If in the 90s, you predicted Celtic would win 12 titles in 13 years by 2024, they would walk away from you. Back then, I took Deapthroat’s advice and followed the money, I knew that David Murray’s leveraged success would ‘crash and burn’ [quote: my brother Kevin, every 20 minutes from 1992-1998], but never in my wildest’ did I expect the domination to be so utterly complete. You would be forgiven for thinking this level of subjugation requires a cooperative loser.
It. Is. All. About. The Money. You and I have to live within our means; under normal circumstances, it comes naturally, we don’t buy luxuries if we can’t pay the fuel bill. For reasons that we could explore further, some men (it’s always men), think that advocating for the spend of imprudently large amounts of money on football players is a test of their [fragile]manhood. Why can’t they just buy the blue pills instead of compensating through all this drama?
19 years ago, while Celtic were on their way to losing a league, I wrote that we were in the early years of a Generation of Domination, which started in 2000. There was a bit of pushback from the hard of thinking, but it was so obvious – Celtic were living within their means, Rangers were driving off a cliff. There was no other plausible future.
In 2024, you don’t need a crystal ball to know the future of Scottish football. We all know how it is going to play out, including the Newco board and fans. But they are all too scared to face up to the reality and do the hard penance – a decade-or-so rebuilding from the ground up, to give their son’s son’s a chance of success.
And for the really hard of thinking, this doesn’t mean we will win every league/cup/game and Celtic will not compensate for whatever you are missing, we will just become and remain the most successful football club in the world. Which is alright, I suppose.
Enjoy these Celtic years!
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Brendan, thank you.
Lullabies and Battlecries – can’t see me being back for the Open, busy summer season here. Sure you’ll enjoy it!
Must be a few hangovers today.
we will just become and remain the most successful football club in the world. Which is alright, I suppose.
i am hoping that is tongue in cheek,
who cares about measuring your club against a competitor who died.
Brendan Rodgers won this League, a lesser manager would have crumbled under the pressure. A threadbare squad,thanks to a couple of embarrassing Transfer Windows. Brendan discarded the new signings,and had a lot of struggles behind the scenes, which he alluded to the other day.He kept the squad to about 15 or 16 guys he could trust,and mould into his team system.A top manager, who we must support properly now.
It. Is. All. About. The Money.
And, of course, how you spend it………Roll on Summer.
Champions !
money
sre we really getting 10m for abada
18 leagues in 24 seasons was unthinkable when Martin O’Neil talked of his dad walking over broken glass to be at Celtic.
To win 6 Trebles in 24 years when we had only won 2 in our history before was simply not imaginable.
To say we could narrow a gap from 13 league wins behind ‘the most successful team in the history of the world ever (across 2 franchises)’ down to just 1 league win would have had people close to you a bit concerned.
We had Ken Gallagher writing his piece about rangers dominance and Murray’s blueprint for global domination.
Credit to all who kept their nerve and those fans who kept the faith.
Credit to Tommy Burns for carrying the torch through the tough times. Last night had me think a lot about how much Tommy would have enjoyed what we are so privileged to see today.
Brilliant Paul,
Respect.
The key themes of your narrative will play out on the interweb over the next few months.
Up until perhaps five years ago it simply had not dawned AT ALL on the mug fans of the “world’s most successful club” …
[ “Self praise is no praise at all” (Lord Byron) ]
…. that we were closing in.
A sequence of trebles and doubles later?
Even the thickest dummies can count.
This title win is unbelievably significant.
The realisation among Sevco fans that they can’t match us … even when we have an unbelievably disrupted season … is finally starting to engulf them.
The next five years will be interesting.
Can’t wait.
I am heartened that the board have publicly admitted that they underperformed on the recruitment front in the last year and that they are resolved to fix that in the coming window.
At the same time, Brendan has spoken about a “plan” to bring in first team ready players and to move away from buying projects.
