A free lesson to be learned
The Bhoys scored four goals to progress in the League Cup, kept a clean sheet, handed out two debuts, and got minutes into the legs of the maximum 16 on Saturday evening.
A good day at the office you would imagine?
Well, its complicated.
 ,
I didn’t like the teamsheet but I could rationale the decisions made. On a pristine surface on a sunny evening the ref blew his whistle and it was underway.
Celtic then produced as poor a start as I can recall. I was asking when are we going to get into this match after 5 minutes, by ten minutes I was concerned, by 20 I was genuinely worried and by 25 I just wanted to hold on until the gaffer makes halftime subs and tweaks.
To me, the problem was obvious, the energy or legs was missing from the team. Calmac and the OX are the opposite of legs, throw in the energy and legs of KT and AJ being missing and there was virtually no thrust in the team, no quick options on the ball to avoid their press, and no tactical tweak to address our clearly getting overrun.
But around the half-hour mark what’d yah know. The words “Celtic score from a setpiece” are rarely seen on these pages. On our first corner I said to myself Aha, we clearly saw the biggest four bunch together then peel off into different zones, almost a staple move in the NFL. Benji therefore has four zones to target, he opts for the front post and big Trusty who has earned my trust flicks it in and he made it look easy. The corner itself was top notch and the finish was excellent. Ross Grant makes his mark three competitive games in, chapeau. Good luck fixing our throw-ins, shockingly bad.
Twas only a few minutes and we went two ahead. They tried to keep turning the screw, but got caught and we burst upfield with intent. There was a bit of a stramash in the box as the defender marking Nygren created a loose ball in the 6 yard box. Duran doesn’t need a second invitation and gets it in the back of the net from close range.
Despite this I actually thought they galvanized and edged the rest of the half. They had hit the bar twice, we had scored twice. Their press was crushing us and the starters weren’t cutting it. Even still I expect Midas to wield his touch but no. They started the second better just like the first, one of the oldest tricks in the book, get ’em from kickoff.
Yet low and behold it happens again, two goals against the run of play. They had nothing to lose and we were not playing well, but they overcommitted and our attack had them backtracking towards goal. Tonekti saw an opening between a defenders legs and even though he didnt really get his foot through the ball it trundled in beyond the ‘keepers reach and we were 3 goals to the good which sparked the changes to keep certain players more fresh for the big game on Wednesday. Completely understandable and I’m in full agreement.
One of those players was Mika Baur. While he almost re-enacted a Henke/Chic Charnley moment it was Baur who won the ball then fed it to Tonetki to assemble the 4th goal, another Benji special.
I was keeping my eye on Baur and like everything I saw, good position, good tackling, good passing apart from one oopsie, I thought the midfield was better when he came on and formed a double pivot but one who would look to pass forward.
It ultimately came down to levels, our multi million men finished better and thats why they are in the big leagues, but if we produced that performance in the big leagues those big league players would heavily punish us. We had 20m up front, I doubt they had 5m on the park yet were forced into counter attacks to win the game.
Conclusion,,,never play that midfield 3 again. At one point I saw Nygren in our box, CCV was forced to carry the ball into their half in order to create something, anything.
If I was the LASK manager I would feel a bit better BUT,,,
^
If I know todays midfield was unacceptable then Martin and Shaun know. My point is, after watching us get outplayed but outscoring them, buy that box to box Arne replacement and choose the one with the biggest cajones because he needs to play on Wednesday. I would choose the one who has made it through the cut that can play right here, right now, and get him straight into that team.
Hogh got zero service, I pitied him today because there were no overlapping fullbacks fling in passes or crosses.
Tonetki walks away with a standing ovation and a goal plus an assist to his name. As I watched him I was thinking to myself he cannot cross a ball for shit, he doesn’t beat a man, his shots are usually poor, he doesn’t score,,,,we need better. I do believe we could do much better but I’m grateful he made a big contribution today and in fairness he doesn’t hide.
