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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Good man Paul McGinley
Should be a superb captain
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Hope P.McG will dissuade Rory from draping that sectarian (obsolete) “fleg” around himself, in order to appease the Norn Irn spongers, the same ones we currently see nightly on our screens.
Mathews launches cross into stratosphere
It’s not behind closed doors, it’s free entry. Got the idea from sevco. :))
Weefra HH
Paul67 et al
Congratulations to new Scotland Manager, Gordon Strachan.
And congratulations to new European Captain, Paul McGinley.
Oops
Weefra HH
Boooo rubbish… ;-)
Oh dear! a sevco Orc amongst the crowd
On the same channel giving us this relaxed friendly in Marbella, while our manager hobnobs with the top dogs in Euroland, as we prepare for the first leg of our encounter with Italian giants, Juventus, they are bigging up the less than stellar encounter between the bigots and Peterhead at the w/end.
Aye, that cunning plum Green and his magic influence, aided and abetted by his very own poisonous whisperer, Jabba. Sauron & Saruman….without the power.
Steaua 1-0 Celtic
Get that cracked crest out sub-eds!
Dreadful defending …LB completely missing …good finish from what was a punt up the pitch
Nikolic….18 yd. screamer.
Celtic FB today was saying closed doors, definitely. Else I might have gone along.
Bangura hits the bus with wide header
Huns in the crowd
Must be missing us :-))
It was hit hard ok but I couldn’t see that one going past FF.
I am ambivalent about the Scottish national side, after all I will soon be a Yank.
Good strike Steua 1-0
However, I hope Gordon is successful, however it is measured with the resources and time available. I am sure it will be an interesting and eventful contract.
BSR
for those not watching
The bus is no where near the goals :-))
zaluska poor at goal, get the wall on!
Commentary is way behind picture here.
Victor is the one stand out player for us so far,
Zombies so obsessed they are now coming to our games
Vic throwing his weight around
Why no live updates article for this game?
That new boy Bangura looks a player…
PF
Sorry forgot about that.
Team bus parked behind the end Celtic are hitting into, along with a line of other vehicles and a few nosey Spaniards.
hope those dodgy links don’t come up on the TV.. o))
Best move so far started by Victor, if Tony had played the cross at first touch, Hoops could have been in.
Vic plays a beautiful thru ball to Watt who is unable to get ball into box for Hooper or Bangura.
That was a class ball from Vocror
World record crowd for a training game?
Vic bossing the midfield …stand out
Derek Rae says many top clubs use this area for training.
ESPN are using a sausage
HH
so will THE HMV open new stores around the country? Eh no.. Tragic on an epic scale ,the job losses but the contrast with Sevco and its descent will be intriguing..
Perhaps Green will take over HMV too…
Ref is a Fud, Spanish Mason.
The adverts are really intrusive while the play is ongoing
For CQN’rs unable to see the game Craig Burley is presently talking s@@@e
Ledley shoots over
……whats the deal with the “Phoenix Nights” type espn advertising??????
….somebdy’s havin’ a laff !
Every time They attack Izzy is missing …his defensive positioning is questionable at times