When Celtic won their first 7-in-a-row by a 10-point margin in 1972, there was scarcely a cloud on the horizon. The also collected the Scottish Cup that season, lost the European Cup semi-final on penalties and, but for a mishap against Partick Thistle in the League Cup final, would have completed their third treble.
A year later, the league-winning margin was cut to a single point and although 9-in-a-row was famously achieved in 1974, the seventh consecutive title would be the last truly dominant Celtic league win for 16 years.
Jock Stein’s team of the mis-70s was vulnerable in ways your Celtic team of today is not. Stein was brilliant and changed everything about Scottish football when he arrived at Celtic in 1965, but the longer he stayed, the closer his rivals could ape his methods.
At Sean Fallon’s funeral Mass, Alex Ferguson mentioned that he and his wife would deliberately go to the same restaurant Jock and Sean dined at on a Saturday evening, so that the young Rangers player could quiz them both on the game. It was a school day for Ferguson. People watched Celtic, copied their tactics, scouting and preparations. By 1974 Stein’s advantage was gone.
This interpretation of Scottish football history was clear in 1997, when Rangers matched Celtic’s “9”. Their golden era was not the consequence of a radically different manager, but of sheer financial power, power that unlike Stein’s in 1974, remained in place as Rangers planned for 10-in-a-row.
There has been little consistency across our current 7-in-a-row. Three managers and countless players (not the 44 used in league campaigns between 1965 and 1974). If you were to try to match the current Celtic formula for success, you would attempt to replicate their scouting, sports science and maybe their playing style, but most of all, you would need a business plan that produces income which can, on occasion, reach £100m.
Like Rangers in 1997, Celtic today have a financial advantage over all others in Scottish football. Unlike Rangers in 1997, Celtic do not have anyone readying themselves to match their investment in the team. While Fergus McCann and Jock Brown were busy signing Henrik Larsson and the like, no one in Scotland can come close to matching Celtic’s £9m investment in Odsonne Eduard, or their £52m wage bill.
Nor should they. Under Fergus, Celtic worked their way close to Rangers turnover. By 1997 there was still a gap, but it was bridgeable without putting the club into peril. Even without Champions League football, other clubs are years away from getting to within striking distance of Celtic.
This position of strength is a consequence of professionalism throughout the club. Look around as you walk up Celtic Way tomorrow. Picture in your mind the next stage of the regeneration of the old place, with the hotel to your left, and a museum and visitor centre.
That Champions League income is important, but we have been busy in the background. The cumulative value of the Dafabet shirt sponsorship deal that was signed BEFORE Brendan Rodgers appointment and revolution in 2016 was worth as much as a Champions League group stage qualification. The renewal of Dafabet’s sponsorship for seven years, announced this morning, is worth an absolute fortune. Add to that, New Balance, the Magners sponsorship on the back and other key partnerships with Eden Mill, Intelligent Car Leasing and others, and you see a football club underpinned by strong finances, before it sells a season ticket or scores a goal.
One Saturday night In the early 1990s (not on a match day), at the Walfrid Restaurant, our table was served a main course without potatoes. The spuds duly appeared with the sweet.
This is an obscure observation to trouble you with today, but it encapsulated everything about Celtic of that era. We didn’t have the organisational knowledge to server potatoes with the chicken instead of the carrot cake. How could we hope to recruit, develop and tactically deliver success on the football field?
There are reasons why potatoes came with the carrot cake – it is not because the kitchen staff didn’t know better, just as there are reasons why we are ‘knocking it out the park’, on, and off, the park these days. Getting things right in any organisation is not quick, easy or cheap. It takes planning, training and several iterations of learning from mistakes. We were a shambles. We are now a thoroughly professional outfit in every area we operate. Look at what our commercial team are achieving in contrast to what happens elsewhere.
That is why we are going to win the league this season. It’s why we will win “10” and it is why we will continue to win successive titles for the rest of your life. This success is not built upon the wisdom of Jock Stein or Brendan Rodgers, it is a consequence of planning to win, and never lose again. Ever.
While Peter Lawwell is hugely important in the operation, it goes well beyond him now. You will find the same unforgiving demands at every corporate contact point. These commercial deals take the risk out of making expensive managerial appointments.
I have concerns about our prospects against AEK Athens – a stronger opponent than we are capable of facing in the fourth qualification round. The chances of a third consecutive treble should also be given perspective. We have escaped ‘one of those days’ in two years of cup competitions, that does not mean we are immune from them.
Champions League football may or may not happen this season, but we will not collapse “like a pack (sic) of cards” if we miss out. The show will go on, because we have planned for such an eventuality. Average attendances will hover a touch below capacity, we will continue to improve.
If you are too young to know how special tomorrow’s Flag Day is, bore yourself talking to an auld yin’ for a while. This success has been worked on for decades. It is a result of denial and restraint, while lemmings were heading for the cliff. It is a milestone in history. It is a beacon that shines a green light far beyond Celtic Park. It is a wonderful thing.
Enjoy it.
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Anyone in Puerto de la cruz going to watch the game?
“It would appear as if the newly-formed Glasgow club, Celtic F.C., has a bright future before it.”
Newspaper report of Celtic’s first game (1888)
As the suspects were wearing bloo……………
….investigating authorities are still trying to ascertain why the
alleged robbery took place……….
