21st May 2003 - My Best And Worst Day As A Celtic Fan

The 21st May 2003 is a day that brings about mixed emotions for Celtic fans.  It's a day that we are very proud of but it's also a day that broke our hearts.  It was a day that I'll never forget but it's also a day that I've tried not to look back on until now.

I think when asked about that day most Celtic fans will remember the huge numbers of Celtic fans who were in the Estadio Olimpico de Sevilla and the thousands more who made the trip without tickets.  Many will talk about Henrik Larsson's brace and the bravery of the players in difficult conditions.

Not many fans will mention the result, Bobo Balde's red card or Rab Douglas' mistake that led to the winning goal.  I'm not sure if it's just a Celtic thing or whether it's something all football fans do but all the bad memories of that day have been erased from the memory and the positives are still there.

I am one of a large number of Celtic fans who have never watched the highlights of that game.  I have saw hundreds and possibly thousands of Celtic fans on various forms of social media and message boards say that they have never watched it.  I actually have the official video, "The Road To Seville" in my parents house but as far as I'm concerned it finishes with Henrik Larsson's late winner against Boavista.

When I decided to pen this article I did consider watching the highlights but I'm not ashamed to admit that when I thought about it I got a real sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.   I honestly think the only way I will ever watch that game again is if we get to another European Final and win it.

My own personal memories of that day are faded now but I will try to piece them together.  I was eighteen at the time and went to work as normal.  I seem to remember a newspaper in the office that had a mock up on the front of Paul Lambert lifting the UEFA Cup with the headline "the picture all Celtic fans want to see tonight."

The joys of working flexi hours meant I could leave early.  After work I went home and tried to eat something and then got myself dressed for the occasion.  Shorts, Celtic top, oversized sunglasses, an oversized leprechaun hat and a beach ball seemed to be the obvious choice of attire.  Fed, watered and dressed appropriately it was beer time.

The St Comgalls Club, Larne was my venue of choice and I never saw the place look so well.  The room was jam packed with green and white.  People, flags and beach balls everywhere and everyone of them in the hoops.  I seem to remember a promotion of some continental beer at a pound a pint so I was all set.

My memories aren't great of the game itself so forgive me if some of it is inaccurate.  I could obviously search the internet for answers but I think it means more coming from memory.  I recall the first half was a cagey affair which Celtic grew into as the game progressed.  However, Porto took the lead just before the break just as we were finally starting to believe that we could win.

Many a team would have crumbled after conceding so close to half time but it seemed to give Celtic a new lease of life and they started the second half like a team who had nothing to lose.  Henrik Larsson equalised with a great header from a Didier Agathe cross.  I only remember it was Agathe with the assist as I spent most of his Celtic career praising his pace and criticising his crossing but even I had to admit he got that one spot on.

Unfortunately, it didn't last for long though and Porto took the lead again but thankfully the "King of Kings", Larsson was on top form and he equalised with another excellent header.  From there the game went into extra time.

I remember Balde's red card for what was quite a rash tackle if my memory is correct. When Bobo got sent off I still felt like we needed to find a goal as I didn't fancy a penalty shootout.  Unfortunately, after what seemed like an eternity of hanging on with ten men, Rab Douglas made his customary howler and Porto took a late lead.

My last and perhaps clearest memory of the game was a late Celtic free kick in a good position outside the box.  Shaun Maloney had been earning himself a reputation as a reliable set piece taker but on this occasion he fluffed his lines and hit possibly the worst free kick of his career.  I don't remember the final whistle, Celtic receiving their medals or Porto lifting the trophy.  All I remember was taking a private moment to get my emotions under control and heading to the bar with a friend for treble vodkas, a vodka for each trophy Celtic were going to win the following season.

It's funny when I think back to Seville as the Final itself is way down my list of memories.  When I think of Seville my first thought is the Semi-Final.  The goal Henrik Larsson scored is still my favourite moment as a Celtic fan.  Boavista had been so negative for the full game and it looked as though they were going to be rewarded with a place in the Final until the footballing God's intervened.

Other great memories were beating Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park after listening to the English media saying about how easily Blackburn were going to beat us.  There was an away goals victory over Celta Vigo and a classic 5-4 aggregate win over Stuttgart.  I will also never forget big John Hartson scoring a screamer at Anfield in the Quarter-Final to see us past Liverpool.

I have watched all of those on video and on YouTube but all I've watched of the Final is a few of the fans singing in the Fanzone.  Maybe one day I'll find it in myself to watch the game but as it stands, ten years later, it's still too painful.

