One year ago, we dared hope for an invincible treble but it seemed impossible, even the greats never achieved it. The Lions lost home and away to Dundee United in season 1966-67, while we achieved the treble on only two other occasions. When Tom Rogic dinked a 90th minute winner in the Scottish Cup final you and I knew the level of achievement.
At that point, 2017 went down in our history as a year bettered only by 1967. 2003 came close, but season 2002-03 is remembered fondly for its endearing frailties. Celtic were simply peerless as they secured the club’s fourth treble.
With half of season 2017-18 complete, the first leg of what would be an unprecedented second successive treble is complete, but signs are clear that this team peaked some months ago, despite qualification for the Europa League knockout rounds.
Aware of the exceptional (from a Scottish perspective) demands on his players of completing in every round of cup competitions, a dozen European games and international football, Brendan Rodgers has rotated his squad this season more than any previous Celtic manager. While this was doubtlessly the correct action, performances inevitably took a hit when our two exceptional and experience strikers were watching from the side-lines. In football, you often need to take a backwards step to make long-term gains.
This didn’t really bothered me. I liked watching Odsonne Edouard, Anthony Ralston and Calvin Miller. Being able to win the league while developing talent in this manner is one of the few benefits of being stuck in a small league.
Ultimately, even our top performers struggled to raise their game. Defeat eventually arrived, a timely signpost for the club as they plan ahead.
You and I have studied the structure of the club for many years. We have never known it to be as stable. Income last season topped £90m, the first time it reached this level, and with a fair wind, it could reach nine figures this season.
These riches come with fresh risks. Wage levels have rocketed in line with performances. We can afford our current operating levels – and can even afford an occasional reversal in the Champions League qualifiers, but there is a misalignment at the heart of what we are doing.
In his opening transfer window, Brendan added Moussa Dembele (who was already on the Ronny Deila target list) and Scott Sinclair. Both made a phenomenal contribution to the success which followed. This season, with Scott struggling to recapture his earlier form and Moussa hampered by injury, the big contributions have come from players who were at the club under the Ronny regime. Indeed, of the Celtic team which ended the year, only Olivier Ntcham was a Brendan Rodgers signing.
What we have added since the summer of 2016 is management expertise. Brendan took Ronny’s squad to levels none of us thought possible, but only two of his signings are automatic first-choice.
This is not necessarily against plan. When you sign French youth internationals like Ntcham and Edouard you do not expect them to immediately displace more experienced players. Players do not mature at the same rate – Kieran Tierney got their earlier than Kenny Dalglish, so if the plan is to recruit the best French and Scottish youth talent, patience will be required.
Notwithstanding this, Brendan will want to have more of his own signings grabbing starting slots in the big games. The players who were there under Ronny have made Herculean progress, but that invincible treble was their high point.
On that front, Lee Congerton joined in March as chief scout, a few months after the phenomenally successful John Park era ended. Scouting is as much about relationships as judgement and the environment is not conducive to friendship-making. Park’s job became increasingly difficult, despite his encyclopaedic knowledge of players sound judgement. Over his tenure, the Celtic proposition became comparatively less attractive.
The mere fact that Brendan Rodgers is manager changed this. Moussa didn’t sign for Ronny in January 2016 but put pen to paper for Brendan six months later. It is the job of Lee Congerton to make the most of the Celtic proposition, Brendan Rodgers and Champions League football to deliver players that can push us further in the Champions League.
Nothing of significance has changed in our chances of escaping our playing environment. We will remain in Scotland until at least the bubble inflating football incomes elsewhere bursts, most significantly of all in England. Within months the next England and Wales Premier League TV rights auction will conclude.
Premier League audiences have dwindled since the last rights were issued but Sky TV’s entire existence is predicated on winning a significant portion of these rights. The Premier League is trying to attract bids from Amazon and Facebook, so it is possible rights values could increase despite falling audience figures. But we can hope.
Until then, our role in the world is to dominate the life out of our domestic rivals, qualify for the Champions League and continue to add to the unique story of Celtic.
I loved every minute of being a Celtic supporter in 2017. It was thrilling, captivating and inspiring. Whatever it brings, your club will be an exciting place over the next 12 months. Enjoy it.
Take care and thank you for all your support. I hope you each have a Happy New Year and healthy 2018.
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW! CHRISTMAS JUMPERS FOR GOALPOSTS
Paul John Dykes and Kevin Graham are joined by Celtic authors, Stephen Sullivan and Stevie Murray for a special festive episode – Christmas Jumpers for Goal-Posts.
Stephen Sullivan is a former Celtic View reporter who wrote the much-lauded Sean Fallon biography, ‘Iron Man’. He is now the editor of FIFA.com.
Stevie Murray has now written two books on Celtic – ‘Ten Men Won The League’ and ‘Kenny of the Celtic’ – and he is a respected and authoritative voice on the club.
Treat yourself to a signed copy of Jim Craig – Right Back to 67 and you will receive a copy of That Season on Paradise signed by Bertie Auld, just order the Jim Craig book at CQNbookstore.co.uk and we’ll do the rest…
937 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- ...
