Scottish football was waning in 2016. In the five years before then, Celtic won all league titles, while the Scottish and League Cups each saw five different winners – nine clubs won cups across both competitions. The ‘neutrals’ raved at this and fair play to the likes of Ross County and Hibs, (especially Hibs), but there was something missing.
Brendan Rodgers arrival gave Scottish football a team who were not just champions, but imperious champions. 18 trophies have been awarded since, 14 to Celtic. Those neutrals (yet to meet a neutral) bemoaned a lack of competition, but you and I know the truth. The value in even the League Cup has never been higher.
Other teams want to win it because so few sides apart from Celtic get to win anything. Celtic want to win it because we know the historic significance of these times. We are living in a period that 100 years from now football fans will look back at the records and marvel. This. Is. History! You and I know it and we kicked every ball.
When I think back on highlights from those 14 trophies, that magnificently-horrible League Cup win in December 2019 jumps out first. The thought of losing our run, history denied, was such, that the eventual relief was euphoric.
Next is the game we watched from home. We knew the run that led to the Quadruple Treble was over before the Scottish Cup Final against Hearts in 2020. An equally horrible performance before Kristoffer Ajer blasted his deciding penalty into the net brought a feeling no less joyful than beating Newco 5-0 to win the league.
When your status is as high as Celtic’s has been since 2016, historic significance is always on the line. This is Celtic’s gift to the rest of Scottish football. Every competition here has an importance other countries could only dream of, and I include the often-vaunted English game. There, their top clubs use the League (and increasingly FA) Cup as a development opportunity.
Even the second strongest team in Scotland is not robust enough to do that. They need the League Cup. A loss there, while miles behind in the league, would be a disaster. February is a bit early to have only the Scottish Cup to look forward to. Can you imagine looking at the months stretching out between February and August and thinking, ‘at most, three games in the Scottish Cup”? They cannot walk out of Hampden on Sunday muttering, “Bigger fish to fry”, it all goes on the line.
Celtic are playing so well, some of us are disconcertingly confident. Hatate, Kyogo, Jota and Maeda are on fire. The back line is rock solid, and Joe Hart looks ready for anything (except a back pass). McGregor and Mooy will move, block and pass their way through the game, while Ange will make changes that reinvigorate the second half.
Five League Cups out of six, you know the script, Celtic, Hampden is ours!
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BELMONTBRIAN on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 10:19 AM
Just checked the weather for Coatbridge today on the BBC weather chart, apparently the temp will be between 7 and -1.
It’s an omen I tell you.”
….and when I was on my short bike ride home just now, there was a wee group of three sets traffic lights …..all at green. Not even amber. All green !!
“BURNLEY78 on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 11:06 AM
Really want to win this so so much today.
The media are a disgrace.”
Apart from all the other obvious reasons, the media`s behaviour is a big factor for me as well. Having said that, Tom English`s piece on the BBC site is surprisingly open.
Here it is:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64759176
I was sent a couple of videos of the Hampden trouble but no weblink available so can’t post them here.
Big Jimmy,
Thinking the previous poster might be right, first drawn out the hat, the Celtic FC website also has it billed rotten mob V Celtic
This link should work for the trouble at Hampden:
https://t.co/kyS11JgXae
Rangers won the right to home dressing room and first mention, but seriously, if you’re upset because the game is listed as Rangers v Celtic instead of Celtic v Rangers, maybe you should find another interest in life.
Busy town centre for a Sunday 3 and half hours pre kick off
Got serious ‘PMT’ atm, need to find something to do!.
Hello again all you young rebels.
Not long back in after a great Ladies gala day down
at our local soccer ground.
Wee Grace is bust, slept in the car on the way up the
Road.
Couldn’t keep my mind off the game tonight/ early morn.
I feel we are so far ahead of them in every aspect of the
game, but…but what nefarious deeds lie ahead of us.
Watching that vid of the trouble already started , I suspect
there will be no fair and honest contest.
Dearly hope I’m wrong.
Just have to decide now, set the alarm for getting up, or
just keep pouring the rid biddys ?
Any advice welcomed 🍷
H H. Mick
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 10:47 AM
WBC
Never fails to amaze me that someone always finds a traffic cone to chuck !!
——
PP Glasgow is full of traffic cones the Council are making an arse of roads, pavements etc letting contractors do what they want, so it will not be hard to find a traffic cone.
D :)
MM 11.50am
Only advice I can offer
Pour two at the same time
Or
Get a bigger glass :-)
Am always confident against the Huns, even during their cheatin years (probably still cheating it’s what they do) …. Highlight the cheating officials and still bear them on the park … it’s what we do 🍀
Bear them on the park ???