Hassan didn’t do much, ah well, but Ill be judging over seasons not hours. Baur had the better debut.
I like the fact we spread the minutes around the squad but “that” needs backup. Like yesterday. Ox to kill games off, Baur will replace him on Wednesday but have a DM on the bench if not in the team.
By Mahe
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
*SENTINEL CELTS PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025-26*
*RESULTS FROM GAME #3 DUNDEE UNITED 0 CELTIC 4 (TRUSTY, DURAN, TOUNEKTI, NYGREN)*
Good evening, friends.
It was good to see the green grass surface return to Tannadice for our opening game in this season’s League Cup. A few changes to the starting line up saw Donovan, Scales, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tounekti get their first starts of the season.
The opening exchanges were fairly even and in the 11th minute Dundee Utd had their first of 5 off target shots that hit the frame of Celtic’s goal, Eskesen hitting the outside of the post from the edge of the box. 4 minutes later and Sinisalo’s pass to McGregor was hit with too much power, resulting in Utd shooting and hitting the4 same post.
With 22 minutes played Celtic won 2 corners in a minute. Nygren’s delivery from the second one was mat perfectly by Trusty running towards the nearside of the six yard box and Austin’s glancing header looper perfectly into the far corner of the net. And just 2 minutes later, Celtic doubled our lead. Oxlade Chamberlain found space in the box and fired the ball across towards Høgh. Our number 9 was dragged to the ground and the ball bounced off his arm. Duran was quickest to react and prodded the loose ball home under pressure for his first competitive goal for Celtic.
Just before half time Høgh tussled for the ball out left and fired a pass across to Duran. Duran saw Kasper calling for it at the back post and put in a perfect cross only for Høgh to sidefoot the chance over the bar.
Dundee Utd started the second half well, hitting Celtic’s bar in the 48th minute. But 5 minutes later and it was 3-0 to The Hoops. A nice crisp passing move saw the ball reach Tounekti on the left corner of the penalty area. A wee shimmy inside and a right foot shot placed well into the near corner and good reward for one of his better performances.
Just before the hour saw the introduction of new bhoy Mika Baur who replaced the impressive Oxlade-Chamberlain. During the half hour that followed we saw plenty to be pleased about from our young German midfielder.
The 62nd minute saw our 4th and final goal and of course it had to be Nygren. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, Benjamin didn’t even have to look up as he placed a delightful left foot chip into the far side of the net.
More substitutes followed including a 20 minute appearance from our “very naughty bhoy” – Haissem Hassan. He didn’t have too many opportunities to get involved and is hopefully saving that for our next 2 games.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, debutant Baur emulated debutant Larsson from 29 years ago by passing the ball out of defence straight to an opponent. But fortunately we got away with it, only conceding a corner.
Dundee United managed one final off target shot hitting the junction of post and bar before the referee signalled for time up on 90 minutes precisely. Strange, that.
Celtic have now played 3 games, winning them all. We have scored 10 (by 6 different players), conceded 1, sit on top of the league and through to the League Cup quarter finals.
As for the voting numbers, another brilliant turnout and my sincere thanks to the 120 who kindly took the time to register their nominations, the 2nd highest EVER (last season’s post split Sevco victory, with THAT overhead kick still sits out on its own with 132 voters]. So, having topped the 100 benchmark again, that’ll be another £3 donation to the Sentinel Celts nominated charity, Glasgow City Mission.
