John Hughes Part 1 | Hoops under Brendan Rodgers, management career & pushing THIS player to Celtic

This is the Official Celtic FC Podcast and on this episode, we bring you part one of our two-part interview with ex-Hoops defender John ‘Yogi’ Hughes.

The former Hibernian, Falkirk and Inverness player and manager joins the podcast to reflect on the current Hoops team under Brendan Rodgers.

Hughes helps look back on the Scottish Cup victory over Buckie Thistle and reflect on the season so far, as well as singing the praises of the likes of Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley.

Part two sees Hughes go in-depth on his Celtic career, but we take some time to hear stories of Tommy Burns, Paul McStay and more.

In an incredible career in Scottish football, we look back on Hughes’ career as a manager, from taking Falkirk into the top flight to winning the Scottish Cup with Inverness.

We also look at some of the former Celtic players he has managed including the likes of Ryan Christie, and he reflects on what it was like to come to Celtic Park as a manager.

Make sure you like and subscribe to the Official Celtic FC Podcast so you don’t miss an episode, with part two of this interview out next week where Hughes picks his best Celtic XI and goes through his incredible 18 months as a player.

TIMECODES

00:00 – Intro
01:20 – Being back at Celtic
02:10 – Ambitions to be a coach again
07:30 – Celtic in 23/24, Brendan Rodgers & Scottish Cup win
34:10 – Management career with Falkirk and Hibs
54:40 – Selling Ryan Christie to Celtic

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Geez what the it was a m what the couldn’t have get could not get near him he loved around the corner G it but couldn’t have get the ball off him in the phone boook join us for part one of our interview with former Defender John Hughes as we look at Celtic in

2024 and we have a look back on his management career and coming up against Celtic this is the official Celtic FC podcast yes everyone hello welcome along to the official Celtic FC podcast I’m your host for this one Ryan M and I’m delighted to say I’ve got Matt Campbell

Alongside us Matt I’m really looking forward to this when I know you are buzzing absolutely buzzing um obviously we’ve got a a wonderful guest such a wonderful character in personality can’t of wait to get into the the we’ve already started to be fair before we even uh came on recording

Started with some of the stories so um I looking forward to this one yes we man we’ve got alongside us who if you’re watching you’ll be able to see right now we’ve got a former Celtic Defender and I think one of Scottish RB’s biggest personalities as well a man that played

In the Hoops between 1995 and 1996 and we were just talking there about your most famous moment that goal at iooks with your head to get a one-1 draw in the derby but of course known in Scottish football for for so much more than just your time at Celtic from your

Your playing days at fuler and hibs managing both clubs as well and of course a great success at in vess calonia so there’s so much that we’re going to get into here none other than John Yogi H joins us in the podcast John thank you so much yeah it’s a pleasure

Being here always nice to come back to parkhead uh you always made to feel welcome so it’s a pleasure being here yeah I mean what is it like coming back now because it’s it’s been a while since you’re you’re playing days here but we were talking off camera you were here in

Sunday for the game against Bucky but this place must hold so many amazing memories for you as a player and I know you were a fan when you were grown up as well yep that’s correct U when I was a young kid that my father was a mad

Celtic supporter uh so growing up up to the age of 15 uh Celtic was my team I used to come through on the leaf supporter bus through stood in a jungle and watch them but then because the 15th for 15 to 16 we started playing on a

Saturday in the juveniles where I played so I couldn’t get through to Celtic so used to play the game and used to go up to Easter rad and that’s roughly where I sort of changed my allegiance a little bit but still got massive massive uh love for for Celtic yeah definitely and

What are you what you up to these days John you look like you’re still keeping yourself fit anyway but what’s H what’s John hu’s life looking like right now no no I keep myself fit I’m playing a lot of golf at the moment I’m desperate to

Get back into the game H you know I think that I’ve still got something to offer the game I’ve had good good success as a coach and a manager I enjoy it I enjoy enjoy being in a dressing room coach and try to get the best at

Them um and a lot of stuff that I sort of try and do with my team in terms of stly play was a lot of stuff that I picked up at Celtic under Tommy Burns so try to get back into the game it’s not as easy as you think uh because you’ve

Got that sort of a good CV I totally understand that but I don’t let it get to me you know I’ve still got a life to lead so keep myself fit and if it’s no golf it’s cycling if it’s no cycling it’s in the gym and keep taking over one thing

About not being in the football you got a chance to see your family grow up and my granddad now my oldest daughter’s got the young daughter um one and a half and um the twins one of them’s got way over she’s working over in Dubai in the

Emirates and another one we got one left in the house so you get to see them grow up it’s good and spend time with them so and you have to appreciate that I’ve seen so many managers be at 24/7 and that’s what it takes trust me when you

Go into the football game it’s it’s 24/7 you’re at it um and at times you miss that family so and you have to appreciate so I’ve done that but the football’s in football’s in you and I’ve got a real obsessive character and personality and if it’s we were just

Talking before we come on if it’s not not football uh it’s cycling I it’s cycling I I’m going to be on a tour to France and I do hundreds of miles a week and if it’s no cycling it was a gym I was saying there when I played at Celtic I

Played at about 14 stone 2 I’m 13 stone 10 right at this moment in time so I’m later but I went in for it you know I went in for the the fitness stuff and the gym work and the the heavy squats to keep strong and explosive and all that

Stuff I really went for it so and even then when I went where when I was out the game I was in the gym I was doing I went I took it up to 16 Stone six meals a day training twice a day five days a week all that

Stuff and that’s how obsessive I was and then now I’m in into the golf I think I’m going to turn professional I’ve got the worst gol swing you’ve ever seen in your life so any it’s no year now everybody’s trying to get back into shape and stuff I certainly have been

Try it up at the last couple weeks but I totally see cycling I totally understand that because a couple of years ago um I just got right into it I got right into cycling I could not get enough of it got the road bike and I was you know

