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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starry plough:
No I have never, to the best of my recollection, ever seen you post hatred.
Never.
But I have seen many on here post hatred in guile of agenda.
No Problem BMCUW, the rest are probably trying to work out, who the hell is Sammy Davis Jnr.
Kojo –
“Sure, they are great tae Folk tae Tak tae A Party..
But.. Yer really canny tak them tae a Church Social”
but but but but we urnae taking them tae a Church Social!
They brought/bring some much needed colour, just a question of getting the shade right. Some of the highlights of last 24 months have indeed been the banners, am I not right or am I right?
BMCUW
Brilliant pmsl there. Tok the mo kiddo.
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Subterranean- are you goin’ along tomorrow?
In terms of where we are and where we want to get to.
1 Top priority should be to play our football in an environment that allows us to fulfill our Sporting and Financial potential.
We should be trying to achieve this without damaging Scottish Football, and if at all possible providing similar opportunity for other Scottish clubs , at least those who have respected the integrity of the game and are not serial cheats and tax evaders
2 We should strive to be one family, whilst accepting alternate views if they are not damaging to the club
3 We should increase our activities in, and funding of , the Celtic Foundation, in line with our historic raison d’etre
4 We should strive to provide a competitive environment for our Development team. They just do not play enough competitive games to enhance their development
5 We should , quietly and without publicity, push for an investigation into David Murray’s actions over the course of his ownership of Rangers
6 We should not be diverted from our core business plan, which has proven to be correct in the last 3 years.
A Healthy 2014 to you all
WEEFRATHETIM
Call you around six,bud. Working from seven-pm,so don’t panic!
Wait till the gemme’s over.
Have a good day tomorrow,have a lovely night tonight,and have a year to make us all jealous.
Aipple
“but but but but we urnae taking them tae a Church Social!
They brought/bring some much needed colour, just a question of getting the shade right. ”
very true…every home game should be our party….there is a place for a loud raucous Celtic support
Always has and always will….unless the game has gone too far.
Happy New Year to everyone on CQN. May 2014 bring good health and much prosperity to all of you!
HH!
Aipple
Very pleased to see your moniker
Hail Hail
BARCABHOY
It is great to have you back on board. The stuff you posted in the early days of Ibrox meltdown opened so many eyes,people just didnae think it would happen.
The first four points you make are impossible to argue against.
The fifth is a waste of time,and the sixth is totally wrong. It would only be correct if proper rules were applied.
DBBIA,
Family commitments tomorrow so will miss game.
5 – 0 ?
Chris
hendrix67
:-))
BMCUW
And to you, looking forward to our usual blether. :))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Aipple
Yes …We Did..
Tak them tea a “Church Social”
We took ’em tae the Mighty.. Hoity Toity Environs.. o’
The Euro Champs League..
There..pal..in case ye ur unaware..
THE EYES OF THE WORLD.. UR UPON YE.
And..
Whit Happened..?
Well..our Party Guys.. Behaved like.. well.. Party Guys..
They Let us Doon… The World is No Interested in where The G.B.s Political Persuasions Lie.
The World ,only wants tae Watch a Game of Fitba’ ..Played at the Hightest Level..
The G.B. should Realize that..
‘
But..
They Don’t..
And..Noo ,when Ah come tae think Aboot it..
‘
Dae YOU??
Oor Rep took a Mammoth Hammerin..and fur a .. Shullin”!
They let us Doon.. and It wull tak time fur Celtic Fitba’ FANS… tae Wance mair.. Regain their Proper
Position….now, sadly.. Reliquished… as the
“Greatest Fitba’ Fans ..In the World.”
