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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Only rumours mind???
Emdy know why There is a painting of Jesus in the cistine chapel carrying the English St. George’s Cross?
So the two Croatian fans were stabbed by Scottish fans?!
What team were they playing?!
I fear there might be a few Croatian fans at the first meeting of the Glesga Derby out for retribution.
HH!!
SFTB. 7.16.
Brendan said that it was just a bit of cramp but thought it sensible to put a fresh player on ( Lustig ) for last 5.
Hail Hail
Also heard that the KT Billboard will be getting a makeover tonight ???
Celtic v Livingston
Boxing Day winners 2005
CELTARELLA on 3RD AUGUST 2018 7:22 PM
Emdy know why There is a painting of Jesus in the cistine chapel carrying the English St. George’s Cross
………………
they dinae pay the overtime …it should have been a St Andrews cross..
smiley pay your plasterer stroke painter thing
Braw
Fairhill Bhoy- that’s same info i got, Lustig and Jozo in for Gamboa and Hendry
NB – Hamburg boss Cristian Titz has started ex Sevco David Bates tonight…
Frankiehowerdcsc
both German 2 Bundesliga teams ,,,,,doing a huddle ?
smiley build it and they will come thing
Braw
!!BADA BING-you playing golf today as well ???
your a Bada man!
hahaha you will be talking of the young Master Bates ?
smiley oldies are the besties thing
Braw
FB – no golf mate, beer and sun-yes HH
Level 5 really struggling to trawl up shi#@, in the wake of 2 attempted murders, no shame.
The girlfriend of Rangers legend Nacho Novo has spoken of her outrage at having to intervene after a man hurled abuse at the former footballer.
Stephanie Heaney was out with the Spaniard at a shopping centre in East Kilbride when a man loudly called her boyfriend a “p***k”.
Novo, 39, played with the Ibrox side between 2004 and 2010 and scored the penalty in Florence that took Rangers to the UEFA Cup final in 2008.
Mahe … I hope all is good with you and yours.
Sharing an account of the incident on Facebook , girlfriend Stephanie said: “Ok so I am beyond disgusted and angry walking in East Kilbride shopping centre 5 mins ago and a big heavy guy with his wife and child walks past Nacho and myself and calls Nacho a p***k so loudly Nacho heard.
“Nacho turns back and confronted the guy and he starts screaming and shouting all sorts of abusive comments to us!!!
“His wife nearly died of embarrassment what the hell is up with people disgusting way to behave regardless of being a Celtic fan or not totally disgusting.
Celtic fan or not….
“Yogihighes”
sorry, no idea.
Tally
It wouldn’t surprise me if there were a few tooled up Croatians awaiting the huns in Slovenia next week.
CELTARELLA on 3RD AUGUST 2018 7:22 PM
Emdy know why There is a painting of Jesus in the cistine chapel carrying the English St. George’s Cross?
————
At the time the Sistine Chapel was painted, both St George and the Crusades were popular. The Crusaders were associated with a red cross on a white background.
!!BADA BING-played golf at Dalziel today with someone close to KT.Just dropped them at the CV????????
!!BADA BING-but he is a prick?Right????
Said it in 2012. This place is becoming dangerous due to the mad mob losing their club. I have 2 sons and I’m seriously considering emigrating. Ain’t scared of those mutants but I can’t stand the country. And I know a few good rangers men. But it’s dangerous times.
FB
Correct. The guy in EK wisnae lying ?
:)
MONAGHAN1900 on 3RD AUGUST 2018 7:48 PM
does the idea of a disgruntled plasterer not seem far more fun…let us call him Monsieur Deplexito fae Forfario….
smiley pay the tradesmen first thing
Braw
GERRYFAETHEBRIG
You still heading to Market Inn tomorrow ?
Negnon at 1.24 pm
You’ve written 7 or so paragraphs about why Celtic stink. Then you add the synopsis, ‘Crass classless nonsense …’
You’re very hard on yourself.
DD
Hadn’t thought of that!
Slovenia being ‘next door’ to Croatia.
theremaybetroubleaheadCSC
HH!!
DD-thought that might have got moderated ?They must agree ????
Who would win between……
1. The Jungle rebel board sackers 1994 ?
Or,……
2. The Green hun £49:00 Old Firm Cake and Eat it, singers of rebel song’s 2018 ?
Mahe CSC
DAVID17 on 3RD AUGUST 2018 3:46 PM
Excellent.
SAINT STIVS on 3RD AUGUST 2018 10:31 AM
Radio Clyde this morning.
Their MCGHEES DONUGHT challenge.
For readers abroad, each morning , workies somewhere in the west of scotland phone in to take part in a competition to win donughts for your workplace. The format is to name something from a question posed , such as Name as many breeds of dog as you can in 30 seconds.
The workies then shout of their answers.
This morning its a Bhoy working for Virigin, a cable puller, and his mates.
I say its a bhoy because …………..
IN 30 SECONDS, NAME PUBS IN GLASGOW .
Em,
The savoy, the sarry heid, the hoops bar, bar 67, the brazen head, the squirrel ………..
Well i found it funny anyways.
SAINT STIVS on 3RD AUGUST 2018 10:37 AM
The bhoy scored 18.
The winner this week was 29 with breeds of dog.
Much better than the morning I phones in and scored a big fat ZERO.
In 30 seconds name as many handsome huns as you can.
Tally
The Maribor mob are a bit mental too.
Big trouble ahead methinks.
Apparently “Lewis” is a popular name for sons of those on the Level.
Well I never……….
Greetings from an exceptionally hot Seville. Even hotter than a memorable night in 2003.
Thoughts turn to Parkhead for tomorrow’s flag day and to absent friends.
For the avoidance of any doubt these are very special times in the history of our club.
Don’t allow anyone to deflect the magnitude of what has been built at Celtic.
FB
Surely the mods cannae delete for telling the truth? ?
fairhill bhoy on 3rd August 2018 7:26 pm
Also heard that the KT Billboard will be getting a makeover tonight ???
—————————————————————————————-
I was driving by the KT poster this morning the one between the bristol and the louden and stopped for a selfie. It’s a cracker of a photo except for ma big heid. ????
Any good news on your sister? ?
KEEP THE FAITH