Celtic ended the 2015/16 season looking for a new manager, something that the club and fans were quite familiar with despite clinching the SPFL title for the fifth season running.
There was, as usual, a lot of different names linked to the job and why not? We’re a huge club.
Owen Coyle was probably linked, I know he usually is. Davie Moyes was another name that a lot of people came up with. Roy Keane. There were loads more but it would take a long time to type them all. One of the few that no longer appears is Stuart Baxter (he was appointed South Africa coach on the 4th May) but he was a guy that the MSM often linked with Celtic when I was growing up.
As we all know, Brendan Rodgers came in. Nobody could have expected such a debut season from him. What can he possibly do next season to improve on that? I don’t expect another treble or another undefeated season but if he’s able to improve on the football that we’re currently watching, then we’re in for a treat next season ! ! !
Of course, different fans will have favourite seasons outwith Lisbon. Winning the league on the last day in ’86, the centenary season just two years later. What about stopping 10 in a row or making it to a European final in 2003? Or was last season the best since then?
The first two that I’ve mentioned, I’m too young to remember, I was born in ’82 but 1997/98 season was the first time that I witnessed Celtic winning anything first hand. Before that, I vaguely remember watching us win the odd cup on TV or maybe the Tennents Sixes . . . . .
In Wim Jansen’s season, I was at the Coca Cola (league) cup final at Ibrox and I was at Celtic Park for the league clincher v St Johnstone.
In 2003, I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the UEFA final.
Do they top the season that has just finished? Early on, we lost to Lincoln Red Imps. Some were saying it was the worst result in the clubs history. Others questioned whether Brendan Rodgers was the right man for the job?
Were the players just not good enough? Did they not like the manager and his new formations, training, tactics etc?
I remember saying at the time that the result really didn’t matter that much because there was still one more match to play.
Later in the season, when we played against Sevco, I was on holiday. So I watched the game, roasting, at a pub in Fuerteventura and for the Barcelona game, I also watched it at the same pub. The only reason I mention that match is because a Catalan guy had a bet on for 6-0 and was obviously gutted when his team scored a seventh.
I’m not going to run through all of the season but a highlight for me was the Man City game at home. I wasn’t at Ibrox or Hampden this season. Yet again, fans and players of the other club were blown away by it.
I suppose next season all depends on the squad of players that we have available but I can’t see any of the bigger names moving on. We don’t need to sell and of course a settled squad will be a great way to start in the European qualifiers.
A side note on the so called Champions League which I’ve possibly mentioned before, the name of the tournament is bit unusual. Most of the teams who have to qualify are already champions of their countries but happen to play in a league that doesn’t have a huge amount of TV money.
I know the unjust set up of the tournament is frustrating but I for one can’t wait to experience another Champions League group at home, especially if we can win a game or two.
It has only been a short period of time since the football season ended but it feels like months because it’s been such a good season.
We have the next qualifier coming up – a trip to either Belfast or San Marino. If I was travelling to either, I’d prefer to go to San Marino as it’s a bit more exotic than across the water.
Until then the only thing that we can do is keep an eye on the headlines to see if there’s any new players coming in at Celtic. There’s already been a few players released by the club, good luck to all of them especially to Kris Commons and Efe Ambrose.
And I hope the wait for next season doesn’t drag in too much.
