There are good ways and bad ways to win the League Cup; yesterday was perfect. The atmosphere reminded me of the 1997 final at Ibrox, where a similar result was achieved against Dundee United. That was our first League Cup in 15 years, but there was a more substantial reason to be optimistic then. At that moment, we began to believe that this could be the start of something significant.
Contrast that with the sentiment two seasons later, as we left Hampden having beaten Aberdeen in the same final. We’d won a trophy but celebrations were muted. We were miles behind in the league and that season had splurged significant resources on players who failed to deliver.
Celtic’s performance yesterday was imperious. It was controlled, oozed competence throughout the team and subjugated the second best team in the land with little fuss. Dare we start to believe we are at the start of something significant?
We dare.
The “start” of something significant is an unusual phrase to describe five-in-a-row champions, but having plateaued as merely champions in recent seasons, the Celtic Movement is on the march again.
These are exciting time – enjoy them.
What did you like most about the win yesterday? I’m really pleased at how effective and important our central defenders are becoming. They helped deliver a trophy without the loss of a goal in any round, but, more importantly, Jozo Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko regularly morph into deep-lying playmakers.
At the opening goal, Simunovic wasn’t so deep-lying. Having carried the ball into the opposition half, he won a tackle 30 yards from goal before feeding Tom Rogic. Can you imagine how disruptive it is for opponents to have to deal with a central defender that high up the field? Who picks him up and what are the subsequent consequences?
Those of you old enough to swoon at the great No. 14 will remember when the world first discovered Total Football. As I watched Scott Brown drop behind his own defensive line to create space for others to move into it all came flooding back. The concept which ‘did for us’ a couple of times in the 70s echoes in what you’re now watching. This is Total Celtic. It’s difficult to get right but if you achieve it, it’s very difficult to play against.
This is why we’ve won a cup without conceding. This is why we plucked a guy from Fulham who appears to have geometrically appreciated in value. This is why a guy who didn’t get a lot of football at Aston Villa last season was given special treatment by Barcelona and Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League. This is why Stuart Armstrong and James Forrest are looking like new, better, players. They’re not, they are just working in a vastly better system.
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BCW
You’re lucky the most famous I’ve seen there was a local gangster! :-)
MIT
draw it is then
It’s no fair that the hun’s fans never get any away days in cup fixtures.
They’ve been looking forward to wrecking another town.
The SFA have stiffed them again.
No wonder they think everyone is against them.
I am getting worried about Keith Jackson. His latest missive has more than the smack of his usual resigned depression. Chin up Keith and James it´s only a game :-)
HH
Any praise forthcoming for the support yesterday who did not invade the park despite feeling ecstatic? Thought not, the tifo was amazing, well done to the magnificent support of Celtic Football Club.
Awe Naw
Keith Jackson will write whatever Traynor tells him to write
JNP 6.38pm hope you enjoyed watching the hoops yesterday, still buzzing and I only watched it in the boozer, it has been an even better watch today
FAIRHILL BHOY
A another home draw for the huns ! Hope you’re enjoying Vegas mhate HH !
Re home games in the cups.
Unless you get a sell out tie, then it s a pain.
Wee teams. 15000 attendance. Costs. Logistics. Polis.
You get the same TV money if your away and live.
I actually think its a false economy and its hurt in the huns.
A break even v Motherwell is probably 30000 paying mugs
AN TEARMANN on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 2:18 PM
Last week espousing virtue to some who gave their lives against nazism
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I’m not sure you really mean what you are saying here, but vocabulary aside, I suppose you are saying that I am guilty of some charge.
So if you might put your money where your mouth is.
I’m sure you can fully quote and link to where I have been wanting in some area?
Or are you just upset that I don’t follow your particular political strain?
SAINT STIVS SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 8:40 PM
Re home games in the cups.
Unless you get a sell out tie, then it s a pain.
Wee teams. 15000 attendance. Costs. Logistics. Polis.
You get the same TV money if your away and live.
I actually think its a false economy and its hurt in the huns.
