End of a great Celtic team

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The treble was won on Saturday with a bit more anxiety than many of us anticipated.  Just as we discussed and hoped for last week, Kyogo was the man of the moment again.  Celtic have played in three cup finals when Ange Postecoglou has been in charge, the opener on Saturday was the fifth goal scored by the club in that time and the fifth by Kyogo.  The player is an inextricably linked to his manager’s success as Henrik Larsson was to Martin O’Neill’s.

I can scarcely remember a more effective winger than Liel Abada, certainly not for someone still only 21.  He ghosted into the box, then timed his forward run perfectly to latch onto Callum McGregor’s cross, giving Celtic an unassailable lead.  His added-time cross for Jota to complete the scoring was a piece of craft that largely went missing for Celtic during the final.

Inverness were miles out of their depth but defended well and on 84 minutes scored the best goal of the game.  A diving header is always easy on the eye, even when it hits the back of your own net.  It was never going to be, for the Highlanders.

We will look back on that final, on this last month, as a time when a great Celtic team emptied its tank.  Whether or not this is linked to off-field events is moot, a refresh is needed if these incredibly high standards are to endure.

It was painful listening to Ange duck questions on his future after the game.  In doing so, he answered, nonetheless.  We’ll talk more at the appropriate moment, in the meantime, as Bill wrote, ‘If it were done…., then ‘t were well it were done quickly.’

Let’s get on with it.

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410 Comments

  1. Celtic40Me – Might just be hearsay but I heard they didn’t fall out, get on well. Also looks less of a coincidence now that BR was up for the semi final.

     

     

    The public spat was always with PL. It was like a pissing contest over who was more important than the other. Remember DD intervened at one point and told them to behave.

     

    With Nicholson there now, perhaps there is enough of a buffer zone

  2. WeefratheTim on

    KINGLUBO RON BACARDI

     

     

    Thanks ghuys, my trust and belief in prayer is it’s maximum now. Yes, I’m having a wee dram, of Ron Bacardi. Seriously.lol HH

  3. CORKCELT on 5TH JUNE 2023 3:23 PM

     

     

    If what we’ve heard from Paul67 is to be believed it went beyond a grudge. I dont think DD would let someone loose in his business after the disharmony and potential damage he caused last time. Its not like he’ll have changed – he caused the same sort of problems at Leicester.

     

     

    If it’s true, trying to take all the backroom staff with him when he left would mean he’ll not be considered.

  4. DENIABHOY on 5TH JUNE 2023 3:28 PM

     

     

    It went deeper than an ego contest. DD was not a neutral observer in a playground spat – it was a serious business issue.

  5. Celtic40Me – apparently is also trying to take backroom staff with him. Howe wouldn’t work for us without bringing his background staff. Fairly common practice and, at the time, most of us would have been happy if he taken JK with him.

  6. WeefratheTim on

    THE BATTERED BUNNET

     

     

    Thank you and how the devil are you keeping. A prize tupp? let mine go up to mingle with the alpacas on the farm. Been the life of him. Yes, what a weight off my mind with that news. I live to do more damage. Lol. HH

  7. Rodgers wont change – he’ll want complete control even if he doesnt say it at first.

     

     

    Whether its right or wrong it wont work at Celtic.

  8. bournesouprecipe on

    RT @ 2.43

     

     

    Billy McNeill’s second spell couldn’t keep pace with succulent lamb and side contracts. He may otherwise have had a job for life having tried England at two big clubs?

     

     

    Brendan was cute enough after intitial success to get himself a longer deal, even though the likelihood was he’d leave. Ange didn’t get round to signing one, or out of the one year rolling contract most Celtic managers get in the modern era.

     

     

    A management compensation payment wouldn’t deter any big club and certainly not a manager with a rolling year. The fact that we sign managers on this basis you could argue tells us they’re for the off, at the drop of a hat.

  9. Martin O’Neill has been hanging around a lot lately. I wonder if he fancies another go?

  10. WeeFra

     

    That puts everything in perspective, I’m delighted you got good news .

