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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I rarely make any kind of prediction but I think 2014 is going to be a laugh riot. See you all in a day or so. Enjoy the NY.
I give up it’s meant to be Bhoys of course
david
22:25 on 31 December, 2013
Buoys=Buoys, not even drunk yet.
———-
Mmmm ye sure??? :-)
Off to bed, 5am start tomorrow !
Buoys will be Buoys
Wow is this a jangle jangle moment for Paul ?
When pukki said this Paul mentioned that we don’t need a penalty box player for CL. More like we need pace and strength. Turns out pukki is none of that. Just had to ask German based Tim’s on pukki before he came
Words were not strength and pace. More like rank and rotten
Money in bank time on our side
Yes to the 1st one. No to second one
We missed our chance in July and August It will be struggle jan to bring one in mid season
If we fail and we don’t get through CL qualifiers. P 45 ‘s must be handed out
Did I miss the Nevin interrogation, or is that still to come?
HH
BGFC
ST
Happy New Year to ye down there in the land of the grump :-)
David
Hope you’re no a dodgy dave?
Think you might be though.
BSR
Interesting to see your post about about Hull offering a £1m for Sammi. I still think we could make more by offering him a contract that sees him through the World Cup.
I know many on here are not great fans of him but what can’t be disputed is his performances for Greece. Good performances against the Japanese, the Colombians and the Ivory Coasters?! could make him worth a lot more than a £1m.
No matter what happens I just wish the big guy all the very best
As I’ve posted before I hope someone is reviewing all the contracts of all our guys playing in the World Cup.
Liked the de bries joke!!
ST
Happy new year Victor Meldrew
Very happy bhoys. Sun is shining. Hangover non existent
Just telling it how it is. No propaganda just facts. We have been had and let down by PL
ST, Well said, there’s enough bulls**t from the msm we don’t need it from our own.
sydneytim
22:42 on 31 December, 2013
Parallel Universe stuff…….Happy New Year to you….!!!!!!!!
Thread on Rainjurz Meeja titled Highlights of 2013?
The scummiest Orc on the planet posts; The Philippines
That sums up the difference between us and thems.
Have a Great New Year my Celtic brothers and sisters.
Onwards and upwards and all the best for 2014.
PL spotted at Dover offering season tickets to our new Romanians and Bulgarians comrades .
Love
ST
You are reading like sold his soul Hugh Keevins, the more I read your guff.
Meldrew new year.
The Bells are ringing in the New Year in my wee village, I would just like to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy and Hoopy New Year! All the very best Bhoys, Ghirls and Minis..
Starry..
TSOAL
I would hope he was. Our Polish following is huge and rising.
Delaney have a great “heid in the sand ” new year. If you can’t see we have no strikers then god help ye
nakasammi
Sammi’s green n white
HH
ST
Tony Watt is back.
Happy new year.
Well tis the new year in the hun free mountain valley.
Off oot to the neighbours for a wee party, when Mrs TET is ready, for copious amounts of vino and barbied cerdo.
Happy new year when it comes to you all.
Take care and god bless
HH
KTF
Friends, Romans, countrymen – hit me up on CQN
Mon the Hoops
DD
He is only keeping fit when his club is on their break…sadly.
HH
ST
My God has a capital G. Your negativity is negative. You bore me ST. More than anyone who posts here. Glad I don’t know you.
Would like to wish all the best for 2014 for Paul 67,family & crew and all his contentious posters from 2013. Onwards and hail hail from a mercurial lurker. Hail Hail.
Thersonly1celticcsc
SOAL
Is ‘offering’ a euphemism for ‘selling’??
Starry
Happy New Year to you and the family mate.
What time is Thingummyjig on?
Delaney. Watt bangura pukki Sammi stokes Balde 70-80 k a week in wages What a disaster of a striker policy
Happy New Year TET and Lady TET and many thanks for a memorable weekend.
HT
They canny enter the Windfall though
Watt not back until the summer
Auldheid
You and your beautiful Lady are welcome anytime.
Give our love to her, and you obviously >}
HH
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar
Thanks HT, you have yourself a cracking time with your lovely lady and loved ones.
May 2014 bring us a striker so we can all get peace!
ST
I know where you are coming from there. I try to accentuate the positive.
Peace and Love bro.
Well it is nearly time for my New Years revolution.So again I am going to revolute to support OUR beloved CELTIC f.c.
All the best to the greatest fans of the greatest club.
dixiedeans.
H.H.
Starry
A wee but of support from those with the keys to the boardroom for us minions wouldnae go amiss :-)