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.
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Ozzy Pink Floyd….seen ’em twice.
Good, for a tribute act.
Unlike some other tribute acts…
…like The Pretendy Bears.
Good morning all from a bright and pleasant looking East Kilbride. Although I’m feeling pretty lousy I’m really looking forward to the tonic that is a seat in Celtic Park to watch The Champions play.
SCOTS PAT FAN
I’ve seen THINK FLOYD a fair few times,very professional,and an excellent show. But I think it’s fair to say that these guys are the berries. Really looking forward to it.
If it’s sold-out,I might need to speak to some of the suits at my work-never a good idea as I have a habit of being,erm,misunderstood!
McSTAY’S MA HERO
Difficult to see past him in the last thirty years for his dedication to the team,and what he brought to us on the park.
Obviously,the likes of Henrik surpassed him on the pitch,but Paul was one of us,he played like someone who,well,just wanted to play for Celtic,like we all did.
Only,he did it better!
It was to his detriment that he was only 24 in The Centenary Season,and just as his career should have been sky-rocketing,he found that he had to carry the team for five or six years.
Too much for one man. It did him no favours.
By the time we got people in who were worthy of playing alongside him,the rigours of those years finally overtook him.
He’ll always be a legend as a Celtic player,but Celtic,IMO,prevented him being a legend in the game as a whole.
Good morning Jobo
Likewise, really looking forward to today’s game! Taking my wee nephew (5) to his 2nd ever game…….hyper!!
Never mind, he’s got the bug now and we’ve all got that!
HH
BMCUWP
excellent ….spoke to HT the other day he’s hoping to be available …I’ll get him to pass your details
Tallybhoy
Ny joy with a pass for the 12 th Jan
Thindimebhoy
RIP Hugh Adam.
Will never forget his article in the Scotsman – how true it all proved to be… 10 years later. Very insightful really.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/top-football-stories/adam-shakes-ibrox-pillars-with-warning-of-bankruptcy-1-595808
D Murray tried to discredit him as ‘bitter’ and certain members of the laptop loyal seemed only too happy to try to do the same.
Bobby…..
Totally agree! The worrying thing is if we never had him …. God knows what would have happened to us in those days. Yes he carried us for a good 6 years and, as you say, never got the recognition from the wider audience.
At least WE all know how god he was in more ways than one.
PFAYR.
That is exactly what is going on.
SKY are the steroid injection that is building The Myth and keeping the big Lie going.
They want the audience numbers that a Celtic v Sevco match will bring.
They are hyping up Sevco like never before.
Rangers dying was bad news for them.
They are such a powerful medium that the truth coming out and being properly told will NEVER happen.
Apart from that .
I simply detest Jim White.
A67
mcstays-ma-hero
oh right, THAT bug ;-)
Make sure the wee man enjoys the experience.
TomtheLeedsTim
That’s good to know you are aware. Speak Friday. Hope you had a good new year.
MWD
LuxCelt
Ironically Hugh Adam is the kind of man they need right now. Instead they have Chuck whose almost daily fawning to the Sevconians for their blue pounds is enough to give you the boak.
It will all end in tears again and Chuck will be a helluva lot richer for it…
I used to run a pub in Glasgow many years ago (Videodrome) where Hugh Adam was in dining on a regular basis. He was a real gentleman. He knew I was a Tim, and there was good banter on the go, especially when Hamilton Accies knocked them out of the cup. He came in the next day and took pelters from me. Lots of other patrons of his persuasion stayed away that weekend, surprisingly. RIP Hugh Adam
Hugh Adam built Rangers. David Murray destroyed them. Simple as that.
The word Legend is much over used when speaking about Celtic players.
When it is attached to Paul McStays name it is very appropriate.
He was devoted to Celtic.
The club ran through his veins .
The difference with Paul was that he had a level of skill and consistent performance that was ways above his peers.
He had options to go , but his heart was at Celtic Park.
I loved him as a player, and the small bit that I know about him as a human being means.
I greatly admire him as a man.
The Maestro is a Celtic legend.
A67
Cowiebhoy, thanks, she will be spoiled by her family and friends.
Enjoy the game.
The Scotsman article if you read it, is actually very complimentary to Celtic. Adam makes several direct references to Celtic’s popularity, strength of support base etc.
Shame he didn’t work for us, really.
RIP.
MWD – will be a good one if we win by +3 goals today. Am in Glasgow for this one.
