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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Vmhan & Canamalar
Kano would sort a lot of people’s hash, my own included.
The man has a fierce intelligence and, though it is temporarily silenced, it is still felt. He was the straightest talking Aussie on here and there’s a fair bit of competition for that title.
Andrew67
Wtf … Did your dear mum call you andrew… ;)
Dya know that when i think of you at the match i instantly think of your mum
ScotPatsFan
“Scottish Loyalists”?
That’ll be the ones that don’t have the bus fare to Montrose.
Thanks for the heads up for anyone in that vicinity tomorrow.
Troublemakers spoiling for it.
BT
No problem.
HT will have to arrange to give them back to him at the end of the match.
Stevie is going to the Brazen Head after the match for a wee Xmas swally.
A67
Ht
Andrew always throws me a few free pies and sossy rolls at ht ht ;)
HT-I think you are the blog’s Mike Hammer,every time he walked down the street something happened to him :}
Vmhan
The crazy fecked up world we live in
vmhan
21:10 on 14 December, 2012
God bless and keep those poor folk who were murdered in the US.
rip
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Terrible, terrible tragedy……….. Just found out about when I came in from work …….. Words fail me
The cop or councillor who allowed any march to take place tomorrow should get his books.
HT
the bhoys will be in KSC tomorrow, I’m working, you know Stevie so no probs getting tickets..
giving them back will be up to u bhoys..
pointius pilot CSC
!!Bada Bing!!
John Geig phoned his mother immediately after that match.
“Haw maw?!? I broke a leg ra day”
“Aw ma puir boi, whose was it?”
Any quiz tonight?
BT
Stevie has confirmed that he will collect the tickets from me and bring them through.
A67
Evening bhoys, cold in the hun free mountains.
67 Heaven
If Goian doesn’t go back to the huns, they will still have to pay his wages, about 18k a week I believe.
I don’t think they can loan him to another club, or sell him till the summer.
You can’t play for more than two clubs in a season.
I could well be mistaken mind you.
So sad the news coming out of Conneticut.
Where does the US go from here regarding gun laws? Guns abound in the US.
And why the hell does the MSM insist in putting these homicidal a@sehole’s name up in lights? The attention that they crave IMO.
The Bhoy Jinky
She is always on my mind also.
The same as yours , no doubt.
(:-)
A67
off to watch a pirate copy of a blockbuster in the movies the noo. I believe it’s a biography of the esteemed Sevco manager…….
…Life of Pi
A67
gent…sent a text to HT
btw my young cos could be there ..
glen daly of the parish, his young sis works there now..
Bada Bing
What march?
After watching Bayern Munich tonight, I wouldn’t mind a trip there, they were brutal.
wee don’t march, we parade…
HT
I’m the same shape as Santa(:-)
A67
theweegreenman-Halfwits “supporting” the loyalists who want the Butchers Apron flown in Belafast.Disgraceful when families will be going in to Glasgow for Christmas shopping etc.
Vmhan
Way back when… We discussed the what next scenario. Remember… Babbity bowfers.
A67
You have no idea now theres two to miss with all my heart
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
20:57 on 14 December, 2012
*************
Good Mhan, I’ll be up next week with my eldest who is over from Aus, we’ll be meeting up with a few in or around CP early- ish, Jinky is coming along and some bhoys/ ghirls from the Derry no1, I was gonnae mention to BT/ MWD et al and I will but tbh open to any CQN’er, moonhowlers especially welcome :¬) I want to know whit you know.
V
Bt
I must live in croft parade ;)
theweegreenman
It would be great step forward, and it may deter some imitators, if we did not publicise the murderer’s name. Some sad inadequate thinks he will make a mark in the history books through infamy. We should remember the names of the victims only.
Sadly, our “free” press and our own worse natures will crave information on the latest in a long line of retarded adolescents.
The boy jinky.
Lol. You new where you where with Charlie.
Unlike a lot of others.
Anyways its so enjoyable being a Tim in there just now.
You would be having a ball.
Thems shy away now.hh
Andrew67
Magic mate thanks very much I’ll give them back to your mate straight after the game as I’ll need to get back for 6pm Mass.
The Boy Jinky
21:29 on 14 December, 2012
Vmhan
Way back when… We discussed the what next scenario. Remember… Babbity bowfers.
*************
Jinks I think i ken whit yir on about amigo!
Give me until 10pm and look back in mate.
V
jinkster
foggy dew this sunday..
Bada Bing
Another feckin’ walk.
It’s getting feckin’ worse in this city. An OO walk at Christmas!
FFS.
ps Jinky did you get my email message re Martin and Carolines email addy?
V
Just catching up … Ravi Shanker popped his clogs?
92 yo, a good innings.
I remember I bought a couple of LPs in the 70s.
I especially remember that era in the Jungle whe we used to sing:
HARI HARI
HARI HARI
HARI HARI
HARI HOO – OO – D (repeat “ad infinitum”, or for non-latin scholars “until you get thirsty”).
jinkster/vmhan
we only passed the baton on for those to take it to the next lever..
we will never forget it was Steve(pablo) and dbbia who started it all with the cqn badges, we where but a cog in the wheel
BT
I’m going to give my own season ticket to my mate in Halfway for his bhoy so will come in on the way there mate.
A67 .. Enjoy your break will catch up with you and some Kent tunes at next home game .. Hh