- 25
- »
Travis – Side…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VK3Q4SLVkAU
Kaiser Chiefs – Modern Way…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=RDEM9nZHfixrusxZHdTZscM76g¶ms=OAFIAVgJ&v=SnxNJbWCcng&mode=NORMAL
The Thrills – Santa Cruz You’re Not That Far…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V9lTvEgARl8
Happy New Year to All.
Luke 2:14.
Need to see the Tom Rogic clip.
Not working. :((
Despite Mika playing so bad he saved a Certain goal.
Despite Broonie being MOTM, he messed up twice when last Man or almost last man.
Olivier was MOTM, despite the little Time.
Craig made World Class saves but he isn’t the answer.
Happy New Year to all the good Tim’s on here and the bad ones lol
Let’s celebrate 7 in a row like it’s your first, if we can’t get justice we get shadenfreude on steroids lol.
Party’s, ra discos its Fiesta time, bring your mum’s dad’s aunties uncle’s sons and daughters, don’t go home until someone takes you home.
77777777777777777777uu7uu7777777777777777777777777777777uu7u777
From a now calm and mild Betty Ford clinic in the North Sea; I wish you all, health, happiness and peace for 2018.
A special mention to our host Paul 67 for giving us this vibrant internet forum. It remains the best vehicle for all things Celtic and beyond.
Enjoy the day guys, my day will come on the 4th.
HH to all , and roll on the darts tonight.
Happy new year to all. 2018 will be the year I hang up the working boots as I’m taking early retirement in June. Hopefully I’ll be having a wee drink to celebrate my retirement AND back to back trebles.
Hail hail
Happy New Year To One & All…
Hope it’s a good one.
AULDHEID @ 6:46 PM,
The ole technology guys love their TLA’s and linguistics. The fact is there will be changes in the next few years but the uniqueness of the UK market means as long as we are playing in Scotland we will be disadvantaged.
However there is definite opporchances to enhance the supporters experience, not sure we are quite ready for the virtual reality ST:) but like the thought…
Hail Hail
Wishing all CQN contributors and Celtic supporters the wide world over all the very best wishes for 2018.
Still 2017 here, but just over an hour to go until a very liberal measure of Balvenie Double Wood will be raised to absent family and friends.
HH
TC45
A happy, healthy, prosperous new year CQN.
Good morning CQN from another dull and mild East Devon.
A Happy and Peaceful New Year to one and all.
Hail! Hail!
Greenpinata on 1st January 2018 6:30 am
LOL aboot the Betty Ford Clinic reference!! Spent many a shaky New Year oot their.
Hope yer not on any the facilities I had a hand in cobbling together :))))
Bunnet doffed to anyone spending time away from family to earn a crust.
HH
TC45
THECELT45, a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. May 2018 bring you and your family all that they could wish for. Oh and another treble ;-)
Happy New 2018 to all Celtic supporters everywhere.
I remember 2017 like it was yesterday!
In 2018, may your neighbors respect you, troubles neglect you, angels protect you, and heaven accept you
My new years resolution 12 is the same as the same as the last 5 years…
There have been many times in 2017, when I have annoyed you, disturbed you, irritated you, and bugged the f787 out of you….today I just wanna tell you I plan to continue in 2018!
Pogmathonyahun @ 0713
Thank You!! Treble would be very special.
I seem to recall from previous posts that y’all are calling it a day work wise (hope I am right with that), if so, I will only say that “Retirement Rocks!”
Pulled the pin August 2016, never looked back!
HH
TC45
**** Dram Time T- 30 ****
A wee pop at Oor Man here:
Neil Cameron: The best performance at Celtic Park came from referee Bobby Madden (Evening Times)
David Bates was awarded that accolade by Sky, a decision which infuriated his Rangers team-mate James Tavernier who loudly castigated the young defender, with tongue in cheek, while the hero of the hour was being interviewed by the club’s own media people. Danny Wilson would have been with a shout as well.
For Celtic, Scott Brown was their best outfield player while Craig Gordon made two outstanding saves, which were the most important contributions in the game.
However, the best performance came from the man in the middle, Bobby Madden, who demonstrated perfectly how to referee this chaotic fixture.
Now, most people would have missed a blog from last week that made serious allegations towards Madden which I won’t repeat because they are unfounded and actionable.
What I will say is that it called into question the man’s integrity, stopping just short of outright calling him a cheat, and the usual faceless basement-dwellers jumped on the bandwagon because when you hide behind a false name there is less of a chance of being sued.
They ought to be ashamed of themselves but I’m sure it got a lot of clicks which is, of course, more important than a fellow human’s reputation.
How disappointed they must have felt when Madden booked two Rangers players early on and then went on to have a fine match in which he got all the major decisions right, allowed the game to flow as best he could and didn’t feel the need to blow his whistle every time a tackle was put in.
In fact, you could argue he was ever-so-slightly more lenient towards Celtic but, in truth, he was fair for both teams which is all any sane football supporter wants.