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Subterranean
Good to see you back around the way Mate!
kitalba
17:15 on 31 December, 2013
In my case, I have always resisted them, and could never understand why their hatred of us was so intense…….they have been manipulated historically by politicians, and now they are being manipulated again by the spivs…sad really
“He who dares Rodney – he who dares”
ryecatcher @16.22
That Liverpool fan seems to have forgotten that glorious night in 2003 when big John Hartson almost burst the net at Anfield, seems strange that he can recall friendlies and testimonials but forgets a European quarter final. But otherwise its a good read
Subterranean- approved 5 nil would be just the very dab.
Will catch up in 2014.
kojo
We have had our differences on here a few times, but, your last post was nail on head. As much as I loved, and miss the GB, they overstepped the mark which the trust of Celtic Football Club had in them. Shame really, because they really lit up the CP experience. Hopefully something can be sorted and agreed for the future. Best wishes to you and yours for 2014.
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Off to the local soon for a Hogmananny party to enjoy the hostilities.Not usually my thang,in bed with Jools Holland at about 11.30 is the norm…oooeeeerrrmissus.Happy New Year bhoys and ghirls when it comes.
WEEFRATHETIM
You know,I think you joooost about nailed that,bud.
Nice one.
A wee choon to see out the year
DBBIA
“approved 5 nil would be just the very dab.”
Prepare your pitchforks and angry expression, then.
I have just put my prediction in for 4:0- you will just have to take the lack of a 5th goal on the chin.
.se
Wild wild women
On forward planning why not lobby for a change of season with titles won by December.
The positives must outweigh the negatives by a cricket score and had the game any leadership it would be advocating such a change.
SFTB- will take pram full of pitchforks [for throwing out thereof] just in case.
And I shall practice puttin’ on my ole angry face.
Gggggggrrrrrrrrrrr.
Sitting reading cqn posts as usual, when my daughter leaned over and asked me to post…
Dad, will you just say the football is not exciting anymore and the atmosphere is bland.
I tried to tell her, you have to take the rough with the smooth supporting Celtic.
Her answer was…why shoot ourselves on the foot and ban the GB? When will we buy a striker that scores goals? And when will we buy a creative midfielder? That’s my ghirl.HH
Starry,
Cheers.
Got into a bit of a lurking rut…change is as good as a rest ;-)
Chris
weefraeTim
Hiya,pally?
Happy New Year.. tae You and Yer Lovely Lady.
n.. The Hens n the Geese..
Well..
Let me tell ye.. If You n Me hid oor Differences of your.. Ah nae longer.. Brood o’ over, they ur in the Past.
They Wur..Insignificant,Anywey.. (Great Woid.. that.. ed)( Insignificant…?) ( No.. “Anywey”..ed)
Hmmmmmmmmmm
Nice chatting Pal.
Kojo
Still,Laughin
Just in case that I may be lying comatose as the new year arrives, I would like to wish everybody on CQN a very happy, prosperous and peaceful 2014.
KTF!!!
HH!!
Goodbye 2013
sipsini, Tell your daughter to start posting, she has one fan already. Missipsinicsc.
I wish you all a hangover so good, you crawl out of the bedroom naked, and sleep for 6 more hours on the kitchen floor.
Mon thé Hoops 2014
jmccormick –
True story indeed. Like to think I brought some colour back in the day but that may just have been my socks!
bournesouprecipe –
Been lurking, not sure why, crazy but good year. Cheers my good man, appreciate it! Here’s to you and yours.
Kojo –
Maybes aye, maybes naw. Was a minority though, when it becomes the majority I will worry. Was our name sullied, yes, irreparably so, I don’t think so. As for the statement “Greatest Fitba’ Fans ..In the World.” we still are. The silly nonsense was wrong, no question but there are none of us on here perfect. Errors of judgement were made but these errors are few and far between and just happened to happen when the eyes were firmly focused on us. Never any excuse to wreck chairs but I still take some solace in the fact that in the face of MUCH adversity of the years for the most part we have shown restraint.
Bring in the young bhoys.
OK,Off to a party in my son’s house and later to a second one in a daughters house, so if I don’t make it back on here till the morra, may I wish all Tims worldwide a Very Happy New Year.