Empires rise and fall but it is usually not until well after the event that the signs of decline or rise are appreciated. In April 1970 Celtic players took a lap of honour after winning both legs of the European Cup semi-final against English champions, Leeds United, before a record European crowd. They were in their second European Cup final in four and hot favourites to take the trophy again. If ever Celtic looked imperious, this was the moment.
Few watching that lap of honour could have imagined 33 years would pass before Celtic next beat a side from one of Europe’s biggest five leagues. Decline came slowly, a European Cup final loss in extra time, two more semi-final appearances and four more league titles, then decades as an irrelevance in Europe.
Today Celtic are nothing like that force in Europe, but 2018 saw the club secure the domestic treble for the second successive season, the first time this has been achieved in Scottish football. They also retained the League Cup this month and are hot favourites for both league and Scottish Cup. No team has ever been this imperious in Scottish football, not even the Lisbon Lions.
Celtic have lost four league games this season, four more than they lost in the whole of Brendan Rodgers’ first season. They failed to reach the Champions League group stage, losing to what proved to be a poor AEK Athens. This year has seen significant players lost: Dembele, Armstrong and Roberts. Although the latter two were mostly squad players when by the time they left, they still made important contributions.
The club broke its transfer fee record for the first time in 17 years to secure the permanent signing of Odsonne Edouard, but the deadline day shenanigans of Dembele and absences of Leigh Griffiths placed a heavy burden on the 20-year-old. Filip Benkovic was secured on loan from Leicester City but further attempts to reinforce central defence and the right back position have been ineffective, while the predicted signing of John McGinn from Hibs proved to be nothing more than a PR disaster.
Form during the early part of the season was well below standards of the previous two years. It was not until two first half injuries in the League Cup semi-final at Murrayfield to Ebouie Kouassi and Olivier Ntcham allowed Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie to take up central midfield roles, that Celtic started to play with fluency.
Three wins were secured in a very difficult Europa League group, meaning we travel to Valencia in February with a fighting chance of progressing, but you could sense the air escaping from Celtic during December, as eight points were dropped on top of a home defeat to Salzburg.
The question is, was Saturday’s arresting defeat at Ibrox a sign of Decline of Empire, or another sign of retrenchment? To answer that we need to look at the fundamentals.
Celtic are financially stronger than anyone else in Scottish football. We spend significantly more, not just on transfers and wages, but on scouting, sports science, analysis and any other metric you care to mention. We may only be top of the table on goal difference, with a game in hand, but the first leg of the treble is complete and we are the only Scottish team still in Europe.
This season, the rest of the league are getting closer, but if points earned is their measurement, they are not getting any better. Celtic’s lead is small, not because we face better opposition, or because we have fewer resources, but because some in the squad have aged and declined, while attempts to strengthen have not been good enough.
If you are searching for signs of Decline of Empire, keep looking. This is Celtic at the bottom of the curve – with back-to-back trebles, the League Cup secured and resources available to kick on. We cannot win every game, or play well every month. We can’t even win every trophy, but the fundamentals of Scottish football have not changed. Use this week to get in touch with how it feels to be second best in a domestic game. It could be a while before it happens again.
Have a great New Year.
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Good “hungover” morning from a green and white 2019 Garngad ???
Well here we are on the other side, and we are still all Handsome Tims that sit at the top of the League.
Please, please, please Celtic invest oor cash well, and get 3-4 quality players in.
None of this talks are ongoing pish, for weeks and weeks then the target refuses and there is no time left to get anyone else in… Move fast with deadlines that suit us.
Ollie Burke- no thanks no better than what we have.?
MAH— good luck next week.???
Let’s get this break out of the way and come back and blow the pretenders oot the water.
Still no statement from our custodians. Shameful.
D. :)
Happy New Year everyone and lang may your lum reek. Hh
https://mobile.twitter.com/FrenchCSC/status/1080041516310163457/photo/1
JIMTHETIM53 on 1ST JANUARY 2019 11:47 AM
It’s Jools for me every New Year.
Hello again all you young rebels.
