Menu Close

Ending The Sense of Entitlement

Patrick J Macht has a few words of caution for those young whippersnappers below the age of thirty…

Sooooo……

7 in a row perhaps!

Then 8, 9, and the mystical 10…
However folk seem to forget Aberdeen FC are in a handy position even after they were swatted away in a game that I thought would trouble us and it surprisingly didn’t. And they could get even better next year…
They are however 3 (effectively 4 via goal difference) behind us and that’s grand. What should be noted is this back when Burley was in charge of Hertz he took them to the top of the league without playing ahem… us but a kind of normality soon enough.
The point is no matter how we do if clubs achieve a level of beating everyone else they actually have a chance of winning the league as it comes to head to head games! A bit like us finishing 3rd or 4th in the group we were given in the UCL. I’ve always said this beat the best of the rest then it’s games V us! AFC are in pole position for that just now and that could end when The new club appoint a new manager, who if the media get their way will be Derek McInnes.

Anyhoos that’s that and point of headline is this…..

I’m worried,

Scratch that,
Petrified that Celtic fans Expect 10 in a row,
Expect a win every game
Expect another treble!

Why worried?

My boy is 11 and from his living memory all he has seen is Celtic win the league, it’s the done thing he’s only seen the losses in Europe and when he sees them he’s like well…. They have so much more money (note no argument). He loves the hoops but my thoughts are he expects it……

And I tell him:
Every title is won over a period of games and is hard fought
See in the 80’s we had a bit of a challenge from Hearts , Dundee united and aberdeen,,but  not a Rangers till the creative accounting kicked in.
The 90’s bar 98 oooo they were sore. They still hurt, way beyond the imagination of anyone who didn;t live through them.
The noughties aptly named as we were playing against cheats
I’ll bring that back a bit to the 90’s and how we were forever told how good a Rangers (now deid BTW) will dominate for decades and how the press loved that!

To capture the mood of that period, here’s Bell Lickie, now of the sun, licking something…

All I can say is, massive respect is due to Rangers – and Muz in particular – for keeping Brian Laudrup in the game.

And before all you Celtic fans – including the one standing over me with a
rolling pin as I write this – start giving it the there-ye-go-ah-always-
knew-he-was-wanna-them paranoia, remember one thing.

Rangers also beat you when Laudrup WASN’T playing. 

Were I a Celtic man, I would be so afraid. No manager, no sign of a manager,
two biggest names threatening to do a bunk, no sign of new blood, season
ticket holders in a major huff.

Call me picky, but things do not look good. And hell mend them.
I cannot believe how quickly and how far Fergus McCann has allowed things to
slip, especially after Tommy Burns took them so close. 

The Ibrox men are, I reckon, one more signing away from finally leaving
their greatest rivals – and, therefore, the rest of us – so far behind them
they will be no more than a dancing dot on the horizon.

Who is that signing? I’d go for Batistuta – though Muz says no – but whoever
they end up with he will be big time and he will be here soon.

It’s enough to make any Celtic fan hide behind the couch. Sorry? Oh, you
already are.  

And there were countless articles vomiting forth from an ecstatic media, all of whom were kept onside with a diet of lamb, ladies and lies.

And the thing is, we were actually worried they would get Batistuta
Take that to today and Celtic being dominant is not good ehmmm…. And that works how ?

Celtic have provided players via the academy (that should be named after Tommy IMO) not just for Celtic but throughout the UK and that does not get mentioned at all however in a nutshell.

No Gascoignes, no Laudrups or any other supertstar mercenaries who play for the money.

Fuck off SMSM. We do it our way and we are winning!

And our way is, to paraphrase Billy McNeill, bring in players who love the club, or who will quickly grow to love it.

And boy is it working.

Soooo to end I’m worried that the youngsters see this as the norm!

It’s really not educate them about the bad times. They can be locked away safely in our minds and only visited when the need arises.

Its more about telling them not to take things for granted, and certainly not to expect to win every game, or win it with style and aplomb.

When-or if-the world is put back on its axis and ten in a row is achieved, removing the cheating years from the record books, no one will remember individual games, especiallly the ones where results were ground out, or even when they weren’t.

What matters is the trophy at the end of the season, however its won.

I had Jr in tears when I told him he didn’t appreciate me taking him to a title winning party, he made the mistake of asking why did it mean so much, the 90’s gave me that material, my thoughts are on the future!

Remind them it wasn’t always this way!!

Remind them that football is a fickle mistress, and apt to change her mood at less than a moments notice.

Our time is now!

Enjoy it, enjoy every single minute of it, because nothing lasts forever.

 

0 0 votes
Article Rating
30 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Monti
6 years ago

Good piece & quite right in the message of taking nothing for granted.
The early to mid 90’s was a dark place for a Celtic supporter, the Huns doing 9 in a row and scooping up cup after cup, all to a rejoicing media.
This period in history changed me, i learned what HATE is!
Lost count of how many fights in pubs, arguments at work, finishing with a girlfriend or two, getting lifted by the Police for hunskelping..

