Scotland returned to their Glorious Failure nation status last night after completing their final five games of the World Cup qualifiers with three wins and two draws, a decade high-water mark. Glorious Failure being a status well ahead of the recently-discarded Pathetic Failure nation status.
We can now compete with decent sides, like Slovenia, Slovakia and England, and win comfortably away from home against Lithuania, who we were unable to beat at Hampden one year ago yesterday.
Problem is, I have a niggling feeling that this recent success has more to do with Brendan Rodgers than anyone else. In delivering an Invincible season and two Champions League group stage qualifications with overwhelmingly Scottish players, Brendan has effectively said: “Gordon, check out the really good players you have here”.
It is not all Gordon Strachan’s fault that he didn’t pick any Celtic players in the 1-1 home draw with Lithuania, whereas he selected six Celts in the recent 0-3 away win. Scott Brown was temporarily retired from international football then, and Stuart Armstrong and Callum McGregor were struggling to get into the Celtic team. But the omission of Gordon, Tierney, Griffiths and Forrest for large parts of the early campaign, in retrospect, looks unforgivable.
The reason Scotland didn’t qualify for the World Cup has less to do with our genetics, than the fact that we didn’t select our best players for the home game against Lithuania (for example). The fact that Gordon didn’t pick so many Celtic players early in the campaign, as he did later, reflects the corresponding appreciation in Celtic players’ stock over the period. But picking the right players is a big part of the job. We have a relatively small pool of talent and the manager missed a lot of value.
For you and I there is a compensation. We will not have the stress of worrying about having to play Champions League qualifiers with up to a dozen players on World Cup duty. The bulk of the squad will go through a preseason routine designed for Celtic’s needs. The Scottish players will also not have to compete in a play-off round amid Champions League games against Bayern Munich and the final stages of the League Cup.
The rest of the country will have no compensation, only disappointment that they are unable to participate in a Celtic dividend.
Fancy yourself as a collector of Celtic memorabilia? James Forrest’s match-worn National Famine Memorial Day shirt is available for raffle later today. These shirts are go for incredible sums at auction, but this one is open to the wider community.
Oh! And if you know your history, you will know what good you will do by participating. Laters…………
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NEW CQN PODCAST – A CELTIC STATE OF MIND OUT NOW!
A NEW CQN Podcast is out now featuring interviews with Celtic legends Bobby Lennox, John Fallon, Tommy Callaghan and Kenny Dalglish.
This week, ‘A Celtic State of Mind’ pays tribute to The Quality Street Gang.
In the second of a two-part series, Paul John Dykes interviews:
Bobby Lennox, John Fallon, Tommy Callaghan and Kenny Dalglish!
The discussion is all about one of the finest crops of youngsters ever to emerge from Celtic Park…
And we finally reveal just where that nickname came from.
Enjoy the new podcast…
The new Invincibles treble disc DVD is now available from CQN Bookstore HERE. It is quite simply unmissable. What a season that was!
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COWIEBHOY @5-03
What evidence do you base your assumption on that CMcGregor is not international class?
I don’t recall him playing international football for Scotland.
WITS, ThomtheTim, 50 Shades & BillyBear, really appreciate it. CQN never lets you down, can’t wait to show Niamh.
Corkcelt
Done – good luck to your ghirl
Corkcelt
I wouldn’t consider anyone other than Make Up by Niamh, for beautician needs. :))
Vote cast. Good luck.
Corkcelt:
Prayers offered.Wish Niamh all the best from a Belfasthoop.
Jobo, TET, Lennybhoy, Jophes & the dashing Delaney’s Donkey, Thank you all so much.
I’m welded to CQN for life after this, if I ever threaten to flounce remind me that ye were there when I needed ye.
DELANEYS DUNKY .car brokedown this morning two guys stopped towed me to nearest garage. one was polish one was irish wouldnt take a penny lovely guys. thought youd like that hail hail.