Hamilton to Lo Loman and back like you know three four times a week up to D and stuff like that I fact you know one of the we went I went to Glenn bck as well uh one day and Glenn bck famously shank yes absolutely as where Bill shankley

Was um born and raised it’s there’s nothing there it’s an abandoned mining village now there’s a lovely we Memorial sh but just as an example you know the cycl just cuz there’s a sense of adventure of it you know I mean there’s a there’s a freedom there’s a freedom

There’s a when you’re run that bike and you you ever been driving and you’ve drove four or five miles you say how did I get here your mind’s that’s what happens on the bike and if it’s if it’s not then you know it’s really difficult but if you let your mind go you’re

You’re off and Away you go and many a time I’ve seen myself just cycling away just laughing just thinking back of your football days and it’s absolutely fantastic I can see how weing Jo between you two aycl show I know sometimes it’s just about putting the ler on as well it’s

Not about the bite sometimes you just put the lra on just to walk I’m sorry I don’t wor see you I’m apologizing Fant I’ve got image in my head now and I’m wanting to deviate from that if we can get back to football if I was if I

Was to stick the like on right now I’d look like a Scottish breakfast pack so I’ll give it a couple of months till in this man shape then I’ll get I done it when I went up to vaness when when I was manager at in vaness I was always into

The cycling but I stayed in a black aisle which was about 20 to 25 mile out in vaness I just used to cycle in cycle in and cycle home it’s so good day brilliant for you it’s just keeps youping me so I’m more into my running but I

Kind of get that similar feeling when you’re running as well sometimes your mind just goes but if you are going off a Rec cycle maybe come and try you see we hold it one minute because I’ve not been on the bik for a couple of months it’s been it’s been a way for

Christmas well other than cycling chat we’ve got plenty of other things to get on in the podcast what we’re actually going to do with this podcast we’re going to split it up into two parts because John there’s plenty to get into with your career Celtic and otherwise as

Well so what we’re going to do in the first part which we’re on just now is we’re going to have a little bit of a a deep brief about Celtic at the moment under Brandon Etc look a bit in your playe and management career but not in

Celtic and we’ll leave that for part two and also in part two we’re going to get you to pick your one to 11 of Celtic H players so that’s going to be very exciting but why don’t we start off with the match in Sunday Bucky thiso in the

Scottish Cup 5-nil victory um it was the first game back after the winter break as well so I think everybody was really really excited just to see Celtic back in Action John I know you were here um as well it must be difficult though when you’re a manager coming up against a

Team like Bucky because you know you’re just expected to win and win heavily as well so it’s kind of a a l l situation at times with with a fixure like that but what did you make of the the game for Celtic well it was always uh was

Always going to be like that first and foremost I felt that Brandon picking a real strong team you know he showed his intent in terms of um and the respect for Bucky and then Celtic about their business I was listening to the interview was talking about getting

Keeping the Rhythm that they got for the last four games before the break and the speed in which they play and the speed in which Celtic play a given goals around the corners the link cup play a combination actually someone come up on YouTube after game on the Sunday come up

Celtic goal Celtic like Barcelona it says and some of the goal some of the link up play you’re saying yourself yeah I all be it they’re playing against Bucky but I’ve seen Celtic a few times this year I’ve seen them Livingston where when Joe heart got

Sent off and didn’t 10 men they managed that game they were super they were up and on a tricky tricky surface you know that Arro stuff can be very very difficult and they manage the game really well Celtics a right good side and then if we go back to Brendon um I

Understand one or two of the supporters why they feel a little bit AG gravy Brandon but surely if you’re a true Celtic supporter you’re W the best for the club and the greater good of the club and there’s no a better man to take over Celtic M Brandon Rogers he he he’s

He’s an elite football manager in Britain elite football manager why would you not want that at your club and the way he coaches the way he gets his team to play and that’s that’s the Celtic way that’s the way I got brought up when I always here I come in here is basically

As a as a street fighter you know wear the heart on his sleeve get stuck in for folk loved every minute come in here and it was like wo you know and it was link to standards and the way you had to pass the ball and and that’s no different watching

Watching that Celtic team’s no different absolutely fantastic five different goal scorers yeah where what more can you asked for yeah and it was a a great day really for you know for Bucky Matt um you saw the the crowd that they brought with him which I think hats off to them

That’s that’s such an impressive thing to do because I think there’s only really 10,000 people in the town Village buy may be and they brought I think over 3,000 fans or something which was amazing it was brilliant I mean you know it’s always great obviously a good

Support you earlier in the season for example I know there’s a lot of your supporters who are still raving about the F support who that came here and um you know packed at that corner of the stadium the Bucky thisle fans came in their numbers as well similar numbers

And you know it just this may come across as patronizing it’s not meant to be but it’s a wonderful day out for for the buck this supporters because they’re coming to one of the elite clubs in Europe they’re coming to one of the finest stadiums in football

And they’re getting to see their team coming up against as John said a really strong Celtic side which when we seen the team line on on Sunday I was quite happy to see that love the Scottish cup yeah the club loves the Scottish cup we 41 time times winners of the trophy were

The most successful Club in the history of the tournament so get us kicked off to a good start in that tournament but what I was um really delighted with on Sunday watching it was you know when rovat and Daniel Kelly getting involved in the game obviously Roo gets his gets

His goal as well it’s great to see that because you know it’s such a strong lineup that we that we begin with and then you’re getting to see some of the youth coming in as well so I think it was a really good day all around and

Then obviously you know Sunday night the draw and we get sent we get sent M away exactly but yeah the Scottish Cup’s such a brilliant competition John I mean you’ve got your own memories of it as a player as a manager of course and vaness comes to mind but

You know did you ever have any of those moments just thinking of Bucky coming to Celtic Park and the potential of of a shock did you ever have that as a manager or player you went to they are the hard ones and um I can remember the year we won it we in

Veress where were getting beat one out at s m um and it wasn’t no long to go and I actually turned around and I say just take a draw and get them back up the road take a draw we got the goal and we took them back up the road

