Atletico Madrid arrive at Celtic Park tomorrow on the back of six consecutive wins, a series which started by beating Real in the Madrid derby, and ended with a 0-3 win at Celta Vigo on Saturday. If they win their game in hand over the teams above them, they will go top of La Liga. Even by their impressive standards, that is formidable form.
Looking ahead to the game, Brendan Rodgers spoke about the challenge of playing one of the best teams in the world and the need to devise a plan. The wounds of PSG’s visit to Glasgow the last time Brendan was in charge are still there. Celtic battled but the visitors left with a 0-5 win, it was a lesson on what can happen when you don’t sufficiently change the plan you had for the previous weekend’s Scottish Premiership game.
“Dominate domestic football and to compete regularly in the Champions League”, objectives Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson noted in our annual report, published yesterday. I see comments alleging one is regarded as more important than the other to the club, when it should be patently obvious that gaining either makes achieving the other significantly easier. Do both or do neither.
There is a world of ways you can go about achieving those objectives, from the David Murray route (spend everything you have, and more, and take tax advice from a porn producer), to just spending everything you have and hoping to always achieve both, to trying to manage though the slings and arrows of football.
We all have a preference but there is no perfect plan for this, although there are clearly some disastrous ones. Under the current strategy, I think Celtic will continue to dominate domestically for years to come. We will win the league and gain entry into the new-format Champions League next season. Thereafter, we can expect the qualification lottery for some seasons, inevitably including some Europa League seasons. Still, remember when we all wanted to be like Ajax? Football strategy is easy, just ask anyone who has never had to execute.
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Continue to win the league and I’m happy. Our record in Europenis deplorable though. No reason we can have the odd good season there too.
Playing football in Europe is not easy. At any level. Ask any Manchester United fan, or any Brighton supporter. Or any Aston Villa fan, even in the Conference League. Be interesting to see how well they do away to AZ on Thursday. Manchester City taking over a decade to finally become European Champions. And ourselves unable to win at home in the CL, and EL and Conference last time out. We are in a tough group and no mistake, close to beating Lazio, but losing a last minute goal to a team that had five players in our eighteen yard box when that goal arrived points to a lack of concentration and it has to be said, leadership on the park. On the pitch, not in the boardroom. Morata said a few days back that achieving seven points out of nine would be an impressive start to their campaign, that Celtic are now under pressure, but playing in Glasgow could be difficult. “It may not be beautiful”
Certainly wasn’t the beautiful game back in 1974
CHAIRBHOY on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 2:34 PM
“Yet you mention Ajax going through a bad time as if Celtic’s risk averse policy means it can’t happen to us.
Well it did.
Not so long ago we had to sack our manager and our long term CEO left.”
You’re making my point for me again. Our disastrous season was just that, one season, and our recovery was even more impressive given that it happened a year after the global financial catastrophe that affected every football club in the world.
Our risk averse policy is exact why we came through it stronger than ever. Ajax, not so much.
“Yes, we need a good positive cash flow but when it is there to cover the potential incompetence of the executive at the expense of proper investment in our core business, surly that’s bad management.”
Its got nothing to do with covering for mistakes, its about allowing for the vagaries. of football, like a financial catastrophe. and its effect on the club and not qualifying for the champions league, which will happen at some point
Atletico have had some awful luck in finals – an equaliser coming against them at the death in 1974 and 2014 plus a penalty shoot out defeat in 2016.
Can’t help thinking it’s karma from the game against us.
We came back quickly after 2019/2020 and covid for a number of reasons but fundamental to it was the rock solid financial position we were in leading up to it.
Ajax could potentially only be at the start of their disaster. They dont have the cash to bail them out of it like we did
There’s a laughable hatchet job on us by Ewan Murray in the Guardian. He so patently wants to be gloating at a Celtic defeat tomorrow night.
Roddy Forsyth was almost imploring us (the support) to wreak havoc on Athletico tomorrow night in revenge for their kicking us off the park the last time we played them. Well, we know what that would result in for the team.
While I don’t really expect it, wouldn’t it be true revenge if we simply beat them?
Celtic40me
I like the cut of your jib.
Celtic supporters are sensitive to having much money in the bank because we were taunted for years with biscuit tin tales.
