On the road this week so today’s blog is by author Stephen O’Donnell:
Pick the bones out of that! I didn’t see Legia against St. Patrick’s Athletic in the previous qualifying round, but by all accounts they were fairly unimpressive, even in winning 5 – 0 in Dublin. I was even tempted to have a wee bet on Celtic to win by more than one goal on Wednesday night, and by the time my hastily arranged subscription to Premier Sports had come through things were looking good after Callum McGregor’s early strike.
Sadly, it didn’t last. It’s a measure of how poorly Celtic played on the night that they were lucky to escape from Warsaw with a 4 – 1 defeat because, let’s face it, but for Fraser Forster and some wayward penalty taking, it could have been worse.
As expected, it didn’t take long for the Celtic Newsnow stream to start filling up with tales of anguish and pontification from the mainstream media. From AEK Athens to Maribor, the list of European failures at certain other clubs (including one that is now defunct) is long and distinguished, but nothing gets the SMSM in full gloating mode like a painful Celtic defeat on the Continent.
On Wednesday we were reminded about Artmedia Bratislava, Utrecht, Karagandy etc., I even heard Neuchatel Xamax being mentioned at one point. The key of course is that there is no context and analysis provided when these previous losses are dragged up, Celtic supporters simply have to suffer such painful reminders.
This lack of constructive analysis is a pity because there are comparisons and parallels that can be usefully drawn with previous chastening experiences in Europe. It seems that new Celtic managers are particularly vulnerable to them; Tony Mowbray initially enjoyed a successful preseason, including winning the Wembley Cup, but his first competitive game was a 1 – 0 home defeat to Dynamo Moscow. Neil Lennon had Utrecht and Braga, and of course Gordon Strachan had Artmedia.
It’s what happened in Bratislava that I think has most relevance to Wednesday night – a new manager in post, replacing a club legend, trying to introduce a more cerebral approach, a squad clearly divided amongst those who are still pining for the previous incumbent and those who want to move on and embrace the new manager’s methods… the parallels in fact are numerous and really quite striking. Hopefully this is a sign that Ronny, like WGS before him, will turn this early setback around and grow into the role of Celtic manager.
One of the most important aspects of managerial success is the chemistry between the boss and his players. This lack of a connection in the dressing-room and on the training field is the reason John Collins failed at Hibs; it’s why Mowbray didn’t last out a season at Celtic. If the chemistry isn’t right then the team will lack focus, motivation and game intelligence at crucial times in the season, and these traits were all conspicuous by their absence in both Warsaw and Bratislava.
But chemistry takes time, it didn’t come immediately to either Lennon or Strachan, and Ronny Deila still has the opportunity to get his progressive ideas across and win the respect and admiration of his squad. If that happens then, like Lenny and WGS before him, he will go on to lead Celtic to domestic and European success.
In the meantime, there is the second leg still to come. If the parallels with Artmedia and Karagandy are to be heard in the media again then Legia could yet be in for a tough night next week. The tie is most certainly not over and it will slowly be dawning on the players who let themselves down on Wednesday that there is only one way to make up for what happened.
Pride and defiance have to come to the fore again, and the situation is still retrievable. All the ingredients are there for a potentially famous night at Murrayfield next Wednesday.
Follow Stephen O’Donnell on twitter @stephenodauthor
[calameo code=000390171ae033f39a0c4 lang=en page=120 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
857 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- ...
- 23
- »
stringer bell
19:40 on 1 August, 2014
I’ve been on holiday so missed the opening ceremony and most of the actual competition until today.
Great mate, we got world wide exposure and we rubbed it into the Huns a wee bit.
I’m a Celtic supporter.
My priority isn’t our stadium being used for an event that has nothing to do with Celtic Football Club.
My priority isn’t that there was Hun angst at the coverage our stadium received.
Will this console you if we lose next week away from home, at Murrayfield, in Edinburgh?
———
Will it console me? A little, but nothing worth mentioning in the grand scheme of things. my absolute priority is qualifying for the group stages.
Being pish in the first leg is a bigger drawback than playing “next week away from home, at Murrayfield, in Edinburgh”, but it’s not impossible that we wil qualify, regardless of the venue.
It’s not impossible that we lose games at CP remember. We lost twice in qualifiers in Mowbrays season, and our home magic was stretched very thin in last seasons group stage.
