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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sipsini
19:24 on
1 January, 2015
My granda always said Partick Thistle was the wee huns!
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Was at the cup game in 80’s Shawfield ,jags v Clyde…those young jags scamps were singing the sash.
On the park that night two good good friends of Celtic….Judas v CowPat :O(
Time for Doncaster to start talking to his plants.
BT
Accountants have a balanced sheet. Go figure :-)
HH
CRC
Allgreen
19:45
I agree with you, there were no rules to allow Sevco into 3rd tier of Scots football but my point is it was the right thing to do in the wider interests of Scottish Football. Look at how much money has been brought into the lower leagues as a result of that.
While my own preferred option would have been f@@@ them, let them die, I totally understand the reasoning behing the democratic decision of the other 41 clubs to allow Sevco to start in the bottom tier, any other decision would have been madness.
Huge congrats to my daughters friends
Neil & Louise
It’s a Bhoy :-)
Robert
As a shareholder they should be answerable but they have so LD us down the river many times..
If the club would invest I would be happy but they have failed to push ahead and we are left worrying about a game at the end of this month against a lower league team..
topkat
19:54
That made me laugh
brogan rogan trevino and hogan supports oscar knox, mackenzie furniss and anyone else who fights neuroblastoma
18:50 on 1 January, 2015
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha……..brilliant ….. Have you written to him yet….?
blantyretim
If I was on the board we wouldn’t have this problem :-)
Sipsini
And a happy new year to you and your family. I find it difficult to read and comprehend the views of, so called, Celtic Supporters on this sacred blog. It just Peees me off and I wonder, if these are the guys I’m standing beside every other week, I will want no part of it. The football is bad enough without these type of supporters bumping they’re gums. Or are they? It’s easy to come on here and claim you support Celtic, how many of these moaners actually go to the games. Very few I think. There, the doors open, get in here wi yer bile. Hahahaha
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Congratulations to the happy couple cowiebhoy
tontine tim 15:04,
Thanks very much for that nice comment. I didn’t know if he worked there so asked my Mum and as she is forgetting a lot, just like her Dad in the end she wasn’t sure, so I asked my Dad and he said he did work there.
HH and I hope you and all your friends and family have a very Happy and Peaceful New Year.
Bring on the Inter, a game to really look forward to.
Sevco this Sevco that who cares, its someone else’s fight.
Aberdeen are top and should beat Motherwell on Sunday, this will make Celtic’s match at Kilmarnock on Monday night their biggest game of the season.
But PL & many Celtic fans are sleeping, shhhh.
Newco…………….the 007 of Scottish fitba’.
Licensed to kill……………Scottish fitba’.
License granted by Doncaster, custodian of………….Scottish fitba’.
Incredible.
Weefra
You give a reason in your answer to sipsini
The football is so bad…
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
They will have sold of a few more ‘Assets’ by the time that game arrives. they’ll likely have lost another one two players.
I cant see why anyone should fear that game at all.
VP,
My granda took me to the Clyde games when Celtic were away, just two minutes from Cally road although it took him two hours to get me there via pubs!
Cowiebhoy,
Congrats to your daughters friends. Happy New Year and a big Hail Hail.
BT
He’s a big Bhoy 9’6″1/2 :-)
Robert
Stabbings murders assaults
Oh let’s welcome them back…
googybhoy ♥ celtic
19:32 on 1 January, 2015
Mate of mine asked me this question any ideas?
“who was the Celtic defender a few years back who thought he was a goalie and gave away several penalties by handling the ball in the area?”
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I remember my Dad saying that we signed a Gaelic footballer in the 1950s and that he would often pick up the ball as he forgot what game he was playing. Do not know the name.
He also said that Patsy Gallagher signed for Rangers so that he and Alan Morton could play in the same friendly. Can anyone confirm or otherwise.
Ooooft
sipsini
My Da did the same.
