I was shouting at Martin O’Neill through the television last night. With the game at 0-0, Wales’ Joe Allen was off getting treatment, which lasted several minutes before he was eventually replaced. Ireland had a man advantage, but still refused to press Wales, who were able to comfortably pass the ball around the back.
Ireland needed a victory, they had a brief window where they would enjoy the advantage, but they chose to defend instead. Then I remembered the game against Barcelona in March 2004. For much of the game Celtic enjoyed a 10-9 men advantage, but it didn’t look that way. We defended our territory and ventured up field only when a mistake or long clearance permitted.
We won that game, the first leg of a knockout tie, 1-0, but there were grumbles among the support in the days thereafter. “We should have gone for them, 1-0 will not be enough.”
Martin gambled successfully against Barcelona as he did last night. There was probably an acknowledgement on both occasions of the comparative limitations of his players, so his game plan was easily understood and scrupulously followed.
He could have urged his players to press forward for the period Allen was getting treatment, but that would have been counter to his simple message. Permitting such off-the-cuff decision-making would have been a fatal mistake.
Teams in possession are more likely to make bad passes in their defensive area than teams who have been drilled to get the ball as far away from their defensive area as possible. You don’t need to like this type of football (I don’t), but Ireland are in the World Cup play-offs when countries with more talented players are out of the competition, including Scotland and Wales.
You wouldn’t want to watch this football at Celtic today. Even back in his Parkhead heyday, Martin received complaints about his team’s robust, target-man, playing style. Ireland are simultaneously an echo of a bygone era and a lesson in winning against better-resourced opponents. I would take it for international football, or even for Champions League group stage, but it would shut the stands at Celtic Park if we tried it domestically.
Celtic wore commemorative shirts against Hibs to mark National Famine Memorial Day. One million people died in Ireland’s Great Hunger in the years of famine, from 1846-50. Millions more left the country, some of whom arrived in Glasgow, and formed the communities which founded Celtic 40 years later.
One million people dying of starvation in what was then part of the United Kingdom is an unimaginable horror. Scotland was also affected by the Blight, although to a lesser extent.
James Forrest’s shirt from the game against Hibs is available for raffle to aid the Celtic FC Foundation’s work (James will sign the shirt). Your Foundation carries on the mission that gave birth to Celtic 130 years ago. It feeds the poor in Scotland, Ireland in London and across the globe, but it also works with many disadvantaged groups of children and adults.
The Foundation is core to our mission as a football club. You can enter the raffle by making a minimum £5 donation on this MyDonate page and answering this question:
Which PSG player was booked for diving against Celtic last month?
Please forward your donation confirmation with the diving player’s name in the SUBJECT line to celticquicknews@gmail.com The raffle will close on Monday.
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The new Invincibles treble disc DVD is now available from CQN Bookstore HERE. It is quite simply unmissable. What a season that was!
All CQN t-shirts are now reduced to £10, choose from our Invincibles shirt, the Jock Stein one or the Gotcha classic! We’ve added some new books too and there’s some crackers on the way! More on that over the next few weeks or so.
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JNP-Dallas…I do believe it appears on a compilation recording…I’m sure SOT will know…however, it was never released by them as a single. Check them out on you tube, they were a good band, they did some very different cover versions of well known songs-A Whiter Shade of Pale–It’s Not Unusual–etc…
dallas ,
re: Higher and Higher
The Dells did record it first, but didn’t release it… until JW had a hit with it (albeit in a slightly different version). but then they released ‘the original’ version shortly after JW’s version… here it is …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJOPOc9hQAM
Weebobbycollins, I have some Dells stuff on my spotify. They were a good group.
Thanks for the youtube tip.
Some good Maxine Brown songs on youtube especially Let me give you my lovin.
Brogan brothers had a pub in Coatbridge HH
Very foggy in Tallaght tonight
Imagine if all tv personae had to wear a famine memorial badge – that’d be weird wouldn’t it, a strange world. It’s a strange area – you rarely read of the physical horrors of it -‘Star of the Sea’ by Joseph O’Connor is the only one I can think of. You rarely see personal stories – it was great to see a cqn’er post a family story directly related to the famine recently – was it bundoran bhoy ? sorry : memory’s gone. Obviously, it’s a very bad story and distressing but to read someone saying ‘this happened to my family – I’m a part of it’ is wonderful.
As Heaney said
‘A people hungering from birth,
grubbling, like plants, in the bitch earth,
were grafted with a great sorrow.
Hope rotted like a marrow.’ [from At a Potato digging].
and they were also grafted with a silence :
I’m going to try and find and wear a famine memorial with pride.
Re Higher and Higher…just checked…you can get an imported cd album on Amazon ‘There Is’ by The Dells…
Some good 5 star reviews…
Hello again all you young rebels.
Well done to Martin and the republic they got the job done
thats all that matters at this time, confidence might bring
about a change in style and tactics lets wait and see.
Our own young bhoys spring training here in Oz started
already, lots of new kids and parents arriving daily asking
for places, the wee mhan and his mates already biting their
ears about the wearing of various strips mainly EPL and
suggesting jocularly…mmmm.. about changing to the famous
hoops :-))
Another reminder For Oz tims our new upstairs venue at the
Bay hotel Mornington is officially open so be there early this
Sunday it’s going to be jumping.
H.H Mick
Mike in Toronto, thanks for posting that link.
