Our great times and our fantasies

206

Telfer, McManus, O’Dea, Naylor. That’s the Celtic defence who took Milan to extra time without conceding a goal in regulation time in either leg in 2007.

We won a corner in the last minute of the 90 that night. After two intense games, we had earned the right to load their box and take our chance. That’s how close Gordon Strachan came to taking Celtic to the Champions League quarterfinals, at the expense of Milan, who won the tournament that year.

In 2012, Neil Lennon’s Celtic played perhaps the greatest con dude ever in 2012, losing only to an injury time goal in Barcelona and winning at Celtic Park.

In 2003 I remember World Soccer’s report on the Uefa Cup Final. Apparently the better team won as Celtic relied on being compact and robust to take the game to extra time.

These are some of our greatest times. They will never return until we drop our fantasies.

 

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  1. onenightinlisbon on

    What fantasies? That our board might actually spend enough on better players who are capable of avoiding embarrassments like Tuesday?

  2. Not sure what fantasies we are dealing with.

     

     

    Gordon Strachan had a UCL Pot 3 side…

     

     

    Artur Boruc; 2-Paul Telfer, 44-Stephen McManus, 48-Darren O’Dea, 3-Lee Naylor; 25-Shunsuke Nakamura, 18-Neil Lennon, 15-Evander Sno, 46-Aiden McGeady; 20-Jiri Jarosik, 10-Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

     

     

    I was in the San Siro that evening, a phenomenal occasion and a spirited defence by Celtic, could we have nicked it? Sure but it would have been daylight robbery

     

     

    Milan were good, Kaka sublime…

     

     

    Hail Hail

  3. We started the same 11 that started against St Johnstone, we played the same system that started against St Johnstone, same shape, same tactics.

     

     

    We made no allowances that Dortmund away , might require a different approach.

     

     

    I believe Brendan will never make that mistake again.

     

     

    Atlanta away, tougher than Dortmund, will be a very intresting watch!

  4. January shopping list: 2 defensive midfielders, cover right back & a shoot on sight forward.

     

     

    And a realisation that we can’t take on top teams with our Scottish game.

  5. vale bhoy on 3rd October 2024 12:36 pm

     

     

    a)What standard would those players need to be to make a difference in Europe? ie How much would they cost?

     

     

    b) Would they come to the SPFL?

     

     

    c) If they did (!!) would the `2defensive midfielders` be willing to regularly play second fiddle as they wouldn`t be needed in any of our SPFL games?

  6. VALE BHOY on 3RD OCTOBER 2024 12:36 PM

     

    January shopping list: 2 defensive midfielders, cover right back & a shoot on sight forward.

     

     

    …

     

     

    To really compete we need an upgrade to our back 4 , simple as that.

  7. “EKBhoy on 3rd October 2024 12:45 pm

     

    To really compete we need an upgrade to our back 4 , simple as that.”

     

     

    I can fully accept that I am missing something here but I have to ask again:

     

     

    What level of defender would we need who would actually raise our standard by the required amount?

     

     

    I am assuming they would need to be as good as our opposition so we are talking of about 50 million per player. In the SPFL ???

  8. vale bhoy on 3rd October 2024 12:36 pm

     

    “January shopping list: 2 defensive midfielders, cover right back & a shoot on sight forward.”

     

     

    I think Engels can play RB – either that or he has a twin as I swear I saw him play there for Augsberg last season and making a flippant comment that he was alright but no Frimpong.

     

     

     

    With regards to the leader, I agree on being pragmatic / adjusting style as needed and not thinking we are soo good that we just need a better plan A.

     

     

    The thing that still confuses me is that last year in the CL we seemed less gung ho than we were on Tuesday. I had thought that BR had eased off the throttled (compared to Ange ball and BR Mk1) and was valuing possession (and safe possession) before attacking / overloading ahead of the ball. Certainly not dribbling past oppo players along our box as per Maeda for two of the goals.

     

     

    I was unaware of the comment post match about modifying our press – other than it appearing disjointed (players pressing individually not as a team) I didn’t see any difference – we pressed very high and did not squeeze the pitch leaving ourselves very exposed again and again.

     

     

    I don’t watch as much Italian football as German so I hope NOTTHEBUS is not correct when he says “Atlanta away, tougher than Dortmund” – though I watched them win the Europa and Lookman is pyoor kwalitee – we don’t want him running down the wing with our FBs lost inside.

     

     

    QB

  9. Football is not a tackling game anymore, sit 4/5 midfielders 10 yards deeper away from home,should protect the back 4 better, and stop opposing teams passing around us and right through on our defence, which Dortmund done for 90 minutes on Tuesday

  10. Celtic vs Dukla Prague ,goalless draw .

     

    Our greatest manager said “ I will never play that way again “

     

    Keep to your principals,our day will come HH

  11. Hot Smoked on 3rd October 2024 12:54 pm

     

    “I am assuming they would need to be as good as our opposition so we are talking of about 50 million per player. In the SPFL ???”

