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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DJBEE
18:14 on
14 December, 2012
It’s my sincere hope that these things don’t come in 3s.
Or if they do that the wean getting stuck between the seats at Kilmarnock last week after Sammi’s goal was an end to it!! ;-)
Kickinthenakas
I thought they still fed their transport with hay in Motherwell??!! ;-)
HT
That wasn’t you that got smacked at the Killie game was it?
KevJungle
I thought the ref who presided over the Ne’er Day 78 game was the notorious JRP Gordon of Newport on Tay- later banned for accepting ‘gifts’ from Milan.
I could be wrong because Syme was a canute.
H x 2
Just been gifted a ticket for tomorrow,just what the doctor ordered :))
notmuchleftinthekittycsc
Kickinthenakas
If you had a petrol engine and filed it with petrol it would have been completely Donald Ducked …
I’ve done that twice before ….both times in the forecourt of the garage I used so no pick up truck …
….pfayr
Eh?
Corkcelt
Putting it down to daft boyishness!
Hamiltontim
Neighhhhhhh funny….
Djbee
Nope that was my stand in!! ;-)
PF
What are we supposed to fill petrol engines with?
JJ
Pfayr
I put petrol in my petrol engine car aw the time.
Drives perfectly well ;-))))
Diesel even ….slow today …and I cannae spell filled
Charles Kickham …precisely
jimbo67
18:26 on 14 December, 2012
________________________________
They were both – canutes :o)
JRP Gordon of Newport on Tay – Did the ne’erday game.
Because of that ref I can honestly say that – The Hampden riot apart – that day at ibrokes was the most frightening experience of my Celtic supporting life.
In fact…I would put that ne’erday game onto the same – most horrible games ever witnessed along with the 1970 SCF – The Bobby Davidson Final !!!
BD was an absolute masonic B#STARD. Pure evil anti-Celtic at it’s worst. imo
HH
Right…put petrol intae a Diesel engine… No clever a know!
Put it down to daft boyishness……
JJ
No wonder you cycle so much, it’s to get the heat in ye!!
Cold place is Arbroath ;-)
‘Jock was still a good manager and did well with Scotland but he should have moved on from Celtic years earlier.’
‘Good’
Aye?
‘Good’?
Aye? Just good?
The CQN Annual is getting returned, Im no havin it, you dont talk about Celtic and Blantyre’s Greatest Man as just ‘Good’ Nah no way.
Good?
Aye?
Saakes.
Kev Jungle… et al
I might be getting my Boaby Davidsons mixed up with my David Symes – do forgive me!
Getting a bit forgetful at my age!
What was I saying there?!
Oh aye – both huns, and their fathers!
HH!!
Good evening friends and I hope we are all well on a Big Happy Friday evening.
Hoose to myself from 8.00 so, at long last, looking forward to watching the Celtic v Spartak full game thanks to a link provided by our very own Estadio Nacional. A small libation (or several) might also feature.
Tallybhoy
They’re all the same regardless of their names :-))
Kev Jungle
I don’t think I was ever as angry at a game as that one in 78- got hit by a can .
RHD was consistently the worst ref in my time- I was at the Aberdeen game on 70 ( first ever Scottish Cup Final) and I recall him sending Jinky off in a QF against the Dons c73/4 which was as scary as I ever recall CP being outside a game with the Zombies.
Back in the day, my older brother work as a Tax officer in Waterloo St.
Willie Syme had been sent a Mae West,Tax Office parlance for an invitation to come up to see them.
On the previous Saturday, Syme had refused Celtic a stonewaller against them.
My bro was assigned to interview him re his tax affairs.
On greeting him at the desk, My brother introduced himself and in an attempt to put Willie at his ease (aye right), he said to him, “what about that pen on Saturday”.
“no way were they going to get a penalty”, said Billy.
“Let’s go through to the office and discuss your Tax Return now, Mr. Syme”.
Is it not now impossible to put diesel into a petrol tank, and vice.versa, due to the fact that the nozzles are a different size?!
HH!!
Pfayr
Fancy a beer after the game next Saturday?
JoBo,
Can you post the link so I can do likewise.
Still not seen the game again.
Tallybhoy
18:36 on 14 December, 2012
___________________
Ha :o)
HH
EC67 –
out of my comfort zone with something like that but assuming it’s not against Paul67’s rules then I’ll dig it out. Watch this space…
NPR Gordon accepted gifts from an Italian club. AC Milan rings a bell..
Jrp, sorry
Remember the 1970 SC Final well. Davidson was a bloody disgrace – as he always was when he refereed one of our matches.
Went on to become a director and then chairman of the now defunct Airdrieonians FC.
HH!!
jimbo67
18:40 on 14 December, 2012
______________________________________
I was only a wee bhoy standing down the front of the – R#ankers end of the Jungle in the SC game with Aberdeen – not too far away from wee Jinky was sent off.
That was frightening atmosphere as well.
The refs are satanic v’s the tic.imo
HH
Sally oh sally the greatest manager in Scotland, managing Scotland’s great institution
EC67 (and anyone else) –
Hope this works OK
http://forum.rojadirecta.es/showthread.php?185349-FUTBOL-UCL-Celtic-vs-Spartak-5-12-2012
Jobo
Can any of our Italian & Spanish wine Gurus tell me if these wines are good or at least good value for the price.
I Balzini ‘Red Label’ 2009 Dai Colli Della Toscana 93 Points WS! 93 rating and 64% off!
Original: $50.00
I Balzini ‘Red Label’ 2009 Dai Colli Della Toscana 93 Points WS!
Free Shipping on 4 or more Yesterday’s Best Web: $50.00
(including cost of shipping*)
Our Price(Delivered): $17.99
93 – Wine Spectator!
64%
Been listening to the comedy that is derek johnestones return to radio clyde, Ive been listening to the podcasts the past while for a taste of how things are and how the comedy media are reporting it.
A classic I heard today
dj: ‘You say they are a new club but try telling that to the 50,000 at ibrox last week, they wont accept it, yoiu are talking nonsense’
They dont get 50,000 paying division three prices but if they think a fact is wrong it must be wrong if you cant tell them. So we should get Tony Hamilton to go on the pitch tomorrow and tell folk Celtic are last years Champions League winners, if nobody arguses against it we are in, congratulations.
I used to moan on here about folk telling tales from radio clyde but now I think its hilarious, we have our alternative media its good to pop in and see what the seriously bewildered are still trying to peddle as news and views
Test
Kenny Sheils accuses Dallas Junior of “fabricating” evidence. Well I never.
EC67 –
Tried 2 posts there but they seem to have disappeared?? (which is my excuse for then posting ‘test’). I’ll try to find your email and send a link direct.
Jobo
Sorry, had to do two posts, not very good at the linky stuff.
Rioja Gran Reserva Vendimia Seleccionada Diez-Caballero 2001 92 WA! 92 rating and 58% off!
Original: $44.99
Rioja Gran Reserva Vendimia Seleccionada Diez-Caballero 2001 92 WA!
Free Shipping on 4 or more Yesterday’s Best Web: $44.99
(including cost of shipping*)
Our Price(Delivered): $18.99
92 – Wine Advocate!
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