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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Andy Warhol said everyone has 15 minutes of fame, so we might see Balde on at 75 minutes.
Labis
Lustig is out for 3 months
Afternoon Timland from a sunny hun free mountain valley.
Hopefully we play with a bit of flair today.
HH
In every game I’ve seen in modern times, you are likely to see a first sub around the hour mark, another within the next 10 to 15 minutes and the final one made with 5 or less to go.
But when the Celtic manager does this, it is bizarre and pointless, apparently.
I’m off to catch a free bus and a trip to Celtic Park. Isn’t life wonderful? Bet you’re jealous
Philbhoy – Free the Dam 5!
labis
What justification Sammi and Stokes?
——————————————————
Anything better at the moment?
I dont think.
sftb 12.36 Totally agree re substitutions, if Lenny made them all as and when they are demanded on CQN we would likely finish many games playing with 9 or 10 men.
Kayal33
Labis
Lustig is out for 3 months
——————
Sorry, Matthews instead.
Only an excuse ______ been garbage for years.
Tiawans exploding duck, my first thought was I wonder if they bought it off thon sevco site , weren’t they trying to raise a few bob selling ducks to finance this new dynasty .
Happy New Year folks.
H.H.
http://www.tictactic.co.uk/10-for-2014-scottish-spfl-players-to-watch/
Winning Captains, I just read back about your trauma after getting a mail from leftclicktic. I know what your going through buddy.
Bring back torture and execution for these purveyors of misery.
All the best to you and your family.
Hail Hail
acgr
A HAPPY HOOPY NEW YEAR TO ALL, will miss todays game as it is my good lady,s Birthday, hope all is well with you and yours.
Awerabest PJ
Winning Captains
I hope these guys break down the wrong door one day and are met by an angry resident with a shotgun.
Nice to see our Spanish cousins discussing the merits of a Celtic goal:
http://www.marca.com/2013/12/27/futbol/futbol_internacional/1388144496.html
Kikinthenakas
in lounge 1 say hello on your way through
Leigh Griffiths being mentioned again as a possible signing.
No thanks.
If this is the level of player we are looking at, I’m astounded of forehead.
Would rather young Atajic being given a chance, but I think we know that Neil wont play him – unless everybody else is injured.
HH!!
Happy New Year everyone – home and abroad.
Heading into Celtic Park soon – the new firm!
All the best for 2014 everyone
U
My commiserations to Winning Captains dreadful start to New Year, tragedy and bad news of any description is never welcome but it hits harder this time of year. I’m just after reading about a guy jogging along the pier out in Howth Co. Dublin this morning when a freak wave came over pier wall and swept him out to sea, God Almighty what are the chances of that happening, to any poor bloke.
Happy New Year bhoys and ghirls x
Good to see mistakes of the past ( fletcher McCarthy) hopefully won’t be repeated HH
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/celtic-boss-neil-lennon-ready-2976425
Glendalystonsils 12.51,
I’m with you 100% on that one but Id still advocate some prolonged torture first.
HH
A Happy, healthy and prosperous 2014 to CQN’ers and Celtic supporters everywhere
Hail Hail
Corkcelt
Happy New Year to you sir
labis
My point is they are both playing crap!
Surely better to play Biton who has played well for sammi and Balde for Stokes.
Let’s see what a run in the first team does for them than playing the same dross every week and getting hee haw in return, otherwise why buy anyone in that price range ever again?
http://www.sharkscores.com/Comparison/Default.aspx?id=459247
a happy and prosperous new year to all my CQNs muckers…..tonyd asked me to paste the link above…
Philbhoy – Free the Dam 5!
Mate, i know what can BITON and BALDE would bring to the team.
So, i prefer SAMMI and STOKES.
Malorbhoy, Thank you and may I wish you and your’s every good wish for the New Year. Enjoy the game today pal, I’ll be relying on the ol’ square sausage and of course CQN.
I was hearing Cosgrove and Nevin in the car earlier. They were debating about the Record’s claim that we were going to buy up the DU youngsters. Nevin was in favour. Can’t say I agree. We must have young lhads on our books who surely deserve a chance, if we are going to play youngsters. Anyway, I would rather the likes of DU were able to hold on to their better players and make the league more competitive and better entertainment.
labis
How can you judge players who have played so little for the club?
Are you Neil Lennon?
Parkheadcumsalford
in my opinion young amstrong is the best young player in Scotland and would easily replace joe ledley.
EXCLUSIVE: Spanish giants Atletico make first move for Celtic striker Samaras
I cant understand.
Why Sammi would be ok for Athletiko and not for Celtic?
HH and Happy New Year from a chilly SE Texas to all on CQN and to the Celtic Family worldwide. Special “Feliz ano novo” to any of my Angola friends looking in!!
Great to be a Tim
Right….aff to watch the game with the rest of Houston Emerald CSC.
TC45
Labis,
celtic cant attract players like sammi to Scottish football :o) players like him have wage demande we dont want to meet.
Philbhoy – Free the Dam 5!
NO, I AM NOT LENNON OF COURSE.
Its just my opinion.
Maybe i am wrong.
stairheedrammy,
“Only an excuse” has been poor fare for a long long time.
Happy New Year to all connected with Celtic.
Starting to regret my ‘no flights’ policy this holiday as I could have met my Thistle mucked for pints and the game today.
Hope 2014 is great to all on here and we all enjoy our footie through the year whoever is in the squad.
Hail hail
Parkheadcumsalford……
I agree with your post.
No point in signing young players as they don’t get a run.
I wonder how Atajic, Johnstone and Watt really see their future. At Celtic?
I think also that time has run out for the twardics and mcGeough
If they can’t get a game for a player that is consistently off form, what is the point?
I played amateur football and apart from St Mungo’s FP’s if you played badly you were dropped.
And rightly so in my opinion.
labis
No offence meant!
It’s all about opinions!
Take care.