I expect big money to be spent in the summer.
Not a big fan of international football, but surely with the Euro Squad increased to 26 from 23,James Forrest has to be in it, there are no wingers currently in the squad, he’s like a new player,fresh through not playing a lot of games as well.
It would be just wonderful if the ghirls beat Hibs on Saturday and be crowned CHAMPIONS.Those in second would be just like their menfolk..runners up champions.If possible, could I hear Johnny Mathis hit
‘WONDERFUL WONDERFUL’ I can’t do that thingy on my phone,it would sure make my day.
And all this oldfirmery is exactly why we have been failing in Europe for 20 years!
Got there in the end anyway, although we certainly made it more challenging for ourselves than it should have been.
Some really enjoyable football. Pace, movement, intensity – the more we look like last season’s team, the more we look like last season’s team.
Some cracking goals too – never tire of seeing the ones when the far-side winger comes inside to finish the move – really difficult to defend against, so well done Brendan for sticking with the 4-3-3, even though it “wasn’t working” and HAD to be changed.
The only things that needed changing were to play at a higher tempo and take more risks with the passing.
Said at the beginning of the season that O’Riley could be on for high-teens (might even sneak into the 20s?). Always think we are better when we have a good goalscoring midfielder.
Be good to think we could push on, show some ambition and make a mark in Europe, although I suspect it will much more likely be just go for another oldfirm title race – preferably with a narrower points gap to partner club next time…..
Oven ready signings. Get that matt oriley bloke in.
And find out what jota is doing
BACK TO BASICS
The realisation among Sevco fans that they can’t match us … even when we have an unbelievably disrupted season … is finally starting to engulf them.
Spot on.
I dipped my big tie into FollowFollow late last night and that was the recurring theme — that Celtic have struggled at times throughout the season and even when they got their noses in front late in the campaign, they still couldn’t beat us.
As long as it’s not ‘oven ready’ a’ la Boris’s Brexit agreement.
Tom- good to see a good home for your ST,a few ideas on here last few weeks re money getting spent on the infrastructure of the stadium footprint. Provision for drop off/pick up points around the park,to assist folk with mobility issues. I think the problem is with Glasgow City Council, who have been trying to close down parking on streets close to the stadium, how do they expect 60,000 to get to and from Celtic Park? I don’t think any buses actually go along London Rd at the stadium anymore, and the cycle lanes are a joke.
For all the bluster and gnashing of teef during the season is it true the rangers were only top of the league for 3 weeks and that should we finish with 93 points that would have won us all the titles bar 1 for the last 13 seasons anyways
BADA VING
Good shout re Jamesie for Germany in June.
This is a headline from the Herald today
“Derek McInnes and Danny Armstrong
Never mind CQN disaster – it’s time for Killie to right those wrongs in Europe”
It apparently refers to a European defeat by Connah’s Quay, and it was lifted from a Killie fanzine
Paul67
I’m sure a few weeks ago you were saying we wouldn’t be allowed to win the league – what changed
Never wearing that tie again.
Johnny maths WONDERFUL WONDERFUL
I hope
https://youtu.be/N7wr2FBxcyI?si=nNaJFUP9-xzVKEup
I wonder if training is on today.
2 more games. 2 more wins.
Is the manager in the office at seven thirty already plotting how to win.
I do hope so.
Good afternoon all from Molloys Bar, Westport, County Mayo. A fine day in a lovely, busy town.
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 16TH MAY 2024 11:49 AM
This is funny- a few swearies
https://twitter.com/iwata_beadored/status/1790975413788782696?s=48&t=PTzNJJ7JrJnW0MQknPxR1Q
…………
VERY Funny mate.
LOL
HH.
LEFTCLICKTIC @12:41
Thank you for that,how apt following. events at Rugby Park.
Well done Brendan, the players and everybody at Celtic who have worked towards this title. Not the most enjoyable season, but a really important league to win.
