Style of Play

Agree on sticking to principles and that’s something we can do 80% of the time over the course of a season versus Scottish teams. We’ll regularly face a lower standard at home so whatever our principles are will be mainly consistent with the exception being against the zombies.

In Europe though, we can attempt to play with those principles, however, they’re tested against a far superior level than what we’re used to playing and that’s when it falls apart - inability to execute principles due to a lack of experience playing at that level.

Ditching principles is likely far worse than principles being less effective due to the opposition standard.

What we need, and sadly we’re not managing it, is stability in the management team and playing squad to get the most out of our experience against a higher standard of opposition.

Will some stability, maybe 3-years, be enough to make decent Euro progress and bring back credibility - * knows, but I’d like to see us try.

 

Great question!

I recall an interview with one of the Lisbon Lions, discussing (I'm sure) the away leg to Dukla Prague. They said that Jock Stein had instructed them to play defensively and protect their first leg lead. Pretty sure it was Cesar, and he added something like - Imagine Celtic setting up defensively? But we did ... and it worked.

One of the reasons I fell in love with Celtic was that traditional style of play. I'd rather see Celtic win 4-2 than 2-0. I love that we are known for our entertaining, attacking play. Our heroes are all guys who could take a game by the scruff of the neck, dictate the game from the middle of the park, go past defenders, ping crosses in to great finishers.

I remember that t**t Tom English scoffing at the term "The Celtic Way." He said that The Celtic Way is winning.

Nonsense! The Celtic Way is winning in style and losing or drawing having tried our best to entertain and win in style.

Having said all that, if we want to do anything at all in Europe, then we need to have a solid defence who won't be caught out and ripped apart with a lightning fast counter attack.

We need a commanding keeper with a safe pair of hands behind that defence.

So, I don't think we need to sacrifice our attacking style, but we do need to be better at defending against Europe's best.

 

Just play two * strikers!