Olivier Ntcham stole the show with a stunning free-kick goal for France under-21s against Bulgaria last night. Celtic’s midfielder came on as a 75th minute substitute, not long after teammate Moussa Dembele was subbed off.
Olivier has been capped by France at every age group since under-16. It is a mark of the expectations we have for him, and Moussa, that they are exposed to the demands of the Allianz Arena, despite Olivier having less than 50 senior games under his belt, and Moussa having less than 100.
At similar stages of their development, expectations of Kenny Dalglish and Henrik Larsson were considerably less, while contemporaries, Stuart Armstrong and Tom Rogic took years to reach peak form.
What we have seen from Olivier, and to a lesser extent Moussa, is a glimpse of their potential. Playing for Celtic, with its unique mix of expectations to win every domestic game, indifferent domestic opponents, and regular Champions League football, provides a great opportunity to polish potential into the finished article.
Young players will get first team opportunities in less demanding games, while 18-year-olds like Anthony Ralston will be asked to get stuck in against PSG. I doubt any other club can offer a better environment to develop talent, which explains why we can attract Moussa, Olivier and Odsonne Edouard.
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW!
A Celtic State of Mind presents its 23rd instalment of insightful discussion into the culture of Celtic Football Club, the city of Glasgow, and fans of the reigning invincible Scottish champions.
Paul John Dykes is joined by Bafta-winning documentary director, John MacLaverty, and Scottish comedian, Phil Differ.
John’s Lisbon Lions documentary – Glasgow: 1967 – is an incredible celebration of Celtic’s European Cup win 50 years on.
Phil has been a staple part of Scottish comedy for decades, and has worked on such iconic productions as Scotch & Wry, Naked Video, City Lights, Rab C Nesbitt and Only An Excuse.
The CQN Podcast has gone from strength-to-strength over the last few months, and there are many more guests lined up in the months ahead from the world of sport, music, film, art, broadcasting, literature and politics.
NEW FROM CQN BOOKS! JIM CRAIG – RIGHT BACK TO 67, THE LISBON LION DIARY, ORDER A SIGNED COPY NOW!
ORDER YOUR SIGNED COPY NOW AT CQNBOOKSTORE.COM
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I’m good thanks, life is fine with Ms S, going to be a late starter at the Hoot, late night last night!!
HH
Working or practicing for it?
Will hopefully see you there…..don’t finish til 3 so it will be about 5 by the time I get there.
HH
Practising for it!! See you in McChuills
HH
TheCelt45
How Y’all doing, as they say in Hooston…..
“The Fleg” is currently about to pass Stirling, en route from the N.E. – delayed by heavy traffic in Dundee.
ETA within the hour, God willing.
Hope all is good in the Lone Star state, and you’ve recovered from the Astro’s celebrations :-)
Hope everyone going along to the Hoot enjoys a nice half pint of shandy…
BIG-CUP-WINNERS,
Try The Black Anchor. It’s not a Celtic pub but it shows football and GAA. There is another further back. I can’t remember it’s name. There’s also The Sports Bar in Cabanas, only 5km away. It shows all football. I watched the Celtic games there.
HH
Yogi
Bateen Bhoy on 11th November 2017 1:28 pm
Yep…it’s been a party atmosphere here in H’ Town for sure.!! Not being a baseball fan, I have been somewhat indifferent to it all. However, it has been a great morale boost for the City and the citizens (almost said ‘ra people’ there!) in the aftermath of Harvey.
To think that only a couple of seasons back, they were known locally as The Disastros!!
‘The Fleg’……..last time I got my hands on it was at the Convention in New Orleans…..glad I got some photos – the memories are a wee bit fragmented!!
Enjoy the day and give everyone a BIG HH from me.
HH
TC45
Looks like a day for dancing..??
https://1funny.com/i-want-my- dime-back/
SOUTH OF TUNIS on 11TH NOVEMBER 2017 11:20 AM
Good to see the befuddled old coot ( Ventura) who was mysteriously given the Managerial gig being awake enough after the game to tell a Press Conference — ” I’ve never seen a team playing like that and a Ref allowing it ”
*Interesting comment as I thought both sides were just as bad as each other. Berg was lucky tae stay on the park but it was Bonucci’s challenge that started it. Similarly so was De Rossi with a sleekit elbow. Personally I thought the ref had a good game in a tense fixture.
Poor Italian side, hmmm try Middlesboro 1966 when the trumpets favourite side embarrassed an azzuri side that contained Facchetti, Mazzola, Rivera etc., rotten tomatoes come tae mind lol. Almost beat Portugal as well until the great Eusebio rescued the tie for them.
Quiet on here…something going on somewhere??? :)))
TC45
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW
it is excellent – thanks to all
hope the crew have a great day at the Hootenanny, mam sitting so can’t make it.
