Scotland returned to their Glorious Failure nation status last night after completing their final five games of the World Cup qualifiers with three wins and two draws, a decade high-water mark. Glorious Failure being a status well ahead of the recently-discarded Pathetic Failure nation status.
We can now compete with decent sides, like Slovenia, Slovakia and England, and win comfortably away from home against Lithuania, who we were unable to beat at Hampden one year ago yesterday.
Problem is, I have a niggling feeling that this recent success has more to do with Brendan Rodgers than anyone else. In delivering an Invincible season and two Champions League group stage qualifications with overwhelmingly Scottish players, Brendan has effectively said: “Gordon, check out the really good players you have here”.
It is not all Gordon Strachan’s fault that he didn’t pick any Celtic players in the 1-1 home draw with Lithuania, whereas he selected six Celts in the recent 0-3 away win. Scott Brown was temporarily retired from international football then, and Stuart Armstrong and Callum McGregor were struggling to get into the Celtic team. But the omission of Gordon, Tierney, Griffiths and Forrest for large parts of the early campaign, in retrospect, looks unforgivable.
The reason Scotland didn’t qualify for the World Cup has less to do with our genetics, than the fact that we didn’t select our best players for the home game against Lithuania (for example). The fact that Gordon didn’t pick so many Celtic players early in the campaign, as he did later, reflects the corresponding appreciation in Celtic players’ stock over the period. But picking the right players is a big part of the job. We have a relatively small pool of talent and the manager missed a lot of value.
For you and I there is a compensation. We will not have the stress of worrying about having to play Champions League qualifiers with up to a dozen players on World Cup duty. The bulk of the squad will go through a preseason routine designed for Celtic’s needs. The Scottish players will also not have to compete in a play-off round amid Champions League games against Bayern Munich and the final stages of the League Cup.
The rest of the country will have no compensation, only disappointment that they are unable to participate in a Celtic dividend.
Fancy yourself as a collector of Celtic memorabilia? James Forrest’s match-worn National Famine Memorial Day shirt is available for raffle later today. These shirts are go for incredible sums at auction, but this one is open to the wider community.
Oh! And if you know your history, you will know what good you will do by participating. Laters…………
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NEW CQN PODCAST – A CELTIC STATE OF MIND OUT NOW!
A NEW CQN Podcast is out now featuring interviews with Celtic legends Bobby Lennox, John Fallon, Tommy Callaghan and Kenny Dalglish.
This week, ‘A Celtic State of Mind’ pays tribute to The Quality Street Gang.
In the second of a two-part series, Paul John Dykes interviews:
Bobby Lennox, John Fallon, Tommy Callaghan and Kenny Dalglish!
The discussion is all about one of the finest crops of youngsters ever to emerge from Celtic Park…
And we finally reveal just where that nickname came from.
Enjoy the new podcast…
The new Invincibles treble disc DVD is now available from CQN Bookstore HERE. It is quite simply unmissable. What a season that was!
421 Comments- Pages:
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NORMANSTREET49 on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 12:25 PM
Gordo’s comment about being too wee….
What a ridiculous thing to say….
Average height of the Lisbon Lions team anybody??
Everyone a giant… in more ways than one.
Just go now Gordo… quietly….. if that’s at all possible.
Don’t know about full team. I believe that average hieght of forward line was no more tha five foot nine. It may evej have been less.
MIKE IN TORONTO .
I’m good -hope you can say the same .
Had a fine break in Morocco and then London . Grapes done , olives done and the pomegranates should be done by late tomorrow afternoon…
Blasted this out at lunchtime –
https://youtu.be/5nza7AlHV5I
Back to work !
CONNAIRE12 on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 2:00 PM
Does anyone know who won the Eusebio Cup? Was that the one played indoors against Morton?
Does anyone care.
WGS often uses you have never played the game as his defence to supporters and media questioning him about his selections and tactics, didn’t do Jose Mourinho any harm
Bobby M,
“Still,I backed High Chaparral at halftime in The Guineas. Still didnae make my day any better!!!”
*** No, I don’t reckon even your Bonanza would have made you feel better!
Fetch my stetson, son.
THEEXILEDTIM
Aye. That POV particularly rips my knitting. Always has.
