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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Canamalar, you and I both sir,
We’ve never met……. mibbee one day i’ll be able to sup a pint with ye and chew the fat.
HH
Tallybhoy,
I did expect Gordon to fire in with the answer right away, then remembered he only intervenes when asked, IMO he is the blog oricle.
Very like my old yins, some of the storys are far out, but I know better than to doubt them.
A67
and I should know better as I was at your anniversary dance..
shame on me… o((
you coming or are you too posh to go on the bus? o))
** CQN demographics suggest for most of you, your teenage years are now a distant memory.
Cheeky!! Even though Rod has the same demographic as me and no where near the voice in the bath, I downloaded his single anyway.
H H
Neil
A famous story my dad told me, through gritted teeth, was the one about the Celtic v. Rangers game at Celtic Park when the referee (whose name I unfortunately forget) gave the Huns a penalty and showed everyone his decision by sliding on to the penalty spot ON HIS KNEES then pointed at the spot about 5 or 6 times. My dad HATED the refs more than the Huns.
BSR
19.37
Hibs (:-)
A67
Sipsini
Is charlie living im grants father in laws hoose in spain…. ;)
I had a lotta time for the tight wad… Hope he lives long and prospers
BT
Bertie Peacock…..I couldnae care less about his religion or background, its what the man can do for the hoops …… and he did.
But I guess you agree :¬)
‘Tic fan:
Dear Santa,
I’ve been a good bhoy this year – or tried to be, don’t ask the wife, ha ha – so not going to ask for more than reasonable.
A wee domestic treble would be lovely.
Midfield playmaker in the windae and naebody leavin.
A kind draw in the CL and we’ll take it from there.
Good health to all my loved ones, and, eh…
… that’s about it really.
Thanks, and all the best to you and your friends & family!
Sevco fan:
Dear Satan, …… …… ……
A67
ole Starry Plough will be in the lounge tomorrow, make sure and say hello he is a good lad…
oldtim or johann will let you know who he is..
my only hope is that he isn’t with naka’s… o))
top o the page mama, top o the page
:¬)
Vmhan,
I was up for the trip to your club a couple of years ago bt commitments snookered that, yep agreed, I’d like to have a few in your company, hopefully soon, you never know, when you up next
A67
Shirley and me are flying to Dubai tomorrow for 8 days.
So I won’t be at the match.
I have a parent and child ticket going free for my lounge tommorrow if you want it?
Just give it to Stevie after the game , as I have promised young Danny them for the next Home fixture.
A67
Emeraldbee, was he up to HIS KNEES in fenian bees? :-)
Vmhan
top of the page and agree 100%
BT
How long is Starry over for?
bt = but
bt is never commited, carefree life he leads :oD)))
Any Clydebank Bhoys on?, other than Gordybhoy.
No.2 son is hosting a team of similar placed company officials from Dan Sarf next week and his boss wants him to organise (a) a good place to eat (price not really a problem as it’s on the company), and (b) something ‘interesting’ to do pm (they’ve done paintballing to death).
canamalar
I had nothing to do with you not going..
I was there
BlantyreTim
Sorry my last post at 20.57 was to BlantyreTim.
A67
HT
think he is heading home soon, needs to be back in the cold for Christmas.
I have given him some nice Kenian to take home, no Columbian left, he does love his coffee btw.. o))
I’m hearing that Scottish Loyalists have decided to have an impromtu demonstration in George Sq tomorrow in protest at the Butcher’s Rag being removed from Belfast City Hall. It doing the rounds on F/book.
At the same time, there is a Rebublican march from Cowcaddens going down North Hanover St, next to George Sq.
I’d give Crimbo shopping a miss tomorrow morning!
They’ll get away with it. They always do. It’s their country and they’ll do what they want.
SPF
A67
cheers mate, working but sure ole HT could take it as his daughter is now a young hoop.. o)
mini BT packing bags at asda for Hospice tomorrow
anyroadup,
heading out to meet the even more wrinklies than me for tales of yore.
hail hail
Bobby Lennox was asked when did he know his leg was broken,”when I seen Greig running towards me ” he replied.
Andrew67
I knew a high flying jet setta like yourself… No seen him in ages … Since i went to the lounge with him.in fact
HamiltonTim
Let me know if you want my parent and child tickets for the lounge tomorrow.
They will cost you a pint the next time I see you (:-)
A67
bt,
what you talking about it was all your fault
everybodysfaultbutmineCSC
:0D)))
The boy jinky.
Charlie n betty bought a house in torevieka.
He pops into the work now and again just looks looks the same.
Think he’s upgraded to men only now.lol
BT
You make him sound like a drug baron!!!
Fancy a beer after the game next Sat??
The Bhoy Jinky.
(:-)
TaTa
A67
Sipsini
Tell me its a tuesday or a thursday afternoon … He offers to work late ;)
A67
can you give ticjet to Stevie to drop off tomorrow?
HT is interested..
Martin/ Kano will pick up his birthday messages later…… it’s 5:09am in Perth Australia.
But along the same lines as Kitalba has been saying over the last month or so…….. Kano needs communication from the blog, it was grand the effort everyone put in to “bringing Kano home”, but what happens after that? we move on and what……. Kano still needs our support, if nothing else he needs communication with his fellow Celts, its can’t just be on Kitalba or Kano’s great friend Ramie, CQN’ers should be doing more…. I should be doing more and I will.
Vinny
sally says Goian will not be returning ……surprise, surprise
he also rules out signing Ryan Fraser from Aberdeen on a pre-agreement….surprise, surprise
he’s going to be busy denying all the LL rumours…….LOL
HT
KSC tomorrow maybe…
Andrew67
Really kind of you, my daughter’s eyes just lit up when I mentioned it so that’ll be a yes!!!
Many thanks.
God bless and keep those poor folk who were murdered in the US.
rip