Back in the 80s I had a soft spot for Porto. Their 2-1 1987 European Cup final win over Bayern Munich, coming from behind in the last 15 minutes and scoring with a back-heel, against a vastly better resourced opponent, was something Celtic fans could relate to.
A decade later I followed Porto’s tribulations as they tried to recapture those heights in the Champions League with a new team. They remained an engaging team but when it came to the big clubs there was always one who would wipe the floor with them. Manchester United scored four without reply in the 1997 quarter finals. The following season Real Madrid hit six over two games without conceding as Porto exited at the group stage.
It was a group stage exit the next season, before Bayern Munich took them in the 2000 quarter final. Then what looked like a significant reversal as they failed to qualify for Europe’s top tournament, settling for Uefa Cup football instead in season 2000-01. They eliminated Celtic from the group stage in 2001-02 but were taken home and away by Real Madrid in the last sixteen.
All this time they were fine-tuning player development and recruitment strategy; buying marginally better players and selling for ever-increasing money. Real Madrid may have wiped the floor with them but Porto’s business model was fine-tuned by 2002. Real won their last European trophy that season but the gap with Porto was closed in an instant.
Celtic are less than two years into their current strategy and we’re miles ahead of where we should be. It will be extremely difficult to match this season’s on-field achievements next season, but the stage you exit the Champions League is only one yardstick available. It took Porto years of slow and meandering progress to learn what it took to reach the highest level. This is our task.
On Friday 1 March the Lisbon Lions will be at the Kerrydale Suite providing commentary and answering questions on their magnificent European Cup final win in 1967. This has never happened in 46 years since that game, to say it is a unique opportunity fails to tell the whole story.
The event is part of our 125 4 125 campaign – central to reinvigorating the charitable spirit which is part of the club we love. It will be a family occasions, tickets are available at £10 for adults and £5 for children. The night has been organised by several fans working in conjunction with the people at Celtic Charity, so please do your best to support this great occasion. Individual tickets or tables are available, details here.
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corkcelt we now have this in common.
I too have had a post removed from CQN. Just one mind you. For an oblique reference to Irish freedom fighters.
TBJ who and where are these zombies?
Have they been fed?
We would appear to have very little in common Ntassoolla. In any case I was a long time lurker on CQN before starting to add my tuppence worth and have no problem returning to my lurker status should my contributions not be acceptable.
A wee bit of tolerance can go a long way.
Corkcelt
You must remain on Cqn as a contributer … No one else appreciates my poetic efforts!
See I told ya
Them Corkies start trouble where ever they go
(What is the stars cackles evily and sneaks off the stage again!!!!!!)
Monaghan1900
Those were great comments on ole G Smith.
Laugh out loud stuff – a witty scribe.
Ntazoola ……… Don’t you worry about the Cork Brigade ……… You worry about the black & tans and the shankhill butchers ……… freedom was eventually gained, and the 6 Counties will follow soon, thankfully via the ballot-box ……..
A must see film for 2013
Les Miserables…… Distributed by IbOrcs
http://i.imgur.com/HlMqwrz.jpg
Corkcelt
I don’t find your contributions unacceptable.
Keep posting.
There will always be someone on here who disagrees with your posts.
It happens to everyone.
Even Paul67!!
SPF
Shame on the BBC for letting the bigots win and not allowing Paul Mc Conville to appear as a guest on sportsound
The day the Rangers died…
Corkcelt ….. Don’t you dare leave this site……you are a breath of fresh air, and a true Celt
NtaZOOlu knows nothing about Cromwell and the rest of them ……. Ireland prevailed, where Scotland failed …… A Nation Once Again
corky
keep em coming comrade
lastsaloon
place is reeking with them
corkcelt keep on posting. But don’t be surprised that some on here do not see it as a forum for discussing Irish history with an anti-British slant.
Celtic are a Scottish team.
There are many on here whose ancestry and leanings are not 100% Irish. And the inverse.
You seem fixated on an exchange from 3 months ago.
I was subjected to a pack attack by yourself and several others. When someone joins in with that kind of antic, they’ve no grounds for complaint when they catch a loose one where it hurts. But it is not the “self-confessed alcoholic” who bleats.
67Heaven you may do as you wish with my moniker but the “ZOOlu” quip is not fit for this board.
I’m off to ALDI to buy a roasted chicken and I’m going to eat the whole lot of it for dinner with a wee bit of salad.
The Boy Jinky I’ll have to work on that facet of my sense of smell. I hope they’re not partial to roast chicken. Even if they are they better be ready for a fight if they go anywhere near mine.