Looking back on it, it was a very special time to be a Celtic fan.  We had some very talented players including one of the best in the world in Henrik Larsson.  Back then many people didn't appreciate Larsson as he was "only playing in the SPL."  After he left us he went onto Barcelona were he swung the 2006 Champions League Final in the Catalans favour, breaking the hearts of Arsenal fans all over the world and he also had a brief loan spell at Manchester United were he won over a lot of his doubters who thought he wasn't good enough for the Premier League. 

I'll always look back with fond memories of the 2003 Celtic team.  All of the players involved and the management will always have a special place in mine and every Celtic fans hearts but unfortunately I don't think I'll ever be able to look back at what was without doubt their greatest achievement, at least not with dry eyes. 

GJ Sports Blog - Sportzine Volume 1

Welcome to the new style GJ Sports Blog were I will be doing a twice weekly look at the main stories in the sports world.  I will still be looking to write longer blogs on occasion but this feature will be used mainly as a home for opinions on subjects that I don't want to write a full blog on but that I want to say more about than just random Twitter rants.  If you have any subjects you would like to discuss feel free to contact me on Twitter, @gjsportsblog.

SOCCER

Luis Suarez 

Much has been said on the subject and if I'm honest I don't agree with what seems to have become the common attitude,  that he is being harshly treated.  My own opinion is that ten games is about right for the offence.

 
When I was finished replaying the incident multiple times on Sunday evening my thoughts began to turn to an appropriate punishment.  I knew he had been punished for a similar offence in his time in Holland but couldn't remember exactly how long his ban had been.  A quick Google search showed that he was banned for seven games on that occasion and using that as a precedent and taking into consideration that this was his second offence, I felt a ten game ban would be fair enough although if I'm honest I didn't think the FA would have the balls to give him such a long ban. 

Many Liverpool fans have argued that the ban is too long when compared to some of the bad tackles that have been made this season.  My argument to this is bad tackles are a part of football.  It's very easy for someone to commit themselves to a challenge and with the speed that the top players are playing at in the modern game these challenges can often be mistimed and players can suddenly become public enemy number one simply because an attacker was too quick for them.  I'm not saying that every bad tackle is accidental but I would say that quite a few of them are and it's an impossible task to expect a disciplinary committee to get inside a players mind to be able to judge a players intent when making a challenge. 

The Suarez case is completely different and you don't just bite someone by accident.  For me the two lowest places a man can go are if he bites or spits on another man.  Both are absolutely disgusting and both are extremely cowardly.  Had Suarez stood up to Ivanovic like a man and punched him he would have no doubt got a ban but deep down he would have earned a small bit of respect as he took issue with a bigger man and had the guts to stand up to him.  As it was though Suarez sunk to lowlife, corner boy tactics and as good as he is on the field any bit of respect he was still owed after his other misdemeanour's has been lost. 

Many argue that Suarez is being punished because of who he is and not what he done but why is that wrong?  In any other circumstance he would be judged on his past character whether that be in a court of law or an employment related disciplinary hearing.  When making a judgement people will want to know are the actions out of character for the person and on this occasion they certainly were not. 

Suarez now misses the remainder of this season and roughly the first month or so of next season and that will be a big loss for Liverpool.  What would be an even bigger loss to Liverpool would be if he decides to leave the Premier League due to the "harsh treatment" he receives.  Luis Suarez, the footballer is an asset to Liverpool and the Premier League and it would be bad for everyone if he were to leave.  English football has lost a lot of it's star players in the last few years and the league would be worse off without him but the time is long overdue for Suarez to realise that he isn't being victimised and that his situation is 100% his own making. 

Champions League Shocks

When the draw was made for the Champions League semi finals many fans were licking their lips at the prospect of an El Classico at Wembley to decide who were the best team in Europe.  After the first legs though it's looking highly unlikely.  Barcelona went to Munich to play FC Bayern and got absolutely spanked 4-0.  In the second semi final it was Real Madrid's turn to go to Germany and they too were on the wrong end of a beating, losing 4-1 to FC Bayern.

 

The Bayern v Barca game was something that will live long in the memory.  Barcelona have been the best team in Europe for the past few seasons and when Messi, Xavi and Iniesta click they are simply unstoppable.  Many teams have tried to find the formula to stop Barcelona but nobody had really managed it until now.  Not only did Bayern find a way to stop Barca but they also managed to find their weak spots in defence and in the end were fully deserving winners. 

That result was surprising enough but many fans were even more surprised when Dortmund handed out a similar beating to Jose Mourinho's, Real Madrid.  Most fans expected Madrid to have too much strength for the German's but if I'm honest I was less surprised at this result than I was at the Barcelona one.

