Usually we head straight home, but that day we stood around the front door of Hampden Park, waiting to see the players emerge with the trophy. It was big Billy’s last game, it also provided an enduring memory of Paul Wilson, but it was the unused Jimmy Johnstone who engaged the fans most. In the days which followed Jock Stein had ‘the chat’ with Jinky. Celtic’s greatest ever player, still only 30-years-old, was released from the only club he’d ever been at.
Jinky later acknowledged he expected the news. Jock had been using him increasingly sparingly, and mostly as substitute, and these were the days before clubs supported large squads. It was the end of an era, a sad time all round, but this is football, and football is ruthlessly harsh to everyone eventually.
Georgios Samaras has come through the wringer at Celtic, often target of the boo boys and denied the support and encouragement he needed to flourish. His languid style implied a lack of urgency, for some, but Georgios stuck to his beliefs on how the game should be played and had a late spell in the sun during the last two years.
He was instrumental in the incredible league win in 2008 but the Champions League campaign of 2012 will be his most memorable contribution to the club. Goals away from home against Benfica, Barcelona and the last minute winner against Spartak Moscow, for our first away win in the tournament, are his hallmark goals.
It wasn’t just the goals during that campaign, Celtic were fourth seed, up against three considerably stronger teams. Neil Lennon set out to defend and used Samaras physical attributes, as well as his natural desire to hold the ball, as his first stage in building attacks.
Celtic tried the same in this season’s Champions League but, not surprisingly, Sami more often than not, found three defenders around him whenever the ball approached. He was ineffective, as was Celtic.
In domestic football, Georgios, our main Champions League attacking weapon, was often regarded as a blunt instrument. Scottish teams defend deeply against the champions, who would, therefore, never ask Samaras to hold the ball up and bring others into the team. On these occasions his languid style frustrates those wanting a more urgent approach to their football.
The lack of an offer from Celtic will be a blow to Georgios, but I’m sure Peter Lawwell can more than stand the ‘blame’ for this one.
Very best wishes, Georgios. I hope you have a great World Cup and have your choice of next destinations.
The Celtic FC Foundation badge sellers had enormous fun before yesterday’s game. Many thanks to all who joined in, and who bought a badge. It was an easy way to feel part of this great club’s reason for being.
Issue 20 of CQN Magazine, CQLisboN, is out and enjoying great reviews. Click here to read for FREE.
[calameo code=0003901717b11f6e50af4 lang=en page=2 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,108 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 27
- »
WEERON
Just being in the EPL during the season just gone was worth £64-99m for the clubs.
From TV and Barclays alone.
Add sponsorship,gate money,Europe where applicable,and Celtic will always struggle to match them.
Again,I’ll point out that I give the board 10/10 for their management of our finances. Their record is exemplary.
Where I disagree is on the extent of that management and the damage done by it-IMO-to the team on the pitch.
We’ll never achieve a state of affairs which pleases us all. That’s the main one which displeases me.
What’s Neil thinking?
“Should I stay or should I go?”
???
Stay hopefully.
Sorry to see Sammi go.
There! I’ve said it!
HH!!
sydneytim
12:21 on 12 May, 2014
No more balance sheet transfers. Give Neil the Vic money and let’s concentrate on what happens on the field and not the AGM day
ST says no more balance sheet transfers
————————————————
Agree wholeheartedly. At the very least it should be the management/coaching team’s job to decide who stays or goes.
Footballing men for footballing decisions.
Bookkeepers to keep the books and allocate the budgets..
So sad to see our Greek Ghod go as he is so important to us in the CL not just for the usual out ball but how often does his headers clear the corners or frees at key points in these important games.
Felt he was unfairly blamed for the loss of a CL goal from a corner this year.
NL’s comments regarding Sammy makes me think he is for the off as well.
Kayal33
12:59 on
12 May, 2014
A cheap Sammi replacement, with little risk, could be Ciftci of DU
===
IMO Ciftci is nowhere near Celtic quality. I’d rather we gave big Amido another chance rather than sign him.
CQN is a strange place to be at times.
It took Sami a couple of seasons to find his true form with Celtic. And many of those outraged at his departure are demanding ALL our signings from last summer are punted.
Good luck Sami. Thanks for the memories. Hope you get a good deal with a good club.
weeron
Rasmusson, Pukki, Balde, etc, etc, etc. We MUST do better at spending our money.
————————————————————————————————————————–
The money spent on Wanyama,Hooper,Van Dyke,Commons,Forster,Stokes et al.et al.
A pittance.
Swings and roundabouts.
Some we win.
And some have been very big winners.
And some we lost.
It can be a gamble.
Weeron @ 12.52
Fantastic post! Perfect summation of where we are!
frank ryan’s whiskey
The problem is the definition of Celtic quality when it comes to strikers has plummeted in recent years. Balde is awful and should be punted, although I doubt anyone would take him on the wages he’s probably on. I would rather give Denny Johnstone a run in the team before Balde.
Steinreigned @ 1307
Belter.
Yogiy
13:03 on 12 May, 2014
‘Felt he was unfairly blamed for the loss of a CL goal from a corner this year.
NL’s comments regarding Sammy makes me think he is for the off as well.’
###
I’m not sure I would go that far, but certainly if he’s weighing up his options, the circumstances of Sammi’s departure would probably tip the scale in favour of him leaving.
Sam Allardyce’s gran got nothin’ to say?
Kayal33 13:09 on 12 May, 2014
What is Balde’s wage?
Dontbrattbakkinanger
12:27 on 12 May, 2014
I hope Giorgios has a great WC, not just because I think he deserves it but also because it’ll keep the chunterers on here happy over the long summer days
——————————————————————————————
Not only the chunterers, but also (hopefully) the wheeltappers.