And so to the results. The total votes cast for each player (with my own nominations asterisked) are as follows –
Sinisalo: 0
Donovan*: 19
Carter Vickers: 17
Trusty: 10
Scales: 2
McGregor: 6
Oxlade-Chamberlain*: 10
Nygren: 103
Duran*: 107
Høgh: 3
Tounekti: 80
Baur: 3
McCowan: 0
Forrest: 0
Murray: 1
Hassan: 0
Unused substitutes: Doohan, Hatate, Osmand, Tierney
And so, the POINTS earned by each player for the game against Dundee United are as follows –
25 – Duran
22 – Nygren
19 – Tounekti
16 – Donovan
14 – Carter-Vickers
12 each – Oxlade-Chamberlain and Trusty
10 – McGregor
9 each – Høgh and Baur
8 – Scales
4 each – Forrest, Hassan, McCowan and Sinisalo
1 each – Doohan, Hatate, Osmand, Tierney
And the CUMULATIVE POINTS after 3 games played are as follows –
60 – Nygren
49 – Duran
45 – Tierney
41 – Carter-Vickers, McGregor and Høgh
35 – Trusty
30 – Engels
29 – Tounekti
26 – Donovan
22 – Yang
19 –Sinisalo
17 – Johnston and McCowan
14 – Forrest and Oxlade-Chamberlain
9 – Baur
8 – Scales
7 – Osmand
6 – Murray
4 – Hassan
3 – Doohan, Hatate
We now face our first European test of the season when we play Lask in the Champions League Play Off Round (First Leg). It’s an 8.00pm kick off on Wednesday evening.
Hail Hail!
We now have a new JustGiving page set up to enable donations to be made for our latest charity appeal.
We wanted to focus again on a local charity, and this time one which is dedicated to helping those suffering from homelessness, addiction or poverty.
The one we have gone for is
GLASGOW CITY MISSION
You can find our dedicated page at
https://www.justgiving.com/page/sentinelcelts67
Zombies looked a different proposition with a 3 man mid today. Now, i expect one of the three (Raskin) will be flogged this window
Jon Stewart re Drumpf.
Bloody brilliant.🤣😂😅
https://youtube.com/shorts/OEq69IGKMgU?is=kkiddLBvQnWTDVpW
Jimtim
August 16, 2026 11:52 pm
I hope Martin weighs up our goalie position . If sinisalo gets injured , we only have young Ross Doohan to call on , it’s a risky situation .
——————-
Hi JimTim
Could we worse than that. I think it’s mandatory to have 3 keepers stripped for Euro games.
HH
INIQUITOUS IV😊
It is coming up to that time of year when the betting aficionados amongst us have to get our thinking caps on again.
As usual, our site will run a NAPS COMPETITION with some healthy prize money, and once again it will start on St Leger Day in September and run through till the last day of Royal Ascot in June. There will be a short break from the end of November till the end of January.
And for those whose betting interests are mainly centred on the football, we will also run our MAGNIFICENT SEVEN accumulator, starting on the same day and finishing when we no longer have eight leagues to pick from. Usually the end of April. Let’s hope that it gives us a more magnificent return than the litany of near-misses and total failures we got last term!
Both these initiatives are FREE TO ENTER, and will be on their own dedicated page nearer the time. I look forward to your participation.
An interesting take on things and fairly accurate too, but we judge the team on how they perform but four goals away from home is a pretty good conclusion, that old adage comes out “goals wins games”. There’s no doubt but the team have still to gel properly and something seems to be missing, but still I would settle for four goals scored and no goals against. Your right too if we see it so does the coaches, A little shaky in defence but with an awesome fire power.
You were correct too about the Church of Scotland and its Commissions, nasty minded bigots they are. But something stuck in my mind about Ernie’s quote, the fastest milkman in the west is a sharp tool he likes to tease and to torment, I looked it up to refresh my aging memory.
Andrew Dewar Gibb in the 1920s was a Scottish Politician and a leader off the SNP, an Advocate and Professor, with a resume like that you would think he would know better, but no, another nasty bigot and its he that penned that little ditty. There’s something about the Scots that poisons there minds and its been there for centuries, its still there perched on their shoulders and its deep.
BAWHEID
Gibb was a founder member of the SNP, which he set up as a right wing nationalist party in 1934. Basically a raving fascist loony.
They hit the bar and post five times…
that’s what it’s there for.
Good win Celtic.
Same again will do nicely.
Dundee Utd MOTM results – a minor correction!
Good morning, friends.
A couple of relatively minor errors in my results post last night.
