The players would have had a light training session at Lennoxtown today as muscles continue to refill after Wednesday night’s exertions. Expectations of Celtic in the Champions League are not high, and were exceptionally low when this group was drawn, but even so, these games have a huge financial, physical and even emotional impact on every area of the club.
One argument suggests the last thing we need is a cup semi-final four days after a Champions League outing. An alternative thought is that this is the perfect game for Celtic right now. Memories linger of sitting stressfully at Fir Park days after Celtic beat the reigning European Champions, Milan, as (subsequently liquidated) Grenta held onto a lead until the 87th minute.
While playing (subsequently liquidated) Rangers away 64 hours after winning a Uefa Cup semi-final 1200 miles from home in 2003 proved to be the perfect game to instil steel into the legs.
With what passes as a fully fit squad, Brendan has choices to make for Sunday. Did Patrick Roberts do enough off the bench against Borussia to justify a start? Perhaps. He’s a player who owes us one at Hamden too.
Callum McGregor will also fancy his chances ahead of Nir Bitton, who didn’t have a great Scottish Cup semi-final against the same opponents in April.
It would be a huge surprise if Moussa Dembele didn’t start as the lone forward, despite Leigh Griffiths itching to get on alongside him. Brendan will not change formation for this game, while Moussa will fancy his chances against a defence he punished to ruthlessly last month.
For me, our two most important players on Sunday will be Scott Sinclair and Tom Rogic. They are the epitome of the modern footballer, strong, skilful, intelligent and difficult to defend against. If we can get them on the ball often enough we’ll score a lot of goals.
Pretty much every Celtic fan I know expects Mark Warburton to have learned a lesson from his Celtic Park whipping and for him to deploy a more defensively-minded team this time. My Newco pals don’t expect this to happen. Warburton hasn’t varied his game-plan since arriving at the club and is apparently reluctant to start experimenting now.
He took his team to Hampden to face Celtic against similarly long odds last season. Within minutes we knew we were in a game, and despite the clear chasm between the teams, it was Newco who faced Hibs in the Scottish Cup final.
A repeat of the 5-1 win at Celtic Park is possible, but you’ve seen enough football to know that nothing can be taken for granted on Sunday. Remember that Newco came close to levelling that 5-1 game at 2-2 early in the second half, and the latter part of their collapse came after going down to 10 men.
I’m off later to meet those from the Tyneside No. 1 and friends, who have walked (yes, WALKED), from Merthyr Tydfil and will reach Doherty’s Bar in Hamilton this afternoon. They’ve pretty much walked a marathon a day for 13 days and will make the final journey to Celtic Park tomorrow.
This herculean effort has been made to mark the memory of Jonathan Thomas, who aged 30 lost his biggest fight one year ago tomorrow.
We’re lucky as Celtic fans that we get to meet and read about people who do these things in our name. It’ll take you 2 minutes to let them know how inspiring they are here.
It’s also worth marking the events in Aberfan, the village a few miles from Merthyr Tydfil which was visited by unimaginable tragedy 50 years ago today.
John Humphrys: What we owe the people of Aberfan 50 years after tragedy struck the village, and why it shows authority must be challenged. pic.twitter.com/OdjyaAGTsQ
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) October 21, 2016
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CALABAM on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 7:11 AM
Anyone been up since 6 excited like a 6 year old on Christmas morning or is it just me??
——————————————————————–
Yeah, me!!
Been ready for 9am Mass at OLOL for the last hour. My wee maw will drop dead when I pick her up on time. Then out for brekkie and head to the game. Don’t think I’ll be eating much now, getting really nervous. Still suffering from PTSD after April. Hate Hampdump so much….
HH
Big Georges
Not a problem mate these things happen. I’m just glad you and the wee man got sorted and it looks like the tickets are going to good homes now anyway.
Hail Hail
..
MacJay..
I’ve emailed You a Full Copy of the Contract that Changed British Football (Eventually)..【ツ】
And the Match Program of Your First Derby..