Whether we like it or not, it’s a two club city one with a comparatively similar sized fan base, and other obstacles including having no money at all.
We have to get over, having to win the league every year at their expense. I hope there is a European plan, you have to win the league, to create one.
CELTIC40ME @ 2:56 PM,
Well I’m afraid I’ve got to disagree.
The footballing vagries were due to incompetence.
Very few Celtic supporters thought bringing back Lenny was a good idea.
One of the reasons Peter Lawwell had brought in Lenny was he had “an eye for a player”
Barkas, Klimala, Bolingoli, Julien, Ajeti etc etc suggests otherwise.
No UCL football, no ten in a row.
It was excuses.
When we’ve had a quality manager, UCL football we’ve made more money as the Ange and BR eras will testify.
If our Board demanded results rather than excepting excuses we’d be much better off…
Let’s get good managers in then back them.
Our successfully proven strategy has delivered stability and footballing success over many years and remains the same. We must balance the signing of players that can be developed and sold when conditions are optimal alongside the need to sign players who are able to make an immediate impact and deliver footballing success. Peter Lawwell – 18 Sep 2023
We have not signed enough players recently with the quality and experience to make an immediate impact, let’s hope we rectify this in January.
Hail Hail
What is the point of the ‘split’?
Four ‘OF’ games.
Weeron.
We’ve won 11 out of the last league titles, but we still have know pkan for Europe.
Although we do have plenty of money in the bank.
no plan
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 3:25 PM
Scepticism is in our DNA, along with a healthy distrust of authority. Long may it continue.
It’s one of the challenges the board will always have to deal with.
CHAIRBHOY on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 3:30 PM
I don’t know what you’re disagreeing with, I didn’t say we didn’t make mistakes.
We were able to limit the effect of the disaster you were talking about to one season though. It was very painful but in the grand scheme of things very much a blip
I think that’s pretty inarguable
Simple bottom line is, as in any sport, you must be extended to improve.
Let’s say you are a 5 handicap at the old gowf, and each week you play you play a 24 handicap player, really is that going to make you improve by beating him every time. Of course not. Same as Celtic really, the only way for us to improve is by playing stronger opposition each week. Look at the English premiership, loads of strong teams there and little is taken for granted.
For me, we must get into some European League /Atlantic league and play better opposition to that we have at the moment.
KINGLuBO
CELTIC40ME
The club i can’t fathom is “rangers” how the hell do they keep afloat with all the debt from 2012…………surely investors would want some return or money back.
We were able to deal not only with the disastrous season and the need for a rebuild with so many players wanting away or being out of contract, but also Eddie Howe bailing out last minute. Some luck involved but plenty of other stuff as well
Funny to be talking about this sitting 7 points clear in the league at the end of October after the best start for years and finding real form
Atletico’s recent form in Europe
2022/3- CL- Finished 4th in their group behind Porto, Leverkusen and Brugge. Lost all 3 away games and won only 1 home game
2021/22- CL – finished 2nd in group with Liverpool, Milan and Porto- narrowly lost in Q-F of CL to Man U
2020/21- CL- 2nd in group with Bayern, Salzburg and Lok. Moscow. Lost home and away to Chelsea in round of 16
2019/20- CL- 2nd in group with Leverkusen, Juve and Lok. Moscow- beaten home and away in last 16 by Liverpool
2018/19- CL- 2nd in group- with Dortmund, Monaco and Brugge- lost narrowly to Juve in last 16
Apart from last year they have been pretty sure footed in getting out of the Group Stages. Club Brugge drew with them in Madrid and won in Bruges last year and stopped them scoring in both legs.
I don’t expect much but, if we catch them on an off night and we get a 2 goal lead- I might raise my hopes. They conceded a goal to Lazio and 2 to Feyenoord already
PETETHEBEAT on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 2:56 PM
Atletico have had some awful luck in finals – an equaliser coming against them at the death in 1974 and 2014 plus a penalty shoot out defeat in 2016.
Can’t help thinking it’s karma from the game against us.
I have Swarzenbecks’ late equaliser in the 1974 final in my favourite YouTube videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t8qVFacJNs&ab_channel=UEFA
Karma served with cream.
KINGLUBO,
I couldn’t agree more. It doesn’t really matter, imo, how much (or little) we spend. The players we have need to be extended by playing better opposition week in week out.