Firstly, Murray did not receive a vote, but should have been 4 POINTS (being tied with the 4 others who didn’t get any votes).
Secondly, Scales should have received 7 POINTS, not 8.
Apologies and must do better!
After their pre season trophy win it was important
that someone stopped the hun momentum so I was delighted to see the Arabs win the crossbar challenge
JOBO
It’s been a long hot summer, you’ll be back in your stride in no time!
Good morning all from old Glasgow Town.
https://x.com/i/status/2089236418354680239
Morning all, on this day in 1944 Bobby Murdoch was born. One of the finest players to wear the hoops, Bobby was the beating heart of Celtic’s finest ever side.
GORDON64
“When Murdoch plays, Celtic play.”
Damn right.
I have always wondered about the shape of the goalposts and the goal bar, must they be square and can they be round? surely if they are round then more deflections will happen. Apparently they were first heard of around the 1680s. The Folk Game. Later it was said that the football associations decreed that they could be round or square as long as they were the same regulation size and shape at each end. I cannot remember who invented the crossbar challenge when players aimed at the crossbar to practice their shooting. Oh for the days of corrugated sheeting and wooden seats with the dim lights shining through the rain and a great atmosphere, football fur auld duffers. A wee nip Wullie? Dubbin, and leather studded boots, they studs could give you a dull one.
Nostalgia? its great.
Can a player hold too much sway at a club?We have looked positive in an attacking sense so far but often exposed by a poor midfield set up this allows opponents free runs at our not so speedy defence.
It’s pretty clear Calmac is incapable of playing position he is designated.
Until a proper balance is found in central midfield we will remain vulnerable .
Football is unforgiving and sentiment should not dictate playing choices.
A fair and honest summary Mahe, one that few could argue with. Many good things on show but just as many to cause concern.
The midfield is the priority at the moment, too late to fix for the CL this week but , regardless, if we want to be the best version of Celtic that we can, it needs additional bodies.
That high line too is going to be exposed by any team with pace.
Ronaldinho crossbar challenge
Bawheid,,
I remember wondering, maybe some time around 1980, why the Huns were the only team I could see who had square posts and bar.
Obviously this was before the internet and having the ability to see other goal frames around the world, but I can’t say I’ve seen many since. The ball used to do some crazy stuff after hitting post or bar, though it did make it slightly easier for McCloy and Kennedy to swing on the bar 😉
BAD
Surely McCloy and Kennedy were too ugly to be swingers?
Re. the midfield.
We should not be playing any 2 from Mcgregor, AOC or McCowan together.
If we do we are asking for trouble.
Got to say that I’m very concerned about Wednesday night .
BMCUW/Ernie
You mean menace of the irish race to Scots 1923??
Funny I cant place it,but hey ho.
Interestingly in studying the 1923 pamphlet we look at how the main political parties buckle and adhere to “the menace’.since then,remembering the context of the time.
Ireland rose up in Easter 1916,during world war1,in what was seen here,a country where in some towns 1 in 3 went as fodder,as traiterous
1921-23 was the irish civil war were killings were a plenty.
From 1912 onwards rfc under bob wilsons granda took the club into the masons,growths in sectarian organisations exploded
Our political establishment was anti catholic.in all parties
Conservatives- definitely,nicky’boyliker’ fairbanks an example of a bigoted sectarian unionist.
Labour Party,the ‘socialist’ party that put irishmen ‘on the blanket,(Merlyn Rees)a party comprimized and cancered by orange order membership and masonic 1membership of its mp’s even til today.
Riddled with this schizophrenia its little wonder over a million Iraqi Muslims murdered.The chap who done that became a Catholic after his tenure
The ownership of those still venting about anti irish catholic needs looked at.
The Labour Party is fake.fake when talking of sectarianism and bigotry.
It will do so as long as it contains members of the sectarian and bigoted odour!
And it contains many.
