The Legacy of Jock Stein

When Celtic took on the might of Inter Milan in a recent pre (mid?) season friendly, it was a tie dripping in nostalgia. Now admittedly our day in the Dublin sun didn’t quite match up to ‘the heat of Lisbon’ but it gives us an excuse to reminisce (not that one is needed) about what was really achieved that day.

Having been born just a few weeks after that tragic night at Ninian Park, when Mr Stein passed away having secured Scotland’s passage to the World Cup, I like many, never had the privilege of seeing that side in the flesh.  And this bring s me to my point, I know there are many of my generation, Celtic and non-Celtic fans alike, who tend to look upon events that occurred before their time with a certain scepticism. There is undoubtedly a feeling amongst younger fans that ‘rose tinted’ spectacles cloud the judgement of those re-calling the events of a previous generation. As someone who has a keen interest not just in the history of Celtic, but the game football itself, I know that in the case of the ‘Lisbon Lions’ and their inspirational manager, that the ‘rose tinted’ glasses can be thrown away, their achievements and legacy, stand the test of time.

We all know the stories of the ‘11 local lads’, their singsong in the tunnel which so unnerved the Milanese, and the image of ‘Cesaer’ halfway up the stand, arms aloft, that magnificent trophy glinting in the sun is one that will outlive us all. What many who were not around at the time of these seminal events are aware of though, is the impact that the manner and style, of Celtic’s play had on, not just Scottish or British football but the whole of continental Europe.

Celtics opponents that day were one of the most formidable club sides ever assembled. Under their fearsome manager Helenio Herrera, La Grande Inter had claimed 3 scuddetti and had won back to back European Cups before they faced the Lions in Lisbon.

Their success of the Italians was not built on free flowing, expressive football, quite the opposite. Herrera adopted, and made famous, the system of ‘catenaccio,’ that the name translates as “door-bolt” probably tells you all you need to know about Herrera’s general approach to the game.

Whilst not exactly aesthetically pleasing, ‘catenaccio’ was efficient, ruthless, and most of all successful. And where others see success, they tend to follow. It seemed that football no longer had a place for expression and individualism, the thought of playing to entertain was fading, efficiency and discipline were the new ‘buzzwords’.

Mr Stein not only defeated the system, he smashed it, and he did it with a style of “football, pure, beautiful, inventive football” he sent his bhoys out with the instruction to “attack as we have never attacked before”.

Italian cynicism was overwhelmed by Scottish skill and flair. ‘Catenaccio’ lost its air of invincibility and its flaws were laid bare for all to see.

The next great side that came along did not practice the dark arts of ‘catenaccio’ as had seemed inevitable before that day in the Lisbon sun, instead it was the wondrous Ajax side of the 70’s that came to dominate. The Lisbon Lions were the forerunners for Rinus Michels and his Cruyff inspired “Total Football”, Celtic showed Europe that while negative football could of course be effective, it was limited and could be exploited.

Barcelona currently set the standard for the world game, their success is of course due to a variety of factors, but two hall marks of their approach in particular would have met with the approval of Mr Stein. The relentless pressing of the opposition, high up the field, allows Barcelona to gain possession in an already dangerous area, Mr Stein talked of there being no better place to win the ball than the opponents penalty box, and the use of the full-back as an attacking force is as vital to Guardiola’s Barcelona as it was to Stein’s Celtic. Dani Alves and Tommy Gemmell may not share many physical attributes, but the similarities in their playing styles are uncanny. Then of course there is the commitment to attacking football shared by the two sides.

The song asks “if you know the history” and when you do, it turns out it’s even more impressive than you ever dared imagine.

Incidentally while I am too young to have seen the ‘Lions’ play I did, as an awestruck teenager have the honour of meeting, Tommy Gemmell, Stevie Chalmers, Bobby Lennox and Berti Auld. I can still remember the pride I felt as I lined up amongst them for the obligatory photograph, unfortunately I can also remember doubling over in pain, as Tommy Gemmell grabbed me (firmly) by the balls just as the camera flashed! Oh well I suppose as a goal-scorer in two European Cup finals I can forgive him.

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Hail Hail.

The FA Cup Must Embrace Reform

The FA Cup Must Embrace Reform

As the start of the season grows ever nearer, fans up and down the country will begin to accept that the chances of that ‘20 goal a season’ man or ‘midfield maestro’ arriving to provide the X factor/final piece in the jigsaw they so crave are ever more remote. Instead of drawing up a wish list of new signings, it’ll soon be time to discuss the merits of the current bunch of legends/flops/promising youngsters etc. who’s wages are the reason your season ticket is an inflation busting drain on your bank balance.

