Cynicism for international football, which I have plenty of, did not survive the festival we were treated to yesterday. Switzerland scoring three before eliminating World Champions on penalties is a feat for the ages. That it fell to the game’s most prodigious prodigy, Kylian Mbappe, to miss the decisive penalty and turn France Miserables, could have been scripted by Victor Hugo himself.
Croatia’s miracle ran out of steam in extra time against Spain, Europe’s other footballing giant of recent times. They were no less enthralling than the Swiss. The difficult side of the draw lived up to its reputation.
Football is the game we love because of the drama and excitement good competition generates. League rosters everywhere are full of fixtures with little consequence. Lose and you have a chance to recover. Celtic’s quadruple treble raised the excitement bar in Scottish football. For aspiring teams, every League Cup game was a must-win as it presented a viable chance to win silverware.
Great champions raise the stakes for everyone. When they lose, the sense of achievement the likes of Ross County, who were first to eliminate Celtic from a competition, and Switzerland last night, achieve what was thought barely possible. We need to get back to the top of the pile.
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Shoots!
Did I get first?
Scores! 1 touch pass and move built from the back, switching sides, stretching the oppistion, walks it into the back of the net, a real team Celtic style goal🍀
CONNAIRE12 on 29TH JUNE 2021 12:10 PM
A team goal, we share the podium HH 🍀
I missed.
Great games last night. I am still unsure of the rules laid down by UEFA for referees. Sometimes what appears to everyone to be a foul is played on. As for the ridiculous waiting time for a flag to go to indicate that a player is off side give me peace. Teams are rushing off to celebrate and after the ball is in the net an assistant puts up his flag. Why the delay when often a situation is so obvious? Or are UEFA being paid by the makers of Var each time it is used? Lets get back to the old way of doing things and stop all this nonsense.
Agree Paul 67, great day for sport yesterday, the football was full of entertainment, hoping from some via Celtic Park😊
I wouldn’t mind the big Swiss striker, Embolo, joining us. Beyond our price range, I think.
not sure who to support tonight
My English mates have supported Scotland on FB and Whatsapp conversations in the tournament and are getting a wee bit miffed at some of my fellow Scots’ attitude to them
My heart has always wanted England to lose but I lived there 15 years, made loads of pals etc so it seems childish to think that way now
Feck it, England it is. tin hat on
PS. after Ernie posted Bankier’s directorships: did anyone else Google Maps 168 Crow Road? Probably just me😎
ROLLING_STONE on 29TH JUNE 2021 1:22 PM
You make some important & interesting points – I would take issue on two, if you you allow.
1) We have qualified for 4 of the last 12 CLs, while facing up against opposition with lower turnover on each occasion, save for when we played Arsenal.
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Yes indeed – However on four of those occasions we were in a eminently winnable position going in to the final game. Failure in these circumstances is surely a football department failure and can’t be levelled ‘higher up’. Players/management carrying out their duties properly would have given figures of eight out of twelve (66%) qualifications – a great return for a club like Celtic in today’s game.
2) Incredible feats? Really? In the main, they just rely on season ticket money and match day income. They don’t budget for or spend towards competing in Europe. Where is the great financial wherewithal there?
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The importance of the commercial side of our operation cannot be overstated. Season ticket sales bring in barely a third of our revenue, far short of players total wages. The residual amount has to be found out of income from commercial deals – these deals were almost exclusively done by Peter Lawwell. He has been so much more than a figurehead CEO. The money he has brought in represents around 60%+ annually over the years, add in twenty-nine trophies in seventeen years, and yes, I think he has earned his salary. Can we say the same for all the scores of players & managers, who have had their salaries ensured by him
during his tenure?
Lawwell & the board are easy targets – it is players & management, on specific occasions, that have let us down – last season being a prime example
Martim1980, Thanks for letting me share. Reminded me of the morning after Lisbon in Estoril when I congratulated Bobby Murdoch for having scored the second goal to be informed by him of Stevie being the one who scored. From where I was seated I did not see Stevie’s wee tap in. But even now for me Bobby’s strike was a great share in the wonder goal. He was part of that great never to be forgotten moment.
It’s the never ending qualifiers against sides like Moldova that are a pain.
International tournament football is great.
JHB on 29TH JUNE 2021 1:57 PM
ROLLING_STONE on 29TH JUNE 2021 1:22 PM
You make some important & interesting points – I would take issue on two, if you you allow.
1) We have qualified for 4 of the last 12 CLs, while facing up against opposition with lower turnover on each occasion, save for when we played Arsenal.
