombs went off and his face turned grey and he was physically affected and scared of what he’d have to do next . He’d do ‘the ring around’, phoning his sisters and brother checking if everyone in the family was ok, hopefully all of our huge tribe had ridden their luck once again.
I can only imagine what it was like yesterday for people like Nir who quite possibly has family in that area and almost certainly will have family or friends who will be ordered into a warzone in the next few days.
We all have opinions on Palestine and we all have the right to express them. That doesn’t mean we should express them while people are being murdered. Wait a bloody week or so, you’ll have your chance in a fortnight. You might even be in possession of the full facts by then.
Keep politics out of football and just enjoy the football.
Nir Bitton is 100% correct, the green brigade are 100% wrong and you should know better.
completely right, Hitler and the nazi’s were all entitled to their opinion too.
Unfortunately, the Zionists don’t really do opinions, as Palestinians can testify, just as the Nazis didn’t think much of Jewish peoples opinions, both groups are more interested in violence and oppression, than in discourse and opinions.
You know all this because? Have you ever been there or are you just guessing?
Celtic Park is a football ground.
Banners should be in support of Celtic.
Green Brigade use the stadium to promote their political agendas safe in the knowledge they won’t be challenged.
They should take their agendas onto the streets of Glasgow.
The fines paid by Celtic plc would be better employed alleviating the poverty in the Glasgow East End.
Celtic Abu.
Nir Biton is absolutely right and expressed himself very clearly and articulately – with passion. These political/idealistic stances the GB take are likely to be the extreme view of a few of the more politically driven ones and followed slavishly by a large number of the rest. like it or not the rest of the world sees and hears that and thinks that what all Celtic supporters are like. Its tasteless and ugly. I am also very disappointed to hear foul mouthed chants like F the Tories, the King, the Rangers, the Police or, this week, Lazio. How do you explain that to the kids at the game – and its a nasty thing to listen to. Support the team and get off the soapbox.
maybe with a bit of luck the green brigade can also get Liel Abada to seek away out of the club is that what they neds would like the green bragade and thier views do not reposent its view to me and many more Celtic Supporters time the club got this mob out of Celtic Park war is over nobody won over in Ireland plenty good Celtic songs rether than go on about the i.r.a.
They have a right to express their opinions,away from Celtic Park. Doing so inside ties the rest of us to those opinions. They are not much opinions. Anybody who can’t see that is a bit thick really. Say Abadas girlfriend had been at that rave and had got murdered what would they have done then? It’s sickening. These self styled freedom fighters who have only ever fought in the school playground should go somewhere else and play. The club has no guts.
“ Bitton’s made himself unpopular “…..with a few hundred silly wee boys? 😂😂😂 I’m sure he’ll be losing sleep over that with all the rest that’s going on. Abada still plays here ,he can still get grief from these clowns. Wait till he leaves. Wonder what would have happened if news had come through that Abadas girlfriend had been murdered while they were holding up those banners? What do you think Ordinary Bhoy?
Well, Celtic Star, you should be ashamed of that item, maybe you should actually research the history of the Middle East , when Britain created Gaza for, ostensibly, a home for Palestinians. Immediately, it was attacked by Egypt, Syria et al, in an attempt to increase their own domains. It’s a long, complex story, take your time.
Hamas, incidentally, is an organisation proscribed by many civilised countries, including Britain. I doubt if that matters to you, as all you guys bang on about is Ireland!
The Green Brigade is a disgrace, its banners are a disgrace and its songs, glorifying another proscribed organisation, are a disgrace.
I’ve been a supporter, although now just a fan, of our club since 1953, been a shareholder and had several season tickets , but I’ll never be back until those troglodytes are emptied.
P. S. I see we have, yet again, failed to allow our name on a poppy lapel badge. Perhaps you could ask JP Taylor for an explanation. I have written on three occasions, but have never been granted the courtesy of a reply.