Defining Cruyff is not easy but there are some objective facts to assist: three times European Champion, three times Ballon d’Or winner, voted Europe’s Player of the Century in 1999, and third place in the World’s Player of the Century at the same time.
On the field, the most damming criticism of him is that he wasn’t Pele or Maradona, both of whom won World Cups, but neither changed the direction of travel in the game as Cruyff did. Pele’s Brazil seemed out of sight as they strutted their stuff at the 1970 World Cup. By 1974 the Dutch, with Cruyff pulling all the strings, had tactically moved the game on a generation. It would be decades before Brazil won the tournament again.
The Dutch know all this and, rightly, place Johan at the pinnacle of the game, but there was more going on in the Netherlands at the time. Feyenoord beat Cruyff and Ajax to the European Cup by 12 months as a generation of players matured together.
While the Netherlands took hosts Argentina to extra time in the 1978 World Cup final, Cruyff was watching on TV. Of course they would have won had he played, but that they came so close without him is a testament to the rest of his Dutch generation, forever in his shadow, but great nonetheless.
So would the Dutch revolution have happened without him? Something would have happened, Luxemburg would not have beaten the Netherlands in the 1970s, as they did in the 60s, but it would have been a revolution you might not have noticed. Ajax’ European Cup adventures may have ended with the 1-3 home defeat to Benfica in the 1969 quarter final. Feyenoord may not have edged extra time in the final the following season.
Allied to his skill, speed and strength, Cruyff opened the eyes of all who played with and against him. After Cruyff, opponents knew the old rules didn’t apply anymore.
Yesterday’s story in the Guardian, citing “sources at a major Premier League club” would signal the end of the last pretence of meritocracy in football, where the most wealthy will only play each other in European competition.
Resist of wither like Miss Havisham.
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Long time lurker, very sparse poster :)
I was told that the whole resolution 12 debate will be negated by UEFA statute of limitations of 5 years in June of this year?Can anyone tell me if this is correct? Seems very shoddy that the conspirators only have a matter of weeks left to face the music
Through A Green Glass Brightly on 29th March 2016 10:03 am
Love facts.
Now the big — really big issue — of the morning is a bust tyre and a missing locking nut!!
That kinda thing just drives me pure bonkers.
HT — wasn’t implying you personally suggested that the resolutioners were lacking in ethos etc — I think the suggestion came from elsewhere but thanks for clearing that up.
Big Nan — I hear all that you say but will defend Auldheid to the hilt in what he personally aims to achieve with Res 12 — as I would with Morrissey or Canamalar – as there is just no agenda here at all other than holding the SFA to account and looking for more openess, honesty and transparancy in the running of the game.
What could and could not be said was and is difficult at times because of all sorts of shit that was and is going on all around — verification of letters and sources and material — and the ability to be open — and by that I mean not offer false hope — to those who wanted to see Res 12 succeed.
Imagine the position if we had relied on documents or information which proved to be false, forgeries or whatever (all a real possibility) or on people who said one thing one minute and something completely different the next — and then made that public etc?
Not only would you look stupid but you would be being less than professional in what you were about — and at the end of the day we are only four daft blokes, often separated by thousands of miles who are looking at this and taking a good look at whether or not there is something wrong with the state of Denmark and then figuring out what we as a collective can do about it if anything at all — and jeezo if we get everything right then that will be more by dogged idiocy and sheer luck rather than through inspired genius. So there have been times when caution and planning has had to be the watchword. Regrettable but necessary and pragmatic.
I know you are a strident enemy of secrets and the unseen hand (and I am with you there) – but sometimes the ability to report fully is hampered by reasons which have nothing to do with any secret agenda etc. Sometimes sheer pragmatics get in the way.
Timbhoy
Who should run Celtic? Jeezo I have no idea!
Like it or not, Celtic is a PLC and has a turnover of millions so in a commercial sense, and with purely a business hat on, then you need people like Peter Lawwell and who have the skillset of Peter Lawwell in running a business of that size.