So let’s look at today’s power brokers and how they are cancered by bigotry and sectarianism today,no need to look back 103 years we can go to north Lanarkshire anytime or look at Labour anytime
Please update slur,but no swiping the silage without lookin at the bigots inside Labour,little wonder its reduced to a marketing exercise
HH
Fan,
Imagine it either of those 2 were playing for the Huns today, with the constant inclusion of goalkeepers in the play, it’d have been hysterical watching them trying to play with their feet, eh?
I also never understood the praise the Girvan lighthouse used to get, as I thought he was a very ordinary keeper ..certainly nothing special.
Kennedy was terrible, just laughably bad, though it didn’t shop him getting caps for Scotland😠
H.H.H. – That video with Ronaldiho was awesome. Thank you!
Bad – The Girvan Lighthouse, had to duck to get under the bar, the Huns got him in a player swap and he became one of their most successful ever goalies, our goalies at the time were mince.
Kennedy was so ugly bottles of milk turned sour at the sight of him, our players used to wear shades to see where he was.
I see nobody’s mentioned the Stenny result last night against Motherwell, that great side of last year, I’II console myself with chewing Stenhousemuir’s McCowan’s toffee, a great result for them.
Mon the Stenny.
BAD
When Ferguson was Aberdeen boss in a midweek game against Huns McCloy gave a moment to this day I chuckle about.
Aberdeen player takes a shot and McCloy dives and misses only for ball to hit post and back of McCloys head and into net.
Afternoon all,
Early Notice.
There is a Shipbank Shipwrecks Gathering on Friday 28th August at 12.00 Noon onwards.
Hoping to see a few new names there.
Bada, Bournesouprecipe Voguepunter to name just a few. 😜😜
All welcome for what is always a great day.
I’ll post reminder nearer the time.
HH 🍀🍀
Fan,
Some good points but what would you say is
Calmac’s designated position ?
Steve Naive
Before he played present role he was an excellent pass and move midfielder with a good shot.
Now he doesn’t have the legs for that anymore.
Some have suggested he could play Nygren role but even in Callum’s best years Benji’s stats dwarf his in goals and assists.
I think he should be an impact sub as a valuable squad member.
Bawheid, Fan
McCloy seemed to be their goalkeeper for the whole of my childhood. Was Kennedy his understudy for a long time? The next keeper I remember them having was Jim Stewart, who I’m sure had an association with them lasting right up until recent times.
My abiding childhood memory that relates to the Huns involved them using their goalkeeper the way lots of teams did in the late 70 through to the mid-eighties
The goalie would take a pass back, lift the ball and launch it up into the sky, which would end with Huns like Johnstone, Stein knocking it on for someone.
That was the extent of the Huns football tactics.
Lorenzo Lepore @lorenzooleporee
𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗟 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼: Genoa and Monza are showing interest in Cheick Souaré from Viktoria Plzeň.
Celtic and Getafe are also in the race, with the Spanish side already seeing a €2.5m bid rejected. Plzeň’s asking price is in the region of €3.5-4m.
https://share.google/QYqGf2Cim62dk08P8
Interested in Blackburn GK
BAD
Huns generally have been a long ball team.
Passing game has rarely been their forte.
Souness despite having some decent players played a tactic I called midfield hunt.
They hunted in midfield packs and when they won the ball gave it to full backs who launched it forward and midfield supplemented attack looking for knockdowns from guys like Hateley
Like Stein Johnstone tactic
HHH the video you posted shows why Ronaldinho is one of the “all time greats”. Not only is the accuracy amazing, but the power in his shots is almost frightening. Many thanks.
“We are so close” says ITK Bosnian journo regarding Mahmic. Please make it happen Sellic.
Aye…
Fan,
That tactic of getting the ball launched into the stratosphere and on to DJ’s latest perm, is my first memory of watching them play.
As you say, the reason things like that are my clearest memories of them, probably has something to do with the fact they done it multiple times a game ..or literally every time McCloy had it in fact.
