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.
[calameo code=000390171cc0c3617c8cc lang=en page=74 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,117 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- »
I thot this was for real.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_PZPpWTRTU
Shimmies
lighten up. FF punters couldn`t even spell intellectual.
shimmies33
Good to see some intelligence being brought back on to the site again. :))
Weefra HH
Yes, let’s get back to football. Does anyone think the SPL is a one horse race this year?
Right, i`m gonna have a quick snort then i`m buckin off to bed
it was only a matter of time before somebody took a fence
Headtheball
We’ve a lot of difficult hurdles yet
Right, that’s me just cleared the water now off to bed.
Weefra HH
The horse jokes have gone a bit `flat`
Shimmies. I too Lund some faults itch the horse stuff.
Four faults, to be precise.
Bournesouprecipie – yellow card – Broadfoot’s no a horse, he’s a donkey
bournesouprecipe
I agree and the other teams are jockeying for position.
bobbyrussell
23:21 on 15 January, 2013
The horse jokes have gone a bit `flat`
——-
Away and take a jump.
Cocoa before bed, where did I put my Gold Cup?
Big Georges Fan Club
Clydesdale? * naw yer right donkey *
Headtheball
Indeed – but of course we’ve got the whip hand.
Oooops, here comes the wife in off the back shift – best go and kid on I’ve been sleeping – canny be bothered with any horseplay tonight – byee.
BGFC
Looks like BGFC has bolted
On the subject of horses, my abiding memory at Hampden queuing up for final v Hibs, way back.
WPC sitting on horse, smiling and joking with the crows, some wag says to her “what you got to be so happy about ? Your no gonna see the boys” she replies “if you had 400 Ibs of. throbbing flesh between your legs, you’d be smiling too” touché!
My favourite danish ex celt?
Morten Wieghorse….
B-)
That’s me away to bed,just aswel i’m a stud.hail hail.
Goodnight CQN – whilst the going is still good.
bourne
Away tae bed. :)))
Weefra HH
sipsini
You will have to wait till morning for your oats
Just ordered Tesco burgers on line.
Very handy. Make your selection and Add To Cart.
Nifty line in children’s menu.
My Little Pony.
Nag nag nag…
Blazing Saddles ITV4 – now.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) CSC
miki67
Don’t you start. :)))
Weefra HH
good news if we have indeed managed to secured tom rogic on a contract. hope we continue to focus our attention on younger players, cant be doing with high earning mid to late 20 year olds more interested in their pay than their play. keep up the good work celtic get them in young and make them earn everything they get.
would like stokes and ledley to get new contracts and the young american striker brought in.
cant see mccourt, hooper, victor or miku with celtic beyond august 2013 but i think we should be able to cope without the need to spend stupid money on replacements.
hail hail
cannae dry my washing the clothes horse is lying down for the nite
p.s decent result against a good team tonight, showing that our team has progressed very well over the last year
stephbhoy
Great to get sensible posting again. :)))
Weefra HH
Can I just say that TALLYBHOY is outstanding company of an evening,and that BMCUWP needs to learn to read a railway timetable.
Know it’s a long shot but anyone know of any spare tickets for Juve away .. Nine of us booked for two nights in Milan .. Don’t think we’ll all get tickets!
According to the Scottish Shun (I know I know, from twitter) we have completed the signing of Tom Rogic for $750000, whatever that is in old money.
Weefra HH
Just off nightshift and check in to find the howlers telling horse jokes,
wtf
So anyway,
A young jockey and his stable lass girlfriend make the decision to get married. Everything is planned and the couple intend to honeymoon in Italy for a week. The marriage goes without a hitch and the couple set off on their honeymoon. While checking in the lady behind the desk asks ‘We have two suites available for you, would you like the bridal?’ ‘No thanks says the jockey I’ll just hold her ears till she gets the hang of it!’
WeefratheTim
two pounds fifty, plus vat and taxes, which takes it up to about 400k
Right, that’s me off to the pit.
Again if anyone is interested, I have a massive amount of jewelry making stuff for sale, enough to start quite a few small businesses, mail me if you know of anyone who might be interested, going cheap to good Tims.
nohunshere@hotmail.com