I sat beside Stevie Chalmers and Bobby Lennox on Friday night at the excellent Irvine Celtic Supporters’ Club. The conversation eventually got around to Inter Milan. It’s hard to over-estimate the Inter team they faced in Lisbon. Going for their third European Cup in four years, and their fourth Italian title in five, they were the most imperious team Europe had ever seen, and arguably remain so. Real Madrid won five successive European Cups, but that consistency was not repeated domestically.
Despite this, Bobby and Stevie made it clear: Inter didn’t stand a chance. They were going to win that game, no matter what, there was not a single shred of doubt in their minds. It was a confidence which belied external reasoning and could only have existed within the team structure.
Talking about it 48 years later, the sense of purpose remains just as strong. That team believed they could do anything. I’ve heard contrasts. Gordon Strachan’s Celtic never came close to winning the Champions League, but I once heard him break off from a press conference to ask the room, “Who seriously thinks we have a chance of winning this?” Gordon’s lack of confidence was well grounded, but it didn’t feel right hearing him declare in this way. I prefer Ronny’s “We can win everything’ approach.
The Inter of 2015 are not in the same class as the Inter of ’67 but they remain formidable. Like Celtic, they are a team who appear to be progressing after a period of decline, but like La Grande Inter of Sarti, Facchetti and Mazzola, they don’t have a clue what to expect from Celtic.
Thanks for all the ticket requests for CQN11 St Pat’s Dinner over the last few days. It’s at the Kerrydale Suite on Friday 13 March, Cup Final weekend. Email me if you would like a ticket, celticquicknews@gmail.com
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There’s a buzz about the place.
Paul McStay
Stan Collymore is giving the Rangers fans what for over in twitterland for their behaviour at Hampden
He has a petition asking that broadcaters drop their games.
Check his timeline out.
https://twitter.com/StanCollymore
Seen references to Stan Collymore petition
followed the link and am no wiser
what is the boycott sponsors ?
Thanks glasgowdave
jimbo67
15:23 on
19 February, 2015
Afternoon
==============================================================
Your post is very gracious – I thank you for it
Hail Hail for tonight – this is the stage that we that we belong on – we are hampered by the environment in which we play, but we can still produced magical occasions like these.
I will be breathing in the Celtic air as I walk up The Celtic Way, as I have breathed it in before such nights – Ronny and the new Bhoys will ‘get it’ for the first time – let’s hope it is inspirational for them.
Howdy troops
Couple of questions:
– Does Machuils let weans in?
– Any CQN people going to the West Brewery pre-match?
Wee BGFC will be along with his correct score prediction in a wee while.
He has had 3 correct out of the last 5, which is good shooting in anyone’s books
4-0 v Motherwell
2-0 v Dundee
2-1 v St Johnstone
We didn’t bet on any of these, and won’t do tonight – but feel free to fill yer boots with whatever he tells you later!
Oh – we did bet on one prediction last Friday – Hibs at -1 goal vs Sevco.
All four members of the BGFC family steamed in to that, and we ended up about £600 ahead – yee-ha!!!!
HH
BGFC
Hutchybhoy has asked me to tell CQN he’s sorted ref his brief requirements.
I presume he means tickets not undies!
Off to start rounding up the carload for the journey from dunblane.
HH jamesgang
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the scottish football
league.
They come from bonnie Scotland, they come from county Cork,
They come from dear old Donegal and even from New York,
From every street in Glasgow they proudly make their way,
To a place called dear old paradise and this is what they say.
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the scottish football
league.
There’s Fallon, Young and Gemmell who proudly wear the green,
There’s Clark, McNeill and Kennedy the best there;s ever been,
Jim Johnstone, Murdoch, Chalmers, John Divers and John Hughes,
And sixty thousand Celtic fans who proudly shout the news.
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the scottish football
league.
hankray
15:57 on
19 February, 2015
——————————————————————————————–
You are right regarding ‘a settled team’ – there are eight names we can now ‘reel off’ that, when fit, will always start – that leaves the rest of the squad fighting for THREE places in the starting eleven – the ‘tinkering’ has all been worth it, methinks!!!!
big georges fan club – hail, hail, wee oscar
No weans in Mchuills mate.
C’mon Celtic just bloody do it!!!!!!!
The spare I was waiting for arrived but many thanks to TTT and MWD for offering to help.
Greatly appreciate your kindness Bhoys.
Alfie Noakes
Yes, particularly with addition of the two news lads from Dundee Utd we have a very good squad of good young players and hopefully John Guidetti can get back to scoring goals.
Ole EuroChamps67 is at the Gazebo waiting on celebrity Celts, he’s on nodding terms with Rod. The Battered Bunnet is leaving the house at five to eight, straight into Peter Lawell’s spare reserved fast egress.
hamiltontim
16:14 on 19 February, 2015big georges fan club – hail, hail, wee oscarNo weans in Mchuills mate
not the case the last time i was in……:).
