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Interesting to note that of the 16 teams contesting the last 16 of the Champions League, 8 were national Champions.
Following Liverpool's win last night only the Champions of England (Man U) and Turkey (Fenerbache) remain in the tournament.
We were beaten by a better side last week but it was no disgrace when you see who else failed to qualify for the quarter finals:
Porto (Champions Portugal)
Real Madrid (Champions Spain)
Lyon (Champions France)
Internazionale (Champions Italy)
Olympiacos (Champions Greece)
Sevilla (3rd Spain)
Milan (4th Italy)
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I'll go on record just now to say that Man Utd will take it this year.
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While I would prefer to see Barcelona winning (bragging rights of being able to say we were beaten by champions 2 years in a row) I think you might be right.
Very quiet here today. Everyone working?
Oops, I knew there was something I was supposed to do today...
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Paul, don't know if you saw my last submission on the tail-end of the last thread, so I'll ask again.
When's the big flit 'cos this blogger garbage has seen its day IMHO.
pablophanque
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Paul I can see Liverpool winning it again
their champions league mentality is amazing
keek in the EPL, amazing in the CL
Ewardursus
I tried to ask you a question in the previous blog, but dont think it worked
see at Ibrox when you get a corner, what are most of the fans singing
i am sure it is UVF, UVF, UVF,
can you confirm please what this is?
If it is as i think, what are your thoughts on this?
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try again.... flippin blogger!!!
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Ach Paul…
Champions League Shmampions League.
What about the important stuff tonight? :-)
I reckon Aiden has earned a rest.
So how does Robson, Hartly, Sno, Naka with the two big men up front sound to the rest of you guys?
AintManagementEasy.csc
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Danny
Still not rec'd ant emails.
undefined.celticlover@gmail.com
Cheers
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Maybe having 4 English teams in the Semis would cause UEFA to have a rethink about the bias towards the big leagues.
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celtic_lover
I'll try again. Third time lucky.
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StevieS, I'd go with that. But I'd also have D O'D beside GC as I think Mick needs a rest as well. I think this is BR's game tonight. Nuttin' like cementing your commitment to your cause and to your new employers by turning over your old ones !
pablophanque
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I would give Brown and Sno a run out in Centre Mid with the hope being that Sno will be the "holding" midfielder allowing Brown to make the gut busting runs into the box to get a couple of goals.
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StevieS,
Evander showed enough at Pittodrie to merit anther start, so I reckon it will be the same starting 11 as Sunday with one change only, Brown in for Hartley.
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Pablo, the big flit has been discussed already this morning. I reckon it will be a couple of weeks, maybe less.
StevieS, I have an article for tonight cooking at the moment.
Interesting point about Aiden. Give him a rest and freshen him up for Ibrox. But, are we sure of the points tonight?
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Paul,
Yep. We are sure. :-)
Guys, I’ve done something REALLY BAD…. I just clicked on a link to a Daily Record story.
Sorry for this, but it REALLY made me laugh out loud.
“The bullish Celtic manager roared "bring it on" when he spoke about the possibility of a do-or-die match with archrivals”
Then just a few lines later, what ACTUALLY happened…
“The Celtic boss said: "I've never really thought about it to be honest but if it's still neck and neck bring it on. I think everybody will enjoy that”
Honestly! One author. One story. Why do their bosses allow them to make such fools of themselves so frequently?
StillLaughing(seriously!).csc
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Sorry what am I talking about - 2 changes - LN will be back in for DoD
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For my tuppence worth I think Aiden should continue to start. He didn't have one of his better games on Sunday but he remains a threat to any team.
Last time back in December when we were in this position of playing league games whilst the dark ones were otherwise engaged we made a complete hash of it and instead of taking a strong lead in the league we handed them a gift.
Those games against Hibs, Caley Thistle and St Mirren have meant we have been playing catch-up ever since.
To me we need our strongest team to secure the points and that means Aiden being on the park.
It would be nice to win in style tonight but as long as we score one more than them it doesn't matter about the performance.
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StevieS
Most of their (and other "old" media) stories are like this.
At least this time they actually bothered to put the quote in context. Often this doesn't happen or they leave out parts of an interview altogether.
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If it's in DBBIA's favourite point of reference then it must be true !!!???
