NEW PODCAST – A Celtic State of Mind’s Goal of the Decade

Since 2010, Celtic have won 8 league trophies, 5 Scottish Cups and 5 League Cups in what will be referred back to in history as the ‘Decade of Dominance’. With lots of glorious memories over the last 10 years, at A Celtic State of Mind we have decided to pull together an awards ceremony highlighting some of the best and worst of the last 10 years of Celtic.
 
Through a series of online polls, ACSOM will ask our listeners to vote for your favourite goal, game, jersey, player and much more as we celebrate the Decade of Dominance.

THE FINAL

Goal 1 – Tony Watt v Barcelona
 
As the club celebrated their 125th anniversary, Celtic took to the park against a Barcelona side who had, only weeks earlier, snatched a last-minute goal to stop Celtic picking up a famous point in the Camp Nou. An incredible Tifo surrounded the stadium as the teams took to the park and Celtic lined up with a makeshift side due to injuries to Izaguirre, Forrest, Rogne, Brown and Hooper.

Miku was chosen to lead the line for Celtic with Samaras playing off the Venezuelan. The stage was set at 1-0 to Celtic thanks to a Victor Wanyama header, when teenager Tony Watt, a recent signing from Airdrie, made his European debut, replacing Mikael Lustig.

Only a matter of days after his wife had given birth, Messi, who had been a doubt for the game, stood over a free-kick on the edge of the Celtic area. He struck the ball well but it was a comfortable save for Fraser Forster, who had made several great saves throughout the tie. Forster played the ball long, Xavi misjudged the bounce of the ball and it fell to the feet of young Watt, who out-paced Javier Mascherano and slotted the ball past Victor Valdes into the bottom left corner, sending Celtic Park into rapturous scenes.

Quite an incredible night under the Parkhead lights.

Goal 2 – Tom Rogic v Aberdeen
 
Just days after the 50th anniversary of the greatest moment in the club’s history, Celtic took to the Hampden pitch looking to create even more history – the first ever invincible treble!

Under the slippy conditions, The Bhoys fell behind to a Jonny Hayes strike from a corner, but equalised almost instantly through a fantastic strike from Stuart Armstong.

Chances were few and far between and Aberdeen really should have taken the lead when Jonny Hayes dispossessed Callum McGregor from a Celtic corner and was left 2v1 charging into the Celtic box. Fortunately for Celtic, his cutback was just behind Kenny McLean who would have had a tap in to put Aberdeen 2-1 up.

Once again, however, cometh the hour, cometh the man… up stepped Tom Rogic.

A 27th minute substitute for the injured Kieran Tierney, Rogic picked up the ball 35 yards from goal, danced past the non-existent tackles from O’Connor and Considine and into the penalty box before slotting a right-footed effort past Joe Lewis.

A moment that will go down in the annals of Celtic memory, the image of Craig Gordon collapsing to his knees to celebrate is an image that will be up there alongside Billy McNeill lifting the European Cup, and Henrik Larsson’s celebration after chipping Stefan Klos.

 
Goal 3 – Moussa Dembele v St Johnstone

Unlike most of the goals that we have showcased in these awards, this one is more down to the buildup, rather than the importance or quality of the strike.

Celtic trailed 2-1 when Moussa Dembele came off the bench in this tie back in February 2017, replacing Gary Mackay-Steven after 59 minutes. Within 2 minutes, Dembele had the Hoops level. Kieran Tierney’s cross was blocked by Watson, who was adjudged to have handled. Dembele took the spot-kick and pulled the Hoops level. Dembele doubled his total minutes later before Sinclair looked to have wrapped up the points with 10 minutes to go, however Celtic saved the best until last.

This was a play that included 25 passes, in which every player on the park for Celtic touched the ball at least once, including Craig Gordon. The build-up play also included a Rabona cross from Mikael Lustig and a cheeky flick from Callum McGregor to lay off the eventual goalscorer Moussa Dembele, who slotted home to complete his hat-trick!

A truly fantastic team goal, which would still be replayed around the world today if Barcelona or Manchester City had scored it.

Goal 4 – Odsonne Edouard v Hearts
 
Neil Lennon’s return to the hotseat at Celtic Park came at a time when the club had been thrown into turmoil thanks to the sudden departure of Brendan Rodgers and most of his backroom team to Leicester City.

After scoring the winner in Lennon’s first game at Tynecastle, Odsonne Edouard was pivotal as Celtic closed in on the Treble Treble. After securing the title win with a 3-0 victory at Aberdeen, Celtic lined up once again at Hampden Park, looking to secure an unlikely Treble for the third season in a row.

On the famous day of the 25 May, Celtic fell behind to a 52nd-minute goal from Ryan Edwards, who slipped the ball under Scott Bain.

10 minutes later, Celtic won a penalty when Odsonne Edouard was brought down by Zlamal, with the Frenchman converting the penalty himself.

Then with extra-time looming, a headed clearance by Mikael Lustig found Odsonne Edouard in an abundance of space. Closing down on goal, Edouard was met by Zlamal, but the Frenchman lifted the ball over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

An unlikely Treble was now complete and one of Mikael Lustig’s last contributions in the green and white was to assist in a history-making goal!

Colin Watt