And the Hampden gate receipts record of the 1957 Final..
..
Tonight I’ll be Watching game in the House something I never do.. But I’m letting my Wee Ghirl stay up till the Midnight kick off to watch her first live Derby.. Super Excited..Ha
And Like Me She will be Hoping her Grandad is in a Bad Mood later in the Day and Her Granny is in the Scullery with her headphones on whispering Ya Beauty..
Summa of OldFirmFamilasCSC
As Always KTF..
001
Calabam: been up since 5.30am. Just landed in Glasgow.
All, it’s a glorious day and there is an old song my dad used to sing to me it begins with oh Hamden in the sun,
You heard it here first!!!!
Word of The Day
contumacy /ˈkɒntjʊməsɪ/
noun (pl) -cies
1. obstinate and wilful rebelliousness or resistance to authority; insubordination; disobedience
2. the wilful refusal of a person to appear before a court or to comply with a court order
Word Origin
C14: from Latin contumācia, from contumāx obstinate; related to tumēre to swell, be proud
FAC the Act
KTF
BGFC
No need to pick tickets up today
I’m meeting the guy at mass this morning to pick up your tickets
Last day to fill in the FAC survey!!!!
More arrests this week so we need more submissions. No doubt todays hunskelping will be taken as another opportunity to implement this offensive legislation!
If you haven’t completed the consultation survey on the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act please click this link and complete it now.
If long forms daunt you, just give your contact details and then complete the 5 questions on Sections 1-5 showing you are in favour of repeal- that is just 5 ticks- then just scroll through to the end and press SUBMIT. It can be done in less than a minute.
If you are unsure about what to write, this crib sheet will help. Remember you are agreeing that the act should be repealed. Also remember to click Complete Survey at the end or your views won’t be included!
FAC the Act!
KTF
VFR
Again many thanks for helping to promote the consultation paper on the Act!
Ps tickets have gone I’m afraid.
SUMMA OF SAMMI…. on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 8:33 AM
You , sir , are a gentleman.
But then you knew that.
Thanks.
Summa
Interesting about the CSA dance.
Enjoy today all of you, I am off for my 5k then off to Edinburgh, no wish to be anywhere near the bigot fest on tv or at Hampden.
For us to win we will need to take out their danger man , Thompson , he will dictate the play.
That could be a job too far for even the powers of Brendan, as ever the Ref has been hand picked to ensure no civil disobedience at Hampden, just some good old fashioned community singing.
Good luck Celtic and may the fans of our club have a great day.
Hail! Hail!
CALABAM on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 8:49 AM
Not to mention;
“Putting on the agony putting on the style.
That`s what Glasgow Celtic are doing all the while.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9KUeMaJRQ
And they`re off and running.
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 8:52 AM
BGFC
No need to pick tickets up today
————
HT – thanks again – maybe see you ip in Dingwall.
BT – whatever works for you. Me and Wee BGFC already up and were intending to head over to Blantyre for about 10:30. Can meet you outside St Joseph’s or the West End / PV.
Also happy to meet at Hampfem, or on Mon / Tue if you’d prefer. Just let me know before you go on to mass.
Bgfc
BGFC
I’ll be at 10am mass at StJosephs as will the Bhoy who has the tickets so easier all round if u can make it
Anybody else heard the rumour about Brendan trying to bring Ki back to Parkhead?
HAMILTONTIM on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 9:17 AM
Not a problem – last day so hopefully a few more get it done!
Is there a meeting tomorrow night?
Re the tickets, again I was only toying with the idea of Dingwall but if you didn’t get a taker that would have made my mind up for me.
FAC the Act
KTF
Enjoy your day fellow Celts, Scott Sinclair is 66/1 to score a hattrick (with Ladbrokes) for people who don’t bet and non-Celtic fans reading for one pound you get £67 back, yes 67 !!!!
