On practically all measures the club has had a less successful 2013 than 2012 but I’m going to give you a positive State of the Club Report today. 2013 gave us one critical achievement, qualification for the group stage of the Champions League. Winning the league title is, of course, critical for most ambitious clubs, but at Celtic it has become a bit like putting your socks on; it’s something we do as a matter of course.
Overcoming Elfsborg and Shakhter Karagandy was a lot more difficult than it should have been. They are to us what we are to teams at the top of La Liga or Serie A, but our superior resources eventually held good. You get a sense from recent comments by Neil Lennon and Johan Mjallby that the realisation we need to shop at least one transfer window in advance of the period we need players to be effective has dawned.
Next season’s qualifiers will, in all probability, be more challenging, so the hard work necessary to ensure a high probability of a successful outcome should already be underway.
Performance at this season’s group stage was ultimately disappointing after a promising start. We held our own for 80 minutes away to Milan, looking as comfortably as we have been away to a top Spanish or Italian club in 30 years. Conceding two late goals felt harsh. Defeat at home to Barcelona was frustrating. The plan worked perfectly while the game was 11 v 11 and even when we were reduced to 10 men we still had a chance to take the lead, but Barca were hot favourites from the moment Scott Brown flicked out at Neymar. We missed Brown’s influence hugely over the next three CL games.
A tactically impeccable performance at home to Ajax but some points on the board but the three remaining games, away to Ajax and Barcelona, and home to Milan, were abject. It was like all our accumulated wisdom of how to compete in this tournament was lost. The Milan game at Celtic Park was particularly disappointing as it mirrored the manner and score of the defeat to Juventus earlier this year. No lessons were learned.
When Teemu Pukki cheerfully told us he would bring pace and strength to the Celtic attack, but not a bundle of goals, there was a ripple of concern across the support. In Europe, we can often only afford one striker, so he needs to be the type of will look away but have the ball bounce off his bum and into the net.
Recruiting a player who possesses this talent and can successfully deploy it on the Champions League, while he does his weekend business in the SPFL, has proven to be the key challenge for the football department. It’s not easy, but it’s certainly not impossible. We know the issue, we have time and money in the bank, so I don’t see why we can’t find a solution.
2013 was not a time of harmony for the Celtic support. Amid vandalism, flares and multiple Uefa fines Celtic banned fans and donated seats in section 111 to charity. We are 10 years after the Fifa and Uefa Fair Play awards. The road back to those times will not be easy but there is a road back.
In early 2012 I appeared on Radio Scotland, where James Traynor insisted that Celtic were doomed if the SPL clubs refused to allow Newco Rangers elevated access to top flight football. I told him the overwhelming consensus on Celtic Quick News was that we were prepared to pay the price to ensure new clubs start at the bottom of the league pyramid. If it meant more youth players, fewer fans, less effective European competition, so be it.
The predictions of doom were largely misplaced. Celtic have not only been able to reach the Champions League group stage, twice in succession. My money is on them qualifying again next year, while season ticket sales in excess of 40,000 is exceptionally robust in the circumstances.
It was almost exactly nine years ago that I suggested the start of the Martin O’Neill era would herald a Generation of Domination, as Sir David Murray’s financial recklessness would lead to Rangers collapse. Now the only questions is, how many generations are we talking about? None of what has happened since is a surprise. Our progress on the field will not be linear, it never was, but it is assured.
Have a great New Year, you deserve it.
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If Aiden were back you wouldn’t need to be in one o those heated seats….you would be up / down all the time as he bamboozles the opposition……never known him to hide…marvellous footwork and tricks …..what more could you ask for…..shame the boo boys in other grounds canny recognise talent……wonder if big pee hell sends him a xmas card
Happy New Year to all Celts wherever you are in the world. Looking forward to another great year with hopefully a good few Celtic supporting moments that will stick in the memory.
AR
Who cares if we sign a striker?
We are Celtic.
We don’t care if we win lose or draw.
Darn the hare if we we care.
We only know there’s gonnae be a show.
And the Glasgow Celtic will be there.
Say no to OF
All the best VP to you and yours..
Happy New Year to all, and i mean all. The diversity of this place makes this place – long may it continue.
Best for me this year, cos im a saft git…. HT, who is constant in his posts – constant as in integrity – and Minx gettin together.
