From Stein to Deila in the League Cup
Jock Stein won his first five League Cups as Celtic manager (no pressure, Ronny) but in the 43 years since we’ve won the trophy only eight times, including yesterday.
There has been a bit of chat that the Treble is a bit easier since Rangers were liquidated, but, if you know your history, you’ll know that’s not really borne out by the facts.
We’ve won three of the last 10 League Cups and lost to Rangers once but the six other defeats in that period have come at the hands of the likes of Morton, St Mirren and Kilmarnock. What’s more, Falkirk, Hearts (twice) and Morton all knocked us out at Celtic Park. We haven’t actually lost an away game in the League Cup for over a decade. 25 of our 35 defeats since Stein’s five-in-a-row have come to teams other than Rangers.
Here is a list of our eventual outcomes in the League Cup, winners or those who eliminated us:
2014-15 Winners
Morton
St Mirren
Kilmarnock
Rangers
Hearts
2008-09 Winners
Hearts
Falkirk
2005-06 Winners
Rangers (November 2004 Celtic’s last away defeat in the League Cup)
Hibs
Rangers
Rangers
2000-01 Winners
1999-00 Winners
Airdrie
1997-98 Winners
Hearts
Raith Rovers
Rangers
Aberdeen
Airdrie
Rangers
Aberdeen
Dundee United
Aberdeen
Rangers
Hibs
Dundee United
Rangers
1982-83 Winners
St Mirren
Dundee United
Aberdeen
Rangers
St Mirren
Aberdeen
Rangers
1974-75 Winners
Dundee
Hibs
Partick Thistle
Rangers
At the 40th anniversary of Lisbon I wrote about the 1965-66 until 1969-70 period. Jock Stein won 12 of the 15 domestic trophies available, five Leagues, five League Cups and two Scottish Cups. We also won and lost a European Cup Final, while beating champions from Italy, Portugal France and England.
That we went on to win nine-in-a-row disguised the fact that the real glory era ended in 1970. The last four title winning seasons were not characterised by beating anyone substantial in Europe (notwithstanding the fact that we reached two European Cup semis) and a series of capitulations in League Cup Finals. The downwards trajectory from beating Leeds at Hampden and finishing fifth in the league in 1978 is evident.
Two inferences can be drawn:
Winning trebles is incredibly difficult. One slip, one bad tackle leading to a red card, and you are up against it.
Teams who aspire to genuine historical greatness never switch off.
We have a ‘never switch off’ manager. No more Mortons, Falkirks or Raith Rovers’.