Until then, again imo, the only option we have is the current model.
KINGLUBO on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 3:47 PM…
Spot on….!
And yet, DD announced that we had no interest in Atlantic League that Ajax were pursuing. In fact, he said that we’d wait until we get an invite to the EPL. As long as we are the only big team in a weak league, we won’t progress in Europe.
A bit of ambition and a slice of creativity among our suits would go a long way.
Weeron
TIMHORTON on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 3:50 PM
I dont know how they keep on finding the cash either.
Yeah, you’d think they could at least have paid the Face Painter.
I was in the jungle that infamous night against Atletico
If my memory serves, had the ref sent of one more of their players, the game is automatically voided and a 3-0 win awarded to the “innocent side” the ref had opportunities to send off 6 of them if my memory serves but he bottled it
Bill Shankly leapt the wall dividing his seat from the tunnel and waded in along with the players at the end of the match. He was as angry as Big Jock at the full time whistle
https://youtu.be/xoNAJ4o_0y8?si=Y-gUt9uYFGTbgba9
Brendan presser
HRVATSKI JIM on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 4:19 PM
I felt that carrying grudges against a team whose players , if still alive, will be in their 70`s or even 80`s now was a bit OTT but I still enjoyed that clip :-))
Last week, Brendan was saying his squad was too big.
BR says he’s at one with the strategy but he has on more than one occasion, questioned it. Calling for more quality & experience and now, his squad is too big.
I agree with BR. Our squad is too big, bloated with non contributing players. Quality over quantity is needed.
Looks some CQNs with different outlooks on Joe McHugh / VideoCelts blog!
https://videocelts.com/2023/10/blogs/latest-news/lawwell-reinforces-the-message-of-celtic-preparing-to-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-563782
Check the comments.
“GAER on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 6:58 PM
Check the comments.”
I wish I hadn`t complied with your request !!
Rewatching the famous Atletico match, amazing what needed to be done back then to earn a yellow card, let alone a red. The Turkish ref could have sent off the entire Spanish team and it wouldn’t have been an injustice.
Out of interest I trying to look out the 74 programme however since my wife dumped all my programmes in a hugh box, they are no longer in date order. Celtic v Fiorentina beside Clydebank v Celtic from the 78.
Boring task to do on a rainy day 🙄
Completely off topic!
We always book our seats on the plane when travelling abroad.
A few of my friends who also booked were asked to move seats at check in, to accommodate family’s who had not booked their seat. This meant they were split up for the flight. 2 couples on different flights but both Jet2.
Can you successfully object to this?
We check in online for outward bound flight so not an issue.
Grateful for any replies.
Look in later!
PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 2:39 PM
Continue to win the league and I’m happy. Our record in Europenis deplorable though. No reason we can have the odd good season there too.
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Love this post!
Clydebank v Celtic from the 78.
having grown up with the end of the first nine and sporadic attendnace, the first season i really got “taken” was 74/75, we lost the league, but i got to my first cup final.
aged 8 i became a bit obsessed with my own firsts, as i started to collect new grounds and tick them off.
i had scrap books full of every cutting i could get, and programmes and celtic views and so on.
75-76, i got taken nearly everywhere but as long as it was the afternoon starts as i played on a sat morning, and no ibrox or hun games , but we were worse they won a treble.
those two seasons, we hardly ever won back to back away games, everybody beat us.
76/77 edinburgh and dundee got added as away games, terrible experience at tynie.
but we won a doublle, we are back king billy and al that. i gott oall the games bar ibrox and thems.
77/78
the jinx is back.
we lost at clydebank, seriously, lost at clydebank 3-2.
we dont know we are living nowadays.
Clydebank v Celtic from the 78.
PHILBHOY on 24TH OCTOBER 2023 7:31 PM
You pay to get booked seats, so you have the right to refuse, or at worse get your £70 refunded.
I never book jet2 seats unless high season , always got two together. Going to Gran Canaria next month and wife was going to book at £74. I said we had never done that previously, so we didn’t and got two together. Pretty sure it was the same ones without paying £74!
Tinytim I know Joe.
It was and is The Shamrock. Mostly if not all in Joe’s time Tim’s.
I think it was to do with the Irish that settled here in the Garngad a way back.
Could be wrong there but google it.
D :)