I’m a Celtic supporter too. I want my club to be reflected in the best way possible across the world. 99% of supporters want the same.
Like you, I want success on the pitch before everything else. If you were on holiday, you missed Celtic park being at the absolute heart of an amazing event. Will it compensate to being knocked out of the CL. No. Definitely not, but if we do go out, the venue won’t be the only reason, or even a major factor. It’s how we play that matters. Our crowd can add to the teams performance, but cannot win a game on our own.
Slightly tangential, but I get to go to my first game in a year next Wed. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to it. I would rather its at Celtic park, but it’s not. End of.
Onwards and upwards.
West Wales Celt
And that’s their loan fee price ;p
just another tim
20:04 on 1 August, 2014
Aye your right mate they’ll give us a run for our money right up till October then we’ll win the league by 30+ points HH
Efe getting pelters, was I the only one who saw big VVD catching flies wi’ his moth in the penalty box the other night??
Shut yer moth when ball watching Vigil, it’s not a good look!!
My last post was in reply to Hamiltontim
hun skelper
Aye, probably, right enough :)
HH
starry plough
20:13 on 1 August, 2014
Efe is the easy target in defence, van dijk has his moments aswell HH
natknow
In my opinion your posts are always worth reading.
To be honest ST sales are only going to be a yardstick for the multitude of reasons that folk aren’t renewing and not just the reasons I’ve highlighted.
Last season it was concerning the number of empty seats there were when ST holders had clearly decided not to bother attending.
It wouldn’t surprise me to hear of people buying ST just to ensure they have them when a Hun team comes to Parkhead.
just another tim
I still think we’ll win the league at a canter. If we don’t then things will have got much worse than they are currently.
Cracking effort by wee Flynn
Dunno if he’s done enough though……
Some excellent posts these past few days.
Apricale, fine point. Efe is a class act but will have a game like that from time to time. Perhaps we could consider changing his position.
Hamiltontim
20:17 on
1 August, 2014
natknow
In my opinion your posts are always worth reading.
To be honest ST sales are only going to be a yardstick for the multitude of reasons that folk aren’t renewing and not just the reasons I’ve highlighted.
Last season it was concerning the number of empty seats there were when ST holders had clearly decided not to bother attending.
It wouldn’t surprise me to hear of people buying ST just to ensure they have them when a Hun team comes to Parkhead.
———————————————————
Sad to say – I agree with your last statement.
hun skelper
Big Virgil hasn’t impressed me much in pre season, made some god blocks the other night, the whole lotta them need to pull their socks right up if we are to have any chance on Wednesday..
Can’teatcan’tsleepCSC
Flynn gets split decision :D
Well done wee man
Phoenix club….by brothers old gym ….brilliant
Fitzpatrick up next at the boxing
Starry
The defence were unbalanced with AM at left back
Berget did nothing defensively ….the whole left side was open
And ….we had little midfield cover…
IMO no wonder the defence was exposed
The calls for Ronny to leave really are embarrassing. In any case, who would replace him? No, he needs our full support.
starry plough
20:22 on 1 August, 2014
He’s a good player but will get found out in England if he goes at the minute, good player but still a bit raw. HH
Stringer
If my initial post came across as confrontation a then please accept my apologies, that wasn’t my intention.
I missed last week’s game at Murrayfield and by all accounts the atmosphere was good and the crowd got behind the team.
I’ve asked a few people how would it compare to Parkhead on a big European night and the answers weren’t favourable.
Next Wednesday is massive for us as a club, a team and a support.
It angers me that we’ve given up the advantage that Parkhead offers the players and the support.
I know and understand all the points about world wide coverage etc but for me it was yet another example of financial gain taking precedence and that is hard to take.
I really hope you enjoy next week mate, it’s always worth going to watch Celtic.
My niece has a connection in the Celtic ticket office. I texted her on Tuesday and asked if she could find out how many season tickets have been sold.
Today she replied. At close of business last night, Celtic had sold just short of 36,500 season tickets.
I am away on a week long break but wanted to come on with the above information.
I agree with Hamilton tim about the CW games. Just our luck to draw a Polish side who will enjoy two home games.
By the way, I wasn’t impressed with their goalscorer who scored twice. Don’t want him.
