My friends in Celtic, pause for a few moments and peruse your domain. On the field of play your favourites matured into accomplished football players. 2011 ended with an acclaimed Joe Ledley header confirming what we already knew, Celtic were the best team in the land.
Despite ‘losing’ the previous three league titles Celtic held firm in the January transfer window; a difficult decision. We needed to win the league – at any credible cost – but without jeopardising the financial stability of the club. More than sporting form was under debate on these pages at the turn of the year, continents were shifting.
Since 2004 readers of Celtic Quick News have read the gospel of financial responsibility. Bills need to be paid, debt cannot be allowed to rise year after year without enormous consequences. Back then we asserted that Rangers would crash and burn. By 2008 we predicted they were on course to go out of business. This message was not always welcome among our own. It was mocked by some, who demanded ever-higher spending to match the Murray Millions, but on 1 January 2012 there was scarcely a Celtic fan alive who didn’t think Rangers were going out of business. It was only a question of when.
When the crash was confirmed, on St Valentine’s Day, Scottish football embarked on a remarkable period of soul-searching. Rangers last owner, Craig Whyte, had a plan, which we explained in some detail in 2011. Whyte subsequently revealed he met with SPL directors, Neil Doncaster and Ralph Topping in October 2011, told them the likelihood that Rangers would go into liquidation, and asked them to back a plan to catapult a Newco-Rangers into the SPL.
The plan was nonsense. Whyte should have been sent away with told to pay his bills but Doncaster was oceans out of his depth. A fait-accompli would be presented to the SPL clubs, vote to change the rules and elect a Newco into the top flight, or deal with “Armageddon”.
Football eventually did the right thing, as many, perhaps most, Rangers fans wanted all along, but hundreds of scribes attached themselves to Whyte’s Cunning Plan, which was presented as a bastion of responsibility, not the work of deception it was. The fight-back started on these pages. Soon it encompassed fans of every club in Scotland and the SPL clubs have no choice but to stick with the established rules.
Rangers creditors voted against a CVA and liquidators were appointed. Pop, and they were gone! Football fans of every colour, who has endured defeat to Rangers but still asserted that expenditure must be limited to income, enjoyed three seconds of glory as they turned to the bling-addicts beside them and said, “Told you”.
A man from Yorkshire with a group of partially-known investors nipped in ahead of various groups of Rangers fans to secure the assets of the club. Evidence suggests he believed the club would achieve a CVA (the assertion that “the history, the tradition, everything that’s great about this club is swept aside” if they were to be liquidated confirms this), but he bid more than any group of Rangers fans for the liquidated assets so ended up with an opportunity to issue himself with 5 million shares worth 70p each a few months later. Beautiful.
We’re on our own.
Celtic began as the solitary voice at SPL meetings speaking against Whyte’s plan. They were not responsible for the demise of Rangers, but let the record show, when the moment of reckoning arrived, the Celtic board liquidated the Old Firm.
On the field of play we were a well-oiled machine. Our first league title in four seasons arrived with consummate ease. Kilmarnock showed what a well-drilled team could do in the League Cup final, with a little help from a last minute blind-spot when Anthony Stokes had his legs whipped from him in the box, but let’s be generous, you know it, I know it, we would have missed the penalty anyway.
Last minute Hampden penalty decisions would crop up again in the Scottish Cup, when the whole Deliberate Handball rule was cast asunder, but refereeing is always been an emerging art in these parts.
The new season, our first ever as the only superpower in the Scottish game, held one major challenge – qualify for the Champions League. Four wins in four qualifying games was better than expected, so the team who were slapped by Sion, attacked by Atletico and usurped by Udinese a year earlier, were in the Champions League.
Be generous to those who dismissed our chances. One poor guy writing the ITVFootball tweets wrote “Bye bye Celtic” on the day we were drawn against Spartak Moscow, Benfica and Barcelona. Based on the evidence available, it was a fair call.
It is nothing short of fantastic, in the literal sense, that we qualified out of that group. Even now, halfway through the season, Barcelona have lost only one competitive game, when Victor Wanyama, Tony Watt and their pals ripped up the form book. It took Barca until the 93rd minute to secure a win over Celtic in the Camp Nou, or they would have three competitive draws on their record for this season, one to Real Madrid in the league, and a meaningless draw against Benfica being the only two.
I honestly thing we have overachieved in Europe this season. Neil Lennon and his players got everything right. The corner and free kicks from Charlie were immense. No one in Europe does better (some supporting evidence here). Forget the more fancied thoroughbreds, Charlie Mulgrew is our Moneyball player, a team full of them and we’ll win the Big Cup.
Victor’s leap and Tony’s finish will be replayed in our minds for years. Despite leaving ample hints, the DVD didn’t materialise at Christmas. Georgios has scored in all of our five European away games, a record.
Expectations will rise as a result of these achievements but we got so many things absolutely right in this Champions League campaign the odds against doing so again next season are high. Celtic will need to start preparing for next season’s Champions League now if they are to have any chance of remaining in the tournament next Hogmanay. If we were operating at 90% capacity we would have finished bottom with one or two points. As for Juventus, bring them on.
