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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Paul67,
First and foremost, I hope you and all your family have a very good New Year. This season has definitely been a season of transition but we seen one of the best performances from a Celtic team in the first, crucial, Champions League game.
Things just never went our way after that, hopefully next season we are a lot more settled as a Club. Parading a £100,000 striker after taking in the money we have, isn’t the wisest of moves, having said that, he is likely to be the answer. ;))
Eurochamps67 @13:33
Great post.
Just seen the Japanese have brought in the New Year. Happy New Year to all the Japanese CQN lurkers.
Japanese Bhoy
Afternoon Timland from a sunny hun free mountain valley.
Well, that;s another year over.
EC67
Good heartfelt post mi amigo.
……………………………………………………………..
I honestly don’t know what to make of things.
I know we are not watching sport, a dressed up WWF version of football imo.
The cheating and corruption continues unabated.
Silence eminated from all boardrooms in the land.
A liar and cheat is back on the sfa’s payroll.
Son of shug is being fast tracked, and he will be a hero soon enough.
The media still clamour for them back in the top devision, the media still refusing to ask the pertinant questions.
We have more of the same to look forward to in the coming year-years mi amigos, more cheating, more corruption, more lies, all to the detriment of our and every other club in the land, bar one.
The football side of things, it’s never easy playing against a parked bus and playing to different rules than your opponents.
Have a good new year bhoys nd ghirls, just don’t hold out for change any time soon, we are still at the back of the bus,and for that I reckon we should be grateful, given their way, we wouldn’t be on the bus.
HH
danso_1888:
Back in the late 50’s my dad would drive down from Inverness to Glasgow and pick up one of our previous Chairman’s brothers to take him to every home game. And then drop him off again and then drive back all the way back to Inverness.
Until on day he arrived home and chained welded nails were pulled across his driveway and the graffiti sprayed on his hotel walls told him “best he leave”.
That is when I was conceived and I was born in the Bishop of Bothwell’s house… how grand.
I know my dad died regretting he never stood against those most cheap of bigots, because his sons were too young or not yet conceived.
But he had sons, who are not bigots, or sectarian, who can forget it all and say your problem sort it.
You doubt that story, ask Jack McGinn.
Sub … @ 15.30
It is now a free fire zone for the MSSM to have a pop at the club, the support, the players …
Anything to get a headline, give the TFOD hordes a chuckle as they self immolate towards insignificance.
The Media Ludge now runs a daily competition for the most absurd headline that their members can come up with.
1) To do down the club in anyway possible.
2) To big up the TFOD2 in any manner imaginable with or without the help of dodgy substances.
They don’t care because it doesn’t matter.
Any pretence of fair, mature reporting has been lost to their hurt.
That is where we are today.
Brilliant isn’t it.
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors ,
i respect you as a supporter but how the hell you say that is beyond me for godsake they cheated for years and we should just wait until they go belly up again is that not cowardly,
they are cheats and should be treated as such,
overseasbhoy
15:44 on 31 December, 2013
If you want entertainment get me onto the park to sing
http://youtu.be/dh8Vl1PGpuo
Who can’t forget it all.
Robert88
14:54 on 31 December, 2013
Has anybody else realised that attendances around world football at big clubs or anywhere are also low or lower than full house?
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§
Attendances here in Germany are high with many sellouts every matchday. Tickets are cheaper, there is bier (beer) to be had and the fitba is well worth watching.
What’snottolikeCSC
GerryBhoy
15:41 on 31 December, 2013
Forgot to add that there is some standing room for the GB lookalikes at most stadia.
Rubicon @15:46
Chris
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.
Only recent comments?
They must be a bit slow on the uptake.
For months now I have been posting here that forward planning in transfer windows is of the utmost priority.
….and / or
http://youtu.be/IT8dqdSeT1c
A cheese factory in France exploded and several people
have been injured by falling de bries.
Kitalba…..
Unfortunately, I think the Aberdeen fans have proportionately more integrity than we have as a club / company ……whatever we want to call it.
They have my utmost respect for that banner.
GLASGOW CELTIC YOUR SILENCE IS DEAFENING…..it said
Kaboom
Happy new year…
catcher
Any respect was already lost, for the hooliganism, including coin throwing, paedo singing
and wrecked seats all of which is not reported outwith unofficial Celtic media.
We are on our own CSC
Happy New Year to all timaloys…..I’ve started celebrating already …hahahaha
http://youtu.be/kSKl0Ac30Do
Eurochamps67 – Great post towards the end of the last thread. Your Saturday’s are what supporting Celtic is all about. I miss that more than anything else.
Happy and Healthy New Year to you and yours, to Rubicon, BlantyreKev, BJMac, and Goldstar10, and to all Celtic supporters everywhere.
Health and happiness to you and your family in 2014 Paul. And thanks for all your hard work this year.
