PAUL McSTAY moved to Australia to start a new life with his family in Sydney and apart from the sunshine one of the benefits he enjoys is being as far away from the ‘Colin Nish’ that’s written in the Scottish press when it comes to having a wee dig at Celtic and somehow managing to bring their beloved Rangers into the story.
They have stories about them battling in the strip in San Antonio in Ibiza – hardly the classiest part of La Isla Blanca incidentally – and somehow Celtic got a mention in that story. One of their players got pushed and he fell after his missus got into an argument with a bloke from Dundee. This was turned into him getting bottled by a Celtic fan by the time it hit the online rags.
This came the day after they embarrassed themselves with the fake traffic notice about roads being closed around Celtic Park on Monday and followed that up yesterday by linking former Nurnberg boss Michael Kollner with The Celtic job. Apparently Celtic have spoken to him (correct) and it (wrong!). The club spoke to him about a youth coaching role in the Academy.
Living in Australia Paul McStay can avoid all of this but has probably been scratching his head as all this stuff has gone on this week. However one story he missed, because it came from a year ago, was the one about Dave King – in full on selling season ticket mode after being thumped 4-0 and 5-0 by the Hoops ( was talking about that 5-0 game to someone last week, we had 25 minutes to score more goals and Rodgers took the foot from the pedal, what a chance missed!).
Remember King reckoned that Celtic’s run of consecutive titles wouldn’t actually count because Rangers (sic) weren’t in the league!
On the 25 May – of all days – when Celtic are on the verge – just 90 minutes away – of achieving something remarkable, just short of what the Lions achieved 52 years ago today (God Bless them), a Treble Treble – unique anywhere in the world, a REAL world record, three entire seasons of being INVINCIBLE in domestic cup competitions with 90 minutes to go and they drag this up to get the Maestro to comment.
Paul, let’s not talk about the Lisbon Lions, of the Treble Treble, let’s talk about Rangers!
“Celtic deserve everything they’ve got no matter who’s in the league. They are worthy winners, it doesn’t matter who’s there. The players adapted to the environment they are in and the teams they are playing against. They gave their all,” the Maestro replied to the media’s question at the Hampden press conference ahead of today’s Scottish Cup Final, as reported by Scottish Sun.
“They deserve to be where they are and nobody can say or do anything to take that away from them. It’s a remarkable achievement and these are great days to be a Celtic fan, player or manager.
“There is just a great feeling about the place. I was at Celtic Park last weekend and everyone was in good form. The cup final is a big occasion with Celtic going for something which is very unique — the Treble Treble. It’s a final and a one-off game where anything can happen.
“If Celtic play to their capabilities then hopefully they’ll win it. I would never have thought any team could win a Treble Treble. It says everything about that group of boys that they can sustain that throughout all that time.
“It’s been fantastic, I have kids growing up with Celtic success and that’s all they know. Long may that continue. As a Celtic fan, you come through good times and bad times — but you are always a Celtic fan.
“For my kids and all of the young Celtic supporters who go to Celtic Park to watch the team, all you want is for that to continue season after season.”
Paul McStay is, we are proud to reveal (don’t like boasting), a reader of The Celtic Star and likes to get in touch every so often for a catch up. Beats getting your Celtic ‘news’ elsewhere…