We’re too busy slappin our manhood on the table – we’re afraid to be saft -to see that love is the only thing that redeems us.
Anywise, yer aw a set a bollix
Beamin oot
All the best
to
all the best.
dd,
They might be better outside Kilmainham..
The troops will be waiting in Chalmers St…
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Proclaimers
Rangers no more!
10-I-A-R.
Title after title.
GLASGOW CELTIC CHAMPIONS!
TCR
We are the sons of James Connolly the Scottish rebel.
James Connolly daily motion
16 roads – Wee Oscar the Celtic warrior.
May only good things come your way young mhan.
Hail Hail
oops!
O’ Donovan Rossa
Adieu my friends, in Dublin Town
I bid you all adieu;
I cannot yet appoint the day
When I’ll return to you.
I write these lines aboard a ship
Where stormy billows roar,
May the heavens save our fenian boys
Till I return on shore.
Let no one blame the turnkey
Or any of his men,
There’s no one knows but the two of us
The man that stood my friend.
I robbed no man, I shed no blood,
Though they sent me to jail,
Because I was O’Donovan Rossa,
A son to Granuawale.
I joined the Fenian Brotherhood
In the year of sixty four,
Bound to save my native land
Or perish on the shore.
My friends and me we did agree
Our native land to save,
And plant the flag of freedom
At the head of Emmet’s grave.
My curse attend the traitors false
Who did our cause betray,
I would tie a millstone round their necks
And drown them in the sea.
There is Nagle, Noone, O’Brien
And Power to make four
Like demons for their conduct
In hell they loudly roar.
There’s O’Leary and young Mackey
And the brave O’Donovan Ross,
It grieved me for to part with them
When I left Harld’s Cross;
But if he lives and prospers, boys,
The truth he does declare,
Like O’Mahony in America
The green flag he must wear.
Cheer up my gallant fenian men
The day is not far away,
When our fenian boys the flag will raise
And trample tyranny.
Our gallant sons beyond the seas
Will join in unity;
And we will raise the flag of freedom
And fight for liberty.
Happy new year to mineshafters,moonhowlers and happy claspers, one and all.
Clappers……
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x102b9f_ballad-of-james-connolly_news
Sorry,don’t know how to copy from you tube .
TCR
The reason I asked the year was that I was with George in ’76 in Saltcoats at our annual CSC trip.
Spent the evening in the Ardrossan Garryowen club….and got thrown out for singing……. rebel songs! I kid you not.
Teuchter
Happy New Year to all my Friends in Celtic and to all the great people I’ve met from this site in the past year.
Hail Hail
acgr
Bob
Wait til they claspers get a haud o ye :-)
JQB
Thank you ya mad fecker!! :-)
Genuine best wishes to you and all those you hold dear.
Teuchter,
I am 56 bud ya auld coffin dodger..hahaha.
Naw I was only about 14 at the time.I even remember George’s da.Was a lovely man.
Miner possibly? We went to Winchburgh and the Finnegans came to Clydebank.
Kept the connection.Now,there was a guy who we met in Winchburgh..His initials were JB.
It’s not not you or Burghbhoy surely…?
Happy Near year to all CQN’ers and all the non Celts looking in, Edward all the very best sir, love to all.
V
John Bann?
A Ceiler Gonof Rust Supporting Justice and Freedom for the Dam 5
Hope you are well sir.
Right good night all time for my cot:))
Again thank yous for being here.
Hamiltontim,
The weekend of the 17th hopefully we will get that long awaited pint.
TR
January?
Teuchter,,
Surely not?
Yes,HT,
That’s it.
TR
I’ll be there!!
Sawadee pee mai. HH from Issan….
ht,
Think I may have asked you before do you know Jim Larkin…? compositor in the printing game.About 58 mark?
Naw I’m 55. Burghbhoy’s in his 40’s
I received an Email from JB on Christmas day.
You know some good rebel company mate :-)
We really must have that pint sometime.
Teuchter
TCR
I have cleared ma diary to meet you on the 17th Jan :))
Happy New Year to all on CQN from Glen Daly’s own Isle of Bute
Hail Hail the Celts are here
Teuchter?
John Bann?
Happy new year bhoys
HH