Tommy Burns Missed

Thats been my feeling this season, Tommy Burns has been truly missed. With players not performing and attitude problems, I think Tommys passing has had a greater than maybe expected impact on Celtic Football Club.

Heres an article from Tosh, who for me is always on the money.

by Tosh McKinlay

THE biggest thing that hit me over the sorry mess between Gordon Strachan and Aiden McGeady is just how badly Tommy Burns is missed at Celtic.

He was Aiden's mentor from the time the player went to Celtic as a kid and I don't think you can underestimate just how big a hole his death will have left.

I know what it is like to feel as though someone is on your back non-stop and it can be a nightmare.

When I was at Dundee and Archie Knox was the manager he'd come flying into the dressing room at the break or at full-time and let rip.
He'd kick tables, chairs, bottles of juice, he'd throw cups, jackets - anything he could get his hands on. And nine times out of ten it was yours truly that was on the end of it.

I was the youngest player at the club then and at times it really got to me.

Especially if I thought I had done well in a game only to come in and be slaughtered in front of everyone by Archie.

It was then that Jocky Scott was particularly good at coming and putting an arm around the shoulder and talking a bit of sense to me.

And that's where I feel that Aiden will be suffering now.

In Strachan and Neil Lennon he has two people who I reckon are pretty hard on him and it used to be that Tommy was his mentor, the guy who smoothed everything over.

With Tommy away there is no buffer between the manager and the player and it's probably fair to say they are two guys who get on each other's nerves.

McGeady is a cocky lad and I am sure he isn't slow to chip back when he feels he is getting it in the neck.

But while that is all well and good, if you are going to talk back when the manager is having a pop, then you have to be at the very top of your game when you are on the park.

And Aiden hasn't been this season.

I'm not having a go at him because he has been in and out with injuries and he has also been left out of the side.

But he has undoubtedly struggled to recapture his form and the mark of a good player is that ability to do it consistently.

Sometimes, whether you like or not, you just have to knuckle down, toe the line and do as the manager tells you.

And the bottom line is that in these kind of situations, the manager will always win.

He will always have the last laugh.

But I definitely think it would be a mistake for Aiden to leave Celtic in the January transfer window.

I am a huge fan of the player and I reckon he is capable of going all the way to the very top, but I still think he has a bit of work to do and Celtic is the ideal place for him to do it.

Let me promise you this - there are fights in dressing rooms up and down the country every week.

At full-time and at half-time, I guarantee you that harsh words are exchanged in dressing rooms in any kind of league.

I'm not talking fisticuffs, but verbal spats. It happens all the time. It's a part of football.

I know people will say that the tension between Strachan and McGeady goes further than that, but I don't buy into that.

Aiden signed a long-term contract with Celtic and he wouldn't have done that if the problem with the manager was so severe.

And, crucially, while I think you can often see Strachan even getting on his back from the touchline during games, there can be no question that the form Aiden showed last season when he won the Player and Young Player of the Year award owed much to the work that Strachan has put in with him.

He has helped to bring out the best in the player and that's something that I think Aiden has to think about as he contemplates where he goes from here.

Sometimes you have to be man enough to turn around and apologise if you have been guilty of giving it back to the manager in front of the dressing room.

There are always ways to work out differences and it is for the good of the club if things are smoothed over between the pair of them because there is no doubt about McGeady's quality.

It's just a pity that Tommy Burns isn't here to help.

link to article - Tosh Tommy Was A Shoulder To Cry On For Aiden But Now That Buffer Is Gone (from Evening Times)

 

A good read

 

very good read and agree with everything

 

I think tosh is making sence there, I listen to him a lot on Celtic tv and he is Celtic daft. when I think of him a think of the words "TAKE STOCK". thats his buzz words for this year.
I enjoyed the read.

 

thats brilliant,class,fantastic

 

Totally agree. Tommy was one of those guys who left a void that will never be filled.

 

Very true he was a special man in everyway and will always be missed.

 

The clearest indicator of TB being missed at Celtic Park is the ongoing situation between Aiden and Strachan. TB was Aiden's mentor and by all accounts acted as a go between and peacemaker between the two. It seems nobody else has stepped into that breach. Admittedly TB's shoes are big shoes to fill.

I wish Neil Lennon would take on that responsibility and try and smooth things over. Maybe then we can get Aiden back where he belongs.....in the team. HAIL HAIL

 

Tommy Burns was a class act, diplomatic and
Knowledgeible <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

Definately agree that Tommy went above & beyond in keeping the piece throughout his career.

Would be good if Lennon could step in and attempt the same but don't see it happening...

 

That must have been one mouldy sandwich! :icon_mrgreen:

 

reason for mcgeady losing the plot ?

hows this for a reason on how mcgeady has lost the plot,,,could it be a delayed reaction for tommy burns

remember mcgeadys lost form soon after tommy died very very understandable,hes still young,tommy was his football "dad"
and with celtic being busy with matches mabye fustration has got the better of him ,as he may not have had time to grieve properly

he may be in a great job but we all deal with death differently,

eveyone saying he wrong ,or right take a min to think of the reasons why this has happend taking into account strachan and mcgeady were praising each other a couple of months ago.

i could be totally wrong ,but worth a thought
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

Definitely worth a thought Davie and it may in fact be true but if he spoke out against the manager then that can't be used as an excuse and he should be punished

 

i was thinking that it may have to do with that aswell
ill be gutted because when he was good he brought so much excitment to the team and evry1 would want to see him on the ball
and to be honest we havent got or will probably will not get some1 who is so skillful and talented when he is at his best so we need to spend the money from the MORE than likely sale of mcgeady on a real quality player

 

i dont think this would be the reason. mcgeady is just up his own *. clearly he has no respect for the coaching staff. i genuinely just want mcgeady ( who i would admit is possibly our best player) to f*ck right off. There is an unspoken rule in football and it is that a player doesnt always have to agree with the manager but he must respect his decisions. clearly mcgeady holds no such respect for the boss. sooner he leaves the better.

 

Good point.

I think everyone is missing TB but maybe more so McGeady.

It would maybe be best for McGeady and Celtic if he moved on. It won't be doing him any good playing here any longer if this is the case and should move to another country for the good of the player and the club.

 

it would be ironic if it were true davie as tommy would be the one lending an ear,advising & guiding him through the mess he has got himself into