Big night for Ronny Delia
New Celtic manager Ronny Delia will get his first taste of Champions League football this evening when the Scottish champions take on KR Reykjavík in Iceland.
The Norwegian was appointed as Neil Lennon’s successor in June having guided Strømsgodset to their first Norwegian title in 43 years.
The demise of Rangers means that Champions League football is the minimum requirement for Bhoys fans who are desperate to make amends in Europe after last years failures, Celtic finished bottom of a difficult group featuring Ajax, Barcelona and AC Milan.
Things haven’t always been easy for new Celtic managers making their début in the Champions League. Take a look.
Neil Lennon
Braga 3-0 Celtic
The former Celtic captain couldn’t have been given a harder start to his life in the Parkhead dugout, Braga were a very talented team. The Bhoys didn’t register a single shot on goal in the match as four of Lennon’s summer signings all made their first competitive starts.
Osorio Alan tucked away a first half penalty after 26 mins, Uwa Echiejile took advantage of some slack defending to prod in the second and a late curling 30-yard free kick from Nascimento Matheus completed a miserable night for the Bhoys. Celtic won the second leg 2-1 but the damage was already done.
Braga went on to reach the Europa League final in Dublin that year, where they lost to Andre Villas-Boas’ Porto side.
Lennon’s time at Parkhead quickly improved, he won three Scottish league championships, two Scottish Cups and reached the group stage of the Champions League twice, before leaving the club in May 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM7F87A3Bh4
Clip via – Andrew Young
Tony Mowbray
Celtic 0-2 Arsenal
Have we all banished the memory of Tony Mowbray as Celtic manager from our memories yet? Apparently the Parkhead hierarchy paid West Brom £2m for his services, they should have asked for a refund. Like his successor, Mowbray was given a very difficult introduction to European management when his men were drawn against Arsenal.
Celtic were left to rue bad luck on the night after a Cesc Fàbregas shot clipped Gallas, who tried to duck out of the way, before flying past Boruc. Gary Caldwell later turned Abou Diaby’s cross past his own keeper.
Arsenal won the return leg at the Emirates in a game that is still better remembered for Eduardo’s dive. Things got worse for Mowbray when, as of January 2010, his record as Celtic manager was even worse than John Barnes’. Even signing Robbie Keane on loan wasn’t enough for the former Celtic defender to keep his job.
Celtic 0-2 Arsenal by ArsenalFC-Blog
Gordon Stracahan
Armedia Bratislav 5-0 Celtic
Arguably one of the worst European nights in Celtic’s proud history, Gordon Strachan probably still has nightmares about his managerial début in Europe.
Telfer, Camara, Zurawski and Aliadiere all made their first competitive starts but Juraj Halenar’s hat-trick blew Celtic away. Blazej Vascak and Martin Mikulic also netted leaving the demoralised Hoops needing a miracle, which they nearly achieved, in the return match at Parkhead.
To cap a miserable night for Strachan, Chris Sutton was also stretchered off with a fractured cheekbone.
Strachan redeemed himself at Parkhead though, he wet on to win three successive league titles and a host of other domestic cups, however, his biggest achievement was managing to do something that no other manager had done at the club for more than two decades, qualify for the final 16 of the Champions League.
Martin O’Neill
Ajax 1-3 Celtic
Celtic fans were already delighted with Martin O’Neill’s performance as manager when they lifted the treble in his first season but this 3-1 win in Amsterdam announced the hoops’ return amongst Europe’s elite.
First-half goals from the wingers Bobby Petta and Didier Agathe in the 7th and 20th mins put Celtic out of sight and a great header from Chris Sutton restored their two goal lead.
As Celtic manager between 2000 and 2005, O’Neill led that club to three Scottish Premier League titles and the 2003 UEFA Cup Final in Seville.
Clip via – sp1873
John Barnes/Kenny Dalglish
None
The ‘dream ticket’ never even got to manage in the Champions League and thank God for that. Under their tenure, Celtic were knocked out in the 1999-00 UEFA Cup at the 2nd round to Lyon before the duo were given their marching orders. A disastrous league campaign proved that the duo were one of the worst managerial appointments in the clubs history.
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