There was a little bit Sur surprised Tommy Craig was the manager at the time and they agreed to come up on the wedding day that was on a Saturday come straight back up usually you get the option and we sort saying that was one of the moments just get because I knew

If we got to go uh and get them in a replay I think we beat them four or five now in the replay um and we really you know we thought honestly we thought they would sort of take that bit they come right back up played us we were ready for it

And that was it and you you need a little bit of luck along the way it’s I know we’re not talking about the Celtic know but yeah when we played Celtic wi v a lucky we car in that semi-final unbelievable but then you it’s still it’s still R out actually I actually got

A letter from a Celtic supporter when I was manager in vaness after that accusing us everything and saying and for that I’ll never be going back to a game and I’m saying I cannot work that out is a Celtics report why you not want to go back and watch Celtics I regret

Sending that L know if I’m I’m over it you know that’s the thing Cup competitions I know you’re talking about the luck he needs maybe being in Celtic you’re’ expected to go and lift the trophy or at least get to the final every season but in oneof Cup games and

We’ve got s m next away from home in one off Cup games anything can happen can it John well was it was it last year s man beat Celtic it’s said s man hasn’t last start last season start last season so sitm are not a bad side going well um but I just

Feel there’s a we you just feel you get the sense of something what to do to double having you know sometimes you have to take the knocks you want you want to do the treble you always want to do it if it’s here for doing you always

Want to do it but for getting knocked out from karock in the League Cup I’ve just got a sneaky feeling that that really strengthened the mentality in that dress room you say right come on now let’s go let’s make surely do a double yeah and in recent the recent

Months um the last four games before the winter break we really seem to to kick on again Matt and we’ve come back to Bucky this we’ve got Ross County this weekend join a club you know really well but you do get the sense of what John’s saying there that the team seem to

Really be motoring on at this period in time and usually after the winter break you get that from Celtic don’t you yeah no absolutely it was almost we spoke about this you know the winter break when it came it was it was almost annoying because you’re thinking we we

We have got momentum here and we’re building we went to Paisley went to s m and one n up within a minute you know were two n up within 6 minutes you know that that was where we were so to then come back and score five goals you know

Like you say we’re just building it just feels like we’re constantly constantly progressing I agree with what what you’re saying I think the exit in the League Cup early in the season you know you that can it’s sore it’s annoying but it’s Cup football and that happens you

Know it’s 90 minutes and anybody you know if somebody has a good day and you have a bad day then they’re through but you can use it you know to to to your advantage and I think that we have used it to Advantage s m away in the cup

Though you know how in Cup competitions I would think you can categorize draws you can say oh it’s a blockbuster draw and you know what that would be it’ be a derby here or or or away from home you’d have the potential banana skin which maybe Bucky you know or if we’ have

Drawn like maybe maybe Bonny rig Rose or something You’ got you know potential for a banana skin there I would put this firmly in the tricky Cup tie category this is a tricky one because no fancy that it’s at home for them you know it’s in the cup they’re going they’re going

Good guns this season as well they’re fifth just now they’ll be looking up the table they’re only I think two points behind kok and fourth so they’re a decent side I think it’ll be it’ll be a tough tricky Cup tie but of course I fanc is yeah and John when you’re a

Manager as well when you play games in the league compared to the cup sorry when you play games in the cup compared to the league do you have a little bit more of a sense of Freedom when you’re going up against a Celtic side yeah yeah you’ve got nothing to lose certainly uh

You you go and have a go um and if you’re going to win the cup when you’re you’re going to have to beat either Celtic or Rangers if you want to win it and that’s usually the norm um and that’s what you have to do you know but

Everybody says it’s a free hit I don’t agree with that nothing’s a free hit you you owe it to your team and your you owe it to your players and you owe it to your Club to be totally out there organized uh and you don’t have to go

Gun ho you know if you can nip them and beat them I can remember even when we Celtic Celtic were down to 10 men when we played them in the semi-final I can remember clearly today I just got them all made sure all my players were in

Nice and tight and I just looked them all in the eye because all our work was done on the training pitch we were our standards that we done day and day on a training pitch was you know you’re talking about guys like gam shiny tanies and Ryan Chris real good guys like Gary

Waren real good professionals that wanted to set a standard and I just looked to him and says you’ve never got a better chance boys never got a better chance go and take it go go and be aggressive and go and take it and they

Never let me down you know um and it was hard because Celtic didn’t 10 man Craig obviously Craig Gordon getting sent off you’re sing yourself Lady Luck just might be on our side yeah and it certainly was that day I put my hand [Laughter] up see your question your question

There’s a wee bit cave act to that because your question as you see you you’re playing Celtic and never expect Celtic to win and you so great so there’s no real pressure you can go and play your game see when we won it and we

Went to the final we got forer now the pressure’s on us so M that you sort of say I really felt as a coach and a manager W the pressure is on us now yeah you know F’s now got nothing to lose they’re playing they in the league below

Us and I had to handle that as a coach and a manager and say right how do you handle this U what mentality I’m going try to get into the players but as I say it’s no on the day it’s for the minute you walk in the door it’s a minute that

You walk in the door how you as a coach and manager conduct yourself what you want your players your style play your philosophy your vision for the club and you tell the players this is what I’m doing this is what I’m all about and get on the bus

Because this is the way I’m going and I’ve never been one as a coach or a manager to be in it for the money I’m In It For the Love of the Game so I feel that frees me up to be to go and have a

Go and play a Sterly football and a lot of the stuff may I had that I picked up at Celtic off Tommy BS it’s such a and it frees me up to go and Coach it frees me up I’m no bored I’m many of times I’ve come home at night and the wife’s

Oh they’ve got beaten you know walked in she says you’re all right for getting beat boys are different class of don’t mind getting beat playing the Style Style play I want to play and going back to the Scottish cup as well don’t forget I took fer of course n against against

Rangers yeah we battered them that day we absolutely footballed them off the pitch that day now man the time I bumped in uh ex Rangel players and say it’s all about the result I get that I take my hat off to that and the cup goes back to