Put this in your global appeal pipe and smoke it Chuck
“Despite the claims of international appeal, Rangers are, essentially, a West of Scotland club. They talk of supporters’ buses leaving from all parts of Scotland, but if you look closely, you’ll see there aren’t many from each area and they are not all full”
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/top-football-stories/adam-shakes-ibrox-pillars-with-warning-of-bankruptcy-1-595808
Link courtsey of Luxcelt
Andrew67
I remember a Reserve League Cup Final up at tannadice in the mid90s. Right in the heart of the ‘bad years’. Paul was Club captain though, so travelled up to tannadice to support the reserves, and just sat in the stand among the troops, chatting away to the fans, signing autographs etc. (We won the trophy that night too).
Fantastic ghuy to have at the Club in those terrible times. His tackling and workrate on the park were incredible at times (despite his primary role being creative, he had to cover for peter grant etc and their defensive failings). It was perfectly normal to see him back at his own corner flag, tackling and fighting for the ball. I felt he never got the credit deserved for his defensive work.
McSTAY’S MA HERO 1028
Being new to the site,you might not be aware of the level of pedantry on here.
Mea culpa…..
As Freudian slips go the one in your last sentence was perfect.
Sums him up,really-though PETEC will be on in a minute to say you should have capitalised the first letter!
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
At least WE all know how god he was in more ways than one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Indeed he was…..
Nigeria midfielder, Rabiu Ibrahim has teamed up with another Scottish Premier League (SPL) club, Kilmarnock FC, supersport.com can report.
The 21-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Killie just hours after the winter transfer window opened.
The former Nigerian Under17 player also explained his choice of staying back in Scotland to sign for Kilmarnock and ditch a move to an unnamed Russia Premier League club.
“As far as I was concerned, Russia was my destination but the moment Kilmarnock showed an interest I was happy because I really wanted to stay in Scotland and Kilmarnock play modern passing (game). They often play 4-3-3 with a playmaker which suits me.
“The manager of Kilmarnock (Kenny Shiels) spoke to my manager and also spoke with me and I am excited about his plans,” Rabiu told supersport.com.
When asked why he does not fancy a move to Russia, Rabiu said: “I am very happy in Glasgow and I have really settled in here and I believe I can do great things in the SPL. I have to keep fighting. Football is a fight, and success doesn’t come easy.
“In Sporting Lisbon I fought for a place with captain Joao Moutinho and at PSV Eindhoven I competed for a place with Ola Toivonen, the captain and Kevin Strootman, these are all top players.
“Now at Celtic there are senior, experienced and influential players like Scot Brown, the captain, Victor Wanyama, Chris Commons etc, who can all play in the same position.
“I can’t expect to be ahead of these players and that’s the reality. I am now in Kilmarnock, the fight goes on,” the former Gateway FC playmaker rounded off.
Rabiu’s manager, Tony Harris explained that the player is keen to first succeed in Scotland and has set his sight on earning a move to England.
“Rabiu is an exceptionally gifted player. This could well be the perfect fulcrum for him. There were discussions for Rabiu to go on loan to a couple of SPL clubs but eventually he was allowed to leave Celtic and move to Kilmarnock. He has signed a two-year contract.
“Celtic are doing well in the SPL and Champions League, and they have lots of experience in the midfield, hence his opportunities were limited. There was a possibility for Rabiu to go to Russia but his preference is to remain in the UK for now. He has great ambitions and I am happy for him,” said Harris to supersport.com.
Rabiu is currently with the Nigerian men’s national team in Spain ahead of their friendly game against Catalonia on Wednesday.
Since their demise I have noticed the auld biscuit tin has been retired from ever being mentioned again by the MSM.
I guess these prophetic words from Hugh Adam made the decision easy for them.
“Fergus was the most unjustly maligned man in the history of the game, when you consider that he took the club from bankruptcy into the mainstream and built that stadium along the way.
‘Now, the Celtic board have more financial heavyweights than Rangers, with people like Brian Quinn, Dermot Desmond and Sir Patrick Sheehy.
“It’s only in the last couple of years that Celtic have sustained losses, but over the five-year period they break even. But Brian Quinn and his board are taking steps to warn people that they are not in the business of heading towards bankruptcy.
“For their pains – for doing their job properly – they get crucified in the media, accused of penny-pinching. I don’t understand it.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS 07:47 on 2 January, 2013
Do you spend much time in Cardiff?
BMCUW:
Is that irony or can that only occur where the unintended outcome is unfavourable?
Where are the pedants when you need them eh?
Is Ibrahim really for the off folks?
WWC
You’ve been reading too much of that mad ass philosophy :-))
Kayal33:
Apologies. Didn’t read back.
Shame though I liked the look of Ibrahim on the few occasions I saw him…
Story into todays Herald by its chief political editor Robbie Dinwoodie
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/400-scots-households-a-week-face-bankruptcy.19807744
“However, it is clear from Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement, as well as other statistical and anecdotal evidence, that sustained economic growth remains elusive. The result is that personal insolvencies, while stabilising, remain at a very high rate in historic terms.”