 

I think I'm blinded with Barca bias but I have bought into the notion of Barcelona's invincibility and always believe that they can overcome any team in the world.  In the other tie, Dortmund had already got the better of Real in the group stages.  A 2-1 win in Germany and a 2-2 draw in Spain thanks to a late Mesut Ozil equaliser were enough to see Dortmund finish top of Group D with an unbeaten record.  They have managed to maintain that unbeaten record and with Real Madrid's up and down season I always believed they would have a chance.  

As it was Robert Lewandowski produced a master class, scoring four goals to give Dortmund a huge lead and one they are more than capable of defending in the Bernabeu.

With the second legs to look forward to all signs are pointing towards an all German Final but I have watched enough European football over the years to know that it's not quite that straight forward.  At least one of the two are going to get a very tough time of it.  Barcelona and Real Madrid are top class sides and they will throw everything they have at the German sides.  If one of them could get an early lead to get the crowd fired up it could suddenly become a lot harder than it should be to protect three and four goal leads.

BASKETBALL

NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs got under way this week and so far they've went pretty much as expected.  The vast majority of games look like going with the higher seeded team with only the Chicago Bulls and the Golden State Warriors looking like causing an upset.  

The Bulls lead 2-1 over the Brooklyn Nets at present with Game 4 due to take place in Chicago tomorrow.  Golden State are currently tied at 1-1 with the Denver Nuggets after splitting the first two games in Denver.  There's still a long way to go but the Warriors have given themselves a chance of progressing by taking home court advantage from the Nuggets.  

At this stage in the NBA playoffs it's mostly about gathering momentum.  With over half the teams in the league qualifying for the post season there's a lot of teams in there who have no real chance of winning a title and it'll be another round before things start to heat up.

In terms of teams that can win the Championship, it's impossible to look past the Miami Heat.  They won it last year and they look even better this year.  LeBron James is unplayable at times and in the unlikely event that one of their opponents find a way to stop him they can fall back on Dwayne Wade who is also capable of winning games on his own.  To win the title the Heat will most likely have to get past Chicago, New York and Oklahoma City.  Those three are all capable of beating Miami but not in a seven game series.

ICE HOCKEY

NHL

With the Stanley Cup playoffs just around the corner we are reaching a very exciting time in the NHL.  In the Eastern Conference there is little to play for with the eight teams already decided but things are a little more exciting in the West.  

Two of the Detroit Red Wings, the Minnesota Wild and the Nashville Predators will be in the playoffs.  With places in the playoffs up for grabs, the stakes are high enough but for me it's much more than that.  I'm a Detroit Red Wings fan and for me it's not about reaching the 2013 playoffs, it's all about keeping "the streak" alive.  

The Red Wings have reached the playoffs in twenty one seasons in a row which is a remarkable record but there's still room for improvement.  The Red Wings hold the current record for longest active streak by quite some distance but they still have a long way to go to match the Boston Bruins record of twenty nine consecutive playoff appearances throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. 

The Red Wings have given themselves a fighting chance of reaching the playoffs and a win in their final game of the season against the Dallas Stars would see them into the post season.  If they can pass that test then you just don't know how they might do.  Last year the Los Angeles Kings were playing desperation hockey in their last few games which led to them coming into the playoffs with a lot of momentum.  Could the same thing happen to this years Red Wings?  In hockey, you just don't know. 

Finally, thank you for taking the time to read this opening edition of the GJ Sports Blog Sportzine.  As this is my first time doing this I would very much appreciate some feedback.  I have a few ideas for other features to include in future editions such as a quiz and a look at lesser known leagues or clubs around the world.  I'm working with a blank canvas at the moment and would like to know what people enjoy reading, don't enjoy reading and what you would like to see in future editions.  Feel free to add comments here or on my Twitter page, www.twitter.com/gjsportsblog.

Michael Owen - The Striker I Shouldn't Like

Michael Owen announced earlier today that he is to retire from football at the end of the season.  To be honest it's not surprising as he has been ravaged by injuries throughout his career and he has been making less and less of an impact in the limited game time he has had in recent years but it is still a sad day for football.  I don't feel entirely comfortable saying that as everything about Owen's career should make me hate him but strangely I don't. 

Owen played for five club sides throughout his career as well as having an excellent international career with England.  At this point it might be useful to know that I am a Leeds United fan so it seems fairly obvious that I didn't appreciate his spells at Liverpool and Manchester United.  I also hold a grudge against Newcastle as they were one of the teams who gained the most from scavenging amongst the wreckage of Leeds financial meltdown.  His spell at Stoke may seem inoffensive but let's be honest nobody outside the Potteries likes Stoke.  He also had a spell in La Liga with Real Madrid and yes you've guessed it, I have a soft spot for their biggest rivals, Barcelona.  As if all that's not bad enough I am also a proud Irish man and at the risk of offending my readers, us Irish don't really like England.  Hopefully, anyone who reads this will be mature enough to understand sporting rivalry and I don't think it's news to anyone that there's nothing us Celts love more than seeing England players readying themselves for a penalty shoot out.

