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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On the Doncaster interview, there is a really simple question to ask – is today’s Airdrieonians the same club as the old Airdrieonians?
Whatever the answer, Yes or No, will invite follow up questions that cannot be answered.
Jamesgang,
My problem is those sentiments appear to be our boards response too.
JamesGang, just don’t feel old enough to have a kid at 18!!!
Just saw a picture of one of my twins, 12, on Instagram, now I’m plain scared.
Kevtic
If a lie is said often enough, people believe it.
I would assume you are not in charge of a Colombian drug cartel.
However if there was a lie being said about you constantly, along the lines that you were involved in illegal drug dealing, would you ignore it, or challenge it?
Why should Celtic remain silent with regards today’s unprompted outburst from Doncaster? Is there a reason I’m missing as to how it benefits our club? Celtic saying nothing, while expecting crowds to come flocking back and revenues to rise again is more of a fantasy than the Rangers sameco myth we heard peddled today.
It’s beyond comprehension, well for me at least to why our club and the people who run It remain silent in the face of such distortion. As the logical outcome in doing or saying nothing is the potential to damage us more than the decades of corruption and blatant cheating.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”
HH!
I am glad my Celtic is going for a treble this year. The first decent chance of this with a financially sustainable team in 45 years.
I am glad we are still in Europe post Xmas for the 6th time in 40 years.
As for what Doncaster and rangers supporters and MSM will say. I don’t feel it worries me that much. Celtic consumers with a sense of entitlement who go along each week to moan are as much of a frustration to me as bias and bigoted officials.
Jealous folk who come up with all the problems but can provide no credible solutions are as much part of our problem.
I do really feel for the sad folks that Celtic give such unrelenting negative anguish to.
Kevtic,
We are discussing the SPFL CEO’s apparent lack of basic business law and therefore his competence to do the job.
For you it might all be about sevco but for most on here they are incidental.
Would even one creditor have the gumption to ask for their money from the “same” club?
Hail Hail.
neil canamalar
And Neil my Fhriend, my problem is that you may well be correct.
Doc
I’m coming to the conclusion that we’ll never ‘feel old enough’ to be grown up/old etc. it’s just some grinchie bassa that sneaks up on us and dumps shed loads of responsibility on us while at the same time nicking all our cartilage!
I should write fortune cookies!
HH jamesgang
Kevtic
It’s not about wanting to write about Sevco.
It’s about wanting an honest game, fair play and sporting integrity. Can you honestly not see that?
What do you think the official narrative of the authorities and the SMSM would have been if it had been us who had been liquidated, and tried the same club, continuous history bilge?
Burnley78,
Your part of the problem not the solution
burnley78
00:17 on 2 January, 2015
I am glad my Celtic is going for a treble this year. The first decent chance of this with a financially sustainable team in 45 years.
I am glad we are still in Europe post Xmas for the 6th time in 40 years.
——
And I’m with you 100% in all of that Fhriend.
I’m a Ronny-supporting happy clapper.
And I define my love for Celtic in my love for Celtic. Nothing more. Nothing less. It’s truly standalone.
And/but I can’t and won’t stand back and allow cheats’ lies be perpetuated without challenge.
HH jamesgang
fred c. dobbs
00:19 on 2 January, 2015
Would even one creditor have the gumption to ask for their money from the “same” club?
–__—-
Where’s that pesky facepainter got to?
HH jamesgang
jamesgang,
KevinBridgesCSC :o).
Hail Hail.
Same club?
Pay up then, ya cheats! And we’re on there! For 40k!
Chicken feed compared to lost CL revenue, right enough.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/rangers-administration-full-list-of-creditors-1-2325870
jamesgang
I never mentioned hartz, I did mention Ms Budge :)
HH
……………………………
G64
I also got a prezzie of something similar, a paving stone, don’t think it’s laid yet, got the cert tho, chuffed to bits so I am.
Got some shares, a paving stone, and a bit of the turf from the pitch, also with a cert, see turning 60, it has it’s benefits so it does :)
HH
THE EXILED TIM
So the state of the pitch is down to you ?
fred c. dobbs
FortyQuidCSC!!!!
My mrs was in Dublin with her mum and our daughter recently.
Lovely place. Quite swanky like.
Guess how it cost for 2 G&Ts? she said on the phone…….
Dunno……forty quid?
Silence…………..
Priceless. She’s even seen the sketch. Brunette has blonde moment!!!
;-)
HH jamesgang
TET
See that wee twitchy feeling in your leg?
That was me pulling it…….ya Jambo bassa!!!!
HH jamesgang
Right time for the pit, need to get a padron in the morning, that would be a bit of paper telling the powers that be that I live where I do, need it for my ongoing medical card prob, and I thot we were in the 19 th centuary.
Sleep well Timland
HH
KTF
Anyway, email to Dungcaster tomorrow.
Pointless, but got to be done.
Hail! Hail! While I still can.
jamesgang,
Magic :O).
Hail Hail.
Sydneytim,
I concur. Why bite off the hand that feeds you.