Brendan has to take a huge amount of credit for doing what looked very unlikely and turning around our poor form. I didn’t think we’d see the sort of change on both their and our form required but we got it. It speaks a lot about Brendan’s winning mentality and what a great football manager he can be.
For me the title also shows what a solid winning foundations can do. The mentality that permeates throughout the club played a huge part in carrying us through. A disappointing summer window after losing our best player and two first teamers and the remaining players were still good enough. Our much-maligned transfer strategy still produces good enough players to win year after year, we always have better players than our rivals. The winning mentality takes care of the rest.
We’re in an extremely strong position but complacency comes in different forms. If we are to progress in Europe we mustn’t end next season with a starting 11 made up of players from previous seasons. As well as replacing experience like Joe Hart and probably James Forrest we need to bring more Matt O’Rileys through, which means more risks in the transfer window, better recruitment and more risks being taken in team selection. An evolving team needs young players coming through to make the difference like Matt has and to provide us with the sort of funds we need to compete in the CL.
Phenomenal achievement by Brendan Rodgers. Despite the best (worst) efforts of the Lawwells who were an utter disaster this season. Pedro should follow his unqualified boy out the door. 👍
Paul67
A not bad essay tho i am not interested in adhering to any hun marketing falsities,’worlds most successful club’ goin for ‘x’ number of titles,we do not need continuity recognition via errorsome maths,we live,eat,work and breath every game of Celtics,hard work brings success,a beautiful humility,the team doing their best for us the fans,us supporting and a manager managing well.
All sorts of things flit thro my head at our success,i remember the 90s,flying up and down from London,pre ryanair days, to take my place in the vast spaces of the old Celtic end,2 stick out,4/94 to watch a fox entertain us and a couple of days later the man who put in such strong foundations to rebuild Celtic Fergus McCann was on plane,i could never envisage todays success then but we all put in the work and thats why we are were we are today
Thanks Fergus,Tommy Burns,Dr Joe,Martin ONeill,Gordon Strachan,Neil Lennon,Ronnie Deila,Brendan and Ange,all playin a part.
Thanks to the board for the continuity,
No entitlement here,we work for what we get.
God bless the Celtic,💚
https://twitter.com/PaulJohnDykes/status/1790875816873570753?s=19
Hail Hail
Saint Stivs, Doubt there is training today.
I imagine the focus is on recovery, no idea about Brendan’s time table but I did read somewhere that when it comes to Football he is a total workaholic.
BRB
Fab place. Is that the one with the wee grocers bit? Classic Irish boozer.
BIG JIMMY on 16TH MAY 2024 6:36 AM
DAVID66 on 16TH MAY 2024 6:22 AM
Good morning all from a delirious Garngad..
Oh ma heeeeed.
……………
We are CHAMPIONS AGAIN Davie Bhoy….ma Big CHINA !
Take the next couple of days aff work and lets CELEBRATE Big Style…
Puttin on the STYLE….Puttin on the STYLE….The Celtic way.
HH mate.
—–
Big Jimmy – Hail Hail Amigo.
OOh ah up the Celts.
D :)
B78 – I am as happy as Larry that we won yet another title.
In fact I will buy you a drink on Saturday if you fancy it?
I will be in the Kerrydale on Saturday at 10.30amish.
You fancy meeting up for a pint?
D :)
A big thanks to Paul67. Chapeau’s for his incredible indefatigably which I salute, or something.
Tom – Sad to read about you giving up your seat due to mobility issues.
You take it easy sir.
Maybe next year God willing and if you fancy it you and Big Jimmy would like to join me in Club67 for a game, there is a lift to take you up and down to lounge, but the seats are a few staircases up, but I am sure there is a lift for that to.
HH
D :)
Six trebles and six doubles?
Is it BRRB’s round again?
Unique view
https://youtu.be/-iZQ4pwASgo?si=zLLPNLhztilouhfk
HH