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…
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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
THE GOOD,THE BAD AND THE UGLY
(YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE)
KEEP THE FAITH
JIMBOB. get your point but i think what paul was aluding to was should a referee who likes a bet be reffing celtic v sevco.
Top bloke
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/01/guardian-footballer-of-the-year-2017-juan-mata
THETIMREAPER
“Wholesale changes could be in the offing”.
Bizarre indeed.
about this time 40+ years ago id be getting ready after scoffing 2 rolls and square sausage to get the muirhead celtic supporters bus to parkhead or ibrox. wonder if it is still going.
BIG-CUP-WINNERS on 1ST JANUARY 2018 12:24 PM
THETIMREAPER
“Wholesale changes could be in the offing”.
Bizarre indeed.
——-
Emphasis on the word ‘could’. Anyway, we shall see what the team looks like in July.
My interpretation of the gambling accusation was that in a wider context this cannot be allowed and the people doing it are removed from having any influence on results of football matches stats etc, this does not seem to have happened if that was the purpose as it seems to have been ignored by Football.
Big Packy
@JIMBOB. get your point but i think what paul was aluding to was should a referee who likes a bet be reffing celtic v sevco.“
I guess that depends on whether he’s been betting on any game in which he’s been officiating.
If he has, and there’s evidence of it, he should never referee another game.
If he likes a bet but has never bet on games where he’s had involvement, then unless collusion with his fellow referees can be proven, then there’s no problem as far as I’m concerned.
I assume Paul either has
1. Evidence
2. Deep pockets.
I’ll make an assumption Bobby Madden is well aware of the article. If there’s no legal action taken by Madden, then it’s a pretty safe bet ‘there’s no smoke without fire’
THETIMREAPER
You’re “happy” with the Celtic ? Here’s a definition…contented, content, cheerful, cheery, merry, joyful, jovial, jolly.
What’s your definition of happy ffs: “wholesale changes”; “rumours”; “question marks as to whether Rogic wants to stay”; “Wholesale changes could be in the offing” ?
Serious question what were you like following the Tic in the 1990’s ?
One thing I’ll not debate is your blogname…………..who is under the cowl though, Corporal Jones ?
100% Agreement Thetimreaper,
Total lack of commitment from all those names this season from last.
KLV
Right on cue…………Private Frazer arrives.
Despite the heroic draw gained by the 5 year old club on Saturday we are still in a strong position 8 points ahead of our nearest challengers.If changes in personnel are to be made better doing it from a position of strength.Alex Ferguson’s big strength was knowing when to move players on and bring in better to challenge existing first team players.
Steak Pie Beckoning.Health and happiness to all onCQN for 2018.
Some interesting inputs from Phil on the ongoing Sevco Pantomime as you remedy your fuzzy head with the mandatory bacon rolls …
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/01/01/is-king-making-a-move-for-the-rifc-shares/
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/01/01/sevcos-director-of-fantasy-collides-with-financial-reality/
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/01/01/managing-disappointment-at-sevco/
New Year – same old story …
Embramike – you missed this
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/01/01/a-jaded-celtic-lead-the-field/
JIMBOB
I don’t think it’s bad taste if the man who posts it has incontrovertible proof.
And Paul isn’t daft.
If a referee is betting on football matches-officiated by a small cabal of cronies,remember-it needs to be highlighted.
Neil Cameron’s article was the usual SMSM move to deny and deflect,and denigrate ad hominem the source of news.
They don’t like the news so they’ll ridicule it by innuendo because they fear to print it themselves.
I commend most highly that article. It took balls of steel to write it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!
Rough -way down south . Staying up all night and then scoffing pigs trotters , lentils , lobster and oysters washed down with vino collapso is possibly best avoided at my advance age ..
Worth it – seeing Mrs S of T getting on down to this .-
https://youtu.be/QIR366RjEjc
SOUTHOFTUNIS
I miss pig’s trotters. And tripe. Canny get them here. And I’ve got to order an ox tongue a fortnight in advance.
Top to tail was life in Kilwinning,not a fad.
JerseysforgoalpostsCSC
BMCUW
If you want tripe – get down the county ground – plenty on display :))
Happy New Year to all HH
Happy New Year to all CQNer’s and all the Celtic support worldwide from a -15 degree Great White North
HH
gsu
Happy new year one n all HH
Happy new year all good Tims, och ok bad ones too, I’m in the latter camp.
Just my opinion but if any Ref anywhere has an online gambling account he should be sacked immediately.
Happy New Year!
The Uxbridge letter of the day is Z and I haven’t had enough of them:-
Zebra: Something worn under the dress.
Zither: Yorkshire for ‘Look here’
Zulu: A toilet at an animal park.
Zuyder Zee: a remote area of the Somerset coast
zyl-oph-o-nee: The Greek goddess of Scrabble
Happy New Year to all CQN readers.
The flu jag seems to have done it’s job. At least I’m getting a sleep because symptoms (chesty cough) not as bad as last year.
Always look on the bright side of life CSC.
GENE on 1ST JANUARY 2018 1:03 PM
Embramike – you missed this
Thanks – missed that as I couldn’t see for tears of laughter regarding Sevco Pantomime …
But on that subject, I said after the Anderlecht home defeat that we were underperforming as we were running on fumes and unlikely to make it to winter break unbeaten. The amount of football our players have played has been enormous.
