A year ago you and I discussed Scott Brown’s fitness with some concern for the season ahead. Since then the captain has not skipped a beat, his form and availability for selection have been without question.
It is clear he can cope with a Scotland game this weekend, and no doubt finish the season untroubled, but Scotland have an international against England on 10 June, two weeks after the Scottish Cup final, and four weeks before Celtic’s Champions League qualification campaign gets underway.
If Scott is to participate in all games, he will have a week off after the Scottish Cup final before being called into the Scotland squad, then two weeks before Celtic’s preseason training starts. For a player of his age, with his injury profile, this schedule would not allow sufficient recuperation ahead of a new season.
Selfishly, the most important thing to you and I, and to Celtic, is Champions League qualification, more so than the Scottish Cup, or than a season of invincibility, delightful, though both would be. What Brendan Rodgers backroom team need to do is prepare Scott as thoroughly as possible for the middle of July. Planning should start now.
If there’s another player in the Celtic squad who I would also like to ration his football it’s Mikael Lustig. The Sweden international is likely to be involved in both their international squad in June; a World Cup qualifier against France and a derby against Norway.
If Scotland fail to get a positive result against Slovenia on Sunday, Scott might consider it best to retire from the international stage, again. He and Mikael could do with a few weeks on the beach at the end of the season.
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DD,
bang to rights re Whelan. He’s a lucky boy to get away with that.
And yep think it will take some of his magic to break this deadlock. Fingers crossed anyway!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Thom
The Doire bhoy in number 5 looks the most likely to create for Eire.
BEATBHOY on 24TH MARCH 2017 11:58 AM
South of Tunis
Wasn’t that (1958) the last World Cup finals which Wales reached, knocked out by eventual winners Brazil?
*My first WC as well and the only time all home nations qualified. A lot of games were televised and after every one we would be out in the fields in front of the Haldane trying to emulate our new found heroes, especially a young crew cut haired Brazilian.
Now as football fans we all, I assume, love Brazil, however at that time they wurnae that popular and this can be attributed to the infamous Battle of Berne in the 1954 quarter final between them and Hungary.
The latter had revolutionized football tactics and coaching in Europe, their fluid and open style of play, an early form of total football, meant that they were loved by all football fans.
The match descended into a farce after Hungary were awarded a penalty to make the score 3–1, this was the cue for a pitch invasion by Brazilian journalists and officials, who had to be ushered off by police.
The game then degenerated into a series of increasingly violent fouls and cynical tactics, in total, 42 free kicks and 2 penalties were awarded, with 4 cautions and 3 dismissals issued and the Hungarian manager required four stitches for a facial wound received during the fighting.
The referee, the legendary Arthur Ellis, has since been quoted “in today’s climate so many players would have been sent off the game would have been abandoned, my only thought was that I was determined to finish it.”
The ill-temper continued after the game, with the Brazilian players invading the Hungarian dressing room and continuing the on-pitch fighting. Despite evidence from independent witnesses of violent conduct from both sides, football’s governing body FIFA did nothing, leaving discipline to the respective countries.
So with all home countries plus Hungary in the 1958 Finals no love was initially bestowed on the Esquadrão de Ouro.
Scotland, who were humiliated in Switzerland in 1954 when the manager was told NOT to pick any players from the deid team who were off to the USA in the summer to make themselves a few quid, had on paper a fairly decent squad including 3 Celts and 1 former one were initially meant to be managed by Matt Busby, but he was still recovering from Munich so they opted for the Bully Wee trainer WTF. Again it was hame before the postcards,
The Soviet Union and england went to a playoff game which ended 1-0 to the Red Army. To be fair tae the outlanders they had been weakened by the Munich Air Disaster earlier in the year, which killed three internationals on the books of Manchester United, including a future club and country captain Duncan Edwards.
Wales also advanced via a playoff with Hungary; the taffies had a superb team which included the “Gentle Giant” John Charles and his wee brother Mel, Ivor Allchurch and Spurs high flying winger Cliff Jones. The Magyars were no slouches either and although missing most of the ’54 Olympics gold medallists and WC runners up, greats like Puskas, Kubala, Kocsis and Czibor having defected to Spain after the ’56 uprising, the first two attaining Spanish citizenship and ultimately turning out for their adopted country, they still had the marvellous Josef Bozsic captaining the side. Wales, minus the injured John Charles, did eventually lose out to a Pele goal in the quarters.
But it was the side from the Black North that caught the eye, well them and Brazil. This would be the first time I saw the nationalistic side of my da. His da was a culchie from south Fermanagh and my mother’s paternal grandparents came from Antrim, not too far fae the Blessed Brendan, to work in the quarries up Bonhill. Both were proud of their North of Ireland roots.
NI had a fabulous side then and I gained some “new” heroes that summer, Harry Gregg (who after sitting beside Liam Whelan at Munich and his comment just before the crash said this changed his outlook in life), Willie Cunningham (who Jock signed for the Pars), Danny Blanchflower, Billy Bingham, Jimmy McIlroy (who has a stand at Burnley named after him) Newry’s own Peter McParland and a young Derek Dougan (who wrote one of the best fitba books I’ve ever read “the sash he never wore” and for years canvassed for an all-Ireland side), only 1 Celtic minded person among them, and of course one of his all time favourite Celts, Bertie Peacock, oh and not forgetting the scorer of his sides lone goal on October 19, 1957.
