Delighted for the Celtic Youths, who won the Under-20 league for the fifth successive season. Youth football is not skewed in favour of the wealthier clubs in the way first team football is. Celtic will be able to afford better coaches and scouts, but wage levels at this age are broadly consistent across the board, so that five year stretch is an indication that we’re doing a lot of things right at development level.
Greg Dyke’s review of English football this week drew an incredible level of condemnation but it’s central thrust, how to translate 18-year-old talent into first team stars, remains a challenge. Especially at clubs competing who recruit to compete at the very top of the European game. Celtic chose to send many of their top Youths out on loan this season, one of the suggestions Dyke’s report made. We’ll see how productive this proves.
The final week of the season saw the Youths need two wins, against Rangers* and Dundee United Youths to deny the boys from Sir David Murray Park snatching what would have been a significant title. While progress has been patchy for their first team, Youths boss, Gordon Durie, has narrowed the gap at the top better than the other Murray Park coaches. If and when they can afford to get rid of McCoist, don’t be surprised to see Durie step up, I hear he’s impressed for all the right reasons.
*occasional use of the word “Rangers”, “Airdrieoneans” or “Elvis” without the prefix “Newco” or suffix “Costello” does not infer that the original entities to bear those names are currently in existence. Both football clubs were liquidated, Sevco Scotland changed their registered name to Rangers after administrators of the old club changed and released their name. Clydebank changed their name to Airdrie United, and then to Airdrieoneans.
Pump it up.
Hope everyone one attending the Hootenanny this afternoon has a great day. My chances of getting there and remaining intact is diminishing by the minute.
Issue 20 of CQN Magazine, CQLisboN, is out and enjoying great reviews. Click here to read for FREE.
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kitalba
07:23 on 11 May, 2014
Celtic 3 Dunfermilne 2 1965 SCF
……………………………………….
Enjoyed that Kit.
10.30 was some player wasn’t he.
Alex Smith has a pub at Coaledge near Cowdenbeath and is from Rosyth, my home town as is Alex Edwards.
John Lunn, the Pars right-back always had a good game against Wee Jimmy when he played. Lunn, like Jimmy died too young (30+).
I remember Phillips the referee had a wine stain on his face. Never done us any favours (did any of them?) and the free kick he gave against McLaughlin didn’t look like one did it?
Going back to Paul67 leader. Congrats to the under 20’s on winning the league
Our youth teams do indeed seem to wipe the floor with most in Scotland
But are the fans getting our monies worth?
I think the signing of duds like derk, pukki and balde prove that our youth system is doing what is should be doing, ie developing players in Scotland that can step up
Our youth system on recent evidence is a failure
Why?
Scotland does not produce the gallus players we used to in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s
Would the large amount of cash spent on our youth system be better spent elsewhere
My view is reduce our youth system in Scotland( we are just not producing the players anymore) and spend that money on opening centres in Germany or holland where we would have a greater chance of producing players who can make the grade playing top class level
Over the last 10 years who has made the grade from our youth system ?
Mcgeady and that’s about it, maybe David Marshall also
Poor return on the investment me thinks
Keep some youth teams as we need to invest in our community but take about half the cash and use it for overseas
leftclicktic we are all neil lennon
07:46 on 11 May, 2014
Gooooooood Morning my friend, up and ready was home for 20:00 last night, courtesy of Sannabhoy thanks for the lift.
Good luck today to you and the other volunteers, I am in the North Stand will watch out for you.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
sydneytim
08:11 on 11 May, 2014
I’m afraid you’re beginning to sound like an old record, and on the day we pick up our 3rd league trophy in a row…….mmmmmmmmm………and the Glasgow Celtic will be there, and so will I………..
Morning All,
Off to Paradise for 9:30 as I am helping out with badge day for the cfc charity foundation. A badge costs £1 so if you can please buy one as the money goes to the foundation who then support local communities.
There was talk on twitter yesterday about a ballon tribute to Oscar. Basically everyone brings a green balloon, inflates it and we let them go on the 5th minute.
Tributes like this have taken place in villages and towns when other Children have died from Neuroblastoma but I don’t think it has ever been done at a football match before. I know Sannabhoy has a batch of balloons for his 40 kids.
The day before yesterday, a wee boy called Reece sent out his last tweet. He has suffered from Neuroblastoma for 6 years now – he is 11 years old. He has told his parents that he does not want to undergo anymore treatment – it is too sore, doesn’t make him better immediately and there is no guarantee that he will ever recover. He just wants to go to sleep.