67 heaven
Absolutley spot on. We should only look after ourselves and watch them die or stay at a level that will never come near us.
Paul 67
I agree we should have qualified for the CL easier than we did, however the Karagandy match will remain with me forever as my wee uncles funeral was the next day and I took it upon myself to roar and cheer every Celtic goal that night just as the wee man would have done. The scarf I had on that night was put on him in his coffin along with his own massive tricolour flag and other keepsakes to send him on his way the,the Glasgow Celtic Way.
It will be a very emotional hogmany for the family and the bells will bring a lot of happy but sad memories of him and his love of everything Celtic. He will be in turmoil looking down on some of the Celtic family arguing amonst ourselves.
HH Mick and as you always said God Bless the Glasgow Celtic.
Ok guys just in to wish all on here, mineshafters
happyclappers and those that are undecided
the very best for 2014, and as we raise a glass
tonight let us take time to remember all those we
have lost this past year, may they be in a better place.
Happy and Healthy New Year
to all on CQN
For Jobo Balde
Paul67:
You’re the one that said it about our stickers, I said it eight months ago and took pathetic vomit inducing dog abuse, only it wasn’t dogs who wrote it. I remember.
So where can we get a striker who just bums goals….
Is that what we have become as a club? Is it?
KING OF THE ROAD
Wow, what a basket case Bolton Wanderers are.
£3.8m gate receipts.
£1.1m corporate income.
£1.4m sponsorship income.
£1.8m Championship tv income.
£2.1m EPL solidarity income.
£16m EPL parachute payments.
Essentially, Bolton have an inherent Championship income of around £10m, dropping by at least £3m if they are relegated (not to mention the parachute drops to £8m next season anyway).
So, what we have is a club with a basic income of around £7m, a ‘Hibs’ if you will, but who have current wages above £30m and debts that would make a Moonbeam blush.
On that note, is David Murray hanging around in Manchestershire these days?
danso_1888
15:51 on 31 December, 2013
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors ,
i respect you as a supporter but how the hell you say that is beyond me for godsake they cheated for years and we should just wait until they go belly up again is that not cowardly,
they are cheats and should be treated as such,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The end game is their self-destruction……leave them to it ….. BDO / UTT / the Law will catch up with them …..also…. Celtic need to be very careful with what they say, since evidence ( which would stand up in court) would be needed, or we could end up in Court on liable etc charges……but, bottom line, let the spivs drain them of the last drop of blood….HH
YNWA…….A Liverpool fan’s perspective on the Hoops….
Articles
The Liverpool and Celtic Connection – A story
Links as far back as I can remember then. Perhaps mirroring their respective
cities. World-renowned west coast seaports. Gritty dockers and resolute men of
the shipyards. The intrinsic humour and toughness of the natives. That shared
vitality. Those uniquely distinctive accents. Two bastions of sheer working
classness. No religious links in the Reds case but as far removed from the
establishment as it was possible to get. Just like the Celts. Leave that sort
of stuff for yer Man U”s and yer Rangers. The aristocracy. Our loyalties lay
with the proletariat. We know our place in the class structure. Down here mate!
I say down here!
Not when it comes to football, I hasten to add.
The” immortal” Jock Stein. Our own Bill Shankly”s term for his great friend.
The great protestant Celt – a contradiction in terms? [nah Kenny was too] – and
his team arrived at Anfield in 1966. Before he had become immortal, of course.
The second leg of the European Cup Winner”s Cup semi-final. Accompanied by
hordes of green and white enhooped Caledonian revellers bowing and prostrating
themselves all across our fair city to our matching colour Corporation buses as
they swished past on their way down Sheil Road, would you believe ? Collaring
one such denizen, I asked him why all the genuflections to a mere bus. He put
it to me that the Pontiff himself was driving the blessed thing. It took me a
good five minutes to convince the poor soul that the Pope hadn”t driven the 26
since they”d got rid of conductors. Still, that”s blind faith, I guess!
Generous to a fault as well, these Glaswegians. Like their Scouse cousins. That
common thread of human decency. That milk – or should it perhaps be spirit? –
of human kindness. Three thousand empty whisky bottles bequeathed to us
following the match. And that was just in the Boy”s Pen! Do you know that with
the deposits on those bottles we went out and bought Emlyn Hughes?
I”d had my first taste of such bountiful spirit a week or so earlier. It was
an away game at Roker Park.
The Red hordes had taken up their usual position behind the goal. Utter
disrespect for the rightful Mackem occupants but who gave a damn back then when
we were busy spreading the Gospel according to Shanks? Anyway, a bit of
scuffling to our rear. A guy around five foot nine dressed all in green was
challenging all-comers to a fight. Now I have to confess here that there
weren”t many takers amongst our lot. But who could blame them? I mean have you
ever seen shoulders five foot nine inches wide? This guy made Victor Mature
look like Charles Hawtrey for god”s sake.