These end-of-year reports are often a lot less encouraging. 2010 was far from easy reading, the distance we have travelled since 2010’s is incredible. Celtic end 2012 as one of the most admired clubs in the European game. We develop great players, compete against the best better than anyone else, and have a sense of purpose which will never be extinguished.
Take care and may 2013 bring you all that you hope for.
Have you ordered your CQN Annual yet? Get it here!
1,546 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- ...
- 41
- »
67
Lol
Weefra HH
Jude
Sisters are great,sorry for your loss.
Duntocher CSC doing the west highland way for St Margarets of Scotland Hospice, Clydebank. pic.twitter.com/ktNYdYRx
Doing the west highland way dressed in style
1-1 Villa
BobbyMurdochCUW :- An 18 hour session, I thought over in Kilwinkieland they counted that as a warm before the real drinking starts, you have been away from the open air asylum for too long :-)
Havnt been on for a few days. But why did F F come for that ball? He put doubt in Rognes mind.
EDWARD URSUS
Not heard it referred to as the open-air asylum for a while-made me smile!
Hope you gave Mr Daniels’ product a bashing,and that you have an excellent 2013.
I had abt 18 fags in a packet over 25yrs ago twisted and crushed them and chucked them in the bin.
Never smoked since.
Now that I come to think of it,I’ve not heard it referred to as the open-air asylum since,erm,I left………
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ 15:49 on 1 January, 2013
“Havnt been on for a few days. But why did F F come for that ball? He put doubt in Rognes mind.”
If I was taking a wild guess I would say it was because bi Fraser thought he was going to get the ball.
It happens. First mistake I can remember him making for quite a while. I’m sure we’ll get over it.
Ed
Hope your ok happy new year ya big hun yae!;)
Can I mention Griffths for a signing? I think hes scored mare goals than emdae else!! <o)) Jist saying like!! o)
That should be ‘BIG’ Fraser – not, ahem … ‘bi’ – I don’t want to start grubby rumours.
Stein.
Thought was the prob. He comes? He should GET!!!
As was accurately foretold on here a few weeks ago, there was nothing that OAE could produce that would match the reality of Carlo Verdi and Whitsthernames, in terms of surreal comedy and farce.
However, there is a dangerous edge to the originals stuff.
Stopping smoking, is it?
The easiest time to stop is when your head tells you that it is ready to quit.
No NY resolutions or perceived healthier states of your wallets or lungs will do it.
When you make the decision to quit, just because you want to, the rest is, comparatively, easy.
A bit of self hypnosis is all that it takes.
RIP and condolences to those in mourning at this time and a Happy New Year to Paul and the rest of you.
Fraser Forster is bi?
You mean he plays in goals and outfield?
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ 16:00 on 1 January, 2013
“Thought was the prob. He comes? He should GET!!!”
I make mistakes all the time – so I’ll cut him a bit of slack on your behalf…
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon 16:12 on 1 January, 2013
“Fraser Forster is bi?
“You mean he plays in goals and outfield?”
There was always the danger my typo would be misrepresented.
I was actually meaning Fraser kicks the ball as well as handling it…
Happy New Year CQNers, watched only an excuse as well last night, a big let down, the biggest story in scottish football history ignored, the inclusion of The Brother Walfrid sketch, what was that all about? Anyway had a great night, and am now off the booze until the bus to the game tomorrow. ( Unforseen really dodgy belly )
Hoping for a decent turnout tomorrow, a few swallys with the members of The Port Harp CSC and more importantly 3 points.
Hail Hail
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A_iVGDKCAAA27rS.jpg:large
Villa fielding the youngest EPL team ..23 yrs,119 days average age
I think we’ve fielded a younger team than that this season …am I right ?
lionroars67
15:16 on
1 January, 2013
The lost choir………….mad world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl4lHdtuizw
Well!! Thought I was a tough guy.
Alternatively, Fraser uses the lower half of his body as well as the upper half of his body to make saves.
Phoned my twin sister there, to wish her a Happy New Year ……. she mentioned that, when asked during a TV interview….”what was the happiest moment of your life?” …the actor, Gerard Butler’s reply was “When Celtic beat Barcelona 2-1 in the Champions League” ….!!!!!!!!!! …… A fine actor …..LOL
Steinreignedsupreme,
Is he ambidextrous too?
Happy New Year Celts, not had a drink this year let…… If I was a zombie it would be proposed as a new world record.
V
Nice to see big Eck get off to a good start at home – losing 2-0 to Blackburn.
Gordon J
He saves on his left, he saves on his right, FF makes Barca look £&@#.
V
Watching Man Utd match and they just shown a slow motion sequence of Hernandez blessing himself after he scored.
I fear a Papish hand in this foreign satellite feedback.
JEEZO
Sitting on chair (as you do) wondering’ whit’s that under my elbow’?
My belly :O( need to go on a diet……efter my dinner.HH
Villa go 2-1 up.
Villa take a 2-1 lead away to Swansea.
Ki Sung Yong is a Jonah.
Get in there Paolo Lambertino…
1-2 Benteke!!!!!!!!
Van Persie 4-0
Swansea Villa 2-2
Swansea equalise v Villa
2-2 swansea villa