Do you remember the Green and Whitewash season? In 2003-04 Celtic dominated the league. After drawing their opening game away to Dunfermline they won their next 25 consecutive league games, beating every team in the league home and away. Across all competitions, they beat Rangers five times in four league and a Scottish Cup meeting.
This was as dominant as a team could get but there were vulnerabilities. Not only was Henrik Larsson out of contract, much of that team were in the twilight of their careers. Paul Lambert, Neil Lennon, Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton would never command the same on-field fear again.
The team that completed nine league wins in a row on Wednesday night could not be more different from the 03-04 vintage in one important aspect; only four are older than 23-years-old and none of them are veterans: Brown, 26, Samaras, 26, Mulgrew, 25 and Ledley, 24.
With an average age of just over 22 years this team will continue to improve for years; we can see evidence of progress. James Forrest has made a huge step up in form from last season. Victor Wanyama is almost unrecognisable from the player who arrived in the summer. Big Fraser, 23, still young for a keeper, inspires a lot more confidence than he did last season, and the baby of the team, Adam Matthews, is a scarcely believable 19-years-old. He’s so new to this environment you have to wonder if even the lad’s father knew he had a performance like Wednesday night’s in him.
Ki, 22, Stokes, 23, Izaguirre, 25, Kelvin Wilson, 26 and Mikael Lustig, 25 all fit the same profile. They are a squad full of improving players with the appetite you only get when your career is in front of you.
Rangers, and the rest, should be very afraid. Wednesday night might be as close as they get to the coattails of the young Celts.
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It is a young team and sometimes in matches it appears that more experience would help.
The players were very cool on Wednesday in a game where the referee was tolerant of robust play. Well played! :-)
Kevin 12.27
We’ve the best disciplinary record in the league; the Orcs had DOUBLE the fouls given against them than was given agin us, even with Gollum refereeing. These are facts about our team, our players and these are POSITIVE facts. It means, for example, that IF there is any Mibbery then it’s harder for them to influence our results.
Well done Neil and the Bhoys.
Kit
I think he’s hiding out with the new Wayne Rooney, Flecky boy….
kitalba
Aye but if we sell one of ours for £30m that will make up for those duds.
I see you left out Salim Kerkar?? Aye, bet you’re worried PSG will sign him for loadsamoney. :-)
THE EXILED TIM
Enjoy your birthday,bud,and have a grand day,haha!
You must be miffed yer not in Samoa-you’d still only be 57 for another year……
setting free the bears,
I have a confession to make.
I was the original doubter of Cultsboy. I have read the posters anti Celtic bile since 2005. He had the inside info on Sean Maloney back then. Guess what ? Yep it was all negative. I took him to task then.
He then morphed into BoyfromCults. Gordon Strachan was a particular hate figure for him. The usual negative/snidey/sneeky stuff ensued, culminating in much joy and a particularly nasty and personal attack on Gordon the year we lost out on the title. I took him to task then. (him and some twat called Tangerine Dream).
Well were back to Cultsboy and over the last few seasons there has been a shift. There is some postitivity in the posts but theres always a down side with him regarding Celtic (selling our players to LOWER EPL teams for example). Now why would Cultsboy me more positive these last few seasons ? Mmmmmmmm.
Still dont think hes a hun (still think hes a journo). Curiously though, the 2 guys who run the Cults team he says he coaches arent in the journalistic trade. Not unless Stewart Milne (the house builder) or Shell (the oil company) have press departments. The NHS arent present in those 2 organisations either I’ll guess.
Cultsy, I’ll just have to give you the benefit of the doubt for now I suppose, or a phone perhaps ?, to arrange a lift for you to the Peterhead game if you fancy it. You can prove me all wrong.
Will look out for the response later.
kitalba
“Whatever happened to Jamie Ness? ”
They lost all their jamminess when Big Fraser clawed out that effort from Lee Wallace
Kitalba
The Crying Hun:
I laughed along with the panel when Grant broke down. But I was a tad disgusted to hear Chic Young tell him “get in that darkened room with Neil Lennon” before quickly switching to another caller.
Uncalled for or what?
M
Hen1rik
As the sales of the EA games will be low by comparison to other countries, the problem will be at the bottom of the pile, we need more people to complain, it was the same last year with Fifa2011.
Paul67:
Rangers, and the rest, should be very afraid. Wednesday night might be as close as they get to the coattails of the young Celts.
