You remember Celtic manager, Gordon Stachan, third manager in our history to win three-in-a-row? Took us to the Champions League knock out stages for the first time, did much of this while comparative economics were moving against us, remember him? Is he the same Gordon Strachan who has transformed the Scotland national team’s results?
Gordon is unequivocally a successful manager but his Scotland team is performing far better than I thought possible when he took over what looked like a poisoned chalice. The most stunning fact of his record there is that they have not conceded a goal in three successive away games. Gordon’s Celtic covered 15 months, across two championship winning seasons, without keeping a single clean sheet away from home, no matter how lowly or distressed the opponent. Even good, experienced, managers learn, especially from their earlier troubles.
Jock Stein is viewed mostly through the prism of 1967 but during his final season as Celtic manager, 1977-78, the sentiment among many in the support was decidedly downbeat. Rangers (remember them, played in blue, I think?) would win their third title in four seasons, with two trebles thrown in for good measure. Celtic finished fifth in the league, Jock’s judgement was widely called into question.
At the time Leeds United were a top club in England and after Celtic sacked Jock they moved to secure him. Leeds had no doubts as to his abilities. A little over a month later the SFA offered him the Scotland job, which he took and excelled at, twice succeeding in World Cup qualifying campaigns. His talents were without question but stood in sharp contrast to how many in the support viewed him a few years earlier.
I don’t know if Jock was a better manager in 1982 and beyond than he was in 1978 but there’s a decent chance his football education didn’t stop when the trophies dried up at Celtic. Gordon Strachan is, like Jock was until the end, a student of the game. Neil Lennon is too, he is also receiving some of the reviews his illustrious predecessors would recognise. Gordon was an excellent Celtic manager but he’s better now, perhaps as a result of life’s experiences along the way.
It’ll be really interesting to see how Euro qualifiers reflect on the comparative progress of Gordon and Martin O’Neill, who for my money was a better manager than Mourinho when the latter deployed some of the best players in the world against Celtic in Seville, and needed to deploy every underhand trick in the book to come out on top.
I was blown away by the stunning contributions to our Mary’s Meals campaign yesterday. First in was an incredible £200 + £50 gift aid donation, followed by others, large and small, every one appreciated. Ignore those who would tell you society is dead. You can get involved here.
Seville, The Celtic Movement, launches this month.
“Porto were favourites and would go on to prove how good a team they were by winning the Champions League 12 months later. Their players would demonstrate their prowess across the world for the next decade. They had fabulous talent, so much so, that they should have aspired to better than the gamesmanship used during their run to the UEFA Cup and Champions League wins.”
Order yours below:
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Who did we play from Cyprus.?
hahaha, i was thinking Maritimo HT.
and yes I am……
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
HT
Or on the space madeira cake? :)))
DD
No man is an island.
Unless his name is Arran :-)
HT
My grandson Lewis?
the token tim
21:34 on 7 March, 2014
hahaha, i was thinking Maritimo HT.
and yes I am……
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Thought that was a cherry?
Answer Q3:
Ireland, Mainland UK, Malta, Iceland and Zeeland – Copenhagen.
I’m sure Celtic played on Rockall first.
That’s why Ireland can claim it.
Ask Dermott Desmond he’ll tell ye!
Good Evening again,
The Europa League results and Semi Final draw as follows.
Game1 Green and Whiteley 53 v 50 MARCELONACELTIC F C Winner
MARCELONACELTIC F C 41 47 Green and Whiteley Green and Whiteley
100 91
Game2 Hillend Rockies 49 v 47 Roughrigg Brushers
Roughrigg Brushers 53 56 Hillend Rockies Hillend Rockies
100 105
Game3 Meiklehill Rovers 46 v 51 Kayal33
Kayal33 43 50 Meiklehill Rovers Meiklehill Rovers
96 94
Game4 LennysBhoys 54 v 43 Norfolk Enchants
Norfolk Enchants 57 45 LennysBhoys Norfolk Enchants
100 99
Semi Final Green and Whiteley v Hillend Rockies
Meiklehill Rovers v Norfolk Enchants
Well done to those who have made it this far.
Good Luck.