Bigyinmilan
Yep, started at The Mungo (Kennedy st) in 1963
Whilst browsing in Waterstones bookshop I came across this book today:
https://nealheard.myshopify.com/products/a-lovers-guide-to-football-shirts
It mentions the Hoops twice and in very glowing terms. Indeed, it gives the result of a survey of favourite retro shirts and lists the top 5. Who came first ……..YES the Hoops!
TheCelt45
Cheers mate , I’m about 240 miles from Vegas, but if you make it over there let me know .
AngelGabriel, thanks for your post at 1.14 this morning.
The girl in my daughter’s year who died has a a profound effect on me. I no longer take daughter for granted and treasure her even more now.
Delaney’s nephew Chris, put Dumbarton 1 up earlier.
SAINT STIVS on 11TH NOVEMBER 2017 11:14 AM
a good wee read , enjoy the hoot bhoys, http://celticunderground.net/late-arrivals-morton-1968/
*One of my favourite Celtic games, St Anthony relates it as told to him by his da, and very well tae, I was there and here’s how I remember it.
After dropping a point at home tae deidco seemingly the Big Mhan pulled the players aside and told them that if they wanted tae retain their title they would have tae win every game from then until the end of the season, 16 games.
We actually lost the 2nd game after a 2-0 win at Easter Road 0-2 tae the eventual cup winners Pars in another controversial RH game when a Brogie shot was disallowed for offside with the scores 0-0 at the time. Out of the Cup at the first attempt and at home tae, huge shock.
After that we went on the rampage scoring 4, 5 and even 6 on several occasions but still we couldnae catch the pesky huns.
Although this was a decent deidco side the pressure was catching up tae them and they withdrew from the semis of the Glasgow Cup rather than face us citing fixture congestion, hmmm they were also already out of the SC losing a couple of rounds after us tae a Donald Ford winner in a relay at swinecastle. Jock coveted the jambo striker but after losing Wispy tae us, nae chance, I was happy we didnae that night as I watched the highlights on Scotsport, first time I heard them singing ‘I was born under an eastern star” a bastarised version of the Lee Marvin hit at the time. Looking back mibbees it was the home support or even a combination of both.
They also went out of Europe in Holy Week so all they had was the League. They were terrified of us but still kept winning racking up goals as well, they even took 10 off of Raith, amassing 93 goals that season but had a leaky defence. Incidentally, they suggested that if the League finished with us tied on points it shouldnae be decided on GD but after a play of, and we know how the mitb can influence this. Big Jock scoffed at this.
And then one Wednesday night up at Tannadice they failed tae score, a 0-0 result where if my memory serves me well the original triple pike and tuck davie wilson missed an open goal, the smsm said the next day that there was no way he would score against them. He did the same a couple of years later at Boaghied when playing for the Super Sons, actually passed the ball back tae BFDJ who was playing centre half for the huns that day.
Anyway, this was a lifeline for us. In the space of about 3 weeks around this time we had victories at Perth, Tannadice, Tynecastle and Pittodrie, there was no stopping the Celtic juggernaut now, or so we thought.
After struggling to beat Raith 3-2 away, yes the same side they had gubbed 10-0 earlier on and so it was to Cappielow on a Wednesday night, the same night we were playing the Bully Wee, including a young Harry Harry, in the Glasgow Cup final at the national stadium.
I missed the GC final and was sitting on the couch when Arthur Montford said, with a smile on his face, before going tae an advert, “coming up a 6 goal thriller at Cappielow”. I believe the sports jacket was a fan of the Ton.
With the Ton having scored 3 goals before half time I knew we were now in the driving seat, no matter what happened in the 2nd half. Meanwhile, our support is ecstatic at the home of Queens Park watching us pump our east end neighbours and real derby side 8-0, 7 up at half time as the huns are losing 1-3, with their ears glued tae trannys on hearing the result doon at the tail o’ the bank. BTW we equalled another record that night set by the host side in the same tournament in 1888.
So ontae the Saturday, and at a packed Celtic Park Morton were given a standing ovation as they entered the field. After going 1 up early doors the hero of the Wednesday night Joe Mason equalised right on half time, nae worries though or so we thought as we had been in explosive form and then as the second half progressed the thoughts were creeping in, wish we had kept some goals fae Wednesday night.
Then it happened, in similar vein tae a late equaliser at hades against the table topping Hibbees 2 ½ years earlier in a LC semi, big Tam in the last minute went marauding down the left wing, fired a shot in and who else but the Buzz Bomb, Parkheid exploded like I’d never saw before or since, not even when beating deidco or sevco, I’m sure the Big Mhan ran down the track to join in the celebrations al la Tommy Burns style many years later. The icing on the cake though was on hearing that both sets of fans left Rugby Park that day celebrating on thinking we had dropped a precious point.
As the Bunnet once said “Being a Celtic supporter is not always easy, but it is always worthwhile.”, and by God it was that day.
