Georgios Samaras journey over the last twelve months has been astonishing. The player was subject to treatment by those who enjoying booing at the football and suffered the indignity of being subject to an exchange at last year’s AGM which must have made it difficult to rebuild confidence and form.
Now he is the most effective man in the team. He was involved in six out of Celtic’s eight Champions League qualifier goals. He has found his position, wide on the left, where he scores and creates more goals than he ever did as part of a forward two. The space on the wing allows those long legs to stretch and get behind defenders.
I’m not paying too much attention to the scare stories which emerged from Latvia last night following his elbow injury, we will need to wait on the results of a scan to know the extent of the damage, but there is modest alarm ahead of our opening Champions League group game against Benfica in 11 days.
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HT and thomthethim
That is a telling point about the captaincy. Although I would not place Billy in the World Class bracket, none of his rivals were any better. As a country we produced some great midfielders and attackers then but our keepers and defenders were not top class, in my opinion.
I think a lot of Celtic fans under-estimated Bertie too at the time, When I look back on the big European ties now, I rarely see a bad game from Bertie ( I even watched the Feyenoord game last year for the first time in ages and was surprised at how threatening Bertie was). He was a big time player and would have suited the international arena. Billy Bremner was a great player too but Bertie, as a seasoned pro, was his equal and better, between 67 and 70.
Jude2005,
Yea, me.
Provan had just tackled Jinky and the ball ran free.
Provan went after the ball, as did Bertie.
I think everyone knew what was going to happen.
It happened at Ibrox at the Celtic End.
Bertie was the the heart and soul of that team.
HH
ttt
I heard the crack from where I was standing at other side of the park..
Sftb,
Didn’t Bertie go off injured early in Milan?
Our hopes went with him, in spite of Yogi’s best efforts.
Your right, Billy wasn’t a great centre half. He couldn’t kick a ball properly, but he was imperious in the air and was a great leader.
Mynah Bird’s Apprentice,
Sometimes I question the decisions that I have made in life & where they have got me to.
Then I read the thoughts of people like yourself ( & your mentor) & realise that I could be in far worse places.
I thank you.
thomthethim
23:15 on 8 September, 2012
Big Billy was probably Scotland’s best player in the 9-3 game.
He was let down badly by Shearer and Caldow and his wing halfs, who chucked it.
*correct, there was a statement at the time that big Frank (who was 3rd back up goalie behind Lawrie Lesley and 7 past niven who both puled out injured) was crucified between 2 thieves.
They would play anyone ahead of Billy.
Mc.Kinnon, Ure, Young.
*think you’ll find that young was before Billy’s time and more Bobby Evans, big corkie young’s career as a right back was petering out, too slow, when willie woodburn was sine died, he was moved tae centre half for both club and country and was immediately made captain.
BTW the current humiliation of 4th tier seco is the worse they’ve had since woodburn.
Possibly because he would be the automatic captain and that would have been too much to stomach.
*fully concur there.
thomthethim
23:28 on 8 September, 2012
Jude2005,
Yea, me.
Provan had just tackled Jinky and the ball ran free.
Provan went after the ball, as did Bertie.
I think everyone knew what was going to happen.
It happened at Ibrox at the Celtic End.
*yip I was there tae, big provan jumped intae the tackle and wee ten thirty seen it coming and pulled back, as a result he broke his own leg, you could here the crack up in the Celtic end.
Bertie believed deep down we could beat Inter.
That’s what made the difference.
HH Bertie Auld
thomthethim
23:31 on 8 September, 2012
Sftb,
Didn’t Bertie go off injured early in Milan?
Our hopes went with him, in spite of Yogi’s best efforts.
Your right, Billy wasn’t a great centre half. He couldn’t kick a ball properly, but he was imperious in the air and was a great leader.
*I was in Milan that night and thought our best player was Evan Williams and our worse Big Billy
thomthethim
It was quite late in the 2nd half when Bertie was subbed to introduce George Connolly. He had been one of the few Celts to play up to expected standards that night though Evan Williams played above himself.
