Some things in football defy satisfactory explanation. Top of that list is Alex McLeish’s Rangers winning a treble against Martin O’Neill’s Celtic in 2002-03. I know they were financially doped, as Michel Platini would put it, and I know we had the whole Seville thing going on that season, but Celtic were clearly the stronger side.
A gulf between the sides opened the following season, wider-still than the enormous talent of The Swede, but we were left to ponder what went wrong in the final weeks of season 2004-05 as Celtic an unfit looking Celtic were pipped, again, by McLeish.
During that period, he won everything he got close to.
Subsequent years have not been kind to the reputation of either McLeish or O’Neill. But whereas Martin got Ireland to Euro 2016, McLeish bumped around from one Birmingham failure to another. He had to go to Egypt to get a job, but was sacked after two months of dismal failure. Surely a gig in the amateur game would follow?
Exactly! Where else is more amateur than the SFA. What was not good enough for Zamalek SC was perfect for the Scotland national team. We all knew McLeish was a busted flush, but the sheer level of amateurism at the SFA led to Michael O’Neill being courted, then publicly rebuffing the SFA due to their (cough) amateurism.
The problem with all of this is when people at the top stop caring, the apathy percolates down to you and me. We are no longer engaged with international football as fans. That ship has sailed and may never return. I love the World Cup and the Euros, but I don’t support anyone. I plan things to do during the autumn and spring international breaks, they are a welcome space in the calendar.
None of this is Alex McLeish’ fault. He’s just a coach caught miles out of his depth, who built a career on figuring out that playing three up against Celtic’s tanker-ship back three was the way to go.
I would shutter the SFA and Hampden in a minute. They played an important role for a century but neither is fit for the purposes of the game in Scotland. The SFA only came into being because of geography. Rail travel was not good enough for Queens Park to fulfil fixtures. If the transport routes between Glasgow and the East Midlands were better, Queens would never have taken the initiative to form a local association.
Football is now a pan-national sport and business. If you were to re-imagine appropriate structures from scratch, they would not look anything like the SFA. We have jets and the M74. Admit we have moved on and join the FA.
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Scaniel
Just seen the news. Very proud of you and Mrs Scaniel. We all have dark days, it is how you come back from them that matters. Never easy at times, but today a joy to behold for you and indeed for everybody around you and us on CQN as your extended family.
HH
CRC
‘Derek McInnes: Aberdeen boss says stopping sectarian abuse not ‘hopeless cause”
macca – what sectarian abuse, could you specify pleae!
Greenpinatd 7.59
Thanks for your source .
HH
ROD STEWART “Grace” LIVE in Concert !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rENWlKTBDpU
Rod Stewart meets the writers of “Grace” | The Late Late Show | RTÉ One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SLpyknoPG0
i’vehadtochangemymind when them bassas stop calling me a fenian bassa ill stop calling them orange bassas.hh.
Rod Stewart on discovering “Grace” | The Late Late Show | RTÉ One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpbWatqnxKc
Ryan’s emotional gift to Rod Stewart | The Late Late Show | Tonight | RTÉ One 15/03/2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB1YX53mySU
Despite all the talk about massive rebuilds next season i think we have the core of a good squad for next season. We are only 2 or 3 players away from having a good 22 first team squad that is well balanced. The most pressing being a centreback and rightback and of course replacements for anyone who is sold from that 22 listed below.
4-3-3
Bain (26)
Ajer (20) New CB
New RB Tierney (21)
Brown (33) mcgregor (25)
Rogic (26)
Forrest (27) Edouard (21)
Griffiths (28)
…………………………. ………….. …..
4-3-3
Bayo (22)
Johnston (19) Shved (21)
Ntcham (23)
Kouassi (21) Christie (24)
Hayes (31) Ralston (20)
Simunovic (24) Bitton (27)
Gordon (Age 36)
………………………………………………….
Youths:
Hazard ( Age 21) (prospect)
Doohan (Aged 20) (prospect)
Perez (Age 20) (prospect)
Gutman (Age 22) (prospect)
Church (Age 18) (youth prospect)
McInroy (Age 18) (youth prospect)
Dembele (Age 16) (hot prospect)
Oko-Flex (Age 17) (hot prospect)
Aitchison (Age 18) (youth prospect)
Morgan (Age 22) (prospect)
Arzani (Age 20) (loanee)
Henderson (19)
………………………………………..
The large listed of certain and possible outgoings will easily allow us to pick up the few quality players we needed well within budget while trimmimg the fringe and allow.g for more opportunities for the prospects
HH
Hello again all you young rebels.