  11. DENIABHOY on 5TH JUNE 2023 3:37 PM

     

     

    What makes you think he’ll take our entire backroom staff?

     

     

    Howe waited for his backroom team, the wait was because he didnt want to take them from Bournemouth mid season.

     

     

    Whether its standard practice or not, to actively work to leave us with nobody when we’re 9 games from the end of the league season wont be forgotten.

     

     

    If you do bring. him in and then expect him not to have the same way again that makes you an idiot in my book. DD is not an idiot

  12. Rodgers will come in and start causing problems as soon as either he doesnt get his own way, or results start going against him. We’ll hear about it soon enough. Disharmony is not conducive to a well-functioning business

     

     

    The board will weigh up whether its worth it based on past experience. I think it’ll be a firm no, without thinking

     

     

    I may be wrong of course

  13. Another site showing Brendan Rogers arriving at Glasgow Airport by private jet today.

  14. Rodgers wiped the floor with the opposition last time round, scooped up trebles and went through the season unbeaten.

     

     

    By every indicator he’s a step up from Ange and a terrific coach, who would cost zero currently.

     

     

    Yep, he’s a knob but as I’ve said for days, they are all for the watching. Roll your eyes at the chest thumping & the silly stories and just enjoy the trophies coming in.

     

     

    We’d be a fool to not consider him seriously.

     

     

    HH

  15. Brendan Rodgers: imo, the best fit Celtic manager at the time.

     

    I would certainly welcome him back. We know the professionalism we have now would be maintained.

     

     

    Brendan will have learned much since he left us.

     

    It should not be conveniently forgotten that we got >£9 million . Money that was desperately needed as we went into lockdown. Money that prevented us taking a loan from the SG.

     

     

    His media and communication skills are second to none which should be a prerequisite for a Celtic manager.

     

     

    In summary, appointing BR would not be a step down and we would hit the park running.

     

     

    It’s a Yes from me.

     

     

    HH.

  16. Philbhoy I was sent a Pic of Brendan arriving in Glasgow Airport by Private Jet 2 days before the Cup Final, not sure which site is showing it but Wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same one sent to me last week.

     

    Chances are the one sent to me could be weeks months or years old.

  17. WEEFRAETHETIM ,That’s great news ,what a load off your shoulders,it’s great news when we think it’s going to be bad news ,then when the surgeon tells you the opposite,like plenty on here including myself,what a relief,(Thank God ) when we are told good news ,

  18. Tom McLaughlin on

    I think it’s fair to say — Brendan Rodgers is the best hunskelpin manager in our history.

  19. Tom McLaughlin on

    I would take Brendan as manager without hesitation. He knows what it’s all about and would hit the ground running. How about Scott Brown as his assistant?

  20. HEADTHEBALL on 5TH JUNE 2023 1:59 PM

     

     

    Mercenaries the lot of them. It’s just about money and status and who can blame them? It’s a bummer for us but this is what we’ll have to put up with for many years to come. Any successful manager or player will be off to pastures new and lucrative.

     

     

    Maybe not agree with the mercenary tag,as if it were you or I we would take advantage of the money differential/professional profile.

     

    I was rereading your post and prob could have been made any time since Lou Macari left as its true.

     

    Celtic go on :-))

     

     

    HH

  21. UNBELIVABLE !

     

     

    I saw my DA last Wednesday morning for the 1st time in 15 years when he was in a Hospital. That same afternoon he was transferred to a CARE HOME.

     

     

    Four Nights later ( at MID NIGHT last night), a Doctor is called to the care Home and my DA is then transferred to yet another Glasgow hospital….

     

    One of my Aunts and my cousin went to see him last night in the Hospital, they asked the Staff ” Do we need to wear Masks” ?

     

    The Staff said ” NO”.

     

    My Aunts phoned me this morning to advise that my DA didnt look too good last night when she visited….My aunt has just phoned to say that the Hospital have told her by phone this afternoon, that my DA has COVID !