– > I think we should be careful about comments like this. We all know how utterly stupid your ‘Generation of Domination’ articles look now. The Huns are organised, physical, get a huge number of favourable decisions, defend hard, may look to use some of the revenues from potential sales to get new bodies in, and have a winning mentality that befits a club on the back of 3 successive titles.
This is the same Celtic team that was 3 down in 45 minutes to Killie ffs. Yes, we are improving, but there are many battles still to be fought.
I despise the huns, but i can respect (ok… acknowledge…) what they have achieved. That rangers team will be good enough to beat almost all SPL opposition. We need Celtic to keep on winning, and borrow a bit of that grinding attitude from rangers. the huns have been playing badly and generally grinding out wins and they will probably continue to do so. I would love my team to develop that same mentality. martin O’Neil’s celtic, where Neil lennon played, were ‘Hard To Beat’. Let’s see that become the case now Neil is manager.
‘Grant from Perth’ is really worth a listen BTW.
The Mrs nearly inhaled her cuppa.
RE:
EmeraldBee\o/
Spot on mate, I thought that some one had said last week on here that they average 3/4 before a booking to our 1/2 before a booking that makes sense. we just need to keep our head and to be fair the europe games have helped with that. we seem to be calmer though out the team, could be coming from big ff getting better by the game and VW being in the ranks for back up.lol
KLV
All
Wasn’t the ‘Grant from Perth’ call just a huge wind up?
Watched the download of teh second half.
One wee detail that nobody mentioned was McCulloch’s antics as Kayal was stretchered off. Having made his miracle recovery, he comes over to Scott Brown and tries to act all pally. At the same time, he makes a big deal of pulling his socks up over his knees – as in ‘up to his knees in fenian blood’.
Was it a wee gesture for the watching hordes?…ar am I just too paranoid for my own good?
Anyway, I am sort of hoping that nothing changes regarding personnel over Ibrox way in the transfer window. Didnt think we were great to be honest – but they look truly dreadful and bereft of ideas and inspiration.
oglach,
if it was, it was a blinder.
Young and improving is an excellent squad profile to have. As these players gain in the experience of competing for trophies and of European competition they will only get better.
The manager has quite a job to do in keeping everyone happy though. You can’t play all of our four international right backs unless you have a very strange formation indeed. Some rotation in midfield may be required to ensure game time for everyone, although injuries and suspensions do that naturally.
But it’s a good problem to have,
Stringer Bell says:
30 December, 2011 at 12:02
Good lord
We have signed Johnny depp.
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Yeah I thought he looked a bit like Johnny Depp too, so that’ll be his moniker sorted out then ;-)
STV reject QPR’s bid for Jelavic.
Lots of good points Luxcelt about keeping it real, your right and I think we should fear the refs more than them as they will have more influence on our whole season not just the remaining OF game, i have no respect for anything about them as they are cheats plain and simple. Im 34 and watched celtic since i was 4/5 and we have always been cheated by them, they WERE a force and now because the nature of the world has changed IE cant get away with it anymore , internet,leaks and so on and football has been cleaned up since theyre hay day of bully boys. So its about as fair a ground as we’ll get and we should walk it with this young team for years to come.
KLV
kitalba says:
30 December, 2011 at 12:30
Whatever happened to Jamie Ness?
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I think he was last spotted swimming in a loch in Scotland.
Sion deducted 36 points over ineligible players
They are now bottom of the league
The your call guy crying is funny, and youve got to laugh at the totally uncomfortable answers he gets once he cracks, chic and that are great at helping people. hot potato anyone.nice guys to have on your side. not!
KLV
Serves sion right, should never have rumbled on as long as it did, serves their owner right, maniac of a man. lets see the scottish media, over play THIS story, didnt think so. Ah well!!!
KLV
Vmhan/twists
We should not forget that, alongside Big Vic, the contribution of Mo Bangura and El Kaddouri as 2nd half subs too.
70+ minutes gone and we were still 3:0 down
If lustig is half as good as the King ,we’re laughing. Another Gem?
KLV
kevinlasvegas says:
30 December, 2011 at 12:47
-> Cheers. we are of a similar generation, so are probably used to being burned in the past!
The Club needs to be as ruthlessly professional as possible in all aspects, including ‘referee management’ if you get my drift.
Results are what matter now – and any team that can repeatedly grind out wins will do well. We know the huns can do that, but it is one area our young team will still be learning about.
january window is the time to get the foot firmly on the huns throat, and don’t let off. If the team is strengthened in january – particularly with physicality and experience, then we should have enough in the tank to win the title. If the board dismiss the rangers challenge, we could be in enormous difficulty.
