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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1,206 Comments- Pages:
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hamiltontim says:
1 January, 2012 at 18:42
Good luck mate.
hamiltontim 18:42
Where down south are you?
The Timternet will get you a pub within the hour.
EN
glendalystonsils says:
1 January, 2012 at 18:42
On the other hand McCall could hasten the process if they were to get a result against THEM
gsu
EN
I’m in Upton which is a wee village near Worcester. I’d prefer a pub where I’m staying so that I can have a pint but if needs be I’ll just take the car into Worcester mate.
Happy New Year to all at CQN and thanks Paul for not only providing the platform but also your ther highly successful associated projects which has enhanced the CQN experience in 2011.
More power to you in 2012
VP- Happy New Year mate,McCall is a ratbag but 9/1 Murderwell is worth a few shillings.
notthebus
Are you and neganon gonnae be good mates this year:o)
All the best to you mate.
Will we see the return of Izzy tomorrow? Ledley in midfield to replace Kayal?
Looking forward to it, not been to East End Park for years
hamiltontim says:
1 January, 2012 at 18:58
Place not far from you,men behind the ‘Wyre Piddle’
must be a Cellic shoap in there.
McCall has spent his managerial career in Scotland erchie licking the Huns and trying to turn over CFC
i`ll be astounded if MFC take anything tomorrow
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
1 January, 2012 at 19:04
Bada,happy new year big man.
McCall is a rat,I do not know the hold that
club has over former players?Could be
photos of goat bothering,seems to me
they would rather help the hun rather
than their own careers.
Happy New Year to all.
G64
Happy new year .How’s the heid ,belly etc?
looking forward to tomorrow.
VP
goat bothering ….you might just be onto something :¬))
….PFayr says:
1 January, 2012 at 19:07
To be fair PF,I said the same before the
St Mirren game and look what happened there.
Aye yir right ,look at the stats 22 fouls against
us ,8 against thems.
Bundoran Bhoy – KANO 1000 says:
Happy new year T. Tell Helen and all the family i was asking after them.
VP
Happy New Year to you pal.
Taking it easy today.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s game.
G64- Happy New Year big chap to you and yours.
Gordon64 says:
1 January, 2012 at 19:22
I will see you tomorrow,you can tell all about
the mishaps over the bells :O)
ElDiegoBhoy
Thank you, and all the very best to you and yours
I would happily meet Neg anon for a pint, id love to shake him warmly by the throat
hail hail
Happy New Year to all CQNers and Farmers.
Hope 2012 will bring us what we all hope for and look forward to ending the season as champions.
ATB & HH
GMB
notthebus
LOL. You’re not the first to offer that suggestion.
Maybe we shouldn’t take things so seriously on here.
I seem to recall being friendly to Sydney Tim last night which wasn’t my intention when I started to post.
(ST, only kiddin).
Stairheedrammy says:
1 January, 2012 at 13:02
Thanks, Stairheed!
!!Bada Bing!!
Happy New Year to you too.
Will see you down in The Vogue soon.
granny macs bhoy- happy new year HH.
!!Bada Bing!!
Happy New Year to you as well mate.
Lookin forward to game tomorrow and hope we keep the momentum goin.
Long odds you mentioned on Well speaks volumes, however worth a punt.
HH
GMB
Noo years revoloutions
nae sweary emotional words
nae greetin @treble
nae bitin @ skelpers
nae shortbread
please feel free to make your unbroken promises from last year
the mayan insurance company csc
nothing without fans
That’s a quarter less then. Thanks for counting:)
Hail, hail
There are no reasons to be confident of a Motherwell result. The last 5 fixtures have been won by Rangers on an aggregate of 22 goals scored to 2 against.
We must beat Dunfermline.
A very good evening to you all from a very wet Channel Islands.
A quiet night for me and the good lady after the excesses of last night.
I hope for a comfortable victory tomorrow as a message to our foes.
Start the year the way we mean to go on.
See when you look at the current Celtic team its all there on paper.
Forster (Would prefer older but he has the talent)
Mathews (well played the scouts)
K.Wilson
C.Muldini
Izaguerrie
Forrest
Ledley
Kayal
Brown
Stokes
Hooper
Theres players squeezed in there and thats no my prefered line up but its miles better than any thing we come up against in the SPL. Creativity from central midfeild is still a dream of mine.
EN
Paddy Gallagher says:
1 January, 2012 at 20:18
After your excesses of your round uk tour,
I’m surprised your liver is no chappin tae get oot.
Hail hail :O)
TootingTim at 20:05
No problem.
Four of those 34 played just once.
voguepunter says:
1 January, 2012 at 20:21
It was a bit tiring to be honest driving up and back in such a short time.
Fly up to Glasgow via Heathrow on the ‘red-eye’ on Wednesday then off on a cruise on the Friday.
Persil wanted to buy my liver for a whiter than white campaign.
A bit scunnered with the drink to be honest but I will put on a brave face..:-)
Paddy Gallagher says:
1 January, 2012 at 20:27
Enjoy your cruise………………..I really mean it.
jammybassaC.S.C
another noo year revoloution
dont answer the phone tae yer brotheryou’ll end up greetin
like a baby
howsyerdadcsc
What’s Ibrox made of – they could make a killing on the metal market ?
LME Alum 3 Mo + 1.28%
LME Copper 3 Mo + 1.78%
LME Nickel 3 Mo + 2.34%
LME Zinc 3 Mo + 0.71%
LME Tin 3 Mo + 1.73%
LME Lead 3 Mo + 1.71%
CMX Copper Mar 12 – 0.17%
CMX Copper May 12 – 0.23%
CMX Gold Feb 12 + 0.08%
CMX Silver Mar 12 – 0.41%
NMX Crude Oil Feb 12 + 0.20%
Joe Filippis Haircut
I agree re Lenny vs MON……especially in managing the club with the current limitations we have re budget.
The fact that Lenny’s heart seems to be in it 100% despite all the criticism and abuse he has taken from within and outwith would make him my choice over a chap who knew how to ‘manage the support’, and the ‘board’ to his own ends.
It is difficult to compare as the dynamics are so different, no Henrick, no big budget, poorer opposition….
Ultmately MON moved on with a record not much better than McLeish’s at Rangers despite his significant advantage in terms of spend and also the Larson factor. He would not entertain working in the kind of situation his successor worked in and definitely not the situation which our current manager works in.