Strachan lessons as Milan looms

1655

Neil Lennon will begin to get his players back at Lennoxtown tomorrow after, what for most of the first team, has been a two week international break.  For many of the established players, he’ll be hoping for a clean bill of health, but with trips to Tynecastle and Milan ahead, the manager will be keen to spend time with Teemu Pukki.

Teemu played 92 minutes for Finland in Tbilisi last night so will get little time on the training fields before Celtic’s next two games.  Tynecastle itself may provide the most effective training opportunity ahead of Wednesday’s game at the San Siro.

Delighted for Gordon Strachan, who has already caused an unlikely upturn in Scotland’s fortunes.  He is a better coach and tactician than he ever got credit for.  His Key Performance Indicators (winning leagues, knock out stages of the Champions League) were achieved in spades, but there was a soft underbelly which always seemed to undermine progress.  Curiously, his Celtic team went 15 months without keeping a clean sheet away from home in all competitions, despite winning the league in both seasons this run spanned.

The one game during this period of note was the 1-0 defeat to Milan in the Champions League knock out stage; the only game Celtic completed 90 minutes without conceding.  If Neil Lennon can replicate this achievement he stands an excellent chance of a second successive memorable Champions League campaign.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

1,655 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. ...
  12. 44

  1. ACGR,thanks once again for the ring tone,I’ve had three complaints in the office so far :-) and thats me only going in two days a week!!!

     

     

    Its a magic wind up,I’m enjoying leaving on my desk and phoning it from a meeting room…………………..

  2. Parkheadcumsalford

     

     

     

    17:33 on 11 September, 2013

     

     

     

    Just watched those highlights from 1965 Cup Final. Brought back great great memories, especially of THAT goal, to me THE most important goal in Celtic’s modern history.

     

     

    *whenever this game is recalled it’s all about Billy’s Bumper as the headlines on the front page of the Mail the next day read and yet to me wee ten thirty was our motm, he was magnificent that day.

  3. leftclicktic oscar in our thoughts on

    THE EXILED TIM

     

     

     

    17:19 on 11 September, 2013

     

    Ps I forwarded it on under the heading “picture the scene”

     

     

    I cant stop smiling thinking of it

     

    Thank you again

     

    “givehimanotherchance!”csc

  4. leftclicktic oscar in our thoughts

     

     

    16:03 on 11 September, 2013

     

     

    Big Nan

     

    Just put it on my FB page and asked people to sign and pass on to as many as they can.

     

    imso21stcenturycsc:))

     

    ………………………………………………

     

    Thanks, Ieftclicktic, I began using Facebook a few weeks ago to pass round this link to the parliament’s e-petition page:

     

    http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/judgesmasonregister

     

     

    but I got a 30 day suspension for spamming. Don’t understand this as the Scottish Parliament has links on the e-petition site for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and e-mail for that very purpose, to “Help promote this petition”!

     

     

    Anyway this old dog had to learn some new tricks and last night I joined the ranks of the twitterati. That lasted less than 12 hours before I was suspended for offensive behaviour. Offensive behaviour consisting of posting comments such as “well done”, agree 100%, etc. all anodyne stuff without a mention of my petition but of course my twitter photo is of Lady Justice with her scales weighted down on one side by a Masonic compass.

     

     

    So I need all the help I can get with you Facebookers and Twitterers. Please get those fingers working and spread the link or better still go to the parliament page and do as they suggest: “Help promote this petition” from their site!

     

     

    H.H.

  5. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Need to watch 65 cup final

     

    My dad was dragged from celebrations at Central hotel as my mother went into labour.

     

    My older brother was born the next morning. .

  6. Marrakesh Express on

    Kolncelt

     

     

    thats the guy..RN?

     

    I watched the Helsinki game with him in Barneys Bar Koln.

  7. My letter published in the Scotsman Sport Opinion on Monday:

     

    Returning to the scene of the financial ‘crimes’

     

     

    LAST year, The Scotsman was good enough to publish a letter of mine in which I lambasted the then chairman of the Newco Rangers for boasting about how his club would end the season with a healthier balance sheet than any other Scottish club, due to the fact that they had dumped about £150 million of debt when Oldco Rangers went into liquidation.

     

     

    At least Mr Green did not cause the misery. That was down to the previous board of Oldco Rangers who, according to Lord Nimmo Smith in a report for the SFA, also made Employee Benefit Trust payments which should have been declared to the authorities.

     

     

    Given this, I was amazed to read (Rumour Mill, Scotsman 05/09) that two of the non-executive directors who presided over this shameful period are now making a bid to join the phoenix that arose from the toxic debt bonfire!

     

     

    John McLelland and Paul Murray should have been guardians against the profligacy and sharp practice that eventually led to the liquidation of Rangers FC but did nothing and are now intent on strolling back on to the board of Newco Rangers as if nothing has happened. Have they no shame?

