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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Fitba quotes.
Fill yer boots…………
“The Top 50 Managerial Quotes of all time”
50. Port Vale’s John Rudge
‘I’ve been at Port Vale for 16 years. Even the Great Train Robbers didn’t get that long a sentence. Here you are manager, coach, chief scout, chief cook and bottle washer, but I’ve loved every minute of it.’
49. Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson on the Premier League title race in 2003
‘It’s squeaky-bum time.”
48. Hamilton’s Iain Munro in 1995
‘I’d hang myself but we can’t afford the rope.’
47. Wimbledon’s Joe Kinnear on his answerphone message
‘I’m out at the moment, but should you be the chairman of Barcelona, AC Milan or Real Madrid, I’ll get straight back to you. The rest can wait.’
46. West Ham’s Harry Redknapp on Ron Atkinson
‘The only relaxed boss is Big Ron. He had me drinking pink champagne – before the match.’
45. St Johnstone’s John McClelland
‘I was on a drip in a hospital bed and this player came in to see me. I thought he was enquiring about my health. He never even asked how I was. All he was interested in was how he stood regarding the contract. He’d even bought his agent in.’
44. Leeds’ Howard Wilkinson
‘There’s only two types of manager. Those who’ve been sacked and those who will be sacked in then future.’
43. Coventry’s Ron Atkinson on Gordon Strachan
‘There’s nobody fitter at his age – except maybe Raquel Welch.’
42. Republic of Ireland’s Jack Charlton on Paul McGrath
‘Paul is one of the all-time greats, someone to compare to Bobby Moore. He has always been a very intimidating player. I used to tell him: “Just look your opponent in the face, smile at them, and you’ll frighten them to death.”’
41. Newcastle’s Kevin Keegan on signing Rob Lee
‘I told him Newcastle was nearer
40. Nottingham Forest’s Frank Clark on Jason Lee
‘The problem with him having that great lump on top of his head is that I’m not sure he knows at which angle the ball will come off. It takes him so long to put it up I’m often waiting around to give the teamtalk.’
39. Wimbledon’s Joe Kinnear on Vinnie Jones
‘The world would be a better place if some of the kids who came out of Eton had half the b******* Vinnie’s got.’
38. Coventry’s Ron Atkinson on Rene Higuita
‘We’ve got absolutely no interest in him. We’ve got a goalkeeper with a better trick – he stops the ball with his hands.’
37. Chelsea’s Glenn Hoddle on new signing Ruud Gullit
‘It was like watching an 18-year old playing in a game for 12-year olds.’
36. West Ham’s Harry Redknapp on Iain Dowie
‘Judging by the shape of his face, he must have headed a lot of goals.’
35. Everton’s Howard Kendall on Eric Cantona
‘I made a number of enquiries and everyone said the same thing: “He’s totally unsuitable for English football.” Needless to say, I acted on that information and turned him down.’
34. Tottenham’s Ossie Ardiles after losing out on Philippe Albert to Newcastle
‘We tried everything to get him. Maybe they offered Sharon Stone.’
33. Chelsea’s Gianluca Vialli
‘The only way to stop Thierry Henry? With a gun!’
32. Coventry’s Gordon Strachan responds to Eric Cantona’s famous quote
‘If a Frenchman goes on about seagulls, trawlers and sardines, he’s called a philosopher. I’d just be called a short Scottish bum talking c***.’
31. Nottingham Forest’s Brian Clough
‘Football hooligans? Well, there are 92 club chairmen for a start.’
30. QPR’s Ian Holloway on his side’s win over Chesterfield
‘To put it in gentleman’s terms if you’ve been out for a night and you’re looking for a young lady and you pull one, some weeks they’re good looking and some weeks they’re not the best.
‘Our performance today would have been not the best looking bird but at least we got her in the taxi. She weren’t the best looking lady we ended up taking home but she was very pleasant and very nice, so thanks very much, let’s have a coffee.’
29. Millwall’s Mark McGhee on his player being linked with Spurs
‘The only way Marc Bircham will be going to Tottenham is if he buys a f****** season ticket.’
28. Liverpool’s Bill Shankly on the board
‘At a football club, there’s a holy trinity: the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don’t come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques.’
