You and I will miss our football this weekend but the winter break came at an excellent time for Celtic. They get to rest after an arduous nine game December on the back of handing Newco a lesson on their own pitch. Having to sit for three weeks, unable to get a defeat out your system, would have been torture.
Celtic have already played 36 competitive games this season (only one against lower league opposition). That’s close to a full league programme concertinaed into a little over five months. Add in the fact that almost the entire squad is involved in some form of international football and you realise the players have been on match duty twice a week since preseason.
This is exceptional and not conducive to delivering top performances. By comparison, Aberdeen have played 30 games (two against lower league teams) and Newco have played 28 (five against lower league sides). That’s eight and 10 times we’ve played two challenging games a week more than our direct opponents – neither of whom are particularly burdened by international football.
The second half of the season will be more balanced. We only have three midweek games scheduled, including our game in hand – so you can be reasonably confident our “slump” will end soon………..
We all remember the days when someone talking about putting in a £20m offer for a Celtic player would be held in a locked room until a deal was signed. We’ve been on a long road since, but the financial stability we’ve earned through many tough years affords us the ability to keep players who have several years to run on their contracts.
As for Moussa, I hear if we can arrange for him to play against the Target Practice Torags every week, he’d extend his contract until 2027.
Really enjoying the dissonance in some places over the anticipated approval of Kouassi Eboue’s work permit. Play by the rules, work inside areas you are allowed to and pay your dues. It’s not difficult.
By now you should be aware of The Road to Lisbon project. 28 cyclists will set off from Celtic Park on 11 May, arriving in Lisbon in time for the 50th anniversary of the Lions’ triumph. It is an immense project which is expected to raise tens of thousands for Celtic FC Foundation, Solving Kids Cancer and Children in Crossfire.
An opportunity exists for corporate sponsorship of the project. If you would like more information, look here, or email, theroadtolisbonmay2017@gmail.com
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I think the game V dukla was a Tuesday…….Anyone remember the ref’s name? No googling by the way,he was a famous bloke for all the wrong reasons.
PCS
While I agree that Joe was a world class striker, I also reckon the Henke was in the same class, just my humble opinion so
HH
Macjay :-)
Sleep well Timland
HH
Larsson best all round player I’ve seen at CP. As an out and out poacher/goalscorer not far off Muller class, a true number 9, Joe McBride. THE most unsung hero for us ever in my book.
If it was a Tuesday I was definitely Red Leading, Wednesday and Thursday I was up the Chimneys!
Dukla away was not live on the tele.Some of it was on the radio.Highlights were on the tele not long after the game finished.Kenneth Wolstenhome was the commentator.I watched the highlights at a PTFC pal’s.We didn’t have a tele -my old man thought watching TV sucked your brains out.
TV or not TV.
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1967-04-25%3A+Dukla+Prague+0-0+Celtic%2C+European+Cup
May have to wait for Mr. Toronto to verify ,
Best all-round player I’ve seen at CP
Bobby Murdoch
Imo, the best all round player I have seen is Bobby Murdoch. He had everything. Henrik is one of the best forwards but, again imo, Joe was THE best centre forward. What he contributed to that team is, again imo, utterly priceless.
Dukla on the tele.
My brother Gordon is confirming that we nearly all correct. It was live on radio but shown around teatime on TV ( but not live ).
Good news is that Celtic got through. Just as well we know our history!
On another subject whilst Bobby Murdoch was a real favourite of mine the finest Celtic player was Kenny Dalglish. I wish he had stayed butbit was not to be.
GARCIA LORCA on 6TH JANUARY 2017 10:51 PM
What I do know is that Dukla had no floodlights.
3pm KO. in Prague would have been 5pm or thereabouts in Glesga.
Sorry . Don`t believe it was a delayed telecast. If it had been , we would have known the score.
Need to know.
:-)
Re the Dukla Prague away tie…
I distinctly remember sitting in our kitchen nervously listening to the crackly radio commentary from Prague.
The question of “was it live on TV?” has arisen before and the answer is that the game was not on LIVE but transmitted later. The game itself kicked off on the Tuesday afternoon (4 o’clock local time I think).
I have just delved into my “archives” and looked out the Sunday Mirror back page dated 23 April 1967.
“DOUBLE TV TREAT FOR CELTIC FANS”
It’s the night of Z Cars, Peyton Place and Mr Aitch. But for the TV viewing population of Scotland a Soccer Spectacular will top all others on the Tuesday night ratings.
For T W I C E on Tuesday evening the BBC are going to screen Celtic’s second leg European Cup semi-final against Dukla Prague from Czechoslovakia.
The first screening, for Scotland only, goes on from 6:17 to 7:05 to catch the tea-time audience.
And then from 10:10 until 11:15 the game will be shown all over Britain.
An STV spokesman told me “I can’t say until early next week if we will be showing the game.”
I understand that the chance of a live coverage on the game which kicks off in Prague at 3:30 was KO’d at top level.
There were fears of a repeat of mass absenteeism which took place when Scotland’s World Cup game with Italy was televised live from Naples.
All a BBC spokesman would say was “There was some complaints at the time.”
The BBC are also broadcasting live on the radio on the Scottish Home Service the final stages of Celtic’s game, Possible time is 5pm”
Incidentally, the referee was the Swiss Herr (Gottfried?) Dienst who had taken charge of the 1954 World Cup final.