To I Brooks but just going back to what I’m saying sometimes is about the performance and our performance that they was very very good Rangers you they were struggling they were struggling but they know how to get it done yeah yeah M you wanted to come in there no it’s just

Such a good the mindset is fantastic and it reminds me of I think it might be better all that maybe say that you’re talking about the work happens through the week you know you know and on the training pitch and I’m sure it was BTY had the quote that they work hard all

Week and they get the day off on a Saturday to play you know and that’s the sort of I jump on honestly I found the training I know we may be jumping ahead of myself here I found the training at Celtic harder in the games yeah and that’s not being disrespectful to

Anybody the games were difficult but the training the way in the standard and the way we trained young the old difficult unbelievable I’ve really struggled when I first come here and I come in I never come at a young boy A1 year old sort of Senior Pro at

Captain fer and played with a lot a lot of good football or so but when I come come here and it wasn’t much different for what we done at fuler in terms of about the standard and the tempo and the pace and the quality football player

Which yeah but you’ve got 20 23 guys in training most of them International as well who are all wanting to fight for that Jersey so I imagine that’s probably what it’s like now you you’re interesing him John more than more than we are but it’s at this moment in time you talk

About the standards and training having that feeling of they want to go for the double you got guys like K McGregor and that changing them as Captain he’ll be leading that you know I’m sure at this moment in time it’ll be the same at Celtic as it was in your time yeah

Definitely you come in here as I was saying when I first come the Hat Paul M day um obviously you played against him for a number of years and you know the quality but he was injured when I first come and Brian Scott the fizio showed me

A bone at come out his ankle with a grafty bone you’re see your say wow but then when he come back in the training pitch you jeez what the it was a m what the couldn’t have get could not get near him he loved around the corner G it back

You couldn’t get the ball off him in the phone box so that’s just standard the footballer and I was saying that most of a lot of our training was the the toos you know 6 V2s and all I was never out in the middle never ever out in Middle

The tempo I just kept giving the ball I was not up to the constantly constantly constantly never out the middle and the tempo and the Speed The One Touch two touch below head heght toos it was rapid it was like pinball and then you would think well and that then you would move

That into a possession you a possession would going into a a small sided game and then come a Saturday it would be all shot quick passing move around the corners and it was it was just a pleasure to play because many a time trust me I’ve been on the other side

Where you’re get a run around and you’re chasing the ball and it’s not nice so to put the Hoops on and nine times out of 10 you know get opposition that kind of runaround it’s it’s very enjoyable you’ve done something that we all wish we done and abolutely talking about fast

Attacking football it leads us nicely just on to a bit more about Brandon John because I’m I’m interested to know your thoughts on it you mentioned it earlier on about him being an elite manager and being here at Celtic and what have you made though of Celtic so far this season

Under Bron cuz is it eight points clear at the moment M yes Ranger got a few in hand couple couple games in hand yeah but we’ve got that lead I think you know had a little bit of a blip in December time quite clearly we came off the back

Of that and really motored on and then kind of accumulated in that Derby victory at the end of December time which was just an amazing day here at Celtic Park and I think it it went to show just where we’re at at this moment that when it comes through those big

Games Brendon knows how to get it done he knows how we get it done he knows how we won a football match uh but as I say Brandon the standard will be in there we’re talking about guys like Kum McGregor you know heing him Scott BR what a football I

Remember his starting off when he was away on loan at KN County because I was just starting sort of going into management and you’re looking about what it just shows you he would get in any top six English Premier yeah clubs never gives the ball away see when you talk to

No disrespect you talk to the a average football punter they don’t understand how hard it is just to control it pass it gives it back control it well no I’m talking about control it so it’s it’s it’s not going away for you I’m talking about passing it with with a Tempo and a

Pass pace and a roll of the ball where even if opponent’s back passes turned you away for the opponent and that’s what Callum does all the time you think he’s got eyes in the back of his head and the team I just think Brandon is a

Man for the job I wish him all the best I love watching his team play even on Saturday against Bucky I was trying to work it out and I don’t know if he would if he meant to do that but the way it worked out was he had two Center halfes

Playing against one Bucky had four across Midfield Brandon had the three in Midfield but the two fullbacks joining in so it’s five so the The Wider ones in the Midfield the Bucky had to match the fullbacks Celtics FBS are playing as Wingers so that gives him a 3v2 in

Midfield against Bucky two in Midfield field so overloads over the pitch the only place who’s not got an overload is the final third but then they’re doing the sides a link up play around the corners we link up place so quick we’re talking about what about but he done something that there

Was a ball somebody passed a ball him in Midfield and it was a bad pass it was up around sort of was height and he sort of took a touch with the inside of his foot with his left foot up and then he hooked it outside his left foot over the still up

There and he just hooked it over the head of the fback for the I think it was a bad that run in there and you’re just sitting yourself wow that just shows you he just knows he’s facing that way but he just knows where it is yeah and

Absolutely he’s added goals to his game yeah yeah double fig and I know I know teams are sniffing about him I know the rumors and all that stuff uh but it’s come out and says your lovees working with Brandon so why not I think he’s a guy that still understands he’s got a

Lot to learn still 22 still 22 and another a couple of years at Celtic he do have no harm and you when you’re talking about professionalism and the standard through the week Matt embodies that I think because you obviously having work here and stuff you have seen

Matt the way that Matt works at you know at lanux town and stuff like that away from even it with the trading pitch he’s a I know I know these days you have to be the 24 and stuff like that Matt is the epitom of that you know we say we’re

Not going to talk about Celtic kind of help but you know you talking about PA Mi day right and I am not old enough to have watched PA Mi Day live and all I’ve had his footage of him but when I see C McGregor now the career he’s had at

Celtic what he embodies for this club it makes me think is Calum our version of Paul M day because he’s one of our own aren’t he he’s one of your own that’s what I’m saying there’s nothing better when you get one coming right through the system right through the academy and