The talk will then turn to what would constitute a successful season, depending on where your allegiances lie, European qualification may be the bare minimum, or maybe you’d be happy as long as your favourites avoid relegation, even if this involves a last day ‘great escape’ where you need a calculator to work out the relevant permutations of results elsewhere, for some fans nothing less than the title will suffice, and in these uncertain times there will be those hoping they still have a club to support in 12 months’ time.

In years gone by, somewhere near the top of most fans pre-season wish lists would be the FA Cup. In the current climate however, the oldest club competition in the world is seen as at best a bonus, and at worst a fixture list clogging inconvenience.

The media outlets who have shelled out for the rights to broadcast the FA Cup continue to talk of it as ‘the jewel in England’s football crown’, it’s ‘the envy of the world’ they tell us, and the phrase ‘English football’s showcase’ is the moniker commonly attached to Cup Final day . They have paid good money for this product and it is clearly in their best interests to keep us believing in the ‘magic of the cup’. Unfortunately, to break the illusion of this particular ‘magic’, all it takes is a quick scan of the starting line-ups of most top level clubs when the FA Cup interrupts the more profitable business of league duty.

In the eyes of many observers the FA Cup began its slide into irrelevance at the turn of the millennium, when Manchester United, champions of England and all of Europe, did not defend the third leg of their historic treble. They were instead in Brazil competing in the FIFA Club World Championship where they succumbed to the utterly mental but vastly talented Vasco da Gama strike-force of Romario and Edmundo (and also the runs apparently, but I’m not sure that’s relevant).

Whether or not you place the blame with the Manchester club, or more likely the FA’s desire to raise the profile of English football is of no consequence. It is clear that the FA Cup no longer holds the prestige it once did and for many the lack of enthusiasm can be traced back to that ill-fated Brazilian expedition.

However there are clearly other factors at play. Ironically one of the biggest problems facing the FA Cup is the success of the domestic league. The financial rewards for success in the Barclays Premier League are so great, and the consequences of failure so dire, that clubs have no choice but to focus on league duty even if it is to the detriment of cup glory.

Managers such as Ian Holloway, Mick McCarthy and Gerard Houllier have sent out shadow squads in the FA Cup, reasoning that a good cup run is less desirable than having a fresh first eleven for the next league game. Any condemnation of these actions has mainly emanated from the media, the clubs support, while not being delighted with the notion of essentially accepting defeat, know that come the end of the season it’s the league that matters.

Amongst clubs in the higher echelons of the league the attitude is similar. Messer’s Wenger and Ferguson are of course not concerned with relegation, their disdain for the FA Cup is based on its tendency to add bulk to an already weighty fixture list.

In season 2010-11 even one of the cup’s most appealing features, a David against Goliath battle on Goliath’s home turf, failed to grasp the public’s imagination. Manchester United against Crawley Town at Old Trafford was tainted by the non-league clubs (relative) financial extravagance and universally disliked manager Steve Evans.

However it is not inconceivable that the FA Cup can re-gain its former, and rightful place in the hearts and minds of English football supporters. For this to become a reality though, reform will have to be embraced even at the expense of traditionalism or sentimentality.

For a start the antiquated practice of replays should be discarded. Very few things encourage the ire of the big four/six clubs more than a cup replay popping up at the ‘business end’ of the season. A more streamlined FA Cup would encourage them to take it more seriously and would be a relief to already overworked players. Replays are often an anti-climax when compared to the original tie. Take Leyton Orient against Arsenal last season, a heroic and pulsating 1-1 draw was followed by a 5-0 cruise for the Premier League club. Sure the Orient support got an evening out at one of the finest arenas in world football, but from a footballing point of view they gained little. The argument of course will be that in this situation the financial benefit of a replay to Orient takes priority over any notion of footballing romance. In response to that, a system of income distribution more heavily weighted toward the lower league club, offsetting any potential financial loss associated with a one off tie, would be an easy sell to Premier League clubs if it meant the end of replays and the easing of fixture congestion. It would also surely increase the potential for everyone’s favourite cliché ‘the FA Cup giant killing’.

Aside from the grand old trophy, the reward for triumph in the May sunshine is a place in UEFA’s Europa League. Unfortunately to most supporters in England this competition makes the ‘Johnstone’s Paint Trophy look prestigious. A real reward at the end would make the cup a much more enticing prospect.