You name it, it was very hard to handle, so much so i fucked off to work in Holland in 1998, i learned we stopped 10 in a row, in an Irish bar in Maastricht.
Let’s just say i celebrated until it was light the next day.
My message to the Celtic kids today, celebrate these times, skelp it into the Hun & most of all….Value what is happening!

HH

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Weered,
Cheers m8, brings back a lot of bad memories for me…..i didn’t know that level of hatred was in me…..it was!
I couldn’t imagine what you guys went through in Belfast m8…respect to all who gave their all….and more!

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Weered,
I replied to you m8, it’ll appear somewhere along the line.

charlie
6 years ago

hees no daft that Patrick wan so enjoy it while we can walk aboot wae a big fuck off smile oan yer face its good for the soul ……….and my fuck does it no upset the zombies and enhance their misery COYBIG

6 years ago

Bill Lickie’s article should be ingrained in every Celtic supporters mind and brought to the fore every time we hear the phrase “Lets move on”.
As Patrick says make the most of NOW its probably not here forever.

Cartvale88
6 years ago

The difference is our board learned a lesson in the nineties, stay within your means, the other lot continuehe trade above their means, they have not learned anything. Another fall will happen in due course.
Agree regarding the media they could not wait to rub our noses in it, I well remember our final defeat to Raith.
My best goal is Bratbacks stopping them

D'FINNEIN MICK
6 years ago

PATRICK

I was eleven in 74,when we didn’t win the league in 75,I just put it down to the fact that we canny win everything

I’d seen a long run of lost League Cup finals,some mighty disasters in Europe,and some disappointments in the cup.

I think your lad knows how it works.

We all do.

Nothing lasts forever-but I’m gonna bloody enjoy it while it does!!!

Great article,btw

HH.

Devoy45
6 years ago

Patrick, a grand warning. Well done. I’m old enough to have seen both good times and bad times so I am living totally in the moment. Like life, the good things do not last forever. Fortunately, neither do the bad ones. In the early 90’s who could have foreseen all this?! Arrogance is a temptation but we should all just stick to enjoying what we have, when we have it. In a way, Brendan is spoiling us rotten! One game at a time, one season at a time. We are only 3 points ahead of the sheep and six ahead of the upstart Sevco. I do think with Demebele back, we are stronger and ready now to put some daylight between us and the rest.

Devoy45
6 years ago

Hey Monti, someone is listening. I’ve said in the past that my favourite Viz character is “Spoilt Bastard.” He is definitely a Hun! What a cnut! State your own favourite Viz and it will appear miraculously.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

Mr logic 🙂

Derek
6 years ago

Good article, but I have to disagree on one thing; I do expect to win every game. And I am disappointed when we draw.
I don’t take it for granted that we will win every match, but I do expect us to.

I think expecting to win, and being disappointed when we don’t is good. It’s necessary for us to keep going, and keep improving. Especially when we want to bury certain clubs for good. It’s also necessary when you consider that we don’t have a level playing field during matches.

I suffered through the 90s, and a few bad years in the naughties, so I’m going to enjoy this for however long it lasts. I will never get bored of Celtic winning unbeaten trebles, no matter how much the media claims I will. I will never get bored of beating teams from Poundland 5-1 no matter how much the media tells me I will.

Yoker Bhoy
6 years ago
Reply to  Derek

Spot on Derek. My thoughts entirely.

Pensionerbhoy
6 years ago

Patrick,

You go back to the 90s for salutary reminders. I believe there are some around – probably living in Dundee – who can remember the post war to Stein years (basically the Kelly/McGrory years but I would not wish to denigrade either man as both did their bit and more for Celtic). Club-wise we hit the bottom of the barrel in the 90s but football-wise we fell through the bottom in the 40s and 50s, in spite of some great players. If there was a light at the end of the tunnel then, nobody could see it. We lived with disillusion for well over a decade and could never have imagined the miracle of Jock Stein and the Lions. I guess the lesson there is the reverse of today but very pertinent to your warning. How the mighty have fallen – and so might we!

I feel your piece expresses what a lot of us old farts are always thinking. However, I am not sure how long the old dicky ticker might last, so f**ck the dietitians. I am gusling the jelly and ice-cream while I can – and the Werthers, Monti. I’ve even warned the wife that all good things will come to an end but she says she can wait 🙂

H H

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Pensionerbhoy

🙂

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago

Slightly strange piece.Why be petrified of expecting 10 in a row?It’s possible and that possibility is thrilling.Domestically,I always expect Celtic to win,especially these days,why be worried by being optimistic and successful.As for Trebles,I find our fans slightly fickle as it was always called a diddy cup when we didn’t win it.Suddenly,it’s of massive importance.As I stated though,the other day,Scottish football will not sit back and watch Celtic hoover up the trophies over the next 3 or 4 years.The word is out amongst the Establishment that this must not be allowed,whatever it takes.Interesting times.KTF

Frank McGaaaarvey
6 years ago

As a child of the 90s and all the turmoil that went with it I can relate to this article in a big way but would never want to appear to be an old shite to folk younger than me, “You’ve never had it so good. You don’t know you’re even born” yadda yadda etc etc.