Go on to be the the footballer at callum’s become you know unbelievable really unbel as I say I jump about I all about with John Collins a lot and we’re always talking football we’re always in the golf club moving things about and he’s here and he’s here

And he he had the opportunity obviously being assistant manager here to tell me how car went about his business he says a not just the way the standard that he sets on the training pitch what he demands off his teammates and how this the training goes there’s no messing

About there’s no laughing and joking you know you’re always laugh and joke but in the proper in the way and that set is what we talked about is you you train the way you play Saturday comes easy yeah yeah and um I think this season Mt

We’ve been on here we we’ve raved about certain players and one of the players that we have raved about throughout the season is has been Liam skills and John I’m interested from your point of view as a Defender what have you made of his progress and was on the radio on

Saturday and I was just talking him up saying he been unbelievable unbelievable when the next again minute Celtic got turned over and the big boy but big boy got played in on the shoulder and he’s chasing got played in I his commentator but absolutely fantastic and

That’s D to management as well yeah you can easily go out there and you know and um you can easily go there and say right Celtic needs to go and sign a big name that’s what the Celtic support want and expect but sometimes like myself you

Know I had to win them over but sometimes the Celtic supporters know when you wear your heart on your sleeve and you get everything you’ve got then they they’ll take to you and they’ve certainly done that he’s been absolutely and he’s a good footballer yeah he’s a lefty yeah everybody thinks everybody

Anybody and would does that matter trust me I’m a right center half you play me left side Center half and I’m like a fish up a tree honestly it’s l Play Right Center half and I know my passion I can hit the pass I can play my

Full back I can clip up the line I can reverse it playing on the left hand side you kind of do that so it’s so important to have that balance and he come on loops and Bounds and really really I’m pleased for him yeah definitely um we’re

Going of going to round off just the section in Celtic just before Taylor the fieldb yeah magnificent what an attitude that boy’s got because many of a time every says is he this is he that is he and he’s kept his head done and he just

Lets his football D to talking and under an he moved into that Midfield R you know that inverted fullback and he was very good on the ball um never let you down always available um I was noticing a lot of teams when I see them they play

High ball and he goes in and he takes aack and he get up and he goes on that’s my kind of guy and he take nothing away from him he deserves everything he get him cuz he showed over the years that he’s been here he’s real Celtic yeah see

The amount of times that you see Greg where he’s maybe picked up a nigg in a game you see him hobing a little bit but no point does he ever want to rest and come off the on Saturday had one socks ankle sort of looking at the bench if

They see I’m feeling a c we but I think Brandon just gave him the old die and on he go and never let never I mean to link ever back you know here the mother Game Ear in the season at for Park you know the the crazy game

Where oh of course yeah mat scores about five minutes before that the reason that game went so long is because Greg Taylor got clattered and I mean he’s he’s I thought he was lucky actually to be honest to walk away from it because he’s he’s got a straight leg and the guy

Comes in and his full weight but that’s why there was so much time added you know because of that because Greg was injured got up and then sends the ball in for Greg have played with Brandon the first time Brandon was here no it was H new Lin signs was it new l

So going back to Brandon Brandon’s come in you know and he’s he’s had a look most managers come in and what they want to do is they want to turn it over want to get their own players and and even when Brandon’s coming in I’m saying I

Think there might be one or two players coming in for Leicester and you know cuz he knows the market and he knows what’s going on you’re looking and you’re saying no I’m coming in I’m going to give all these players a chance I’m got to see what they’ve got get the best out

Them and even all the Japanese guys have coming in here and they went and you go I just saying a right good manager that he’s got an overview looking and go these guys know what they’re doing these guys know I no doubt with John Kennedy and W and all these guys here they’ll

Probably say Brandon listen these guys won’t let you do yeah I seen see when I seen uh Celtic against Livingston yeah there was a rumor that you to f up with the fys after the game cuz he wanted to run home it was to 10 men and he’s doing the

Work two guys that’s what that’s what my mate says you say Phil with f was what run home have you did you um come up against Brendan’s teams when he was here before have you spent much time with him before or no I know him I know I’ve met

Him two or three times and uh obviously uh with Tommy bus brand was the Brandon work with Tommy doing yeah ring um it just shows you and all that but great listen I keep talking and all that there’s there’s football clubs with philosophy and the Phil philosophy and

The Celtics reporters are educated right for a way back you have to play real good passing football keep the ball and good ball retention and you know open teams up and all that stuff that’s how you have to have a special manager that’s got that philosophy you cannot

Bring them everybody at their own I’m no knocking and everybody at their own you know everybody but you cannot bring in or you have to be careful if you do bring in a manager that are just a little bit different because if you do you’re not getting success it’s not

Going to work yeah yeah well let’s H let’s move on John and Matt um what we’re going to do is in the second part we’re going to talk about your actual Celtic playing career so what we’ll actually do is we’ll kind of talk about your your playing clear before that when

We get to that part in part two I want to talk a little bit more about your your management CU we’ve spoken a little bit about it there about and vaness and fulker and and getting to the Cup finals as well and you know my memory of when I

First first getting into football that fuler team that you first managed was in the league for a good good Five Seasons or so and when you were in charge um obviously you I think won the first division the first year you were there but then couldn’t come up because of the

Whole issue with brille which was um I think it was M it St what I’ll tell you exactly what happened I went back I mcco was a manager and I MCO we used to play at fer together when Jim Jeff and Billy Brown were the manager great days at

Brookville I’ll say this honest enough to say this that was the best dressing room I’ve been in for camaraderie and team spirit and some of the characters that were in that dressing room some of the stuff went on it was unbelievable absolutely but it was an environment

That Jim and Bully created that you were looking forward to go to your work um and Brockville wasn’t the best so any time you know that old stadium do you remember BR when too young I just remember it yeah the goalkeeper could kick it for box to box and you know it

