You and I have seen some special Celtic teams. For me, the double winning team in 1977, the Centenary team and, of course, the Martin O’Neill team, were without doubt above anything we’ve had since the 60s.
I am in no way disparaging Gordon Strachan’s remarkable achievement of twice reaching the knock out stages of the Champions League. This was down to Gordon’s superior ability as a manager; the wee man didn’t have a squad to compare to the others on the list.
By contrast, this team, in its embryonic state, finished fourth in the Champions League group, but that was then. Now, they are within touching distance of winning an undefeated treble. This is the finest Celtic team I’ve seen.
The ’77 team wasn’t so much a team as a support act for Kenny Dalglish. A season later, without King Kenny, they finished fifth, without even a Uefa Cup spot as compensation.
It was sheer force of Billy McNeill’s personality which drove the Centenary team on, but they returned for preseason without their elixir.
It was like going to school watching Martin O’Neill’s team. We learned so much about the game that we’d never seen at Celtic. This was a guy who knew how to get results. But without another King, we discovered that team too was built on a single foundation.
There are no Kings in this Celtic team. They are a team in the true sense of the word. Last night, without Dembele, Armstrong, Tierney, Lustig, Simunovic and Sinclair they rolled around the Firhill surface like a machine from the 22nd century.
It was breathtaking. This is the greatest Celtic team since the one which walked off the Hampden pitch in front of 136,000 fans in 1970.
I saw a preview of the BBC documentary film, Glasgow 1967: The Lisbon Lions, which airs across the UK on Wednesday 24th May. It was heartfelt, entertaining and inspiring. I intended to review it today, but I was so annoyed at the coverage some in the media gave it, I thought I better step back to do the job justice.
They had some of the Lions, of course, and some wives too, but they sat a microphone in front of a few of our more experienced CQN’ers Some of the best things you have read on this site come to life on the screen. We’ll talk about it again next week.
Stunned and humbled at the support for the marathon, which takes place on Sunday morning, to benefit the Celtic Foundation. I just don’t know what to say. There are spectacular donations (here) there – a simple thank you does not seem appropriate, but I know every donation, large or small, means someone has taken the trouble to spend hard earned money.
It is appreciated, thank you.
If you’d like to get an historic week off to a unique start I hear there’s a projector screening of the original live broadcast and whole 90 minutes from Lisbon in a Govan warehouse tonight (Friday, 19th), it’ll run from around 6.30 till 9. If interested drop an email to cqnopen@gmail.com
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Invincible.
A CEILER GONOF RUST on 19TH MAY 2017 8:50 AM
Lisbon Sclabawers
Groupings and tee times are as below. After splitting up myself and my boy, the Canadian contingent and the frenchies, the remainder was randomly selected in a non hotball / coldball draw by my own fair size 22.
Team 1 Tee time 13.00:
Young ACGR
Cosycornerbhoy
Best mate of Torontony
Paris Totty Tim
Team 2 Tee time 13.10:
Kickinthenakas
Graffitionthewall
Torontony
Paris Tim
Team 3 Tee time 13.20:
ACGR
The Timreaper
Skyisalandfill
Bro of Torontony
HH Celtic Sclaffers
THETIMREAPER
Well done,old bean. I’ll buy you a pint in Lisbon for that.
Bring on the wee huns!
Paul67, whilst I agree, I feel your article is a week and a bit premature. Lets finish the job first.
Word of The Day (SMSM talking about Rangers IL ….)
prosopopoeial /ˌprɒsəpəˈpiːə/
noun
1. a figure of speech that represents an imaginary, absent, or dead person speaking or acting
2. personification, as of inanimate things.
Derived Forms
prosopopoeial, prosopopeial, adjective
Word Origin
C16: via Latin from Greek prosōpopoiia dramatization, from prosōpon face+ poiein to make
KTF
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 19th May 2017 12:43 pm
Why, thank you!
There’s only one Patrick Roberts,
there’s only one Patrick Roberts,
He came here on loan,
He’s now one of our own,
Walking in a Paddy Wonderland.
4 year deal to be announced on eve of cup final
VFR
Sexist ;)
Oops, wasn’t really being serious – forgot the smilie thing! We’re all pals here…sorry…buds….We’re all buds here.
Almost forgot clique etiquette…
Faultless performance last night, like a finely tuned machine, a couple of bhoys drop out, the replacements know exactly what position to play, seamless.Callum McGregor was MOTM for me, and is nailed on to start at Hampden.Fag packet maths….£5mil sell on for VVD, add £2-3 mil and make City an offer for Paddy, we have to try for him.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DAF_xGzXYAAqj-J.jpg
Have a look here; Portugal celebrated in The Calton:
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/st-marys-prepares-for-the-lions/
KTF
DAVIDOPOULOS on 19TH MAY 2017 12:50 PM
And when you’re flouncing it’s the cliquette etiquette my dear!
KTF
No Kings in this team? True at this stage, but I believe we have the man who will be King and potentially the greatest Celtic player of all time – step forward one Patrick Joseph Roberts
ACGR – Great job with the Sclafbaw groupings, emailed you earlier confirming my outstanding issue so all is good for the CQN Open De Golf Lisboa:)
BMCUWP – I’ll post a report on my Fatima visit on Sunday as I’m taking the bus to and from. God bless all CQN’rs.
