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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BSR
well …the Sheriff`s Officers wouldn`t need directions to the place
Celtic XI tweet by A Hamilton…
Forster; Matthews, Rogne, Mulgrew, Ledley; Forrest, Wanyama, Brown, Samaras; Hooper & Stokes
With the ‘marketing campaign’ in full flight for 10 million (zlotties) man Jelly, why would they risk their investment, errr…. down payment?
Team
Forster; Matthews, Rogne, Mulgrew, Ledley; Forrest, Wanyama, Brown, Samaras; Hooper & Stokes
HH
#Celtic subs:
Zaluska, K Wilson, Ki, Izaguirre, Cha, McCourt & Bangura
jobo- what a friend gets……..
An attacking line up for the Celts today. We could see a few goals
Keep reading here that Calum Murray is a Jambo: how did it come out?
Put on a 4 game accumulator and also took the 4 trebles, so 5 bets in total. One of my games is postponed. If the remaining 3 come up do I get 1 treble and 3 doubles?
Jobo (counting his chickens)
Well, no apologies a man has to say what he feels.
Do not like the line up, because we’re a midfielder short losing Kayal and replacing him with Stokes.
Hibs capitulate.
McCoist is blatantly tapping up Novo
just as he tried with Goodwillie and as he is trying with Allan
the media go with this ..do the laws of the game not apply to the huns
3-1 hertz …good finish from Skatcel
hibs are atrocious
I thought Izzy would have started with Joe Ledley returning to the midfield..there’s goals in the team that’s for sure…
Being on the Fifers…
1-3 Hearts win.
bournesouprecipe
With Victor in there and Sammi will sit until we get control, I think iot will be fine 4-0 to the good ghuys
BSR
similar thoughts ….playing with 2 wingers has rarely worked for us away from home
playing Brown in CM..not for me either
Brown and Wanyama will need to sit tight in the middle.
Once again, I think we are too light in midfield….and once again I hope I’m wrong.
Don’t want to be chasing the game.
Kittoch
Of course, I hope you are right.
In my book it should have been Ki for Kayal, that way it’s a winning formula, instead we have change, and it underestimates Dunfermline whom we only managed to beat at CP.
What is Lenny waiting for putting Izzy back in at lb?
The team is lopsided. It will be a struggle today
Jobo Baldie says:
2 January, 2012 at 14:05
Put on a 4 game accumulator and also took the 4 trebles, so 5 bets in total. One of my games is postponed. If the remaining 3 come up do I get 1 treble and 3 doubles?
2 trebles and 3 doubles
jobo
2 trebles and 3 doubles
How did the linesman not give sutton offside for the 3rd goal, he was 5 yards ahead of the last defender
Afternoon bhoys, the sun is out, very windy but hun free as ever.
Jobo
Your bet will still stand.
The postponed match will count as 0/0
It’s only tapping up when the Tims do it!
Is it not right that Celtic are the only club to be ‘fishally done for this???
Tam Burns???
Are Dunfermline not the only team in Scotland yet to win at home??
Morning all
I see the nerves are starting already….C’mon we’ll be fine.
Awa’ up the club.
TAL
starry plough says:
2 January, 2012 at 14:
your right dunfermline havent won at home this season
Sutton offside for the third hearts goal, also a player offside at the first goal, though he didn’t get a touch he was standing right in front of the goalie obscuring his view of the shot.
Did anyone catch what Ian Black had written on his t-shirt? As he removed his top at the end a few hearts players seemed to gather round him and suggest it wasn’t a good idea, at whic point he put his top back on.
I agree it should have been Ki for Kayal today. Scoosh in midfield doesn’t fill me with confidence. Still, in Lenny we trust.
Doctastic
same linesman who allowed the first goal
Hibs were poor …the officials were terrible ..Murray ad his helpers gave Hearts everything
Off to Sharkey’s.
Still no contact from Noel90. He may appear today.
James Morris says:
2 January, 2012 at 14:18
Hoops to come out blazing and get an early goal, all being well Izzy gets a run out, the perfect start to the New Year!!
Sons…..
It was the website for his painting and decorating business…….
bonbhoy, PFayr and TET –
Cheers, lads.
So now waiting on 3 or more goals in the Blackburn/Stoke and QPR/Norwich games.
Jobo
Awe_Naw
“Of course over twenty English clubs are reportedly interested in the striker and we will have more on this story when we get it.”
Are these “over twenty” from Premieship?
Could be true.
2 offside goals but hibs didnt even complain to the ref about either
2-0 to the good guys today but agree with the already mentioned lop sided opinion. Radio playing the Old jellyfish card for the off. SB in CM not so sure Neil, lets see what happens. Traynor saying Jelly wont play for the monsters again. Uch.
KLV