Amid the enormous events of the season it is easy to overlook the remarkable transformation in Celtic from a team which was bumping along in third place in October. The 3-3 draw at Rugby Park, when Celtic recovered from a 3 goal deficit in the final 20 minutes to grab a point, is often referred to as a turning point but I don’t subscribe to this, Celtic drew 0-0 at home to Hibs two weeks later as the deficit from the top of the league headed towards 15 points, albeit with two games in hand.
It’s not often I’m told “get a grip of yourself” but that’s exactly what was said when I suggested to our chief executive that if we lost the next game away to Motherwell we were in danger of finishing third.
He then went on to quote me the points gained/lost ratio Neil Lennon enjoyed between becoming Celtic caretaker manager until his team lost at home to St Johnstone in August – a remarkably successful period. He knew the same ratio between that St Johnstone game and the 0-0 against Hibs, which he said was a problem that would be fixed. For good measure adding that we would beat Rangers on 28 December and go on to win the league.
Refreshing, though it was, to hear such utter conviction in The Plan, I wasn’t convinced. Rangers were on a roll and we just couldn’t put a series of wins together. The change came against Rennes on 3 November. Celtic came from behind to win the game 3-1, playing a tactically different game than we had all season.
Since then Neil Lennon has bravely changed tactics with more regularity than any Celtic manager I have known, even during games we have often seen three different strategies deployed. Not all have worked but he has shown a willingness to take chances and has learned plenty about his squad in doing so.
This willingness to take chances and to learn has delivered the league title.
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1,064 Comments- Pages:
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31003
Any miserable Huns within earshot yesterday?
Hope you didnae get intae any scraps cos ah wisnae there tae gie ye hauners
MWD
I hope you have no intention of putting any video footage on YouTube etc from yesterday……I have a reputation to uphold!! :-)
TTTT
Thank you and all happy Easter to you and your family.
Thanks Sparkleghirl
Just a personal opinion, but I don’t want any titles that might be taken from THEM, they are truly tainted. The history books should reflect that and show forever more that the title was null & void for those seasons due to cheating.
T4
Invercelt on 8 April, 2012 at 13:46 said:
Agent Craig @13.39,
You’re right about the comment on FF’s medal, but it looks as if you’re tarring all Geordies. Surely not? In my experience, they’re a great bunch – England’s Clydesiders.
Not at all.Got to know a lovely Geordie family who owned a bar in Puerto del Carmen.The bar became our local over the few years they owned it and we’d regularly watch the Newcastle or Celtic matches together.
But
Worked with a bitter hun a few years back ( during the now questionable 9 in a row era ) who had family and friends in Newcastle.So being my mature self i have always enjoyed the trophyless seasons of the Geordies as i know how he felt about them.
Also think Pardew has abit of hunnishism ( is that a word, it is now ) about him.Horrible man.
LET THE PEOPLE SING!!
MWD
Stick it on and gie HT a riddy!!
CFC2012- to infinity
Novo lived next to a guy I play golf with. (big Celtic man). His boy was a total pest. Guy tells the boy to behave himself and the boys reply was. ” shut it dae you know who my faither is?”
Cue reply ” Listen son your mother doesn’t know who your faither is”
shocker
Seville67
Rangers v St Mirren attendance yesterday
46,998
THEY DON’T DO WALKING AWAY
MWD
TTTT
They’re only tainted due to the ‘winners’ greed and neglect.
I’d take them in a heartbeat…here we go to 12 in a row!!! :-)
Do not know if any golfers remember me walking into Levin club house.The outing BJMAC organised?
I asked who thinks we can win the league? Not many said Celtic(l did). We were 10pts behind at that point.
Lesson is never ever give it up till its numerically impossible, we have a man in charge who has been assaulted, battered, bombs bullets need l go on?
Never give up on that man.Neil Lennon you will do for me.
Keep the Faith
Mtt
Smashie
Don’t worry its nout as daft as breakin yer foot dain a conga!!
tommytwiststommyturns on 8 April, 2012 at 14:10:
I’m with you mate. Sorry hamiltontim disagree with you. let the record books show null and void.
You have a long night?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
HT
True….very true, but it’s still a good story tae tell!!
H H
That was fabulous yesterday.Does Charlie Mulgrew have Brazilian blood in him?
Thought the support was incredible and were an absolute credit to our club.
Champions with such a young squad,bodes well for the next few years.
Thank you Neil,no-one deserves it more.
C H A M P I O N S !
P.S. Best wishes to young Paul George,hopefully he’ll emerge stronger.
mickthetic
2008 taught my heart never to give up no matter how unlikely my heid tells me it’ll be.
HT
That video will be on your a tube soon. :-))))
Only joking buddy. I’ll txt you it though. Needs a wee bit of photoshop to soften out the blemishes and wrinkles.
MWD
I’m watchin’ the ManU game and I couldn’t care less…….yesterday was electric,and the Celtic fans @ Rugby Pk. were spine-tingling. ESPN,for once,gave us excellent coverage. I had the whole surround sound thing goin’ on and it was an incredible afternoon.
The Bhoys were on form,and the mighty Neil Lennon had us set up for an outstanding win to take the league.
Championes!
Well done to all involved! HH!
Sir Paul.
Tactics.. Smactics!
You know whit Ah think …o’ .. Tactics.
No Much!
It’s Awe Aboot…Attitude, kiddo..
Attitude, wull get ye .. Everywhere… NO TACTICS!!!
It’s Attitude.. jist like Guid Tobacco.. That
Coonts!!
Anyway..
The G.A. Hiv Eschewed.. Tactics.. as weel…
From noo oan.. they are woiking oan the … King Robert the Bruce’s Ancient Adage..wi’ a Few Major Adjustments, of course..