Not sure if we’re a similar age, Fan, but I don’t remember a time when they had any sort of identity – any kind of playing style – that you associated with them while watching them regularly
Ironically i’d say the best teams they’ve had probably coincided with the first team big Jock built @ Paradise – 65-74, and their greatest team (Without any jiggery-pokery) in their history may well have been the one that dominated Scottish football ..1960 till big Jock arrived and changed the landscape!
Bit before my time, but it must have been a much better time to have been watching Scottish football, given teams like Hearts, Hibs, Kilmarnock, Dundee – amongst others, were not just decent teams domestically, they had teams good enough to hold their own against some of the best sides European football had to offer at that time.
I don’t know enough about this guy to know if he is genuine (maybe some of you do), but Neil Lal. Scottish-Indian businessman and chairman of the Indian Council of Scotland, is heading a consortium which is interested in purchasing Leicester FC, which he sees as a historically big club,but one which is underperforming on and off the pitch. Sees growth potential.
he sees the same potential in underperforming Glasgow R*****s, which he also sees as performing poorly, both on and off the pitch, although the purchase of Sevco is not a short term ambition:
“We also are looking for a football venture in Scotland. There shouldn’t be any changes, for example with the strip or the colours.
“In Scotland the two largest clubs are Rangers and Celtic.
“We are currently looking at the situation and feel that Rangers FC have the potential to do much better on the pitch and financially.
“Once again by increasing the revenue stream with regards to merchandise and streaming on a global scale with India, this will provide more funds to invest in players and to increase the stadium capacity too, which will pay in the long run.”
Outlining his ambitions if he were to buy Rangers, Lal revealed he would look to increase their 51,000-capacity Ibrox home by 10,000.
He explained: “In my opinion, I would rather buy their stake in full if it comes up and that it is available, and if it’s at the right price that suits us.
“Working in partnership is a possibility, however, I would prefer to buy the full stake for our plans.
“What we would plan is to increase the capacity of the stadium, you have the gap sides, you can dig under too, so we could expand it to at least 60,000 or more, that’s one mission.
“A hotel can also be built, which would increase more revenue with people staying at the games, with a restaurant there too.”
Fan and BAD……when I first started seriously watching fitba around about 1962, the Huns had a very good team and some good ball players. Baxter, Wilson, MacMillan, Forrest, later Henderson. It was terrible as we just couldn’t get the better of them. Big Jock changed that and the Kelly Babes became the Lisbon Lions. Thank you Mr. Stein.
Mahe
August 17, 2026 2:21 pm
“We are so close” says ITK Bosnian journo regarding Mahmic. Please make it happen Sellic.
Don’t be surprised if he’s Nygren replacement
Mahe,
Everything I’ve seen and heard, relating to Mahmic, makes the thought of us signing him genuinely exciting.
Him, a goalie to challenge for the keeper jersey and a LB to allow us to manage KT’s time., and we are getting there.
I would be determined to find (Likely a loan) another CB, and make sure we’re covered for what will be a long challenging season.
including scotland games kt made appearnces in 61 matches last season.
he misses sundays game to keep him available for europe i presume .
scales might not be as good but he is fine as a back up.
Strange but I saw the match differently, Mahe. At no time did I feel Celtic would lose this game. Play was end to end, initially, but Celtic were getting behind the DU defence. The opposite was not true. Yes, DU had long range efforts but the Celtic defence was forcing them to try from distance. Donovan played well throughout the game and both CBs were containing the mobile DU forwards. Scales was under pressure, admittedly, and it is clear he is not the answer at LB.
I shared your concerns when I daw the teamsheet but I thought both Calmac and the Ox got up the park to support the forwards. Tounekti and Duran were on a game, and Hogh threatened without looking like scoring. I think this is how it will be for him. Always contributing but not scoring as often as we would like. Time may prove me wrong on that but I feel his ball control is hit and miss.
At 2-0, the game was won and Celtic let DU come at them in order to hit them on the break. Two more goals were to follow….one of which should boost Tounekti’s confidence. There is a player there.