Yes indeed – However on four of those occasions we were in a eminently winnable position going in to the final game. Failure in these circumstances is surely a football department failure and can’t be levelled ‘higher up’. Players/management carrying out their duties properly would have given figures of eight out of twelve (66%) qualifications – a great return for a club like Celtic in today’s game.
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You are without doubt the best parody contributor going, and this has to be your best gag yet.
Outstanding.
‘… these deals were almost exclusively done by Peter Lawwell. He has been so much more than a figurehead CEO. The money he has brought in represents around 60%+ annually over the years, add in twenty-nine trophies in seventeen years, and yes, I think he has earned his salary…’
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Really?!!!
JHB
1) We have qualified for 4 of the last 12 CLs, while facing up against opposition with lower turnover on each occasion, save for when we played Arsenal.
Yes indeed – However on four of those occasions we were in a eminently winnable position going in to the final game. Failure in these circumstances is surely a football department failure and can’t be levelled ‘higher up’. Players/management carrying out their duties properly would have given figures of eight out of twelve (66%) qualifications – a great return for a club like Celtic in today’s game.
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Lawwell recruited almost all the managers and had a huge say in the players signed.
So, going with your reasoning, the guy in charge never recruited properly and is ultimately to blame, after all. it starts at the top and works it’s way down.
CONNAIRE12 on 29TH JUNE 2021 2:00 PM
Great memories 🍀
LAMBERT14 on 29TH JUNE 2021 2:18 PM
We have to agree to disagree.
The extent to which some assert that PL & the board had any hand in scouting & signing players is, in my opinion far-fetched. There may well have been a ‘second-tier’ scouting operation charged with identifying prospects for future first-team consideration. This will always be ‘hit & miss’, just like our own academy – however the number of players recruited for relatively small sums & later sold for for large ones, is like all we do, better by far than any other Scottish club.
As far a managers go, I suggest PL, DD & the board have usually made good choices. Strachan, Lennon & Rodgers all have records of which I’m sure they are well proud.
There is no infallibility built into Celtic, with, or, without, the franchise from Ibrox. I have tremendously happy memories during the Lawwell era, and three Tiny Tims, grandchildren & future season card holders who have known nothing but success.
We must accept genuine mistakes in others as we ourselves expect forgiveness for our shortcomings – we are human beings after all.
Oh dear Lambeg 1690 is back again.
JHB
As far a managers go, I suggest PL, DD & the board have usually made good choices. Strachan, Lennon & Rodgers all have records of which I’m sure they are well proud.
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Yet our qualification rate for CL is pitiful, and you apportioned the blame for that on managers.
Now you say they were good choices.
It can’t be both.
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The extent to which some assert that PL & the board had any hand in scouting & signing players is, in my opinion far-fetched. There may well have been a ‘second-tier’ scouting operation charged with identifying prospects for future first-team consideration. This will always be ‘hit & miss’, just like our own academy – however the number of players recruited for relatively small sums & later sold for for large ones, is like all we do, better by far than any other Scottish club.
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Are you saying that Rodgers lied about Shved and Arzani being signed by Lawwell, over his head?
JHB @ 1:57 PM,
As we change CEOs it is now easy to see with hindsight the failings of the last regime and they are stark.
The failure of Celtic FC can be firmly laid at the door of the Board at its leaders.
The Brendan Rodgers era showed…
i) Celtic could achieve success at a much higher level
ii) That Celtic could attract top level young players
iii) That the business model of Celtic Plc was wrong and football excellence produced, record profits, record turnover, record squad value
iv) That interference from the Board directly effects the success of the team
v) During BR’s era Celtic’s turnover was three times that of new Rangers, and we won every domestic trophy, our record against new Rangers was phenomenal.
Beyond that there is a multitude of evidence for incompetence and failure. Here’s a few big picture ones…
Despite your erroneous claim that PL is responsible for 60% of the turnover (forgive my bluntness but obviously made up and blatant nonsense) Celtic’s turnover is similar when PL took over and when he left despite eye wateringly record rises in the football industry value
The Academy project that was fledgling when Peter Lawwell arrived and was designed to be state of the art, the ground work was done. It is worse now, despite huge advances in techniques and sports science the Celtic Academy has gone backward.
That the “moneyball” strategy perused by PL was an abject failure both on and off the pitch eating up a huge percentage of our finite resources – despite this he stuck to this for over 15 years, a colossal error.
No, by any metric PL’s time was marked by lack of ambition and achievement.
The corruption in Scottish football and his eye watering bonuses we can leave for another day – but the stink lingers…
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 29TH JUNE 2021 3:14 PM
Succinct and to the point; the Lawwellites will accuse you of harshness, but a not unfair appraisal.
I can remember seein’ “The Stink Lingers” LIVE at the oul’ Burns Howff………..
they were rotten an’ awe…….
HH.
