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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SANDMAN
That’s shocking,mate. Abysmal luck,my commiserations.
If I had stuck to level stakes on all races so far,I’d be 25% up. But I didnae. So I’m 100% down!
Heyho….
I’ll sort mine later this morning,not sure exactly what’s running yet.
And better luck today,mate!
I was never any good at solving puzzles.
13:30 – Djakadam.
14:05 – Seefood.
14:40 – Hunt Ball.
15:20 – Annie Power.
16:00 – Sraid Padraig.
16:40 – Cause Of Causes.
Good luck everybody.
Day 3
1.30 Oscar Whisky
2.05 Fingal Bay
2.40 Benefficient
3.20 Annie Power
4.00 Sraid Padraig
4.40 Indian Caste
hail hail
Hutchies horses to avoid today :-)
1:30 Oscar Whisky
2:05 Grand Vision
2:40 Hiddden Cyclone
3:20 Annie Power
4:00 Firth Of The Clyde
4:40 Buddy Bolero
Good Luck bhoys HH
Oh,suffering badly.
Some top tipping again yesterday,well done to all concerned.
Here’s mine for today.
DOUBLE ROSS
FINGAL BAY
RATHLIN
MORE OF THAT
TATENEN
CAUSE OF CAUSES
MoreinhopethanjudgementCSC
Morning
1.30 Taquin Du Seuil
2.05 Uncle Jimmy
2.40 Hidden Cyclone
3.30 Medinas
4.00 Colour Squadron
4.40 Balnaslow
Good luck to all
Oh dear yesterday hurt!!! Especially when daughter number 2 had WHISPER @ 22/1 on her lucky 15 ( which I of course paid for!) and she expects me to pick up and deliver the loot!!
Anyhoo some good tipping from you bhoys yesterday I’m striving for mid table respectability at best now
1:30 OSCAR WHISKY
2:05 JOSIES ORDERS
2:40 BENEFFICIENT
3:20 MORE OF THAT
4:00 TAP NIGHT
4:40 CAUSE OF CAUSES
good luck all
1:30 Felix Youger
2:05 Fingal Bay
2:40 Benefficient
3:20 Big Buck’s
4:00 Giorgio Quercus
4:40 Problema Tic
Good luck everyone.
Double Ross 1330
Josies Orders 1405
Hidden Cyclone 1440
Rule the World 1520
John’s Spirit 1600
Our Father 1640
All the best again to all…
1.30-FELIX YOUNGER
2.05-FINGAL BAY
2.40-AL FEROF
3.20-ANNIE POWER
4.00-JOHN’S SPIRIT
4.40-THERE’S NO PANIC
GOOD LUCK BHOYS
Here we go for day 3 Bhoys!
1.30: Oscar Whisky
2.05: Fingal Bay
2.40: Al Ferof
3.20: More of That
4.00: Third Intention
4.40: Indian Castle
Remarkably given my abysmal Day1 showing, given a good few free bets that I had, after Day 2 i was sitting £14.49 UP!!
here’s hoping I still be in the black around 4.50pm this afternoon!
Good Luck……to all those having the same horses as I do ;-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Felix Younger
Mickie
Al Ferof
Annie Power
Nadiya de last vega
Buddy Bolero
oscar whisky
broadway buffalow
dynaste
annie power
giorgo quercus
buddy bolero
Lol, popped on to check selections and see if anything trending – at a glance looks like every horse in every race today has been tipped! good luck! :))
Sandman
Cheltenham throws up the problem that there are so many good horses in the fields that making just one selection in each race inevitably leaves you saying after each race ” ach ah looked at that wan tae, ah wiz gonny back it”
I keep looking at “Rule the world” and “Balnaslow and Spring heeled” in the last. Although I have my bets on, I will need to have a couple quid on those as well.
Day 3
1.30 Oscar Whisky
2.05 On the bridge
2.40 Benefficiant
3.20 Rule the world
4.00 John’s Spirit
4.40 Our Father
Good luck to all punting.
LB
APOLOGIES FOR TARDINESS
1-30 FELIX YOUNGER
2-05 FINGAL BAY
2-40 AL FEROF
3-20 ANNIE POWER
4-00 COLOUR SQUADRON
4-40 CAUSE OF CAUSES
given that my mother is sometime known as Josie …i`m having a wee turn on JOSIES ORDERS too
good luck
Aw FFS! Both my horses down at the first fence…..
First race of the day.
Honestly i give in .
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Johnson would have got shot if he didnt win on Fingal Bay
another three seconds today
beyond a joke this
that`s eight seconds in three days
FFS !!!!
PF AYR
Genuine commiserations,bud.
Seconds are the most frustrating way of losing.
I know!
I’ve had seconditis for years,it’s incurable….
Hail hail amigos
Day 4 picks
1.30 Rutherglen (of course)
2.05 Arctic Fire
2.40 Mosspark ( part of weegie land ,no to be trusted)
3.20 The Giant Bolster
4.00 Oscar(God bless him)Delta
4.40 Une Artiste
5.15 Passage Vendome
Cheers fleagmeister
Two winners and a 3rd, can’t argue with that today. I’m still at the races as they say lol
Here’s my selections for tommorow.
