My friends in Celtic, a year ago I signed off on 2010 by saying, “I have never spoken to less confident Celtic fans ahead of a game against Rangers than I have this week”. Celtic had won only five of their previous 10 league games, seven of which were at home, but with a squad ravaged by injury, they found a formation which over several games dominated Rangers.
After three defeats and an Ibrox draw against 10-man Celtic, Walter Smith eventually got it right and beat Celtic at Hampden. The league challenge floundered in a scrappy defeat at Inverness, the home team fought for everything and found some vulnerabilities in Celtic but the season ended on a high with the first trophy of the Neil Lennon era as the Scottish Cup was won at rain-soaked Hampden against Motherwell.
Neil Lennon, Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn all had to deal with more serious events than football in the first half of the year. Bombs and bullets were sent to Celtic’s three Irish stars, prosecutions are pending. These events put Scotland on the international news circuit in a very unwelcome light. First Minister, Alex Salmond, promised to take action but instead of tackling a century-old anti-Catholic, anti-Irish tradition, his government passed a law which criminalised all sorts of non-sectarian, non-racist activity.
Despite this initiative taking on flagship status for the Scottish Government, Salmond has steadfastly refused to re-gather and publish information on sectarian attacks in recent years. Policy has been made without reference to facts.
The new season brought great promise. Neil Lennon had a year under his belt and was no longer up against Rangers’ most successful manager, instead he would face rookie Ally McCoist, but a humbling by Sion, ultimately neutralised by Uefa, and poor early season league form saw the manager consider his position.
A home defeat to St Johnstone and an utter collapse at Ibrox set the tone, but it was Kilmarnock’s three goal lead which caused Neil Lennon most concern. The story of the second half comeback at Rugby Park is likely to take on legendary status in years to come, but as with much in life, it contained prosaic events. Celtic came out of the dressing room like a condemned team and failed to register a genuine attempt on the Kilmarnock goal for 25 minutes. Anthony Stokes struck a free kick which would have been stopped by most defensive walls but the Kilmarnock version was made of butter and Celtic had a platform to stage a comeback. Killie’s reserve keeper, Jaakkola, failed to reach Anthony’s shot a few minutes later and Celtic were level six minutes after they realised they had a game of football to play.
In their next game Celtic failed to score at home to then-bottom Hibernian, allowing Rangers to open up a 15 point gap over their rivals, who by then were in third place, although with two games in hand over Rangers. Celtic then went to Motherwell and promptly fell behind, our season hung by a thread, but it was that guy Stokes who again had the stomach for the fight. Anthony equalised within minutes and Gary Hooper scored a late winner.
Celtic have not dropped a point since, while Ally McCoist and his boss, Craig Whyte, now look like the rookies they are. They have lost three of their last six games, completing a collapse at Celtic Park on Wednesday night.
A year ago I reflected on the 46 players who played for Celtic during 2010 and suggested we would be better starting with a blank sheet of paper. The league challenge ended in failure but 2011 didn’t. This year ends with a coherent team strategy which could deliver the first sustainable and successful Celtic team in 40 years. We have a young squad, on wages the club can afford, with a scouting and management team that have delivered a clutch of players destined to achieve an enormous amount in the game.
Despite the energy and excitement around Celtic Park, attendances are down. Football is not as fashionable as it was three or four years ago. For much of the season, we play in a cold, wet, environment against well-organised but defensive teams; it’s a hard sell. We all know fans who have drifted from the stands, large areas of the stadium are now scarcely populated unless Rangers are visiting, which will impact income and subsequent expenditure.
Still, the shambles of 2010 has gone, Celtic look like a club with purpose and the tools to move forward with confidence. A two point lead at this stage of the season is largely symbolic but it’s a deserved honour that your team deserves.
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setting free the bears says:
1 January, 2012 at 16:53
That goal was offside.
The EPL big teams have had a bad weekend.
“Yes but he was only just offside’
Martin O Neill……
LEGEND!!
(even though he has ruined my fantasy football defence.. Was onto a clean sheet)
I think Ji Whizz offside
gsu
Time for change…….I’ve already told Celtic that I will not be renewing my SB if we even discuss playing them in an international ‘friendly’, and I have not met ONE Celtic supporter who disagrees with me on this……..we cannot allow ourselves to be associated with them in any way…..
setting free the bears says:
1 January, 2012 at 16:53
The EPL big teams have had a bad weekend.
One of them did me out of a £100 treble. The manager allegedly dropped their star man and another 2 players for going out with their wives for a meal on boxing day after their game.
Gregory Ioannidis (@LawTop20):
My sources tell me that if the Saudi Arabian consortium take over Panathinaikos they will offer the money for Baba. They have a few bob [!]
Celtic must move fast if they wish to land Baba. Although my humble view is that a 4m fee could be better spent on the defence and midfield.
LOL……..went into the Sunday Post to read the jellyfish story….went into “Blues” to be met with this …..
http://www.siteadvisor.com/restricted.html?domain=http:%2F%2Fwww.internetcorkboard.com%2Fsearch.php%3Fq=rangers&originalURL=-1856863476&pip=false&premium=false&client_uid=2402713092&client_ver=3.4.0.143&client_type=IEPlugin&suite=true&aff_id=691&locale=en_gb&ui=1&os_ver=6.0.2.0
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS says:
1 January, 2012 at 14:35
Agreed – and the extent to which we’ve contributed to their ongoing CL income is too depressing for words.
Hopefully all in the past now and lessons well and truly learnt.
