2015 saw Celtic win our fourth consecutive league title, a feat achieved only twice before in our history: 1908 and 1969. The 1908 win came during Willie Maley’s team’s imperious 10 titles in 13 seasons. The 1969 win, by one of our greatest teams, preceded our second run to the 1970 European Cup final, where we lost to Feyenoord in Milan.
It was only on reflection that we realised 1970 was a turning point for Celtic. Jock Stein’s teams eliminated the champions of Italy, Portugal and England that season, a far more testing journey than the team of 1966-67 endured. Until that point, only Celtic and Real Madrid outside those three countries had won the European Cup, but Martin O’Neill would be manager the next time Celtic eliminated a team from what we now know as Europe’s major five leagues.
We knew nothing of that in 1970. Indeed, Celtic won a further four consecutive league titles, but others were laying better foundations. Our model was copied, improved upon, and eventually rendered irrelevant. Celtic travelled to Milan for that European Cup final in 1970 with the whole of Europe expecting to them win. We were the top team in Europe, clearly heading in the right direction. Or so it was thought.
The reality was that we were facing the wrong direction, we just didn’t know it.
There are parallels between 1970 and now. Four in a row is appreciated by those of us who craved a quarter of this achievement in the 1990s, but our domestic dominance is such, that we all look to Europe for that extra fix. Now, it’s not a European Cup final defeat we’re lamenting, we’ve been exposed by lesser-resourced teams as we bombed in the Europa League.
Apart from the fourth title, and five-in-a-row looking a comfortable certainty, the other portents have us heading south. Two seasons of Champions League football have been followed by two of Europa League, with performances dropping each consecutive season. What we don’t know is whether what’s happening on the surface is indicative of the foundations we’ve been laying for 18 months.
Herein lies the issue: the fruits of Ronny Deila’s labours are not evident, not on the surface, anyway. There are some positive portents: he’s improved Nir Bitton, blooded Kieran Tierney and given Leigh Griffiths the stage his talent needed, but this season spaces in our defence have been as wide as the Clyde, and just as worryingly, the transfer success hit rate has been abysmally poor.
Fixing the former problem should be achievable, Ronny has taken teams to the Milan, Amsterdam and Istanbul and defended professionally (if not successfully), but fixing the ineffective transfer strategy will be more difficult. It’s not clear why we’re misfiring, or whether we can amend our ways. Throwing more money at the problem may improve things, but the problem is not fundamentally finance, Malmo and Maribor both operate on a fraction of our expenditure.
There are mitigating circumstances for our recruitment woes. Unlike Malmo and Maribor who take time to develop teams, we’ve been buying first team players for years, and the market has moved away from us at a remarkable rate over the last five years.
A decade ago only a few teams in England could outbid us, and they didn’t compete directly for talent with us anyway. We’ve now living in an era when Stoke City sign top internationals from Bayern Munich, and England is not the only league which is drifting away.
Mitigating circumstances are all fine and well, but that’s the challenge for Celtic. Work smarter, find the untapped scouts, be better than those with more money than they know what to do with.
2016 will bring another title and possibly one or two cups, but as 1 January approaches I’m hopeful the lessons learned in the transfer market since 2014 are put into practice.
Have a fantastic New Year.
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A track from 1993…….1994 och I got it wrong….
Roberto Armani?
Peace to the Celtic nation, at home and abroad.
Also big shout out to the moon howling posse, in the place to be – you know who you are…enough respect.
198fkn4, believe it or not.
Progressive my baleekz.
Ist heard it in 92,on the glue.
Mozza is right.
Frightening :
https://youtu.be/HUMh8GQnDW8
FTAT.
All these Rave events were held by Secret Society controllers….. All you had to do was look at the flyers or promotions to see the Secret Society symbology.
Individual tracks always had unique artwork, when it came to compiling the best of a Music stable, the Symbology of the Enlightened ones was so graphic, I noticed this 15 years later.
Centralised control.
God Bless the US Constitution, although the Masons that, och they knew that Man would crumble and be Distracted by BLING.
16 roads – Celtic über alles…
God Bless the Brilliant Ronny Deila.
It is obvious he is fighting many battles.
I am Happy that the Celtic Board are staying strong with him.
Patience.csc
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 1st January 2016 4:40 am
Hi,Pete.
Pint buying is in the lap of the gods.
Which gods?
Who knows indeed.
Cheers,pal.
…………………………………
There are many gods, though everyone knows, whether they want to believe it or not, that there is only One God.
Christianity is the Religion that is hated, beyond belief.
Petec – I don’t believe that for a second mo chara – obviously the flyers, likes of Evolution etc. Maybe.
The authorities went ballistic to try and close down the events – this wasn’t California in the 60’s – only privileged people could afford to tune in and drop out.
The music was the drug, Stacey enhanced the sound, it did.
Underground movement – although synthetic – it was the only time both sides of the community of the occupied six counties genuinely socialised together.
Dare say it was the same in Escosse, Wales and England – divisions were forgotten about.
Best days ever.
HH.
16 roads,
I’m sorry.
I should not have said I knew what you or anyone from Belfast went through.
I’m a horrible Sinner.
Faith
Petec – When ya have Celtic, ye have everything.
It’s just that sometimes a hink personally that we are doing alright,then ya read alternative views then think otherwise.
Ronny Delia is our Leader – It’s got absolutely nothing to do with anybody else – Ronny Delia calls the shots so he does…all day long and every day of the fkn week.
Who am I to argue with that.
Petec – thanks for buying me a ticket for Ajax chieftain – said it was just magic to be back in Paradise, regardless /despite the result.
HH.
16 roads – Celtic über alles…
You are best being ignorant like all of my Family….. Time is l8 indeed. Quentin.
Jamesie, yer encouragment of wee Jamesie was noted.
