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
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Slightly off – topic request bhoys. And no smart remarks please !
Anyone know where you can buy gents competition jodhpurs in Scotland, preferably central belt area ?
Thanks in advance
Sanna
sannabhoy and 2000 kids say hail hail to pablo’s family
11:40 on 2 August, 2014
Slightly off – topic request bhoys. And no smart remarks please !
Anyone know where you can buy gents competition jodhpurs in Scotland, preferably central belt area ?
Thanks in advance
Sanna
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Need to be careful where you go Sanna. There are a lot of cowboys in the competition jodhpur provision market, wouldn’t want to get taken for a ride……….
I will now fetch my raincoat….:-)
sannabhoy and 2000 kids say hail hail to pablo’s family
11:40 on 2 August, 2014
Try Decathlon or Mountain Warehouse
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
bamboo, I think that many on here share your concerns. Most of the games so far have been played in very hot conditions and this seems to be affecting the players. The last 10 minutes on Wednesday were a nightmare.
Sanna
believe it or not aldi or lidel selling them this week,
Sanna
Watch your prices mate some of those cowboys in the central belt will horse you
Sannabhoy:
Mountain Warehouse
97 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow
G2 3DD
Phone: 0141 333 9890
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Sannabhoy
Jodphurs???? I thought that was just the shape of your legs.
Sanna, it’s the Scottish championship this weekend in Ayr ?
My niece is competing, is there not usually stalls at this selling such items ?
Will drop sister in law a text, and drop you one with response
Hail Hail, ya big Donkey
Hi ho…..
Ill watch todays game to see the young bhoys progression.
KTF
ernie lynch 10:48 on 2 August, 2014
And they’d have as much chance of finding King David in Navada.
Stringer, gonna have to reign in those remarks
Lennybhoy @ 11:44 – “Try Decathlon or Mountain Warehouse”
Eh, is that where you buy yours?!!
T4
Thanks for replies fholks……thought someone had complained about me…and I wasn’t
even there. HH
http://www.horsemart.co.uk/Cornwall/Stirling-Stirling-Scotland/DJ/Horses-for-Loan
Try this site..?
Sannabhoy
Equi-store Dobbies Garden Centre Boclair Rd MilngavieGlasgow G62 6EP Tel. 01360 620754
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
tommytwiststommyturns
11:50 on 2 August, 2014
Shhhh…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Sanna
In the mane, I avoid that type of comment, apologies!
Sannabhoy and 2000 kids say Hail Hail to Pablo’s family
11:40 on
2 August, 2014
Ref Jodhpurs,there used to be a Saddler in Bridge of Weir who specialised in leather goods like saddles and reins,plus there was a place called Millbrae nr Glasgow,most suppliers of this type will be around Perth.
Worth a google.
Just dropped in to say the horse I put up
this morning is now a NR, sorry….at least
your money is safe…..for the time being.
sannabhoy and 2000 kids say hail hail to pablo’s family
11:40 on 2 August, 2014
Slightly off – topic request bhoys. And no smart remarks please !
Anyone know where you can buy gents competition jodhpurs in Scotland, preferably central belt area ?
Thanks in advance
Is 50 Shades of Grey out on DVD already ?
Loyalty vs taking money off the bookies. Hmmmm.
Spurs are Even Money to score against Celtic in both halves today. Evens.
Tempting.
Also noticed Derby County are 1/2 to beat new rangers today, in Derby.
Sanna
You auditioning for Brokeback Mountain II? :-)
Stringer Bell
Could never bet against Celtic…..what could yo do with winnings? Little Sisters of the poor
or bevvy to curb your guilty conscience?
Sanna
It’s your own fault…..the ‘no smart remarks’ is like a red rag to a bull.
Thanks guys. Helpful as usual. Got sorted. Ain’t cqn great at times !
Hh
Sanna
Sanna
Night – Mare
BMCUW
Enjoy your day oot in Swindon of all places!
No last train to worry about ‘tho.
Say hi to Ayrshirtim.
HH!!
VP, I do, but the first were with the ST and these I had to buy.
Big Hail Hail and thank you in advance to DBBIA, who is giving me a lift up to and from Murrayfield on Wednesday, the power of CQN strikes again.
Thank ‘s also to BT, VMHAN and Lennybhoy
the glorious balance sheet
23:05 on
1 August, 2014
We have given Legia something to hold onto and I think we`ll see them fight to the death to maintain their lead. I fully expect them to play in a cynical manner with lots of time wasting, “clever fouls”, diving and waving imaginary yellow cards.
*no different from last Wednesday then….that’s probably the worst display of cheating that I’ve seen since athletico madrid in 1974.
We should get tore into this mob and take no prisoners at baderfield.
The officiating was extremely poor….I said to my nephew early doors that the ref was a homer….he books a Legia player early doors and that was that ….a bit like buggeroff against Robbie Keane.
We have KC hauled to the ground in the box and they get a free kick….as for their penalties…for the 2nd the player is clearly going to ground before the tackle is made.
I wonder who in UEFA is in charge of the ref selection….hmmm.
Sanna
Competition …..I thought it was just a fetish :-))
VP, it was a wee bit off reverse psychology.I knew i could round-up the usual suspects and corral a couple of useful leads . it a tack-tic I’ve used to good effect before .
Everyone else – thanks for your help.got sorted from busby equitation centre (in case anyone is interested in future)
Sanna
Still raging with that ‘performance’ during the week. I can’t even understand what the players were thinking, or manager if it was on his instructions.
Tontine Tim
sean fallon s wife myra craig,married st marks shitlstin.thats where the family came from.
sadmanoninternetsearch csc.
sannabhoy and 2000 kids say hail hail to pablo’s family
11:40 on 2 August, 2014
Slightly off – topic request bhoys. And no smart remarks please!
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and poor sanna ends up with a page full of smart remarks
ah well ! horses for courses !
sanna
Glad to see you were able to get sorted.
Personally I had neigh idea!
:-)
HH!!