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.
552 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- »
You need yer brood to do links – God Bless ye.
25th August I do it again with Megaman, and hopefully Danny….. for one Amazing night only.
All around.CSC
Pete
Too true pal. Technophobe me.
DD- BB
Hope it is not to Celtic rumour. Worse than Jack Hendry.
I think Hendry will be a very good player for us HH
Danny is against Abortion.
Looking forward to getting drunk with Danny and Jamesie.
CELTIC
CELTIC
Right I’ve had a quick go at removing the rope from the image.
You can probably see where I’ve made the changes for the moment but I haven’t feathered the edges yet.
I’ll do that sometime in the next thirty years…I’ve added the resultant photo after the original at….
http://alturl.com/or2ou
Hail Hail
Matt
G64 – in roasting Albufeira big guy, catch a beer very soon HH
Cannae wait to see my favourite ever fitba player, Daniel Fergus McGrain, Fly the Flag tomorrow.
YNWA
BB
Is it Scott McKenna?
HH everyone tomorrow and all season
Delaneys Dunky on 3rd August 2018 10:50 pm
Pete
Too true pal. Technophobe me.
………………………………………………………….
Thankfully I know more than Aidan @ the moment when it comes to Computers hardware….. He is excelling in the Software…… hmmmm Software…..hmmmm.
CELTIC
BB
Hope you are right about Jack. Didnae see it at Dundee and don’t see it so far at Celtic. Hope I am wrong.
DD .
Got distracted pal , yip ,Gerry from the ‘milk .
Top man , I loved his gig at TRNSMT .
Hope to catch you at the corner G , or at a pre match soon in Coias. We need to discuss our different opinions on young Hendry, and arrange a suitable date for a wee session down the coast. Till then. HH.
Sleep well Timternet .
Pete
I am very strongly opposed to abortion.
I am a supporter and contributor to SPUC.
YNWA
Garry – Hugh asked the Legend a few questions.
They are on Clyde catchup.
My Best Workmate Loved Danny McGrain more than Paul McStay. Same age, I think he was there @ Celtic Park earlier than me.
God Bless Every CQNer and Everyone.
Does a supporter of Celtic have to be seriously slashed, or worse, before Celtic FC knock the Old Firm game on its head ?
Reducing the amount of tickets, only after £49 Rangers had done so, was pathetic.
Celtic have to end the Old Firm games.
If Celtic valued the life’s of supporter’s, then they would grab the bull by the horns and, take no part in any game vs £49 Rangers FC, let the players play the games, but refuse any Celtic supporter tickets, by putting life before Old Firm money, that goes for home games as well.
How would anybody on here feel, to get that chap on the door to tell you that one of your loved ones had been seriously slashed, or worse ?
Saying that you don’t mind having to pay £49 as its great to skelp the huns, I get that.
How will you feel when some innocent Celt, could be your daughter, or son, is seriously slashed, or worse, so that some happy clapper, and a clutch of billionaire’s could lord it over the huns ?
Celtic Live’s Matter CSC
Thanks.
The stabbings last night of two Croatian visitors to our city is symptomatic of an out of control sectarian society where anti Catholic violence is now considered acceptable. I hope Police Scotland devote the same amount of effort and passion into bringing to justice those involved in this real crime as they have done to stopping singing and removing banners from Celtic supporters in recent years. Scotland 2018. Hh
FAIRHILL BHOY, just skim reading, glad to see your sister is getting better. Read your post on KT dad , know him very well better known in wishaw as Mick the Miller, a roofer and a very hard wee man , could tell a few stories!!
AG
Look forward to a blether wi you always F.
Maybe tomorrow pal.
YNWA
TONYROME
Naw no curfew mhate and btw yer heid didnae look that big in the selfie ??
Pete
My three favourite fitba players of all time all played for Celtic, strangely. ?
Danny,Maestro and Henke. In that order.
All three were World Class.
YNWA
Gordon64 on 3rd August 2018 11:02 pm
The stabbings last night of two Croatian visitors to our city is symptomatic of an out of control sectarian society where anti Catholic violence is now considered acceptable. I hope Police Scotland devote the same amount of effort and passion into bringing to justice those involved in this real crime as they have done to stopping singing and removing banners from Celtic supporters in recent years. Scotland 2018. Hh
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Kevjungle is talking jibberish.
I voted Brexit because of the obvious defiance of God in the Architecture of the European Parliament.
I Hope Celtic can do something in Europe. Not that it now deserves Teams like Celtic, Ajax, Porto or . Sickenend.
Real Cheats?
G64
How must the competitors at the European Championships in Glasgow feel about two Croatians being stabbed on a Glasgow street in broad daylight.
Glasgow Smiles Better or No Mean City. Sad
Evening all.
Just can across the STV report including the “Scottish fans” quote from D.I. Craig Willison.
A quick google search returns a LinkedIn page in which the erudite Inspector advises that he works for Starthclyde (sic) Police.
You could not make this up.
Q. What’s your IQ?
A. 145.
Q. Are you a Freemason?
A. No
Sorry.
Q. What’s your IQ?
A. What is IQ
Q. Are you a Freemason
A. Yes
Congratulations
IAllow 45 minutes extra
The problem in Scotland is that no one is really surprised with the stabbings involving the Hun.
What a sad indictment of our country that the default position of the media etc. is to try to find a way to report this without a negative implication for them.
Unfortunately for them it has been reported around Europe exactly as it happened.
And I’d bet that the Europeans are not surprised either given their history. Sad.
AEK – is a Tough draw.
CELTIC
Any Retard that comes up with an IQ test…….
Suspicious Minds,
I reckon that Karma will be distributed in Slovenia. The Croats have taken these two stabbings very personally. My son showed me tweets from Dinamo Zagreb and Hadjuk Split fans who say they will get revenge for the plugging of two Croats in Glasgow. Many Croats live over the border in Slovenia. Maribor will be carnage for the huns.
DD
I hope not. The lads that might be on the receiving end won’t deserve that.
If we had a proper police force here then it would never have come to this.
Delaneys Dunky,
That is disappointing news.
Love is the Answer.
GC- sorry mate Scott McKenna
Murder was the case Case
Just want to publicly wish Danny all the best for tomorrow – he and his family will love it.
Gutenberg
The innocents will suffer sadly. I would not fancy being a hun going to Slovenia, going by the Croatian threats towards huns on twitter.
Hope you had a great time in Portugal.
YNWA
GLASGOW CELTIC
The Incredible
Glasgow
CELTIC
DD
Not a fan of innocents suffering at all, regardless of whether they are Huns.
I’d prefer that the whole entity suffered for their sins by the stripping of titles, the inevitable liquidation and the complete humiliation of the whole lot going down the tubes.
Portugal was great thanks.
Gutenberg
My son’s father in law is travelling to Slovenia for their match. He does not keep great health. My daughter in law and her mum are trying to talk him out of travelling there. Sad state of affairs.