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Title: On Target
Release Date: Summer 1996
Review By: Beyemystic, August 2010
Tommy Burns, in the first interview segment, stressed that despite finishing empty-handed his team had succeeded in restoring "the buzz, for want of a better word." Later Fergus McCann appeared, delivering some fairly dull businesspeak enlivened by his strange Scots-Canadian accent. The gist of this was that the new ground was taking shape and that he understood perfectly the supporters' demands – being one himself.
Following the tried and tested format, the interview segments were spliced with match-action, the quality of which was undeniably far above average that season.
The footage shows that an unmistakeable feature of the campaign was the brilliance of John Collins. Perhaps subsequent events (namely him clearing off when he was most needed) dulled the memory, but that season at least he was outstanding. Whether out on the left or cutting in and going through the middle he glided intelligently and carried a real goal threat. He and van Hooijdonk standing over free-kicks generated a buzz (sorry) never really replicated until Lubo and Thompson combined a few years later.
One interesting clip is of Phil O'Donnell hitting the winner against Motherwell in September '95. Cutting to interview, Phil euphemistically described the "wee bit of stick" he had received throughout from the family club's cuddly support.
Another part relates to the enforced winter shut-down around Christmas. Burns and Willie McStay invited over a coach from Ajax's famed academy, to pick up some pointers from the Dutch club who had won that year's Champions League with a young, mostly home-grown team. Willie was interviewed in front of Celtic's youth corps charging about at Barrowfield. Sad to say, there proved to be no budding Kluiverts or Seedorfs among them – Paddy Kelly got a move to Newcastle which never really worked out and a handful still play in the juniors. Marc Anthony is still kicking a ball about in Australia.
The rest of the action and goals follows thick and fast, although the mauling by Paris St Germain and cup defeats by Rangers are skirted over. The dance music backing track, spinning camera angles and zany colour effects now appear both unnecessary and quite dated, although it is generally possible to tell what is going on.
Brian McLaughlin looked better than perhaps his legacy would suggest – tearing at defenders and scoring a few great goals. The partnership between McNamara and Donnelly down the right got plenty of attention – with Burns milking the plaudits for sticking Donnelly out on the wing. The contribution of jobbing journeymen John Hughes and Tosh McKinlay was also touched upon, while even Gordon Marshall enjoyed a solid season between the sticks.
One segment showed Burns imparting some advice to his gathered players at training: "I want the strikers close together, not one there and one 70 yards away." At this the camera cuts to Andreas Thom, whose expression was decidedly sheepish. There is no doubting Thom was a consummate pro but five league goals that season was an inadequate return. Especially since in the 3-3 game at Ibrox he opened the scoring with a thunderbolt that reduced fatso to a spectator and almost dislodged the net. Why couldn't he do it more often?
Having said that he laid on a few for van Hooijdonk who grabbed over 30 goals. Watching them again it is surprising how many were volleys or half-volleys struck when he was in the act of being fouled or tripping over. Still, another fine player unfortunate to end up with nothing that season.
The Cadete registration saga is referred to in passing by Burns, who has an appreciable glint of anger in his eyes.
The broadcast ended with accounts of the capture of Alan Stubbs and Paulo Di Canio, and the high hopes for the 1996/97 season ahead.
Product Details
Production Year 1996
Running Time 70mins
Release Date 1996
Catalogue Number To be completed
Studio Fremantle Entertainment
Alternative cover