Was it was great so it was absolutely fantastic but anyway I played with Ian Ian got a job at uh fer I was down at ear United asked me to come back I went back I was 38 at the time still fit still playing away could still sort of

Brockville suited me it wasn’t a big pitch then Ian got the job at done to United and went so on coyo was at the club at the time he was scoring all the goals I was at the back try to organize a defense and he just says listen we

Don’t want canuse to just take it over so me and know the team picked itself because we were winning every week all we done was bring Brian Rice in that I knew from fer and Owen new from M and we brought him in just to look after the

Bench because me and Owen played and that was it the end of the season we won the league and then Owen went to Dunder United We M so I’m saying am I getting a job or no um it was up in the air and everything was going on are we going to

Get promoted to the SPL through the stadium criteria unfortunately it never happened I think it was M well it stayed up it was M well it stayed up so we had to play our football back in the first Division I got a job so you’re saying

Right okay right and this was it flung right into the deep end but I was always sort of prepared for it because i’ done my coaching badges when I was at a I done my bad when I was about 26 you know a few us with f do so I was always

Interested in coaching and all that stuff and I was a captain in most clubs that I played for so you know lad for the front that kind of sort of come on it’s not too hard come on let’s get going so so but then when you get flung

Into the deep end you’re right in there and then you’re not getting that promotion and then the budget at you for it wasn’t there you’ve played with these guys for the year you’re playing your football we ended playing our football at St house M to keep it in the

Community on the astro turf you’ve not got an office you’ve we’ not got a stadium you know it’s jumpers for goal post you’re see yourself wow what a baptism this is and then you’re sort of seeing you played with these guys and you’re saying listen I’m sorry I’ve not

Got any money the budget’s not what we thought it was I’ve not got the money you’re ducking and Diving and wheeling and dealing uh so that first year uh obviously playing in the first Division I think finished fourth and but gave you a teste for and then the next year it

Was the stadium you is right we bilding the stadium and then I put a team together um by Christmas time we were guaranteed to win it the next again year but the criteria still wasn’t made and a good guy a boy um B see right I’ll Finance stand at the

Back of the sand Alexander a forup supporter and he buil a stand at the back in one of the goals that we met the criteria and then we stayed up that was us we got a promotion stayed up I signed Russell ltip what he was a catalyst for

Everything that we done at the club everything that we done at the club he was he didn’t know at the time you know in terms of bringing young kids through you would put him in the young kids team you would play the young kids against

Them and once the young kid sort of says I can handle LA or get that I’m in the same I’m playing in the same team as laap you I’m talking about guys like arfield and scoes and these guys just grew you could see them grow so much so

We had six kids in the Scotland under 21 team and I was at F unbelievable yeah go to the Scottish Cup final two League Cup semi-finals and kept them in the SPL for five years it was there AR left to go to hibs and it’s no di since take is that

Blowing my own trumpet you’re allow to exactly he does all um just go back a step there she when when you sign uh Lae do you envisage that that’s the impact that he’ll have on the club as a whole you flung a uh we spanner and worked

Late last night you say oh by the way pick your best Celtic a living at you played with managed or managed again you gave me a we bit L obviously Celtic if there was a player I could pick it’s never been involved with Celtic we got a game on that team be Russell

L Dano and all these guys we’re talking about Paul Mi day laap was technically probably up there honestly know people say oh how can you see that L he played for f and all that stuff I get all that there must have been someone in his makeup that stopped him

Going right to the top but don’t forget Lau played for for Porto Porto against oh Sor European Cup semi-final yeah it was laap and Emerson in the Midfield the tap running the show that Sor team was the the proper soram got to cut fin cut you know it what the reason

I’m saying that I seen him doing H I seen him catch a ball once on his chest on the back he said back he like on a training pitch my chairman at the time was L and I’m standing I see that every day I see used to not make me when I

Played with him at H every day come that way come back that way Left Foot Right Foot is you wouldn’t know what one and I seen a h um Dwight York talking about his best oldtime Manchester United players and he says he same if there was

Another one that could put he was a genius he was a nightmare to manage but not in a bad way he he was like a a diano kind of guy everything he done was for the greater good all that Russ chance not taking Boys on Saturday we a

L of Portuguese guys and Russ helped to bring them over Russell any chance and then you would say right come on boys Russell Russell another Boys in toil having a f before the game I can remember we come out here we played once and got a corner and it come out and

Russell had it on the edge of the box and it got for and it was big Bobo Baldi chasing him him and Russell was doing all this and he’s turning and the shoot big B honestly Big B just went and just run away left him just I’m not going

Near that and just he was a genius a genius who a footballer let’s say a flawed genius yeah it was some f team during that time that you were there I remember the time you beat us here at Cela Park in the league cup I think it

Was in penalties um we had some brilliant players you mentioned some of them there you know guys we know here in terms of stok tell story because we talk the gaffer Tommy Burns who I know had a real profound effect on me but I’ll tell the story now what we’re at this Gordon

St was a manager of Celtic at the time and I lik to we white and white so we s say to Celtic were wearing white socks so when Celtic turn up we changed for no one so it kicked off away but I was keeping chipper Brian Rice was in it so

Him and Gordon had a we Tiff that anyway I don’t know how we finished one0 so after the game I was in then I went to do my press so when I come back in this is the quality of the man he told me B so when I come back

In you would imagine when the stadium got back got bu it wasn’t it was right the office is the last thing so it was the smallest office you and the the desk was right against the wall with my chair and it was probably two we sofas that

You could get your guests on you know so it was and so I just come in thinking right okay I better watch what I’m doing come in here who’s sitting behind my desk with his feet up on the desk on his te the gaer Tom me once all right y the

Rest of the atmosphere was a we B oh you know because Gordon was raging we got to draw and all the carry on and all that so it wasn’t it so they didn’t stay too long and he’s just sitting back you know the sting back and he had that in him

You know just sitting back in there just listening and laughing right time to go so they all leave and we were very good that day we were really good so right they all leave so we were saying what you think this is see minute later bang

