{"id":7762,"date":"2015-09-10T09:55:40","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T08:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=7762"},"modified":"2015-09-10T09:55:40","modified_gmt":"2015-09-10T08:55:40","slug":"celtic-diary-september-10-we-all-remember-where-we-were","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=7762","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary September 10; We All Remember Where We Were…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thirty years ago today.<\/p>\n

It’s incredible to think it was that long ago, but then they say you never truly die until the last person alive has spoken your name for the last time.<\/p>\n

If that’s the case, Shankly was right. Jock Stein truly is immortal.<\/p>\n

September 10 1985, Ninian \u00a0Park , Cardiff..<\/p>\n

I was working in a hotel at the time, and we had the game on the telly in the kitchen. We kept half an eye on the score, but as the tragic events unfolded, everyone , no matter their background, crowded around the screen, silent.<\/p>\n

Approaching my twentieth birthday, I felt like a relative had died. For those of us who were around then, it was our John F Kennedy moment, or John Lennon .<\/p>\n

Why are they always called John ?<\/p>\n

The Celtic View have their tribute this week, there is the tv programme which was doing the rounds on BBC Alba.<\/p>\n

Or you could pick up the Jock Stein biography, affectionately put together by Archie MacPherson.<\/p>\n

Or you could just remember him in your own way.<\/p>\n

He wouldn’t have wanted all the fuss anyway.<\/p>\n

He could be remembered in some of his words, s, which many would do to recall today;<\/p>\n

On being a Celtic player;<\/p>\n

“My proudest moment? Every Friday morning when I look at the board at Celtic Park and see my name on the team sheet for tomorrow\u2019s game.” \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike many other Celts, I cannot claim that Celtic was my first love \u2026 but I can say that it will be my last love.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

On being Celtic manager;<\/p>\n

“The secret of being a good manager is to keep the six players who hate you away from the five who are undecided.” \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

“I’m happy where I am, I like the people I work with, I like the players and the directors of this club but most of all I like the fans and to see them happy makes me happy,so I’m very happy here.”\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

“The most pleasure any manager can get is seeing everyday boys joining the Club as youngsters and growing into men and giving themselves a better social standing than they could ever have dreamed of previously.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On the press, when they were late :<\/p>\n

“If they were interested in what I had to say they would get here in time. The door stays shut!”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On the club;<\/p>\n

“We like to think that whoever we play, we are a football team, nothing more. We are a football team who will play anyone from anywhere, from any walk of life, from any religion, from any creed. That is Celtic Football Club.” \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

and after Lisbon…<\/p>\n

“There is not a prouder man on God’s Earth than me at this moment. Winning was important, aye, but it was the way that we have won that has filled me with satisfaction. We did it by playing football. Pure, beautiful, inventive football. There was not a negative thought in our heads. Inter played right into our hands; it’s so sad to see such gifted players shackled by a system that restricts their freedom to think and to act. Our fans would never accept that sort of sterile approach. Our objective is always to try to win with style.” \u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

God Rest Him<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There will be a short pause while the author nips out for a cigarette and gathers his thoughts.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, here’s some music…<\/p>\n

big jock Stein, by charlie and the bhoys<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One man who has recognised at least one of the above quotes is Scott Allan, who is settling into life at Celtic. He spoke of the banter that’s been hurled around since he decided to leave Hibernian for life in the fast lane;<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has not been too bad . I thought it might have been a bit worse, but it has been fine.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI have kept my head down and got on with my football.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been a couple of things said but nothing too bad, there hasn\u2019t been any malice.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThere has been a lot of humour to be fair, with friends of friends and all that but I knew it was coming so it has not affected me at all to be honest.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is just good to be at a big club.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

and he’s looking ahead with a surprisingly mature attitude;<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Champions League was a bit of a disappointment as we didn\u2019t go through but obviously Fenerbahce and Ajax are big European clubs so there are some big fixtures there and there are still teams to drop out the Champions League so potentially there are some really good games there for the fans.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just have to get through the group. Fenerbahce has a really strong team, Ajax have been doing well so hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves and pick up some points.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

There a lot of games coming up so I think everybody will get a chance and it is up to me to take my chance when given it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I signed I said I needed to be patient and I will wait for my chance to come.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

September is going to be an interesting month;<\/p>\n

\"Embedded<\/p>\n

\n

Celtic will be fighting on three fronts, and everyone will have to pull their weight.<\/p>\n

Allan, hauled in to talk about the game, is ready to slap down the challenge from the north, if called upon;<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s one of those games we need to go up there and win to put a marker down for the rest of the season.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPsychologically, when you come up against your nearest opponent, winning those games puts a doubt in their head that they can catch you.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis early in the season, it\u2019s a good game to go up there and put something down early. Hopefully, we will go there and get the three points.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

