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Why this is the finest Celtic team in 47 years

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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.

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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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  2. Gerryfaethebrig on

    DavidO 8.56pm

     

     

    Having a wee champion night, the females in my life are watching BGT, am in attendance but got a free pass tomorrow to enjoy a wee cold shandy or twa the morra so the reward is worth the suffering…… Brendan is special and tomorrow I know our fans will make him realise even more

     

     

    Special times

     

     

    And the Lisbon crew …. What an amazing thing you will enjoy, I think it’s so crazy it’s pretty dam amazing….. Celtic fans being Celtic fans

     

     

    Hail Hail

  4. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    JMcCormick , further to your earlier post about Stephen O’Donnell being freed by Luton.

     

     

    When he was released by us, I read a piece on the internet , possibly on here that Danny McGrain was very surprised about Stephen being let go.

     

     

    A Jags fan I know would love it Stephen signed for Thistle again. He really rated him when he was at Firhill.

  11. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Starry Plough 8.58pm

     

     

    Always liked tannadice myself, back in the day when we got the full end that’s side on with the park, a bit scary those steps were steep, or maybe I was just scared of vertical things :-)

     

     

    My favourite memory was a Boxing Day (night) game by this time we were behind the goals furthest away from the tunnel and for 20/30mins solid the first time I ever heard

     

     

    “Tell all the Huns you know, you”ll never sell Ricksen or Flo” stIll makes me smile :-)

  13. Davidopoulos on

    WHAT IS THE STARS on 20TH MAY 2017 9:02 PM

     

    Davidopolous

     

     

    I listened to stopping the ten on the radio in my kitchen and cried like a baby. …and I was a lot older than 12. ..

     

     

    —————————–

     

     

    Here, the thought of you crying at winning the League in ’98 has nearly set me off.

     

     

    Jeez, I’m away for a cup of tea ;)

  15. thebhoyfromoz on

    15 hours to kick off and the opportunity to make history and break records! Can hardly wait.

     

    How many goals will Paddy score tomorrow?

  18. What is the Stars on

    Almore

     

     

    That Meeting Place in Dorset Street was some Pub

     

    Upstairs in the little music venue you could see the great and the good of the Dublin/Irish music scene play for as little as £1.00 entry,Christy Moore,Donal Lunny,Jimmy Faulkner,

     

    Downstairs was like an opium den in bangkok,every gangster in Dublin drank there …..or so it seemed

  20. Torontony on

    At Toronto airport with big Teuchter Ar La:)

     

    Enjoying a few soft drinks prior to departure for the heat of Lisbon.

     

    Buzzn!!!!

     

    Slainte

     

    Tony

  21. What is the Stars on

    Almore

     

     

    Are you going to get Mary Black to open your Cafe

     

     

    Is this your new obsession now is it ?

     

     

    You will be on the Gin next

  23. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    GENE on 20TH MAY 2017 8:33 PM

     

    67 heaven

     

     

    and no segragation

     

     

    ………..

     

     

    Ah, right, thanks…!!!!! HH

  24. Cowiebhoy on

    Goooooood Evening CQN

     

    That Paul67 and his running mob playing havoc with us Bhoys trying to get to see the champions play and lift the Champions trophy tomorrow- bloody loads of roads closed

     

    So check your route early Stirling Bhoys :-)

     

     

    MurdochAuldandHay

     

    You flying from Liverpool Wed am ? If so what hotel you in ?

     

    I am trying to arrange transport for the current 10 I am aware of, will happily add you in S

     

     

    Oh so looking forward to tomorrow :-) then a wee trip on Wed

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Oooops BRTH, did you make the night last night ??

  25. Torontony on

    WITS – You’ll see me for sure….. I’ll be with ACGR and Cowiebhoy:)

     

    Is Pfayr coming? He’s the best.

     

    Slainte

     

    Tony

  26. Cowiebhoy on

    67H

     

    You mind check the roads tomorrow :-)

     

     

    The ground holds 61k when full, doesn’t hold 66k ??

  27. Almore on

    Mary’s sister, Frances, is also an accomplished singer, and a senator in the Irish parliament.