An article in the Celtic View of 26 April 1967 credits a Celtic fan, Mr T P Gallagher, with having had some success in the game being broadcast both on radio and TV. He fired off a letter to the Director General of the BBC, and to the editor of BBC sports news (copying in his MP) to complain about the general lack of coverage Celtic (and Scottish football in general) had been getting (a broadcast had given only 25 seconds to our tie with Vojvodina).
We last snippet from the View of that time. Every week, in a wee box at the foot of the page, they printed “1966-67 Record” : that week it read
Played 56
Won 48
Drawn 6
Lost 2
Goals for 186
Goals against 41
Funny how the brain/ memory works. I have a very clear picture of the Celtic team in their bus on Crown Street , Gorbals with the Scottish Cup in 1954. Also get the shivers remembering Rangers making it 3-1 in the 7-1 game ( I was behind that goal at the Celtic end )…… and so on. For that Dukla second leg I sat in our kitchen with my brother, Mum and Dad and nervously listened to the game ( 0-0 ).
My brother has dug out some documentation confirming that it was live on radio then shown at different times on TV in Scotland and rest of U.K.
GORDON on 6TH JANUARY 2017 11:00 PM
Very interesting.
The match programme suggests the K.O. was 16.00 ie 4pm local time.
GARCIA LORCA on 6TH JANUARY 2017 11:05 PM
Funny how the brain/ memory works. I have a very clear picture of the Celtic team in their bus on Crown Street , Gorbals with the Scottish Cup in 1954.
=============================================================
Me too.
Carmunnock Rd.
After we had been to the game.
From memory :-)
viva la quinta brigada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQbXO828Vio
http://www.talkingbaws.com/2017/01/celtics-patrick-roberts-gives-idiot-leigh-griffiths-a-geography-lesson/
I saw the Dukla away game live on the telly.
A comfortable draw which drew the remark from their Captain that Celtic were two teams in one: one all out attack and the other impenetrable defence.
It was one of the most accomplished European away performances in our history.
The Homes of Donegal – Paul Brady, written by Seán McBride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk8foQOQVk0
Being a massive fan of Peter Lowell and bonus culture I’m distraught at all this talk of thinking about the team before profit. It’s disgusting.
Peter, I’ll drive Moussa to the airport for you.
MWD
It wasn’t live on telly otherwise I would not have been Red Leading – it was on later – all grainy and snowy
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 6TH JANUARY 2017 9:16 PM
GARCIA LORCA on 6TH JANUARY 2017 9:10 PM
The crazy thing was that, as you say , Joe was injured before Christmas `66 , did not play for the rest of the season , but was still top scorer for the first division at the end of the season.
BTW the Dukla away game was live on the box.
*are you sure, it was an afternoon game and I listened tae the 2nd half on the wireless in the timekeepers office doon the Crescent in Alexandra just beside the Vale of Leven Juniors Ground.
FANADPATRIOT on 6TH JANUARY 2017 10:10 PM
Dukla game was on TV live, early kickoff 17.00 ? Poor picture but I was watching it .Fact HH
*Final was a 5:30 ko, I went tae morning Mass at St Martin’s in the Renton and then walked roon the Leven tae work.
MARRAKESH EXPRESS on 6TH JANUARY 2017 10:32 PM
Larsson best all round player I’ve seen at CP. As an out and out poacher/goalscorer not far off Muller class, a true number 9, Joe McBride. THE most unsung hero for us ever in my book.
*was standing in the Celtic end when Joe got a ball in the box and tried tae dribble it, punter shouted FFS Joe stop trying tae play fitba ad just score. A true predator.
Dukla Pumpherston
Purple strips ya bass
HH
WITS et al.
Probably seen this doco about Luke.
Some brilliant moments.
Ronnie Drew 15 mins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzfswNa7ZTk
Aztec Camera and Mick Jones
https://youtu.be/8083Sw7kWbI
The Pogues
https://youtu.be/DBaKWLoFYmQ
Gordy
One of the best ever political songs.
Good morning Britain.
God bless Mick and Roddy.
Pair of good guys.
DD,
canny argue with that,
never get enough Mick Jones
Time for my cot,for some
https://youtu.be/tONsedTRCD4
@AWE NAW…2.23PM..name that pub ya fanny……
H.H
Hibs were clearly the better team tonight, but remain a bit short of a PL team.
Boyle and Cummins are reasonable players, but they over work the ball, instead of looking for players in a better position.
A bit like Griffiths on an off day.
Kriss Commons? Forget it lad.
I know you haven’t played for about ten months, but even allowing for that, you should have been up for at least a ten minute cameo role.
There is nothing left in the tank.
What elevated Hibs in the latter part of the match was the appearance of John Mc.Ginn.
He was head and shoulders above anyone else on the park with regards to class and intelligence.
Dun Utd were disappointing , but that is probably reflection of their financial situation.
@Thom…young McGinn……love that boy…
Got to end up up at Sellic………..
H.H.
Garcia Lorca,
I think Joe got his injury in December ’66, having scored 38 league goals.
The away leg in Prague was, apparently, the one and only time that Jock put out a defensive team.
He asked Stevie Chalmers to sacrifice himself for the team and he played as a one man forward line.
He kept the Dukla defence occupied every time the ball reached their end of the park.
If Jock’s tactics wee a one off, so was his uncharateristic bow to sentiment in guaranteeing Stevie’s p;ace in the final.
TTT
The Clydebank Tim John McGinn is the real deal, his 2 big bro’s Stephen and Paul would tell you that. I first saw him play with my Godson when they were about 10.
Saint Peter the Apostle High School Clydebank is producing some good fitba players today.
@Delaneys…his wee cousin Kieran the biz as well they say.
H.H