I love to read all sorts of different opinions on football. Even the ones that try to paint Celtic in the shadiest of lights. It’s healthy to gauge other perspectives and delve into the psyche of others who aren’t ‘Celtic minded’ from time to time.
However, when I happened upon a Reading publication this morning going ‘Full English’ on Celtic and the Scottish Premier League I couldn’t help but snigger.
Now, I’m not naming the publication, nor will I link you to it as I’m aware that these abrasive and ignorant opinions are designed to get people clicking. Instead, I will pull some quotes from this myopic and binary view of the football world wherein the writer’s mind football begins and ends in Engurland.
The article pertains to the rumours this week that Celtic are interested in Liam Moore, a reading defender who is ‘one of their best signings in years’ according to the writer.
Anyway, why would he want to drop down to the level that is the Scottish Premiership?
The blogger laughs off Celtic’s interest and questions why Liam would leave the glittering lights of Reading to head to Scottish football. I’ll repeat it – leave Reading for Scottish Football; I do this to point out that the blogger quite consciously chose not to write the phrase ‘Leave Reading for Celtic’. Both might be one in the same, but two very different propositions when you want to peel the ignorant onion the writer is asking you to chew.
Celtic would struggle to finish above mid-table in England’s second tier, so why should Moore want to move to Glasgow?
The downright rib-tickling notion that the writer can quantify where Celtic would sit today in any of England’s leagues is also another symptom of going ‘Full English’. We as Celtic fans are constantly bombarded with this sort of nonsense. ‘You wouldn’t cut it up here’, and they’re right to a certain extent, of course. Plop Celtic into the EPL right now with the same players and same funds they currently have access to in Scotland and of course they would struggle, but I’ll tell you what – they’re no worse than some of the mid-table sides you see in England at the moment. West Ham couldn’t even conquer Astana last season after Celtic on a 1/10th of the London sides budget sent them packing from Champions League qualifiers; hell, Aberdeen even managed to beat Everton’s conquerer’s at home in this years Europa League – these are just inconvenient truths. I’ll continue to say it, if Celtic can run Bayern close and actually end up with HALF the aggregate score as mega rich Arsenal (10-2 to Celtic’s 5-1) on the minuscule budget we have right now then watch us go if we had even half of their budget. Man City couldn’t even beat Celtic last term.
The fact that ex-Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk is most likely about to become the worlds most expensive defender will also be lost on him. A man who plied his trade in Scottish Football once upon a time, honing his skills and admitting himself to improving significantly during his time at Celtic Park is on his way to superstardom. He must be an exception – that reminds me, what’s Victor Wanyama up to these days?
So why would Liam Moore want to be part of Brendan Rodgers side? Why would he leave 18th placed Reading to come and win trophies, adulation and come up against some of the best players in the world?
It boggles the mind.
The Reading Writer takes us on a journey of belittling Celtic, at first it seems like he’s very sure of himself before he slowly slips into a mode where he’s trying to convince himself and Liam that playing in front of 60,000 fans and the opportunity to be part of something just a bit special and a lot different from the monotony of English Football hperbole.
This is not my pitch for Liam to come to Celtic; I’m not even sure at this point if the player would be good enough never mind be value for money for the club.
What I am saying is, that if Celtic do come calling – If the writer of the Reading Blog thinks the player won’t even flinch if the opportunity comes his way, he’s seriously deluding himself. He might have a glance, then a second or perhaps even a third.
I don’t presume to know the player or his motives. The outlandish money that gets passed about the EPL is all well and good and if that’s all Moore is after then we know he won’t be a Reading player regardless.
Virgil van Dijk, Wanyama, Fraser Forster and now Moussa Dembele show us that Celtic might not be the final destination, but it’s certainly a desirable proposition to play for a team where drawing plunges you into a crisis and winning is everything. The best players thrive in that environment and do so under the watchful eye of a worldwide support.
But that’s nothing compared to what Reading can do, of course.