So, how about a playoff between the FA Cup winners and the fourth placed team in the Premier League, with the winner receiving that much coveted chance at Champions League glory nights against the best Europe has to offer? Admittedly this would upset a few (sorry Arsene) but imagine how seriously teams such as Tottenham and Liverpool would take the FA Cup if it offered a route into the Champions League? And anyway is the fourth placed team in a league of twenty really more deserving of that spot than the national cup winners? While we’re at it why not hold the playoff game abroad (Dubai, China, the US) along the lines of the FA’s proposed 39th game (remember that?). The revenue from a game like this would be extraordinary and could be re-invested at the grass roots of the game. The presence of the two Glasgow giants is a proposal that would certainly liven up proceedings, as well as delighting TV executives (although probably not police chiefs).

You may well feel that these ideas are unworkable, or that the FA Cup should be a bastion for traditionalism, but ask yourself, how high is cup success is on your team’s agenda? Does a defeat in the cup hurt as much as one in the league? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a competitive, compelling national cup competition even if it was at the expense of a few traditions?


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Can the Internet Spark a Tactical Revolution?

Can the internet spark a tactical revolution?

Football fans on the internet get a hard time from the mainstream media and people within the game itself. Isolated comments and forum threads are pounced upon and used as evidence of a sinister and socially retarded community. Now, there is no denying there are some strange characters who are in possession of a warped sense of reality, amongst the on-line footballing community, if you think this problem is exclusive to football I urge you to check the comments section of almost any article posted on the web (be prepared for a potent combination of hatred and sub-standard grammar).

If you are prepared to ignore the vitriol and the bitching though, there is evidence of a new breed of football fan, one who may be of great benefit to the game in this country. This new fan is informed, tactically aware and willing to embrace new ideas.

During the build up to the Champions League final between Manchester United and FC Barcelona it became obvious that the most interesting and valid discussions were taking place not on the pages of the tabloid press or in the ITV/Sky studios but on fan sites and forums.

Should United play with three at the back to counter the “false no.9” role performed by Messi? Would it be a good idea to use “inverted full backs” against Barca’s “inverted wingers”? Is the best way to disrupt the rhythm of “Tiki-Taka” to put someone on Busquets all the time? These were all questions posed and debated in great detail on various, much derided forums. Now whether or not these would have had any impact on the outcome of the game is irrelevant, in a country where tactics is a still seen by many as a dirty word there is a lively tactical debate going on, albeit separately from the mainstream media’s coverage.

Football in this country, depending on your point of view is either in danger of being left behind, or has already been left staring forlornly at the Spanish, Dutch and Germans disappearing over the horizon.

Whenever a team from these shores, either club or international, suffers a defeat at the hands of some stylish foreigners the inquest inevitably begins. Questions are asked about the teams desire, their passion and occasionally their technical expertise. Do the players like the manager? Can he motivate the team? The closest our newspapers and TV stations get to a discussion on tactics is usually a denouncement of the current formation and very little in the way of alternatives. For a genuinely wide ranging and intriguing debate you really have to venture on-line.

Football fans in other countries have in general, always been more tactically aware, and in-depth discussions regarding tactics are the norm in mainstream media outlets, Italy being a good example of this. With the game in general becoming more technical and with the tightening of rules regarding tackling, the traditional British style of “getting stuck in” is becoming less and less viable.

Talking about tactics doesn’t make you soft. Passion and desire are important but will only get you so far. You cannot take a team to a major summer tournament tell them to play at a high tempo and then be surprised when they run out of steam.

As a nation we need to become more aware of tactics, and embrace tactical innovations as an intriguing way to enhance the game, not something to be viewed with suspicion.

The debate will not take place on the back page or editorial of the Sun or the Mirror, they will continue to be more interested in hair transplants, super injunctions and borderline xenophobic headlines. The modern day football fan is not an idiot, their appreciation (and I believe enjoyment) of the game is being stunted by a sub-standard media. The really interesting opinions are coming from fans, and the internet is the perfect platform to express and debate these opinions.

 Increased tactical awareness can only be good for the development of the game in this country, and the often lamented internet football fan is the key to a more enlightened footballing future. Don’t allow yourself to be “dumbed down” by sensationalist headlines and stories with no substance, there is a world of knowledge out there that has the potential to increase your appreciation and enjoyment of “the beautiful game”.

Who knows, in years to come instead of the usual pub debates regarding “bottle” and “heart” we may find ourselves discussing the merits of the advanced libero. And the game will be all the better for it.

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