MurdochauldandHay
They Buckled under pressure from zombies.
SHAME ON THEM
ps
Scotzine@scotzine
So Rangers fans complain about me being on the show and I am replaced by @GrahamSpiers ;) biting their nose off to spite their face eh?
http://www.onfieldsofgreen.com/12-months-on-exploding-the-myths/
12 months on people. Happy Anniversary!
Jelly & Ice Cream all round!
I find Paul’s admonition of CorkCelt disappointing and I am no fan of the IR A .He is quite right to say that this blog is not the place for that and as its his blog h e is of course perfectly entitled to censor what he thinks fit. I feel though I must point he seems to tolerate racist post er Kojo and his various epigones .
Corkcelt. … Congratulations on the news of a grandchild on the way
Miki67 …. Keep well mate and keep posting , I admire the cut if your jib!
Hail Hail to all. God bless the hoops!
Corkcelt.
Keep on posting,and pleased to hear about your good news.Expecting some of my own in the next 24hrs God willing.HH
Paul67
Porto have the distinct advantage of being able to sign up and coming Brazillians .
This is a huge advantage within the said strategy.
TT
SOUTH OF TUNIS
I heard this band-from Mali-perform a stunning track called POYE2 on the radio last night.
Radio3,2300-0030,LATE JUNCTION. Plays a very eclectic mix of world music.
I had never heard of them-turns out they played at G8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znH1DtD9UBE
Well the erse has fallen out of that Liverpool game plan…
TEST
OOOOOOOOOOOOPS!!!!!!!!!
This is the G8 one…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zAcQPjkOkA
Oops 2 goals in 2 mins for Zenith…
James Forrest is Neil Lennon! We are ALL Neil Lennon!
18:22 on 14 February, 2013
fantastic James, I forwarded it onto @scotzine ,Hope you dont mind.
He thought I had written it (no laughing at the back)
I put him right, well done again another magic piece of writing.
Shortbread website is a nightmare to try and get Sportsound.
Evening all, its Valentines Day and the old Celtic romantic in me says, this tie aint over! :) Have lovely evening. sTICks
jsTICks
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
The guys in white coats
Are looking for you.
I admire your optimism,though-and I would love you to be right!
.
A Replay of the Own Goal of the Century on CQN..Paul67 l hope You credited RL with a Assist..:O)
RogueLeader
14:50 on
13 February, 2012
Chatter reaching fever pitch that the Huns were at the Court of Session today to appoint somebody to help them run their business and protect them from bad boys who want their money back…..
RogueLeader
15:00 on
13 February, 2012
STV : Rangers in Administration
RogueLeader
15:00 on
13 February, 2012
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/297387-rangers-to-go-into-administration/
And The Fat Lady sang..’Simply the Bust’
Summa of JKMMomentCSC
Did I miss a fight?
corkcelt
I have noticed a growing band of Johnny come latelys trying to white wash the history of our club to suit their modern day agenda.
I know where I came from, I know what I am, I will always be A SON OF DAN!
zumma
careful … the way things are going on cqn .. you might get a yellow card for anti r@ngers comments
!!Bada Bing!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/6407137.stm
Nice to see Kelvin Wilson put his metaphorical arm around his teammate with his comments in the NorthBrit and also his views on Juve’s defending.
As a weekly watcher of Football Italia, that type of defending is normal, what I liked about Tuesday’s especially was that Lichtsteiner had obviously been briefed by his boss to sacrifice himself with a red so long as Celtic get a clear chance to score.
As much as it hurt during the game you have to admire the team ethic that you’re prepared to miss out on a possible quarter final tie just to assist the team in the 1st leg in the 4th round. Not sure such selflessness happens at all in British football at any level.
That sort of cynicism and professionalism is what you come up against when you play the Italians, it used to be spitting and punching in the ribs, it probably still happens but the TV cameras are in HD now so that’s a far rarer occurrence.
Job done by Juventus, sadly…
What’s in the stars … Were you a supporters member of the Dublin branch of that deid club ! Lol ! Think they wore blue like the Jacks.Try playing fair fella n stop launching those wee grenades and disappearing over the wall having a dig at uz Rebels lol . My actual point is tho “are u a Hun ” (0)
Paul67 & Tiny Tim
Another advantage that Porto enjoy is a competitive group of teams around them (Benfica, Braga and Sporting especially).
Now, other Scottish teams are not going to be providing that quality of opposition any time soon and, I fear, never again. I am no fan of the bloated EPL but we need to play more regular high level competitive football in order to step up beyond even the Porto level.