Brill well put together brill celtic is the business
[…] I love to read all sorts of different opinions on football. Even the ones that try to paint Celtic in the shadiest of lights. It’s healthy to gauge other perspectives and delve into the psyche of others who aren’t ‘Celtic minded’ from time to time. However, when I happened upon a Reading publication this morning […] Read More … […]
The aggregate score for Arsenal was 10-2 so our 5-1 result was pretty good in comparison.
These Engurleish Clowns havent got a Scooby when it comes to Celtic.They need to stop talking out there arses.Reading??lololol,Reading a Better Club than the Green and White Juggernaut.Thats like saying Sevco are the Real RainJurz.If Liam Moore has got any Ambition at all and wants to test himself against Europes Best,He needs to get Himself to Paradise….HH
The irony when you call Reading fans deluded… The fact is he would prefer to stay in league where he has the chance of playing in the best league in the world if promotion (I’m Italian by the way). Are Celtic a better team to Reading? Yes. Is the SPL a better league to the Championship? No. If he wants to play against the best he will not go to Celtic, he will go the Premier league side.
Would he though? Has anyone asked him?
It’s called the SPFL – I’d like people bashing the league to at least call it by its proper title.
Is Celtic a better team and club than Reading – I agree, only an imbecile would think otherwise.
Better chance of playing the best, as in the best of the best playing at Celtic than anyone outside the top four in England. Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Cavani, Lewandowski – Celtic have come up against all in the past two seasons.
The EPL is the richest league in the world. The best? Well, that’s open to interpretation.
Have a nice day 🙂
Bundesliga, and La liga, here’s where you will find your champion’s league winner’s.
Shame to see an Italian not even considering his own league. Simply buying into the premier league mince.
Fact is, how many from the English championship have come up here thinking they’d rock our league with ease?… I can think of a few high profile name’s just recently, there still talking utter gash about our league after being abject failure’s.
Get a hold of yourself wee man, and stop buying the guff sky sport’s sell you.
English at it again. Our league is the best in the world, our football is the best football in the world, our players are the best players in the world. Pure crap ! Over price, over paid, over hyped nonsense. Reading in the same class as Glasgow Celtic not a snowballs chance, reading at best a Scottish championship team; no disrespect to the teams in the Scottish championship. English muppets talking sh1te as usual Hail Hail
I don’t think anyone could seriously say the standard of player at, say, Hamilton, will be as good as the EPL but the English need to wake up to the fact that below EPL level the football is turgid crap played in the main by player that are every bit the cloggers the average SPL player is. Too many have fallen for the slick SKY propaganda about the “Championship” in the same way they have for the EPL. “Soporific” is the word I’d use for the “Championship” (bloody stupid name) and the leagues below it. The EPL has some star names but there’s some right crap there too. It’s of a slightly higher standard but it’s still crap. Moore would get to play against top quality players in as many games as he would playing in the CL for Celtic. At least there’s a chance of winning something at Celtic, medals to show the grandkids. What will he have if he joins, say, West Ham?
“Here son, look at this picture of me being left on my arse by a top Manchester United player when I played for some lower league diddy team. But look, here’s the cheque I got when I chose money over winning things. And I have no regrets about that, honestly…”
If you’re looking for the most competitive footy in Engurland, look no further than the Championship. Honest football with none of the Mega-investors that have ruined the competition in the prem.
When Martin left Leicester to come to Celtic, openmouthed Leicester fans would ask “Why?” in disbelief. They just don’t get it. Just the same as this ‘journalist’, whoever he works for, hasn’t got a clue about Celtic.
I seem to remember a whole host of stupid English reporter twats slagging off Celtic in the UEFA cup in 2002-03 season when we stuffed both Blackburn and Liverpool who were both in the top league at the time, on our way to being cheated in the final against a bunch of divers in Porto.
Well seeing that their manager works in English premiership. Cheat to cheats.
You’ve got to laugh my man could get a game wi Reading she doesn’t like winning trophies or playing the best in Europe