27. England’s Graham Taylor on seeing his side’s World Cup qualification hopes slip away with defeat to Holland
‘Do I not like that’
26. Southampton’s Gordon Strachan after being asked if he was the right man for the job
‘No. I was asked if I thought I was the right man for the job and I said, “No, I think they should have got George Graham because I’m useless.'”‘
25. Ian Holloway on his Blackpool side after a 4-1 defeat at Crystal Palace
‘If you’re a burglar, it’s no good poncing about outside somebody’s house, looking good with your swag bag ready. Just get in there, burgle them and come out. I don’t advocate that obviously, it’s just an analogy.’
24. Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger on the club’s north London rivals
‘I tried to watch the Tottenham match on television in my hotel yesterday, but I fell asleep.’
23. Manchester United’s Matt Busby on tactics
‘It was a very simple team talk. All I used to say was: “Whenever possible, give the ball to George Best.”’
22. Liverpool’s Bill Shankly
‘When I’ve got nothing better to do, I look down the league table to see how Everton are getting along.’
21. Nottingham Forest’s Brian Clough on the long-ball game
‘If God had wanted us to play football in the sky, He’d have put grass up there.’
20. Scotland’s Berti Vogts during his unimpressive reign
‘If I walked on water, my accusers would say it is because I can’t swim.’
19. Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger after being beaten by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi
‘He is like a PlayStation player. He is the best in the world by some distance.’
18. Liverpool’s Bill Shankly
‘Of course I didn’t take my wife to see Rochdale as an anniversary present. It was her birthday. Would I have got married in the football season? Anyway, it was Rochdale reserves.’
17. Tottenham’s Terry Venables
‘I had mixed feelings – like watching my mother in law drive over a cliff in your car.’
16. Peterborough’s Chris Turner before League Cup match
‘I’ve told the players we need to win so that I can have the cash to buy some new ones.’
15. Sir Alex Ferguson after 1999 European Cup final
‘Football… bloody hell.’
14. Nottingham Forest’s Brian Clough
‘Rome wasn’t built in a day but I wasn’t on that particular job.’
13. Newcastle’s Sir Bobby Robson on Titus Bramble
‘Titus looks like Tyson when he strips off in the dressing-room, except he doesn’t bite and has a great tackle.’
12. Newcastle’s Kevin Keegan on Sir Alex Ferguson
‘You can tell him now, we’re still fighting for this title … and I’ll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them, love it.’
11. Partick Thistle’s John Lambie after Colin McGlashan did not know who he was after suffering concussion
‘Tell him he’s Pele and get him back on.’
10. QPR’s Ian Holloway after beating Cardiff
‘I couldn’t be more chuffed if I were a badger at the start of the mating season.’
9. Liverpool’s Bob Paisley
‘Mind you, I’ve been here during the bad times too – one year we came second.’
8. England’s Graham Taylor to a linesman
‘I was just saying to your colleague, the referee has got me the sack, thank him ever so much for that, won’t you?’
7. Leeds’ Don Revie on winger Eddie Gray
‘When he plays on snow, he doesn’t leave any footprints.’
6. Jose Mourinho on his arrival at Chelsea
‘Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.’
5. Celtic’s Jock Stein
‘Celtic jerseys are not for second best, they don’t shrink to fit inferior players.’
4. Tottenham’s Bill Nicholson
‘It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory.’
3. Nottingham Forest’s Brian Clough looks back
‘I wouldn’t say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one.’
2. Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson
‘My greatest challenge is not what’s happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f*****g perch. And you can print that.’
1. Liverpool’s Bill Shankly
‘Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.’
EDB,
to answer your question at around 1649hrs, yes i have a pass for next Friday and im looking very much forward to it.
PF @ 1652,
so very harsh……but ultimately correct!
EDB @ 1701,
bang goes your pint next week ;-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
…and a few Clough-ism’s…
“I wouldn’t say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one” – On his own success.
“If God had wanted us to play football in the clouds, he’d have put grass up there” – On the importance of passing the ball to feet.
“I only ever hit Roy the once. He got up so I couldn’t have hit him very hard” – On dealing with Roy Keane.
“We talk about it for 20 minutes and then we decide I was right” – On dealing with players who disagree with him.
“At last England have appointed a manager who speaks English better than the players” – On the appointment of Sven-Goran Eriksson.