He added: “Personal insolvencies appear to be steady at around 20,000 per year. While this number is lower than the peak in 2009, when 23,541 Scots were made bankrupt, it is a very high figure indeed.
“In 2004 there were 9321 Scottish personal bankruptcies, and in 1998 there were just 4465. The reality is that 400 Scots face financial Armageddon each week.”
Anychance Robbie could chat to his colleagues Richard Wilson and Michael Grant and explain that ole rankers faced Liquidation meaning they had their own personal armageddon
Ibrahim obviously not good enough then, shame though he looked okay.
Best of luck to him , but Kilmarnock, really? ;o)
What chance that we will see an attacking midfielder in the team today, perhaps McGeouch played through the middle, or will it be the usual mix of similar styles?
WEST WALES CELT
Downright beginner’s luck,I call it.
Any mistake I make results in shame and ridicule-deservedly so.
Newbie here cracks a good ‘un,marvellous.
What an intro to the site!
Helluva lot to live up to,bar has been set high,McSTAYS MA HERO.
I’m sure you’ll cope,bud……
Lenny ““Left-sided is what we want, either a winger or a left-back”.
100% agree, although I’d be leaning more towards finding a left back.
It was our forwards, namely Hooper and Lassad, who never quite clicked v Hibs (maybe Lassad’s man-flu was genuine after all?). While it’s becoming increasingly clear that Celtic function better with 3 in midfield, there are still problems. Kayal, despite 2 excellent showings v Arbroath and St Mirren, has had a patchy season so far – his last 3 games have been awful. Commons, a very useful candidate to play behind the strikers, is out, leaving Lenny with a dilemma as to where to place Hooper. Samaras (our true MVP with a superb record against Motherwell at home) has a hard time fitting into 4-3-1-2.
Meanwhile, Lenny is starting to fall back into a rut as regards picking players – Mcgeouch has done enough to earn at least one start to prove himself, while if you watched the Hibs game and didn’t think Paddy did more in 25 mins than the majority did in 90 you must be blind.
If Matthews is fit, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lenny return to 3-5-2, as it suits the Welshman down to the ground.
I’m going for a wildcard selection today. Although the current set-up, whether 3-5-2 or 4-3-1-2, doesn’t favour wingers, both Paddy and Dylan can play CM, while Hooper was at his best up front with Watt in the St Johnstone cup game. Put Sammi in the roving role – not his natural position, but he’s too important a player v Mothers to leave out.
Forster
Ambrose Wilson Mulgrew Matthews
Mcgeouch Wanyama McCourt
Samaras
Hooper Watt
TV scheduling
I really cannae follow this
The constant showing of sevco aside …irritating as it is
Last season and a few seasons before that almost every CFC away game was on TV ..now it appears that we get the odd game …CFC must be the biggest draw in the SPL for viewing figures…perplexed
Ibrahim….another failed trialist…
Have we had any success on this front ?
STEINREIGNEDSUPREME
Not as much as I would like,but probably gonna be about one Saturday in four for the foreseeable.
Driving my mate to Birmingham on Saturday,he wants to be nearer his family-naturally-so after that I will be having an awayday Saturday more often than not.
So would you,if you lived in Swindon.
Bristol,London,Reading,Bath,Gloucester,Cheltenham and particularly Cardiff are high on the agenda. All mainline train-routes,within 30-80 minutes.
Failing that,I’ll hitch a lift outa the effing place!
Patrick27
I suspect Ibrahim doesn’t have the robustness Neil looks for in building his teams. Kilmarnock are a good fit, as Kenny Shiels is an advocate of football played on the deck – best place for him to go, in fact.
UOG
Far too lightweight in midfield …the Mothers ..Lasley et al would kick us to bits with that line up
I’m sure Sevco will mark the passing of such a great servant as Hugh Adam ,like a minutes applause / silence at their next home game.
up_over_goal
11:20 on 2 January, 2013
Paddy should be going the same way as Ibrahim. Izzaguirre will play today, not due to form which has been patchy but due to he’s our only option out wide on the left. We need an alternative to him, Gershon may be that man, time will tell. Our best performance of the season in the league was at Motherwell where it was 2-0 going on 6. That day we had a front three of Hooper with Forrest and Commons either side of him, unfortunately two of those three are unavailable today.
Forster
Lustig Ambrose Wilson Izzaguirre
Brown Wanyama Kayal
McGeouch Hooper Samaras
Subs
Zalusaka Matthews Mulgrew Watt Lassad Miku Heron
McGeouch in the Commons floating position, Sammi on the left with Lustig & Brown providing width on the right