TONTINE TIM
Thanks for that
leftclicktic on 11th November 2017 3:56 pm
hope the crew have a great day at the Hootenanny, mam sitting so can’t make it
Family first lefty …….always.
hope you are well………
HH
timsrgr8 on 11th November 2017 4:15 pm
HH mate, will do. Will likely be around April next year.
TC45.
TheCelt45
When you get your tax rebate :-)
Tontine Tim @ 4.50
THAT take’s me back! As you said, the winning goal resulted in one of the loudest cheers I ever heard at Paradise. I still remember that game as the most intense I’ve ever attended, even the Euro games since. My memory, from behind the goal in the old Celtic end where the Buzzbomb scored the winner, was him sclaffing his shot and the ball rolling, rolling, rolling towards the line and whatever thousands of Tims up that end sooking up the air, trying to draw the ball over the line, which it eventually did leading to utter bedlam!!!
I also remember some poor soul, lying on the deck utterly pished and I thought, “You have no idea what you’ve just missed” and because of that I’ve never had a drink going to the game since that day, just in case……..!
Dena
all good here G,
telly sorted for tonight
Republic game followed by young Josh Taylor boxing on Ch 5 ;))))))
TONTINE TIM,
That game where we scored in the last minute was against Morton, wasn’t it? I was standing beside my Dad in the Hayshed that day. One of the few times I stood beside him after I started going to the games with my pals. Can’t remember now why? Just remember the feeling of sheer joy when the ball went into the net.
leftclicktic on 11th November 2017 5:45 pm
Dena
all good here G,
telly sorted for tonight
Republic game followed by young Josh Taylor boxing on Ch 5 ;))))))
and the rugby on now ……..although I have no clue about rugby but good to cheer on the boys in green :-))
have a good night P and we’ll maybe get to the next hoot
HH
timsrgr8 on 11th November 2017 5:23 pm
Tax?? Huvnnae a clue whit that is!! :)))
TC45
remember the game against vojvodina. me and my uncle starting to walk out at the back of the sevco end the we get a corner my uncle says lets wait next thing big billy bullets the header into the net my uncle lifted me up big bearhugs never forget it
EmeraldBee\o/ still proud to be an internet bampot on 11th November 2017 5:43 pm
travelling to games from Ireland and see so many begin drinking when they get on the boat at 7 am and regularly think these guys couldn’t possibly see the football at its best
but maybe i’m too sensibleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
HH
Dena 29- i was lucky enough to get a ticket for Seville, i was raging with the amount of guys around me sleeping and too blitzed to actually see the game.
ross co up next for us – 2 wins out of the last 5 – hopefully we can keep the record going
Bada
I was raging about the amount of people who didn’t go to Celtic Park who got tickets, still a great trip despite the outcome.
Had to reluctantly give the hoootenanny a miss. I was in town but my boy had come up from England a week earlier than planeed so we had family commitments- not even time to slip off for one drink.
Back home now and we are out for a 40th birthday celebration.
I am sure the hootnanny guys will manage fine without me.
Wondering now if I can sneak out of the party to catch the Ireland game on TV tonight
Hi Dena (and Bada),
Met you at CQN corner a few months back when Jobo introduced us and I got a wee cuddle. You are some fan, doing that travelling so often!
Yep, personally don’t see the point of taking the drink to such an extent that you miss out on why you are in Paradise in the first place. I do take a gargle myself, for example this early evening when I watched the Invincibles DVD,,,,,, not THAT was fun to have a drink watching. AND I’ve still to see the Sevco DVD games. After dinner for that one, and a wee Gwinness to help!
Each to their own, of courser.
Re that Morton match….
We scored early and expected a few more but Celtics performance went strangely flat and very few of the players cane anywhere near their best.
If memory serves after Morton scored we didn’t get any better. In fact we were pretty awful.
The goal, when it came, was so unexpected it added to the wild hysteria.
One of my great memories although the game would have otherwise been wholly forgettable!
HH
!!Bada Bing!! on 11th November 2017 6:37 pm
Dena 29- i was lucky enough to get a ticket for Seville, i was raging with the amount of guys around me sleeping and too blitzed to actually see the gam
Don’t start me I attended nearly every game in Seville run home and away (didn’t make boavista away)
and didn’t get a ticket for final
bhoys in the club I travel with all offered to give up tickets but they won theirs fair and square in ballot they also told me of bhoys not able to make game due to alcohol ………………………..
but thems the breaks lol
:-(((
Only game I was ever drunk at was the 67/68 League cup final where we beat Dundee 5-3.
Went for a Jimmy at half time and ended up asleep on the grass at the back of the Celtic end – crowd going home woke me up – my first words ‘ did we win’ – only 17 at the time – embarassed
EmeraldBee\o/ still proud to be an internet bampot on 11th November 2017 6:45 pm
I remember it well :-))
I just think its an awful waste but its their money so as you say each to their own
I take the odd drink myself……………… but never on the way to a game :-)))
HH
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 11th November 2017 6:44 pm
There will be plenty more hoots (hopefully)
but you only get one family ……….family first always
HH