Managed by in my da’s eyes the greatest fitba player ever, Magherafelt’s greatest son Peter Doherty. Nae wonder they were a great side.
They were resplendent in their emerald green strips and although they lost tae 3rd place France who would lose tae the eventual winners in the semis they were a joy tae watch and another Magherafelt native Harry Gregg was named in the team of the tournament, for years I had a soft spot for them.
Us of a certain vintage love tae enthuse over the 1970 WC but the finals in Sweden was where the love affair with Brazil with a forward line of Didi, Garrincha, Mario Zagallo, Vaváand the genius that is Edson Arantes do Nascimento was conceived.
Jobo
You might be right but there was no report from Hampden by Grant Russell re the Scotland game shown in the news bulletin.
I wasn’t point scoring. They actually mentioned Rangers.
I’m just curious why he was at Hampden.
Happy birthday to the slightly handsome Roy C and Lucy one of his beautiful
daughters.hh
TTT
Ramsay just got Whelan back. Karma? :)
Tonight I am at the Andre Rieu concert at the Hydro with Mrs HJ.
First half has just finished with a stunning very of You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Ireland v wales is mince!!
HH
Billy Bhoy –
Apologies, I wasn’t meaning you were point scoring. I remember there was similar story a while back where many on here felt that there was undue emphasis on the fact that the accused had a tenuous link with celtic but had been more involved with other clubs. Maybe today’s report is simply reporting the facts. As all news stories should. Not a subject I feel comfortable talking about so I’ll leave it at that.
Good Evening.
Here is something new and silly to pass a few moments of your Friday night….
“Q&A With Dave King”
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/qa-with-dave-king/
HJ
Bet you there will be a lot of empty seats for the 2nd half.
Huns walkin away fae the Hydro. :)
Horrendous challenge on Coleman, red card Taylor. If Bobby Madden was referee, play on
DD
I am willing to bet tha the second half will not finish with Rule Britannia
That’s a broken leg.
HJ
Enjoy mate. :))
No worries Jobo.
Looking forward to your early morning confirmation that we are in for good weather over the weekend. Red sky over the Campsies tonight!
TTR
Potential career ender like John Kennedy.
Pray it is not. Shocking.
You know a tackle must be shocking if they won’t show a replay of it. Bale’s on O’Shea wasn’t too clever either and could have been red.
McGeady coming on
I’VEHADTOCHANGEMYNAME on 24TH MARCH 2017 8:25 PM
– you keep it, it won’t happen again
___
Correct. Early lunch breaks dont come that often :)
Broken blog? 🙀
KTF
Well that was dire. Glad its over.
Shocker on Seamus Coleman though. really hope its not as bad as feared or it looked.
DD @ 9:01pm,
that thought did enter my head also. Not that I condone it of course (although being honest, it wasnt unknown for me to “retaliate” on behalf of a team-mate back in my playing days).
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Happy Birthday to Mr Roy C (mr friday night)…may we enjoy many more friday evenings viewing your photographic and often nostalgic gallery…this sir, is for you…https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k1odvp-_bhk
VFR
I pray Seamus Coleman is well.
The challenge fae Taylor was sickening.
Tontine Tim
Re the ’58 World Cup
Cheers for the very informative reply.
Almost felt like I’d been there!
Inner City Blues…https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ykv1D0qEE
HRVATSKI JIM
Im sitting outside in the motor waiting to pick my Mum up.
Had got her a ticket for her Christmas.
Bhoys
Thanks for the birthday wishes even from that cheeky get VP.
Lucy loves seeing her name on CQN.
50 and 18 on the same day is pretty special so party time now and see u all soon.
Ynwa
Roy ” le roi ” Croppy boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QMx1lXgUKc
DELANEYS DUNKY on 24TH MARCH 2017 9:47 PM
Didnae watch it. I guessed it would be 💩 so I’ve been watching Red Nose day.
A lot of very tough images to be honest.
Hope Coleman is Ok. It’s confirmed he has a broken leg.
KTF
Happy birthday to the Croppy Bhoy!
KTF
Oops Macjay – didn’t see that!
KTF
VFR
He got hit on a planted leg at great force.
Looked bad and TV refused to show it back on replay. Pray for Seamus Coleman. Great wee player.
Ooooofff!!!…https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OqZ2JBVXgpA
Firstly may I offer Mr Roy C many happy returns , and many thanks for your contribution to CQN which can’t be underestimated.
Secondly , I have a request . Not for moi , but for the best Tim I’ve known for 52 years on this planet .
Seemingly Celtic have been allocated 1,400 tickets for Tynecastle on Sunday April 2nd.
My very close mate doesn’t have a ticket . He pays top whack for his season book to enable a ticket for every away game . He travels everywhere from South Ayrshire. This game though , supply doesn’t meet demand .
If anyone on CQN can help , Paul 67 & many others have my contact details . HH
If anyone can help , trust me ,
If anyone can help
DD, I hope it’s a clean break. Pin it and come back stronger!
KTF
VFR800 IS NOW A MONSTER 821 on 24TH MARCH 2017 10:15 PM
Oops Macjay – didn’t see that!
KTF
===================================
Aye. Sure!
:-)
Just saw a pic of the immediate aftermatch of that tackle on social media.
Jesus. really feel for Seamus COleman.
Just hope he can make a full recovery and get back to playing.
Fingers crossed for the young lad.
HAI!L HAIL!
Token