If we keep a clean sheet tonight,i think we will go through…..
leftclicktic
15:49 on 19 February, 2015
Phil MacGiollaBhain@Pmacgiollabhain · 30 mins30 minutes ago
Pesky data http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-31525040 …
They never lost my speeding the bar stewards
Sitting in Glasgow Airport heading to Belfast at 5pm, I’m going the wrong way!!
Unfortunately heading to a family funeral tomorrow.
Enjoy the game lads!
C’mon The Hoops!!!
Alfie @16.08
No doubt we will be bickering again soon – but tonight is all about the ‘Tic. When I stop feeling the same way I did when I was 7 when these games are on it is time to have me put down.
Away to meet the family before we head off to Paradise.
Jimbo67 (mental age 7)
!!bada bing!!
16:25 on 19 February, 2015
If we keep a clean sheet tonight,i think we will go through…..
If I keep a clean sheet at night it’s an achievement
Just waiting on the arrival of JJ then we’re off to paradise.
Glasgow’s Green and White.
How things have changed…..
line up v Maribor….
Gor, Lus, VVD, Efe, Izzy, Mul, Joh, Kayal, Berget, Mcgregor, Stokes
only 4 of those are likely to start tonight. Wish Lustig was though!
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Me and Dad and my sister just getting ready to head off to the game.
Prediction:
Celtic 3-0 Fc Internazionale Milano
Just about to head out for the game so not got time to look back. I may regret saying this, but I think we might just see something special tonight. Not necessarily the result, but in the performance. RD could do with a statement win, even if it’s just the home leg, to build confidence ahead of Europe next season. Damn those who say he has to change his style. Damn those who say he has to keep it tight. We have a young, fit, fast, hungry attacking football team.
“Winning was important, aye, but it was the way that we have won that has filled me with satisfaction. We did it by playing football. Pure, beautiful, inventive football. There was not a negative thought in our heads. Inter played right into our hands; it’s so sad to see such gifted players shackled by a system that restricts their freedom to think and to act. Our fans would never accept that sort of sterile approach. Our objective is always to try to win with style.”
Times may have changed, but it’s still 11 v 11. And once again it’s an attack minded Celtic manager, against a defensive minded Inter manager.
Let them play. Let them entertain. Let them inspire.
Celtic 4 – 2 COYBIG
JonnyRambo67
Cracking post JR…
Bring on The Inter…
Guts churning
Mon the HOOPS!!
Gutted can’t be there tonight but work and family getting in the way again (and a lack of money unfortunately) but will be roaring on from home and will be there in spirit
Hail Hail
Cowiebhoy..
Will jump at the chance to pick up a spare.. Will be at the CQN corner at 7.15 and have hold up a sheet of paper (A4 size) with ma nom de plume on it.. Hope to see you there.
Take Care, H H.
What will be interesting for me in tonights game is how our to centre backs play I am sure they will be tested.They im sure will know they have been in a match as they must also cover the space left behind Matthews and Izzy as well as the middle of the back four so do they have real quality or are they just better than average SPL players ? well I think tonight will give us the answers. H.H.
We will win 1-0 tonight
HH
can i have raspberry on that champions league ice cream
16:31 on 19 February, 2015!!bada bing!!16:25 on 19 February, 2015If we keep a clean sheet tonight,i think we will go through…..If I keep a clean sheet at night it’s an achievement
That reminds me i need to watch Trainspotting again soon……:)
The place is jumping already
Stan Collymore on Twitter needs a CQN article on its own
But he argues with conviction good for him
As for tonight I hope and pray for 2 things
1 – Celtic show real improvement from CL debacle
2 – we give ourself a chance in the second leg don’t let them score tonight – we have a chance
67ECW
Looking forward to another special night in Paradise
Come on Celtic you can do it……..!!
Time to go and represent the thousands out there who can’t
HH
Bsr; giving us live updates from the trampoline sales centre.
Joe,
I think the fact our two centre half have been given international call ups since joining our ranks goes some way to answering your question.
HH
Geordie Munro. I hope you are right but Inter. a big step up from the SPL teams. H.H.
My sister has the lurgy,get well soon,L. So her ticket is going spare,cost price from my Dad in The Crown Creighton on Duke St from about 645pm.
If you need it,Row M,Section 106,North Stand.
Mail me on
bmcuwp@gmail.com
and I’ll pass on his phone number. (Include yours please so he knows what to expect)
Cheers,and
MONTHEHOOOOOOOPS!!!!!
Joe,
Oh heck yeah. Course they are. Serious individual talent in their ranks.
Inter might well go on to have an easy night (please don’t) but imo it won’t be the fault of our two centre halfs.