The big difference is now we have our fate in our own hands. We can even appoint a man completely out of his depth in Ronni Deila and still sail the league so there is no critical domestic challenge to speak of unless we become totally blasé. I don’t think that is likely in the current climate.

The old clichéd mantra about things coming in cycles (which sevconians are desperately clinging to right now and I had blind faith in in the 90s) does not apply to these times. Unless a bomb or a Dave King hits Celtic Park then we will be in the ascendancy for years to come, or until the mooted European League comes to fruition.

Happy days indeed.

Devoy45
6 years ago

I like it. Let’s all enjoy the ride!

CarllJungleBhoy
6 years ago

Good stuff. Some of these young whippersnappers don’t know just how lucky they are. To put this into perspective: In my very 1st season 1958/59 (aged 4) Celtic won absolutely nothing! … They didn’t get any further than a couple of cup-semi’s and finished 6th – yes you read that right – 6TH!!! in the league.

In fact, I was already 10 by the time we won a major trophy – the cup (in a year in which we finsihed 8TH – and had to wait another year before my first league title (after Steins arrival). Which, of course, meant I witnessed the best ever time in out history.

So. Make the most of these good times. I still think there’s more to come… But FFS if when this unbeaten run is over or we get a couple of bad results. Remember where where we’ve come from an KTF!

Monti
6 years ago

Carl,
I didn’t realise you were an auld noel hunt?

CarllJungleBhoy
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

I could teach you young guys a thing or three. As my then teen daughter’s friends said – quite cool for an old guy (cost me a fortune in bribes 🙂 .Cycle to work 9 months of the year – 20km each way so, with a bit more most w/e’s that’s at least >200m every week. Helps leave room for the odd pint of guinness..

Monti
6 years ago

🙂

Iantm
6 years ago

Same generation as me, baw humped most of our younger days, but hey when big Jock came… Magic, Improvement a bit at a time, good enough to start winning, even though you expected the worst. Exciting times when they clicked.

I can understand what some of the posters are saying, they are worried about bad times, you and I saw them, and stayed faithful, the fact they were cheating C*NTS makes me feel a bit better for suffering their nine.

I am still pissed off with Lawwell though, he gives in, Volentary decision to leave the Board which let PretendyGers off any investigation.

Now we should be above everything.

it seems WE should rise above any pish they pour on us.

I disagree, FK them ALL and the white horse they rode in on.

Lawwell needs to get a pair of Balls and tackle the issues, how long will Resolution 12 go on before he grasps the nettle, how long can he ignore the corrupt SFA/SPFL Leadeship before Cup competition or god forbid the League.

WHY is Lawwell STILL doing the back of the bus sh*t while claiming we are above it?

Iantm
6 years ago
Reply to  Iantm

That was Cup or League lost to Scottish “Honest Mistakes” One finger typing and honest rage got the better of me but you all get the gist of what I’m saying… We Need a Celtic Leadership with Balls to see this through, I think Lawwell is representive of a bawless Board.

But hey-ho we are above it all.

6 years ago

We should never EXPECT anything. I love every goal and savour EVERY win.

Monti
6 years ago

CBN,
Likewise!
HH

Yoker Bhoy
6 years ago

Fair point but I still go along with Derek’s post (see above) as he makes a clear distinction between expecting to win and taking winning for granted. For me, expecting to win games is not about underestimating or disrespecting the opposition, it is about going in to every game with confidence and constantly pursuing high standards with the aim of further improvement.
Enjoy today’s game fellow tims.

HH

Cortes
6 years ago

Just as a dog isn’t just for Christmas, so liquidation lasts forever.

6 years ago

When oh fkn when are celtic fans goin tae bhoycott all of the away games its the only way that the scumsucking s f a are goin tae sit and take notice of what is on cheatn bassas all of them

Patrick J Macht
6 years ago

Chaps Thanks for feedback majority positive my worry is kids growing up expecting to win and turning into sevconian thinking hence the harking back to the past! Many thanks for the comments all taken on board should I write again!

When I say should tried an earlier piece couldn’t do it Idea there just was more meh than yeah!

This was pertinent due to wee man

John mccloy in Tasmania
6 years ago

Pensionerbhoy and cjb,I came to Celtic relatively late.i was 15 and my brother took me to see us play Rotterdam Sparta in a pre season friendly.i only went because they had humped the huns the season before.not sure if 59 or60 but we won 5-1.i was hooked and became a follower.i used to go on the pollok csc bus from the peat road roundabout until I got married.the team(s) were dire at times with some really crap players and we got thumped regularly by the huns.non triers like Alec Byrne,bobby Carroll etc didn’t help our plight.not making it out of the league cup sections was shaming.when we resigned willie fernie it gave us a fillip(short lived) then it was back in the doldrums.frank haffey was good entertainment.he took a goal kick from the left of the 6yard box to dunky Mackay and actually passed it into his own goal.no goal of course.he took a penalty when we were leading 9-0 against Airdrie but their keeper saved it.needless to say the mib were just as bad then as they are now but this is the best of times since 67 so savour them.i emigrated to w.a.in 69 so I missed a helluva lot of good times.the oz papers weren’t keen on the round ball game so it was hard too keep up. HH

Follow us on Twitter @ETimsNet