by Joe McHugh
The smugness and contempt flowing from down south since Tuesday’s match has been very unpleasant and patronising.
I’m no defender of the SPL, Celtic represent themselves not the SPL on the park, but the comments flowing after Arsenal’s 2-0 win really needs addressing, and remembering.
None of the gloating has come from Arsenal, they are a proper football club with largely the right values and attitudes although it does seem very strange that for the last four years or so there’s barely been an Englishman anywhere near their first team.
The smug sarcasm from down south over the last few days are very similar in tone with the comments that greeted Henrik Larsson’s scoring achievements.
CRITICS
If the King of Kings brilliance was solely within Scotland the critics would have a point but Henrik, whilst playing in the SPL scored at every level he played at.
He scored in the Uefa Cup, he scored in the Champions League. Whilst with Celtic he scored at Euro 2000 and 2004 and also at the World Cup in 2002, after Celtic he scored at the World Cup in 2006.
I don’t think that any of the English golden boys have been able to match that sort of achievement.
PROCLAIMED
After Celtic Henrik didn’t consider the self proclaimed greatest league in the world as he moved to Barcelona, not many of England’s finest have been given a contract from Barcelona.
Best of all as London prepared to welcome the European Cup for the first time Henrik was sent on to win the big cup for Barcelona.
Despite the wonders of the Premiership and the combined riches of Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea the European Cup has never been paraded through London.
BARCELONA
Sol Campbell’s first half header in the Stade de France looked like ending that unpleasant statistic with Barcelona making no impact against the wonderful Arsenal defence. Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o, Ludovic Guily and Deco had given their best when Frank Rijkard turned to a substitute that had spent the best years of his career in the ‘backwater’ of Scottish football.
Surely now the trophy was finally London bound, with half an hour left to play the mighty Barcelona were forced to turn to a 30something former Celtic player about to return home to Sweden where surely the football would be of a standard where he would be more comfortable.
The King of Kings had other ideas and although he didn’t score himself, he did set up goals for Eto’o and Juliano Belleti to deservedly win the trophy for Barca.
That season was the closest that Arsenal have ever come to winning the big cup.
PERSPECTIVE
As their smug cronies crow about their win over Celtic and the superiority of all things English perhaps some humility and perspective should intervene but those qualities have rarely been associated with the English when it comes to sport as they continue to regard all things outwith their beloved Premiership as strictly second class.
It’ll probably be a long long time till the Celtic support is treated to another Larsson-like talent, that’s why he was so revered and celebrated during his time at Celtic and beyond.
After helping Barcelona to the European Cup he answered an SOS from Manchester United and helped steer them to the Premiership as well as progressing in the Champions League.
HELSINGBORGS
Henrik being Henrik however wasn’t for hanging about, once his agreed deal was up it was choorio to the glories of the Premiership and back to Sweden with Helsingborgs, turning his back on the run-in to the English season despite the pleas for him to see the season out.
It’s unlikely that there is a Larsson in the current Celtic squad, capable of turning Wednesday’s tie Celtic’s way, but whatever the outcome of the match at the Emirates Stadium Celtic’s name is stamped firmly on the history of the games greatest trophy.
Marco negri is better than Larsson