Jamesie is a potential Star for Celtic.
C’mon wee guy.
Jamesie, yer encouragment of wee Jamesie was noted.
Jamesie is a potential Star for Celtic.
C’mon wee Dude.
oh ok
Petec – Beal Feirste has it’s good and it’s bad, same as anywhere.
I think that the poverty and deprivation is worse still in Glasgow. That’s the truth in my humble opinion P.
It kills me a bit anytime that I’m there in oul Glesga town – Something is seriously wrong…
regardless of creed or colour.
That’s England for ye, and I’m sorry Macjay1 if ye disagree – but that is the legacy of English rule.
The so-called Scottish cables are the worst of the worst, in history for pure treacherous activities.
In Ireland the greed was off the scale as well.
Jesus Christ will have the final say.
Me,arriving at the gates of heaven? God would tell me to fak away aff da fak – listen muchaho – there’s three million poor Africa /South American people whom died of starvation – they are the priority atm.
See ye.
HH.
Oh Yeah Baby
Happy new year from the Toronto Celtic Club where the sound of Del Shannon ‘ s runaway is blasting out……braw!
Petec – I’m not trying to judge anybody chief – but see monarchs feudalism etc. was replaced the business /political mob – the French Revolution for example – tunts done away with the royalty parasitic vultures and replaced them with 20 times worse blood suckers.
Khazariain Communists.
War.
Over and out.
HH.
16 roads – Celtic über alles… on 1st January 2016 5:55 am
Petec – I’m not trying to judge anybody chief – but see monarchs feudalism etc. was replaced the business /political mob – the French Revolution for example – tunts done away with the royalty parasitic vultures and replaced them with 20 times worse blood suckers.
Khazariain Communists.
War.
Over and out.
HH.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just the Book of John, well it is remarkable.
Keep refuting evil 16 roads.
Powerful.csc
16 roads
Khazariain communists?
Was that no that Karaģandy mob?
Happy new year bud.
Thanks TAL.
I sincerely hope that you and your crew have a fantastic 2016 mo chara.
Hail Hail!
Petec – you have been very influential speaker, very profound and clear.
See in reality though – ye, like myself are a million miles away from the front of the queue to get into the kingdom of heaven.
It’s all fun and games to come on here to CQN – and to preach the Gospel, what is wrong, what is right.
That’s not good enough though, think about it – millions of people all around the world – speaking the word of God, but not practising what they preach.
Get it?
I’m not judging nor trying to judge anybody – no Mother Teresa, any of us.
Try.
HH.
A Happy New Year to one and all.
Well said Dontbrattbakkinanger,and a happy new year to you and the crew as well.
KTF.
Honestly didn’t intend to arrive on here, New year’s day to fight and argue with fellow Celtic supporters.
Petec – When I read back the mara, and if I find that ye have insulted me, for no reason – then I’ll see ye, and I’m gonna clip ye for it, muchaho.
Ye know that sure.
GBTCFC.
Slan.
Greetings to:
Summa of Sammi
Gold Coast Tom
Sydney Tim
Kitalba
Michael Collins
TaurangaTim
The irreplaceable Kojo.
Thumbsup Aloysian with overriding paternity responsibilities.
Some of whom have been conspicuous by their absence.
And all other members of the Tim family.
Happy New Year everyone.
TGSC,
Sailing On….
http://youtu.be/_DEzveKPGtM
Dens park
HH
All the best to one and all for the new year. Mon the Hoops!
Happy New Year to Paul and all at CQN
HH
Happy New Year Timland.
A healthy and wealthy 2016 for all on here.
I’ve already been out to pick my son up from a
party in Bridge of Weir,watch them roads icy
conditions.
Happy New Year, Paul and all at CQN.
Here’s hoping that 2016 is a great year for Celtic.
Hail Hail
Happy New year and best wishes to all for 2016
Let’s hope we start with the type of performance we are capable of against the Jags. Consistency is an elusive thing and it has been hard for Celtic to maintain during this season – symptom of changing line up and young (ish) team – when we ‘click’ we are a joy. Let’s keep ‘clicking’!
The Glesga version – Real McCoy version:
In Mountjoy gaol one Monday morning
High upon the gallows tree,
Kevin Barry gave his young life
For the cause of liberty.
Just a lad of eighteen summers,
Still there’s no one can deny,
As he walked to death that morning,
He proudly held his head on high.
Shoot me like an Irish soldier.
Do not hang me like a dog,
For I fought to free old Ireland
On that still September morn.
All around the little bakery
Where we fought them hand to hand,
Shoot me like an Irish soldier,
For I fought to free Ireland
Just before he faced the hangman,
In his dreary prison cell,
British soldiers tortured Barry,
Just because he would not tell.
The names of his brave comrades,
And other things they wished to know.
Turn informer or we’ll kill you
Kevin Barry answered “No”.
Proudly standing to attention
While he bade his last farewell
To his broken hearted mother
Whose grief no one can tell.
For the cause he proudly cherished
This sad parting had to be
Then to death walked softly smiling
That old Ireland might be free.
Another martyr for old Ireland,
Another murder for the crown,
Whose brutal laws may kill the Irish,
But can’t keep their spirit down.
Lads like Barry are no cowards.
From the foe they will not fly.
Lads like Barry will free Ireland,
For her sake they’ll live and die…
God bless the Glasgow Irish, the Kings of the diaspora – whom bestowed upon the Irish nation, and gave to us the greatest gift of all –
The mighty Celtic of Glasgow.
And that is.. fact.
Remarkable.
HH.
Happy new year to all. We signed anyone yet?
Happy New Year to Tims everywhere
Happy New Year to Celtic fans world wide. Great having my internet back, for now!!! HH
Happy New Year to all Celtic supporters and there families for 2016.H.H.