The downsizing continues apace apart from CEOs £1M per year package.
Their is no analysis of Lawwells failures , however whenever a referee or Sevco or SFA screw up their is forensic analysis.
I was glad to see Aberdeen win today as it may prevent Lawwell selling VIrgil in transfer window. I fully expect him to sell Commons — who could still have a role to win league. Lawwell I suspect consider him surplus to requirements and will push him out the door like Ledley, Hooper ( while playing the contract card ).
Lawwell is single handedly doing more damage to Celtic than the SFA, Sevco and all the referees combined and being extremely well rewarded for it.
Doncaster can claim Santa exists, his claims do not alter reality.
If The Rangers International go belly up, then and only then is the time for us to ensure rules are applied without fear or favour. Doncaster is an irrelevance, the fans have the power.
BCW
Ha, welcome to my world, if big Pedro is no getting it, old grumpy TET is, in my real life that is, I think it’s from when they relaid the pitch, it’s enclosed in a 4 x 4 ” square bit of plastic stuff, with the club crest on it, it looks the biz.
HH
………………..
jamesgang
I knew fine well u were, winker :)
HH
Wink!
HH captain caveman!
Love. Jamesgang
Why are Celtic playing on Monday evening, TV ?
latchford
its all about perceptions, i started to go to games in late 70’s and watched as the crowrds dwindled, went through some bad times in late eighties and early ninties
when fergus wanted to build a 60,000 all seated stadium, i said to myself, whats the point!!
i was amazed at the 52K season ticket holders that he found, i was amazed 10 years ago we could play livingston at home to 59,000 fans
Now its acepted by some that stands are shut, its accepted by some that we havecash in bank, but sell our best players and as liong as win the league in a one horse race, everything in the garden is rosy
maybe about half the 30,000 who turn up these days dont accept it, if i was still living in glasgow, i would turn up week in week out as i used to do since late seventies.
the othr 30,000 that fergus found, Peter lawell has lost and replaced them with banners on seats.
i think we can do must better with our available resources
others think we must cash bank the money and ensure that peter lawells retirement fund is bursting at the seams
burnley78
00:17 on 2 January, 2015
…………..
You forget it’s a football blog and we all have various thoughts and opinions on the Celts.
I have no respect or time for the plc they fail the Celtic support and the team is desperately short of a winning ethos. The seemingly blind walk back to the old firm is akin too timorous beasty stuff, roll over timmy you’ve been screwed by rangers and the sfa for 10yrs plus and when they like it’s not the same team, of course conversely when it suits they are the same team. Our acquicence is the reason we have an empty stadium.
As I said earlier it’s all about opinions and re Our manager, I think he’ll succeed which for me is winning the league. It’s also my opinion that our plc should have allowed NFL the money to buy some quality players for the CL level team he wanted to build.
Butnley78 my point is that all Celts see it different, it’s not so easy as a happy clapper n moaning Minnie ( Vinny) lol.
Happy New Year to a good Celt ✊
V
TET/JAMESGANG,
Thank god the two of you don’t mix your vowels up:))
Godfather time.HH
AnDun,
Doncaster speaks and is internationally recognised as the spokesman for the SPFL and as such alters reality for people who do not know enough about Scottish football or corporate business law.
Holy big Mhan upstairs…..
Sips is on to keep us right and away from Red card danger!
How ya doing you auld handsome Tim you?
Got Caesar a bazooka yet for yon pesky burds? Or is that your prerogative?
;-)
HH jamesgang
PS thanks for still talking to me now that watch the gem from a booth!!!
You watch….
ST
Last para was a corker. To give some credit to PL he has done as he was directed by DD, the downsizing is still the way to go and there is no wavering. The bonus? Well he does deserve it as the downsizing is easy to see via the empty stadium, reduced costs etc.
where will it all stop/ end ? Perhaps when we realise that DD is the problem IMO
V
Jamesgang,
I see the new year has come and your still as mad as a hatter:)
Wouldn’t change you, enjoy your night…ps. I’ve another couple of freebies in hospitality this month. HH
Luckybhoycfc.HH
I’m not big into paranoia. And.but read this snidey wee piece masquerading as ‘just saying’ journalism and see the kind of whispering campaign we’re constantly facing …..
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/celtic/heat-is-on-for-celtic-and-ronny-deila-in-premiership-title-race-193131n.115414565
HH jamesgang
Sips
I’m alone.
Kids in bed.
Mrs and stepdaughter back in Arbroath.
So took the chance to neck some buds and a bottle of champers! So legal to post but not to drive!
Thank you for not wanting to change me!
Likewise I love you as the big Mhan created you – original timmish perfection!
HH jamesgang
neil canamalar lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
00:51 on 2 January, 2015
AnDun,
Doncaster speaks and is internationally recognised as the spokesman for the SPFL and as such alters reality for people who do not know enough about Scottish football or corporate business law.
—-
I fear your giving this man too much sway…
Internationally no one cares.
Most people understand liquidation regardless of Doncaster’s bs.