You can easily sum up Jock Stein’s Celtic side by showing the highlights from the 1967 European Cup Final win over Inter Milan. For Billy McNeill’s Celtic side, read stories about the marvellous Monday in May 1979 when against all the odds Cesar’s team defeated Rangers 4-2 to win the title.
Davie Hay, Tommy Burns and Wim Jansen
For Davie Hay, it has to be Love Street in May 1986 and for Cesar the second time around the Centenary season Scottish Cup Final against Dundee United. Tommy Burns the relief of the 1995 Scottish Cup Final over Airdrie and Wim Jansen stopping the ten against St Johnstone in May 1998.
Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan
Martin O’Neill, perhaps the 6-2 Benchmark game when the balance of power changed in Scottish football and for Gordon Strachan it has to be a European night at Celtic Park and there are many to choose from. Naka’s free-kick against Manchester United perhaps shines the brightest.
Neil Lennon and Brendan Rodgers
Neil Lennon against Barcelona, more for the result than the football and for Brendan Rodgers the Invincible season Scottish Cup final and Tom Rogic’s wonderful winner – the only Celtic goal to bring a tear to my eyes.
Ange Postecoglou
But how do you best sum up Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side? Not on a YouTube video of any particular game but instead in a little snippet of BBC radio commentary from that night in February 2022 when Postecoglou’s Celtic team hit the front in the Scottish Premiership, a position that they never lost while Ange was at the club.
So we could show the video highlights but this is better. Listen to this short description from the radio broadcast on BBC Scotland as Celtic destroyed theRangers at Celtic Park in an incredible first half.
“It’s absolutely stunning from Celtic, it really is. This is as good a Celtic team as anything we have seen over the last few decades.
“Martin O’Neill’s domineering side, Brendan Rodgers indomitable side but this is a flamboyant, swashbuckling Celtic side that is scoring goals for fun and nobody it seems in this country can get anywhere close to them right now.
“Not right now, not on this form. I mean this is the next best in the country (theRangers) and they are being blown away, ripped apart in Glasgow’s East End.”
2021-2023 Ange
Heritage. pic.twitter.com/z2zLmwaRlM
— Adam Lynch 🇵🇸 (@AdamLynch27) March 21, 2024
That sums up Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side perfectly.
We’re not behind closed doors any more 😎
Hell on Earth unless you can handle it 🔥🔥3️⃣-0️⃣🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/QTrDNUVLqK
— Matthew (@23MatthewC) February 2, 2022
