http://sport.scotsman.com/football/T...ons.6619833.jp
Banner raises questions Celtic are still to answer
Over the past while, Celtic have proven that they're no slouches when it comes to protesting against perceived wrongs in football matches or covering up damaging comments from one of their players in a press conference. A dodgy decision on the field of play and a letter is whizzed off to Hampden before the game is up, some idiotic remarks from Gary Hooper about referees being out to get his team and the Celtic machine goes from 0-60 in about five seconds, 'requesting' that the television companies strike Hooper's damaging remarks from the record while reminding them, in allegedly threatening tones, that should they opt to broadcast then a dim view would be taken of it.
They're quick off the mark when it comes to pressurising referees and journalists, but not so speedy when it comes to taking action against the lunatic fringe in their own stadium. As Neil Lennon might say, all we're doing here today is seeking 'clarification' on what happened with this tragic lot, the Green Brigade, on Saturday. All we're looking for is an explanation.
There is an investigation under way and an earnest vow to ban all those who were guilty of bringing disgrace to the good name of the club. This will need to be a pretty thorough examination of what went on for images of that banner have gone around the world now. There are football lovers all over the globe wondering what kind of Neanderthals would do such a thing. The tragedy is that they were small in number though profound in terms of the embarrassment they have caused.
Early this year there was a thoroughly depressing example of this tit-for-tat that goes on between the unreconstructed minorities at the clubs. In March, Rangers played Celtic at Ibrox. The Falklands war hero, Simon Weston, was there as guest of honour at the Rangers Charity Foundation. At half-time the plan was to take Weston on to the touchline and present him with a Rangers shirt with a poppy on it. On their messageboards the Celtic fans saw a fiendish plot afoot. This was an "outrageously provocative gesture", they said. "It's a deliberate attempt to get us to boo Weston and thereby embarrass ourselves. Shame on Rangers." To which, the reply came, "Shame on Celtic for not being able to respect a war hero."
God help us, but this is what it's come to. Last Saturday was just the latest manifestation of a sickness. And it needs addressing. So in the interests of that new Celtic buzz word 'clarification', here are a number of questions that the SPL should be asking of Celtic and the dysfunctional element in their stadium.
1) How can they move with such breakneck speed when they want a dodgy decision by a referee explained to them and yet react with such lethargy when it comes to an objectionable banner?
2) Why did they not get the banner taken down as soon as it was raised on Saturday?
3) Why did they not say anything about it on Saturday evening?
4) Or all day Sunday?
5) When they did issue a statement condemning the banner and saying that those responsible would be banned from Celtic Park for life, was it just a PR job to try and head-off an escalating scandal or a genuine attempt to root out the morons in their midst?
6) If it was genuine and heartfelt, how come the statement did not come directly from Peter Lawwell or John Reid, but from an anonymous spokesman?
7) How come we still haven't heard directly from Lawwell or Reid? Don't they think they ought to say something?
8) Why has nobody at the club condemned the IRA chanting that came from the Green Brigade's area of the ground last Saturday?
9) And also the singing of Sean South From Garryowen. Do the idiots who were saluting him know anything about Sean South? Do they know he wasn't from Garryowen? Do they know that many historians in Ireland long ago debunked the myth of South being an Irish nationalist hero? Do they know that he was an anti-semite?
10) Do they stand by the sentiments in the banner? If so, why not come out in the open instead of releasing an anonymous statement? Are they cowards? Actually, don't answer that one. We already knew precisely what they are.
11) What form is the Celtic 'investigation' going to take? Who is in charge of it? What have they discovered?
12) Can you really be bothered looking into this or is it all just lip service?
Lennon said yesterday that he wanted to draw a line under this business of the banner while at the same time allowing himself to be drawn into yet another exchange about the Dougie McDonald saga. Today, it should be pointed out, marks the 25th day of that controversy.
If Celtic put half as much energy into rooting out the idiots who embarrassed the club on Saturday as they have done in the McDonald saga then this investigation shouldn't take very long. We await the official report from Parkhead. And hopefully somebody will put their name to it this time.
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