DAVID POTTER’S piece which was published late last night on The Celtic Star has certainly attracted a great deal of attention. It is the top story on Celtic News Now and has even had newspaper hacks commenting about it on social media.
Herald journalist Neil Cameron, referring to David Potter’s article wrote this:
“Imagine if the Sevconian SMSM had a like this. Christ, what else can Rodgers do?”
David Potter is a respected Celtic historian and author who, just about everyone connected with the club will know, has Celtic’s best interests at heart. He travels to the game on his supporters bus from Fife, unlike many of the match report writers who actually listen to the game on the radio! Their lack of insight is quite literal.
David wrote about the post match chat on the Celtic supporters bus yesterday. You can read his article, ‘It was a rare if not unprecedented occasion on the bus coming home – Brendan Rodgers was being pilloried,’ David Potter HERE.
Brendan Rodgers after the match explained and defended his decision to make 7 changes to the side that played so well against Zenit St Petersburg.
The players who were brought into the starting eleven yesterday were Cristian Gamboa, Jack Hendry, Calvin Miller, Charly Musonda, Odsonne Edouard, Tom Rogic and Scott Sinclair.
“You have to be careful because we have so many games,” Brendan said.
“Scott Brown was suspended, Mikael Lustig had a niggle on his achilles and we couldn’t risk that and Olivier Ntcham was ill so he couldn’t play.
“Olivier should be fine, Browny will be available and Mikael should be fine, it was precautionary. They will be fine for Thursday.
“There were lots of positives for us today in terms of players. It was Tom Rogic’s first game in two months, we have to take opportunities at some point to play some of these guys, like Cristian Gamboa and Calvin Miller.
“Even if we had a full strength side it would have still been difficult.”
Brendan also enquired as to why the St Johnstone players could perform at the home of the Champions and across the city at Ibrox but let their manager down in all the league matches in between.
“Tommy Wright’s a fantastic manager. I am sure he walks away happy with a point, but probably really frustrated.
“How can you win a game 3-1 at Ibrox, not win a game right the way through, apart from the Albion game then your next big result is away at Celtic?
“So, I think the question goes with the St Johnstone players.
“Today you’ve seen them organised, committed, fighting, running – doing all of that.
“If they do that in every game they would probably win a lot more games.”
NEW!THE CELTIC STAR PODCAST – A CELTIC STATE OF MIND WITH SPECIAL GUEST FRANK McAVENNIE
Paul John Dykes and Kevin Graham are joined by one of the heroes of Celtic’s centenary season – Frank McAvennie.
When Frank joined Celtic from West Ham in October 1987, he was undoubtedly one of English football’s hottest properties. Billy McNeill had to splash out a club record fee to secure the flamboyant striker’s services, but there is no doubt that he repaid every penny during that glorious double-winning season.
None more so than in the 1988 Scottish Cup final when Frank scored a double as Celtic came from behind to clinch the league and cup double. He immortalised himself in Celtic’s history that day, yet he cannot be seen on the stadiums fascia, which is decorated with images of club icons.
This omission by the club is understandably something of a bugbear of Frank’s, and he is candid when discussing his disappointment at being left out by Celtic’s current incumbents. The 1980s pinup also speaks about his fallout with the Celtic board, his appearance at a criminal court following a sending-off against Rangers, and that gloriously sunny day at Hampden almost 30 years ago.
