\nI’ve been thinking about Celtic in europe ast season, and also how the other Scottish sides have been doing.<\/p>\n
Are \u00a0there \u00a0any changes we could make \u00a0to our set up would be beneficial to our sides going into these games?
\nIt seemed the sensible move to go back to a period when we were fairly competitive and successful in Europe as a nation.
\nSo I took it back to the 1960’s and 70’S to see if there was anything worth considering or anything we were doing differently during that period.
\nWell straight away In 1966-67 Season we were part of an 18 Team top flight and played each other only twice home and away meaning a 34 game season rather than the current 38 which obviously means time saved over the piece and more wiggle room for winter breaks earlier start to the season,replays,call off’s etc..
\nIn Season 66-67 the first Competitive game was on the 2nd of August a Glasgow Cup tie against Rangers then with a short break of 11 days (most likely to let the bruises heal) beofre the season started proper with a straight run of 6 League Cup games in a group set up not unlike the current Europa set up which went as follows:
\n13th Aug Hearts v Celtic
\n17th Aug Celtic Clyde
\n20th Aug Celtic v St.Mirren
\n27th Aug Celtic v Hearts
\n31st August Clyde v Celtic
\n3rd Sept St.Mirren v Celtic
\nWe won our group then progressed to the quarter finals. (played on the 14th September)
\nAs these games took place all through August they basically served as a competitive pre season for the likes of ourselves at Celtic who were aspiring to compete in Europe.
\nIt also served as a great opportunity to bed in new faces\/youth players stepping up etc and sort out systems in normal competitive conditions before the main event took place in the League and in Europe.
\nThe first League game of Season 66-67 kicked off on the 10th September.
\nCompare that to the current season which meant starting August 1st.
\nThat’s a 40 day difference.
\nIf we take a closer look at this season our first game in Europe came up with no competitive games on the board.<\/p>\n
Only 3 pre season friendlies which is of course hardly great preparation and no matter who you play it’s a disaster waiting to happen and even more so for the smaller clubs in Scotland, especially as the way the Champions League works these days Celtic will always face at least one opponent who is mdway through their season.
\nIn Europe back in Season 66-67 our first competitive European game took place in late September meaning the lions were well into their stride as a result having had 12 competitive games under their belts (thanks primarily to the League Cup)and one solitary friendly against Man United.
\nI wonder if perhaps the League Cup was revamped and reverted back to a similar set up and played earlier in the Summer whether this would not benefit our teams before these crunch European ties commenced?
\nTo achieve this obviously would mean an earlier finish to the previous Campaign ie back to say a 16 team set (as mooted by the FA) up playing 30 games a season rather than the current 38.
\nIt could also mean increased revenues for the League and Clubs as we undertook competitive games whilst the elsewhere other Leagues (England) were on their summer break?
\nThe League Cup could become a relevant competition again as it evidently was back then.
\nYou could set it up so that the top 4 sides in each division were in pre selected Groups then the remaining sides from each Divisions made up the remaining pots.
\nHad it been based on last season the Groups would have looked like this..
\nGroup 1
\nCeltic Aberdeen
\nInverness CT St Johnstone
\nGroup 2
\nHearts Hibs
\nRangers Queen of the South
\nGroup 3
\nMorton Stranraer
\nForfar Brechin
\nGroup 4
\nAlbion Rovers Queens Park
\nArbroath East Fife<\/p>\n
This gurantees the four games a season between the four top clubs….
\nThe remaining pots containing an SPFL \/ Championship Pots and a League 1 and 2 pots.
\nIf this was run in the weeks previous to a 16 team top flight then I think as in 66-67 onwards our players would be up to speed when taking on European sides so early into the Season.
\nI think it has to be worth considering because it evidently worked back then as we were far more competitive in Europe than we are now and that was not just down to level of players alone these early competitive games must surely have helped.<\/p>\n
I know the League cup will have sections again next season, but they don’t include the european participants, who arguably are the teams that would benefit most from such a change.
\nA change is as good as a rest they say and for sure we must do something because the current set up is not working for any of us in Scotland.
\nIt worked before at a time when Scotland had \u00a0successful teams in Europe so there has to be a case for at least trying it for a few years.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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