Martin O’Neill is royalty. In his company, everyone is on form. They listen to whatever he says, no one interrupts him, no one contradicts. If you tell Martin a joke, you make sure it’s funny. Even the A-graders watch their words around him.
This kind of respect is hard won. He delivered as a player, possessing two European Cup winner’s medals. As manager of Leicester City, he reached three League Cup finals in four season, winning two.
His arrival in Glasgow in 2000 changed football here forever. Despite winning the league in 1998 Celtic were perennial underdogs for 12 years, forever trying to catch up with their neighbours. We have lost five leagues in the subsequence 18 years, but even during the darkest of those days, we remained a formidable opponent to all in Scotland.
Martin’s formula was straightforward. He liked defenders who would win and clear the ball. He liked wide players who were good at crossing the ball and he liked strikers who scored goals. The recent sequence of hundreds of corner kicks Celtic failed to converted over nine months was unthinkable in Martin’s time. Back then the panic was over how few goals we scored from open play. Send the ball forward, get it into the box, everyone attack the ball.
It worked. Then the (rightly) maligned Alex McLeish arrived at Ibrox, played three up front against Celtic’s three central defenders and won the first five trophies available to him. Alex. McLeish. Celtic responded by winning 25 consecutive league games in season 2003-04, the most dominating champions up until that point, but Larsson left and the stars of Thompson, Sutton and Hartson faded. There was no sustainable strategy.
If Martin O’Neill was sitting beside me right now I would be in awe, but the writing has been on the wall for well over a decade regarding his football management prowess. Martin had the magic potion in the late 90s and early 2000s. He went toe-to-toe with Mourinho – the latter only edged their epic encounter with far better players, but his systems were ineffective against modern players and on modern pitches.
He reached the Euros with Ireland, despite the remarkable (cough) choice of Roy Keane as his assistant, and only a pummelling by Denmark stopped Ireland reaching this year’s World Cup, but the style of football was little changed from his days in Glasgow.
The people of Leicester adored him, then some other guy came along and won the league. He is adored in Glasgow too, but some other guy followed him and took us into the once fabled ‘next stage’ in the Champions League, others beat Barcelona and won double trebles. He was a titan when he left town in 2005, eclipsed only by Jock Stein, but revisionism has not been kind.
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talking of picture houses, someone correct me ,but I think it was the odeon renfield st, my mum and dad took me to see one of the bond films, might have been dr no or thunderball circa 64/65.hh.
MacJay
Crackin photo of our school.
BankieBhoys too.
YNWA
Res 12.I read Auldheids post,the only person I listen to on this matter,not the chattering Board haters,who willtake anything available to have a go ,and I can see his frustration.What we do,God only knows,I dont,and neither does anyone else.I will continue to listen to Auldheid on the matter.When he tells me the Board ,on this subject are a shower of useless bassas,I will concur.
Meanwhile,I cant wait for Saturday.For quite a few,you do know we have a game on Saturday? Yes,you knew that,right.
Turkeybhoy
I think our board are lying charlatans who have sold us down the river. I detest Bankier. Never a Celtic man. I respect Lawwell, but wish he would bat differently sometimes. Got ticket for Hamilton on Saturday. I support Celtic the team. The board are irrelevant come Saturday 12.30. I will be in Hamilton supporting my team.
Times like these are magic.
YNWA
DELANEYS DUNKY
Rosevale Cinema?
Yes -lots of times.Late 50s /early 60s.
Fighting at the Flicks? Try coming from Maryhill and running the gauntlet of Young Buck inside and outside the Rio @Canniesburn.That Glasgow gang crap bored the shit out of me. I was delighted to day goodbye to it in 68
BIG PACKY 1 on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 8:21 PM
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON. just tickled me there when you mentioned caur, my late uncle packy who I take my blog name from, always said caur never car but the weirdest thing was, all his brothers said car including my mum his sister, anyway apologies to the blog if you think im talking shit,hh.?
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I have great affection for the Glesca patter.
SOT
While oor mates were making war in gang fights, I was making love with the lassies left behind.?
Make Love Not War!
ALASDAIR MACLEAN on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 8:24 PM
Nice one. Thanks.
Slightly reminiscent of Jethro Tull.
Whistle for flute.
Mumford and Sons new album being played on Radio X. Change of sound from them. In a good way.
YNWA
Big Packy 1
I will correct you
It was Goldfinger, the Muirend cinema and it was your cousin who went
?
Macjay
Don`t know if you saw this from this morning but I am re-posting to let you see that I was not TOTALLY against your earlier post! :
“MAcjay
Although I have seen fit to repost SFTB`s post,, I still think your original post has merit.
I have often argued that people are far too strong and rigid in proffering opinion accompanied by little knowledge and no evidence.I did not feel that that was the case in most of the posts criticising Celtic plc`s lack of action and disclosure on resolution 12. The Board DO seem reluctant to be transparent about this particular issue.They MIGHT have good reason so to do but supporters/shareholders have equally good reason to question .
Damp in Arbroath but not very windy so a wee bike ride beckons.
Cheerio for now.
