EUROPE’S premier club competition has changed a bit since Jim Craig and his fellow Lisbon Lions got their hands on the trophy which one commentator famously described as “16 pounds of solid silver that’s worth its weight in gold.”
In a Champions League set-up which sees the rich get richer, Celtic are veritable paupers at the party when compared to the might of some of Europe’s financial big hitters.
“The money in Europe is ridiculous now, it’s a bottomless pit,” said Craig, ahead of Celtic’s encounter with Bayern Munich tomorrow night.
“And if you’re a multi-millionaire you won’t invest in Scottish football because the rewards aren’t very high.”
After the sobering 5-0 walloping against PSG, the 3-0 win in Anderlecht was a timely tonic for Celtic. “I’m really hopeful Celtic get to the next stage and it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility,” added Craig. “They had their bad night against PSG.”
Brendan Rodgers is the manager of the moment as far as the Scottish game is concerned and with the national side currently on the look-out for a new man at the helm, it was hardly surprising that his name cropped up.
“If he felt he was up for it I’d have no qualms about saying, ‘Yes’,” said Craig. “He picks players who are on form which not every manager does.
“The two form players in Scotland right now are Leigh Griffiths and Callum McGregor. Just think, if wee Gordon [Strachan] picked McGregor then things might have been different.
“Big Jock combined both jobs in 1965 but it’s a different generation, although I think he [Rodgers] could do it.”
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