Fear not, though. My mate Billy to the rescue. ”Soft Billy” as we used to
term him. With good reason too. There followed some rather dynamic ballroom
dancing and a few ****** noses. All of them Billy”s. Having strutted their
stuff, the battlers went on to become firm friends. Later following a
sex-change, they wed and Billy bore our coat-hangered Celtic warrior three
strapping boys. One a Celtic fan, one a Red and the other a hybrid supporter of
Tranmere and Queen of the South.
It”s a funny old game you know.
Big Ron Yeats”s testimonial was our next communion. Early seventies. I was
late home from work. Quickly donning my all Red paraphernalia I legged it up
Utting Avenue to the Anfield Road End to pay my respects to the big fella…
Disaster!! How on earth was I meant to know that so many screaming Celts would come all
this way for a ****** midweek testimonial for one of our players?!? Don”t
these guys have anything better to do? I jest, of course. What on earth could
be better than a day out to Anfield? Still it would have been comforting to
have been the owner of five foot nine inch wide shoulders as I took a deep
breath and attempted to camouflage my Redness amongst ten thousand Highlanders
resplendent in their green and white. Only one dodgy moment.
As the green hordes chanted reverently for Shankly so the Kop responded in kind
for big John Stein. Well sort of reverently, anyway. “Jock Strap!” they chanted
as only witty Kopites, wanting to put at risk the life of one of their own,
can! Fortunately our Celtic cousins never deciphered this light-hearted affront
to their messiah. In any case I do them a great disservice. They would probably
have merely dismembered me. Seriously folks, they were magnificent to me, our
Celtic cousins. And to big Ron, too. It was just that I was more relieved by
the end of the proceedings than Big Ron. A limb is a limb when all”s said and
done! Even mine.
Back to our links. Kenny”s from Heaven!
Er, no. Glasgee actually. Oh I see. You”re saying it”s
the same thing? Sure, pal, but try telling that to this out-of-work claymore
sharpener I happen to know from Cumbernauld!
Can any player ever have been more worshipped in the entire history of the
game? Why I alone used to pray to him twice every day – once at morning, once
at night. Not forgetting Grace three times a day. That”s my sister Grace by
the way, another big Kenny devotee as you might gather from the number of times
she, too, prayed to him. Finally, some poignancy to follow all this frivolity.
We at Anfield shall never forget the magnanimity of Kenny”s former club to
invite us up to Parkhead to play our first game following Hillsborough.
John Pearman of Red All Over The Land tells me that the singing that day by
both sets of supporters of our mutual hymn You”ll Never Walk Alone was the
most emotional he”s ever heard. I don”t doubt him. On that day – not for the
first time as you will have gathered from this piece – Red and Green stood as
one. Uniquely in football? More than likely. Brothers and sisters united in emotion.
The one entrusting its grief to the other. The other embracing it willingly.
Big heartedly. Two of the world”s great clubs shoulder to shoulder at a time
of adversity for the one. Football can produce poignant moments. That occasion
was undoubtedly one of them.
And since? Well, as with most things that run deep, so the relationship has
endured. The kinship has surfaced in several other testimonials down the years
and was particularly evident in our stirring UEFA cup clashes of several years
ago when that Steve McManaman wonder goal stretched Green magnanimity to its
limits. Then, a few years back, to coincide with the return home of the last
itinerant Celt from the ”67 European Cup Final in Lisbon, we had the latest of
the green and white invasions of our precious Anfield citadel.
The occasion was Ronnie Moran”s farewell game, a glittering spectacle at which
it was rumoured that the fallen Red”s hero Titi Camara was so impressed by the
glorious din emanating from the Celtic supporters – including no doubt our
belated Lisbon straggler – he was considering buying himself a kilt. A red and
white one, of course! And the Celts? Well for their part they decided to bust
our stand. But hey we won”t carp. After all, what”s a broken stand between
long-time friends.
You know, it can often prove fruitless trying to explain certain things. For
every shared anthem, shared maestro or experience that shapes a relationship
there can be a hidden nuance just as important. Equally as instrumental.
Sometimes, then, some things are best just celebrated. That is what I have
tried to do here. That underlying kindred spirit binding many Reds and Greens
together is simply a bit special. Full stop. Explanations are not required.
The fact is, somewhere along the way it happened and it is now there for all to
see. And while not everybody approves of it – Liverpudlian Ibrox devotees and
their Glasgwegian counterparts especially will rightfully be less than
enamoured with it all – I know of one dear departed dog-collared soul who will
be delighted how things have panned out.
Why it must seem like heaven for Father T. In more ways than one.