Off to chapel to get wee yins card marked
Hail Hail
BT. Yes, we will head over –
Be there at 10:30. Hope Fr Lamb is prompt! :-)
Well, if we ever needed confirmation of how much of a dud Warbuton is, he has provided it!
He has ne reservations in putting Clint Hill in against Moussa Dembele. I’d gancy my chances over 10 yards with Hill! If that’s his defensive strategy – Hill will mark Dembele out of the game – he’s an utter buffoon!
FAC the Act
KTF
Go to work Celtic.
Work for each othe
Hail hail
:-)
Just back in from “Marys House”mass.Mrs TB,who is not Catholic was there,she loves to go,and once again cried.The place does that to her every time.Candle lit for all CQNers needing one this week.
Heres to a right good humping today.Of this I have no doubts.
6-0 today
VFR
Yes there’s an open meeting in St Roch’s church hall at 7:30pm regarding the proposal to discuss the allocation of away tickets.
HT, thanks.
FAC the Act
KTF
VFR
No problem and thanks for offering to take the ticket.
Morning all
I hope all are well. I am feeling a touch fragile and am perhaps less bullish than most on here. I saw too many games with the old Rangers at Hampden when we are as hot favourites as today and left beaten to believe today is a formality. I know we are better than them and trounced them recently but I am old enough to remember the league cup final of October 1970 when we’d outclassed them twice in the previous two months -once with a team composed mainly of reserves- and still lost 1-0.
This is the first domestic game we have played this season in which we can prove we have improved and as such is the biggest match of the season ( domestically) to date – we must win.
Sorry to be a Jeremiah but I have seen too many debacles at Hampden to be too confident. Oh and Brother Thomson terrifies me.
Jimbo67
Bit of light relief(!)from the disappointment unfolding in front of me on Wednesday was when, around the 80th minute, the stadium announcer, in German, requested that the Gladbach fans wait behind at the final whistle until the home fans dispersed, and then suggested that,if they wanted to go to the toilet, they do so within the next 5 minutes!
I had to wait after the game too, and some of them were definitely walking funny down London Road!
Next bit of laughter was reading back on here that Gladbach are ‘better than ‘Man Shitty’.’
Yeah, of course they are, that would explain City’s 4-0 stroll over them a month ago.
Anyway, roll on our next meaningful game on Nov1.
This farce today? No, ta!
SPFL website Today, October 24, 1984, attributes the following record to a 4 year old club.
League Cup:
1946/47, 1948/49, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1970/71, 1975/76, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1981/82, 1983/84, 1984/85, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1996/97, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2010/11
Now, that’s entertainment!
Must be, or the other member clubs would surely point out that the Emperor has no clothes on.
Unfortunately, I prefer sport.
Still, stay safe, of course.
I won’t correct that obvious error, in the circumstances.
What date is the final v Aberdeen?
Win, Lose or Draw.
Summa,
Neil Mochan ?
BR’s Team Talk,
Take Thompson out of the game.
Any result which gets us thorough to the final will do.
BUT
We owe them a good cuffing at the same venue where we failed to put them to the sword last time.
Paddy Roberts in particular should be looking to rectify his inexplicable miss. And Tom Rogic could atone for the ground moving under his feet.
I that subject, I saw a bit of the game yesterday and the pitch definitely worried me. McGinn set off on a run just beyond the halfway line, his foot dug up a bit of turf AND the ball bobbled as it hit a previous divot.
Not conducive to our play. Going to be difficult for defenders. Come to think of it, probably more so for their centre backs.
Hope Dembele and Griff start.
27th Nov
EUROCHAMPS67 on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 10:27 AM
27th November.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Got pop into the Office see to a bit of business, Bhoy’s from the black stuff…:)…
Then on to see the Bhoy’s.
Those of you going stay safe. To those of you not going for whatever reason enjoy watching or listening.
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Our twin foes today : complacency an’ Brither Thompson.
…………..wans as bad as the ither.