     

     

    Dortmund’s back four were only approx £20M each I think. A few of their MFs and Forwards were 30M+ but their defence was cheap by comparison.

     

     

    Like you, I am not sure those players would come to the SPFL, usually as soon as we get players to anywhere near that level they are itching to move onto bigger challenges/more money.

     

     

    QB

  12. I suspect that the standard at the top of Euro football is much higher than 20 years ago , therefore the backs to the wall strategy has an even slimmer chance than previously.

     

     

    HH

  13. Great results against great teams, achieved by managers playing pragmatic football.

     

     

    Brendan has one win in 27 games against teams from the top 5 leagues in his career, none in the champions league.

  14. onenightinlisbon on 3rd October 2024 12:18 pm…

     

     

    Why would any player of a standard to sign for a top half team in the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or the Primeira Liga ever consider coming to play in the SPL, in the Scottish weather, at places like Dingwall, Perth and Paisley?

     

     

    If they were offered similar money to come to Celtic rather than Newcastle United, Valencia, Roma, Weirder Bremen, Rennes or Braga, they would still prefer to be facing from 3 or 4 up to 7 or 8 good quality opponents in their league games, played in decent stadia and relatively clement weather conditions. At Celtic they would get 4 big games against them home & away and another 6 games in half decent stadia, playing almost every game against diddy teams who just park the bus and hope to stifle any free-flowing creative football.

     

     

    It would take Saudi type money to hope to entice the best players to even consider giving up one or two of their twilight years to play in such a mediocre league, which even then can’t offer the lovely hot sunny weather that the Saudis can!

     

     

    The key to Celtic being able to bridge the gap from their weekly bread & butter fare to the exalted caviar of the CL, is for the Celtic players to be competing more regularly against much higher quality opposition who are actually capable of playing quick, skillful, incisive attacking football, more in tune with what will be encountered in the CL. So, short of moving to a better league (which isn’t going to happen), perhaps the only thing Celtic can do is arrange a challenge match against a half decent opponent from one of the top leagues a few days before each CL game, to help get their feet and minds into that space, giving a better awareness of what they are about to face.

     

     

    To be able to just flick a switch and transition from playing all out attack against a mediocre opponent with neither the ability not the will to attempt to fight back offensively, to ask opponent full of top class international players who every week play fast, incisive, high quality attacking football against teams of a far higher standard than our domestic opponents, is an unrealistic expectation. Our CL opponents are effectively playing much as they play every week in their own leagues, whereas we are having to face a completely different challenge to what we face each week, completely reinventing our normal game… or becoming lambs to the slaughter!

  15. I’m not the only one who senses a zeal in your written digs at Brendan, P67.

     

    Presuming he didn’t cuckold you, what’s/who’s driving your unmasked belittling of Brendan?

     

    For such a good host of this salon, it’s weirdly ungracious Paul.

     

     

    Just watched Paddy Klimala grab x2 second half goals for Sydney FC in an Asian Champs Lg 2 match on telly.

     

    Supplied by ex-Shaktar, Bayern and Juve winger Douglas Costa, both were poachers’ finishes.

     

    He almost snagged a third in a pretty low-qual contest.

  16. QuadBhoy on 3rd October 2024 12:58 pm

     

     

    Thanks for the response.

     

     

    I think that even `only` 20 million each would be far too much for us and, anyway, as we both seem to agree, that standard of player is unlikely to see the SPFL as his next step !

  17. celtic40me on 3rd October 2024 1:07 pm

     

    “Brendan has one win in 27 games against teams from the top 5 leagues in his career, none in the champions league.”

     

     

    Is this in Euro competition only? Covering Celtic and Liverpool etc?

     

     

    I assume he won a few EPL games when managing Liverpool and Leicester…

     

     

    QB

  18. bournesouprecipe on

    🎶 Oh, over and over, we will watch you,


     

     

    We are sitting room supporters, faithful through and through,

     

    Over and over, we will slaughter you,

     

     

    If you go to Germany, you’ll no see us there,
France or Spain its all the same, We’ll no go anywhere,
We’ll be here to jeer you, As you travel round,
You can’t take us anywhere, we will get you down.🎶

  19. QUADBHOY on 3RD OCTOBER 2024 1:15 PM

     

     

    European competition covering Celtic, Liverpool and Leicester.

     

     

    He has a poor record in the EPL against Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool

  20. ” BigChipsUK on 3rd October 2024 1:12 pm

     

    …. perhaps the only thing Celtic can do is arrange a challenge match against a half decent opponent from one of the top leagues a few days before each CL game, to help get their feet and minds into that space, giving a better awareness of what they are about to face.”

     

     

    I think your idea is fine but actually getting any top side to play a `Friendly` during the season and to give it full commitment is, IMO, unlikely.

     

    I suppose we could play against a substantial selection from our own big squad and allow them an extra player or two! Even if we could, I don`t think any situation could truly match the actual experience of CL football.