A break even v Motherwell is probably 30000 paying mugs
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Good point. Only thing I would add is that, it’s a burden if you get small attendances because it costs so much to host the event, but only if you actually pay the bills that arise from the event!
Gerryfaethebrig.
Yes had a brilliant time.
One of the ghuys in the works brother had Rogic and 3.0 at 50/1 for a tenner. He showed me the line on his phone. Magic stuff.
Saint Stivs,
If you look at it from a none economic angle, better chance to progress to the next round by conveniently getting a home tie !
JNP
I had Moussa Hat trick at 25/1, but bets with Celtic are just novelty betting
Great return for the bhoy at 50/1….. Happy days, always good hearing of punters getting a return
One of the biggest pluses for me on Sunday was the quality on the bench.
This has been an amazing turnaround in recent times.
Further to …
Of the last 22 @ScottishFA cup draws from March ’09, Celtic have drawn 3 home ties and 19 away
Also in their last 22 cup draws, Rangers and now Sevco have had 15 home ties and only 7 away.
Answers on a postcard please …
Big Peat
As well as the bench we were missing KT & Scott Sinclair probably our two best players after Broony, Dembelle, Gordon, Rogic :-)
EMBRAMIKE SUPPORTING RES 12 on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:10 PM
Even ” draw fiddling sceptics ” like me find it hard not to draw some conclusion from those stats.
Particularly when the ” anybody but Celtic ” mentality remains prevalent in the areas of football influence in Bonny Jockland.
Watching a programme on the BBC called Fair Isle, a plane arrives with a girl wearing a hoops top, we are everywhere:0)
NATKNOW on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 8:45 PM
Good point. Only thing I would add is that, it’s a burden if you get small attendances because it costs so much to host the event, but only if you actually pay the bills that arise from the event!
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That is an excellent point.
Wishful thinking but given the utter disgrace the huns have brought to Scottish Football you would expect the authorities to have tightened up on financial irregularities, or at least show proper and accountable due diligence in preventative financial management.
One way that could protect the integrity of the league and the game is for the ruling body to closely examine the financials of new clubs or clubs that have been in irregular or suspicious situations.
So that would include clubs who are brand new like Airdrie Utd or clubs that have imploded like oldco and have come back in zombie form.
Without trying to weigh down any of these clubs in the interests of financial fair play, ironical as that may be, the SFA should be issuing licences to said new or irregular clubs with financial rules that protect the other clubs, local businesses and the credibility of the game itself.
One way to do this would be to embed in the regulations, that for three years new clubs or those who are linked to clubs that have gone into administration or liquidation cannot borrow money for anything more than 6 weeks without paying the money back to their creditors.
This means that these clubs have to sufficient capital in share issues or the like to fund their enterprise but to allow them normal business flexibility in debtor and creditor arrangements.
The 6 week rule exposes very quickly cracks in the building.
Just a thought.
GERRYFAETHEBRIG on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:14 PM
Big Peat
As well as the bench we were missing KT & Scott Sinclair probably our two best players after Broony, Dembelle, Gordon, Rogic :-)
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That’s true and the huns would bite an arm off to get our second team as their first.
Is there anyone really shocked the huns got another helping hand with a home draw against an spfl team that will probably ly down!
It’s more corrupt now than ever. Every man man and his dog know the helping hand the huns are getting to stay afloat.
Makes me boak.
IMHO,I think the huns would rather have had our away draw than play Motherwell at Ibrox.This is a very dangerous game for them.Their gates last year for cup games were pathetic,atmosphere non existent.After watching them against Thistle,I would not bet on them beating anyone.
As H.T says interesting draw.
Is there anyone out there who has been to Palmerston when Celtic played there in a competitive tie. Or even better seen us play Albion Rovers away in a competitive tie. If I’ve read Google properly then we last played at Palmerston in the 60s and Coatbridge in the 40s !!.