I say again Peter Lawwell is very good at what he does and what he is paid to do in many areas. But the argument is not about any one man or his abilities, it is about business outlook and agenda.
I am torn between three areas of thought.
First, I think Peter Lawwell does far too much as a one man band. There is not enough executive support of quality at Celtic park and there are some very good and quality people there. But that could be better.
Second, I think there is too much emphasis on having an accountancy based function at the head of each department and there should be more innovation in various ways and in various places. But hey, that is dead easy for a bozo like me to say from the outside looking in — and there will be far better people than me who are much more qualified to wax lyrical on that topic. Some of them post on here from time to time and many more sit in the stands or support from a distance.
I am only a daftie with a keyboard writing on a blog. There is no earthly reason my view carries any weight at all — and rightly so.
Thirdly, there is not enough rotation and replacement of those who hold down the key executive functions. In other businesses of similar size you would have a new CEO every few years – say 3-5 years — and you would definitely have fresh faces in terms of new NED’s every few years. That doesn’t happen at Celtic and I think that is wrong. Businesses grow and move on when there are fresh faces and fresh thinking mixed with stability and steady progress. Take away any one of those elements and you are not mazimising your potential.
My main gripe is not who runs Celtic but HOW Celtic is run.
Over the years there have been many good people working at and for Celtic. Whether they have had any real power is another issue, and many of them may not share my view of what I would like to see Celtic Football Club be.
My main historic criticism is that the original vision of Walfrid and his story was paid no more than lip service by successsive boards and major shareholders — and I think that is a disgrace in all honesty. Celtic was set up as a vehicle to change the lives of some really poor and needy folk but very quickly it morphed into placing the football club and success on the football field first and foremost in the list of priorities.
The charity and social good aspects were jettisoned. I think that was completely wrong, and I think it is even worse to constantly spouse the mantra that the history of the football club is all about charity etc because that is just not true.
In choosing to place football success first, the club very quickly became a business and over the years that business ensured that many people — players, managers and most noteably owners — made a fabulous living and became very wealthy.
There is nothing wrong with that, but let’s not pretend that any of those people were carrying Walfrid’s torch and furthering his aims because that is not so in my opinion. Celtic football club became a vehicle for creating private wealth for some and many of those bear great Celtic names.
During the greatest period of Celtic’s success as a football team, what did the club do to further the aims of Walfrid? Where is the evidence of money, time, effort or whatever being used by the club to further the aims of Walfrid by creating better conditions for the poor around Glasgow or elsewhere during the late 60’s and early 70’s?
Fergus McCann is someone whom I have the greatest respect for in terms of his business acumen, integrity and the way he did things. I don’t agree and never have agreed with his notion that a PLC was the way to go in terms of fans engagement. It was absolutely the way to go if you wanted to come into the club, put up your money, talke a commercial risk and hopefully make a huge profit.
That is what Fergus said he would do and he did precisely that fairly and squarely. He was innovative in business terms and completely true to his word.
But can you imagine a conversation between him and Walfrid?
” Right father, I will help you start up a football club to help the poor etc, but I will be the owner and I will arrange it so that after 5 years I sell my ineterest with everyone being able to buy in, but I will make around £20 Million in the process is that ok?”
Do you honestly believe that sits fair and square with what Walfrid wanted to achieve?
Yet it was under Fergus that we started back down the road of the club — in one guise or another — actually doing something for the community and today, under the auspices of the Foundation, “Celtic” do more for the poor and the needy than at any time in its history with perhaps the exception of those very early days.
What would Walfrid say to any employee earning £600k, 700k or a £1m from Celtic? I think he would be aghast and horrified to be honest — but that is the commercial rate for footballers and you have to pay a commercial rate for executives too. If you want really top commercial talent you will need to pay the rate.
Who would I like to see run the club?
I will give you one name who we should either invite on to the board or from whom we should take every idea possible in terms of business ethics and that is Magnus MacFarlane Barrow the founder of Mary’s Meals who at the outset stated that he would only take so much money out of the charity in return for his labour.