     

     

    Tom Minogue

  8. Parkheadcumsalford

     

     

     

    13:16 on 11 September, 2013

     

     

     

    Woke up this morning thinking of 2 games, which are indelibly printed on my Celtic soul. The first was the game Kai Johansen missed a penalty with about 10 minutes to go. I think we were 2 down. We won 3-2, with (I think) Bobby Lennox scoring the winner. Was in the Hayshed that night. It was a league cup tie.

     

     

    *hate tae be pedantic but it was 3-1 with Wispy scoring the equaliser when he bundled sorenson and the ball intae the net, Chopper scored the winner and wee Lemon the insurance goal. Was in the Jungle myself and when kai yai yippee hit the bar and then pushed andy penman out of the way tae heid the ball which oul Ronnie grasped easily the cries from the Jungle of “yea cannae dae that” erupted. BTW if penman had got tae the ball first he would have tore the net out.

     

     

    The other was the Ne’er day game where we hammered them 6-1 in the fog. All the goals were at the Celtic end (including theirs). It was one of the very few times I was ever there; so, I had a great view of all the goals.

     

     

    *5-1 and I was in the sellick end that day via a trip tae the Sarry Heid. Stevie scored a hat trick with 2 crackin goals fae Charlie G and Bobby M completing the score. They scored in the 1st minute but all the singing at half time came from us as we ran all over them.

     

     

    Chopper had a habit of scoring great goals against them and the best I can recall was in a 2-2 tie at CP when unfortunately the original holy goalie spilled one intae the net in the last minute at the hun end.

     

     

    The same player also missed a penalty at the ayebroke in a New Year game when we lost 0-1, he fairly made up for it in later years. This was the game in which the Wee Mhan got sent off after an altercation with beck.

  9. Blantyretim

     

     

    Our family story about the ’65 cup final goes, my mum was heavily pregnant with me, and that King Billy goal almost induced labour. She held off though, and I arrived a few weeks later.

  10. Marrakesh,

     

     

    yes RN is correct, I will be heading into Barneys in a couple of hours probably meet him in there.

     

     

    Do you live in Cologne or were just visiting ?

  11. Marrakesh Express on

    I was gutted at the 2-2 game. Totally outplayed a good rfc1872 team but bad goalie mistake in last minute cost us.

     

    The 5-1 jan 66 game was my first Celtic v rfc1872 game. Magic! It was also my first experience of the orc hordes raining screwtaps into the main stand when they went 4-1 down.

     

    My da had to get me out the way.

  12. 16:47 on 11 September, 2013

     

     

    Chairbhoy

     

    16:23 on

     

    11 September, 2013

     

     

    BTW I know what a Fenian is but what is a Tarrier

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    Not sure if this question has been accurately answered, ..or indeed whether or not it should be.

     

    It refers to an obscene version of an Orange anthem in which the suggestion was that Thems would like to perform a bizarre variation of FTP with a ‘Tarry rope’.

     

    I am sure I don’t have to further expand, but to the best of my knowledge that particular perversion is the origin of the phrase Tarrier.

     

    God help Thems.

  13. Marrakesh Express on

    Kolncelt

     

     

    I was only there for 4 days. Had a drink with him and Neil from the Corkonian.

     

    He’ll remember me…mention the big Irish-German Lawyer, who he warned me not to get involved with.

  14. monaghan1900

     

     

    15:55 on 11 September, 2013Sevcomedians slavering and going puce as they batter their keyboards:“Anti Rangers propoganda in full flowIt’s not a new thing and ultimately it’s something we may never fully change but there exists this philosophy/attempted perception within sections of the media (and more extreme views online) that we as Rangers fans are the bad guys and we are the cause for sectarianism, bigotry etc in Scotland.The jim spence fallout is a prime example….here is a man mocked and derided by the majority of Scottish football but following a deliberate and innacurate slur against rangers he becomes the poster boy for the dregs of society and members of the media who’s remit seems to be to constantly attack rangers.Those rangers fans who dared to complain about these innacurate slurs were compared to nazis by spence and deluded/knuckle draggers etc throughout social media….Coincidently today I walked into morrisons and seen the front page of the Scottish sun (yes front ****ing page)…….bigoted rangers fans attack a dog wearing a Celtic strip? You really have to laugh (on so many levels) but what it does is continue this myth that the rangers support are criminals and Celtic fans (including dogs) are the victims….”——“Curious how they came to the conclusion it was a Rangers Supporter(don’t read those rhags as a rule – unless it has had the full story posted here on occasion) and not one of THEM wearing one of our tops.”——” We are constantly getting kicked from pillar to post 18 months after liquidating. Fenians have worked their way into positions of power from the media, the police force, parliament, councils and football authorities.

     

     

    Great, I look forward to going into work tomorrow and getting duly promoted..

     

     

    HH

  15. MickTT

     

    18:28 on

     

    11 September, 2013

     

     

    Great, I look forward to going into work tomorrow and getting duly promoted..

     

    ——

     

    I think you’ll find you’re already at the top of your chosen profession – unless you’re a Hun!