I always regarded Clyde as a wee ‘Celtic’ and Partick Thistle as wee huns
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
15:12 on
1 January, 2015
BCW
If you sell your best players, bank the money, disenchant your best players and coaching staff, cooperate in the criminalisation of the support, stay silent on the governance of the game, downsize on the playing side, increase salaries on the back of the above for non playing staff, make up policy on the hoof and to suit. Then the only fans still turning up are those that hope the ‘punt’ eventually works out or the faithful who cannot accept/see that the above is about Old Firm realignment.
=====================================
Ah nice wee barb that “punt”…………..
Did Celtic , break the mould, take a chance or a “punt” on Mr Stein ?
How did that “punt” work out…………..
Suppose you think Capello is right to label Celtic a “long ball” team ?
Thanks for the “Faithful” tag…………you seem to think it’s a negative ? Apologies if I got that wrong, the written word is sometimes easily misinterpreted. I’d be interested in your ideation in that sentence.
Spurs 5 – Chelsea 3 .
Enjoyable game. In the Chelsea area- shaved heads , tattoos and Stone Island Parkas..
Best chant came from Spurs – Welcome to London / Welcome to London
BT
Correct, but why do I still get the hairs on the back of my neck standing up when “Hail Hail” booms out at CP when the Team emerges. Just a Celtic Supporter. Hope you and the family are well. KTF.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
SOT
Enjoyed the game today.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
PL and the board responsible for that are they for not speaking out?
James – Sit Down
Unlucky Jose.
robert88,
Mind, we won’t be just playing a team in blue, but a team in black and by all accords…their masters!
Weefra
In the 50’s early 60’s we had a board who interfered in on the park issues. Big Jock took the job only if he was in sole charge of football matters.
Now we have a manager/managers who play second fiddle to a CEO playing football manager..
Take care wee man.. Hail Hail
Robert
By allowing the myth to continue and by saying we need them back then yes IMO they are responsible for any off the park bigotry that goes on around about the fixture
BCW
it was not a barb. I agree with your synopsis that it is a gamble.
Stein was less of a gamble than Rd.
If what Capello said is in fact true. I agree with everything he said apart from the long ball part We have desecrated our home European record in the pursuit of player sales.
Faithful is not negative. I consider those to be resigned to our Old Firm fate and accept it or are at very least question.
You know when the questions get tough. i.e to dind answers playing the man or smearing him is very unbecoming of a true tim. I am not saying that you are but it is a trait if the happy clapper mo
I have misplaced my specs again
dind=fibd
of the happy clapper
HH
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
Your’e missing the point, no matter what you or i say or the board, you cannot change the minds of people who think and feel they are still Rangers. Its futile and pointless for PL to sit there smugly and say you arent the same, cheats liars etc.
Wouldn’t that fuel your line of assaults, knife attacks even more?
I cant remember PL ever saying we need them back, suggesting there is a 10m shortfall without them is merely stating facts. you can read into that all you want.
glendalystonsils,
That’s the way it was back then:)
Now we take our cars and spend a fortune on rubbish food, the old yins had it sussed back then.
GoogyBhoy, ole Anton had a reputation for giving away penalties, if memory serves.
Totally disgusted with Doncaster still.
He really is saying, cheat, dumb the debts, it’ll be fine, you can get back in without a problem.
Who would do business with an operation run by a guy like that?
BRTH, you’re right, he’s a dick, even if your language isn’t suitable for this blog.
robert88
19:47 on 1 January, 2015!!Bada Bing!!Could you point me to any sources or facts that back that up?
Sorry just back on,ditto what some bhoys have posted.Do you think CFC/PL had no input to 5 Way Agreement(i know this was on blog last week…)? How come Sevco got more money from TV deal than similar clubs? Read DD’s statement re ‘great club’ bollix.PL’s ‘losing 10mil a season ‘ comment.CFC want them back asap,by fair means or foul.IMO PL has done more for Sevco,than any chairman/owner they have had.HH