2014 saw Celtic win their third consecutive league title, but we didn’t reach either cup final. A period of significant change got underway during the summer when we said farewell to Neil Lennon.
Neil took over from Tony Mowbray, his first managerial appointment after working with the Youths at Lennoxtown. His first season was the one that got away. Defeat at Inverness with the title within their grasp, Walter Smith’s Rangers took their third successive title against the third difference Celtic manager.
Three months into the next season, Celtic were 10 points behind a Whyte-McCoist inspired Rangers, but that was overcome, with interest, by Christmas. Celtic went on to win the league by 20 points, although 10 of them were as a penalty for Rangers incurring an insolvency event.
Thereafter it was plan sailing for Neil. He never looked back in the league and reached the Champions League group stage twice, progressing to the knock-out stage on the first occasion. He learned the managerial ropes at Celtic and did enough in his four years here to establish himself as a European-class manager. He was our third unqualified success in four appointments.
By this summer it was evidence to all, including Neil, that significant rebuilding was needed. The job was handed to Ronny Deila.
Ronny’s first challenge came in the Champions League qualifiers in the form of Legia Warsaw. Despite the record books showing Celtic progressed after a 3-0 default home win, Legia wiped the floor with Celtic home and away. Celtic looked like a team of strangers, unfamiliar with the system they were asked to play.
That was, of course, true, the system was unfamiliar, but it’s execution was miscalculated, the on-field results were deserved. The Champions League playoff round against Maribor was unusual inasmuch as Celtic dominated the away first leg and deserved more than the 1-1 draw, but the Slovenians arrived in Glasgow with their game face on. Celtic were outplayed and out of the Champions League.
Things slowly got better, although home performances against Motherwell (by my measure the worst) and Hamilton Accies (who were impressive), and latterly Ross County indicated there is still a long way to go.
Ronny’s Celtic found their feet in the Europa League, where they finished second behind a very accomplished Salzburg. The away performances against Salzburg and Astra gave an insight into how things could be for this Celtic team.
It was, to say the least, disappointing not to qualify for the Champions League. It denied the club millions of pounds and shaded our trump card in to be used in attracting players, but in reality we’re not a Champions League team this season. The Europa’ gave us an opportunity to play European football on our level, pick up coefficient points and extended interest after Christmas (if you’re young this won’t mean much, if you’re my age, you’ll recall this being our Holy Grail).
Inter Milan await in the next round. They are also going through a rebuilding exercise and are as vulnerable to lesser-resourced teams as Celtic – so unlike Juventus two years ago – we have a sporting chance.
The tactical direction of the club is visibly distinct from what went before Ronny. Is this a good thing? Probably. Neil Lennon and his players over-achieved in their first Champions League season on a scale it’s difficult to measure. That squad had no right to reach the levels they did; theirs was a herculean effort. Play Matthews at left back, alongside a central pair of Wilson and Ambrose. Put Miku up front, with Mulgrew and Ledley in the middle – then go beat Barcelona. It was beyond impossible.
Barca, Ajax and Milan were prepared for Celtic last season; we finished bottom, out of ideas and direction on that stage. We needed to change, same again wasn’t going to wash.
Ronny’s played a high-pressing game, mostly with players who are unaccustomed to the demands of this game-plan. This has been a mistake on several occasions, most notably against Legia and Maribor. He’s working on player fitness, but in all likelihood it will take the next two transfer windows before he can craft the squad into the shape he wants it to be.
We’re halfway through the season and, with Aberdeen playing before us tomorrow, there’s a chance they could go top of the table, for a couple of hours, anyway. That’s not good enough, by any measure. Notwithstanding the revamp, we should have done better in the Champions League qualifiers and we should be further ahead in the league, but the fundamentals remain intact:
We needed to start post-Neil Lennon with a new tactical strategy.
Trying hard not to be disrespectful to Aberdeen, but we’re going to win the league.
We’re in both cup competitions.
We remain in the Europa League.
I was happy with the direction we took in appointing Ronny Deila and remain so. The problems of the last six months could be classified as First World Problems. We’ll get over them, while others watch on from the Other Worlds.
Have a Happy Celtic New Year, strap in and enjoy the ride, I promise it’ll be a great one.
Sale on at CQNBookstore, fill your stockings.
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Bada bing
Stewart thought he was the real deal when he was at Man U …as you say arsed about thereafter and is now engaged in reinventing himself
He started out having a go at McCoist …now seems to be having a go at us
All to keep himself in the news…self serving tosser
Question 1 –Based on his first name, which Celtic player brought Love and Peace to Parkhead?
Clue – despite being loved by all, he went through a velvet divorce.
Lionroars67
What semi-final?