JJ
Macjay
Have to say it seems a strange line to take against MWD’s swearie-filled invective.
MWD was not criticising PL’s expertise in running a PLC so I don’t see why any level of business expertise is required in order to swear at someone.
The site rules took care of that.
Your points made in response to MWD are extremely tangential; you would have been more apposite in critiquing his abilty to swear coherently.
SFTB
Magic ??
YNWA
JMC-couldn’t agree more,the mon years where the years my stepson fell in love with Celtic,And I take all the blame???
Macjay-thankfully you found pictures of cinema or you might have been toast?
Turkeybhoy….
was going to ask why you seem so angry today …. but then I remembered … thanksgiving, right?
:)
CONEYBHOY. how did you know that.hh.
And yet this place is meant to be a cyber pub?as long as you bring a dictionary maybe ??
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 9:15 PM
Macjay
” Swearie – filled invective ”
AND the ridiculous suggestions by Celtic supporters that they should sue Celtic FC.
” MWD was not criticising PL’s expertise in running a PLC so I don’t see why any level of business expertise is required in order to swear at someone.’
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You really think that , SFTB ?
Really.
Well , I wouldn`t like to see his turn of phrase if he was criticising.
BTW. I didn`t mention the name . You chose to.
Go ==== youreslf Peter Lawell and get the ==== away from my club you cretinous ====! Go save your RANGERS you ====. ==== OFF YESTERDAY. And go ==== any so called TIM who harbours any ounce of respect for that ===== or his BOSS! Pair of OLD FIRM living === punching ======= !
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Nah. Not criticism.
Just bland inoffensive commentary.
Jeez , mate. You been communing with DD and the mushroom fraternity ?
:-)
MACJAY -brilliant ??
Fairhill
These guys are great.
Magic, committed , passionate Tims like you and me.
We have a different view of the way our Club is run, that`s all. But I`ll bet we could all have a pint and a laugh together.
MacJay
SFTB and I were communing in McChuills last Saturday. No magic shrooms involved. Only a few pints of Genius. ?
YNWA
MACJAY-I definitely agree on the passionate part,and love reading the jibber jabber on here,but going for a pint??
DELANEYS DUNKY on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 10:01 PM
I would have loved that.
It would have given me the opportunity to enlighten SFTB on matters political.
No. Seriously , I`m sure you all had a ball.
Still no movement on the BMCUW situation. Sadly.
Affoot the noo.
Bring ON the HamiltON .
SOUTH OF TUNIS
TBB
The loss of simultaneity is a natural consequence of gardening.
Back to the relativity por cierto.
MIKE IN TORONTO on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 9:31 PM
Turkeybhoy….
was going to ask why you seem so angry today …. but then I remembered … thanksgiving, right?
MIT.
That made me laugh.
Turkeybhoy.
Not like you not to have a witty reply.
Do you think MITs comment was fowl?
Hail Hail
O God, this just come up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihJAJA4ibEs
MIT
Do you celebrate Thanksgiving with a meal of Bubblyjock?
Auldscotsisaffitsheid CSC
?⚽️
MIKE IN TORONTO on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 9:31 PM
Too funny Mike! Tested some of my stitches! ?
HH
TC45
Glad you lads thought it was funny …. when Turkeybhoy didn’t respond, I was afraid that maybe I had offended him (TB … not my intention to offend, honest!)
JNP … boo!
C45 … hope you are doing well, mate. Have you ever had a deep-fried turkey? Apparently, they are delicious.
i have always wanted to try doing that one year…
TC45
Hope you’re well?
HH
CRC
MIT,CRC,
Thank y’all, doing better ghuys! Great to be home, that is for sure!
Tried the deep fried turkey Mike, much prefer to roast it outside in my Weber. Had a mate attempt the fried bird, almost burned his deck down! Alcohol and fire/ hot oil Not a good combination!,
HH
TC45
Jobo,
Playa Blanca has many charms.
You can indulge your fitness from Imones to Papagayo, without interruption.
Hopefully it will be sunny tomorrow.
Enjoy.
Eurochamps67
TC45
There are always stories about that on the news … somebody drops a frozen turkey into the deep fryer, and the thing blows up like an atomic bomb! Would be hilarious except they usually manage to burn down a house or two in the process!
MIT
You coming over to the club on 29th Dec?
TAL
Hadn’t firmed up plans with Almore … was hoping to do dinner or something… whatever works best for Almore
No probs Mike, whatever works.
My wife has offered to do a big breakfast for the Irish guests after we’ve humped the zombies, so you’re more than welcome to be part of that – you won’t regret it :-)
Should set everyone up for the day. I was hoping to get a few CQNers together for the afternoon to have a wee social gathering in the club as Almore has indicated he is free for the day. Let me know your thoughts and we will try and make his visit a good laugh. Have you heard from Tony?
HH
MIT
Lol liked the thanksgiving suggestion.hope life’s good mate.i know a couple of good Tim’s out your way.michael cannon orig from paisley and Peter Cassidy orig from pollok.both engineers.both settled your neck of woods.
HH
TAL
The brunch sounds brilliant. I’m sure Almore would enjoy that.