As usual catching up on the blog from Oz.
SAINT STIVS
lovely watching those vids of Rod it is very inspiring that he is putting
that terrible story out there of the past dark deeds of the Brutish Empire.
SCANIEL
Had my own wee Grace down at the caravan for a few days to recuperate
after a nasty virus.
On the way home we stopped on the country road to let her see some
donkeys, said to her ” cmon darling we’ll go and shout at the huns ”
” no papa donkeys are nice ”
Out of the mouth of babes lol.
Well done Scaniel and family and everyone who voted.
H.H Mick
Huv the dunkys broke the blog?
eee awe..eee awe.
H.H Mick
Looks as though it’s time to gallop off into the sunset
or sunshine this lovely morn.
TOODLEOOTHENOO.
H.H Mick
Stephbhoy- eye catching post re the squad.HH
What’s going on, no Night Shift last night ?
No posts for five and a half hours ?
Scaniel – Brilliant news and well done my friend.
HH
Good morning CQN from a Beautiful good Friday Garngad
Saint Stivs – brilliant vids of Rod on RTE, a tear in the auld eye here.
Scaniel- well done.
MM – keep up the tales/story’s from down under
Off work now until Tuesday, so what to do today with my Celtic mad 7 year old Grandson??
Might be time for another tour of Paradise for the wee man, my wife was looking at videos of the las time we took him, (although he is there every second week) he was about 4 years old and looked so different as he ran out the tunnel.??
Anyway, have a good yall
D. :)
Scaniel
Well done that man . Loved the donkey profile, sort of reminded me in my fitba days! Can’t hug a donkey but I’ll give the German Shepherd (60 kilos) and the Carpathian (40 kilos) a big hug. Those two together weigh nearly as much as a donkey.
Glad my one vote from the Hebrides made all the difference!
In ither news…………..
Deek’s anguish over THAT song to run longer than The McGinn THING on shortie…………..
Aye.
And……….in a desperate attempt to thwart the Tims…”Stevie” Clark touted for Empty Blazer position……
And….and………can’t believe “Stevie G” ain’t been touted for The Fulham Job……..afterall he his the manager of a “much improved” rainjurz…..right? RIGHT????
Oh aye…………
morning bhoys, from a lovely sunny good Friday Cheshire.hh.
“Former rainjurz assistant cone-manager – Jammy Nikoll-Plated-Teddy, insists “there has been progress”… at Ibrox this season but says Steven Gerrard’s side have “had too many draws, too many defeats an’ no enough wins…especially against the Tims or any of the other good teams…” In a thoughtful and insightful piece that is sure to have caught the eye of lovers of The Beautiful Game all over the occupied six, this 14 karat nugget took time to share his thought(s) before putting on a brightly koloured toy soldier outfit and striding confidently towards a locked broom cupboard…
In next week’s edition there’s a “double header” with those “dark-haired” legends Jimmy Bell and Gordon Smith…….and remember folks, Keep It Staunch!
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 18TH APRIL 2019 9:13 PM
THELURKINTIM on 18TH APRIL 2019 9:02 PM
There is no doubt in my mind , having seen the photographic evidence floating around the internet , that Ball’s challenge was beyond reckless…..that’s only my opinion.
I don’t really see how that is promoting football as a non contact sport
__________
Beyond reckless is absolutely spot on.
Debate about contact and non contact is totally irrelevant.
It was worse than the Ferguson red card.
Ryan Christie’s injuries will annoy me forever.
Multiple fractures of the eye socket, cheek bone and jaw.
Literally, his face was smashed.
Does NOT say “accidental” to me.
For a top young man, a role model for every youth player in the country, to be so cruelly assaulted like this, is utterly despicable.
Last word on the subject from me.
From a sun kissed, warming up, gorgeous looking East Kilbride may I wish that your Friday be Good.
Scaniel , terrific news re the funding.
I bet the donkeys are chuffed .
Re a visit to the sanctuary , it’s being planned for the summer when family are back in Scotland .
Will keep in touch .
SCANIEL on 18TH APRIL 2019 6:16 PM
IT WAS CQN WOT WON IT!
………..
Massive FAB News SCANIEL, I am so pleased for you and I can only offer up my 100% admiration for You and your Team that ensure that folk have a great time, but more importantly, those beautiful little donkeys are having a Good Life !
Where are You based ?
HH
Great news Scaniel. Good Links StStivs.