That same charity operates as a business and so it pays reasonable rates of pay for executive officers — though some would argue it could pay more. It feeds something like 800,000 kids per day and all with products that are grown locally and which hopefully produce local commerce, local jobs and a sustainable lifetsyle.
There is something that can be borowed from that business model.
However, that may well be just a wish on my part. Such an attitude may well not produce as successful a football team, as rich a club, or an investment of value or a PLC where the shares pay a dividend and so there is a balance to be struck.
I want Celtic to be as successful on all fronts as it can be with no reduction in quality in terms of football — but equally it has to work to the ethics of Walfrid or to be honest just ditch that entire part of the history. Don’t pay it lip service or wheel it out like a badge of honour while scrambling for every penny just to balance the books while ignoring just how you get that last penny.
Equally talk to Jamesgang about his current employers – The British Heart Foundation. As clever a business model as can be with some really top notch hard nosed business folk at the heart of its business activities who all earn a more than decent rate of pay. However, if I remember properly their aim is that 80% of all money earned is ploughed straight back into heart research with a view to creating new treatments, advice on the prevention of heart disease, new facilities and tools for patients, cardiologists, nurses, the families of patients and so on.
Anyway I could rant on all day about this kind of thing and I stress all of the above is only my view and worth no more than the opinion of anyone else. There will be many contrary opinions and people with a completely different, and no less honourable and proper, set of objectives than the ones I favour.
Back to Res 12 — my own personal impression is that the board wnat to see it succeed though we may have different ideas on why it should succeed or at least how you go about bringing about the means of it succeeding.
But hey that is life — different opinions, different startegies, different ways of going about things.
Having a different view on anything is hardly a hanging offence — and I don’t believe in hanging anyway.
Personally, I also think that there are other issues that anyone running Celtic PLC should find more important than Res 12 but hey that is a whole new discussion.
Right — work time!
Thank you for the kind birthday wishes posts & texts.
I woke up kinda healthy this morning,
Just over 4 days till the Celtic play (thanks lennybhoy) and 18 days till my daughters wedding. Odaat
My world is not too bad :))))))))
Thanks again for being here .
Hail Hail & mon the Hooooooooooooooooops the common bond that links the lot of us.
Away to buy more paint to get the house ready :)))))))))))))))
SofTunis – will definitely be investing in’Cosmic American Music’.
There is a great version, if you’ve not heard it, of ‘Pancho and Lefty’ on Texas Rain, by ole Townes van Zandt, complete with mariachi trumpet.
Probably the second greatest song ever written.
Leftclicktick: Breithlá sona dhuit
HAPPY HOOOOOOPY BIRTHDAY to
LEFTCLICKTIC!!!!!
I hope you have a smashing day,bud. And I hope daughter’s big day goes just swimmingly too.
BRTH
My problem wasnt that there was an inability to report fully.
I understand that when supporting, or delegating authority to a nominee there must be leeway to allow them to use their discretionm My problem was that some of the backers were being given feedback and some were not.
To my mind it was simple. Those who pledged support and proxy shareholdings had all communicated by e-mail and it should have been a simple matter to brief that group, even to say “we can’t say too much etc”. This didn’t happen and some of us were left out of the loop and I was critical of that selectivity.
My fear was the board would charm the requisitioners to get them on board then obfuscate and delay till we all lost interest. They bought two years by doing so.
Noticeable that the article on the Celtic website re watching the semi final live at Celtic Park doesn`t mention our opponents by name.
Is there a policy here?
Also would it be churlish to point out it is 128 years or so since Brother Walfrid founded the club. The Celtic ideals were and hopefully still are the finest but times change unfortunately.
Sorry should have added a happy Birthday to Leftclick and that I really enjoyed reading the posts and thoughts of all of those who went to Dublin and had a great time.
No matter how many words you write on here or anywhere else there is no substitute for meeting with folk and talking. Written words on the page are great but often fail to portray the nuances and real intentions of the writer because posts are hurried, limited and what have you.
And then of course there are typos — the whole thing can become far too serious at times.