Reece has asked that any money raised on his behalf be used towards buying a beach hut or two near where he stays in Kent — so that sick kids – dying kids– can go to the seaside and enjoy a day out.
Neuroblastoma is a supposedly rare disease, yet it doesn’t seem all that rare to me as I hear of new sufferers each and every week.
Good day out yesterday with lots of old faces and new – all suffering from the most virulent of sexually transmitted diseases — it’s called LIFE!
67 and if I was hame so would I :)
Just looking at our youth system and has that helped managers in recent years
Statistic say no
I think the gallus of Scottish players finished with all these coaching badges and Andy Roxburgh who basically coached skills out of our youth
Why would ten Scottish youths not be equall to ten German youths ?
Have to wonder why. Of course the Xbox has changed the priorities of our youth now
For all those, who like me never actually got to see this play, live:
The Celtic Story Live At Glasgow Pavillion 1998
My friends in Celtic,
Its great to wake up without a hang over. Tee Hee :-)
ryecatcher, reading back.
You are absolutely correct about Facebook. People posting about what a great time they are having 3000 miles from home is just plain stupid and an open invitation to any unscrupulous visitors.
Social media madness indeed.
Modern communication ( Twitter, Facebook, Mobile phones etc, etc ) is great if used correctly and wisely, but how many have had their reputations, careers etc trashed due to stupidity.
Again I must agree with you. IMO. Contrary to what many people think Hibernian FC are no soul mates of us. Certainly my experiences with their supporters over the years forms the basis of that statement.
I hope they go down. They deserve to go down.
However today is a day for pride. The club, the team, the compassion, the emotion, the empathy and the achievement.
Tomorrow is a day for evaluation. There is no doubt our current environment will drag us down and curtail our ambitions.
HH, always in Celtic.
PS: An even bigger HH to all that can make the game. YNWA.
Kitalba
Smashing stuff. All saved for repeat showings.
I was in the Celtic end at the 1965 Cup Final so I saw Bertie’s goals close up. Guy from school, Brian McKenna and I got there somehow and home again. I cannot remember how. Remember having to stand on my tiptoes to see the corner at the other end, and then bedlam as “sumdaes” headed in.
Last year I met Billy McNeill outside Celtic Park on match day. We blethered for a few minutes, I told about being at the 1965 final “when Bobby Lennox had you on his back as you headed the ball in”. Quick as flash he says, “..Aye and Lennox has been saying he’s carried me ever since.”
Thanks for sharing all of these gems.
HH
Morning Oscar. Hope things are a bit better for you now.
We are all getting on with things, and we’re helping your Mum & Dad and sister.
Trophy Day today so you’ll be in everyone’s thoughts.
Hail Hail son, enjoy yourself.
Looking forward to the game today. Am treating the son in law to seats in the North Stand Lounge for his birthday. Up early and take in the whole atmosphere before The Bhoys take five of Utd. Come on you Bhoys in green.
Very young Celtic side reach u-19 League Cup Final.
Celtic beat Arbroath 5-2 this afternoon to reach the final of the u-19 League Cup where they will play Cowdenbeath or Ayr United.
With seven players on duty with Scotland’s u-17 side at the European Championships Tommy McIntyre had to dip into the u-16 squad for reinforcements for the match at Gayfield.
After being held to a 2-2 draw at half-time, with goals from Aaron Comrie and Luke Donnelly the young hoops turned on the style after the break to run out convincing winners thanks to goals from Donnelly, Innes Murray and Ciaran Lafferty..
Celtic finished runners-up to Ayr United in the west section of the League Cup and could be meeting the Ayrshire side again in the final with the other semi-final taking place tomorrow.
With all youth football now coming under the control of the SPFL Celtic have elected to play their u-17 side in the u-19 competition and won the league before Christmas time ahead of Clyde.
Playing against clubs like Queen of the South, Dundee and Cowdenbeath has given the clubs youngest players valuable competitive experience with McIntyre pleased by the level of opposition has side have faced.
“We don’t want it to always be easy for them, we have to constantly challenge them and for them to find solutions on the pitch,” the hoops coach explained. “They need to handle the physicality of the game, particularly when it’s u-16 against u-19 players.
“Physically they might struggle a little but technically we know that it’s a good challenge for them.
“We’re often playing against club’s with four or five players with first team experience, in some instances more than that.
“We welcome the fact that our players are getting tested against older players with first team experience and this season has been excellent for us. It’s been a real test, some of the games have been really difficult, that’s nothing that we didn’t expect.