“If at Foist they dinna Succeed.. Gie The G.A. A Penalty…and
If Again they Dinnae Succeed.. Gie The G.A. ANITHER,Penalty… and
If They, STILL…. DInnae Succeed.. Gie The G.A. ANITHER,Penalty.. and this time,tae mak siccar..
Dish oot a Red Card tae the Opposition.. as weel.. while ye are at it”
And..
Ye know sumthin, Paul.
It Woiks!!
How Aboot That.. Folks?
Yep.. Dae the Refs Favour the G.A.?
Well..
Is the Pope.. a German?
Kojo
Still, Laughin’
Lennybhoy
Yep very long, PFayr, Bundoran Bhoy and I were last men standing (I think!!)
How’s your head today?
Smashie
Nowhere better to do it than watching the Hoops!!!
Hibs 1 Motherwell 1.
HT
I have a couple of pics on my phone from Bar67 last Sunday.. Can’t remember taking them… o))
MWD get the video on and show me and TTT what we missed….
One of Kerry’s great gaelic footballers John Egan has die at the age
of 59.
Gaelic Games: Former Kerry great John Egan has passed away at the age of 59 at his home in Cork. The six-time All-Ireland winner was part of the Kingdom’s legendary sides of the 1970s and 80s, playing in eight All-Ireland finals and representing the county for 12 years up until 1984.
One of the greatest corner forwards to play the game, Egan played 41 championships games for Kerry, scoring 14-59. He also played in 65 league games, notching up a tally of 21-59 and winning it on four occasions.
During his senior career he also won 11 Munster finals out of 14 he played in and was named an All Star on five occasions.
Chairman of Kerry County Committee, Patrick O’Sullivan, expressed his sorrow on the passing of Egan and extended his deepest sympathies to his wife Mary, son John, who is on the books at Sunderland, daughter Maureen and to John’s beloved club Sneem.
Egan was a member of Garda Síochána and was based in Cork.
MWD
Good man. Did you get out for a swallie?
mic1888…………as requested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQbbrvpEnvU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
BT
:-))))))))
Me too!!!!
MWD
4,000 empty seats at yesterdays game. Ditto against Hearts last month
So much for ‘loyal’ eh? :)
You are right Paul67 and you were correct to express concern back then. This squad is young and look as though they needed the shock of loosing 3 games before the leaves were off the trees. They then became one of the most consistent Celtic sides I have watched. Some victories were hard earned some, lucky, some great. Neil Lennon picked the team, chose the tactics and made the substitutions.
An improvement next season would see us sign a prolific striker, and a box to box workhorse for the middle of the park. Hopefully our new centre half gives us more steal and pace. I’d like to see Charlie play in there next season with Izzy restored to left back.
Our titles
Happy to let the records show why they have been accredited to second placed competitors.
IMO a better reminder why cheating cannot be allowed to scar honest competitors.
HT
Stayed local buddy and home for 8ish with a couple of bottles of champers in hand.
Changed man over the last year or so. More comfortable staying local.
MWD
SMB u oan the recovery juice or wiz it a tuna toastie ???
31003 now known as cuddles…….
@OfficialNeil: Thank you all for yesterday it will live long in my memory…so happy for our players and The Celtic Family #onelove
I posted last night but for some reason it didn’t appear.
MWD – great seeing you yesterday, for not being blessed with brad Pitt looks, you are looking great my friend ;-)))
HT – brilliant day, thank you for your part in a special special day.
Here is a link to the Carluke Shamrock podcast, all recorded yesterday including interviews with Phil macgoillabhan, Paul Larkin and many of the shambolic members – members being an appropriate homophone to describe many of us ;-)))))
hh
bjmac
31003 from earlier
Not a medic-DBBIA is yer man for that-but anytime I get a cut I carefully apply some god quality superglue.
The area it is applied to has to be as moisture-free as possible.
I sincerely hope this doesn’t fly in the face of more learned opinion than my own,but it always works for me.
hamiltontim on 8 April, 2012 at 14:21:
Head is fine actually, went home early as I was reading at 9:30 Mass on was my turn to take the Sacrament to the local Hospital.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Vmhan Supporting Lenny! on 8 April, 2012 at 14:25 said:
Palacio67
Just seen a pic of the Black Cat Celts doing the conga out in the street :>) I’ll post it on FB . V
Happy and Blessed Easter to all the Celtic Family
What a great day yesterday – and I have to say that the difference wasn’t tactics it was the way we started – it reminded me of the away game at the Edinburgh mob.
Onwards to the double with Lenny and the Bhoys
Afternoon CHAMPIONS ,
big shout out to all the Tims who made yesterday such a memorable day .
TTT (for the transport – hope you’re feeling better), MWD (cheers for the ticket) , Greenlion2 , Tony andy Keiron , Emmet , Brian (bhoyobhoy) , CRC , Calton Tongues , HamiltonTim , PFAYR , Bundoranbhoy , TTTT , Dave , Roddie , Dennis and anyone else i’ve forgotten -well it was a good and long day.
HT , PFAYR , Bundoran – apologies for bailing out – by the sound of it , i’d have been even more of a mess if i’d stayed.
HH to everyone – CHAMPiONEEES , CHAMPiONEEES , OLE , OLE , OLE
Sanna
T4 14:10:… Agree completely. Let the Queen of the South’s and Falkirk’s claim their trophys that they never had a fair chance of winning anyway.
But we don’t need no stinking tainted titles. We’ll win plenty the Celtic way, in style.
Oh and by the way. When did Charlie Mulgrew get a right foot? Seriously he has probably been Player of the Year on one leg!
El Mad