Bertie did add a drive to that team when other Celts were a wee bit too “nice” and tidy. When people were complaining about Celtic not having a gallery pleasing captain like Roy Aitken, I thought back to the contributions of men like Bertie who did not need a captain’s armband to know that he was expected to be a team leader.
Tontine,
The Young I was referring to was Willie Young, Aberdeen and Arsenal, I think.
I had forgotten about Big Corkie.
Sad to say but Jock got it wrong.
They were a better team than we thought.
We are all human and we all have our day.
Big Billy had more caps than mc Kinnon and Ure
jude
Billy got 29 caps between 1961 and 1972
McKinnon got 28 between 1965 and 1971
He got the nod more often during Billy’s prime years.
Ronnie McKinnon was the Andy Webster of his day. A solid performer with no obvious strengths.
Right anyone slagging of Big Billy
had better be ready to slug it out.
Big
Watching the highlights of Scotland game.
It will be interesting to see if Kenny Miller approaches Levein and says ” hey boss, I was blowing out my jacksie after 55 minutes today , and as a result when I had a couple of chances , I wasn’t fit enough to compose myself and finish them, so , if you need me on Tuesday, I will be there, but realistically you should look elsewhere boss”
Alternatively, Miller who , IMHO has always had too much to say to his mates in the press, will speak to them, and tell them that 0:0 at home vs Serbia is a great result ..and tomorrow’s headline is …. :-)
Jude,
Perhaps, I don’t know. However, if you add theirs together, they probably surpassed Billy’s total.
If that makes any sense.
Anyway gents, time for this ole codger to climb into his cot.
Enjoyed the reminiscing craic with my fellow pensioners.
We had the best of it, from the ’50s onwards………and some dark days too!
Night all and God Rest Jobo’s mum
RIP.
Gordon 64
No slagging of Billy.
He was a force of nature with Celtic and no-one else could have acted as a bridge between Mr. Stein and some of the rascals in that team. He rates much higher as a man with character than when he is measured strictly as a footballer, just like Tommy Burns.
Danny McGrain and Marc Reiper were both better defenders than Billy but neither of them troubled opposition defenders and goalies like Billy at the end of a Charlie Gllagher corner kick
“that’s put the cat among the pigeons” Wee Liam abt the second D Utd goal in the S C game at doomdome. Hilarious!!
thomthethim
23:42 on 8 September, 2012
Tontine,
The Young I was referring to was Willie Young, Aberdeen and Arsenal, I think.
*oops forgot about him, another thug.
ttt
Wiki say Billy ahead by one. I know i know.
Sellic game last again?? Night Oscar & Izzie.
Just watched the sportscene highlights of today’s game. Why do the bbc insist on having billy dodds as a commentator. He’s a total co*k, always yapping on about his own time in a scotland shirt. FFS, he should be commenting on the game in front of him.
Shame wee Jamesy never buried his late chance. Still, at least he’s not injured………..yet.
A Jura raised for Mother Jobo. A fine life and a fine son
HH
CRC
DJBEE
20:38 on
8 September, 2012
I have no doubt that today’s pain will turn to fond memories in time.
In the meantime, hold in there.
HH
CRC
Naismith still behaving like a hun. Totally shocking assault on the Serbian player and if he can be retrospectively red carded he deserves whats coming to him.
Was he unaware that there might be TV cameras at Hampden today?
I posted last night looking for advice from our spanish cqn brigade regarding traveling from Alicante to Lisbon for the Benfica v Barca game while on a week’s holiday in spain. I done some research today. Flights, tickets and a night in a lisboa swally n bed shop is circa a grand.
Mrs Ceilor is none too chuffed. However, young Ceiler is telling me to get it sorted, ha ha ha. That bhoy’s gonnay get me strung up.
My Dear Playmates….
Commissar Of The Radical Ursine Liberation Front…
Korporal Third-Klass Kilbowie..
Private Gordon Bennett (64)..