HH
TLWIO
Auld Neil Lennon heid says:
1 January, 2012 at 15:10
I watched the said programme and what Bill Tennant said was, “And if you’re baking this weekend, I hope all your doughnuts have holes as big as Fannies.”
Cue much raucous laughter and the camera swinging about uncontrollably.
Teuchter ár lá says:
1 January, 2012 at 15:43
good stuff.i too think Deano mught have that one ,but I also love the man himself ,Homer J Simpson ” Alcohol, the cause of ,and solution to ,most of lifes problems”
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!! Tick Tock !!
My worry is that we’re isolated voices that the Board will ignore!
Er …… That should have read,
I watched the said programme and what Bill Tennant said was, “And if you’re baking this weekend, I hope all your doughnuts have holes as big as Fanny’s.”
Auld Neil Lennon heid says:
1 January, 2012 at 15:10
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000 says:
1 January, 2012 at 14:53
“May all your donuts turn out like Fannys” has a better jocular ring to it than “May all your donuts turn out like Pauls.”
(I always thought Bill Tennant said the former on TV but on Googling it has been attribted to others. Any other auldwatchers remember the TV camera shaking
when these words were uttered or has my imagination/memory ran off with the milkman?
====================================================================
I was sure it was Bill Tennant on an STV newsy/magazine type show. Also recall huns playing Ajax at ibrox and arthur m was going through the Ajax team list
commentiing that most of them were holland internationalists, in fact he said”you could literally say the ibrox pistch is littered with dutch caps!” now that did have the
camera shaking!!!!
share
ArranmoreBhoyLXV11 says:
the Blessed Martin strikes again….did you see him on the touchline ,roaring them on when the players were happy to play it in the corner?…..he wanted a goal;,and as usual, he got what he asked for.
One of the best.
Leicester defender Sean St Ledger has been placed on the transfer list at the King Power Stadium
where we not after St Ledger last window?
in other transfer news Blackpool have taken former ger Danny Wilson on loan from Liverpool
gsu
Happy, healthy and prosperous new year to all,
So Sion are docked 36 points for their crimes, thus providing a fascinating ‘benchmark’ to compare with any hunnish punishment to follow…
Paul67’s report of 46 players in the hoops in 2010 was a shocking statistic at the time, which he reminds us of above.
Does anyone know how many different first-teamers there have been in 2011, by way of contrast?
Hail, hail
Dont suppse that you should start an arguement on the first day of the New Year but I certainly wouldnt swop Neil Lennon for MON.I think Lennie is doing a great job for Celtic and will lead us to many successes and I like the way his teams try to play football.MON for me to often forgot he had a midfield and his teams humped the ball from the back to the front to much for my likeing.I feel sure Lennie the younger of the two men will be the hungriest so while I congratulate MON and his team for todays result I cant wait to see Lennies Bhoys tomorrow the King has gone long live the new King.H.H.
Kano you got mail
Evening bhoys, cool outside, but hun free as ever.
Sometimes you should just go with your instincts, when Sunderland were 20/1 I thought of sticking a couple of quid on them, ah well, but well done Martin.
Happy new year to you all.
Does wi fi access only come with broadband,?
TET
I TRIED at 40/1, beaten by the guillotine online.
But I got a couple of quid on during the game for Blackburn yesterday at 20/1, so not so bad.
Funny weekend.
FWIW, my mate is an NFL afficionado and says the Green Bay v Detroit game today is temptingly priced.
Apparently the bookies have factored in that the estimable cheeseheads will be overhung, and additionally a local derby so their hitherto 14-1 home record counts for little. Handicap betting at Green Bay -6.
Hail, hail
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
1 January, 2012 at 17:49
Does wi fi access only come with broadband,?
Depends on the modem/router that is installed. I’m with Virgin and replaced the router originally supplied with one of their wi fi routers that accommodates both cable and Wi Fi.
If you are a Virgin Media customer check
http://shop.virginmedia.com/broadband/broadband-extras/wireless-routers.html
BBK 1000
Yes
auld heid,adi dassler- thanks and happy new year bhoys.
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE
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A very happy and peaceful new year to all the CELTIC family worldwide.
Happy New Year to all at CQN be you lurker or poster. I hope 2012 is full of health and happiness for you all.
Our team will have blips in the months ahead but it’s important to keep a degree of proportion because come May when we lift the title it will all be worth it.
happy new year
Fed up with this new year malarkey.
Cannae wait for game the morra.
ErseismakingbuttonsC.S.C
apachecelt says 1 January, 2012 at 18:19
Happy New Year cuz, hope you have a great 2012
HAIL HAIL
this is the best I could do when I youtubed ‘healy celtic’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-iheNnO1jE
Happy New Year to all.
TootingTim at 17:32
I make it 34 players who played in competitive games in 2011.
VP
Fear not….
Pars 0 Celts 3
May I be so bold as to add a R@ngers 2 M’well 2 to that?
hamiltontim says:
1 January, 2012 at 18:34
C ,not worried about the result,believe the Bhoys
will do the bizz.
Just want to get on with it.
Hail hail :o)
Joe Fillippi,
You are bang on my friend.
Martin is a bona fide Celtic legend but I think a title under Neil Lennon, given all that has gone before, would be second only in sweetness to Lisbon.
Happy New Year mate
Hail Hail
TJ
VP
Had to give my ticket away as I’m down south. Now have the unenviable task of trying to find a pub that’ll put it on :(
Hail Hail
On second thoughts, the Mothers have such a record of lying down to the huns that they ought to be sponsored by Slumberland.
Probably 4-0 huns and wee McCall will be quite magnanimous in his praise of the team he hopes to manage one day.
whitedoghunch.
you have mail.