Calipto
Arctic Fire
Mosspark
On His Own
Shy John
Don Poli
Eastlake
Well done Twists if you backed Spring Heeled in the last; thought about it meself but stuck with disguised sheep ‘There’s No Panic’ who clearly thought so as he ambled his way around.
Another early winner for me on day 3 and nothing else stepping up to match it. Damn Cheltenham, but I’d love a trip there, ideally on a St.Paddy’s Day Cheltenham meet; one for the future.
Gold cup day, Friday, always a goodie, so here’s some prospective Pritt-Stick to avoid:
Day 4
1.30 Guitar Pete
2.05 Master Of The Game
2.40 Kings Palace
3.20 Teaforthree
4.00 Bertie’s Dream
Left off my last two races:
4.40 Rum And Bitter
5.15 Eastlake
Day 3 was very easy! (f/cast in the last saved my day!!!)
Day 4 picks below.
1.30 Calipto
2.05 Montbazon
2.40 King’s Palace
3.20 Bob’s Worth
4.00 Bertie’s Dream
4.40 Leo Luna
5.15 Ned Buntline
Good luck everyone.
Day 3 leaderboard :
BMCUWP was top scorer of day 3 with Fingal Bay/More of That double… at the top, only a nose separates Eddie in Kirkmichael and PF Ayr…
eddieinkirkmichael 33.00 106.75
PFayr 29.50 105.50
Som mes que un club 8.00 97.50
twists n turns 5.00 96.23
Eurochamps67 27.00 91.48
BMCUWP 43.00 90.73
tommytwiststommyturns 30.00 83.00
valentinesday 14.50 76.73
Cathal 5.00 75.98
FrankMarker 19.50 73.48
Sandman 17.00 63.00
The Token Tim 32.00 62.00
green T 24.50 58.23
Hutchybhoy 10.00 56.73
fleagle1888 13.00 52.98
Bada Bing 19.50 47.50
16 Roads – 3IAR 10.00 44.73
Hotel de Paris 27.00 40.50
MHARK67 22.50 38.50
voguepunter 16.00 32.73
whitedoghunch 18.00 26.00
LiviBhoy 0.00 25.00
call me Gerry 0.00 10.00
Had a really poor Day 3, but Spring Heeled got me out of jail in the lucky last!
Day 4 selections:
1.30 Royal Irish Hussar
2.05 Cinders and Ashes
2.40 King’s Palace
3:20 Lord Windermere
4:00 Pearlysteps
4:40 Caid Du Berlais
5:15 Eastlake
Good luck all,
TTTT
Day 4….guesses
1.30 royal irish hussar
2.05 arctic fire
2.40 captain cutter
3.20 silviniaco conti
4.00 harbour court
4.40 caid du berlais
5.15 next sensation
Looking for a good final day before the CQTen dinner tonight,
1:30 Broughton
2:05 Cheltenian
2:40 Briars Hill
3:20 Bobsworth
4:00 Harbour Court
4:40 Caid Du Berlais
5:15 Next Sensation
Many thanks to Fleagle for putting on an excellent contest.
Fair focussed my mind on my pin sticking.
Got Briars Hill at 7/2 weeks ago so he is my nap of the week and get out of jail card in one.
Best of luck everyone.
EC67
The fourth and final day it is.
13:30 – Plinth.
14:05 – Never Enough Time.
14:40 – Deputy Dan.
15:20 – Last Instalment.
16:00 – Divine Intavention.
16:40 – Don Poli.
17:15 – Claret Cloak.
Fleagle – Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to run the competition.
Bobby M – I hope that you have a brilliant afternoon at Cheltenham today.
Good luck everybody.
Day 4
1.30 Calipto
2.05 Lac Fontana
2.40 Briar Hill
3.20 Bobs Worth
4.00 Harbour Court
4.40 Vieux Lion Rouge
5.15 Next Sensation
hail hail
1:30 Rutherglen
2:05 Flaxen Flare
2:40 Briar Hill
3:20 Silviniaco Conte
4:00 Harbour Court
4:40 Royal Regatta
5:15 Raya Star
Good luck everyone, and once again thanks fleagle for
all your hard work.
Morning all
What a tough day yesterday..well done to those who grabbed a couple. Tight at the top eh! Like TTTT, spring heeled limited the carnage for me!
Not seen a paper, will be noon again before I post my final day donkeys. Good luck to all today. If we all finish with 200 plus I’ll be a very happy bhoy.
16 ROADS
I intend to,mate. TYVM!
I’d enjoy it better if the enemy hadn’t depleted my stash somewhat the first two days. Or was that me?
Oh, and Fleagle, top bhoy. Great fun. ( can I safely assume you’ll be running this comp for Aintree:-))
Bobby
Have a wonderful day at Cheltenham, I seriously hope you win this competition, because, then for sure I’ll know you’ve had a great day. PF, will phone you tonight bud. Sorry, been ran aff ma feet at work. Yer in fine form my friend!
Happy punting today bhoys here are my nominations for the ” awww FFS” trophy!!
1:30 RUTHERGLEN
2:05 LAC FONTANA
2:40 CAPTAIN CUTTER
3:20 TRIOLO D’ALENE
4:00 DR KINGSLEY
4:40 FULL SHIFT
5:15 NED BUNTLINE
Good luck bhoys and ghirls