The phrase Poisoned Chalice could have been written with the Scotland national team manager’s job in mind. Even in the 80s when we had great players, and the likes of Stein and Ferguson in charge, a sense of under-achievement followed Scotland in tournament football.
In Gordon Strachan’s favour as he takes over at Hampden today, is the 14 years in the wilderness which has reset expectations to ‘Incredibly Modest’. This contrasts with his arrival at Celtic Park seven and a half years ago, a few weeks after the messianic Martin O’Neill left the premises. Then expectations were huge, but Gordon had to achieve put a winning team on the field while curtailing expenditure against rapidly increasing budgets in the English game.
The result was not always pretty but it was effective. He became only the third manager in our history to win three-in-a-row and took us to the knock out stages of the Champions League twice, eclipsing O’Neill’s achievement in Europe’s top tournament. Few could have measured up so well.
In 2006, when he won the league at the earliest date in the history of Scottish football, he took his players, backroom and support staff onto the field in a moving movement of triumph. The stoicism with which he clung onto the league campaign in 2008, when all seemed lost, was remarkable. There can be few more enjoyable ways to win the league than from a 15 point deficit in April – one of the great times to be a Celtic supporter. When his team ran out of steam in 2009 he left the scene with much less fanfare than he deserved.
Of all the former Celts working in the media Gordon is truest to the club. Celtic is his team and the joy he gets as a supporter is evident. Such comment will be tempered now he is Scotland manager, but we wish him every success.
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Big Bang-Bang……………….a ressurrection!
It’s a miracle!
Mo! Mo! Super Mo!
Good might get some money for him now.
gg@1932
Pmsl
Weefra HH
Ole Bang Bang bangs wan in …
Goal. Samaras will be the scourge of Juve.
2-1 bangura. Commons cross
Two goals in three minutes
would love Stokes gettin a run out. Bang! Bang!
prestonpans bhoys
get down HMV
Well rub me down with a wet Evening Times
ItaliaBhoy
19:41 on
15 January, 2013
No chance if the game is shown live elsewhere
Burley supercilious twat
Burley = Total erse
TET,
did you text Lenny to throw the first team on?….
as Bangura makes it 2-1 !!
Wit a friggin time for that fone call……….aaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhhhh
Kris has made difference so far. Come on The Exiled Tim at 13/2.
Burley sick
Weefra HH
Wanyama has looked very accomplished tonight.
Burley….what a f.d
13/2!!!
Well played TET.
cv
Who cares about the Huns! Feck them!!!
Burley really is a pompous bore. Amangst other things
ESPN… Commentator playing down the game after we get our 2nd as it is “not the World Cup final” and telling us we need to take it in context. Wonder who that could be.
Bitter bitter man.
There’s a woman winking at me down the corner of my screen.
So,- it was the right Bangura?
Can’t listen to burley anymore,turned the sound down and put the tunes on.
I’ll confess.The horsemeat found in the burgers came from nags I backed.I haven’t even put a horse in the naps table for 4/5 weeks.Not a bloody single winner since the start.I’d be better backing Mo Bangura to score a goal—oh wait—
Who the F are Steau Bucharest..?
TonyWattCSC
:)
gr8 goal by bangura izzy a threat
‘gg
Maybe she likes you :>
Is Fudley commentating from the louden!
ignore burley bhoys, get the volume aff and complaints in to espn. only way to deal with him. mon the HOOOPPPPSSSSS
KLV
Side net for Steua. corner to them
Is that polis or Belfast flag protestors behind the Fourth Official?
It’s a friendly bhoys keep the head there!
That will be the wee tax dodging costa del crime Orc away back to nacho novos hoose !