Alasdair Maclean – I’m gutted about Ryan.. this thuggery has to be called out. That was no accident and that thug should be getting charged. I’m absolutely raging that oor Ryan will miss the cup final and the rest of the season.
Stephboy – great post.
Right…. let’s win this rebel treble for oor Ryan.
Be under no illusions… we need to call this out now, before we lose more players to serious injury by getting assaulted at their work.
9 will be a battle and 10 a war… only one man knows this and has the strength of character to lead us….
Neil Francis Lennon – something inside so strong ??
Hail Hail ??
Bankiebhoy 1
Great post earlier mate!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading that although it did almost cause a disastrous re-direct of a mouthful of coffee!!
Meanwhile, in a parallel universe (FF) they are putting all the troubles at the SFA down to the unseemly removal of Gordon Duffield Smith as CEO. Apparently, he was the high water mark of SFA officialdom!
Re the Ryan Christie assault. In my opinion the assailant was determined to “get in Ryan’s face” at all costs and regardless of the consequences, perhaps having been motivated by his manager to show no quarter; the same manager whose player jaden Stockley caused serious facial injuries to Kieran Tierney on a previous occasion, then with a deliberately aimed elbow.
On that occasion no action was taken by the referee, and as long as Celtic is prepared to do nothing about these assaults and the lack of or inadequate sanctions by the match officials, these assaults will continue.
What is to stop sevco at the next league game or Hearts in the final indulging in similar behaviour in the likelihood that they will injure our key players at worst and disrupt our play at least, and get away with it.
Celtic has a duty of care to its employees who have a right to attend their place of work without the fear of being physically attacked.
The club needs to make its position clear on this matter now.
As someone said recently, football is a contact sport, not a combat sport.
TIMALOY29 @ 12:52 PM,
….CB: Interesting take on managers, once again I’ve got a different version of the roles and responsibilities in Celtic FC. If Desmond Dermot does hire the Managers what does our Chief Exec do?
____
“Peter Lawwell will be involved in the process. He may advise the board or speak to a manager or their agent on behalf of the board.
But Lawwell reports to the board. He doesn’t have the authority to decide such things without them.
The Chief Exec has many duties within the non-footballing side of the business. His involvement on the football side is usually financial. This includes negotiating contracts on behalf of the club.
__
CB: John McGinn wanted to come to Celtic, Hibs didn’t play JMcG in the European qualifiers so he wouldn’t be cup tied.
___
“Hibs did play in the qualifiers. He scored against Asteras Tripolis and was cup tied for the Celtic qualifiers.
Hibs also allowed McGinn to travel to Birmingham, meet Steve Bruce for dinner, agree personal terms and have a medical without agreeing the final fee.
Celtic matched the bid and Rodgers spoke to McGinn but he had decided he wanted to go to Villa instead of Celtic.
It was his decision.
It wasn’t in Hibs interest to sell McGinn prior to playing the Europa League qualifiers (much like Celtic did with Van Dijk)
They waited as long as they could and sold McGinn on the final day of the English transfer window.
We don’t have the correspondence between Celtic and Hibs. Maybe Celtic were penny pinching over a couple of hundred grand or maybe Hibs were demanding significantly more than the accepted from Villa.
It’s important to point out how disliked Celtic are and most Scottish clubs would much rather sell to England. We will see this come through when we try to sign McKenna.
______________________________________________
Yes, we had a professional employment agency involved in BRs signing, it seemed to work well. Yet it’s obviously not clear cut what the processes and procedures are as well as the roles and responsibilities at Celtic.
The way you described PL’s role is the way I’ve seen it.
However, you probably read the debate on CQN regarding the Director of Football… it was started by a thought provoking post from Huntlybhoy86…
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/mcinnes-needs-a-trophy-more-than-lennon/comment-page-2/#comment-3360092
Now then during an interesting dialogue TBB posted about PL and seems to have good knowledge of his role…
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/pain-of-defeat-is-no-tonic/#comment-3360159
He suggests, from an informed perspective, it’s more of a Football role than financial.
What are we to make of that?
The fact is we need transparency and accountability and we just don’t have it.
I described the way the Celtic Board disseminate information and communications as innuendo and allusion.
You mention the Virgil van Dyjk transfer…
Now at the time, certainly I and believe many others thought once the VvD sale was complete we were going to bring in a quality signing…
Folk like Guidetti had gone and weren’t deemed good enough anyway.
So when VvD went to Southampton, we whetted our appetite in anticipation of our quality new striker – can you remember what happened?
This did – Ronny Delia came out and said we already had got our first choice striker, it was Nadir Ciftci!?!?!