On the door door opens po so by the way he’s looking about he’s were different class keep that style of football up that’s the kind of guy class F you know gracious in in defeat it just show you it just shows you about Tommy the when we have a a Celtic

Section and then touched a bit on F there as saying was it really good team even some of the L you had remember Casper and Tim I our recruitment was great Casper schich and I I was saying that I see Joe heart save on Saturday

But it’s a big one seen that with Casper must have come with his old man so Casper come up done brilliant then Tim KW after that as I say arfield scobby all went on to have a great career five kids and all that time um I think never

Never once out the budget and all my time in football I’ve spent 250 Grand and 130 Grand of that was on sty when I signed him from Sunderland to hips when I was manager of hips that was that was the other ones the other three players is Dean

Holden um s him from peterb 30 grand Alan G tribuno from a 50 Grand and John Stewart I think it was 30 40 Grand John Stewart from Aline so we were but we were we were constantly that’s one thing Jim Jeff and Billy Brown every Tuesday they would be in the

And were way down south and if you look at the players that come at for when I played at the time at Brockville you’re talking about like Kevin mallister a legend at F Chelsea crunchy Chelsea Joel mclin was going there was rumor he was got to come to Celtic went down to

Chelsea Chelsea Captain Simon stainrod Tommy McQueen you’re talking about Tommy McQueen left back for West Ham Brian Rice Nots Forest yeah and you’re talking about then Morris Johnston when you move on Simon St Simon St was going to s for Barcelona when Terry venos had what way

On at Queens par Rangers Terry venos Simon St I think he got capped might have got capped for England Simon what these so what I’m trying to see is we and Jim Jeff and Billy Brown were constantly do South looking at Players so when we got the job and me

And chipper were in it we were constantly constantly doing self every Tuesday we thought that was an nor that’s what everybody had done so much so we were doing it Manchester United that much we were basically in the dressing room with Ricky spy and Brian

Mcir cuz we were do we got to know them that much watching them all watching them all and that’s how you get them cuz these guys know you’re doing they’re doing your work it’s no a woman a player for any chance any chance you’re doing there doing your and that’s where Casper

Come up I can remember it what we’re doing watching it and all the scouts leave all the scouts leave to go away and chipper right come home we better get down the road 3our drive back back up the road and says no cuz we were doing that and we had something about

800 quid in our pocket cuz we used to run the budget and says no he says what do you mean I says uh you played with piery Stuart Pierce in Forest he says I I say you’re going in after the game and You’ got Cher right off Cher his brass

Bang on the door oh how you doing Brian she I’ll let you know the morning’s morning she we’ve only got to under quit money is not a problem he needs to play football yeah and I’ll credit Casper game morning he was up there boom deal done that’s fascinating that the work

That goes on is absolutely fantasticly these and another one we uh we we got a few players from arold through Liam Brady right Anthony SS well the first one is a we boy we midfielder we Irish midfielder called Patrick Craig right we Craig and his sidekick was oono

Steven oono and they come com as a two ball uh two Irish boys I think the two of them are managing now over in Ireland I think they are there will be anyway long story so we got the two and then we played Celtic here and we beat

Them in the cup League Cup we beat them on penalties penalties yeah and Liam Brady was at the game and after the game Liam Brady come down and says the sty football give me a phone I’ve got one or two other for you and we got another one

We got one called H gram Barett who was probably potentially the best in them all but had a knee problem his knee got knocked out and we had to sort of rehab him but he he was you could tell and then stoky come along boy Bradley come

Along Mark hover the goalkeeper so just because he the sty of football and the way we looked after them we uh Liam sort of says listen like that’s it and the boys obviously the boys were talking sh proper football yeah proper football yeah I just want to touch on a few more

Of the the players that you you worked with at your other clubs as well that have connections here at Celtic par maybe some of the fans might want to hear some stories about and of course after your time at F you you mov to hibs again finished fourth That season

Playing some great football and you had two guys up front and dere Ren and Anthony stok great Celtic Park as well I mean two great Strikers to have up front you scored baratt loads of goals but I imagine it must have been a difficult to

Deal with as a manager as well no e stoky stoky was a handful you have to keep your eye on Stokes uh Derek was easy Derek was easy he just Derek never gave me a one bit of problem don’t forget when I was a player Derek was a

Kid yeah of course so when I was there and the captain of the club there’s a great story The the kids used to all the all the the pr she used to clean the boots in the bootroom as she just fly and turn the light off and it was a

Freefor all and everybody everybody’s in there or corner or Conor RI and all these guys and then and as the weeks went by all the kids would say come on get and I oh but what you’re doing you’re bilding up with a real Spirit amongst them because then you would go

And watch him play and say listen you you need to get stuck in you can what I mean you’re playing for HS and you a small party you were sort of try to help them along there but Derek was never ever a problem H for me what a fantastic

Footballer wasn’t the hardest working guy in the world U didn’t he want I used to see Derek I’ll give you Monday Monday off if I see you running 30 yards slight tackling and coming away with the ball see serious I say you do that for me I’ll give you I’ll always give you

Monday off but you B your team around yeah what Derek couldn’t do because you you knew he was a great out of possession so you made sure that you play the system that if we got a turnover you could get a Derek you get Derek or stoy in that matter in the top

Half of the pitch nine times at the 10 was in the back the net stoy Derek and big Nish I think big Nish chipped in with 12 he scored 52 goals between them the next again year uh hibs I don’t think the whole team scored 52 goals yeah that was

Incredible I you know see with Dereck Ryan I remember when he signed it was 2006 and I was so excited about him signing and I was really really gutted it and never properly really worked for him here because you know John the talent he had left foot and right foot

Free kicks like one of the best strikers of a ball you probably saw in Scotland during that time I was really gut it didn’t work out and you’re talking to two probably the two of them you know they from Stokes of you know the the hardworking housing Estates you know the