Palmerston a horrible astrograss pitch, Wee Rovers ground not fit to host Celtic, so maybe be played at Hamilton, Motherwell or dare I say Airdrie. 2 of which are also astrograss. I imagine it will be difficult to obtain a ticket for QOS away, if that is the tie, they have a healthy home support and ground holds about 6,000.
Hail Hail
BIG PEAT OF ISLAY on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:23 PM
NATKNOW on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 8:45 PM
Good point. Only thing I would add is that, it’s a burden if you get small attendances because it costs so much to host the event, but only if you actually pay the bills that arise from the event!
—————————————————
That is an excellent point.
Wishful thinking but given the utter disgrace the huns have brought to Scottish Football you would expect the authorities to have tightened up on financial irregularities, or at least show proper and accountable due diligence in preventative financial management.
One way that could protect the integrity of the league and the game is for the ruling body to closely examine the financials of new clubs or clubs that have been in irregular or suspicious situations.
So that would include clubs who are brand new like Airdrie Utd or clubs that have imploded like oldco and have come back in zombie form.
Without trying to weigh down any of these clubs in the interests of financial fair play, ironical as that may be, the SFA should be issuing licences to said new or irregular clubs with financial rules that protect the other clubs, local businesses and the credibility of the game itself.
One way to do this would be to embed in the regulations, that for three years new clubs or those who are linked to clubs that have gone into administration or liquidation cannot borrow money for anything more than 6 weeks without paying the money back to their creditors.
This means that these clubs have to sufficient capital in share issues or the like to fund their enterprise but to allow them normal business flexibility in debtor and creditor arrangements.
The 6 week rule exposes very quickly cracks in the building.
Just a thought.
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A clean audit/signed off accounts should be a minimum requirement for a licence to play/operate. But this is Scotland. Don’t hold your breath waiting for the SFA to do anything…
SIPSINI on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:29 PM,
Just why would a team with Tims in it lie down to the Huns?.Who would tell them to do this,their manager?.
I really give up.
Park ROAD 67-don’t know if you seen my post on sat,sun.was in nine fine Irishmen,nice pub but was told no showing game, they told me to try McMullen so I did, they didn’t show it either so ended up reading on here for up dates and watching EPL instead,still all that matters is the result mate:-))))
Jimmynotpaul, we played the Doonhamers in a league cup tie at Palmerston in either 1984 or 1985. I think we won 4 nil or 4 1.
Dumfries is a Hun town going by two pals of mine whose mum’s are from there and each pal spent many a Summer holiday there.
My wife’s niece lives there and I was surprised to see some green brigade stickers near her niece’s house.
Dallas.
Thank you, as ever you are correct.
I was mistakenly looking at League games.
Is Rovers correct the 40s ?
Turkeybhoy
If KevJ has a word in Mark McGee’s ear, the one who should be managing Celtic, they will blow the huns away, hopefully, maybes, possibly…………:-)
Hows the darts goin, hit five less than 17 darts in under an hour today, am very happy just now, creeping up to mid 90s average.
HH
Jimmynotpaul, my pal and I went to that league cup game. His mum was originally from Dumfries and he told me about it being a Hun town
Dallas.
Most places are hun towns :-)
Jimmynotpaul, talking about
PARK ROAD 67-they wherent showing it nine fines, but they told me to try McMullens, got there for 7am kick of,they couldn’t get it either,so kept up to date on here while watching EPL, all that mattered was the result mhate:-))))
A demographic of the green brigade will show they are the most educated individuals from hundreds of rural towns gaining entry to top universities. Changing the world as they go along.
Td67.
Giruy
Dallas / JNP
If the wee Rovers win I can assure you both this is no Hun town :-)
SAINT STIVS SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 28TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:46 PM
Fair point but we shouldn’t forget the gulf between education and wisdom.
Sorry about double post,said the first one hadn’t sent:-)))).I will get the hang of this eventually
st. Stivs..
How ya doing pal?
I think you missed an ‘f’… just for authenticity’s sake, ya know.
Or was that edited out in the new post-mod(erator) era CQN?