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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I’m incandescent with rage.
The zombies have won the same club argument, officially endorsed.
Celtic have said FA.
Our silence has allowed this farce.
Pishedandragingcsc
Let’s all hope that the board come out a statement about sevco and we win nothing this year so everyone can say well done Lawell
Let’s make no mistake here….. The Hun has won every argument………….same club, no loss of history, LNS is right………………………our club and us should hang our collective heads in shame
Popping in
Good friend of mine lost his wife recently
He’s not been too popular in here but who cares.
Rest in peace Ann Fleming
X
Enjoy your nightcap big chap.
Let’s not be kidded… the game called off today was timed perfectly with Doncasters statement and the three huns move.
Celtic board, open your eyes up.
Sorry, that was for you Jamesgang. HH
pod i
I don’t really do ‘not popular’
One of us is one is one of ours. End of.
Ann. My prayers are for you.
HH jamesgang
“Celtic are working behind the scenes”…….pissed off hearing this statement …that’s what celtic want you to believe……what they are doing is sod all………sad day when the ABERDEEN fans and Dundee Utd have to do the talking…….
Sips.
Dunce-caster wee-ing on the pitch while giving his statement!
He’s a wee weasel. With apols to any lurking vertically challenged weasels.
Apropos poash seats for working class Bhoys….will you wave to me? Or should I look up at the big screen and await as ‘sipsini says Relax’ message from on high?!?
HH jamesgang
jamesgang
My good friend lost his wife.
Referring isn’t relevant.
jamesgang,
Awe shucks, I’ll give you a wave, mind noo, I still buy season books for myself and the kids.
Don’t think they’re too happy when I get the opportunity to Lord it ;)
Vmhan – YNWA Wee Oscar
DD does indeed control the main policy of keeping debts low as he does not want another share issue which he underwrites
however PL is a cost cutting CEO, who has in every position he has been in, has cut costs with know forward investment, remeber he was brough into Scottish Coal to cut cost before closing the mine he was at
PL has never been an investemnt for the future CEO, it has never been on his Resume
We must find a new CEO who will make better use of resources
eg strikers, buy one that scores gaols and stays in the 1st team for a few years, pay the high going rate in one
Instead we buy numerous projects that are frankly Crap, we lose money on them and buy more projects
That is lawells policy, its a classic from him and our team suffers for it
John Fleming.
Lost his wife.
Morning All,
Not caught up with with most posts yet, but got to say…
Fiirstly, just want to say, Neil Doncasters’ statement,is no more,or less what SFA/SFL have been saying all along,so the position hasn’t changed. So why, is everyone on here at one anothers throat?, or tearing lumps out of Peter Lawell? I just dont get it.
What is to be gained,by, Celtic coming out and making a “Statement” about them?
You want Celtic to come out and say,”Your not the same club” Whoop, de, F$$Kin Doo” .So where would we be then, you get it in a vote between all the clubs, who want them, and all the clubs who dont.Remember Kilmarnock abstaining on that critical vote?That was only out of the twelve top clubs.
Just keep the Faith,
lilys
pod i
I agree.
That’s why my prayers are for her, your friend. And for any other poor soul who feels the loss.
I’ve been sitting here tonight lamenting the loss of my best pal, my Mum, so I well and truly empathise with anyone else in pain.
I hope that that was clear in what I said.
HH
Love. Jamesgang
JESSIE and Frank 01.07…….the hun and sevco journo lovers, don’t want a competitive league……their wish is a one horse league without newco.
TurkeyBhoy,
Just want to say before I get slaughtered on here, saw you yesterday posting about Samos, ever tried Symi?
lilys
ps. God bless and happy new year to you and yours, .I swear,you are the voice of sanity on here!!
lilys
Night Timdom.
For those of you who laugh I share your mirth.
For those of you who hurt I share your pain.
And for you sips……I just appreciate you as the big hilarious Tim that you are.
Take care of one another.
HH jamesgang
An dun,
When was the last time you spoke to anyone from England or overseas ?
I’ve spoken to quite a few and every one believe they are the same club and that’s down to misinformation from football reports in MSM given by people in Doncaster’s and Regan’s positions, so burying your head in the sand by dismissing the misinformation does not work, it needs to be challenged. If you you refuse to be part of the solution at least try not to be part of the problem, dismissing misinformation without challeng is our biggest problem.
Time for Doncaster to saddle up and move out…….waste of tax payers money
Enough is enough. Doncasters statement feels like another slap in the face. 3 season tickets down. Sandman you speak eruditely but it is just pish.
Lily’s grandpa,
Repeat for your benefit,
Most of the comments are not about them but about the incompetence of the CEO of the SPFL and the misinformation being spread by him.
As for PL, people can say what they want about him, he is NOT the club but a servant of the club who is not performing very well.
Pod i
Ann fleming rip
Prayers and thoughts at this time.
HH
Neil C
Or a CEO who is performing really quite well
Depends on his KPIs.
Therein lies the question.
Night Timdom.
HH jamesgang
Like out of form players, everyone at the club is open to criticism and being a Celtic blog open for comment on all things Celtic, then PL is fair game.
You can defend him to the hilt and by the same token supporters can slag him off if they want and still keep the faith, having a go at the board does not make anyone less a supporter as anyone defending the board are not better supporters, simply supporters who see different performance criteria just like they measure the players and manager. The board are not on a pedestal and never should be no matter how much you want that to happen.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
With all due respect, Tell me what will be gained by, Celtic ,coming out and making a statement,saying “Your not the same club” When the rest, or, certainly the vast majority, will say they are?Break away league? well Ill go for that.
Lilys
Neil Canamalar.
We are getting taken to the cleaners, the phalicy that we havethe huns in check,will come back to haunt us.
Our board had should have nailed the lid down.
Jamesgang,
I’m not interested in his KPI’s, I am interested in the state of our club and the game, I don’t care that DD see’s rangers as an integral part of the Scottish game to be admired, in fact if that’s the the one dishing out KPI’s then we have more to worry about from inside the club than outside.
With a silver cross through their black (red, white n blue) heart sips!
HH jamesgang
sipsini
In what way, could the board have nailed them?
lilys
Neil C
Wouldn’t necessarily argue with you there my Fhriend.
Sadly
HH jamesgang
Sleep time.
Love ya Timdom.
HH jamesgang
Jamesgang….
The Wolfe Tones – Broad Black Brimmer – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM7ltlq_lbM
Lily’s…,
They are your words, my word would be
Mr Doncaster does not speak for Celtic on this issue.
Better still
We are concerned about the competence of Mr Doncaster to hold the position of CEO at the SPFL.
There is no need to mention them, but then that doesn’t suit your argument does it ?
Can you tell me why you are concentrating on criticising Celtic supporters who have real concerns about how the game is governed while accusing them of focusing on sevco when in fact very few even mentioned them, I’m thinking it is deliberate obfuscation.
jamesgang,
Hi bigyin, I never got a chance to say to you before, sorry about what happend, prayers were duly said, big guy!
lilys
What Doncaster says … What the Celtic Board do or don’t do.. Doesn’t matter. Hunco are self imploding time after time. My position is we should focus on Celtic matters. Lawwell loves the Hunco shenanigans it really diverts the focus of attention.
Peternomics – the club get poorer the CEO gets richer…!
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
How many clubs would back a stance like that? though must say I kind of liked it.
lilys
cults…,
We were cheated out of millions, that’s Celtic business