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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Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
Labis,
celtic cant attract players like sammi to Scottish football :o) players like him have wage demande we dont want to meet.
———————————-
Sammi is all ready ON CP.
He brought Celtic millions from CL almost alone specially last year.
It was easy for Celtic to keep him on CP.
And what makes Athletico think Sammi is a striker?
I thought Athletico were on the up.
Mibbe no.
Philbhoy – Free the Dam 5!
happy year mate!!!
I don’t know how much truth there is in the Griffiths rumor, but if true, well done Pedro, you have lowered our expectation bar considerably.
This is a guy who can’t get a game in the 3rd tier in england and has a fair bit of baggage, in saying that, he would boost attendances big time, if he took all his kids along to watch him.
HH
labis
You too!
Phil..,
Happy new year,
I thought we had already accepted sammi is a left midfield player, at least when he plays there people stop moaning about his strike rate.
swansea 1-1 man c h/t
Happy new year to all…rough as a badgers…HH
Philbhoy – Free the Dam 5!
I dont know that.
I only know some Celtic funs dont want Sammi, but Athletiko has other opinion.
Neil……..
Happy New Year to you too.
I know he isny a striker and his best position is wide left, but i think he has been poor for a while.
Time to drop, sorry, err, rest him.
Hope you have a good one!
happy new year guys. Is the game on tv ? Thanks in advance
In anyway i dont want to see Sammi out of CP.
A mate of mine has £50 on Athletico Madrid to win the CL.
He placed the bet at the start of the season. Can’t remember the odds but they were’nt short.
Anyone fancy Sammi getting a CL winners medal…….buy no wi us?
Labis
Hiya, Pal.
Ur you a Greek National?
Kojo
Kojo
YES!!!
Happy New Year to CQNrs all over the world.
3 points and a performance would be a great start to 2014.
HH
Gerry
Been thinking about the number of full internationals on Celtics books.
We must have a full team + a few more.
Also how many internationals are plying their trade with other SPFL clubs?
I expect a theres a couple but I cant think who they are.
So on paper we should win comfortably against all the other teams especially as we dont have european games to worry about.
Happy New Year to all at CQN
A team for today
====================Forster====================
Matthews====Ambrose===========Van Dijk=====Izaguirre
====================Biton=====================
==========Brown===============Mulgrew=========
===================Commons===================
=========Pukki=================Atajic===========
Subs Zaluska, Fisher, Stokes, Forrest,Balde , Henderson, Rogic
Labis
Congratulations~
Your command of the English Language is ..Commendable,pal!
Kojo
Used to holiday in Kenmore a lot, now only occassionally.
Pass the Dewar’s distillery in Aberfeldy on the way there.
I got a bottle of it’s produce for Christmas.
Aberfeldy Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age 12 years and abv 40%
Anyone any opinions?
jamabhoy
Like the look of that team!
But I’ve got a funny feeling Neilly disney.
Shame.
Philbhoy, is that the 12 year old?
Gerry
Hail Hail to all CQNers , en route to Paradise . I’d take a million for big Sammi. Sorry Bazzabhoy!
A prosperous and healthy new year to all.
Thinking of lost CQN brothers and those having troubles.
Cellic 5 Jags hee haw
Jamabhoy
Not a Bad line-up,pal..Not Bad ..at all,at all.
Except.. (Ye jist knew that .. THAT..wiz Coming!)
Drap ..
Pukki,
fur.
Ah hiv SOORED OAN HIM.
Yep.. He is Not Ma Cuppa tea.
Otherwize.. yer Team ..Holds Up, pretty fairly.
Kojo
I should have added that it’s a limited bottling.
philbhoy – free the dam 5!,
Acgr is yer man to ask.
Gerry bhoy
Yes, 12 years old.
Philbhoy
There is no bad Malt Whiskys……………..just some are better than others.
Burgas Hoops
I know that, but don’t mention Ledaig to BT or mncelt!
Happy new year to you and yours!
new article posted.
Kojo
Labis
Congratulations~
Your command of the English Language is ..Commendable,pal!
Kojo
———————
Thanks.
Beleive me i am trying my best, not always successfully
sipsini
happy new year!
he’s possibly on his way to the game and offline.
I’m on J.W. Green Label malt at the moment, 15 yr old and cheap as chips oer here (at least half-price) -)))
New article posted!
Pukki starts
Philbhoy, haven’t tried it (yet) but my book summary says: Oily, cleanly fruity, vigorous. Sociable, with dessert or book-at-bedtime, depending on ascending age.
Sounds very fine to me. Enjoy!
Cheers! :-)))
Gerry