Every fan who goes to watch the games knows eff all.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 1:44 PM
The omission of Callum (for the last few squads) was just ridiculous. Either he hasn’t been watching him or he has but thinks he isn’t good enough. Either way it’s a failure.
The Strong Rangers Association will no doubt make a completely uninspiring appointment.
I’d ask Paul Lambert if he would be interested.
____
I like Callum but he wasn’t starting for Celtic. Despite being scapegoated, Barry Bannan has actually had a good game in Slovenia.
The problem is that Scotland have a goalie who doesn’t command a penalty box, two poor CB’s and a generally small team.
Gordon added two big english lads to the team and they played poorly and we still conceded two goals from set pieces.
There is a problem.
John McGinn`s performance against Celtic was the best I`ve seen from a Scottish player against Celtic this season yet couldn`t get a sniff in the two games,While I wouldn`t have started with Calmac he is a good option to come on and get you a goal.I think Strachan buys into the arrogant view that if you`re playing in England you are automatically better than home Scots.Scotland reminded me of Sevco at Ibrox not fit enough in second half.
WEE BOBBY COLLINS .
Thanks for the thought ! .
Bought it in a junk shop in San Francisco . Long time since I heard it . Probably last got a spin when i was digging choons out for Rare Groove chappies..
An absolute gem – definitely off oot –
https://youtu.be/nxUGgoXM_Gw
All this blaming, certain players,after Scotland’s result last night,my view is that there is 11 players on the pitch,all trying,to win the match,and for some on the media,to pickon certain players is not on,ex players seem to forget themselves,at the end of the day,we were just not good enough.
Why give them 100% possession? Shambolic tactics and substitutions
THOMTHETHIM
Aye,it was a Bonanza. Got 10s on it. Yet still managed to get the name wrong!
Rock of Gibraltar,it was.
High Chaparral was my Derby pick.
You wouldn’t know it from my CQN Naps pick,but once upon a time,I could pick a winner or two!
MOONBEAMSWD on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 1:43 PM
To wee or not to wee?
That is the question!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m “desperate” to give that the response it deserves. Insert our own words,bet you hit the spot.
JIMBOB on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 2:14 PM
All this blaming, certain players,after Scotland’s result last night,my view is that there is 11 players on the pitch,all trying,to win the match,and for some on the media,to pickon certain players is not on,ex players seem to forget themselves,at the end of the day,we were just not good enough.
____
People are bitter because Scotland didn’t qualify again. The natural position is for people to search for scapegoats. Strachan is the obvious candidate so they take comments out of context and twist them to make him seem like some sort of buffoon.
Barry Bannan, Steven Fletcher & Chris Martin have all been candidates for scapegoating.
Gordo`s tactics, subs and team selection were terrible. Couldn’t pick his nose. Time to go. Straight away.
TIMALOY29 on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 1:51 PM
It’s a shame how much importance people place on what coaches and managers say after the game. A comment like that is a bit silly only because of how people can use it for their own purposes, Gordon has always been in need of much better PR and media relations.
I speak as someone who’s partner makes a living out of media training, they must have been looking through their fingers at Celtic Park every time someone put a mic in front of him
MIKE IN TORONTO@12=54
Not technically good enough is code for i am clueless and can’t set up a proper playing system.
When you have a defeatist and negative tone the team is likely to mirror that.
When the squad gets together the players see the difference between talent and hype.
Unfortunately wee Gordon couldn’t.
At Celtic we have a coach who makes a difference.
Many times under Ronny people on here moaned about our players lack of technique.
I said the problem was a poorly implemented system as it reduced time, space and options for man on the ball.
Many of those players now look technically gifted under Brendan.
They now have the benefit of coaches teaching them better choices and teammates giving them more options with movement that is positive.
None of that was apparent last night.
Scotland looked like a pub team reliant on players whose reputation was solely based on playing in England.
The second half was startling in coaching contrast.
Their coach altered personnel and system at half time to positive effect.
Wee man stood and watched dumbfounded as they bossed it despite it being obvious we were being dominated in the centre of park.
Of the English based players only Fletcher and Robertson showed up.
Unsurprising as the rest barely get a game for mediocre clubs.