Just read the item about Lennie`s prediction. Yet another piece for sevco`s dressing room notice board.
I just hope we and they don`t play like we did against Dundee.
Nan
Criticism of the means and quality of the reporting function may well be justified — whether I agree with you or not etc.
What I can say has never happened was that the board was aboe to charm the requisitioners or lead them up a false path — there has been a slow but steady march towards a specific point with the SFA officer seemingly reaching a point where further open invetigation was inevitable. That would represent considerable success.
However there is now obfuscation on that point of view if not a complete volte face — but I think there is no chance of the whole thing being delayed to the extent where anyone loses interest. If anything, interest in the whole process is growing with more people becoming more and more vociferous.
I spent an hour yesterday just opening letters containing mandates and there will be more today with all individual details having to be passed on to the lawyers.
If the intention was to filibuster and just muck about etc then that sure as hell didn’t work.
By the way one thng I have concluded is that I don’t think working for Celtic PLC is easy at certain levels. I had a long chat with a now ex employee and he was at pains to point out to me that it was not the worst place to work and stressed that there a lot of good people working there in sometimes difficult or challenging circumstances.
He was much more positive than me and it must have been obvious that I think supporting Celtic is a hell of a lot easier than working there in any capacity. One of the things that would make it a bloody awful place to work would be the reporting aspect you complain of.
BRTH
From a personal perspective, having guys like you involved in Res 12, gives me and I’m sure I the sentiment will be shared by countless others, hope, that is hope that justice will be done and those people who have perverted the course of fairness, will be exposed. Now it may not happen, whether that be a time issue, a logistical reason, or indeed that there is no case to answer. So be it.
Whilst it would be a devastating blow if there was not an outcome that seen right triumph over wrong, it would in no way be a reflection on you and the others, Auldheid etc, nor a reflection on the strategy chosen.
This issue aside, I have watched in sheer admiration at the manner in which you conduct yourself and take what appears to be a selfless, and tolerant approach to life.
Sensitivity, integrity and humility in abundance.
Your charity work is humbling to the more selfish of us, and it pains me when I see you having to bat away suggestions of possible underhand behaviour re res 12.
The main reason I hope res 12 succeeds is not only to see right triumph, but to see yourself and the other resolution guys secure a place in Celtic history.
I fully appreciate that won’t mean a lot to you, but it would be fitting that when books are being written in 100 years time on the history of Celtic, you were worth a paragraph at least !
Hail hail and thanks.
DBBIA @ 10 24 .
Pancho and Lefty .
Ah -the version with Freddy Fender / Doug Sahm etc .. Been a while since I listened to it ..Have it on a tape -will dig it out and give it a listen .
BIG NAN on 29TH MARCH 2016 10:32 AM
BRTH
My problem wasnt that there was an inability to report fully.
I understand that when supporting, or delegating authority to a nominee there must be leeway to allow them to use their discretionm My problem was that some of the backers were being given feedback and some were not.
To my mind it was simple. Those who pledged support and proxy shareholdings had all communicated by e-mail and it should have been a simple matter to brief that group, even to say “we can’t say too much etc”. This didn’t happen and some of us were left out of the loop and I was critical of that selectivity.
My fear was the board would charm the requisitioners to get them on board then obfuscate and delay till we all lost interest. They bought two years by doing so.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/resist-of-wither-like-miss-havisham/comment-page-52/#comments
===========
You have to remember that Res12 was something new in that it did not come from an organised group like the CST or CSA with Web sites and records of members.
Especially electonic records with e mails. So one of the problems was communicating back to all signatories. We could only do with those e mail addresses we had and BRTH explained why there was a need to go under the radar.
Nothing sinister just capacity issues. That is why Phil Mac Giolla Bhain put out updates, because of his reach.
With regard to the two years that is how long it took to move matters again for capacity reasons and not all of the delay came from Celtic. There were 4 guys sometimes thousands of miles apart trying to coordinate what to do next. E mails and drafts would recreate a forest.