You Must Desist From These Injurious And Debilitating Verbal Jousts….
Which I Can Liken Only To Endless Re-Runs Of The ‘Battle Of Omdurman’….
With The Same,Inevitable Conclusion….
On Each Wearisome Occasion….
You LOSE AGAIN….
HEAVILY….
Such Reckless Bravado In The Face Of A Clearly Superior Opponent….Must Surely Be Against The Geneva Convention..? No ?
~~~~~~
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f6UmKsqz6aQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Df6UmKsqz6aQ&gl=US
Cavalry Charge:Battle Of Omdurman
QuiteTheYoungWinstonCSC.
(ThumbsUp?)
Sorry to have missed the ‘big yogi’retrospective.
His performance against Leeds in the semi at Hampden played a huge part in turning around a one goal deficit.
He had Cooper and Jack Charlton on toast, not to mention scoring.
As a player,he was hugely entertaining and wildly unpredictable.
Feed the bear,the bear,he`s every ……. where.
Must have been the first time that blow-up dolls were seen on the terraces.
Yeah,yeah.I know.
thomthethim,19:53 on 8 September, 2012,
edb,
One of the adjectives used to describe CT, was mercurial.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Just logged in and, thomthetim – has that wee Noel wan been eulogising about me again?
:-)))
If only the good guys at KDS had opposed the charge at Omdurman.
Or that our victories were not won only in our dreams.
Goodnight CQN
Lots of bear on bear action going on over on hunmedia right now. It makes the wee spats on here look quite trivial, although after two weeks of posting it is apparent there are some prize heidbangers here too.
It’s amazing what a couple of well timed posts can achieve over there.
They seem to hate each other right now more than the rest of scottish football hates them.
And they keep telling us they’re happy playing in the fourth division.
selfdestruct.com
MAYDAY..MAYDAY..MAYDAY..
Aged Steamer Torpedoed On The Eastern American Seaboard….
Taking In Water..And Sinking Fast..
Oh….The Humanity….!
. SAVE OUR SOULS .
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Curse You….’Narrowboat Tim’..And All Who Sail On You”….
“Sack The Bored ! Sack The Bored !”
“Whaurs The Donut Noo…?”
ABANDON SHIP !…ABANDON SHIP !…
“Whit ! Palomine….If Ye Think Ah’m Gonnae Get Ontae One O’ Yon Wee ORANGE Lifeboats….!”
“Ye’ve Goat Anither Thing Comin’…”
Aye_Naw_Aye_Naw…….
” Aye….????”
” OK….Fortunes Favour….Gies A Haun’ Doon……”
“An’ Keep Yer Hauns Tae Yerself….Ya Chancer ”
“DId Yer Mither No Learn Ye Tae Haud Doors Open….Fir A LADY….!! ”
“Jeez Louise !! This Water’s Cold….”
Jobo
As sore as it gets…..
God bless..
Sky channel 320 are right now showing a program that epitomises the fat pie muncher’s tenure at the helm of the deadco / sevco. Very perceptive of them
Went to my local kebab shop there.
As I approached some Scotland fans were leaving the scene, one of them being dragged away by his mates.
“I f@@@ing hate them, I want to kill him”
So I walk past and try to enter the kebab shop.
(Sited between the Rosevale and the Windsor Tavern).
Big fat bloke barring my way, and not moving.
‘Loyal Protestant Something’ written on his chest.
“Scuse me mate” says I, and he looks at me then lets me in.
Then the real horror begins.
The wummin are inside.
I didn’t know there is a women’s Orange Order, but I do now.
Ordered pizza, then buried myself in my phone.
The hellcats raged on about everything under the sun, the level of hatred about everything really surprised me.
They left, and I got my pizza.
Which was very good.
I’m beginning to learn what you non Whitecrook boys have had to put up with.
The Sexual Disease at 00,59 on 9 September 2012,
Could you do everyone on here a favour?
Swallow the horse tablets and disappear!
My late mothers favourite.
For DBBIA,DJBEE,Jobo