“I’m sure the England selectors thought if they took me on and gave me the job, I’d want to run the show. They were shrewd because that’s exactly what I would have done” – On not getting the England manager’s job.
“Players lose you games, not tactics. There’s so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes” – On England’s exit from Euro 2000.
“The Derby players have seen more of his balls than the one they’re meant to be playing with” – On a streaker who once interrupted a Derby County-Manchester United match.
“Manchester United in Brazil? I hope they all get bloody diarrhoea” – On Manchester United’s decision to opt out of the FA Cup to play in the World Club Championship in 2000.
“For all his horses, knighthoods and championships, he hasn’t got two of what I’ve got. And I don’t mean balls” – Referring to Sir Alex Ferguson’s failure to win two successive European Cups.
“I can’t even spell spaghetti never mind talk Italian. How could I tell an Italian to get the ball? He might grab mine” – On the influx of foreign players.
“I like my women to be feminine, not sliding into tackles and covered in mud” – On women and football.
“Anybody who can do anything in Leicester but make a jumper has got to be a genius” – His tribute to Martin O’Neill, who used to manage Leicester City.
“That Seaman is a handsome young man but he spends too much time looking in his mirror rather than at the ball. You can’t keep goal with hair like that” – On the pony-tailed former England goalkeeper David Seaman.
“If a chairman sacks the manager he initially appointed, he should go as well” – Saying that too many managers lose their jobs.
“I thought it was my next-door neighbour because I think she felt that if I got something like that I would have to move” – Guessing who nominated him for a knighthood.
“Who the hell wants 14 pairs of shoes when you go on holiday? I haven’t had 14 pairs in my life” – On the contents of Victoria Beckham’s missing luggage.
“He should guide Posh in the direction of a singing coach because she’s nowhere near as good at her job as her husband” – Advice for David Beckham.
“Don’t send me flowers when I’m dead. If you like me, send them while I’m alive” – After the liver transplant which saved his life.
“I want no epitaphs of profound history and all that type of thing. I contributed. I would hope they would say that, and I would hope somebody liked me.” – On being remembered”
Frazothy
Adamothy
Efothy
Virgilothy
Emiliothy
Skooshothy
Stefothy
Jamesothy
Chicothy
Krisothy
Leighothy
Rioskorrie
WGS features an awful lot in that….is it cos he is ginger?
Whit an othy team….
The Token Tim
Will be good to see you again. Was trying to remember how old your twins are just the other day. I’m probably wrong but was thinking they might be starting school this year?
FFM.
cue mental image of WGS dressed in his best gangsta rappa gear, saying in an Ali G voice Is it cuz I is Ginga?
:-)
Bringing up a yesterdays topic again (I try to read most days) as I enjoyed this by Ernie and answers by Alasdair McLean.
ernie lynch
14:34 on 6 March, 2014
“What I’d like to know is which English basturt was it that wrote Flower of Scotland, surely the most execrable, kitsch depiction of Scotland ever inflicted on mankind?”
Only to be surpassed (IMhumble O) in it’s dirge like qualities by Mull of Kintyre (P McC a Beatle living and singing about Scotland was on to a cert as I said when first heard) which at it peak was known to dilute my Guinness and port with copious tears.
“Well if all the ridiculous constructions of Scotland and Scottishness are perpetrated by they English basturts I assume it was one of them that came up with Flower of Scotland.
Some sort of black propaganda, psycho warfare unit set up by Whitehall I expect.
It’s the only rational explanation”.
Does seem strange after years of moaning about the 3rd verse of the Brit anthem (which no one south of the border had heard of let alone sung in my long life time) Scots could come up with this, was it retaliation? GSTQ is at least short if not sweet and although old should only annoy atheists and republicans. Also agree with poster Scotland the Brave much more feisty in word and music.
As to stereotypes re the Scots being mean, having spent most of my life in the highlands where many seemed out to disprove this (in the bars anyway) could this “myth” like the word sassenach be meant to portray the dour lowlander and originated it the north rather than the south? Over to you Ernie!!
Well done , also for the quote on oats for people rather than horses .
tusker
great rioskorrie
Rioskorrie
Thanks for spelling out my humour and ruining it !! :))
Was still wondering why WGS appears so much.
In retrospect, now I love it.