We won the Treble on May 27, there was the England game on June 10 (plus other international player commitments), started out Friendly matches against Linz on June 28 and played away to Linfield in CL qualifier on July 14. Where was the close season ?
And from July 14 we have played 38 competitive games and a further 5 international matches in September, October and November.
Some of our key players have hardly had a break in 2017 and it’s not just physically exhausting, there is also the psychological and emotional elements of keeping an unbeaten run alive and striving to win trebles, trophies and European qualification.
I was exhausted just watching it all ! We all deserve a break, especially our players… Enjoy
EMBRAMIKE,
Couldn’t agree more about the players’ mental fatigue (never mind the physical side of things.) They richly deserve a proper rest.
Auld heid 2.23pm
Hope you have a great 2018 your posts are also a must read on here
Always look on the bright side of life ?
Not sure when Celtic fans originally sung this song but first I ever heard was in Ekeren in Belgium
Happy days :-)
A. Very happy new year to one and all…
“May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been
the foresight to know where you’re going
and the insight to know when you’re going too far.”
Big braw smiley things…
Braw
Happy new Year bhoy and ghirls, hopefully another successful Year to follow the last.
I try not to worry about how much a player costs because its not always a good measure of quality or how successful he will be. I will let my own eyes judge if we have a player or not. I dont care if the player is called smith or or sumonivic is from scotland or croatia. I just want celtic to win and be the best.
And contunually complainting that you spending less than you bring in is silly, if we can get better for cheaper why would we go and spend more, that is just stupid.
Complainting that celtic want to spend on the hotel etc… rather than the squad is sort sighted, if they took that view with shops, celtic t.v, stadium improvements etc… We would be in a very poor state.
Lets see what 2018 brings before we go throwing our dummy out the pram
HH
Happy, Prosperous & Healthy New Year to all CQNer’s. May the journey continue
HH
COWIEBHOY on 1ST JANUARY 2018 12:06 PM
I wouldn’t be writing off Simonuvic either, he has been injured for a large part
*or goes missing and not just for us but his mother country Bosnia tae, something no right about him. It’s only 16 month ago that he was set for Torino, although he allegedly passed the medical it seems they noticed something and wanted him on loan instead. We balked at this and brought him back.
It would be another 3 weeks before he made his return as a sub against Inverness; he has only played just over 60 games for us which is not a lot considering our schedule. I know he just signed a new 4 year contract in September but Stan Petrov signed a 3 year one knowing he would be leaving, he also played over 200 games for us.
Jozo it seems disnae want tae play for us.
GENE 117
Aye,not ‘arf!
Decent away record,but bliddy murder at The County Ground.
Btw,the stadium bar is called The Winner’s Lounge. I’ll let you supply the punchline.
Never been,I always went into the player’s lounge. I’ll let you supply the punchline on that too.
I met some top blokes in there,didnae want to bother them,just to say thanks. Mick McCarthy was probably the finest of them all,but Joe Jordan was a (censored-MODERATOR2)
There’s yer chance for a hat-trick,Gene!!!
TONTINETIM
I reckon you do Mr Petrov a minor injustice,he surely played at least 300,not 200 games for us. I know he was only with us about seven years,but he was a first-pick for most of it.
Dinnae matter,we could sure do with a player like that now.
Hope yer smashing and not too cold. I dunno how you can cope with temperatures like that,it’s nought to freeze the,erm,Niagara Falls off a brass monkey.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/12/31/niagara-falls-is-coated-in-ice-and-absolutely-jaw-dropping/?utm_term=.9611ce4b964e
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 1ST JANUARY 2018 3:10 PM
TONTINETIM
I reckon you do Mr Petrov a minor injustice,he surely played at least 300,not 200 games for us. I know he was only with us about seven years,but he was a first-pick for most of it.
*that was just a conservative guess and as you say he was a huge player for us
Hope yer smashing and not too cold. I dunno how you can cope with temperatures like that,it’s nought to freeze the,erm,Niagara Falls off a brass monkey.
*If I didnae have so much faith I wouldnae have left the hoose the past 2 days, its absolutely frigid, its that cauld that the penguins in Calgary Zoo were taken indoors lol
£1.5 million for Hendry, 18 months left on his Contract…where’s the Jockey, getting in to position.
If Brendan wants him we’ve got him.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 1ST JANUARY 2018 2:33 PM
EMBRAMIKE,
Couldn’t agree more about the players’ mental fatigue (never mind the physical side of things.) They richly deserve a proper rest.
*was thinking the same sitting at the back of pineapple last night, I’ve been listening tae homilys for about 65+ years so my mind easily wanders.
Brendan has admitted we’ve been running on empty and have been for a while, the gubbin fae the calvinist was clear evidence of this. Last time I saw a hiding like this was against deidco during the Kenny reign and there was a management clearance at the end of that season and as they say the rest is history.
On Saturday we could have went in at the half 4 up, even being conservative 2 up. In the 2nd half the legs were gone and yet even after durty’s proclamation of a half time confrontation had them fired up they only had one and a half chances which were taken care of by our international goalie.
This was their best chance of a win and unlike their embra brethren just wurnae up tae it.
TINTINETIM
Reminds me of the oul’ polar bear joke,wi the wee baby polar bear asking everybody if he’s really a polar bear.
BMCUWP
You were in Wimbledon yesterday and posting about pigs trotters today
Liam Trotter just scored first goal for Wimbledon tenuous link I know but hope you bet him :-)