Unfortunately , it wasn’t the Dells , it was Bruce Springsteen and an all star ensemble includimg Sam Moore, singing higher and higher.
I found a youtube entry for the Dells version but the video could not play.
There are some pictures on facebook of Paul Weller on a Toronto Street, one of him sitting on a parked scooter.
FRANNYB67 think it was called jim brogans bar.
Weebobbycollins at 10 o’clock , thank you.
I’ll go into amazon.
I like ML,always gives his all
I’m sure the sweat was running down the sheughs of his erse tonite
HH
FRANNYB67 on 10TH OCTOBER 2017 9:53 PM
The Sportsman Bar….had a few scoops back in the day. The Vulcan now stands on the ground.
BIG PACKY on 10TH OCTOBER 2017 10:10 PM
it was affectionately called ‘Brogans’, still referred to as ‘Brogans’ today.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
dallas … sorry, I must have copied the wrong link …. speaking of Mr. Weller, I am off to see him tonight …. so you will need to type loud on the blog tomorrow, as my hearing wont be so good!
:)
Jimmynotpaul, if Junior is not working the day of the semi final, he will be going to the game.
Sorry for not replying earlier to your question .
Jim Brogan owned Wintersgills Bar Gt Western Rd. A Celtic bus still leaves from it I think?
Mike , enjoy it .
I last saw Mr W live about 7 or 8 years ago .
Its good he is now playing some Jam and Style Council songs in his set.
His European gigs and those in the USA so far , over the past month , have been getting good reviews.
Anyone know when the Sevco financial results are due ?
LENNYBHOY cheers mate hail hail.
Dallas
A few of my Bankie supporting pals were confident of a good result at Pollok. Their tails were between their legs on their return to the pub from Newlandsfield. Their good wee run ended.
DELANEYS DUNKEY. also cheers mate ktf.
JIMMYNOTPAUL et al
Higher and Higher .
Original version is on an LP – The Dells -There is . it’s on the CADET label . Not hard to find second hand.
A complicated history — written by people who worked for Chess / Cadet – recorded by The Dells and rejected as a 45 by Chess / Cadet . Songwriters then pitched it to Brunswick who liked it,changed the words a wee bit , made it faster and got Jackie Wilson to record it . . Further complicated by the fact thatthe band who laid it down for Brunswick were moonlighting from Motown . When it became a hit it took those 3 record couples a wee while to sort out who was getting what..
A wee bedtime choon-
https://youtu.be/VyT6RMgK6gI
MiT
Glad you enjoyed the Trashcan Sinatras intimate gig. First saw them early 90s live by accident. I’ve Seen Everything is one of my favourite ever albums. Fine Ayrshire Bhoys.
Moravcik: Anyone know when the Sevco financial results are due ?
16.90, I think
oopla -way past my bedtime – tired -post full of omissions etc .
Dells LP was issued in 68.. Jackie Wilson 45 was issued in 67 ( a very good year ) USA issue is on Brunswick. UK issue is on Coral. I bought mine in Cuthbertson’s.
record companies not record companies
Delaney’s, it was the worst performance I have seen from the Bankies since they started in the Juniors.
They missed the best chance of the game when it was still all square.
I hope they repeat last season’s winning run that sealed their promotion .
Kunyai Benyu was there . He was talking to one of the Bankies subs after the match, possibly one of his pals.
kunai was chatting away and getting selfies taken with others standing next to him. Matt McGlone spent a bit of time chatting with him.
one more choon and then bedtime-it’s nearly midnight
https://youtu.be/Y2_XTmBX9ZY
South of Tunis and weebobbycollins , many thanks for your posts about the original Dells version of higher and higher.
Dallas…last one from me…there is a film called The Five Heartbeats (early 90s) a story about the trials and tribulations of a Dells type group trying to ‘make it’ in the music business. The singing voice of one of the actors who plays ‘Eddie’ in the film is actually Marvin Junior, the wonderful lead singer of The Dells…you can possibly catch it free on you tube or Go Films…I saw it years ago and enjoyed it…all the best…
Weebobbycollins , I saw that film , it was really good.
Some reviews of it I read related the film to the Temptations, particularly David Ruffin .
Irrespective of who it was based on, the music and the film , were very enjoyable.
Dallas
My nephew Chris went to Saint Peter’s Clydebank with four of the Bankie team. He was slagging them on Saturday night in Club Mango. :)
Delaney’s, the Bankies , when Budgie McGhie was boss, had a great record at Newlandsfield.
It continues with his current team , Kilbirnie Ladeside . They won away at Pollok earlier this season.
I hope Chris is still getting a regular game at Dumbarton?
Dallas
They all met up on Sunday to cheer their former schoolmate fae Saint Peters, for his country in Slovenia. Unfortunately for the school, John McGinn never got on.
MON did build a great side who could compete with anyone on their day. However, the football on display towards the end of his tenure was incredibly dull.
Dallas
Ian Durrant is his new best pal. They love each other. Chris plays every game for the Sons. He is loving fitba again.
Delaney’s , that’s good to hear he is a first team regular .
Callum and John not getting played , at least as subs, in Scotland’s last 2 games, was costly.
Regarding Ian Durrant . I worked with a guy who was in the same year at school as Durranty .
He told me Durranty’s surname was prounced the same as Currant (how apt) .
Good night all and sleep well.
Dallas
Knightswood guys like Budgie, ken how to beat Pollok boys. :))
Corky
2 votes from me
Good Luck Niamh