The thing is if you look for something sinister you will find it ( and much more inclined to accept the masonic influence than I was ) but equally if you look for rightness that too can be found.
Afternoon Timland from a spring like hun free mountain valley.
Lefty, feliz cumpleanos mi amigo, I hope you have many more.
HH
……………………………………………………….
For all the accusations re Res 12, the rights, the wrongs, whether it succeeds or not, at least those behind it have done something, unlike those who are casting aspersions.
leftclicktic-Hoopy Birthday
HOOPY BIRTHDAY…
LEFTCLICKTIC
MRS BT
and all others celebrating today have a good one..
BROGAN ROGAN TREVINO AND HOGAN SUPPORTS OSCAR KNOX, MACKENZIE FURNISS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO FIGHTS NEUROBLASTOMA on 29TH MARCH 2016 2:33 AM
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/resist-of-wither-like-miss-havisham/comment-page-50/#comments
Right back at you BRRT.
Meetings, Meetings, Meetings eh lad trying to shut up the source.
Let’s see the amount of BS you guys spout when the club ask you not to tell fans the whole truth about why they won’t write to UEFA especially when they have a mandate with clear evidence to pursue justice.
Back of the bus Timmy and do what big Pedro tells you.
And Hoopy Birthday to Mrs BT.
Morning ghuys looking for some info. Where can one watch Celtic games in Edmonton Canada. Not sure if Celtic Bars.com is up to date. Thanks. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Hebcelt
Been scouring the websites for you but unfortunately have came up dry. Sorry! Hopefully someone else will be able to assist.
HEBCELT .
i recall watching a Celtic game in an Edmonton boozer -memory ( not reliable ) says the boozer was called the High Run .
Hebcelt,
The high run club.
HH
Thanks Brogan me personally I hope to see big changes on the Celtic Board in the summer, real Celtic men or women, to take our Club,on the right path,people who will put the media in this country in there place,also chase Sky Sports down London Road,could we do that
HebCelt
It’s been a while since I was in Edmonton but I made my way to a place called the High Run Bar….there is also a comment at the bottom of my wee post from Steve Kerr, president of Edmonton CSC.
He would be worth an email.
Anyway, good luck…here’s the link….
http://goo.gl/GVLnIQ
Hail Hail
Matt
CRIME & PUNISHMENT and/or CONSEQUENCES
ITALIABHOY@8:07 –
You raise a number of salient, if not entirely new, points and observations about the demise of Rangers and the inevitability of its return. Of course it was always going to be a return, in one form, or another, even if they had stopped playing in 2012 and Ibrox had been bulldozed and sold to a developer. The ‘Rangers’ constituency is too big to disappear in Scotland, they would have bought over another club and called it Rangers – unhappily the Bears outside the ‘big hoose’ were right in the strictest sense – A ‘Rangers will never die’.
When a crime is committed and the perpetrator is caught and convicted, usually a punishment is meted out – however every punishment has consequences and quite often the delayed consequential impact is felt much harder by the offender than the actual punishment itself – the exception being of course in the case of capital punishment, where the sentence and consequences are almost inseparable.
When a person in a position of trust commits a fraud, the consequences of being convicted may far outweigh the actual punishment imposed – e.g. perhaps a one year custodial sentence, but the prospect of never being able work in their chosen field again – and so the case of the driver given a fine and a one year ban for drunk-driving – the consequential loss in terms of unemployment and possibly loss of car can be calamitous.
So what have been the punishments and consequences for the occupants of Ibrox and Murray Park since we all found out that they cheated Scottish Football, HMRC and umpteen creditors in 2012? Of course administration and now liquidation have been forced upon them – but what has it actually meant to the entity that tens of thousands in the West of Scotland call Rangers?
Financial Consequences
1) An enforced four year absence from the top-tier of Scottish Football for the first time in their existence – probable cost 80 million pounds.
2) An enforced six year absence from European competition – probable cost 25 million pounds.
3) Loss of transfer fees for players who would not ‘TUPE’ – McGregor, Naismyth, Lafferty, Davis and others – probable loss around 15 million pounds.