First time poster Hi everybody not one of them as the only people that know about the jungle parrot would be Celtic supporters
I had to post as no one else has mentioned or just happened not to notice it
Coming home today and the bill board on maybole road had an advert for Sky Sports no other team on it other than the deid ones
Me personally stopped the sports channel last season
Does anyone know how much Sky are subsidising them is this how they manage to keep going thanks for letting me post
tom mclaughlin
That’s great to hear, let’s hope they all turn up regularly and support the team.
I have nothing further to add to what has already been said about
Wednesday’s nights debacle.
I would therefore suggest we draw a line under it, move on
and get behind our team.
On the concerns about RD playing ‘sexy’ football (which seems to some to mean ‘losing’ football…
1. The two dont have to be mutually exclusive
2. Realistically, we wont be playing in the CL this year (and barring a huge and sudden improvement, maybe not the EL). As such, we have a year in which to focus on playing the game properly … learning how to pass, how to move into space, how to trap a ball (all fundamental things that pros should know, but, when the pressure is on, we seem to forget how to do) … and with little or no risk ….. given the level of opposition in the SPL, if we cant win this league (even with 11 juniors, let alone a squad full of international players) at a canter …. our problems are much, much bigger than we realize.
Next year, when the CL qualifiers come around again, we will be ready and will deserve our place in the last 16 (or maybe better)
So, I say, give RD a year, let him play who and how he wants… and let him bench those who dont buy into it. At the end of the year, if we dont see results (good, fundamentally sound football, and at least a league trophy), then we sit down and reassess …
but I think RD is going to do some good here….
….PFayr supports WeeOscar
Don’t remind me it’s the flashbacks that are the worst!!
Good post Mike.
No ifs though, we will win the league by 15 points minimum. Europe matters more.
Fitzpatrick the 5th of 7 Irish boxers so far to win their semi final
Two more coming shortly
Tremendous depth in Irish team, well done Lhads and Lhassies
G64
you get tgrown out of the vogue early? 8 )
jungle parrot –
Welcome. Have you met the Parkhead Fox?
:-)
Contrary to popular opinion on here, it wasn’t just for the money that Celtic Park was used for the games.
There are, as we know, three large stadiums in Glasgow.
Hampden was given over to Athletics, with major alterations, plus the closing ceremony.
The Rugby was sent to Govan.
That left the need for a stadium for the opening ceremony.
Does anyone think that Celtic would/ could have said that they couldn’t have Celtic Park?
One thing the club do gave is a bit of civic responsibility and it would have been embarrassing if they had declined.
Think of all the State Aid they would gave had to return!!
HT
Hope you had a fantastic holiday wi them beautiful ghirls. Yes, I have renewed, as you know fine well, and I will be at every home game, as usual circumstances allowing, and will be cheering as best I can to encourage the team on. Yes, I am concerned about the level of investment in to the first team, more questions than answers imho. When did you ever hear me saying negative things like this before? worriedisanunderstatementCSC
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Natknow
Was at those games by lurking for so long there will be people on here that will remember who we were playing those games :-))
jungle parrot
20:48 on
1 August, 2014
Natknow
Was at those games by lurking for so long there will be people on here that will remember who we were playing those games :-))
——————————————————–
I seem to remember John Collins scoring in the game against Kilmarnock when the fox ran the length of the pitch! Wonder if john brought the fox back with him? :-))
Hamiltontim
Wasn’t confrontational at all mate. I was genuinely interested in the point you raised.
My feeling is we didn’t do it for the money, more to be a major part in the event and latch into the east end redevelopment for the games. It came at a cost, yes.
The decision was made years ago, we probably didn’t envisage 3 qualifiers, but times change :-)
Looking forward to next week. Had a season ticket for 13 years but circumstances have overtaken that and now cannot manage at all, so it’s now an occasion to get to a game, rather than a routine. You view things differently when that is the case.
For what it’s worth, I think we can win 4-0 next week, two early and two late goals. But that is the view of someone who never seen the first leg…….!
P.S. The games have been amazing, Glasgow has been brilliant . For a week. 3,000 punters queued up outside the Velodrome and looked in admiration at Celtic Park, a very satisfying thing to behold …….
If you get the chance, take your family to Glasgow Green. You will smile all day. Assuming it’s no pishin doon!
BT
Good to be in the company of so many
illustrious CQNrs at the KOSCC on Wed night.
What channel is the boxing on…sky.