67heaven
BBC website Q and A session
FGF
You now my views….I took the big decision last season because of it
Why is Scottish football different from ALL other football associations …or is just Sevco …don’t remember Airdrieonians getting the same grace
When Rangers go into administration as “the same club” it’s a 25 point penalty is it not?
LUBO
Lubomir
LNS
Was working of only being given parts of the puzzle while other parts were held back by deadco.
thomthethim for oscar ok
15:39 on 1 January, 2015
So, after Doncaster”s ” absolutely” comment, it is inconceivable that any Celtic supporter will attend the shame semi.
Of course, perverted logic and selfish intentions will justify those, ” Ah just support the team” guys, who have absolutely no thought for the game itself, just self indulgent jollies.
Off to meet a couple of true Celtic and football supporters.
——-
Absolute nonsense.
Question 1 Answer – Ľubomír “Lubo” Moravčík – Lubomir means love and peace – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubomir
Lionroars67,
Complete and utter bs…..
so Neil ( Donkeyster) the football club that was liquidated in 2012 wasn’t Glasgow R*ngers Plc
Neil Dongcastrater….of course not, it was the holding clumpany that went bust…. ;-))
But, according to your rules…..a holding company, any company, that has only a footballing club as its only assets IS surely the football club per se?
De(Neil) Dungwater…..I well mabee not, cause you see…..we r a peepil, fuk u all…..the rules r made tae be broken
I’m heartfelt sick of considering thems/discussing thems…..’cause they’re an irrelevance and a distraction…..BMCUWP was rite, we are a brilliantly run business…..but a football club, nope, not recently…..we all know that DD ( not Delaneys ) & PL want thems back, and have delivered a business model in keeping with their narrow mindedness…..WE…..as supporters/fans know that this is self delusion/defeating…..
RD/JC/JK better get it rite today ( is it still only New Years day ) in the Glasgow Derby…..0-4 is my prediction…..ah f*ck it, i sometimes thing of gein up…..;-))
H.H.
a gift froom god, lubo
NERDS Quiz
Question 2 – Based on his surname, who came from the centre of the village to play for Celtic?
pfayr
Scunnered mate , absolutely scunnered .
Happy birthday to young blantyrekev
Question 2 – Based on his surname, who came from the centre of the village to play for Celtic?
Clue – Mary Sandeman claimed him as her own.
marc crosas
Doncasters statement is contradictory gibberish.
They died and are indeed still deid.
https://twitter.com/Atari2600hero/status/550679725732265984/photo/1
Naka
thing equals think, but you knew that ( no even an equals sign on this fone ffs )
H.H.
….PFayr supports WeeOscar
15:38 on
1 January, 2015
Apart from the ” long ball” comment anyone think that Capello’s current assessment if our European standing is inaccurate
===============================
Relative to what, the late 60’s, 80’s 00’s ?
Naka
Gordon64
Correct…the fact that he made the comment in the firm he did is very concerning
Question 2 Answer – Shunsuke Nakamura – “Naka” means “centre” and “mura” means “village” in Japanese
http://surnames.behindthename.com/name/nakamura
Mary Sandeman was “Aneka” who had her Japanese Boy
BCW
We’re European dross now …we were previously a feared CL team at home
Yes or no
hamiltontim
Firstly , Happy New Year mate .
We have discussed the cheating and corruption that has went on in Scottish football in the last few years and I respect your position BUT if we keep turning up at games and the board don’t challenge it off the field then football as we know it is finished in this country .IMO
Big Vic
NERDS Quiz
Question 3 – Which Celtic’s player’s father fled his homeland to escape accusations of war crimes?
lionroars67
15:40 on 1 January, 2015
Although I have previously stated that I will never attend any match against a club liquidated for corruption / tax fraud, if Celtic state that oldco aren’t deed at any stage, I (and many others) will have a heart-breaking decision to make, and Celtic will have to be VERY careful ….!!!!!
How much money did the same club get in transfers of Naismith, McGregor etc.
Stefan S
johannes shuggy edvalldson
Cup-winners-cup
Have listened to Clyde’s SSB a couple of times recently. Agree that it’s totally anti-Celtic which is why I wouldn’t have tuned in if I hadn’t been cooking the dinner for the family. My main reason for listening was because it was the aftermath fallout of the Sevco AGM and I was looking for a laugh. Keevins is poisonous towards Celtic but I suspect that even SSB is dying on it’s backside. There is now more talk from the panellists, a quiz challenge and a lot of time-killing going on because there seems to be fewer callers and even some of them seem bogus.
I think they are best ignored unless it’s openly libellous or abusive, for example, “Thugs and Thieves.”
Question 3 – Which Celtic’s player’s father fled his homeland to escape accusations of war crimes?
Clue – he had a brother who was also an international football player for his adopted country.
67 heaven
If you don’t make that heartbreaking decision …you’re acquiescing in the charade
Rudi Vata