Former Celtic defender Rudi Vata says that the appointment of Tommy Burns as manager in 1994 was the moment the paradigm shifted in Scottish football.
The Albanian was part of the squad under Burns’ that won the 1995 Scottish Cup, the first trophy Celtic had won in six years.
And Vata believes that the blueprint left by Burns’ is what catapulted Celtic into their era of dominance.
Speaking exclusively on SNN Sports Football Voices, he said: “Tommy was all about Celtic, he knew Celtic better than anybody else.
“All he wanted was the ball on the ground, keep the ball, possession, and that was something that started to click with everybody.
“Tommy was the key moment for Celtic to change that situation and go towards better things. I believe that was the key moment for Celtic.”
Vata came to Glasgow in 1993 under Liam Brady and initially struggled for game time under Burns.
However, he would eventually break into the team and become a key part of Burns’ system up until leaving for Apollon Limassol in 1996.
“At the beginning, he didn’t like me because he had different ideas.
“Later on you realise, every manager wants to have his own team and build it up with his own ideas with the players he thinks can become successful.
“What I did, instead of complaining, and instead of crying about it, I went and hammered myself and after two or three months, Billy Stark [Burns’ assistant] asks me to see him [Burns] in his office and he says ‘you know you are going to play tomorrow night?’
“He didn’t like me and my skills, but he seen that I hadn’t given up.
“Even after I left Celtic, he became Reading manager and wanted me to go sign for Reading.”
Burns’ would lead Celtic to their first trophy in six years when they defeated Airdrieonians in the Scottish Cup Final in 1995 1-0.
This made Vata the first Albanian to win a major trophy in Western Europe, an accomplishment Vata holds in the highest of regard.
“I don’t know what kind of feeling it is to win the World Cup, but for me as an Albanian, I was the first Albanian ever to win a trophy in the Western world.
“To be first for me was like paradise.
“It maybe looks a small achievement now but in 1995, it was the whole world for me.
“When we went to Celtic Park, the fans where out there because it was a fair distance that we didn’t win a trophy for.”
The full episode of SNN Sports Football Voices with Rudi Vata is available NOW on Spotify and YouTube, where you can listen to extra Tommy Burns stories and much more.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/awqZIiTy-w8?si=OxzRsVXIl68BtLeq
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3JNxLaM28S0GBhLeej7h6C?si=7246f2682f0c4cfa