HH
Doc
No man is an island…..’Robinson Crusoe’
Islands in the Stream…..’Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’
The warm lager on the ferry to Mull is shite…..’Ryecatcher’
DD,
could be worse, he could be called papua new guinea……
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
jimmci
Willie Henderson is a top bloke.
Not a bitter bone in his body.Used to run a Celtic minded pub in Coatbridge with Alfie Conn. (another top bloke)
Q4 Picture round
Name the Celts
a) http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/1/fjNAssLTZsWmdssz5ow88Q37855
The one in the foreground only.
b) http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/3/knrKbuOf9QcpeLSdmlXEsw348970
c) https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTy2ibP_WGheQWY48HkoudT6X37h25YpkigGmhxLLawmyPUvBUd
d) https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSc-bFezQg77ibw-9emt5SbH5nw27CjDRD20-NyACXs2dc817uc0g
oops
2 points for each and a bonus of 2 for the first to answer all 4 correctly.
John Hewitt
Rambo
El Kadouri
Baillie
Smith
Rambo
El Hadouri
John Hewitt
Barry Elliot
Alan McInally
El Khadoury
Atlantis, Pangea, Gondwanaland, Millport and the wan in the middle of Hogganfield Loch.
Steve McCahill
Ray McStay
Alan McInally
El kadouri
hewitt and rambo is all I can recognise
Is that Hewitt in the centenary strip???
Apologies to all, please find a revised version below.
A mistake was made, which meant Hopeful Hoops lost their Quarter Final tie, Bayern Bru noticed and pointed it out.
Well done Twist n Turns for your honesty.
Game1 Koln Hoops 67 v 50 Nitrams11 Winner
Nitrams11 38 63 Koln Hoops Koln Hoops
130 88
Game2 Bayern Bru 44 v 39 Hopeful Hoops
Hopeful Hoops 57 43 Bayern Bru Hopeful Hoops
87 96
Game3 Dougies Donkeys 54 v 45 Thom’s Sellick
Thom’s Sellick 47 57 Dougies Donkeys Dougies Donkeys
111 92
Game4 Del Monte Shamrock 55 v 43 Acaccia Milan
Acaccia Milan 51 50 Del Monte Shamrock Del Monte Shamrock
105 94
Semi Final Koln Hoops v Hopeful Hoops
Dougies Donkey v Del Monte Shamrock
Good Luck to all who have made it this far.
HH
Doc
J Hewitt, P Chalmers, Rambo, El Kadouri
Dunno
Dunno – no relation
Rambo
EL khadury
TTT
He was meant to be Louis, but my daughter mucked up the spelling. :))
DD,
hahaha :-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Answer Q4
a) John Hewitt
b) Jamie McQuilken
c) Alan McInally
d) Badr El Khaddouri
Q5
Can you name a Celtic 11 made up entirely from ex-Hibs players since 1960 ?
Your team must contain a goalkeeper, 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 forwards.
1 point for each player.
This will take a while so I’m off for a beer……..
HT,
at least thats what who i thought it was!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
.
Willie Henderson was one of the Last people to speak to Jinky before he passed away..
That’s how close they both were..
Summa
Simpson
Agathe
Laursen
Stanton
Caldwell
Riordan
Brown
Collins
Stokes
Griffiths
Simpson
Alan (canny mind his surname, but had blondish hair and daft tash!! You know whom I mean!!) Yogi Hughes Pat Stanton Uli Laursen
Broony Pat McGinlay Darren Jackson John Collins
leigh Griffitths Derek Riordan
Simpson
Caldwell
Stanton
Laursen
Liam Miller
Brown
Collins
Riorden
Kenny Miller
Ronnie Simpson, Jim Craig, Ulrik Laursen, Pat Stanton, Gary Caldwell,Pat McGinley,Scott Brown,John Collins, Derek Riordan,Joe McBride,Jackie MacNamara ( in midfield)
Simpson, Stanton, Caldwell, Laursen, Brown, Riordan, Collins, Griffiths, Stokes, Bone, Murphy.
BCW,
do I get an extra point for actually setting my team out in 4-4-2
Unlike HT and his crappy list?
;-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Simpson
Laursen Stanton Caldwell agathe
McGinley brown auld Hartley
Jackson stokes
SNEDDON!!!!