Many Celtic fans have expressed displeasure at the club’s official Twitter account for regularly uploading Happy Birthday tweets for former players and managers. The frustration seems to be borne out of the situation that the club finds itself in this season and the perceived lack of serious engagement with fans on topics such as the much anticipated New Year review.
Please stop this. This is your main source of communication with your fans and you’ve reduced it to a birthday messaging service. We want the manager removed. At the very least, we want the findings of the managerial review.
We’ll remember all of this come ST renewal time.
— Paul McQueen (@queenmachine67) February 9, 2021
Beyond the birthday tweets, Mjallby and Strachan are two men who made a positive contribution to the modern history of Celtic Football Club.
Johan Mjallby:
Swedish giant Johan Mjallby proved to be a bargain purchase for Celtic, signing from AIK Solna for £1.5m in November 1998. He initially joined as a midfielder under the guidance of Dr Josef Venglos and made a superb debut by starring in the 5-1 demolition of Rangers at Paradise. However, Big Dolph as he became known to the faithful, would shift to centre back when Martin O’Neill arrived in 2000. It was from defence that he made his name by exerting his physical presence alongside the likes of Joos Valgaeren and Bobo Balde.
Having been converted from midfield, Mjallby was comfortable on the ball and provided a goal threat from corners. This prowess at both ends of the pitch saw him named Swedish captain and he was also a mainstay of the famous Celtic team that reached the UEFA Cup Final in Seville.
Having departed the club after making 199 appearances, winning three league titles, two Scottish Cups and Scottish League Cups; Mjallby returned to Parkhead in 2010 as Neil Lennon’s assistant. He was involved in some high points throughout Lennon’s time at the helm, before going to Bolton with him in 2014.
Dolph is fondly remembered by Celtic fans as a talented player, who retains a fondness for the club.
Gordon Strachan:
16 months after leaving his role as manager of Southampton, Gordon Strachan succeeded Martin O’Neill at Celtic in the summer of 2005. He had an embarrassing start to the role, losing 5-0 to Slovakian champions Artmedia Bratislava and, three days later, drawing 4-4 with Motherwell in his first SPL match in charge. However, after that disastrous start, he dramatically improved. There was another low-point with the shock defeat to Clyde in the Scottish Cup on 8 January 2006 (Roy Keane’s debut), but the following month his team made history when they defeated Dunfermline Athletic 8-1; a record margin of victory in the the SPL at that time (eclipsed by Celtic’s 9-0 win over Aberdeen in November 2010).
Despite some shaky moments, Strachan’s first season at the club was very successful as he led Celtic to victory in the League Cup and clinched the SPL with six matches remaining. Reflecting these achievements, Strachan was voted Manager of the Year by the Scottish Football Writers’ Association.
The following season, Gordon restructured the team and made a series of signings. The Hoops won the league title at a canter again and beat Benfica, Copenhagen and Manchester United at Paradise in the Champions League to reach the last 16 of the competition for the first time since it was revamped in 1993. A gallant effort saw Celtic lose the last 16 tie, against eventual European Champions AC Milan, in extra time at the San Siro. Celtic also went on to win the Scottish Cup that year.
In the 2007/08 season, Strachan took Celtic to the last 16 of the Champions League again after defeating AC Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk at home in the group stage. A narrow 3-2 defeat against Barcelona and a 1-0 loss to the Catalan giants in the Nou Camp signalled the end of the club’s European campaign. Their domestic form faltered soon after, and the Hoops looked set to conceded their title to Rangers. However, a remarkable turnaround saw Celtic go from being down and out in April to champions in May. In doing so, Gordon Strachan became only the third manager in the club’s history to win three titles in a row.
Big Jan scores the goal to seal the title for Tommy Burns pic.twitter.com/fOMySXnX3T
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) February 7, 2021
A poor fourth campaign saw Celtic exit Europe in the group stages and despite winning the League Cup Final against Rangers, Celtic blew the title having been given a late opportunity to win it. Consequentially, Strachan resigned as manager on 25 May 2009. His record, during a time when Celtic were downsizing after Seville, was frankly magnificent and his Champions League victories over European giants will live long in the memory.
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