4) Loss of merchandising income to Sports Direct – probable cost 30 million pounds.
5) Loss of sponsors – probable cost 8 million pounds.
6) Thrown off the London Stock Exchange.
7) Unable to get a credit facility with any major bank.
8) Overall debt of around 30 million pounds.
Punishments
9) Two fines totalling around half a million pounds.
10) Transfer ban (largely mitigated)
Operating Consequences
11) Taken over by a fraud and a charlatan – Craig Whyte.
12) Taken over by a fraud and charlatan – Charles Green.
13) Taken over by a convicted tax criminal – David King.
14) Supreme Court may find Rangers guilty of criminal tax evasion.
15) Hauled through the courts by Mike Ashley and MASH.
16) Stadium dilapidated and in need of extensive repairs.
17) Recruiting only free-transfers and players from lower leagues.
18) Probably not trusted any other club on staged transfers-payments.
I imagine if the above ‘package’ had been mooted at the time, many of our support would have never believed that it would come to pass – however as we all know, it has. Would we have been satisfied at this retribution? – yes I think we would have.
Now I am not joining the “we’ve been punished enough brigade” – I still believe that titles and other prizes won during the ‘financial doping’ years should be forfeited and, of course there must be some kind of ‘closure’ to the Resolution 12 issue, which of course also includes the SFA.
In monetary terms, I believe the cost to the Rangers/Sevco/TIFC for their deceit has been of the order of 178 million pounds (my best guess). The loss of status and reputation is impossible to quantify – however it is entirely possible that the (any) new incarnation will not be able to return to the top two in Scotland for many years.
Who knows what the upcoming ‘Fraudco’ court cases will uncover and who knows what the consequences may be.
I guess, and this is NOT a criticism, that a good proportion of our support still want our ‘pound of flesh’, regardless of what has gone before – all I would say is what a shame it would be if the drive for that ‘flesh’ divides and damages the Celtic family in the process.
HAPPY HOOOOPY BIRTHDAY to
Mrs BT!!!!!
With regard to Res12
I have 500 shares if any of the lads need for voting rights.
.
Australia 4-0 Jordan (Redknapp).. Tom Rogic..Goal…. 53Mins
Summa
Aftermoon Celts
Leftclicktic…Happy Birthday bud.
I know about RES 12….although i dont often comment directly, because there are many other posters who are actively working on it.
May i just say….that too much deference is a problem.
Romantic figures on the board….no, just hard headed career businessmen….not football men.
The PLC need called out….what are their intentions?
Where is the honesty from the board?
The more they hide, the more it becomes obvious, that they have no intention of challenging the cheating imo.
Not a word about the highly suspicious refereeing decisions….red cards, penalties.
If we allow them cheat us without a challenge….there will be uproar
I have no confidence in the chancers that run Celtic.
I wish people would realise….DD is not Santa Clause, PL is no hero.
Dont let them pretend they are either.
They are men…nothing more, and not unassailable.
My advice would be to tell those concerned at CP…to get their a**** in gear, pronto.
Supporters have had enough.
Btw….PL is not Alexander the Great.
HH
new article posted.
Twists n Turns
BRTH confined to a single paragraph? Ha, ha, there are two chances of that…….fat and nae :-)
HH
CRC
Summa
Big Toms goal
http://youtu.be/B3jcz4Xt6W4
HH
Summa and Lymmbhoy,
What a tackle from behind on Robbie Kruse, thought I was watching the SPFL there.
THE PLC
Legends in their own minds….but in reality, just investment and bonus schemes for those that can buy into the graft.
What is Ian Bankier purpose as a director.
Ditto Lord Livingston.
Are they on the board just because they are ‘Celtic supporters’…er, i wouldnt think so.
Too many fairy stories, magic castles in the air.
Look at it properly.
The romanticisation of businessmen is never a good idea.
TWhen you worship the the dollar….You become slave to it.
TCall it out…in no uncertain terms.
The choice is yours….Celtic…or the worship of the dollar.
HH
S