I remember Scotland-England games being huge events. They were proper derby games, fired up by a balance – a vastly more resourceful England were in the ascendancy, but Scotland had more wins in the history books. Despite the odd hiding we thought we could take them.
The Home International Championships probably ended at the right time, just before Scotland lunged into mediocrity. No derby remains attractive if one side dreads the game coming round, while the other considers it a formality, but our former manager has given us reason for hope.
Gordon Strachan took time off from the game to invest in his stock of knowledge before becoming Celtic manager. Despite an, erm, memorable opening week, Gordon blitzed Scottish football as Celtic manager. He filled the boots of legend Martin O’Neill, and within 18 months eclipsed him by reaching what we used to refer to as ‘the next level in the Champions League’.
Despite going on to reach the knock-out stage of the Champions League again, and becoming our third manager to win three-in-a-row, Gordon stopped progressing. His time at Celtic petered out, while the entire Middlesbrough episode was a nightmare.
Gordon, like Martin before him, looked as though the game had passed him by. His resurgence at Scotland is evidence of his outstanding attribute – he’s a student of the game who continually learns.
Roy Hodgson has by far the better players, but never bet against Gordon.
Shaun’s goal on Friday
31 years ago in Sarawak, Malaysia, a midwife, Beatrice Lo, assisted in the delivery of a boy born to a Scottish family who lived in her community. Beatrice got in touch with a common friend after wee Shaun’s goal on Friday, very proud of the kid she brought into the world.
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Kitalba,
Your last post suggests you think CQN is a forum for abusive in-fighting. You pretty much say that explicity.
My own view is that abusive posts and in-fighting are not what CQN is for, and undermine any productive conversations that might take place on here.
It’s an open forum, we’re both long term readers/contributors. Who is right?
On the back of Adele declining to join BAND AID 30,I found this interesting.
http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2011/may/25/adele-tax-grievances
Sadly,I don’t purchase her stuff so I canny really boycott any more than I already do but I do wonder if she’ll be on the front page of The Sun on Election Day as Phil Collins was in 1992.
winning captains,
Thanks – good process to go through. I’m sure there will be complaints.
winning captains
You got mail
tbdJ
BontyBhoy:
See what happens when you go all mentalist. Are you really trying to tell me what I was suggesting, is that not arrogance beyond comprehension? Talk about taking liberties with what is written. Are you for real?
TonyDonnelly wrote: Quite simply Mr Ashley will have to write a cheque for £12 million in order for the auditors to be satisfied that this is a going concern until June 2015.
—–
I’m guessing that’s not very likely? His ad hoc lifelines seem to be designed more to secure assets before Sevco’s coming admin than to actually rescue them, no?
LEFTCLICKTIC
Give your Mum a big hug from me,and point out that it wisnae me this time you were talking to!
But we must do it soon. Been way too long.
BMCUW This link was on the article which you put up at 1359.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Maz9ddxEQnM
What are the chances of adding to the playlist when the newclub first visit Celtic Park?
MARKDERRYBHOY
Oh,I would be a very happy Hoop if that were the case.
Nearer the time,we should mibbe compile a wee playlist,save the club the effort.
All heart,us BHOYS.
“The Victim Myth has grown wings, and is flapping around like a drunken seagull, knocking plates off the walls”
He paints a lovely picture does our James Forrest!
Anyway,
It is odd to imagine there are still supporters waiting to be convinced about Strachan, as a man or a manager. One of our greats.
Mulgrew maybe hasn’t played like that for Celtic this season, but it is mightily re-assuring to see him playing so well. His composure and versatility is possibly best suited to a higher level of football than we play every week. Hopefully it puts things in perspective for us, because he’s been getting a lot of stick from Celtic fans this season, and it doesn’t do us any favours (abuse and criticism can deflate and alienate a player, oddly enough).
The other stark note I’d make from the recent Scotland performances, is the frustration that we should be dominant in the market for quality young Scottish players.