He even gave the Dons a little bit of respect, which was nice;<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a tough game because it\u2019s always a hard game going to Pittodrie. In the last few years, they\u2019ve built a strong squad. The bench is strong with guys coming on and they\u2019ve had a good start, similar to Hearts. I\u2019d say the two of them have chances to have right good seasons.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Compare Allans words, well thought out and interesting, to Charlie Adam, who said last night that the reason Scotland did so poorly in Georgia was because of the post match flight chaos.<\/p>\n

A career at Sky sports is almost assured.<\/p>\n

Aberdeen have won their first five games, and a lot of their support will be forced to use their other hand to work out what comes next if Saturdays game goes their way.<\/p>\n

Manager Derek McInnes, who has done very well at the club if you don’t count Europe, or the cups last season, looked ahead to the game, and discounted the record of five wins in the grand scheme of things;<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one will really remember the records with this team, we want the team to be remembered for winning trophies, that\u2019s your best gauge of success.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a good start but we feel there is more to come. We managed to beat Celtic a couple of times the season before last but last season we didn\u2019t and that doesn\u2019t sit well with us.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have decent records against every other team in the league but Celtic were the one team we had problems getting results against.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe performances against them were by and large not too bad but we haven\u2019t managed to get winning performances against then.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaturday is all about the result more than the performance. We are looking for improvement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are better equipped as a squad to deal with the challenges this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve said that the squad we have has been stronger in every season we\u2019ve been here but nothing has changed from last season in that we are confident.<\/p>\n

Celtic are a good side and they will want to come up to Pittodrie and prove it. But we\u2019ve got a lot of players playing with confidence, a squad playing with confidence and Pittodrie will be rocking. We are ready for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I’ve read his statement twice, and it doesn’t make a great deal of sense. I think the occasion is getting to him. He’s not used to being in charge of a team that’s doing well, bless him.<\/p>\n

Jozo Simunovic, the young Croatian signed to replace virgil van dijk has already written himself into the record books..<\/p>\n

Nought to booked in eight seconds \u2013<\/h1>\n

Celtic’s Jozo Simunovic sets UEFA record for fastest yellow<\/h1>\n

card<\/h1>\n

Well, there’s something for Wilie Collum, Bobby Madden and Andrew Dallas to try to better. The poor sod will be booked on Friday night for turning the telly over when his wife is watching Big Brother.<\/p>\n

We may have got our baby eating centre half after all….though I’ve no idea why he was booked. And i’m not paying a Herald subscription either. It was bad enough paying for English football via sky, so there’s no chance of contributing towards the wages of one or two of their hacks.<\/p>\n

But will he start against Aberdeen ? The men from the north will fancy their chances if too many new players are started at once, and the big Croat hasn’t even been officially unveiled yet, due to his international commitments. That won’t happen until this afternoon, and he needs to behave. another booking as he walks across the car park could see him suspended.<\/p>\n

Pat Bonnar, an ambassador for league sponsors Ladbrokes, agrees that it might be too early for the new man;<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018Celtic won\u2019t lose too many games but they face a big task at the moment in trying to see how the new defenders \u2013 Simunovic and Blackett \u2013 can fit into the team. If Aberdeen are to do something, now is absolutely the time to do it.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

He means Saturday, of course. It would be silly to do it now. Two days before the game, as the result wouldn’t count.<\/p>\n

But he’s looking forward to the game as much as the rest of us;<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m looking forward to seeing how Simunovic fits in, He\u2019s young and has a big, big price tag on his head for a 21-year-old defender so Celtic need him to be able to replace van Dijk.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Virgil had to go when he did as he wouldn\u2019t have been happy to be hanging around after Celtic missed out on the Champions League. He made the right decision for him – and Celtic got good money – but the new guy has to work out.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s only going to arrive this week and there\u2019s a worry the Aberdeen game will come too soon.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018He has a good reputation and they obviously believe in him to have spent that money on him.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Finding the right people within the budget is the big issue in Scotland, though. And while it is a wee bit of a gamble I\u2019m not sure there were many alternatives. There aren\u2019t many who are ready in Scotland and it\u2019s difficult to get someone from England without paying huge money.\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Ah, Virgil. Remember him ? He told Inside Futball, the magazine in search of a spellchecker, that leaving Celtic was “tough”…<\/p>\n

Ah, bless him.<\/p>\n

“ It’s been tough, the transfer was finished on Tuesday, I trained twice with the team and then i was supposed to have the weekend off, but I got a call from the national team that i was called up. It’s been busy, with lots of travelling, but I’m here, and fit and ready for anything. “<\/em><\/p>\n

You know, I genuinely thought he meant something else.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

It was September 1979 in yesterdays picture, when it was a mere \u00a32 to sit in the stand. Wouldn’t get you a bovril today.<\/p>\n

going further back, how many of these bright young things can you name ?<\/p>\n

Shall we do a wee quiz question ?<\/p>\n

Or, of course, we could just pull up a chair, grab a beer, and talk about Jock…..<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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