T’was incredulous, I searched for references from Celtic about their promises for a quality striker and you know what, they didn’t exist… Celtic had said nothing about buying a striker when VvD was sold, it was all in my imagination.
Now John McGinn, remember what happened to him…
He would hold out for Celtic and sign for less than Hibs asking price at the end of the window, failing that, we get him in January when he signs a pre-contract agreement and Hibs have to take what they can get, failing that we get him in the Summer of 2019… right… No, wrong.
This was all hearsay, as was…
Petrie won’t deal with Celtic…
Hibs have moved the goalposts and now want £4m for McGinn…
All nonsense of course and there isn’t a shred of evidence that Hibs, McGinn, Brighton, Aston Villa, Bruce or anyone else acted at all improperly the opposite in fact.
What happened was was Celtic came in for McGinn in early July 2018, they made a couple of bids, Hibs didn’t play McGinn in their opening Euro qualifier.
Lenny intimated that JMcG was very excited about joining the “Champions” but negotiations were on going.
Brendan Rodgers said Celtic wanted JMcG and negotiations were on-going but he put a bit of a caveat in… he said Hibs had every right to hold out for their asking price we had done so over Armstrong… i.e. get on with it, pay the money and close the deal (remember Browny was not fit for the qualifiers at this time).
Anyways the saga went on, Lenny played JMcG in the next qualifier and he scored…
As the English transfer window closing date approached a month later (and in Celtic circles the hearsay and nonsense was abound) Brighton & Hove Albion came in for John McGinn but it was Aston Villa that would meet the asking price and Hibs gave permission for them to talk to McGinn. He was woe’d by Aston Villa’s commitment, manager, set up and offer…
Then at the eleventh hour Celtic came back in – a day late and a dollar short as the yanks put it.
As I said outwith Celtic all parties acted in a professional and above board manner.
Packy’s take on it at the time…
‘Rodgers will be fuming’ – analysis
Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner on BBC Radio Scotland
If McGinn was one of [Celtic manager] Brendan Rodgers’ main targets, he will be absolutely fuming. To allow that to happen and not put a deal through – he could have done it two or three weeks ago. I would have loved to have seen McGinn under Rodgers for a few years. He certainly would have learned the game.
Which reflected my sentiments at the time…
We need professionalism in all our dealings, as well transparency and accountability.
Not amateurism innuendo and allusion…
Hail Hail
I see these dissadent crackpots,in Derry,have shot a innocent young news reporter,what a shower of wasters,hell bent on causing trouble with the 2 community’s,time Sein Finn,got to grips we these people,the war is over.
MELBOURNE MICK on 18TH APRIL 2019 11:33 PM
‘lovely watching those vids of Rod it is very inspiring that he is putting
that terrible story out there of the past dark deeds of the Brutish Empire.’
***
Yeah, Rod’s a great guy. Plays in Israel. Played in Apartheid era South Africa in breach of a boycott.
Hypocrisy personified.
Well done Scaniel got the money , let the donkey work begin.
Pat Bonner is a soup-taker of the highest order.
Good to see Stevie Clarke treating the Laptop Loyal with contempt at his presser, quoting the ole ‘lazy journalism ‘ line.
new article posted.
CQN Saturday Naps Competition
for those in the CQN Naps Competition, please post your Week 35 selections here!
Cheers, fleagle1888
Lads,
I’ve posted a few results updates along the way… but for easier access or review, I’ll copy and paste all of the results from Feb-Apr onto this thread… so here goes!
:)
Cheers, fleagle1888
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : WEEK 24 results (Feb 2nd)
WINNERS:
Rockon (Classic Ben) @6/1
LOSERS:
16 roads (Wonder Laish)
21-5-79 (Flemcara)
BMCUWP (No Selection)
Bull67 (Keeper Hill)
Cathal (No Selection)
Cosy Corner Bhoy (Kayf Adventure)
Fastbhoy (Excellent George)
fleagle1888 (Keeper Hill)
GFTB (Kildorrey)
Graffitionthewall (No Selection)
green T (She Mite Bite)
Gweedore Celt (Emerald Rocket)
leftclicktic (Embers Glow)
Nye Bevans RS (Virginia Chick)
Onemalloy (Paloma Blue)
Som mes que un club (Mundersfield)
twists n turns (Casko D’Airy)
voguepunter (Folsom Blue)
Zihuatanejo (Gold Stone)
Hyperlinks to Week 24 selections:
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/toljan-here-to-secure-silverware/comment-page-4/#comments
Cheers, fleagle1888