  21. bournesouprecipe on 3rd October 2024 1:16 pm

     

     

    That made me smile…..not an easy task at the moment :-)))

  22. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Stracchi’s team also got pumped in Copenhagen and failed to beat Aalborg in two attempts. That’s before you even mention Bratislava.

     

    Lennon had plenty of lowlights – Braga, Utrecht, Cluj, Sparta Prague home and away, Copenhagen, Ferencvaros……

     

    Anyway, maybe partner club will lose tonight and everything will be okay again…..

  23. “GlassTwoThirdsFull on 3rd October 2024 1:27 pm

     

    …Anyway, maybe partner club will lose tonight and everything will be okay again…..”

     

     

    Maybe not OK for me but certainly a little better :-))

  24. CHAIRBHOY on 3RD OCTOBER 2024 12:23 PM

     

    Not sure what fantasies we are dealing with.

     

     

    Gordon Strachan had a UCL Pot 3 side…

     

     

    Artur Boruc; 2-Paul Telfer, 44-Stephen McManus, 48-Darren O’Dea, 3-Lee Naylor; 25-Shunsuke Nakamura, 18-Neil Lennon, 15-Evander Sno, 46-Aiden McGeady; 20-Jiri Jarosik, 10-Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

     

     

    I was in the San Siro that evening, a phenomenal occasion and a spirited defence by Celtic, could we have nicked it? Sure but it would have been daylight robbery

     

     

    Milan were good, Kaka sublime…

     

    —————

     

    I was also in the San Siro that night. Amazing occasion. Milan fans were top drawer also. Throwing us their scarves and wee Milan seat cushions after the game.

     

     

    We were undone by a world class goal from a world class player in Kaka.

     

     

    If we can win 7 points in our home games and possibly take one away point, we should qualify for the play off round.

  25. fanadpatriot on 3rd October 2024 12:57 pm

     

    Celtic vs Dukla Prague ,goalless draw .

     

     

     

     

    Our greatest manager said “ I will never play that way again “

     

     

     

     

    Keep to your principals,our day will come HH

     

     

    ——————–

     

     

    offcourse though, jock being the master tactician , did play that way, several times, when the tie needed it.

     

     

    he had already played “defensively” away to vojvodina and came home with a 1-0 loss that kept celtic in the tie.

     

     

    he played defensively agains AC and inter in later years, securing 0-0 draws both times. The press claiming it was Billy McNeills best defensive games, and that george connelly was the new beckanbeur.

     

     

    he deended a 3-0 lead against fiorentina, losing 1-0 away but this report highlights the defending

     

     

    “Moments later Fiorentina got themselves back into the tie. Celtic, for the only time on the night, failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to that man Chiarugi again. He hit a low shot which gave Williams no chance.

     

     

    Unlike in Lisbon when Benfica began their fightback, there was not a hint of panic in the Celtic defence. They simply tightened up at the back, as Fiorentina became dejected.

     

     

    Auld and Johnstone stood out in the middle of the park; Williams in goal had a sound game while Billy McNeill and George Connelly were at their best in defence.”

     

     

    so back to the present day, and in the league set up, we dropped from 2nd to 20th, only 5 spots above being knocekd out. shutting up shop when 3-1 down, would have kept the goal dfifference down.

     

     

    be pragmatic, dont get pumped away from home.

     

     

    i also dont believe we are a shoe in fr the home games either, not if we keep playing gung ho all out attacking football.

     

     

    be like john, horse for courses as someone said.

  26. boondock saint on

    I sense a wee dig at our manager. Just my opinion but I was hoping we would all stick together. Nothing can change that result now, but we do have time to prepare for the next one.

     

    Celtic through and through, means players and manager.

     

    Sean

  27. celtic40me on 3rd October 2024 1:22 pm

     

    QUADBHOY on 3RD OCTOBER 2024 1:15 PM

     

     

    European competition covering Celtic, Liverpool and Leicester.

     

     

    He has a poor record in the EPL against Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool

     

    ============

     

    C40me What does the above suggest about the aspirations of those who appointed Brendan Rogers?

     

    HH

  28. 67 European Cup Winners on

    Just my view

     

    How many teams in the SPL come to Celtic and play 3 up front and attack us ???

     

    None

     

    How many leave with 3 points

     

    Very few

     

     

    I’m guessing here

     

    But BR believes that attack is the best form of defence

     

     

     

    Personally I would like us to defend 4/5/1 in the first half

     

    Do not concede or no more than 1

     

    Continue in the second half

     

    Then have a go in the final 25/20 mins

     

     

    67ECW

  29. i dont believe there are people in the celtic plc executive who have a wee smirk if brendan gets things wrong.

     

     

    neither do i beleive that p67 has it in for brendan, you can still admire someones work performance even if you dont like them personally.

     

     

    i also dont believe that all our prfessional staff return to work today and dont say “we have to talk about dortmund “.

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