Croatia eliminated teams currently 1 and 2 in the Fifa rankings: Brazil and Belgium. Morocco emerged from the same group that knocked out Belgium, then despatched Spain and Portugal. Despite Croatia and Morocco having little possession in each of these games, creating fewer chances than their opponents and having less illustrious squads, all of these results were deserved.
These two teams who made the semi-finals did all the basics well all the time. Throughout the tournament, they were never caught up-field when the opposition broke. They resisted the temptation to make a risky pass. They defended their box and each ball that entered the area. Do this and any side has a chance.
As a consequence, their players are being monitored by scouts at the richest clubs, their managers are feted as national heroes and their fans have lived through weeks with the kind of joy and excitement few sports fans get to experience.
None of this would have happened had they played like Celtic played in the Champions League. One of them would have gone out to Belgium and the other would have been home soon thereafter. There is no shame in playing as Croatia and Morocco have, far from it. They have demonstrated a brilliant mastery of sport’s perennial challenge: How to win against more resourceful rivals.
It is not laudable to want to play as though you were Brazil of 1970, it’s naive. After a few years away from the European big time and a season without a trophy, Celtic fans were happy to overlook Bodo/Glimt and finishing bottom of the weakest Champions League group we have ever entered.
But football fans can be fickle and you and I have been here long enough to know what happens next. Ange, when in the Bernabeu, be Croatia, be Morocco. You will never out-gun the strongest teams, but you may just out-smart them.
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PL back haunting their evey moment. Well,should not be surprised,according to them,
He never really went away.
AOW
Condolences on the loss of your dad
RIP Willie Doogan 🙏
Art of War
Sorry for your loss .
Is P67 being worked from the back,I also have noticed recently negatives regarding Ange.Disturbing to say the least .one to watch am afraid.HH
According to some on CQN, it is a FACT that Paul 67 is Peter Lawwell`s puppet and his (Paul) job is to feed us the Lawwell philosophy which is ONLY about making money and sod the support.
It is also being strongly suggested that Ange being his own man won`t go down well and The Board will soon be rid of him if he doesn`t toe the Money is God line.
It will come as no surprise that I think those views are unsubstantiated tosh.
Celtic are in a very good place at the moment with very good players and a very good manager. Let`s enjoy it as much as we can.
ART OF WAR
R.I.P.W illie Doogan, reunited with his beautiful bride.
Thoughts and prayers with the family
ART OF WAR
My condolences on your loss; especially after losing your Mum.
May your parents rest in peace.
HH
Gerry
Thanks for the kind words, prayers offered.
Dalriadabhoy, lovely verse, thank you.
Funny how a few words can set you off, thanks all . I’ll share with my 3 sisters and 5 brothers who will get strength from it as well as seeing there are some right good people out there.
Oich mhaith as my dad always said to me when I left the house..
Ps. Meant to say funeral mass will be said on Friday 23rd December, 10.00am @ St Ninians, Knightswood. All welcome.
Art of war …condolences re your loss , May both your parents rest in peace and May perpetual light shine upon them .
FANADPATRIOT on 12TH DECEMBER 2022 7:55 PM.
Is P67 being worked from the back,I also have noticed recently negatives regarding Ange.Disturbing to say the least .one to watch am afraid.HH
===========
Maybe Paul took a day off and sumdi else wrote FP
Writing a leader article every day since 04 would be tiring.i wouldn’t blame him.respect
I don’t attach the same kudos to the leader as say in recent times but,as years ago the community of cqn,is always the most important and i have Paul to thank for that.
Handy wee outlet tho.:-)
HH
Condolences to Art of War on the loss of his father.
Half my DNA came from Doogans too and the loss of a parent is something still close in my memory.
I hope the shared memories bring tears of both laughter and sorrow.
AoW
My condolences to you and your family on the passing of your dad Willie, May he rest in Peace.
That is one of the most enthusiastic happy press conferences I have ever seen from a new arrival at Celtic, what a great speaker Alastair Johnston is, good luck young man become a hero.
HOT SMOKED on 12TH DECEMBER 2022 7:59 PM
According to some on CQN, it is a FACT that Paul 67 is Peter Lawwell`s puppet and his (Paul) job is to feed us the Lawwell philosophy which is ONLY about making money and sod the support.
It is also being strongly suggested that Ange being his own man won`t go down well and The Board will soon be rid of him if he doesn`t toe the Money is God line.
It will come as no surprise that I think those views are unsubstantiated tosh.
Celtic are in a very good place at the moment with very good players and a very good manager. Let`s enjoy it as much as we can.
—————————-
You may well be right.
However if you read P67s blogs leading up to the return of Lawwell, P67 was doing his damndest to paint Lawwell as a ‘were not worthy’ type figure, obviously knowing the return of Lawwell was imminent.
The way P67 completely dropped res 12 and came out in favour of his big mate was shown clearly.
So when P67 writes blogs like this, people are going to jump to conclusions.
Art of War: condolences to you and your family on the death of your dad.
Ar dheis láimh Dhé go raibh anam uasal Willie Doogan.
Footballers by law should abide by this;
If playing career is 15 years
Then
Pundit career should be 15 years as well and then go and find a job.
Hello again all you young rebels
From a cold miserable Melbourne.
The weather here has been up like a Harry Kane penalty, and
down like a Ryan Kent dive.
Can see Paul’s logic for some European away games, instead
of an attacker be pragmatic and play a better defensive player.