The game was dominated by our youth players;
Marshall
Mulgrew
Robertson
McGeady
Maloney
They were the best players, or most important to their team. Remove McGeady, and the other 4 players have been traded at a net loss to Celtic. Our youth players, whom we’ve spent more on to re-unite with the club than we’ve received.
Put this alongside Gauld, McCarthy, McArthur… I wish this were a long list, but the EPL level players we could have picked up cheap, or retained, isn’t so long. Hence the importance.
We need to put our weight about as soon as we can. Investing in these players early will be worth it. The Pukki, Balde, Derk money, would have covered all of those players transfers fees, wages and more, had we shown some courage when they were in the 16-20 age bracket. We’d still have money for JG’s wages, or Johnasens transfer fee.
We do this extremely well in other markets, yet not Scotland, where we’ll find the greatest return for our investment.
And, I’ve said this many times, we simply cannot afford to have quality players falling out with transient managers in their teens or early 20s. When Mulgrew left Celtic initially, it was with a backdrop of questions about his attitude, much like Tony Watt.
The next step for our youth development is fixing this problem. What to do with the quality youth product who is unprepared to unseat the international player, or who needs a couple of full seasons in the pros. Other major team sports have this sorted, and the top clubs in CL have been finding solutions for a few years (see Denayer and Guidetti).
I don’t understand why we don’t have a feeder club in at least two leagues (SPL, Championship, Netherlands, Portugal etc). We’ve toyed, and we’ve experimented, but this isn’t an idea that might work, it’s an idea that does work and will work.
What is to stop us having a solid relationship with a mid rank championship team, which allows us to loan a Mulgrew or Marshall each season until they’re Celtic ready. What, seriously, is so difficult about this.
Auldheid @13.08
Let us hope so and say novenas so that it may come to pass.
HH
Always a hero
Greenpinata@13.54
Scrolling back. Great post Fhriend .
HH
Kitalba,
Just to answer you very quickly. No, I said ‘suggests’. It really seems like that’s what you think.
TonyDonnelly wrote: Quite simply Mr Ashley will have to write a cheque for £12 million in order for the auditors to be satisfied that this is a going concern until June 2015.
—–
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I didn’t write this, I posted it, it belongs to Phil Macgiolabains blog today, and a well written one too.
Tamrabam
Had Jericho the same strength of walls surrounding it as Rangers FC and succesor have, it would have taken more than seven circuits and a band of rams horns and shouting to bring it down!
The alternative of course is tunnelling.
Takes longer, not as biblical, but effective nevertheless.
KTF.
weeminger
The newspaper decided to take advice from ASA on this matter. They also took legal advice. In addition to this they also have received guidance on this matter from CAP, “The sum and summary being that any claims being made must have documentary evidence available (we would require copy of such) to prove their validity.”
We have that information at hand.
I could provide quotes in more detail but i fear we risk shooting ourselves in the foot. Some of the big hitters on here (and I am not naming them in the post to avoid them getting stick, but you will be able to guess who they are) have access to this and we are working to ensure we are watertight.
The raffle tickets are available at http://www.cqnbookstore.com for those who haven’t seen the earlier posts. The proceeds will fund this advertisement and the surplus will go to the Malawi schools project that CQNers have supported so well this year.
Tickets are priced at £5 each and there are options to buy 1, 2, 4 or 10.
Concerning the ad.Would it be at all feasible to get a decision from a Law Society member,who specialize in company law to give us their judgement on the matter.
By all accounts their is no separation between club and company in Scots Law.So a ruling from anyone specializing in this field would put an end to the argument.
Just a suggestion.Is it feasible?.
Bontybhoy
Well stated, excellent post.
Overhaul of scouting system required.
Too many good home players have slipped through the net, and millions spent on fuds from abroad
I know I shouldn’t but what the hell…
BontyBhoy:(welcome back)
”Your last post suggests you think CQN is a forum for abusive in-fighting. You pretty much say that explicity.(sic ya dancer, If I me, I love it when you do that)
My own view is that abusive posts and in-fighting are not what CQN is for, and undermine any productive conversations that might take place on here.”
