Opinion: A tribute to Wim Jansen, a Celtic legend forever

The sad news that former Celtic manager Wim Jansen has died at the age of 75, will obviously bring back memories of the Dutchman’s sole season in charge of the Hoops, when he won one of the most important titles in club history.

Jansen took charge of the Hoops in season 1997/98, with the club looking to stop rivals Rangers from winning a tenth title in a row, beating Celtic’s record of nine in a row.

The Bhoys didn’t look favourites to win the league after two defeats from the club’s first two league games of the season. But slowly but surely, the Hoops managed to get into the title race, helped by a memorable 2-0 win over Rangers in January 1998.

With the likes of Henrik Larsson, Paul Lambert and Craig Burley in great form, the Hoops eventually went top of the league, and clinched the title in May 1998 in a 2-0 win over St Johnstone on a never to be forgotten day at Celtic Park.

Jansen and assistant Murdo MacLeod left the Hoops at the end of the season, but what an impression he made, winning a league title and a League Cup double in his only season in Glasgow.

Winning the title was so important to Celtic, as it put the club back where it belongs at the top of Scottish football.

It shouldn’t be forgotten either than Jansen signed key players for the Hoops in his time. Craig Burley and Paul Lambert were a fine midfield pairing, whist Jonathan Gould was solid in goals and Marc Rieper was a fine centre-back.

The main signing that needs to be discussed is Henrik Larsson. The striker joined the Hoops from Feyenoord in the summer of 1997, and left seven years later as one of the biggest legends in Celtic history.

 If it wasn’t for Jansen, Henrik Larsson would not have ben a Celtic, and just imagine how different the club