Champions comparable only to team of 2004, bury bad news

745

History will record that season 2012-13 was more successful for Celtic than season 2013-14 but the champions’ league performances this season have been comparable only to those of season 2003-04, when the club completed a 25 game winning streak.

With seven games to go we have already collected five points more than the team which reached the knock out stages of the Champions League last season, and this season we have had a worthy competitor for second place, who are favourites to complete the domestic treble of League Cup, Scottish Cup and Best of the Rest titles.

Kris Commons, Virgil van Dijk and Fraser Forster have correctly gained enormous plaudits throughout the season but the story of Celtic’s success is more nuanced.  We don’t just have a great keeper and a great central defender, we have a central defensive partnership which is better than either of the two partnerships I watched in the Manchester derby on Tuesday night.

In other times the story of our season would be the injuries at right back, but the standard of cover there, with Lustig, Matthews and Fisher, is such that no one really noticed.

The strikers didn’t really get going until Leigh Griffiths arrived in January, and much of our player investment over the summer missed the target.  This had consequences on the autumn, when we came up short of last season’s (over) achievements in the Champions League, but we have a plentiful squad of players, including Forster, Lustig, Matthews, Izaguirre, Ambrose, van Dijk, Brown, Johansen and Commons who are more than capable at Champions League level, with others knocking at the door.

Congratulations to Neil, his technical team, the many who work to keep the ship pointing in the right direction, some behind the scenes and some front of house, and to each of the players who left their mark in the history books.

On the equivalent day six years ago, we recorded that Gordon Strachan had joined Willie Maley and Jock Stein as the only Celtic managers to have won three consecutive titles.  Neil Lennon’s name is now added to that list.

With all this championship coverage, did the phrase ‘Good day to bury bad news’ slip into anyone’s mind?  “There is a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence”.

You know when your chairman tells you he has a reasonable expectation the company will continue in existence that there’s nothing to worry about.  All the doubters have been put in their place.

Seville – The Celtic Movement, is out now:


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745 Comments

  1. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Cheers WITS

     

     

    Out on the razzle last night …forgot I’d put it on …£10 ew…’ave it !!!!!

  2. Som mes que un club on

    Fleagle1888

     

     

    I assume it must be ok if the gaffer is napping a Meydan horse! I really should read back…

     

     

    So.

     

     

    Ruler of the World

     

     

    Meydan 1805.

  3. MHARK67 prayin for OSCAR KNOX on

    KEMPTON 15:30

     

     

    LANCELOT DU LAC

     

     

    cheers and good luck all enjoy the party today!!!

  4. leftclicktic We are all Neil Lennon on

    Absolutely So 3:30

     

     

    Picked with little thought going into it (as usual):)))

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........Praying for our WEE HERO! on

    PF AYR

     

     

    in money goes to money scandal.

     

     

    Whodathunkit?

     

     

    Well done,bud. And well done,WITS!

  6. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    BMCUWP

     

     

    Was out in Glasgow at La Lanterna …..sumptuous

     

     

    Pished …..forgot that I’d put the bet on

     

     

    Right good surprise when I opened my PP account this morning

  7. tommytwiststommyturns on

    Bobby – he’s always moaning about his bad luck….who’s he kidding?! :-)

     

     

    T4

  8. tommytwiststommyturns on

    I’ll go for one in Meydan as well, Ed Dunlop’s Joshua Tree in the Dubai Gold Cup (13:45 race).

     

     

    Good luck

     

    TTTT

  9. Kilbowie Kelt will vote YES on

    TULLIUS………… 3.50 Don.

     

     

    Chosen for the name as it is Latin for the immortal Charles Patrick.

     

    _______________

     

    Well timed run has taken PF Ayr into Pole Position.

     

    Great effort !

  10. Oscar positive thoughts unionbearBhind on

    Sir Pitt 13:40 Uttoxeter

     

     

    was 5th in triumph hurdle 2013, has dropped considerably in handicap, and should be capable of winning a low grade maiden.

     

     

    HH

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........Praying for our WEE HERO! on

    TOMMYTWISTSTOMMYTURNS 1132

     

     

    His missus?

  12. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    McManus carve up

     

     

    Vulcanite second horse …..gambled in then scooted in …

     

     

    Mine was never put in the race

  13. 16 roads - Glasgow Celtic Champions. on

    17:10 @ Navan – Jamesie Hall – NAP!

     

     

    Good luck everybody.

  14. CQN Saturday Naps Competition : Week 33/29th March results & standings

     

     

    Week 33 winners :

     

    Rockon Neil Lennon was the sole winner…(Benbens @15/8)

     

     

    Cheers, fleagle1888