“Time will tell if it’s a good thing but so far everything suggests that it has been beneficial for the club.”
CELTIC: Colin McCabe; Aaron Comrie, Josh Kerr, Jamie McCart, Kieran Tierney; Connor McLaren (Innes Murray 55), Mark Hill, Ryan Caird, Regan Hendry (Rory Currie 83); Luke Donnelly, Ciaran Lafferty (Sean McIntosh 80)
Goodbye my brave wee laddy
ill see you again some day
When we can all be together
And tears wont be in the way
Till then you must sit in heaven
And keep a place for us to play
Chris Commons voted writers’ player of the year
KRIS Commons is reflecting on his three-and-a-half years at Celtic. “I came in, did well for six months, did crap for six months and then have been pretty incredible for the next two years,” says the attacker with tongue in cheek.
Self praise is said to be no honour, but the honours that have been bestowed on Commons by others for his remarkable 31-goal campaign mean the 30-year-old doesn’t need to talk up his recent excellence. Today the Englishman adds the Scottish Football Writers’ Association player of the year award to the PFA Scotland accolade, with the 30-year-old also hoovering up his own club’s such prize.
“I’ve won monthly awards before but nothing like this that can go on the mantlepiece with a bit of pride, so I’m very happy.”
Commons talks about everything “just kind of coming together” this season to allow him to plunder a mountainous goals tally. This is in spite of having never classed himself as a striker, or feeling that the role could come naturally to him. Yet, in playing just off the frontline in a number of tactical variations, he has tapped into something that allows him to believe aspects of his play have echoed two of England’s greatest recent goal sniffers.
“To score over 30 goals has been brilliant,” says Commons, who will have one final chance to bolster his tally as Celtic end their title-winning season at home to Dundee United today. “I’ve been in the right place at the right time. I think this year I’ve had that instinct to get into positions that all strikers get into. You talk about strikers like Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler and they knew where to be to get the ball in the back of the net. I’ve kind of been in similar positions – between the penalty spot and the goal line. I’ve been there this season. It’s not something that I’ve been taught this season. It’s just been natural to me this year. I’ve had intuition.
“I scored a few goals early in the season – like the one in the Champions League qualifier against Karagandy – and that gave me confidence. A lot of the time I’ve been playing off one striker so I’ve been expected to get into the box. I’ve been trying to find my way between the centre-halves. We work hard in training and work on things, try things like get across the front man. It’s been about good movement and anticipating things.
“And although people are marking me closely I’ve been working hard to find ways to lose them. I’ve found an extra yard and tried to anticipate where the ball will drop. I’ve scored five or six goals from reacting to goalies palming the ball back out. It’s about being sharp and alert. I probably wasn’t doing enough of that a couple of years ago.”
Commons was signed as a winger but has been crafted into a No.10 where Celtic have derived full returns from his invention and artistry. Indeed, £375,000 spent to bring him from Derby in January 2010 remains a deal of the ages. Early in the season he played off Anthony Stokes in a two-man forward line. That has since been swelled to a three-pronged attack with the addition of Leigh Griffiths. His manager Neil Lennon has talked about adapting his approach to best accommodate his talents and that meant moving Commons inside, for a number of reasons.
“Probably because I haven’t got blistering pace,” he says. “We have wingers left and right – James Forrest, Derk Boerrigter is another – and when you think wingers, you think pace, get the full backs, get to the byelines. You know we weren’t blessed with [Chris] Sutton and [John] Hartson, guys who can put balls in the back of the net with their heads on a regular basis.
“When I came in there was myself, Stokesie and Hoops [Gary Hooper], all of whom are less than 6ft tall. So we had to play on the deck, one-twos and that kind of isolated the wingers because they weren’t getting the ball. So I think we found a system that worked. We had Emilio Izaguirre, Adam Matthews and Mikael Lustig who could get up and down and do that kind of job and me who could be pushed inside. If I can get the ball inside those pockets and turned then I can usually find a pass to create a goal.
“When I was at Derby I was playing just off the big striker. I scored 14 or 15 goals doing that up until December. I was used to it and trying to create the goals from that angle. It was a bit different when I first came in because I got back out on the left. It was like ‘you and Izaguirre are going to be working that side, he is a good player who will give you the ball and just do what you do best.’ I found myself working with Hoops and Stokes but due to injuries I managed to get pushed inside a bit.”
The question now is whether Celtic would dare play a 4-3-3 in Europe. The configuration has certainly boosted their goal returns, but pointedly has also pushed up the figure in their goals-against column. Commons admits to being “not sure” how he can keep up his scoring run other than by working hard. He understandably sound less than sure Celtic can play three forwards when the Champions League qualifiers come around in two months.