There are those out there who believe the world is out to get Celtic be it the Press, referees, the SFA and probably the CIA. What a waste of a life it is to spend your time on such nonsense when the team you support is actually doing so well that they are making history.
From a Celtic perspective, they didn’t win because too many key players were off their game and too many good chances were not taken. That’s it. Nothing more or less.
And, yet, according to some Madden denied Celtic (and Rangers it has to be said because their fans were at it as well) with decisions they saw but nobody else did.
Some of the pre-match comments about the man were disgusting and made by people with clearly little else going on. Although it was interesting to note just how many fans on both sides actually praised the referee, some more grudgingly than others, which tells you how well he actually did.
Players like Madden’s approach. He is old school and not one to go by the rulebook all of the time. He is a good communicator and by and large they know where they stand with him.
This was his first Celtic-Rangers game since the match at Parkhead last season when he didn’t have a good game and I wrote as much.
Rangers did well to finish the game with ten men and Leigh Griffiths should have been awarded a penalty at the end, Clint Hill would have been sent off as well, and nothing is going to convince me otherwise.
I was told that Madden, who I have never spoken to, believed it to be personal which was not my intention at all. In this business, there are times when you are going to upset someone and this was one such occasion.
However, credit where it’s due and a lot should go to the worst paid professional on the pitch on Saturday who, and isn’t this the way of it, has the most difficult job. I await the blog in which someone admits they were wrong and Madden had a good day. I’m in for a long wait.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to The Celtic Family around the World.
I’m still trying to recover from AUSSIE FLU……so I haven’t been drinking due to the flu and tablets.
I’m looking forward to meeting up with BLANTYRE TIM on Wednesday for a few swallies in Glasgow city centre, and any other cqnrs who join in ?
Living on my own, when I meet BT on Wednesday, he may well be the 1st person that I will have met and spoken to in 2018 , as I don’t plan to leave the house until then ?
My bets are on for todays horse racing, and my favourite trainer only has TWO runners today both at Cheltenham.
The Trainer is Nicky Henderson and his horses are 12.50 VYTA DA ROC @ 7/4 AND 2.00 THEINVAL @ 7/1.
These are NOT Tips Bhoys and Ghirls, he’s just my favourite trainer of all time and I try to bet on most of his horses.
anyways, all the best to the auld Celtic in 2018…..by the way I watched that “Comedy Show” last night ” Its Only an Excuse”……No wonder I haven’t watched it for years, what a load of PISH…..I never laughed once.
HH
Happy New year to one and all.
Hail Hail
Happy New Year everybody HH !
happy new year to all cqners and specially you big jimmy. not nice to be on your own this time of year get well soon.hh.
A Good New Year to all Tims…………
Many thanks to our genial host- Paul 67
HH.
CQN CSC.
BIGJIMMY
HAPPY NEW YEAR,bud. Get yersel’ out and chat up a big blonde busty barmaid. Start the year the way you mean to go on.
Above wee government health advice is addressed to all of you. Even those readers of the fairer sex-in which case,can Jimmy come round and watch?
THECELT45, yes I am now officially retired – so far so good :-)
The only problem is 3 weeks without a Celtic fix.
Hail! Hail! PMTYH
Happy and healthy New Year to all on CQN.
And it’s a Happy New Year from him from his work.
H x 2
Jimbo67
JIMBO67
Happy New Year,ya treble-time overtime bandit!
I’m gaun furra pint,choking here.
Happy New Year my Celtic friends.
A Guid New Year to One & All. And a heartfelt thanks to everyone on here for keeping me entertained, enlightened and sane throughout 2017. What a year we’ve enjoyed. To win a treble in the week we celebrated our greatest achievement was very,very special. To celebrate it in Lisbon was just wonderful. Thanks again to all the ghuys out there for turning Lisbon Green and White again. Just incredible. More of the same in 2018 would be very welcome. I know we don’t have any entitlement to achieve such heights, but we can but dream.
Off to wish the donkeys a Guid New Year now. Take Care.
Genius!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/01/hangover-best-days-fry-up-diet-coke
TIMGREEN on 1ST JANUARY 2018 7:46 AM
A wee pop at Oor Man here:
Neil Cameron: The best performance at Celtic Park came from referee Bobby Madden (Evening Times)
*************
The only reason Madden would have had a good game – and I wouldn’t know cos I’d never watch that mob- is precisely because of Paul’s leader. I have no doubt about that.
A Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year ….
To all who post , lurk, organise , take part in competitions and generally make
this a place of great Celticness….
Paul 67..
Lang may yer lum reek
Happy new year to all posters and lurkers in CQN
Hail Hail and KTF ☘️☘️☘️☘️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
SCANIEL
HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and yours. And the donkeys!
I think that Madden having “a good game” the day after that article is simple coincidence.
(What were the odds on 6 or more yellow cards?)
Happy New Year to everyone,
https://video.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t42.1790-2/26556923_1592782550769886_4015710751502106624_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjMwMCwicmxhIjo1MTIsInZlbmNvZ