Cheers,
Rebus
We have the makings of a good, and exciting team, but we have zero depth. Injuries, such as Sevco have already sustained at left back and center half, would put us in deep doo doo.
BAD
I think the Souness era radically changed Scottish football and not for the better.
He ushered in an era of big physical guys playing a more English style long ball game.
Aberdeen and Dundee utd under Ferguson and McLean had European success playing a traditional Scottish passing game.
When Souness style football overpowered Scottish teams they tried the same style of recruitment but without cash the players signed were from cheaper leagues and and an emphasis on size and physicality.
This I believe ushered in the boot and blooter style most Scottish teams play.
Insular coaching has not helped.
Celger,
Hey Gerry, hope you’re good
My wee mum, her brothers, my grandpa, all from that side of the family, were bears who went to Ibrox, so I was well aware of how dominant guys like Baxter were in the early part of the 60s.
Fortunately my dad wasn’t a bear, he grew up following Clyde, whose ground was the very first ground I was ever in to watch football, cause Shawfield was right outside our front door.
My dad who wasn’t the type to try and influence what team I went on to support, started the first football team I played for too, so football was a big part of my childhood untill my teens.
I had been to many places relating to football with him, and he used to pay lots of money to help me build up my collection of football programmes and Celtic memorabilia.
That’s one thing I really miss – it was a brilliant way to learn the history of our great club.
During these years – 6-7yo and up – weren’t just great cause I got to spend lots of quality time with my dad (He worked long and hard hours), it meant I was getting a good education on football.
I was beginning to really fall in love with the game, and loved listening to my dad talking about the players he admired, guys like Archie Robertson and Harry Haddock, during a time when Clyde actually had Scottish internationals.
The best thing that happened during all this time was when Real Madrid came to Scotland to play us in the quarter final of the European cup, and my dad asked if I wanted him to take me to see the greatest club in the world …and Real Madrid 😉
that’s the night everything changed! that’s the night I learned what people meant when they said they were BUZZING. I can actually point to the exact moment I fell in love with Celtic, and when I realised how much I loved the experience of going to Paradise to see the hoops!
I told him often, but I wish I would have told him more, how grateful I was for him pointing me in the direction of Kerrydale street, otherwise I might have ended up currant …cold shiver down the spine!
HH 🍀
Fan,
On the money again mate.
I’m sure, like me, you enjoyed that period when United and Aberdeen were worth watching in Europe, eh?
The Souness era had a terrible effect, not just because it culminated in teams like Dundee nearly going to the wall as they also started spending what they really didn’t have, but it also was obvious there was something fishy going on!
That whole period certainly doesn’t include many happy memories for us!!
HH 🍀
Barca but Rodri, and looking at Gyokeres. I think Arsenal selling Gyokeres would be a mistake. Alvarez, apparently Arsenal’s preferred choice, might seem like a better fit style wise, but Gyokeres adds a different dimension, and i think will score more than Alvarez.
either way, that Arsenal team, anchored by Rice, Guimares, Zubimendi and Odegaard in the middle, looks like the best squad in Europe. Will be surprised if they dont do the EPL and CL double this season.
only thing that might slow them down is so many of their players were at the WC, and havent really had a break, so fatigue and/or injuries might come into I play as the season wears on.
BAD……great read about your early days. My faither was Celtic through and through, but he sometimes took me to the stand at Shawfield ( wonder if he could get a drink there? ). It was a fine wee stadium. Yes, they had some good players. I remember George Herd (?) and thought he should be a Celtic player.
The Souness era was certainly a shake up for Scottish football. Unfortunately, the shake up had the reverse effect, whereby one team got stronger ( especially under Murray 90-97) , whilst others , including Celtic, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee Utd, withered on the vine , trying to compete within the rules.
Others, who played by the blue pound, seemed to do quite well in that period by comparison, Hearts, Kilmarnock and Dunfermline – for example. Strangely, as Rangers went bust , financial difficulties and even administration followed for these clubs also.
It was, in all, a total disaster for the Scottish game, the legacy still being felt 40 yrs on.