I don’t think I could face 4 in a row – lets beef up the squad and drive straight over everybody.
OMG!
It sounds like we’re on the verge of another…..Generation of Domination!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;/)
Paul67,
Inspiring stuff and only too true. As I’ve said before on here, we could well be on the cusp another wonderful era. It feels to me, at times, so reminiscent of the Kelly Kids of Big Billy and the others. We even have our own latter day Yogi in Georgio Samaras. But given their average age, I would be of the Must Keep Dan clique. Why? Because he has the experience to help the likes of Rogne. He is now playing like the Swedish Centre Back, which he is. If we can find a big CF, a la Chris Sutton, for SPL games, especially away fixtures, I think we can look forward to going to Celtic Park and anywhere else we play and know we are going to enjoy the experience.
Someone mentioned earlier about resting James Forest. I would second that. We need to protect him, particularly from the likes of Healy. (Having said that, I don’t think Dunfermline play like that.) We don’t want to take any chances with him.
To think there are those u19s coming through too: some of them may well be even better, like Paul George.
Re the MIBS, aye, they are about to get a lot lot worse. Something I wonder about also is the possibility of the renewal of the Demonize Neil Lennon campaign. The polis and the politiks seem to be happy with their achievements now, so it’s back to the meeja scum and their paymasters to write what they like without the restrictions of the aforementioned, for now.
The other possibilty is that they’ve all just accepted the huns are in free fall now. But at 2 pts of a difference, there’s still plenty for the SFA to play for, so it’s a 60/40 call – based on Moisty’s reaction at the end on Wed night. He was very calm and made it clear to the camera that he was congratulating oor Lenny. Mmm. Shame the polis influence didn’t extend to the hun scrum merchants who in any normal league would have had at least 3 players sent off.
Apparently it only takes only one decision to go against the hun before the sfa decide enough is enough and have offered to introduce goal line technoloy on a trial basis. Ironically it would not have conclusively cleared up the incident in question. Actually I find that if you lean to the right with one hand over the left eye …….
DBBIA
You don’t believe in GOD? Are you an ATHEIST?
A Tim who Hates Existential Interference in Scottish Titles?
Personally, I am AGNOSTIC
A Green Nosed Ovejoyed Scottish Tim in Celebration
STV just announced free entry to the Coronation Street £1000 quiz for soldiers calling in while in uniform.
A very happy birthday to excellent CQNer and Neukie aldersyde avenue.
I’ve just been thinking about the effects of Celtic being involved in the Europa League Group. I don’t think that the likes of Gordon Dalziel (sp) has been taken to task enough about this matter. He was adamant that it was the last thing that a struggling Celtic needed – six extra games against top class European opposition and having to play SPL away games after difficult Thursday night trips abroad. It hasn’t quite worked out as well as Gordon hoped.
I think that playing in the EL games helped Celtic. It gave us a break from our difficulties at home and allowed the players to gain invaluable experience against some really good teams/players. I also think that our performances also helped to boost our players’ confidence and give them the self-belief that they needed to launch their attempt to take over the number one spot.
I wonder how the ole Sion chairman is feeling now?
Paul67
Agree with what you say but I would still like 1 or 2 older heads (than what we have) in the first XI for certain games. If we sign a centre half I hope he’s in the 28-30 age bracket and has some quality experience. Kudos to our scouting team – they have uncovered some gems for little or no money.
aldersyde avenue
Many Happy Returns
Greetings from Castile Grant which I can assure you is a Timmy free zone apart from my Gautamalan maid Juanita who is preparing the table in the great hall for tomorrow nights festivities . Lachie my gamekeeper has shot a fine selection of local wildlife and his wife Morag is plucking away in the kitchen to a Jimmy Shand selection and my beautiful girlfriend Dolly is in the gym with her personal trainer Otto. Life is good and dont think a lucky victory will deflect me from my destiny. Oh no . The guests will be arriving soon and spirits are high. Some of my closest friends will be here to see in the bells and what a list. Paul Burrell, Rolf Harris ,Ronnie Kray,Jeremy Thorpe,The Cheeky Girls , Jack Glass, Sir Fred Goodwin to name but a few. Guest of honour will be Rangers legend Gregor Stevens with entertainment from Black Lace and Michael Barrymore . Fantastic!
How do you like them apples TimmyTaxman- ha ha. Anyway thats the old Blackberry pinging away (deals, old boy deals) and I think Dolly must have hurt herself in the gym judging by the noise in there luckily Otto is on hand to look after the little minx.
A dopo as we say in Monaco.