Fan-A-Tic
Did you not just answer the question you posed :-))
Hail Hail the Celts will be back on Saturday
Corky…
Done the lipstick….
Smiley red thing…
Best of luck to the wee wan …
Braw
Corkcelt, vote cast all the way from Mexico :-)
Corkcelt…just voted. Good luck to Niamh…
COWIEBHOY
Not being picked by wee fearty but well used by Brendan.:-)
I know who’s judgement i would trust.
KT may have been one to get away if not given the chance at Celtic top team.
Fortunately the unavailability of Izzy and Mulgrew gave him the chance to prove himself at that level.
I see it written here often that if player was good enough he would get the chance but it is not really something that can be proven unless player gets a run of games in that environment.
CORKCELT
Done .Good luck to your girl.
Corkcelt , just voted good luck to your good lass
CORKCELT on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 5:51 PM
Just voted for Niamh. Hope she wins.
BhoyJoe, Nuestadt,CowieBhoy,WeeBobbyCollins, Fan-a-tic.
Thank you all so much, it feels like Christmas here.
Corky- done
Fanatic,
I agree the coach made some poor selections. IMHO, the basic problem is we are not producing international class players. That will only change if there is a plan to do so. Belgium managed it. Why can’t we?
I also agree that there is institutional bias against Celtic players. Perhaps there will be peace in the Middle East before Scotland qualifies for a major tournament.
Rebus
Imo, WGS has played way too often and totally unnecessarily players who have proved on the pitch they are not International class. Too too many of them can’t even get a game for their clubs and still he has stood by them. Only reason I can think of, apart from his being thrawn, is that they play in England.
Corkcelt, another vote for Niamh
Corkcelt the swedish vote goes to Niamh
BP
Nice to hear. My granda fae Gdansk got a good result yesterday. Hope my granda fae Sligo gets a good result tonight. :)
CORKCELT
Voted for your young colleen. I don’t require her services yet though. No bad lookin still the wife says.
KEEP THE FAITH
Corkcelt,
From one who never leaves the house without a liberal application of ‘slap’ I know the value of those such as your daughter.
Vote cast.
Good luck Naimh
Fan-A-Tic
I hope Scott Brown now gives up International football
Celtic, is all that matters FtSFA
Corkcelt,
Vote cast. Best of luck to your Darling Daughter !
Just reading there 10 years today since Lennoxtown opened
https://videocelts.com/2017/10/blogs/latest-news/ten-years-of-lennoxtown-graduates/
REBUS67
The SFA have two very obvious plans one being self enrichment and the other is elevate the huns.
The inept twats are failing at both which is no surprise.
Even good players struggle in poorly implemented teams so it’s hard to tell if the quality is there or not at this level.
Northern Ireland have done well with fairly limited players but they have a coach whose systems maximize their talent.
When you hear Boyd on the radio you start to think EBThompson isn’t too bad…..
DELANEYS DUNKY hail hail.
Corky add another vote
………and another thing.
If WGS was so worried about the height in his team, why did he play the diminutive, under played Robertson when he could have played the taller and experienced Whittaker at right back, with Kieran back into his natural position.
I think he had other reasons for his team selection and lack of tactics.
Wee Bawbabitty, Greenbingley,Bada,Nothing withoutFans, Puffnstuff,,Tony Rome,Bateen Bhoy, MadRebmacs Grandpa. Thank you all so much.
I’m worried in case I leave anyone out.
I’m humbled here & terrified as well, just realized this will cost me a fortune should I end up at a CQN bash.
Seriously I’m really grateful to everyone, rang Niamh & told her response, she is calling over after the Wales/Ireland game to read blog and to say thank you.
Corkcelt
Voted, good luck to Niamh.
CORKCELT. dont you start gloating if your bhoys win tonight hail hail.
Corkcelt,
Another vote for your daughter. Good luck to her.
Murdoch & Sid, thank you so much, Big Packy, I’m on a high here, earlier on didn’t think we had a chance but now anything is possible. COYBIG.