     

     

    Here’s Frances singing a topical song, Legal, illegal:

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkHwkRfsqBQ

     

     

    Frances also sang Raglan Road at Martin McGuinness’ funeral:

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TE66FkPVNw

     

     

    WITS: Hughes by the old car tax office is a great venue for impromptu traditional sessions while I was also in the Singers’ Club a few times which was great for old working class tunes. If I was ever downstairs in the Meeting Place, I can’t remenber. Honest:-)

  29. Cowiebhoy on

    Torontotony (& Teuchter at La)

     

     

    See you next week big T :-))

     

     

    Hail Hail

  32. celtic1member1vote on

    Almore 9.06pm

     

    A wee story about Mary Black ..

     

    About 25years ago my Ex and I, go alone to the Concert Hall

     

    In Glasgow to see Mary Black ..

     

    Now my Ex who is from Dublin, is a huge Mary Black fan,

     

    and could sing her songs almost note perfect,

     

    and had taken me to the Point in Dublin to see Mary before ..

     

    Anyway, its the encore and its been a brilliant concert, and Mary

     

    says to the audience are any songs you’d like me to sing ..

     

    So I boldly shout out, give us a song we can dance to then ..

     

    To which Mary instantly shouts back, well come on up on stage then ..

     

    I sheepishly sit where I am at this point ..

     

    So Mary sings another Song, and then again says are coming up then ..

     

    Second front row, so 5 seconds later, I’m on the stage with Mary Black

     

    in front of about 2,000 people ..

     

    So I to Mary, my wife can sing your songs amazing well, is it ok

     

    If she come up on stage, to which Mary says absolutely ..

     

    So I go to the microfone, and say to my wife to come up on stage as well..

     

    I’m thinking possible recording contract here for my wife ..

     

    But she looked at me as if I was mad, and shook her head no ..

     

    So Mary then says to me do you my songs, and I say I do ..

     

    So I got to sing two songs live on stage with Mary Black and her band..

     

    A couple of years later, my wife and I, both got to meet Mary again,

     

    in Grafton St in Dublin, when she was doing a album promotion ..

     

    We all had a really good laugh about it, and I have to say Mary Black is

     

    a wonderful special person, with a great sense of humour ..

     

    Thank god in those days, there were no Camera Phones !!!

  34. thetimreaper on

    Paddy always scores against Hertz.

     

     

    Sinclair always scores against Hertz.

     

     

    Griffiths always scores against Hertz.

     

     

    How am i going to sleep tonight?

  35. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Proud dad moment.

     

     

    Just got a text from my boy who’s at his Uni team award bash at the Edinburgh hilton and was named player of the year.

     

     

    Chuffed.

  36. thetimreaper on

    Peter Lawwell was asked a question last night, privately, about Paddy’s future….

     

     

    Answer: It’s up to the player now.

     

     

    I’m only the messenger.

  37. MurdochauldandHay on

    COWIEBHOY on 20TH MAY 2017 9:48 PM

     

    Goooooood Evening CQN

     

     

    Hi COWIEBHOY

     

     

    Staying overnight in Liverpool at the Adelphi Hotel 23rd

     

     

    Fly out next morning for Lisbon staying at the Fenix Urban

     

     

    HH

  40. the_huddle on

    thetimreaper on 20th May 2017 10:06 pm

     

     

    Peter Lawwell was asked a question last night, privately, about Paddy’s future….

     

     

    Answer: It’s up to the player now.

     

     

    I’m only the messenger.

     

    ————–

     

    I think it was always up to Roberts.

     

     

    He knows that City isn’t an option however he’ll certainly get a loan move to another EPL team next season, our problem is that he’s so good that he’s likely to impress his new team and get signed. My hope is that he has 1 stinker of a season and we get him after that.

  41. thetimreaper on

    Btw, there can’t have been many CQN folk at the CSA Rally last night, as they were queuing up for selfies with Lawwell. It looked like he was happy obliging. Surreal.

  42. the_huddle on

    thetimreaper on 20th May 2017 10:09 pm

     

     

    Btw, there can’t have been many CQN folk at the CSA Rally last night, as they were queuing up for selfies with Lawwell. It looked like he was happy obliging. Surreal.

     

    —————–

     

    I heard Neg was barging everyone out of the way to get his photo taken first :O)

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