Even after 10 mins on MOTD, he sends them home with a well-skelped arse. :)))
And he doesn’t do smilie’s >:((
Oh no !! >:)
Evening all.
Up the Rebels :-)
Thank you to everyone who offered prayers and good wishes for my mother in law Mary she passed away at 12.30 am today.
Joe Filippis Haircut
Condolences to you and your family.
God rest her soul.
Joe Filippis Haircut
________________
So sorry to hear yer news pal
Thoughts & Prayers to all who are close.
Take Care – YNWA
Off oot.
prayers for her and you joe filippis haircut
joe filippis haircut
So sorry for your loss.
Joe Filippis Haircut
18:00 on
Sorry to hear of your families loss.
joe filippis haircut
RIP Mary
God bless
Joe
Sincere condolences to all family and friends. I am sure Mary was much loved and will never be forgotten, She will be in good hands.
Joe Filippis Haircut
Thoughts and prayers at this sad time.
free the bryson five.
it is time for this club to stand up and take what is rightfully ours.
to take the five titles we won during the sandy bryson cheating years.
king and mcoist are worried that we will win 10 in a row.
we have already won 13 consecutive titles which will soon be 14.
they should worry about us winning 25 in a row.
if there is anyone from the green brigade on here why don’t you organize a card display for the day we win the league. 60,000 cards held up displaying the magical number 14 would look immense.
eldiegobhoy
17:36 on 7 March, 2014
You were trying to remember how old the Twins were…I’m thinking will I remember what The Token Tim looks like…bang goes my pint as well…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
I can’t keep up with the craic on here as far too many of the questions are answered in a cryptic vein, or by metaphors.
Even in code-breaking, Bletchley Park mode I am stumped by “two to tangos” and “treading on toes”
It reminds me of the David Walliams character, the flute-playing hotelier, Ray McCooney from Little Britain, you know the guy who hops around on one leg saying: “A-Yeeeees!”, “Ye know too much!”, “Maybe I did and maybe I didn’t!”
Come on boys keep it simple for us simpletons, please?
joe filippis haircut
18:00 on 7 March, 2014
Sorry to hear of your loss, may God Bless her Soul.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Half six on the nose and someone turns up for CQTEN, one week early!
http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv109/241media/1622377_644358682267026_1048063669_o_zps6fbc339d.jpg
Billy Bhoy @ 16 45…………..Celtic and leeds were both at the zenith of their powers and despite Celts great win at Elland Road the English press were still writing off Celtic’s chances in the return. George Connelly was at his majestic best in those games. I think the Hampden attendance is still a record for a game in Europe.
Off to a sportsmans dinner & free bar at St Mirren Park, courtesy of Pedrocaravanachio67. The wee sod is too busy chasing that big order of screws from Big Cup Wnners, that he is not attending & networking(like that PC67) with his clients.
Looking forward to a few stories from guest speaker Frank McAvennie.
Gold Coast Tom, hope you are well my friend, keep up the good work. 11months ago today we were sitting having a few Tooheys in yon Irish bar in Surfers Paradise
JFH
Sincere condolences on your families loss.
May she rest in peace
Come on Kano’s ghirl, pay for the CQTEN drinks HH
midfield maestro
18:34 on 7 March, 2014
Off to a sportsmans dinner & free bar at St Mirren Park, courtesy of Pedrocaravanachio67. The wee sod is too busy chasing that big order of screws from Big Cup Wnners, that he is not attending & networking(like that PC67) with his clients.
Looking forward to a few stories from guest speaker Frank McAvennie.
Gold Coast Tom, hope you are well my friend, keep up the good work. 11months ago today we were sitting having a few Tooheys in yon Irish bar in Surfers Paradise
I won’t ruin it but franks act is not great.
Ha got to luv Coatbridge
I got the feeling the Sevco fan could well have been walking funny if the news cameras went there
joe filippis haircut
18:00 on 7 March, 2014
Condolences to you and yours. RIP.
Gerry
JFH
Please accept my sincere condolences. I’ll say a wee prayer for Mary.
JFH
Sympathies mate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtQOJT8AKKw
the waterboys , always love them
Evening Timland from a cool hun free mountain valley.
Joe Filippis Haircut
Sad news about your mother in law.
HH
Joe Filippis Haircut
Just read back , sorry to see the sad news about your mother in law.
Thoughts and prayers with you and your family.