Schemes you know Derek I think dereck’s from mhus through in Edinburgh and then stoky obviously you know and it just shows you the desire and the hunger you know playing football in the street you know you don’t see that playing you’re sort how do you learn all that um you

Know and playing football in the street and that’s what it was even you know these guys but to get the two of them and at that time you’re yourself wow I think stoky scored 22 goals that year yeah 22 goals The Following Season yeah Following season and the thing about it

Was it was always going to Celtic I knew the and it just shows you how football works I knew it was on the cards it was on the table my disappointment it got done the last day of the window so when STS went out that was me I had nothing

At I was it should have been done so gave me a chance we had a try list in it HS at the time he says well we took a chance on the triy list um and that was a little bit disappointing but another one I don’t know what it is with Derek

Or stoky or their character Mar character I take to these guys These Guys these guys a got a we bit Rogue about them you s say yourself a understand it see you talk about that kind of the the upbringing of football you know they take it serious because

It’s they’ve come up a kind of harder pathway do you think there a you know you an argument that you know that what you say you got an argument in that cuz everybody will say because you say when we all play football in the street to

The lights went you went to ball in the morning you’re seeing um and you learn we played I played for you would the only reason you would join a boys Brigade cuz you got to give me football so you join a boys Brigade um you would

Play for your school side in the morning you play for your club team uh even in the afternoon or the next again day and it was all that and it was constantly football nowadays if you’re doing that or you know they’re playing too much football you protect them and I get it I

Get everybody’s argument but never done us any good never done us any bad you know it was absolutely fantastic I’m sitting here talking about my career and talking about and we’re coming on to the Celtic and my management I’m going to tell you something right now I would get

The whole lot up everything up to start again as a as a 10-year-old kid I loved every minute every single minute the hard time the injuries the bad times getting beat picking yourself up the disappointments no making a grade proving people wrong I loved every minute and being in that dress room

Where you were in an environment where you could be yourself the laughs and a carry all and and the jokes and obviously the Morris Johnston w at fart where the street Morris John quite famous for I don’t don’t think you could get away that’s some of the stuff and if

You look at that everybody if you look very very closely I i’ done that closely go listen one other player John before we wrap up this section of part one and then we get into the Celtics stuff that I wanted to ask about we we mentioned about and vess your time there

But Ryan Christie who you had there obviously comes to us after that goes in L abine then really kicks on with Celtic he’s now playing I think Center defensive mid at Bourn mous and ripping up in the Prem League how good was he at that Ag and did you always know he was

Going to he was going to the story about Ryan Christ always knew Charlie Charlie was up there Charlie and the mother H and his mom’s got everything to they’re the ones that brought him up but the reason I said that before I go in the football said you you couldn’t have come

Up against a better uh human being absolutely fantastic absolutely fantastic I’ll just give you a we cave to that when I took him into the first team he still changed way his mates all his kids she all the apprentices didn’t want to move into the first team pig

That just humble humble boy so The Story Goes I went up to and vaness never knew anything about Ryan Christie but I wanted to see what was in the kids I got lucky because when I was at Celtic there was a boy at uh was an apprentice here called Scott

Ker um and big pot went to hibs and know all these guys were all the kids uh Paul Duan all these guys they were all the kids when I was here and I got to know KS well so when I went up there in

Vaness I already knew KS and then I S as KS took the kids and I just right so right so stand back as I say overview see what needs done and I say to kill go and train the kids in the afternoon to come and see I think I’ve got one or two

It might do you so we’ll train him in the afternoon two minutes I just he’s with the first te honestly if you’re a football guy you know your stuff you just you know you’re sitting watching games and I can watch nothing going on in a game and all a sudden talking

You’re saying he’s not even watching a game you might be scoping it all a sudden somebody just go you go oh who’s that yeah they just do something different R Christ was not meing people and I just oh he was the first team he was the first team he TR me the first

Team that week next again week he was in the first team never come out it had to protect him a little bit uh cins John was here say John I’ve got a star I’ve got a star John’s right okay um I say you need you need to get a

Look at him need to get a look at him and then I said just let him progress right we’ll keep an ey keep me post if anybody else comes in for him always kept Charlie and sort of rying upd and listen Celtic Celtic Celtic and I can

Remember I don’t know if I can say this really we come to Celtic Park and Celtic was coming a time it was really heavy on it Celtic were after him and I say to Ryan I picked the te I said Ryan I’m not going to start you and he was gutted I

Said I tell you what I’m got to do with you no matter what the score is you’re going on at half time and I want you to go in there and put on an exhibition and a performance at that cannot say no I don’t know if you could have done it for

90 minutes when you’re chasing a game and your backs against the walls so was probably done a weird bit as I say a manager sort of doing a my turn there it come on half time I think they score finished 4-2 I think we scored two goals

Yeah Ryan scored I think Ryan scored he did yeah they come on and come in after and went in to see Ronnie after the game and John and John says I say Ronnie seen it for yourself and I think the next game we we they do was done but one of

These guys as a coach and as a manager you’re wanting the best for them because the way he conduct himself in the way train you and listen I’ve talked about the guys that I had up at and vaness and guy like Richie forign as well yeah never really played was

Injured all the time but run his dring room real good and uh so when Ryan come in and went on a first te training pitch and the CH my training changed it was all small sided you know uh possession giv goals you know that where never give him a free kick never

Or games guys were Play on Play On and we just got and go play on play on all you’re doing is toughing them up toughing them up and just just used to start laughing got used to it but the players looked after them the players looked after them and they knew they had

A star in the team and you I take great pride and even now she playing in an English Prem John we are going to take a little break now I think we’ we’ve covered lot there and we’re going to end say say goodbye to to part one um if you’re

Watching us listening to this next week part two is going to come out which we’re about to get into we’re going to talk all about your Celtic playing career and we’re going to get that 1 to 11 so that’s definitely one you do not want to miss um but if you’re listening

Then make sure you’re subscribing to the official Celtic FC podcast so you don’t miss this episode next week we’re going to take a little break and we’ll be back very very shortly