Slainte
Tony
VFR800 is now a Monster 821 on 19th May 2017 12:55 pm
DAVIDOPOULOS on 19TH MAY 2017 12:50 PM
And when you’re flouncing it’s the cliquette etiquette my dear!
KTF
———————————————————————————–
Thank you, that’s useful information. My flounce is currently scheduled for Wednesday evening next week (pending Flounce Clearance) when I shall have had just about enough of the Lisbon updates…
:)
VFR800
Hope someone has invited Brother Pedro to St Mary’s
Really enjoyed the game last night but it is difficult to compare teams from different eras – enjoy the moment
Paul67, I was given a wee bit of grief some months ago when I suggested that Brendan Rodgers was the best manager we have had since Jock Stein; I agree with you and put much of this down to his managerial abilities.
What is frightening (for the verst of Scottish football) is that we all expect nest season’s team to be better than this current crop.
I’d love Patrick Robert to sign a permanent deal but James Forrest has shown us that it’s not the end of the world if we have to play him in the wide right role instead of Paddy. Mikey Connelly has shown that he is developing into a fine talent as well.
Over and above that, I would expect that all our current “first picks” will still be with us next season and that those who have been squad players (Izzy, Gamboa, McGregor, Griffiths, Bitton, Eboue, Sviatchenko etc.) will also still be here. Add in some of the younger lads like Ralston, Aitchison, Nesbit, Christie and Ajer coming into contention then it’s looking very bright.
Then we have whatever new players we sign in the transfer window!
Ominous indeed!
KTF
http://www.celticnewsnow.com/news/the-untold-story-of-donnie-mcmillan-and-the-lisbon-lions/187106/
GENE on 19TH MAY 2017 12:58 PM
Wouldn’t that be a belter if he turned up!
KTF
THETIMREAPER
You’ve not got it yet!!!
on the topic of Ryan Christie’s loan situation at Aberdeen , which rules him out of the Final.
I remember a similar situation involving Mo Bangura (one of John Park’s many stars..) we loaned him out to IFK Iflsborg in Sweden in June, only for him to take the field against us in a Champions League qualifier in July!! an absolute calamitous scenario where one of own players could’ve cost 10 million pounds in lost revenue.
However, on discovery days before the game, to his horror, Neil Lennon noted that their was nothing in writing to say he couldn’t play against us, and nothing in the UEFA rule book either, (as Man City found out last December in the Champions League with Roberts..)
I would like to think that our highly paid Legal Administrators within the Club shall not make that mistake again!!
DAVIDOPOULOS
Buds?
Thought we’d (snow)dropped the flower puns…
Phils up. Who would we pay £6.8m for rising to £8m with 25% sell on clause?
Martin Waghorn maybe :-@))
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2017/05/19/come-in-number-seven-your-time-is-now/
MWD
I think Rodger;s teams have traits in common with great poker players; control and aggression in attack
Afternoon
I have not enjoyed a season in many years like I have this one but I do think that our team in the the 71/2 season was the best we have since 1970. That season was the one season when the Quality Street Kids played regularly alongside the survivors from the first 5 years of our 9 in a Row team- that team of Connelly , McNeill, Macari, Craig, Dalglish, Johnstone et al produced the best display I have ever witnessed Celtic produce in the 6-1 win over a classy Hibs teams in the Cup Final, dropped only 8 points all season and it was a penalty kick away from reaching our 3rd European Cup Final. That was a great, entertaining team too.
The current team is special for sure – and games like last night’s and the previous Glasgow Derby were occasions that made my life richer. Best in 47 years? No. Best in 45. Now you may be talking!
Jimbo67
Wish Brendan could learn from “The Master” Pedro across the City
LG should have been in training on his own at 6am this morning
Then he would know who is boss
{: > )
Real penetrating interview with pedro on SSN re transfers –NOT
VFR:
If I knew an address or more I would send images of St. Mary’s to every major news media in Portugal.
The Green Jedi
The” myth” about Mo Bangura’s loan deal still has a hold on some. The truth is that UEFA rules do not allow anyone to restrict a players availability whilst playing for another club. Simple enough concept, Celtic “didn’t “mess up, they could not have inserted any such clause into the contract. The idea that it was Celtic at fault was planted by the laptop loyal, too lazy to actually check their facts, and gleefully grabbed at by those who love a good “Celtic bashing”.
this team moves like a cat
stil weaknesesses though
OWEN:
Re Bangura, Celtic tried to intimidate him into not playing. In my book – classless.
Uch, I’ve got a bunch of them. Thistle go on for ages…
team for the cup final
Gordon
Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts
Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts
Roberts Roberts
They can have Christie if they want
even looked up how to spell weaknesses and got it wrong
GEORDIE MUNRO, 11:49 AM
I never thought that super Mo Bangura playing against Celtic was a problem.
It was when he was playing for Celtic that concerned me
Brendan Rodgers and Scott Brown have been named the Ladbrokes Manager and Player of the Year!