From Celticmindd.com
Hugh Bonkle From Dallas
pablophanque
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celticlover
If you can confirm if you get my mail, if not I'll post my address.
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My favourite point of reference is 'The Big Book of Correct Spelling for Bhoys', which I won in P7.
Was that game [ Hugh Dallas' Finest Hour] played in the evening?
I seem to recall it kicked off[ in more ways than one] after lunch.
What is a 'post -rocker'? Is rock over and I missed it?
No one tells me anything.
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Kent yeh'd be lurkin' :o))))
Off to be "Inducted !!" Oooo Errr
pablophanque
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DBBIA
The Hugh Dallas game kicked off at 18.05 on the May Day bank holiday Sunday. I mind it was a hot balmy night and many, many vodkas had been taken in the Greenock CSC that day!
All it needed was some biased refereeing in a match of that importance to lead to the bother we saw.
Not sure I can make it to that Carlisle game on Easter Monday now mate. It's Mrs bananas birthday and she was none to pleased as she's taken the day off work. Another time for sure as they bhoys were well up for it!
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Porridge- thanks for jogging the ould memory.
Tell Mrs Bananas that Carlisle is like a cross between Milan and Rodeo Drive when it comes to shopping ;~).
I'll have to find out if excellent CQNer Kevtic is coming along.
If not this season, but maybe next season in the Championship, D.V.
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Maybe Mrs Bananas would like to see the starlings at Gretna Green for her birthday.
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It hasn't been advertised anywhere, but does anyone know if the game is on any ... errr ... foreign channels tonight?
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marktim
It's NOT on PolSat. I'm not sure about any others.
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Further to Mort's opening post...
Now that we know all of the Champions League quarter finalists, we should look at Celtic's abject performance in this year's competition. In order to do this I will look at all the teams that fell at the "round of 16" hurdle, listing their respective achievements in recent years...
AC MILAN: Current World Club Champions and European Champions League holders. European Champions League winners in 2003 and runners-up in 2005.
INTER MILAN: Italian League Champions for the last two years and current Italian League leaders. Italian Cup winners in 2 of the last 3 years and runners-up in the other one of those years.
REAL MADRID: European Champions League winners in 2000 and 2002. Current Spanish League Champions and current Spanish League leaders.
SEVILLA: Current UEFA Cup holders, having won the competition in each of the last 2 years, and current holders of the Spanish Cup.
PORTO: European Champions League winners in 2004 and UEFA Cup winners in 2003. Portuguese League Champions in 4 of the last 5 years and current Portuguese League leaders, 14 points clear at the top. Twice Portuguese Cup winners and once runners-up in the last 4 years.
LYON: French League Champions for the last six years in a row and current French League leaders.
OLYMPIAKOS: Greek League Champions in 10 of the last 11 years and Greek Cup winners in 2 of the last 3 years.
CELTIC: Scottish League Champions 5 times and Scottish Cup winners 4 times in the last seven years.
There is a grand total of eight European Trophies (and one runner-up) and a World Club Championship amongst the above, as well as the most recent, and likely next, winners of Europe's strongest two league championships outside of England. And the teams from countries other than Italy and Spain have been totally dominant domestically for many years.
All in all, I think we are in pretty impressive company in having only reached the last 16 of the Champions League once again. We have achieved as much in European terms as a lot of much bigger, much richer, much more accomplished teams than ourselves.
So let's give credit where it's due, and not be too self critical. Let us knuckle down and make sure we support and inspire our team to another Scottish League and Cup double and (hopefully) automatic qualification for next years Champions League group stages. And perhaps, with a slightly kinder draw, we can achieve even greater success next season.
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MarkTim, if the weather up there is anything like it is in Yorkshire today, then there has to be a pretty strong likelihood that the game won't be n at all tonight!
If this wind presents itself at Celtic Park the roof might be raised without anyone even being in the stadium!
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Morning everyone...
Just received sad news from home, that a dear friend and Celtic Lady has passed away.
Margret Taylor, ''Bellshill bus'' A dear Friend of mine and my family,
Margret went out of her way to get me a Programme from the UEFA Cup final and sent it down to OZ for me.