No doubt the conspiracy theorists will think differently.
Christmas shopping today, not my favourite time, fighting my
way through crowds in the mall.
But I do get a lot of joy when I’m jammed against Rebel Sports
windows, and gazing longingly at the Celtic tops in the windows 🇮🇪
ART OF WAR
So sad to read of your loss.
R.I.P WILLIE DOOGAN
Rogic coming on for West Brom
Rogic scores a brilliant goal for West Brom
Great goal by Tom. Forcing commentator to highlight his last goal was vs Huns.
Folk getting role of chairman and ceo all confused again on here.
To be clear Peter lawwell is the chairman and not the ceo. Different roles and different responsibilities. Go Google it.
Burnley 78
Just hope that Peter realises the roles are different and he’s no longer CEO.
I think there are a few folk seem to be ‘in the know’ that Ange hasn’t indicated a desire to sign an improved contract. There are a few who can see his way of playing is not delivering our potential in Europe. There are lots putting this together and making a story.
Paul writes a blog and passes opinion. For what it’s worth I might easily have put out a similar message if I had a blog and had no insider info.
I love the Ange stuff and want him to stay for 56 and the new CL but sadly I am also living in the real world and I am sure he has bigger fish to fry and at his age he will likely do it sooner than later.
With or without any input from his chairman.
Gene
Fair point. I think he will. 18 years in that job would take brutal toll on anyone’s health no matter how successful you have been. As I say my sense is he will.
Different Volks for different Folks
Geddit?
Paddy Roberts on for Sunderland now
Art of War
Condolences . Hard to lose both parents within such a short space of time .
Burnley 78
18 years of old habits die hard.
Art of war. My condolences at the death of your father. I pray that he and your late mother are reunited again in the heavenly Paradise. Prayers will be offered for them at Mass tomorrow. May they both rest in peace.
https://twitter.com/skyfootball/status/1602416284318240805?s=48&t=3sf-ilhcg914SYAzVW9bkQ
TR goal
https://youtu.be/QEH-OuaARVQ
We really need a proper indoor pitch
A O.W. YNWA
Willie Doogan R.I.P
Paul 67
“less illustrious” (well known, respected, and admired for past achievements:) does not mean an unknown player is any poorer than a more illustrious player and on man to man showings I thought the Moroccans were faster than their opponents, strong if not stronger than them , could jump as high if not higher (see Morocco’s winning goal in last match) and certainly as well organised as their opponents. They also had some technically gifted players who carried the ball at speed on the break.
Croatia are probably slightly less than Morocco in the physical attributes area but technically superb, very experienced and in Modric have a Messi equivalent.
I just don’t get your comparison to Ange’s Celtic who are way short in comparison and not in any illustrious category mainly because Celtic cannot afford a team of players at the Croatia/Morocco level.
WGS explained football success in the simplest of terms: the team that has players that run fastest, tackles hardest and jumps highest wins regardless of how illustrious they are.
As long as the team Ange turns out is better than our domestic rivals and we get CL money from playing in the group stages, Celtic will be quids in so no financial risk.
If CL money is say £25m and EL money say £15m that is a £20m gap season on season over our main rivals as we are £10M up and they are £10m down.
Whilst it would be nice to be in Europe after Christmas and that should be our ambition as result of regular access but if we don’t have it, we risk finding ourselves falling behind our main rivals in a downward spiral that would be difficult to recover from.
The inference I’m taking is that Ange has to change his football philosophy that has brought domestic success to hurdle a higher crossbar, not just to be in Europe but be there after Christmas.
However if he thinks that is an unrealistic expectation because of resource constraints I think he would move to a club with more resources.
What then?
BURNLEY78 on 12TH DECEMBER 2022 9:37 PM
Folk getting role of chairman and ceo all confused again on here.
To be clear Peter lawwell is the chairman and not the ceo. Different roles and different responsibilities. Go Google it.
###
While you’re at it Google the FRC’s UK Corporate Governance Code, which Celtic claim to adhere to.
Read what it says about the criteria for non executive directors.
Consider whether Peter Lawwell’s appointment is in line with the Code.
Then consider how confident you should be about just how strictly the Board member will adhere to their allotted role titles.
Feels like a briefing campaign against Ange is up and running.
Team in development too exciting for some?
Prefer boredom and the occasional Alamo vs a ‘big’ Euro opponent`?
Netherlands’ supporters were bored to death until the last 10 mins vs Argentina.
Morocco are fantastically committed but are a blight on the great game – truly horrible games to watch (although I am pleased for Moroccans everywhere`).
Life is short – give me Ange anytime. Great entertainment.
Celtic are not likely to win the CL any time soon, so give me tales of daring.
Paul, where is your sense of adventure?
Willie Doogan RIP
Prediction – France 4 – 1 Morocco.
Spain and Portugal (surprisingly given Spain experience) failed to get their movement right.
France, a little fortunate against England, will get their movement right.
Nick
With you on Ange must stay.
Sadly only Ange can decide that.
Given his shelf life will be shorter than many aspiring coaches I reckon his time in our wee footballing backwater will be short also.
I really hope I am wrong.
Not sure Paul is any more informed than any of us on this btw. Like him I think Ange let us down a bit in Europe. For me he put the opposition to high on a pedestal. We (the team) didn’t believe they could do it.
Ernie
Given your proximity to the action could you not call this out and make a change if you feel it so damaging.