Auto correct
Beat them on the park :-)
Tom Mc endearing post as ever.
Back in yer bubble.
D :)
Getting nervous now (hope thats allowed).
Walk down pub at 1pm.
Watching January game again and its not calming my nervs.
D :)
Hi GERRY
Bigger glass mmm, think it’s a bigger mouth I need.
I’m very confident, like you I’ve seen the cheating years
actually a lot more than a young pup like you, but I don’t
think I’ve ever experienced this extent of bitterness, and
not just from the hun support, but from the Scuddish
media and any loud mouthed politician given air time.
H H. Mick
Watching this game.
I think with no Forrest or Jura playing out of position and Jota and GT staying on we should win and no fuck ups by joe to give them a bounce.
D :)
Right off we go.
Wish me luck
STIVS
Wish you luck 🇮🇪
H H. Mick
The cops in this country are a joke,hundreds opposing fans at a stadium, 5 hours before kick off,what did they think was going to happen? Bring a ball out and play The Pipes of Peace?
MM 12.03pm
Yes, you’ve got a more experience than myself
Growing up in the 80s and attending home n away in the 90s … I probably didn’t appreciate it at the time
Buzzing for today …
Changed days indeed … not even in the pub for the game as MissGFTB has demanded that I watch it with her …. She loves picking her top 3 in Jobo’s poty thing so I canny complain
GERRY
Our wee yins are so precious, they are the future
and the lifeblood of the Celtic support.
It’s so right that we treasure them ❤️🇮🇪
H H. Mick
£10 on Celtic to win 2-0 @ 10/1 🤞
🟩⬜🟧
TOM
Good luck 👍
H H. Mick
Hampden is theirs…………..
Anything we win we’ve had to beat more than the opposition on the park…………….
Shocking that we still need to anticipate games against thems with thoughts like that still prominent in our mindset.
Take nothing for granted. Scoddland wants us defeated.
HHH.
BANKIEBHOY 1
And still we prevail mhate
H H. Mick
MM…
Sir – Good on ye, and I sincerely hope we continue today – the real auld enemy remains the same.
Nothing would give me greater pleasure than their complete demise.
My love for Celtic would survive and I might even fall back in love with Scottish football.
HH matey, enjoy the day!
RedBiddy CSC
BANKIEBHOY 1
A nice wee anecdote from our ladies gala day.
Local MP “ Hello what’s your name “ to my granddaughter.
“ I’m Grace and I’m a Celtic supporter “
“ oh ! that’s good so is my husband “
I know where my vote is going next election.
H H. Mick
Morning all from Kentucky.
Met the hiphop group The Pharcyde over here many moons ago and they asked me if the ‘grass was really blue in Kentucky.” I started explaining it was more of a teal in certain light and they all started chuckling.
The were talking about the devils lettuce.
Took a puff, got them to sign a poster and t-shirt and moved on with a nice memory.
Thems will be running away from us today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ-RrGCSa2M
“!!BADA BING!! on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 12:11 PM
The cops in this country are a joke,hundreds opposing fans at a stadium, 5 hours before kick off…
It way well be that the cops are a joke but in this instance, I feel the greater censure should be aimed at the troublemakers.
MELBOURNE MICK on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 12:45 PM
“ I’m Grace and I’m a Celtic supporter “
That is brilliant !!
AIPPLE
Feck me, think I’ll need to triple my rid biddy’s after that.
🤣
H. H. Mick
AIPPLE on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 12:53 PM
“Is Neil deGrasse Tyson`s mate, Chuck Nice, one of those rappers?”
Sorry for the `music` question on a day like this !!
HOT SMOKED
Think they were all smoking de grasse.
O.k I’ll go get my pipe.
H H. Mick
Because I can`t cope with the bias and mundane nonsense of the commentators , I tend not to watch Celtic on TV.but I don`t really like watching with the sound muted either. So, today, I`ll be watching France V Scotland in the Six Nations and hoping that it is such a good game that I can stop myself from checking the score in our game.
For all of you made of sterner stuff, may you see things well done at Hampden.
Hail ! Hail !
League Cup Final today and a trophy to add to our continious history.Really looking forward to this game?focussed and calm.we have a bit of work to do.nothing we are shy of..Play against it all,as we always have done.for each other and for us.Do your best Celtic.
God bless all attending,keep safe,go to work Celtic.
Hail Hail
MELBOURNE MICK on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 1:10 PM
That helped release the tension building in me :-))))