“It depends what team you play against,” he says. “You could sometimes say it is a 4-5-1. We kind of played this formation against Barcelona although I didn’t really get much chance to get forward. Big Sami [Georgios Samaras] was on the left. You don’t get much chance because you get forced backwards. You don’t get the licence to go forward. But I think if you do start with real width up there then you can find yourself open to all sorts of counter attacks. Different opposition, a different mix affects how you approach any game.
“If you just went for goals then it could be great going forward but you could concede four or five. I don’t think that would work. It wouldn’t last long. It is a great position to be in. We play great football, have got overlapping full-backs and try to score really good goals. Inevitably, though, you want to win games, get points on the board and qualify for the last 16 [of the Champions League]. It is down to the management and coaching staff to figure out a formation and a starting XI to achieve that.” Whatever they propose, Commons will figure in that.
Morning Bhoys & Ghirls
What a hootenanny yesterday was!
Remember as Billy Nowell says ” We are human…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoyxOVUF17c
HH
CRC
Great day out yesterday, my God we have some great people on this blog and by Christ can they drink.
I saw a tweet last night that John Hartson and Stan Petrov will be part of the celebration today. Brilliant.
A wee downer on the festivities.
It will be my Father In Law’s last game. Health problems means he has trouble making the game so it’s Celtic TV for him from now on. His season ticket has already been transferred to my 18 year old for next season. He is also going today with a single ticket so will be the last time the four of us will be at the game together. Me, FIL and two sons.
Happy times and sad times.
Hail, hail wee Oscar.
p.s. Anyone selling green balloons outside the ground today ?
6 year old daughter’s first game today hopefully will be the first of many so her auld man can get to more next season enjoy the game bhoys and ghirls
Supersutton
McChuils was full of green balloons yesterday – me included!
SydneyTim
There are many reasons why No Scottish club now produces a team of local boys and men. Players from all over the world playing for lower division Scottish sides. Socio-economic, cultural, life choices, quite apart from what any club chooses to invest in youth development.
Celtic face the same challenges as other clubs, except that with us, expectations are always very high. Very few of the young players we let go, as opposed to sell, seem to rise to the top of the game.
When I lived in England for 20 years, my sons were apprentices at English clubs in the South East. It quickly became clear that this apprenticeship was just another government YTS scheme and that clubs got the pittance they paid to these lads from the government, just as they would have had they been working in Tesco’s.
It also became apparent that the clubs (1990s) couldn’t have taken any less interest in developing these players. They used them as cheap labour to lay out and collect training stuff, clean out dressing rooms, clean boots and any other task that the youth coach decided was needing done.
Those young men who were sons of professional footballers were given special favours and always, regardless of their ability, kept on as pros themselves. One of my sons had one full day training with the first team, because they needed someone to make up the 8-a-side kick about at the end of training. He did really well but next day they didn’t need anyone so he was back with the youths cleaning boots.
He wasn’t offered any pro contract and after a two years playing non league, he concentrated more on his education and played less and less football.
Anyway, I developed my skills as a dribbler, by playing in the street and the playground wearing wellies, sannies, plastic sandals, school shoes and even my Sunday shoes when no one was looking. Bring back football in wellies, that’ll do it.
HH
This is the day This is the day …….
Mixed emotions today Mass offered for Our wee Oscar today and suspect excitement tears elation sadness and joy at Celtic Park today..
It is here we find the core empathy that defines us as the Celtic Family enjoy your day today Bhoys and Ghirls for This is the Day …..
Hail Hail YNWA and NSNO x
Good morning friends from a dry (having recently been wet), calm and bright East Kilbride. A day to celebrate everything that is good about our Club.
Morning all. Wet and dreich down here at the moment. Hope things improve.
Crc
Human & YNWA for oscar were the highlights ….
Still can’t believe some jumped taxis from mchuills to bar 67 .. I decided that was very unhealthy so ran to the coronation chippy for a sausage supper on my way to B67 ;)
Would be great is someone could organise green balloons today … You coulda given them away free when selling badges :)
Supersutton
That’s a real shame about your father in law. Kind wishes to him.
You sparked a memory in me. The uncle who took me to my first game in the 60’s started to struggle with his health in the late in early 2002. He was determined for a while, but ultimately his eyesight also started to fail, and he was virtually housebound. He could see a little, but not very much, even tv started to become a challenge.
