Optimism among the Celtic support is tangible right now. For much of last year the league title remained in the balance, but today, despite being promised a more taxing season, we’re miles ahead. You can get odds of over 40-1 on second favourites to win the title; the definition of No Contest.
As I noted yesterday, the transformation goes deeper than the heroics of Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele, neither of whom were material in the level of performance shown against Barcelona.
Achievements are often subject to reassessment at a later date and Celtic’s progress or otherwise over the last two years fall into this category.
A year ago, with a faltering Craig, Emilio, Efe, Dedryk, Stuart, Gary, James and others, we looked miles away from being a Champions League team. It turns out, we have a squad full of Champions League players.
Youth development hit the jackpot with Kieran Tierney, while John Park’s swansong signings, Erik Sviatchenko and Moussa Dembele, saw a return to form for our recently departed chief scout.
Money isn’t everything. Since 2004 it’s been clear on CQN that many Celtic fans have no interest in the game’s finances, all they are interested in is seeing an improving team on the park, but for the rest of us, the financial consequence of simply getting to the group stage this season is enormous. It makes accession to the same level next season so much more achievable.
None of that matters right now as we have the first cup final of the season coming up on Sunday. The litany of underachievement in this tournament stretches back to Jock Stein, who qualified for ever League Cup final during his 13 years in charge of Celtic, but after winning the first five, contrived to lose seven of the next eight.
I’ve seen a lot worse teams than Aberdeen knock us out of the League Cup, I hope nothing is taken for granted in the dressing room.
I’ve no idea what happened at the Newco AGM this morning but you’ll remember we discussed here the wisdom of launching a hostile takeover bid while a company is being driven into the sea by boycotts? More precisely, Newco was driven into the arms of the lender of last resort – Sports Direct. Sports Direct provided the cash that kept the lights on and picked up various rights and properties in compensation.
Offering a lender a shop at a rental of £1 per year for a decade seems harsh, but if the alternative is administration, there isn’t really an alternative. We didn’t know what the quid-pro-quo was for Ashley at the time, but we knew there had to be one.
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Here is a very comprehensive article from Two Hundred Per Cent explaining the ins and outs of Res12.
http://twohundredpercent.net/resolution-12-proving-resolve/
It’s an informative read as we wait for kick off time.
UNLEASH HELL , CELTIC !
HH
BABASONICOS71 on 27TH NOVEMBER 2016 6:19 AM
“Monet Selleck”
*****
Let the Peploe sing.
Just home from mass and full fry up waiting for me, square sausage, ham, fried egg, fried bread the works, got a feeling Mrs GFTB doesn’t expect me to be eating much the rest of the day
MALONE- Bucharest Pub ?
Try , BOULEVARD PUB, Covaci Street No.4
Tel +40730352513.
According to their site and reviews ” best Guiness outside Ireland”
up_over
decisions, decisions.
sadly I reckon Kris Commons was already in the ole revolving door along with Charlie Mulgrew ‘before’ Brendan came in.
Morning.
Just getting ready to head into town for a couple of something not too fizzy.
As always I am not optimistic before cup finals though I have seen us win plenty and, today, even without Scott Sinclair I think we have far more quality than an Aberdeen team that is not noticeably superior to the way it was 2 years ago.
My pessimism goes back to the two finals we played in the spring of 1970 which we lost deservedly but in both instances very unexpectedly. The second game was obviously the Feyenoord game but the first was versus a mid-table Aberdeen that played well that day but which also got the benefit of three wrong refereeing decisions. I was there – a 9 year old- and aside from loathing RH Davidson ever since I learned that in a cup final what can go wrong sometimes does. When we lost to Thistle in October 1971 the manner of our loss surprised but the defeat itself did not
I’ve seen us play Aberdeen in 3 finals since 1970 and we lost all 3 (I could not get a ticket for the 2000 final) despite being the better team, on the day, in each game. In the League Cup final of 40 years ago we played just about our best game of what was a great season and still did not win.
League Cup final triumphs have seldom prompted the same levels of joy that The Scottish Cup ones have although the wins of November 1997 v The Arabs and v Killoe in March 2001 were great days and the 6-3 win over Hibs of 1974 was probably the last hurrah of the great team. But the defeats are always just as bitter as those in the Scottish especially as in most of those defeats we were hot pre-match favourites.
History should be irrelevant when it comes to sport and i doubt Brendan Rodgers is agonising at all about past defeats in cup finals. It is just that because of all that has happened before I won’t be too surprised if we are still on 99 by 5 tonight. ( though I always thought the Exhibition and Coronation Cups counted)
Mon the Hoops
Jimbo67
Right I’m off to try’n get the required a ticket from the “Ticket office” aka Pubs Clubs and Supporters coach parks !
Anyone comes across a Ticket gimme a shout please ! Bigcupwinners@gmail.com
Someone is bound to ask , so here goes .
For those who can’t make the cup final today the game is on BT SPORT 1 , build up starts @ 2pm
HH
Watched the Thistle game yesterday,and felt pig sick at the end.Not because the scum won,but the fact that they were absolutely gash,and Thistle were terrific.Its not until you really watch them you realise just how bad they really are.
The boy Barton playing CH for Thistle looks an outstanding prospect.Everything about his game is spot on.I hope we are having a close look at him.Someone will be.