The post you referred to did nothing of the sort, but that didn’t stop you from twisting it to suit your little agenda, but then you have been doing that on here for quite some time now. There is another poster on here who likes to tell me what I am thinking, what I am implying; he never asks me what I am thinking, or what I might be struggling to articulate, no, rather than that he tells me, and by extension all, what I am thinking. I affectionately call him Ten Skins. Now between you and him I might as well take a blog holiday, but before I go, could you let me know what I’m going to have for tea tonight.
winning captains
15:05 on
18 November, 2014
Good. I just don’t want anybody getting lulled into a false sense of security if CAP have said it’s likely to be okay (a phrase I used a lot).
Well backed up facts, and well documented quotes/opinion are pretty watertight.
Apropos of nothing…
The fifth Celtic goal in this video is one of my favourite goals by a Celtic player. In my memory though Morten was much further out when he shot, therefore I have decided that this video was CGI’d to make it appear that he didn’t actually shoot from the halfway line…
Also, a peach of a goal by Brattbakk is in there.
LINK!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8dXKDZGdG4
Davidopolous,
I knew what goal you were on about before I even clicked the link.
Smashing goal by big Greenock. One of my faves also.
BRTH @ 1135hrs (FTLT)
Thanks for the confirmation re my raffle ticket order.
Keep up the good work guys.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Raffle ticket bought no problem.
Hail Hail
Geordie Munro
Loved the big guy! An absolute warrior to come back to playing after contracting Guillain–Barré syndrome. I believe he is managing back in Denmark now after leaving Swansea (?).
Was that the game where Tommy Johnson’s knee seemed to literally fall apart as he ran into the box? I remember that as one of the worst injuries i’d seen when a player wasn’t crocked by a bad tackle.
Managing youth players is probably far more difficult than we like to think.
Had Charlie not left us to learn his trade elsewhere, he may not be the player is is today.
I’d guess when young Robertson was with us, he was one of 3 or so in his position. He may, or may not have been better than those other boys at that stage. It’s very hard to gauge and all players develop at differing points.
Take McGeough, Marcus Fraser, Twardzik or Paul George, all were stand outs at different ages but have stalled.
Watt and Fisher emerged late as players.
Its like a lottery at times.
As for Stevie May or Ryan Gauld – who knows how much of their develop is a result of them NOT being at a club like ours but rather elsewhere playing regularly.
Davidopolous,
Aye. I loved his accent by the time he left:)
I remember having an ‘oh ya hoor there’s big weighorst!!!’ moment the first time i seen him in the Swansea dugout.
The last time I heard about him before that was when his team beat q.o.s. In the uefa cup a few years back.
Burning_Bush
Rings a bell mate, did he not clash with Westwater though?
Geordie Munro
The Danes seem to be brilliant at mimicking accents. I work with a Cockney….from Copenhagen!
Davidopolous,
A la Jan molby:))
Davidopoulos,
I think maybe he had a clash and then a few minutes later ran onto the through ball and then collapsed. I just remember it was horrible because you could see his knee give way (right in front of us).
Mind you it was a while ago now and the ole grey cells aren’t what they were.
Burning_Bush
I think your memory may be better than mine!
Was TJ offside at the time? (I shouldn’t joke, it was an awful injury)
Davidopolous:
How do we know you’re not a Dane mimicking a posh glasgow accent? ;)
Pint c’est soir?
Kitalba,
You’re right, we shouldn’t get into it. And whilst I think you’ve taken offence to a legitimate question unreasonably, it’s only fair I point you to the bit in your post that prompted the question.
‘So he calls Celtic supporters sheep now and again, for the love of god if that is the worst he does then all I can say in response is toughen the eff up’
I’m not aware of the background, but, this does suggest you support abusive posts.
I like healthy debate, but, we have quite different views on how the world works.