What Celtic would need to do to please all the Celtic support:
a) Win everything in Scotland;
b) Reach the group Stages of the Champions League;
c) Reach AT LEAST the last 16 of the Europa league after finishing 3rd in aforementioned CL Group;
d) Challenge the SFA on their treatment of RIFC as the same club as Old Rangers;
e) Be completely open about resolution 12 (13);
f) Ban the MSSM from Celtic Park;
g) Challenge the bias of the BBC in matters Celtic;
h) Massive improvement in communication with the support;
I) An improvement on the food and drink available inside the ground.
What have I missed? Oh, yes. All of the above must be achieved playing exciting, attacking football.
Anything else?
PS The attacking football and better food are not linked.
I see the Oscar Wilde School of Literary Wit has a new graduate.
Hot smoked
a) win something last season
b) to i) one of these would have been nice of late
It’s an interesting list!
HOT SMOKED on 29TH JUNE 2021 3:35 PM
e) would do me for starters.
nasty incident at hamilton races today
racing scrapped before a ball was kicked
hope anyone involved is ok
“SQUIRE DANAHER on 29TH JUNE 2021 3:46 PM
e) would do me for starters.”
Inasmuch as that would suggest a complete change of mindset at the Club, then I would agree that it may well be the most important of targets on the list.
SQUIRE DANAHER @ 3:31 PM,
Thanks, while no doubt some may think it harsh, I do like to use solid examples in my points.
The plethora of excuses we hear from PL supporters are totally misaligned when those same supporters who suggest PL’s time as golden era of Celtic that justifies the huge salary and bonuses.
In the past I’ve ask fair questions of those who back PL, to present supporting evidence of the “greatness”, yet the narrative seems to be he pulled mediocricy out of the hat despite adversity…
Not a golden era to my mind.
Hail Hail
I know its only speculation but the lad Ko is the type of player I like in a celtic jersey! quick , brave, loves a tackle, sticks the head in and very comfortable with the ball at his feet. He’s like Ajer but can jump.
So far we are linked with mainly defensive players – I like! but I worry about the dinosaurs on the board lacking in urgency, creativity and ambition. It sound silly saying that we don’t necessarily see the champs league as a priority.
CONEYBHOY on 29TH JUNE 2021 1:21 PM
In that we are kind of bred to want England to lose at everything, it takes a long, long time to wish them success. Like yourself, I lived in England for many years and, in general, found them a pleasant bunch.
I feel where Scotland is concerned, there is something of the small man ( country ) syndrome in play and the wildly exaggerated `Why are we so good` syndrome reflects that national insecurity.
In my experience, most English people supported Scotland but, as Nationalistic fervour increases in the desire for Independence, I think that some in England like to see Scotland get their just desserts ie lose.
One final point. Most, if not all, of those shouting ` Come on Andy!` at Wimbledon yesterday had English accents. I very much doubt Scottish accented calls of ` Come on Tim` would have been heard ringing round in Scottish stadia were Mr Henman on court !
HOT SMOKED on 29TH JUNE 2021 3:35 PM.
That list sounds very much a list for entitled supporters. I would imagine that’s exactly what they would want.
Personally this season I would want a team ot triers and a marked improvement on last season.
HH.
So Mbappe missed his penalty. Did he send it over the bar or wide past the post?
No! Mbappe’s penalty was saved by the keeper.
Seriously gets me riled when a player is deemed to have missed his penalty attempt, if the ball does not reach the back of the net.
The amount of skill and decision making required of a keeper, to ensure that said player “misses” the penalty, does not receive anywhere near enough appreciation, or sometimes barely a mention.
And why, pray tell, the custodious rant?
Well, if you must know, I also am a Goal Keeper, and will always stand up (or dive sideways) for my net-minding brethren.
Hail Hail.
CHAIRBHOY on 29TH JUNE 2021 4:07 PM
Why, do you think, did Dermot Desmond pay PL the salary he did?
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE on 29TH JUNE 2021 3:49 PM
https://www.racingpost.com/news/latest/serious-incident-before-racing-delays-hamilton-fixture-by-more-than-an-hour/498117
Hot smoked
Lived in England now for 50 years and want them to lose today.
I did however bring my lads up to support England.
MAGWAI on 29TH JUNE 2021 4:17 PM
Good point. Great saves are applauded and not described as `misses` by the striker. The common view is that a properly taken penalty would always result in a goal. Great saves can give the lie to such a view.
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE on 29TH JUNE 2021 3:49 PM
https://www.racingpost.com/news/latest/serious-incident-before-racing-delays-hamilton-fixture-by-more-than-an-hour/498117
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aye
they then abandoned it an hour after the first race was meant to start
horrible