This morning a buddy who is around the same age as your humble correspondent said that we had both been alive for all of Celtic’s EIGHT trebles.
We were both wee fellas during the era of the immortal Jock Stein.
However, what happened in our respective forties was no mid-life crisis.
When Martin O’Neill assembled his team, they played their home games in a theatre of dreams that could accommodate sixty thousand dreamers.
That is 10k more than the stadium that Mr John Brown played for.
If the season tickets were sold, the people running Celtic started every season with a substantial financial advantage over their city rivals.
As we know, the Knight of the Realm in the Blue Room responded with a creative tax policy dreamed up by a chap who starred in his own porn films.
For the Celtic folks, it was definitely a happy ending.
Since Sevco entered the topflight, Celtic’s dominance has been almost total.
Only the hinge factor of a pandemic and empty stadiums tipped the balance against Lawwellball.
Since then, normal service has been restored.
This is a narrative that you will NOT see in the mainstream.
Yet anyone with one of these should be able to join the dots.
Sadly, such joined-up thinking is verboten for the Stenography Corps as it subverts their key role as part of Operation Soothe.
They see their job as reassuring the Ibrox klanbase that everything is going to be ok for them.
Breaking News:
It isn’t.
Their basket of assets is simply the second best.
This message from the gaffer today seems to be valedictory.
Consequently, the people at Celtic will almost certainly have to play the Succession game, although they would rather not.
As this scenario unfolded before the Cup Final, many in the green corner were moved to respond in the Caledonian vernacular à la Logan Roy.
In his presser after the match at Hampden, the usually guarded Postecoglou allowed himself a look back at when he was appointed.
Like the team that he assembled, he didn’t miss the target.
The Aussie with the immigrant back story, who was, in his own words, “mocked” when he first walked through the doors at Parkhead, has written himself into Celtic’s history.
He inherited a bin fire and restored Celtic to their 21st-century normality-on top.
Unlike his predecessor, he leaves the Hoops in a good place.
The new Celtic manager will have a squad of winners on long-term contracts and access to a football budget that dwarfs what Mr Beale can call on.
It is an annual and fixed financial advantage should Celtic sell their full complement of season tickets.
Financial expert David Low, who was Fergus McCann’s go-to guy in 1994, has estimated that it amounts to a yearly uplift of £15m.
In the EPL, that’s a petty cash voucher, but it’s a game changer in Scotland.
The Bunnet famously observed the importance of finance in football.
On Planet Fitba, Celtic just have more of the stuff than anyone else.
Now, you can sing that to me on this fine Sunday!
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Ange is a part of this system https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65780967 any move will always be about the next.
Good point Zeddy reminds me of the bunnet job done and off in to the sunset.
I thought he was very much like big jock his own man.
I agree totally with Observer’s comments. The badge slapping and telling us that this project has only just started and the next stage is success in Europe, only in reality the next step was the english premiership and now he is wanting our players and background staff it would not bother me if he falls on his arse!
I am actually a Spurs fan but I can’t find it in myself to wish him well. Celtic is much more important to me, and not necessarily for football reasons alone.
He’ll be badly missed but best of luck Ange and thanks for everything.
Agreed. Our next manager and assistant manager need to be able to build on the foundation Ange has put in. Add to it. Use some of the Champions league money to strengthen and double down in the press and possession game that has worked so well. Ange made a decision for him and his family. He like Rodgers has missed out on becoming immortal in memory and having European football every year with enough money to give it a go and show how they could compete on a smaller budget than others. To me that is ambition. Managing a big EPL club is a major gamble. With Man City there it’s unlikely others will win the league so competing for cups and CL places
I absolutely get the worldly logic of his leaving, should he indeed go, but I can’t help feeling a little disappointed in him. Does badge slapping mean absolutely nothing?
They have appointed three excellent managers in the recent past, albeit one failed to turn up, and one left in indecent haste. I wonder who is next.
He’s not a young man and it would be crazy at this late stage of a career to turn down the crazy money of EPL. He raised us up when we were down and I wish him well.
Nothing to do with this blog Phil. A bit late but just finished reading Minority Reporter and found the book fascinating and informative.
I’m glad you enjoyed Minority Reporter Eamonn.
The book is decade old this year, although sadly it remains relevant.
So much speculation when he hasn’t even spoken with them yet. It will be what it is and no one knows that yet.
Over in Erskine today demonstrating against the Nazi Homeland Party harrasing refugees in the Muthu Hotel. Across from me one of their supporters is wearing a Celtic top. Unbelievable. Let’s have a turn out from the Green Brigade against them next week celebrating the treble and supporting refugees in Scotland!
Is Ange going for certain?Thats what I’m reading here Phil
That’s what several well-placed sources are strongly imtimating to me today.
When the camera went to Lawwell and Desmond yesterday,their faces both as long as the Falls I kinda knew then . I know for certain that when he talks to Spurs he will impress them .He just fits our club so well and our club fits him that it will inevitably be sad . But the club is on solid ground.
And thanks Phil for all great articles throughout the season . Have a great summer with you and yours and I hope and pray Mayo don’t cross swords with my beloved Dubs
Go raibh míle maith agat a Ciarán.
That’s a shame Phil.
Maybe it’s just me but I’d tell the spurs money men thanks but no thanks.
I’ll tell you why…
Who was spurs manager in 1967.
I doubt anyone in world football much knows or cares…now, who was Celtics…
You see, money can’t buy immortality.
I doubt he’s going for the money mind you, probably sees it as a challenge.
I wish him luck, he’ll need it.
Of course he’s going for the money !!!
Money to play with and multiple times more into the bank for doing the same thing day in day out.
His family will be sorted for generations to come.
But that doesn’t matter, he walked off that plane alone and turned our club around. Job done.
Wish him all the success.