     

    My Aunt and her Daughter will now need to get a Covid test asap.

     

     

    I wonder if my DA got COVID in THAT Care Home ?

     

    No wonder Im in a black mood.

     

    Sorry Bhoys.

  22. Watching football for a very long time , sometimes it’s very hard to believe what you are seeing , easier to see reality when you’ve no skin in the game ….

     

     

    Ange was good for us an enjoyable couple of years but equally we were very good for Ange.

     

     

    Couple of points , we were a sitter away from collecting 1 point in the CL and we looked wide open , my view was that we would have been exactly the same under Ange next season …..

     

     

    The never stop thing always sort of bugged me , as very often once we had run of steam we sent on the subs against tyring SPL teams and scored plenty of goals towards the end of games …. not entirely a shock against teams while plucky are a standard below us …. and didn’t we always score late winners anyway ?

     

     

    A more pragmatic manager is needed and the other truism in football is often managers have a short self life and Brendan in my view is a busted flush , other managers have sussed his tactics.

     

     

    We clearly need a more robust midfield that can protect the back 4 against better opposition, I still have no clue why any manager would want to charge up the pitch against said better teams.

     

     

    I’m hoping that the Celtic bosses are using. Brendan as a deflector shield while they line up the new man …

  23. Jinkyredstar on

    Just logged on expecting a dark cloud over the blog, but no, news from Weefra has light up the hole place – just great news Weefraethetim – all the very best to you and yours, this has made my (and many others) day.

     

     

    Big Jimmy – thoughts with your family, I hope they get over Covid and your dad’s condition improves.

     

     

    HH

     

    JRS

  24. We can speculate about the next manager as much as we want, no one came up with Ange. I want a manager with better tactics than Ange had. I had a bad feeling about him when he just wouldn’t use the squad at all. He just kept playing the same players. He really was just playing for himself. I think if he took us into the Champions League next season we would have got some skelpings. He had no plan B whatsoever. Once we had won the league, he had a chance to mess with formations and he didn’t bother. That and no word about new signings had alarm bells ringing. This might sound like wise after the event but you won’t find mad praise for Ange in any of my previous posts.

     

    BIG JIMMY – that is disgraceful mate , WEEFRAETHETIM – great to hear your good news.

  25. Ekbhoy,

     

     

    In his defence Rodgers got to the semi final of the Euro Conference last season, losing out to eventual winners Roma by a goal. Beat PSV, Rennes & Randers in the knock-outs.

     

     

    Spurs were gubbed by Rennes and we were flailing aorund getting our arses felt by Bodo. Leicester beat Braga. Athens and some ukranian mob in the Europa before a surprise defeat to Slavia Prague.

     

     

    Missed out by a place to West Ham, this year’s finalists.

     

     

    THese are the clubs and competitions we swim around currently.

     

     

    If there was a candidate with better euro pedigree then I haven’t seen it in the offing.

     

     

    More pragmatic now ?

     

     

    HH

  26. Big Wavy

     

     

    “If there was a candidate with better euro pedigree then I haven’t seen it in the offing.”

     

     

    Moyes has. Semi-final of the Europa League last season he’s in the final of the conference on Wednesday.

  27. Chitter chatter is that we’ve recieved near £5m comp for Ange.

     

     

    That’ll do nicely please….

     

     

    HH

  28. I know nothing about fitba or the intricacies of fitba player management…………ergo……….

     

    I throw my considerable insights behind Big Teeth an’ Broonie………….

     

     

     

    Haaaaaaaaaaarumph!

     

     

    HH

  29. Fabrizio Romano

     

    @FabrizioRomano

     

    ·

     

    5m

     

    🚨 Ange Postecoglou will become new Tottenham head coach, here we go! The agreement on two year deal plus option for further season has been reached as revealed in the morning. #THFC

     

     

    Green light on final clauses, time to seal compensation documents with Celtic — then, official.