GiveOrderCSC
Indeed. WE just need to win a few more gambles than we did this year.
We also need to get a better return from our Development program. But I will keep that for another year……..
Tax Dodgers – you are safe
I see David Cameron doesn’t think Gary Barlow needs to hand back his OBE despite a call from Margaret Hodge for him to do so.
I wonder why
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/K3dwJyIbqtK/David+Cameron+Visits+School+Singer+Gary+Barlow/NFvjkLNPMbe/Garry+Barlow
steinreignedsupreme
Too much
NatKnow
13:12 on 12 May, 2014
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI26nW7EbMY
Kayal,
Do you genuinely feel pukki looks like he’s in a permanent huff?
I’ve always thought he looks quite a smiley cheery guy.
Robbie Neilson new Hearts manager.
Safe to say Sevco will not be kicking lumps out of the wee Huns next season.
Kayal33
12:59 on
12 May, 2014
A cheap Sammi replacement, with little risk, could be Ciftci of DU. We know he’s good enough at SPFL level, he can play as lone striker or off the left flank, he appears to have a bit of attitude and looks as if he a pal of VVD by the looks of them on the field at full time yesterday.
Looks a far better player than Balde and offers more than Pukki who appears to be in a permanent huff!!
He would give the alternative to Griffiths/Stokes that Sammi does/did.
———————————————–
Recruiting more players from SPL is something I would like to see. They have the added bonus of settling quickly. Knowing the league etc. Just look how quickly wee LG settled… as the most recent example.
Nags.
Maypole lass should run ok at towecester tonight. 10/1 is too big. Forget her last run, she’s better than that.
Speculation about our manager is best left to the ole de tractor boys.
Oh…and the ground went too soft for Dawn Commander on sat, hence his Haydock withdrawal. He goes on Friday night now at Aintree. He’ll run well.
Sorry to see big Sammy go. He obviously loved the club and how it must have hurt when he heard the boos or read the disparaging comments about not being interested etc.
Anyhoo, times change and we move on and I wish him every success.
Regarding how much Mr Boerrigter cost us…well, I’m happy to have my neighbours think I paid 30K for my new car and only 10K when it turns out to be a lemon.
I sincerely hope the guy comes good for us.
AikiBhoy
Still find it hard to fathom, after the success of Fletcher, Snodgrass, McCarthy that we didn’t sign Russell last summer.
Not a huge outlay and at his age, even if it didn’t work out, we’d probably get our money back.
HH
Sammi is going, God love the big guy.
We are now at least 25% less effective at CL level.
THAT is a major problem for the club’s long-term aims.
The cost of replacing Samaras at CL level will far exceed the cost of a new contract offer for him and bringing in players to build a quality CL attack around him.
Letting him go is a mistake, possibly one costing us millions.
Unless of course there’s a top-level striker lined up, able to step in and match Sammi’s CL impact. But I very much doubt it and wonder at the overall strategy employed here.
Weeron our development/youth program has been an absolute failure when it comes to developing players who will make the top grade
Mcgeady and Marshall are the only 2 players over the last ten years of our massively invested youth policy
Hardly a success is it :(
Before he left I hope Sami left his haircare products at Lennoxtown.
Too many of the squad look like they’ve either been dragged through a hedge backwards, or are a few strands away from the combover.
We’ve gone from the hair of Prince Caspian to hte hair of Prince Charles.
ernie lynch
13:16 on 12 May, 2014
NatKnow
13:12 on 12 May, 2014
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI26nW7EbMY
—————————————————-
Nice one Ernie! Don’t think I’ve seen that before. Will watch it all through when I get home – can’t watch it propertly in work.
Anyway – back to the active – these world-class corporations don’t run themselves you know… ;-)
Tnt,
ML is currently 12’s @ sky bet.
I just put the kids lunch money on it ;)
Sandman
13:27 on 12 May, 2014
Sammi is going, God love the big guy.
We are now at least 25% less effective at CL level.
THAT is a major problem for the club’s long-term aims.
The cost of replacing Samaras at CL level will far exceed the cost of a new contract offer for him and bringing in players to build a quality CL attack around him.
Letting him go is a mistake, possibly one costing us millions.
Unless of course there’s a top-level striker lined up, able to step in and match Sammi’s CL impact. But I very much doubt it and wonder at the overall strategy employed here.
——————————————————————————————-
“We are now at least 25% less effective at CL level.”
That’s a very specific claim. Can you show us your working? ;-)
WeeRon 12.52
Once I had got over my fit of laughter that the picture that a predictive text caused “massive elf”, brought to mind with Sammi in that role, I then thought it’s not that common sense does not surface on CQN more than occasionally, but more how it struggles to remain afloat in a sea of cons-piracy with PL playing Blackbeard.
Like many of life’s wonders that we take for granted it is not so much focusing on what goes wrong, as missing, particularly with all Celtic have to battle with culturally and economically, what we are getting right.
Saturdays total performance, club, support and players to produce an amazing day out sets another higher platform to build on.
Onwards and upwards.
Glasgow calling Zbyszek
I was having a look on Wikipedia at the teams in the hat for this summer’s 2nd Round CL Qualifiers and there’s an empty space against Poland.
Have Legia not secured their place alongside Celtic, Cliftonville, St Pat’s and the rest?
Looking forward to following another green and white army on the move.
Absolute musta have a different meaning at my school.
Aye. traditionalist88
JR was well worth a punt imo too.
Jungle Jim
Are yoo abooot. Or aff oot?!?
HH jamesgang
I have returned from the hootenanny. Normal service will resume shortly.
Looking forward to reading back on CQN posts.
Met so many lovely people and had a really great night (or two).
Special thanks to BMCUWP; all the staff at McChuill’s and Billy No’Well.
Will post more when I’ve recovered.