  16. Parkheadcumsalford

     

     

     

    18:04 on 11 September, 2013

     

     

     

    That 2-2 game: wasn’t that thon thug Johnson who scored their equaliser totally against the run of play?

     

     

    *naw definitely johansen, johnson scored a late equaliser in a later NY game but Jim Brogan snatched the winner in the dying seconds, God knows why he was lurking in the penalty box.

  17. Billy Bhoy supports wee Oscar on

    Kilbowie Kelt

     

     

    Andy Cameron said on Off the Ball a few months ago that the term referred to the fact that when the Irish arrived in the USA the only employment they could get was tarring the roads.

     

     

    Mind you, he also used other terms like “relegation” and “Holding Company” so perhaps we can discount this explanation!

  18. Micktt

     

    Geez bud, I had to read that twice. I kinda missed your opening line and thought you had written it!!

     

     

    I was thinking… ” now I’d never had placed micktt as a sevconian”

     

     

    Re – read….and normal service was resumed:-))

  19. bournesouprecipe

     

     

     

    18:34 on 11 September, 2013

     

     

     

    Overheard on the train, ” What kind of idiot puts a Celtic strip on a dog”

     

     

    *did they no follow up with it deserved to be kicked.

     

     

    There was a wee wummin up Brucehill that called her dug mo johnson O’Malley, poor wee thing got a few kicks in the ar$e when he signed for them.

  20. VP KO'd by fearless Oscar Knox on

    No wonder those huns are always angry,they are constantly being kicked from pillar to post.

     

    ………can I join in ? Where’s my ole steel toe caps?

  21. Marrakesh,

     

     

    You were in good company there with the two of them, he was right about the lawyer, I am pretty sure I know who that was.

     

     

    hope you enjoyed your Kölsch time, not the worst city in Europe.

     

     

    regards,

     

     

    Kolncelt.

  22. There is alienation of reason and then there is FF:

     

     

    “The Celtic-Minded: when was their ‘Wannsee Conference’

     

    The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of senior officials of Nazi Germany, held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee on 20 January 1942. The purpose of the conference, called by SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, was to ensure the cooperation of administrative leaders of various government departments in the implementation of the final solution to the Jewish question, whereby most of the Jews of German-occupied Europe would be deported to Poland and exterminated. Conference attendees included representatives from several government ministries, including state secretaries from the Foreign Office, the justice, interior, and state ministries, and representatives from the Schutzstaffel (SS). In the course of the meeting, Heydrich outlined how European Jews would be rounded up from west to east and sent to extermination camps in the General Government (the occupied part of Poland), where they would be killed.

     

     

    ……. for the last 5-10 years there seems to have been a co-ordinated attack on everything ‘Rangers’, and to a lesser degree ‘Protestant’ in Scotland which, to me at least, has some parallels in the way the Wannsee Conference got the Nazi message across to all of the important parties, quietly, and without any record of the discussion.

     

     

    Allied to a control of the press in Scotland via well-placed lieutenants, there seem to be placemen in every political, governmental and senior business establishment who are willing to place ‘Celtic’ first, ahead of their own careers at times. They perhaps know that there is a level of protection there for them which allows them to do their business in blackening our name without fear of losing their jobs

     

     

    The on-message nature of these attacks and slurs, the way that stories are twisted to suit their angle and the way that all of the pieces of this particular chess board have fallen into place can only mean one thing – it had been scrupulously planned.

     

     

    When did it happen? Who was the catalyst for this? I have my own thoughts and they surround a [man] from Lanarkshire. This is the kind of thread that will have many scoffing – but I am not a conspiracy theorist – I simply see what is happening in this rotten little hole on a daily basis and cant avoid it

     

     

    I guess the point I am trying to make is that we can never trust these people again, at least not in a football context. We have to fight fire with fire – Number Eight’s idea for the RFFF to fund an intelligence unit would be a very good start. Its a hard shift without control of the press, but we simply have to – otherwise Lawwell and co’s mission might be accomplished”

  23. BOZO!

     

     

    Your are ‘soo’ obvious!

     

     

    You and Chairboy both need something inserted in you!!!

     

     

    H.H.

  24. Monaghan

     

     

    the ‘wannsee conference was a meeting of ….’ bit is cut and paste from Wikipedia. I thought it was a bit too knowledgeable for someone spouting incoherent nonsense/paranoid anti celtic crap

  25. Who was the catalyst for this? I have my own thoughts and they surround a [man] from Lanarkshire.

     

     

     

    – ————–

     

     

    yip, it was Big Jock , he started it.

  26. VP KO'd by fearless Oscar Knox on

    BSR

     

     

    Should have said loudly ” See that Dave King bought himself ootajail”

  27. bournesouprecipe

     

     

    18:34 on 11 September, 2013

     

    Overheard on the train, ” What kind of idiot puts a Celtic strip on a dog”

     

     

     

    …………

     

    The dog brought it on himself.

     

    Self inflicted sectarian attack.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. ...
  12. 44