Having just watched the highlights of the KDM Evolution Trophy match on Friday night between East Fife and Celtic B, at Bayview Stadium in Methil which ended in a 5-3 defeat for Stephen McManus’ young Hoops outfit, I certainly got the impression that the scoreline clearly flattered Celtic considerably.
East Fife, who are managed by Dick Campbell and play their league football in League One, could very easily have reached double figures with young Aiden Rice in the Celtic goals clearly the busier of the two keepers and certainly the only Celtic player who can take any positives from the match.
And given the humble resources of the Community funded Celtic TV, the commentator, a boy called Daniel Hughes, would give the commentary team on Celtic (world class in everything we do) TV a run for their money as would their community funded highlights package. No PLC excuses here Michael.
The actual state of the Celtic defending in this highlights video is concerning and you would be hard pushed to put forward a case for any of the outfield players getting pass-marks and certainly NONE are anywhere near the standard required to play for the Celtic first team on this showing.
You can read a match report on the official East Fife website for further details on how the game went.
Essentially East Fife are playing at a higher level that Celtic B team who are in the Lowlands League, this was discussed at Celtic Park last Monday night and many supporters are of the view that this is a complete waste of time. Many insist that a reserve league needs be re-introduced which surely would benefit all teams in the Scottish Premiership? And keep reading to see why this is crucially important.
The Celtic B team on Friday night against East Fife was as follows:
Celtic B – Rice, Crawford, Kyle (Rachwal 77’), Simpson-Pusey, Borland, K Daly (Sedwell 78’), Keenan, Isiguzo, Obidiwe (Hartington 68’), Osmand, Summers. Subs not used: English, Shaw, Haney, C Daly, Clearie.
Here are the East Fife TV community funded highlights…
The match attendance was 616. How many are Celtic B attracting these days? Why are East Fife able to film this game and post highlights on You Tube? Where were Celtic TV? Lots of questions surrounding this little insight into the Celtic B team who look miles off being anywhere near playing for Celtic.
With Simpson-Pusey – on loan at Celtic from Manchester City and with Champions League experience – in the Celtic defence you’d have thought he’d stroll it against mid-table League One (third tier) opposition, but that certainly wasn’t the case. Virgil van Dyk used to stroll through games in Scotland for Simpson-Pusey it was more of a struggle.
The KDM Evolution Trophy use a format broadly similar to the new UEFA format for their competitions ie Kairat Almaty in the Champions League, Celtic in the Europa League and Aberdeen in the Conference league.
As things stand each team has played five from six of the league phase matches.
Teams finishing in positions 1-6 are seeded for round of 32. Those teams finishing in positions 7-22 are unseeded for the round of 32 while those ending up in positions 23-30 get eliminated.
Ten Championship clubs will seeded for Round of 32.
Celtic B are currently sitting in 20th position with six points from five games and are actually ahead of all the other Scottish Premiership B teams taking part, all of whom have played five matches.
Next after Celtic is Hibs B then St Mirren B both with four points. Hearts B and Dundee United B both have three points, while Aberdeen B and Motherwell B have just the one point from five matches played.
It’s even worse for theRangers B, Kilmarnock B and Dundee B all of whom have ZERO points on the board from their five games, so expect Michael Nicholson to be bragging about Celtic out-performing all other Scottish Premiership sides in this competition, come the AGM.
The win against Celtic B takes East Fife into sixth spot in the table which as already mentioned a seeded spot, so they’ll be looking to continue with their form to make sure in their final game.
Meanwhile Celtic B take on East Kilbride on Tuesday 11 November at K-Park looking to book their slot in the next round. East Kilbride have nine points on the board as things stand and Celtic B will probably need their strongest possible team to make sure of their place in the next round.
When you look at that East Fife video and appreciate just how lacking that Celtic B team is you have to wonder what is going on if we’re the best performing side of the B teams from the Scottish Premiership with Kilmarnock, Dundee and theRangers all pointless.
A shocking state of affairs!
Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, signed copies by Danny McGrain available!
Don’t miss the chance to purchase the late, great Celtic historian David Potter’s final book. All remaining copies have been signed by the legendary Celtic captain Danny McGrain , who also wrote the foreword for Celtic in the Eighties. And you’ll also receive a FREE copy of David Potter’s Willie Fernie biography – Putting on the Style, plus you’ll only be charged for postage on one book. Order from Celtic Star Books HERE.
Danny McGrain has signed the remaining batch of David Potter’s outstanding final book Celtic in the Eighties so hurry to get your signed copy!
Ordering is simple, just place your order for Celtic in the Eighties at celticstarbooks.com/shop and we’ll do the rest, ensuring your copy is signed by Danny PLUS you’ll also receive a complimentary Willie Fernie book dispatched by the next working day, whilst stocks last.
Please note that stocks are now running very low indeed and the book will NOT be reprinted. Click on the image below to order. Also postage will only be charged on ONE book, not per item so if you are in Britain or the six counties you will pay £24.50 for both books – one side by Danny McGrain and that includes the postage costs for speedy delivery. As always the books are hardback and are of the highest quality.
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Just to add – Scotland under 21 team
today had one Celtic player in it. The youth and development star Celtic are an expensive embarrassment.
Isiguzo(goal) and Summers(goal & defence splitting pass for Isiguzo’s goal) should be stick-ons for the 1st team midfield where Ancient Celt McGregor is propping up an assemblage of feckless foreign duds – and to think Celtic did not even bid for Lennon Miller. Keep in mind most of this B team are 17 years old unlike 1st team average age = 29. Rice deserves promotion too.
Still credit to our legendary chairman for not only asset stripping our 1st team of 120 goals – by selling Jota(injured but a shadow of the player he was like Tierney but we’ll give him a 5-year contract anyway for good behaviour), O’Riley, Kyogo, Kuhn, Idah and almost selling the disillusioned and now ineffectual Maeda over the last 2 years – but freeing without transfer fees/sell-on or buy-back clause the out-of-contract Dembele(now starring for QPR), Vata(scoring/assisting at Watford), Kelly, Cummings and Anderson for having the gall to suggest that they are better than most of the oldsters/johnny foreigners in the 1st team and demand recompense accordingly to increase their paltry £400 per week reserve wages including zero contractual security.
Any chance of commisioning a bust Nickerson to appease his vanity? Just taking the Michael, although it would come in handy when the great dictator is toppled.