…..doubtless, it will emerge that it was the fault of the provocative pannini’s……
Doors to automatic…..
Its the Kano Bucket collection today.
Great causeCSC.
Offski to the game
Mon the Hoooooooooooooooooooops
Scottish band, The Rebellions, dropped from Troon music festival after releasing a new single supporting Tommy Robinson.
Thought it was worth noting in light of some of the earlier discussion about what is/isn’t acceptable in Scotland.
JOBO BALDIE
Are you a Hun……?(smiley face)
Thank-goodness, one of the oul’ hauns has returned!
Welcome back Joe.
Recently what passes for an”esteemed poster” in these pairts has drifted a bit…….
A good omen for today.
First name on Team sheet – Daniel Fergus McGrain.
My older sister had a budgie she called Danny McGrain.
One day she phoned my mum distraught wailing Danny McGrains been electrocuted and is dead.
My mum immediately got on the blower to everyone in the family who were all devastated myself particularly as he was a genuine hero to me.
Lived in London at the time so was in a funk for hours until my brother phoned me and said it’s not Danny the legend but that budgie who flew down the back of the cooker and met his maker.
Cue much hilarity and my depression lifted.
I am so looking forward to seeing a true Celtic legend raise the flag today.
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/08/04/scottish-fans/
Danny McGrain, Celtic Legend, it’s right and proper for him to unfurl todays flag.
My favourite player growing up, he was an inspiration to me as a young full back:))
Never thought I would see us do seven in a row again and no matter you’re feelings about issues in and around Celtic, today is a day for celebration pure.
How I wish I could be there:))
Enjoy your day Worldwide Celts wherever you are.
HH
Paul67 et al
Congratulations to all involved in Celtic’s seven in a row!
Think, without the pressure of beating Willie Maley’s unbeaten record that we will see some fine football from the Bhoys this season. On y Va!
COYGIG
(Ireland ladies play Spanish ladies in Hockey Wirld Cup semifinal now. Ireland are the only amateurs left in the tournament)
Jobo: Fàilte romhat ar ais.
Mahe: Glad you are safe and well.
Just wondering if anyone in the SMSM pondered the question : is it acceptable in any free society for “football fans” to carry weapons to watch a bunch of guys kick a ball around for 90 minutes?
STEPHBHOY on 4TH AUGUST 2018 12:06 PM
If we lived in a tolerant society that accepted people based on their own merits rather than their cultural identity etc…. we would not have an issue with racism or bigotery, the fact is scotland has a very long history of haters and policies that act to establish the majority population as superior with all new comers some how tainted as second class.
A white or black racist a catholic or protestent bigot in isolation is to be condemned no matter which way it flows, but so long as you have a majority 85% in scotland who think its ok to discriminate against a minority than you will have a a portion in that group that will grow up with hater and anger.
The two issues are not the some. You cant addressing the problem by saying one is as bad as another. The fact is we will not move forward until scotland’s majority is confortable with people not being the some.
I am proud of my irish background as are many people. I am sure there are people of asian and african background etc.. Who are also proud of their background. However in scotland its not ok to be proud of you history and your present unless.
HH
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There is a term for what you have spoken and its called “unconditionality” which means recognising the intrinsic worth and value of each human being, which leads to separating the sinner from the sin in biblical/religious terms.
The way I like to present it is seeing each individual through the loving eyes of an unconditionally loving God where there is no judgement on hischildren .
You can see the problem there, how many people buy into that concept of God?
Yet where does the unconditional love that we show to our children come from?
As a society we haven’t even scratched the surface of our belief systems, systems that history tell as can create as much conflict as peace.
The capacity to put matters like unconditionality and forgiveness more unto human consciousness does not exist and before we get anywhere near tackling sectarianism at core, as opposed to its symptoms we need to build the capacity to make thinking in unconditionality terms and forgiveness as the norm so that to do neither would be as unacceptable as drink driving was before folk’s attitudes towards it changed.
Do that and you wipe out the idea any of us is superior to the other, an idea that plays a huge part in sectarianism in Scotland, not to mention the idea that Sectarianism sells which unconditionality would challenge, so expect resistance to it to persist if someone ever looks at the issue from those perspectives.
Clydebank is Green and White.
Glasgow is Green and White.
Keepin an eye open for pesky Chelsea fans.
COYBIG
I was at a Celtic POTY a few years back. Danny,a long time hero,was sitting at a table nearby with NL and Johann Mjallby and a few others.
I’d been speaking to Joe Ledley’s Dad who was at the neighbouring table-met him previously in Cardiff,and suggested the t-shirt slogan Have I Told You Ledley That I Love You.
Please,Mr McGrain,can you sign the case of my iPhone.
Lenny and Johann were a bit short about my approach,fine later. I pointed out I just wanted an autograph from a legend and as it was on the case of my phone,I would never lose it.
Faded to nothing due to the backlight
Bummer
Finest thing about Danny,oh so many. Was he named at left back on team of the tournament in 74 despite being a right back and having a real leftie Paul Breitner scoring the equaliser in the final
FWIW,Erich Schaedler was a far better LB than Danny. In order to accommodate Jardine at RB,ES got ONE lousy cap.
‘Twas always thus
In Jinky’s Albufeira,37 degrees here (hi Jobo) scorchio?
welcome back Jobo, missed your forecats, oops,and forecasts too!
fortunately we always have perfect weather on Jura!