Fantastic new years party as usual in Melbourne and in the
company of other Celtic families what could be better?
Hoops were out in force amongst thousands of people in
and about the city and at the live gig in the park.
Dancing and trying to show wee 4 year old Grace how to do
the twist has left me with backache and a massive hangover
but the biggest smile and happiest memory till i pop my fitba
boots.
I think everyone is on the same page regarding what we need
in the transfer window but lets not write off some good players
too quickly after a bad show at debtdome.
Wishing each and everyone a happy and healthy new year.
H.H Mick
From John James…………I’ve edited some of his post and got to the gist, apologies.
The January Appeal,
I digress. The main thrust of this piece is The Title Race. It’s a construct that until Saturday did not have any traction other than in the fevered imaginations of the SMSM. There was six points and a home game in hand, against St. Johnstone, between Celtic and their nearest rivals for seven seasons viz Aberdeen FC. Celtic have won all nine of their home games this season. There was no reason to doubt that they would prevail against Tommy Wright’s charges in the rescheduled game. However that all changed when they were played off the park against a team that was created in June.
Celtic’s 1-0 home win against Lite was so emphatic that one had expected more of the same at Ibrox. One anticipated that a team built on the wealth of Champions League participation and lucrative transfer profits would fashion a win in the absence of Tierney, Rogic and Griffiths. Surely they would have strength in depth? The £3.1m answer to that question Mr. Lawwell, your salary including bonuses this year, is that they do not. As the Chief Executive of this operation the buck stops with you. If Rodgers is not good enough then dismiss him and bring in someone better. If he is good enough then why are you not reading him the riot act this morning? Are you too busy packing your golf clubs for 18 holes in a sunkissed paradise?
As a minimum you should be calling him to expedite Scott Brown’s transfer to a club where his lack of pace will not be as exposed as it was on Saturday. He has been a wonderful servant but is now holding the team back. If Rodgers cannot make the tough decisions then you Mr. Lawwell must address them.
Callum McGregor should be handed the captain’s armband and step into Brown’s position. Tierney should be vice captain. Lustig should be shipped out to anyone who will have him. If one waits until the close season the loss of points from deploying these players could be critical.
Ralston can play right back. If one cannot find a ready made player in this window then he should start and not play second fiddle to a player who has never been good enough. Lustig cannot be trusted for 15 minutes. He is not an impact substitute.
The next area requiring attention is the centre of defence. Show Boyata the door. If he is worth £5m to a team who needs a central defender in this window and cannot afford to wait until next season then bite their hands off.
If no-one has been targeted to replace him then Lee Congerton should be dismissed forthwith. He has had four months to come up with one name.
Ntcham should be banished to the reserves until such time as he grows a pair. If he is not prepared to compete in midfield then sell him in the close season.
Sinclair is going missing in too many games. He should not start going forward. Give him a run at tired legs in the last fifteen minutes. Christie has done enough to justify his place. Forrest when not covering for Lustig and Brown, is good enough. Johnston is clearly not ready. Edouard is good enough but needs a player with the physical presence of a cut price Lukaku to play him in.
Rodgers had his chance to put clear water between Celtic and their rivals. He blew it at Tynecastle, Rugby Park, Easter Road, Ibrox, St. Mirren Park, Fir Park and Almondvale. 15 points from a possible 33 is not the form of champions.
So now it’s going to be tight. Every point will be hard earned. Someone who has Rodgers’ ear reads this blog but I doubt he will proffer the opinion of a breadline blogger to a £2m per annum manager.
He will however listen to his employer. If Lawwell does not start throwing his weight around the title will be won by a team with the hunger to fight for it. McInnes has the measure of Gerrard and a team with the physical strength to compete. On Saturday’s showing the title could well be heading north.
I would like to wish all my readers peace of mind in 2019. I can but hope to prove worthy of a modicum of support in the new year.
Jools Holland Excellent as usual… :o)
‘Only an excuse’ pure mingin, like tv controlled by SFA :o(
The BBC eh?
Each time an Islamic extremist slaughters innocent people – they go around in circles, initially never issuing a description of the attacker.
