Looking back it’s easy to spot; that moment when an imperious manager peaks before tumbling over the edge, but at the time this moment is almost impossible to see. The moment Jock Stein peered over the mountain was absolutely impossible to identify at the time.
Celtic qualified for the 1970 European Cup final by beating English champions, Leeds United, home and away, and were hot favourites to lift the trophy for the second time in four seasons. They were about to win their fifth consecutive league title and would go on to make record a world record nine-in-a-row, meaning there was a mountain of ‘evidence’ obscuring the peak from view.
We were the most feared side in football in April 1970 but that team’s time as a European heavyweight was over. Stein remained a further eight seasons but he never beat another team from one of the large European leagues. A 1975 win over a relatively obscure Boavista was his best result* in the period before he was replaced in 1978.
The reverence Jock is rightly held in by all Celtic fans now was tested during the 70s when I remember tactics and even minor decisions, like substitutions, were being questioned by large sections of the support. It all ended in ignominy in 1978, fifth in the league and sacked in a clumsy and misleading fashion.
Jock was still a good manager and did well with Scotland but he should have moved on from Celtic years earlier.
Fans of other clubs will always see the moment of inflection before those too close to the event, but even Arsenal fans are now politely making the case that their once-supreme manager is no longer suitable for purpose. Anyone suggesting that Arsene Wenger was finished in 2004 would have been certified. His team had just won the league undefeated, the first team to do so since the 19th century. They won the FA Cup on penalties the following season and reached the Champions League final a year after that, but they have not lifted a trophy since 2005. Wenger was a fine 2004 vintage but has disappointed since.
After a slow start at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson has managed to remain at the top for 20 years. His most important ability appears to be to know when to change coaches, players and tactics. It has long been said that the best managers were not great players as they needed to acquire a conscious insight on the game which gifted players inherently knew. Perhaps enduringly great managers are not even tactical geniuses, it’s more important that they can just spot a few.
Ordered the CQN Annual yet? Get it here in time for Christmas!
Remember being a teenager?** The excitement of waiting for news of the latest pop charts was big news for some. You can relive your youth buy BUYING ROD STEWART’S single before Sunday.
* In European competition, between beating Leeds and when Jock left in 1978, Celtic eliminated Kokkola, Waterford, B1903 Copenhagen, Sliema Wanderers, Ujpest Doza, Rosenborg, Turku, Vejle, Basel, Valur, Boavista and Jeunesse d’Esch. They lost to Ajax, Inter Milan, Ujpest Doza, Atletico Madrid, Olympiakos, Sachsenring Zwickau and Wisla Krakow. And Feyenoord, of course.
** CQN demographics suggest for most of you, your teenage years are now a distant memory.
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Gordybhoy thanks
Aow
flippin appeals falling off the desk but always here to help the people who are deserving…
keep it lit mate…
canamalar has my details…it’s about his time to come out, it’s dark now…
setting free the bears
20:03 on 14 December, 2012
…………
Nice on SFTB, I wonder also what our Kano would make of our newly appointed moon howlers, I’m pretty sure he would sort their howls out to moon whimpers :>)
Laughing at the moon CSC
Canamalar- you starting the quiz early? How many points?
Ps you watching the game in the Lungdren tomorrow?
There used to be an old spoof question which asked to name the three brothers who played in the same celtic half back line. The answer was Evans, stein and peacock.
My da used to get really annoyed when he heard it as he always said Bertie was never “a brother”. He was a member of a Protestant church (can’t remember which) but came to Glasgow and became great friends with johnny Paton who used to take him to dos in the local parish. My da got to know bp through johnny Paton and always said he was never an Orangeman.
AoW
I had a 20year stint doing your job before I got out so when I phone there is nothing bad in my questions, in fact I tell them on the phone which dialoques to use… o))
AoW,
just doing the warm up set
I’ll be in attendance tomorrow
Neil
Alec McNair from the early years of last century.
vmhan
is the bro hitching a lift tomorrow?
Alec mcnair
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
20:26 on 14 December, 2012
ok this should be the dead give away
he’s the longest serving Celtic player in our hostory
______________________________________________
Danny McGrain
Vmhan,
I was a happyclapper when kano was in full flow
EmeraldBee…, Garygilespies…,
go to the fromt of the class but dont take your books :o)
Kev
player?
I also like to think kano would be proud of me, even if he doesnt agree with me :oD)))
A sad night.
When will it end.
21-12-12
BT-..and rightly so. As you know the system is like a casino…odds stacked against the average punter. Got into trouble for ‘coaching’ hehe f#ck em.
GB
HTB
All that sticks in my mind was “Ite domum barbaris” ….
Neil
My old da, god rest him, brought me up on stories from that period and Alec McNair was his favourite because he loved his blood-and-snotters full backs. Seems he booted a few blue-clad left wingers up in the air over the years.
The orange man that played for us was it Kenny Miller or Lexie?
anyroadup,
wee story about Alec McNair
Game against Rangers, Alec was out the team injured
He phones up the club to wish the bhoys well
his words
‘make sure you hammer those masonic bast****’
Hoopy Birthday Martin!
Bournesouprecipe
The leg breaker was Bertie Auld on Provan. At Ibrox at Celtic end.
Sixtiaeseven
The most disappointing aspect of that 3-0 trouncing , at least for me, was that the Celtic support evacuated Hampden with 20 mins to go. At the end you could count the Celtic support ( I was one ).In fairness we had lost all games against them that season. The support was sick. Four years later, European Cup winners. If we had that prediction on the terraces that warm Spring night no one would have believed it. Me included
Aow
KTF, it’s a job if nothing else mate..
keep looking…
First sub? Frank Brogan
Emeraldbee…,
me too, I’m getting wee storys like that all the time now, never tire of them, need to start writting them down
Garcia
I would rather wee Bertie did someone like JG, Provan was a player who refused to kick the living crap oot of wee Jinky..
did wee Bertie go for the easy target?
Alec McNair was on Celtic’s books as a player for 21 years – 1904-25!
Played 604 games when there was no League Cup or European competitions.
He’s at no 6 in the all-time appearances list.
… and he scored 9 goals!
HH!!
blantyretim
20:35 on 14 December, 2012
Kev
player?
__________________________
Wullie Cook
HH
Bertie Peacock heading to america
there is a photo of him shaking hands with the captain of the ship
with Charlie Gallagher pointing at the handshake :o)
Happy Birthday Kano
See you in May in North London
Hail Hail
Bobby lennox in his book believed the best crossball was low and hard into the six yard box.
If the strikers didn’t get a touch it could hit a defender and go anywhere.
Ergo the net.
Canamalar
Bertie Peacock was weel known as being from the wrong side of the road..
his son has/had a pub in Ni where my mate grew up. it was a known orange/unionist pub..(Colraine)
still a Celtic great imo…
BT
Those Bhoys aren’t from Kirkcaldy.
They are the Methil & District ( John F.S.Mears)C.S.C.
A67
Bertie Peacock may not have been an Orangeman, but certain of his family members were it is rumoured.
A Celtic legend and club captain 1957-61.
HH!!
BT if its your bro then that widnae be a problem on our bus, I’m not going tomorrow and only going next week because Ryans up, my best memories of my dad was going to the Celtic games, some mentioned on here today, Leeds utd etc
Next year (2013) and i’ll be back bouncing on the terraces like an 18yr old :¬)
HH
and BTW was it the white line Celtic went on?
if so I blame the board…