I’ve never treated the Ballon d’Or seriously, but would you be alarmed if your manager overlooked two of the most outstanding footballers of all time, to vote for one of the poor relations in an outstanding, if waning, Barcelona team.
England manager, Roy Hodgson, is entitled to his opinion but in nominating Javier Mascherano, he’s started a debate which will not reflect kindly on him.
I remember when Martin O’Neill was in charge of Celtic, he could do or say anything and no matter how incongruous it seemed, we all looked for hidden wisdom. Martin knew much more about the game than all of us but this authority was uniquely evident. I don’t remember any other Celtic manager being regarded with such awe, and I go back to the latter Stein days.
Whether Mascherano is fit to pass the ball to Leonel Messi is beside the point, Roy’s opinion is a prisoner of fortune. He’s dead meat to his critics.
For all of Martin’s brilliance he wasn’t one for cutting edge tactics. He knew what worked for him and stuck to it. So when Gordon Strachan came along with some new, ‘ideas’, the reaction was not appreciative.
Gordon’s early days (years) were remarkably hostile but it’s what I’ve regarded as The Ross Wallace Deployment which remains in the mind as an unfinished debate.
Ross was a left winger. But, five goals down after a first leg capitulation in Bratislava, Gordon deployed him on the right. The outcry was palpable. We’d never heard of playing a left footed player ‘out of position’ like this. What is now commonplace – to mix a left and fight footed full back and winger on the same side – was both new and proof positive that Gordon Strachan was a deluded simpleton.
There’s value in the opinions of the outliers, so my vote for the Ballon d’Or would have gone to Efe Ambrose. Gordon Strachan was a better manager than any of us knew at the time.
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Some of the older readers will recall the Dryborough Cup, it was held in the summer months prior to the League and League Cup kicking off between 1971 and 1974.
Summer nights watching a young Kenny making the breakthrough, beating the sheep after extra time at CP, even watching Larry Marshall’s da making an unusual start for us at Firhill.
Great going tae games that didnae need the floodlights on without a jaiket.
Wisnae really that kind tae us as we were runners-up 3 times before gubbin the deid team via penalties at a sunny humpden when the wee mhan ran from almost the halfway line tae win it for us intae the Celtic end.
The real hero that day was Denis Connaghan who saved 2 of the hun penalties after they scored with their opener and we missed ours.
Even though it was the summer 2 of the finals, hibbees both lost aet, had 50,000 crowds while there were 60,000 against the deid team.
Compare with the 1973 League Cup Final played after a heavy snowfall during the 3 day week caused by the miners strike when only a measly 28,000 saw us lose 1-0 to a Tommy Gemmell led Dundee, this after gubbin again the deid team 3-1 at humpden in the semis with Harry Harry being the hat trick hero….only 55,00 at this game as well on a dreich December night 10 days earlier.
Summer fitba, what’s not tae like.
Mike in toronto, reagan , thatcher, both george bushes, dick cheney, blair, cameron have not made the western world a better place with their policies . It looks like the canadian prime minister is following their lead.
What i noticed about toronto was how cosmopolitan it was and there appeared to be no underlying tensions between communities as most enjoyed a good standard of living.
raymac
21:00 on 13 January, 2015
Naw, it needs a demolition expert
Scullybhoy
Please try to ignore their songs.
Be safe if going. That mob will be team handy & tooled up.
I have been told by several loyalist gangsters I grew up with.
My family will be no where near Glasgow on Feb 1st.
Talk of Aberdeen home game after Inter game being moved to the Monday night….
BT, trying to arrange our sweeps’ day out.
40 of us looking for somewhere within an hour of Glasgow.
Does he lurk much?
P
HT,
I’ve put in for a holiday on the Monday after the semi final…its unofficially known as sack a tim day in there if we humilite thems and I’m top of the tree with my smirk.
Oh, and I’ll be getting blootered anyway.
an tearmann
20:55 on 13 January, 2015
Thanks for sharing that.
What a goal1-1.
Pod I
Not now more FB ask P67 if he can give him your email address
Cqn@gmail.com
Delaney’s, miller’s changed his skin colour to fit in at his current employer
That was a cracker from moralles
Sipsini
Unlike you lot I don’t get to pick and choose when I take holidays :-)
Come on The Toffees
Thanks BT, will do
tontine,
I was talking about that very match a few weeks ago with the guy that scored the winning penalty….
HT,
Unlike you, I work with hun bassas :-)
commmm onn ye irons….
I’m in d5 is that behind the goals
Hamiltontim
21:16 on
13 January, 2015
Yip don’t follow their booking logic however in order to get a decent area I have to book on-line, going down to Glesga costs £20 return in the car.
Good omen though got the same area and row as the last time we were at Hampden and won the cup that day!
jimmynotpaul
20:42 on 13 January, 2015PR firm level 5.Launch today. Murdo Macleod has a go at Guidetti for his statement about hat trick against Sevco. Which Guidetti has already said was taken out of context. Sign of things to come. Thanks Murdo. Not.
MacLeod knows exactly what tune to whistle,to get a media gig in this country.
Brilliant cup tie
joe_joe_john_bobby_teddy
No mate it counts as North Stand so D5 is just before the curve starts.
dallas
For me, that has always been Toronto’s strongest point – walking down the street on any given day, you can hear a hundred different languages, and smell a hundred different types of food, and for the most part, the various groups have always gotten along pretty well.
Sometimes I get a bit sad seeing the changes, but emails like yours make me appreciate how good we still have it here. Thanks!
Haven’t posted in a long time. I’ve given up on Celtic TV after having had a subscription since it started years ago. The quality of streaming was absolutely dire and not value for money. I now watch Scottish Football on Fox Sports Plus and get to see many other Scottish games. I am impressed with the quality of some of the young players on Dundee Utd., Aberdeen and Hibs. I see we are being linked with G. M. Steven who I think is quite good. Others who have impressed me include – Stuart Armstrong, Peter Pawlett, Ash Taylor and Scott Allan. Considering the money we have spent on some players, I think all of these would be good value. Opinions?
No been on much the past few days, are the corrupt ones still stumbling along, stupid question, of course they are.
HH
PS
Mrs TET is out of intensive care, tests in the morn to decide what next, never been so happy, relieved….. you name it in ma puff, and it was puffin that put her in there.
Thanks mucho for all your positive thots and good wishes, we were both overwhelmed seriously.
Wimin Eh, needed a feckin heart attack to give the fags
Great finish to cup tie at upton park
joe_joe_john_bobby_teddy
21:28 on
13 January, 2015
I’m in d5 is that behind the goals
No you are at corner flag and in the North Stand
Sipsini
I’d be better not commenting on that!!! :-)
Bada bing
Murdo has been whistling that tune for a while
Apropos of nothing… Found it interesting reading earlier that among the ‘English despoliation of Ireland in the 17th century’ episodes, the complete island was deforested in 100 years, plundered for use on the motherland.
A familiar tale, the Irish treated along the way, only marginally better than tragic Africans, according to David Stannard in American Holocaust. This excellent book was recommended by someone on cqn. No doubt our Ireland historians will have something to add.
Returning Jo Inge Berget to Cardiff is like a new signing.
TET
Great news, pleased for you and yours and the family
TET,
never seen your good lady was ill,hope things are improving and she gets
back to full health
Podi
If you still have my mobile number text me and I’ll pass on taggsybhoys number
If not
blantyretim@aol.co.uk
Extra time at Upton park
Thanks lads
TET,
Great news, hopefully your goodlady will be back in the cave soon, stay strong friend. Hail Hail