3 hours to kick off and the nerves setting in.If,as We all hope,we win,I really hope there is no hangover from the Hibs final,and Scotlands finest allow our team to take the cup to the fans.
Have a great day all the Bhoys going.I am so jealous.
“Neil, they’re goin’ for their 100th trophy the day!”
“Check the website!”
“Right, 54, plus 33, add 26, then these wee leagues, diz the Challenge cup count?
Sorry, of course it does. Nae problem, still well ahead!”
“TVDealtastic!”
Big Jimmy 11.45am
Cheers for the heads up, all kidding, your post just reminded me to record it (so I can watch it the morra with a clearish head)
Right! Farce avoidance time!
Off to mass.
Ister’s.
Has Sinclair been confirmed as “out”?
Does anyone know of a Celtic supporters club or bar that will be showing the game today in Bucharest?
Sadly no Celtic bars as such in the city at the moment.
Best bet would be to head for the Old Town, Lipscani, and search out one of the many Sports Bars. Virtually all have Sky and BT sports. Ask the staff to get the game up on one of the screens as they may not be showing it routinely.
Settle down and enjoy an Ursus. COYBIG.
Talking of past trophies one…
Read somewhere t’uther day Celtic won the inaugural “British Cup” in circa 1902… First I’d heard.
Hail Hail
I was at the 1970 Scottish Cup final. Davidson was certainly the worst, most biased referee I ever saw – not just in that game, but over a career: however I do think that he got the incident when Clark ‘dropped the ball’ correct. From where I was sitting, it looked to me like Bobby Lennox knocked it out of Clark’s hands. The reactions of Clark (a great goalkeeper) tended to back that up. However, I appreciate that I’m in the minority.
BSR- Correct , when we bought Armstrong and GMS, the SMSM implied we kidnapped them..
CHAIRBHOY
was called the British League cup. Four team tournament, we beat Sunderland in the semi-final 5-1 and Rangers 3-2 aet. The final was at Cathkin Park. Everton were the other team.
HH
In the international bar having a nice pint of Guinness
Roy Croppie…
Thanks… great knowledge… as per…
Remember now, it was something I’d read about Cathkin Park.
Now was this a one off tourney, if so have we still got the trophy?
Hail Hail
Apricale
The Bobby Clark you mention was beyond brilliant in that 76 final I recall – as he often was against us. And indeed most teams.
Jimbo67
The Vogue filling up nicely, VP will be in after parking his Chopper….:)
David O-Team from the guy on twitter who normally gets it right m, according to Celticminded.
Gordon,
Lustig, Jozo, Erik, Izzy, Brown, armstrong,
rogic, forrest, roberts, dembele
MALONE BHOY on 27TH NOVEMBER 2016 10:21 AM
Does anyone know of a Celtic supporters club or bar that will be showing the game today in Bucharest?
Sorry for the late reply Malone was oot with the dogs :
Try James Joyce pub first tel No is: 021 311 4177 (they will answer in english no probs)
If no luck try Champions sports bar Calea 13 Septembrie nr. 90
Bucharest. tel: +40 21 403 1917.
THE BATTERED BUNNET 10.47
Still working on it. May have to miss the game.
John James is gonny need a lot more protection soon.Scathing article today.
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 27TH NOVEMBER 2016 11:25 AM
Ernie
You are CQN’s very own Cartesian Demon.
?
Is that a Neymar ,turning his bedroom into a furnace?
Braw
CHAIRBHOY
I believe we still have the trophy at Celtic Park. I’m sure it was mentioned on a tour I was on last year. Rangers put the trophy up as the tournament was held to raise funds after the first Ibrox disaster. After we won it they wanted it back to keep at Ibrox (they’d insured it for £100) but we refused and kept hold of it.
ROY CROPPIE @ 12:28 PM,
Ha Ha… Insured for £100 in 1902…
Glad we kept it, if we sent it back it may have got lost in transit;)
Somethings never change.
Enjoy the gemme…
Hail Hail
Cheers Bada Bing!
COYBIG.
Lets batter the sheep molesters. I can’t stand their support, they are second only to the zombie hordes in terms of being totally reprehensive A holes of the 1st order. Hope we absolutely pump them.
Right…
A mean left
No No Right
Well must be left
Right, right, definitely…. mmmm left.
Now I know what a Defenders Brain felt like when fiery heided Jinky approached.
Sumthin’ similar from Paddy will suffice today.
Hail Hail
Hello again all you young rebels.
Coming up to midnight here in Oz, had my after Guinness nap
2 hrs. the princess has laid out a scrumptious pre final buffet
the reb tunes are on as are the colours, now just waiting for our
100 dreth trophy legally won, lets do it Celtic ,no messing.
H.H Mick
“If the brain in the vat chooses the left side of the track, the trolley will definitely hit and kill…”
Damn you, sir!
Fellow Celts
Enjoy your day we live in good Celtic times
Hail Hail
Dastardly sheep.
We’ll beat them fair and square, same as we always do.
Magnificent time of the year, Christmas and what not, sad also remember the great Celts whom are no longer of this earth.
That Manchester United song, only half decent song the sing.
The Cantona Christmas song.
Is there any past or present Celtic player could be matched with?
Has to have 3 syllable in the Surname.
5 Can – ta – nas.
Been wrecking the brain for years.
Nightmare.
HH.
Sam – ar – as :-)