Shake my paranoia
Scottish football is on its knees and has been for the best part of 20 years. the greed of Scottish clubs (chairman) to feed off the ranger and celtic pound and the greed of celtic and rangers themselves (i.e. two home games per season against us, t.v income) has all but killed the edge in Scottish football. yet all I hear is people talking about ranger being promoted and starting were we left off. NO THANKS
can the edge be brought back to Scottish football? is it possible to have clubs outside rangers and celtic challenging for the title? everyone in the media will tell you no, but I’ am far from convinced that it is not possible.
our league is to small (there are to many games against the same opponents) killing interest and consistency. every league needs several groups within the league i.e. title and euro challengers, the outsiders and the relegations battlers. Scotland has two leagues within it that is the top team and the rest.
I honestly think Scottish football needs a;
cap on ticket pricing (maybe between £15 – £20 pounds (£29 pound for adult ticket vs. hearts is ridiculous)
bigger leagues maybe 16 or 18
European play-offs
relegation play-offs (maybe 4)
increased relegation (maybe 2 or 3)
summer football (improved environment for fans (atmosphere, colour, noise)
minimum of home/ club grown players in first team squad
maximum first team squad numbers (maybe 22)
appropriate wage to turnover ratio
2 points for a score draw
better distribution of domestic t.v income
better distribution (say 30%) of commercial euro income from all competing clubs into euro pot for following season euro participants
30% income share of away ticket allocation in crowds exceeding 25,000 supporters
celtic would still win most titles, but it would be a far fairer and competitive environment to play our football in.
our city clubs like hibs, hearts and Aberdeen could realise their potential with more consistency, more wins and more title and euro battles seeing better crowds.
we would have to use more young players due to the amount of games and cap on the playing squad, something sadly missing in modern football.
every change based on what’s best for football and football supporters or consumers if you prefer.
Ryecatcher
Tell you what, though……your silence isn’t deafening…hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors ,
with respect its not about self destruction its about integrity of the game if you cannot accept this then i despair, destruction may well come to pass but thats not the point we have been cheated and to be frank about it we have allowed it even with ample evidence of this, anything thing else is just excuses.
tonydonnelly67
10:18 on 31 December, 2013
Apologies if I got the wrong idea but I do believe they will come back, not as original Rangers but as they currently are a Newco. Different brand perhaps but the same fans, the same media bias and no doubt they will enjoy the very same if not even more obvious leg up from officialdom.
justafan
10:37 on 31 December, 2013
‘I will not allow any of that to dilute my support of Celtic nor inhibit my watchfulness in holding people or institutions to account.
I can’t get as vitriolic as some over Celtics positioning on the demise of RFC, nor can I see how the entry of Sevco into the League structure could have been prevented. Sevco has been protected for sure as has the reputation (snort) of Oldclub but if I obsess on that it means I’m not obsessing on Celtic. That would never do!!!
The best defence against them is overwhelming support for the team on the terraces.’
I wholeheartedly agree but there must come a point where you have to question our clubs true position in all of this. Until Celtic come out clearly and condemn Rangers, The SFA and our ludicrously biased MSM. Then what are we to think?
Not sure about you but if someone wrongs me I don’t just take it on the chin and say thank you kindly. I want my club to be shouting foul from the rooftops and venting their feelings (our feelings) & not sitting schtum! Celtic at this time are without question the biggest & most influential entity within Scottish football. We have a once in a lifetime opportunity before the tribute act turns up, to influence and shape our game for the better. We should be shouting loudly and leading the way to a fair and proper league set-up. I am hugely disappointed in that we seem to be sitting on our hands and allowing things to continue as before.
Do you see us saying doing anything of the sort coz I don’t?
HH!
Paul67:
I’ve always wondered about your influential views on the ‘5 Way Agreement’ I can’t recall ever reading your influential views on the said agreement.
Considering it might just constitute the biggest con in sporting history, do you have a heart conceived view that you’d care to share?
And what part did Celtic have to play in it?
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers ………fc not plc
15:41 on 31 December, 2013
Och, awe right then….hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
So the Sheep held up a banner telling us our silence was deafening, what did they do about it apart from hold up a banner which said our silence was deafening!!
Answers on a postcard to Sheepland Pittodrie!!
Have a good new year folks- and I hope to see you cheering on the bhoys in the big Glasgow derby
HH
Or if that is too hard to address, do you think Scottish football, post the huns, is now pristine, since we all agreed to let cheating bygones be cheating bygones and re-elected the one and only Campbell Ogilvie.
Talk about – reconciliation.
i gotta go now but will be back tomorrow, happy new year to all celts.
Starry plough…..
They made their intentions known on ‘No to Newclub in SPL’ before we did…..hmmmm
Even Hearts did that…….In fact every team apart from Kilmarnock were in front of us in that queue……hmmmmm x 10