My thoughts and prayers are with Margret's family and Friends at this time.
o1bhoy
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Update on former Rangers director Dave King and his battles with the SA tax authorities:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200803120456.html
1 pound = about 16 SA rands
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My worry here is that a average Liverpool side won the European Cup without a centre forward. An average Liverpool side now have a sensation up front, what a wonderful player Fernando Torres is!
From a footballing perspective I'm praying for two all English ties. Within that, I can't stomach another Chelsea / Liverpool battle so I'm going to look for Chelsea vs Manchester United and Liverpool vs Arsenal. The dream Semi Final Line up is Barca, Man Utd, Arsenal and Roma (an attacking Italian team).
A point worth noting for those who exclaim 'the last 16 is the limit of Celtic's achievement'. Neither Shcalke or Fenerbache would leave Celtic Park without receiving a good hiding, we're at their level - simply, they got the luck of the draw and took advantage.
I'd rather rest McGeady at the Aquapark on Saturday than tonight.
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thismancraig ,
Going by the pictures the aquapark or Paddy field which is otherwise known as Fir park , it looks as if our game will be called off on saturday.
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Ah, next season. The powers-that-be are, I suspect, dreading the end of the current season. For then, they have the almighty task of convincing the punters that they should renew their season tickets, a vital source of income to the club.
They are not assisted in this process by the amateurish manner in which the SPL is run. Is the plight of Gretna a major surprise to anyone at SPL hq ? With a population numbering near 5,000, just how many did the administration reckon would travel to Fir Park every 2nd week? The solution was obvious last May - no stadium, no promotion. In that event, the Perth men would be in the SPL this season. I am not suggesting that they would be anywhere other than the bottom of the table but at least the threat of postponements would be alleviated. Whatsmore, Fir Park would have ample recovery period. This is not rocket science nor does one need a crystal ball to have predicted the farce this season.
My point is that the shoddy nature of operations will inevitably lead to some saying "its no' worth it" when it comes to renewal. What with games being cancelled left right and centre, there is a degree of sympathy for that view.
Scottish football as a whole is under the cosh financially. This can only impact to the detriment of Celtic. We don't want apologies (this is unlikely in any event - we will be given the "extraordinary weather conditions" excuse), we want efficient and proper organisation.
The fairytale of Gretna has turned into a nightmare. But it is a nightmare for everyone else and a foreseeable one at that.
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bigchipsuk,
surely you mean 2 runners up. Milan CL in 2005 and Celtic UEFA in 2003.
Mort
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Apologies, the 2001 census posts Gretna's population at 2,701.
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Can anyone within the vicinity of Celtic Park give a weather update and the forecast for tonight.
We had violent storms last night in west Donegal, but the wind is easing now.
I think that the storm is headed in a south-east direction, which may skip the West of Scotland and hit the north of England. Look out in Carlisle!
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Thom the Thim
I can see Celtic Park, Hampden and Ibrox from my office window...
At the moment, it's blue skies to the east, dark clouds to the south and grey skies to the west. Tells a story that I think :-)
I see J O'Brien is allowed to turn out against us tonight, strange one that.
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Thom the Thim, I think we already have it in Yorkshire.
Mort, thanks for pointing that out. You are of course absolutely correct. But as I was trying to highlight the achievements of Celtic's CL peers, I overlooked our own European accomplishment.
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malceye,
Notwithstanding their proven incompetence since it was formed, but I truly think that this season the main concern within the SPL was to secure the survival of RFC and not Gretna or any other club.
As you pointed out, it was not exactly advanced physics to forecast the problems facing Gretna, nor the viability of Fir Park to withstand weekly competition. As far as I'm aware, SPL clubs have to use alternative grounds for their reserve fixtures in order to protect the surfaces.
It was obvious from the publishing of the fixture lists as to where the priorities for this season lay, with us not meeting them until they had a chance to bed in their new players. I don't have to catalogue the other factors ,as they are well known to everybody, suffice to say that when they started to grant postponements ad hoc, they started the ball rolling towards the farce we are in just know.
The fixture list is completely out of control and it is exacerbated by the ridiculous split.
You are also correct in saying that many people will just throw their bunnet at it and vote with their feet.
That may also apply to recruiting any worthwhile players.
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Cue the much-missed[?] shipping forecast:
Rockall Malin:
Northwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 6 to gale 8, backing southwest for a time.