I should maybe point out that I think a lot of the anti-English feeling is brought on by the media.  As I see it the English media are the most over reactive bunch I've ever had the misfortune of experiencing.  When it comes to major tournaments the media would treat a 1-0 win over San Marino as the greatest result of all time but once they suffer an often unlucky defeat to one of the top teams on penalties they instantly become failures and a national disgrace.  It's not fair and the players deserve better but the media love nothing more than to build up their team just so they can get stuck in when it all goes wrong. 

Getting back on topic, Owen's career has took him to what seems like a who's who of teams I don't like but I can't find it in myself not to like him.  He comes across quite well in his media appearances which perhaps helps his cause but I think it's a case of the memories I have of his early career. 

Many younger football fans will think of Owen as the guy who sat on the bench for Manchester United or as the guy who grew a fantastic moustache in aid of the Movember campaign but for the rest of us, Owen is the one who got away.  In his early years Owen was an exceptional talent and it is sad that he and we were robbed of watching that talent grow into what should have been one of the best players in the world.  Unfortunately the injuries took there toll and although there were flashes of genius he was never able to reach the peaks he did in his years at Liverpool. 

Owen is the only Englishman in my lifetime to win the Ballon d'Or and his international record of 40 goals in 89 games is exceptional.  If Owen had stayed free of injuries I have no doubt that he would have smashed Bobby Charlton's record as England's top goalscorer. 

However, the biggest compliment I could give to Owen is that he is the only player in over twenty years of watching football that made me want England to win a match.  I can remember sitting as a thirteen year old watching him score "that" goal in the 1998 World Cup against Argentina.  He was breathtaking that night and it's rare to see a player play that way.  With Alan Shearer providing the focal point of the English attack, Owen was able to drop deep.  When he collected the ball he would set off at pace, taking players on and to this day it is still one of the best performances I've ever saw.

After the game when England had lost on penalties and I had finished sulking my dad said to me "I didn't know you were an England fan" and I replied "I'm not but I just wanted to see Michael Owen again in the next round."  My dad said to me, "Sure the Premier League will be back soon and you can watch him every week" and I replied "Yeah but it won't be the same" and unfortunately it never was.

EPL - 2nd January 2013

Tonight sees three Premier League games and on paper, they look like being three good ones.


Chelsea v QPR

Harry Redknapp takes his relegation threatened, QPR side to Stamford Bridge to take on an in form Chelsea side.  Chelsea have won their last four league games and they look like being the team who will push Manchester United the closest in this years title race.  QPR are in bad form and have lost their last three in a row.  They have the right man in charge though in Harry Redknapp and if anyone can save them, Harry can.

Tonight's game won't have any controversy over hand shakes as neither John Terry or Anton Ferdinand are playing.  Chelsea have made a few changes for this game and their line up includes, Ross Turnbull, Ryan Bertrand, Oscar and Marko Marin.  QPR will look to keep the game tight for as long as possible but they will have their work cut out against this Chelsea team.

Prediction - Chelsea should win by two or three goals.


Liverpool v Sunderland

Liverpool will be without new signing, Daniel Sturridge when they face Sunderland at Anfield.  Sturridge will most likely make his debut this weekend at Mansfield in the FA Cup.  Tonight's Liverpool line up sees a return to action for Andre Wisdom who replaces Jose Enrique.  Sunderland line up in their 4-5-1 formation with Steven Fletcher up front.

Liverpool need to be a bit more consistent.  It seems like they win one, then lose one and for a club like Liverpool that's not good enough.  Sunderland have also been inconsistent this season but they will feel confident of getting a result at Anfield as they have a good record their in recent times.

Prediction - I expect this will be in the region of 1-1 or 2-1 to Liverpool but I'll side with the home win.


Newcastle v Everton

Newcastle will be rocked by the news that striker, Demba Ba is on his way to Chelsea.  Ba has done well in his time at Newcastle and he has scored half of their goals this season.  He will be a big loss for the eordies although it may allow them to bring a slightly more balanced look to their team.  Ba and Cisse as a partenership hasn't always worked and now they can put all their efforts into providing Cisse with the ammunition he needs.

Everton are in good form this season and a win tonight would take them up to fifth, above Arsenal.  Traditionally, Everton are slow starters so it will be interesting to see if they improve in the second half of the season.  If they do, a Champions League place is a realistic target for the Toffees.

Prediction - I can't see Newcastle winning this one and think both sides will be happy with a point.