At the end of this 2026-27 season, two anniversaries will hove into view.
One iconic, the other shambolic.
The former is that day in May 1967.
Celtic were placed on a historic plinth that was impossible to dislodge.
As the legendary Bill Shankly observed to his fellow Scot, “You’re immortal now, John.”
Stein’s men, led by Cesar, had conquered Europe in a flamboyant style.
Then nine-year-old me was blessed even to see it on our wee black-and-white telly in Baillieston.
It warmed my heart to know that at least my scarf had made it draped around the neck of my uncle by marriage.
The pair of us were back in Stadio Nacional for the half-century in 2017.
In the darkest days of the early 1990s, that image of Billy lifting the Big Cup would reassure Celtic fans.
Next year sees another much less glorious anniversary in Irish soccer.
It will be 25 years since what became known here as the “Saipan walkout” or just “Saipan”.
Against the odds, we had dispatched the Netherlands at the old, creaky Landsdowne Road the previous September.
Reduced to 10 men in 58 minutes after Gary Kelly picked up a second yellow, it still didn’t give the team in Orange a numerical advantage.
That’s because our captain was like several frenzied demons driving Ireland forward from midfield.
He cleaned out Overmars in the first minute and sent a message that this was going to be a battle.
It was fitting that our only world-class player saved Ireland that day.
It set up a play-off tie with Iran, and we fared better against them than the German Jock in the White House is currently doing.
Bottom line, we couldn’t have qualified without the drive and determination of Keane.
Much was expected of our chances of progressing in the tournament in 2002.
Keane turned up with laser focus; his ambition was a wall of blazers on a jolly.
In the aftermath of the shitshow, the FAI commissioned the “Genesis Report,” which agreed with many of Keane’s criticisms regarding poor planning and preparation.
In an entirely unrelated development, the FAI General Secretary, Brendan Menton, resigned.
Today I would not forgive Celtic captain Calum McGregor for having some Saipan vibes.
He’s grown up in the club that he leads on the pitch.
Once more, the people who lead the Parkhead club gambled with Champions League qualification and lost.
If anyone thought that going out to Kairat Almaty last year was rock bottom.
For me, this was the Lask chance for many in senior positions at Celtic.
The stumbling, sclerotic nature of our transfer dealings early on in the window meant that there was no like-for-like replacement for Arnie Engels.
Of course, the main problem is at the very top, and little is likely to change in the court of King Dermot any time soon.
This from the folk at Celtic Supporters Limited is difficult to disagree with, and I certainly won’t try.
In business, and Dermot very much sees Celtic as a business, they say that you should never waste a disaster.
Well, we got one last night.
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It is entirely the fault of the players and the manager.
A lot of money has been spent on players.
Engels was a consistent disappointment as a Celtic player, never at any point living up to the fee we spent on him. That he was on the bench against Kairat is telling, say. Receiving the fee we managed to recoup for him is utterly incredible – whoever is responsible for that is the only person at the club deserving of any credit at this time.
For years Celtic have been unprepared for Europe. Preparation for next season should start now, not two weeks beforehand. CCV, Johnson, Tierney, Engels have to be replaced & a settled team assembled with next season in mind.
Hi Phil
I agree with everything that has been said about the board
The final result still depends on the manager/coach and the players on the pitch especially when three or four of the players combined price have cost more than the value of the other teams
Also this problem there is with cramp and injuries does not seem to improve or go away,just like the board
In some way I could give the recruitment team (no sniggering at the back) a pass this window as the World Cup limited the possibility of getting work done in June. However, if it hadn’t been a WC year would things really have been any different?
Only one of the players we signed , at the usual snails pace, played at the competition.
Celtic’s ambition has steadily declined until getting Europa League games are viewed as our zenith.
When ambition declines it has no end point because the lower you get there is always another level of discomfort to endure.
Our Board now believe our place isn’t at the top table. Heaven forbid where we will end up when their ambition declines further as it surely will.
There are some in the support who would be critical of the club regardless of what they do. I am thinking of those who think that club of Celtics size and reputation, should spend spend spend their way to the CL latter stages every year. For me, that is not realistic.
But, is it too much to expect them to at least qualify for the group stages on a regular basis, and steadily build on that. They have only managed it twice in the last 10 years or something like that. Teams are not going to fear you with a record like that. If anything, they would be rubbing their hands at the prospect of meeting you.
Who wouldn’t want to take on a team that is capable of squandering a 4 goal lead. I have seen comments from last nights fallout saying it is an embarrassment etc etc.
I am too angry to be concerned about being embarrassed, but a result like last night badly damages the clubs reputation around the world. The people with the responsibility of protecting the good name of Celtic around the world need to get the finger out pronto.
It’s another anniversary ending in a 7 as well – 1977, when Kenny Dalglish finally accepted there would be no repeat of Lisbon glory under the parsimonious and downright Edwardian leadership of Desmond Whyte, and headed south to a club focused on continental success rather than settling for sharing parochial domination with the redneck neighbours. Decades pass and surprisingly little changes in some ways.