An obstinate wee man whose brand of football was outdated years ago and an association not fit for
purpose are the the reason we again fail to qualify for a major tournament.
Connaire 12
“The Eusebio Cup” I remember watching them playing a friendly against Benfica back in the 60’s. The great Eusebio was getting a torrent of abuse from the Ibrox stands. For being -the second best player in the world after Pele ? or maybe for just being black ? who knows but it was so bad that Eusebio actually stopped during the game and asked them to be more respectful or less abusive.
Just a thought …
Are dinosaurs big enough,do you reckon?
Timaloy29
Callum doesn’t start every game for us, but he plays in pretty much all of them. Strachan has said before that he wants Champions League players.
Also, how many games has Robertson started this season? One or two?
I think it’s a bit of an easy “get out” for not picking someone. Bale doesn’t always start for his club…
Anyway, I reckon Gordy will probably call it a day. Just hope the next guy is someone more inspiring than the usual same old faces.
Bamboo. They don’t do respect, do they? After all, they are the people.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL
Iain Cathro?
Guy has a Celtic jersey on:)
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/bored-milkmen-egged-houses-on-their-round-for-three-months-as-garda-mounted-special-op-to-find-the-culprits-36209515.html
FAN-A-TIC on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 2:29 PM
I think the lack of good players available might have something to do with it as well
Hope Broony chucks it for good this time, Craig Gordon too maybe…..
BENDIGO
Special operation?
Ffs,you could have bullets fired at your windows over here,and the police might send round a PCSO.
In a fortnight or so.
If you’re lucky.
BobbyM
Aye, there are 60K every other week who go to Celtic Park who don’t have a clue according to him.
Football has changed, for the better I believe and his old ways are stuck in the past, as has been said by many, second rate players and outdated tactics are a recipe for failure.
HH
CELTIC40ME on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 2:24 PM
TIMALOY29 on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 1:51 PM
I speak as someone who’s partner makes a living out of media training, they must have been looking through their fingers at Celtic Park every time someone put a mic in front of him
__________
It’s also down to idiots just reading a misleading headline. The Daily Record, for example, have: Gordon Strachan says Scottish genetics are to blame for failure
Strachan’s quotes are actually specific to the Slovenia game.
“We had to pick a team to combat their height and strength,” said Strachan, who would not be drawn on his future.
“It’s a problem for us because we have to work harder for every ball.”
“Nobody can tell me that, apart from one player, they are technically better than our players,” he said. “But, physically, we have a problem.
CELTIC4OME
Perhaps.
But Brendan romped the league last year with mostly Ronnie’s team.
Remember a lot of the Ronny defenders saying he did not have the players.
When a coach
When a coach has a myopic view go only English based players options will certainly be limited.
TIMALOY29
“We had to pick a team to combat their height and strength,” said Strachan, who would not be drawn on his future.
“It’s a problem for us because we have to work harder for every ball.”
“Nobody can tell me that, apart from one player, they are technically better than our players,” he said. “But, physically, we have a problem.
A coach with a defeatist mindset is hard to overcome.
Playing to your strengths is a far more successful approach.
They were certainly no world beaters so why so much fear?
Connaire
The Temple Bar Norwich, beside Saint John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral, is the home of Norwich and district CSC. They should have our match on. Good luck.
I`m 5` 7″, so that explains why I was shite at football. Thanks, Gordon.
Bobby M 2:35
That might just be going a bit too far :-)
I’d give Paul Lambert a shout and see if he is interested. Not in work just now. Experience of the German system. Somebody with a more modern outlook on the game.
WGS will have to be pushed before others can even be though about, cos imo he won’t resign.
THE EXILED TIM
Even if he wanted to resign he would struggle to get a meeting with the cowards in blazers who will go into hiding till their freebie in Russia.
Any Zombies been on to Police Scotland invoking the OB act for the offensive banners at the Nats’ conference?
“Progress”.
Fan…..
Yip, how true.
Sad that it has come to this, I said earlier that I was warming to the team due to the whean of Celtic players playing, then he goes and reverts to failed players and a failed system, and the suits will appoint a hun yes man imo, so my short renewed love affair will have come to an end me thinks.
HH