Anyhow, one day he was in my house for his dinner, and he asked if he could borrow my horse racing binoculars. I gave him them, and he started to watch tv through them! He said ” these are brilliant, I can see the telly great”!
Some weeks later we were playing deadco, and the game was on tv. He asked to borrow them. I duly obliged, and a few weeks later I was going to a race meeting so went to get them back. I bought him another, smaller less expensive pair. From memory, my own ones cost in the region of £500.
I arrived at his house, presented him with his gift and asked for my ones. He handed me 2 ” lens”. He said, ” yours were a bit heavy to hold up for a couple of hours so I’ve dismantled them and was just using the 2 lens”. !!
I was gutted:-). I said to him to keep them, and I’d just keep the new ones, which turned out to be unsuitable for horseracing so I had to buy a 3rd pair:-).
Having introduced me to the hoops, he earned those binoculars I guess:-)
SuperSutton & feathers
What really nice back to back posts. (If you’ll excuse the word nice in this context SS)
Someone’s (sadly) last game at Celtic Park but someone else’s first game.
Life goes on, and the family traditions continue.
SuperSutton. Hail Hail to your father in law and here’s to feathers six year old daughter.
Hope all have days to remember.
HH
Morning all
I’ll say my goodbyes now, as I probably did my disappearing act yesterday without saying bye to all.
Great day, great company, great support. No support in the world could pull off yesterday, a pleasure to be part of this blog and in the company of the people on it.
Ayrshire is Green and White
Celtic Football Club @celticfc · 12h
The @celticfc players will wear black armbands at tomorrow’s match in honour of @Wee_Oscar (KK)
Celtic Football Club @celticfc · 12h
There will also be a tribute to @Wee_Oscar on the big screens from approximately 12:00 tomorrow (KK)
A song for Wee Oscar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjCrLuVIuuE&app=desktop
HH
CRC
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the scottish football
league.
They come from bonnie Scotland, they come from county Cork,
They come from dear old Donegal and even from New York,
From every street in Glasgow they proudly make their way,
To a place called dear old paradise and this is what they say.
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the scottish football
league.
There’s Fallon, Young and Gemmell who proudly wear the green,
There’s Clark, McNeill and Kennedy the best there;s ever been,
Jim Johnstone, Murdoch, Chalmers, John Divers and John Hughes,
And sixty thousand Celtic fans who proudly shout the news.
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the scottish football
league.
RWE,
I was up at the very back of the Celtic End for the 65 Final. To me, still the most important game we have won. I’ve never experienced a joy like it when thon winning heider from Big Billy went in. Lisbon, Anfield and Seville do come close but it was the first time I had seen us win a major trophy, after far too many losses, and is ever to be cherished.
Long may we cherish days like today.
WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
Supersutton
Mate apologies for my earlier post. Just got my brain in gear. Still got my wristband on and I’ll be wearing it with pride and a great deal of sadness today.
HH
sydneytim
08:23 on 11 May, 2014
We’ve done no bad, for playing in a wee / bigoted / corrupt / country which doesn’t have the commitment of the German etc FAs, and which only ever favoured one team, which is now deed (pardon the phun)…..Scottish Football does not do ‘impartial’…..off to the game now ….will give the Bhoys a big cheer for you…HH :)
Rwe. Indeed it’s not just Scotland’s youth system that is failing , but the whole of the UK
However young players on the continent seem to fare better
Is the Way people in the UK live. The diet of their mothers and fathers?
Most of team comes from overseas on the continent now, is it not about time we looked overseas to set up a youth team. Munich Celtic? As I have said the money invested in youth here is not providing the return to the club in the form of 1st team players
I am not criticising our team here but I think we have to look at better ways of spending our cash
EPL clubs , if their youth system fails they can just use their tv cash to buy a foreign player
We can’t. Time for a rethink
Mini bt stopped off a celtic park last night and left one of her Celtic strips at the wee memorial of strips and flowers for Oscar.
enjoy the game bhoys and ghirls..
HH
Aye 67 enjoy the game. Saw a pic of outside the asbestos dome against outside paradise
Oh how things have changed :))))
My goodness, that Hootenany even has us non drinkers running late :-)
Will need to do mass at 6 down at the Raploch
See you all soon at the newly named Oscar CQN meeting place
Hail Hail
Cowiebhoy
tbj going to 10.30 at st Michaels parkhead.
Cowiebhoy
I’m heading to 10:30 mass at st michaels on the gallowgate so should be at the Oscar Knox Gazebo around 11:30 .
Anyone know a rag n bone man with a big bag of green balloons …