High becoming very rough.
Squally showers. Poor becoming moderate or good.
Any Celts travelling from Ireland by boat[ if the boats are on] may be advised to stock up on the Marzine.
It was breezy here last night but the worst seems to have blown over.
Soft Southerners in Yorkshire might get excited but we're not;~@
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TMC
Can you also see Ross Hall? Could be handy in the summer.
If the storm has hit Yorkshire, then Glasgow should be OK for tonight. Let's create our own.
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Thom,
Don't know about Celtic Park, but currently we got blue skies and winds here in ML1. This is after rain earlier this morning. But more clouds in the area, rain wont be far away again.
I assume that Celtic Park won't be much different as it's no that far away (approx 10 miles).
Re. The CL, you raise a good point Paul and one that could impact heavily on Celtic.
I hope that Man Utd win it - not that I am a closet red or anything like that, just that I bet them at 8/1 earlier in the season!
I now have additional incentive for wanting this to be the case.
Like you I don't think Barca have the strength in defence to win the CL (as I stated previously on here) but would also be fairly content if they won it, if only for the "it took the CL Champions to KO us ...again!" small consolation that it is.
The team to be wary of is Chelsea IMO, they are quietly building up momentum in both CL and the EPL. However, I would not discount them finishing 2nd in the EPL as both gooners and man yoo have to go to Stamford bridge, where Chelski have a fanatstic record in the EPL. Have to admit though, the thought of Chelski winning the CL....arrrgh! that would nearly be as bad as the orcs winning the Uefa Cup this year.
OMGG, I can't leave it like that.... get the strongest team out tonight as we MUST get the 3 points. Time to pile on the pressure Celtic, we know the cracks as appearing.
Win tonight, win saturday (weather permitting of course!) and watch them stumble.
Onwards to 3IAR!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
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If the game is beyond doubt early on I would like to see Celtic going for lots of goals as poorer goal difference has cost us in the past.
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still can't belive the comments by Kevin Galolagher in the Daily Telegraph and how they put a positive spin on it, can you imagine had that been our "Gord". Still what do you expect.
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Tom the Thim
I share your views re: the dark forces. However, such 'conspiracy' theories will cut no ice. My point is that someone should be paying with their job for the farcical situation we're in. Lex Gold seems like the obvious candidate. I remain a great believer in the now much maligned and diluted 'ministerial responsibility' principle. There must be some retribution to signal that this will not happen again. It is something we as fans and the club as a whole should be pushing for. Other than Eric Riley who is on the board, we have no friends there, so there is nothing to lose. I will not however hold my breath.
At present, English football grows even stronger and we get even weaker. I did not anticipate that, in fact quite the opposite. The root cause is how Scottish football is run - we have amateurs in charge at the SPL and, at best, biased rookies running the show at the SFA. It truly does not augur well for any hoped future improvement.
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new article posted.
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Danny,
No joy!
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When posting on the net I often feel like a child casting a message in a bottle to the waves and wondering about where it may wash up.
At the weekend,having heard about Mrs T`s illness I speculated on how many of our fans would be praying for her recovery.
I received a very robust response with even the gentle Martin waving his meat cleaver in my direction.
The first to reply was Georgiebhoy who informed me that he would do a jig on her grave to Elvis Costello`s Tramp the Dirt Down(he neglected to say whether he would wear hob nailed boots while doing so).I think the drinking of champagne was also mentioned.
Recently somebody (Paul?) stated that the Guardian seemed to be the favourite newspaper of posters to this blog.I have reason to believe that the admiration may be reciprocated.
In yesterdays Guardian the columnist Michele Hanson writing about bledssed Margaret was bemoaning the "mealy-mouthed slop we get because she felt a bit weedy".There is much more in this vein which I will refrain from quoting in deference to the sensibilities of the more gently nurtured among our readers.Michele then goes on to praise vigour of the sentiments expressed in Elvis Costello`s Tramp the Dirt Down.
It would appear that neither God nor the Devil is ready for Margaret just yet.I think her recovery is an example of both the power of prayer and proof of the saying of St Teresa of Avila
There are more tears shed over answered prayers than unanswered prayers.
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does anyone know when Doumbe is back? I thought it was meant to be roughly Jan/Feb time?