You know right away then.
So by trying to tell you nothing, they are in fact telling you everything you need to know about where the responsibility lies.
As far as media outlets go – they are the worst of the worst.
The most galling thing about that purveyor of propaganda and lies, is that we the public are forced to fund this organisation.
The BBC news is the same as their sports department in Scotland – rotten to the core.
HH. ?
Craig Murray’s piece on the ‘Integrity Initiative’s is very revealing.
HNY☘️
rule/ruːl/
noun
one of a set of explicit or understood regulations or principles governing conduct or procedure within a particular area of activity.
control of or dominion over an area or people.
the normal or customary state of things.
a strip of wood or other rigid material used for measuring length or marking straight lines; a ruler.
short for Australian Rules.
For any sfa footie reviewers lurking
Happy New year to all.????????
I’m no drinkin again
Happy New Year to all on CQN
Good afternoon and compliments of the season to survivors of the Bells.
John James seems to be pitching for the Celtic £,€,$,¥, with his recent articles.
mah
all the best next week.
MURDOCHAULDANDHAY, all the best forever more. ✔
Hail! Hail!
£49 for a ticket that allows Rangers FC to walk away from the greatest sporting swindle.
Its rivers of shame that flows through the walkways in the big Jungle up in the sky.
Today might not be a good day to draw attention to that Cel-out, so, when will it be a good day to do so ?
“The rivers of Celtic FC
Will never run free
Until you sack, the Old Firm PLC”
Happy New Year to all.
??????????
? ?
Sorry about the Ollie Mc Burnie slip.I dont see any of them.Olly Burke was rated as a top prospect,was he not.Whats happened to him.Any truth in these rumours.Lubo giving the Slovakian boy a great write up.
Hate this time of the season.
Have we signed anyone yet ?
MAH, best of luck with the trials. ?
Vakoun Issouf Bayo is 1.84M
Happy New Year folks
MAH-Good luck with the forthcoming trials Stephen
Faybhoys & ghirls-you know where to sign up for the next 20 weeks of “this time its definitely going to work” don’t you?
HH
CRC
Happy New Year Fholks, all the best to all CQN-ers, their families and to Celtic.
H x 2
Ulryc
Happy New year to posters and lurkers alike.
Kev surely it should be
??
Best of luck to MAH.
MURDOCHAULDANDHAY
Y.N.W.A.
MAH
good luck with the trial next week pal
KTF
Transformation of a football stadium to mixed use
http://www.sasaki.com/blog/view/1123/
Health and Happiness to all x
Bayo will be at Parkhead for talks on Friday that is the latest on the player. H.H.
Son of a gun we’ll have have good fun…
with the Bayo…..
First of all, a very Happy New Year to all CQNrs! Been an almost daily visitor to Paul’s bog for many years.
Used to post quite a lot but in recent months, mostly been lurking and learning.
Unfortunately we lost my father in law 4 hours before the Bells and of course we had no part in that, so this day for us will always for him.
2019 blessings and health to you all.
HH
Gerry
that should of course be “blog”
GERRYBHOY, thoughts and prayers for your father in law, may he rest in peace.hh.
Happy New Year to all the Good Guys – i.e. us.
Just a thought re the Team Bus thing – surely Brendan would have been on the Team Bus and would have spoken up if anything of significance had happened? We do trust Brendan to speak up for us when it matters don’t we? – well I’m sure most of us do.
Anyway, Hail Hail and all the best in 2019.
Gerrybhoy
Condolences for your loss – thoughts and prayers for all concerned
The incredibly tragic story of the Iolaire and the souls that lost their lives on this day 100 years ago on BBC Alba. Hh
Gerrybhoy
Sincere condolences on the loss of your father in law. Sad news on hogmanay.
YNWA
RTB
Doubt a smoke bomb would have spooked Brendan and the players. Unless something more sinister happened that we have not heard of? We usually give the huns coach a hostile reception at Paradise.
YNWA
GerryBhoy
Sad news mate
May your F I L rest in peace
HH