It all goes on the line at Hampden tomorrow

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Games come thick and fast when you remain in all competitions in late October. The Allianz Arena got your heart beating on Wednesday, but much more is on the line at Hampden Park tomorrow: the first trophy of the season.

While our unbeaten domestic run goes on the line every game we play in Scotland, I wish we were not facing an occasion as important as a cup semi-final immediately after such a huge Champions League occasion. The timing of this game contributes towards Hibernian’s chances of success.

Neil Lennon’s Hibs have already won at Ibrox and drawn at Celtic Park this season. They genuinely have no fears about making the trip along the M8 to face Celtic at the national stadium. While Celtic players were draining every muscle of energy on Wednesday, Hibs players were resting in front of the television. They would have been tucked up in bed before Scott Brown and his team-mates got to Munich Airport and have enjoyed the benefit of a week’s uninterrupted training.

For Brendan Rodgers, the challenge is to pick a team with sufficient energy and ability to ensure a cup final appearance next month. He is able to make changes, which I expect to happen.

Moussa Dembele and Tom Rogic should start. Callum McGregor enjoys the Hamden stage and I would give him the nod ahead of Olivier Ntcham or Stuart Armstrong in the central mid berth, although Brendan will think otherwise.

We are the champions and treble winners for a reason: that we have unerringly raised our standards to meet every challenge presented. Tomorrow is another occasion when our deep reserved will be called upon.

Enjoy your day at Hampden.

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453 Comments

  1. TET, Pat’s need the points to avoid relegation. Cork are Champions so game is meaningless to them. They have a Cup Final coming up and it wouldn’t surprise me if they put out a reserve team. They will definitely rest some players.

  2. MadMitch .

     

    Reading your posts from this afternoon , you seem like CQN’s very own Adrian Durham .

     

    The psycho analysis of the drunken Celtic support in Munich betrays an arrogance , and that awful trait of self superiority . It may not have been your aim , but it’s my observation of your posts .

     

    As for Brendans dereliction of duty , he will stand or fall like all managers by results . You conveniently ignore his team returning from Denmark and Belgium after dominating possession and winning without conceding .

     

    In my opinion , and its as valid as yours , you seem to lack any pragmatism concerning the massive step up involved when facing one of the elite teams in the world , of which Bayern undoubtedly are . Rome wasn’t built in a day . The landscape of football has changed since the days of any team ( like Nottingham Forest ) winning or even getting to a final when entering the top European tournament . How many international teams would beat the champions of their country ? Unfortunately money talks . Big time .

     

    Fortunately the clouds you think are gathering over Brendan only exist in the mindset of the few fans with no patience or grasp of reality . In Brendan we trust .HH

  3. Tomorrow’s team allegedly leaked (Gerry Braiden on twitter…..

     

     

    Tomorrow’s semi-final line-up? You know it is.

     

    Gordon

     

    Lustig

     

    Bitton

     

    Boyata

     

    KT

     

    Brown

     

    Armstrong

     

    McGregor

     

    Roberts

     

    Sinclair

     

    Griff

  4. Thanks to JohnBay and Lennybhoy for sorting out my bhoys with 2 additional tickets for tomorrow’s game, much appreciated.

     

     

    Just got a letter this morning from Celtic to say we have been unsuccessful in ballot for Wednesday’s match at Pittodrie, 2 hours after the kids have set of from Norfolk for a 5 day trip to cover both games! I know tickets are like gold dust for Aberdeen but the club know this in July, why wait until 5 days before game to let fan’s down? Travel and Hotels already booked and again it feels like the club doesn’t understand the financial realities of following Celtic from a distance (or probably from Glasgow!!)

     

     

    Anyway just need to suck it up I guess. If anyone has the ability to magic up a couple of tickets for Wednesday then let me know but realise I am probably not alone!

     

     

    Faithful through and through…..

  5. if gerryfaethebrig is lurking i know this was before youyr time. but as a kid iloved to collect celtic songs. one album i had was the coatbridge accordian band and thats the band that went round the pitch with the european cup if i remember.

  6. Last word on the litter in Marienplatz that you won’t read in the SMSM.

     

    The glass bottles and cans will, in all likelihood, have been hoovered up by the homeless and the jobless of Munchen.

     

    Lidl supermarkets ( and probably others too,) provide recycling points at their stores, and pay for each recycled item.

     

    Just hope they didn’t spend the cash on alcohol.

     

    Madmitch would have a fit…..

  7. Neil Lennon & McCartney on

    The Coatbridge Accordion Band Of Glasgow ‎– Celtic Boys Hurrah

     

     

    Tracklist

     

     

    A1 Celtic Choruses

     

    A2 Green White And Gold

     

    A3.1 Girl From Donegal

     

    A3.2 Wild Colonial Boy

     

    A4.1 Tipperary

     

    A4.2 Soldiers Of The Rearguard

     

    A5.1 James Connolly

     

    A5.2 Croppy Boy

     

    A5.3 Boulavogue

     

    A6.1 Ninety Eight

     

    A6.2 Leavin’ Of Liverpool

     

    A7 Soldiers Song

     

    B1.1 Kelly The Boy From Killane

     

    B1.2 Foggy Dew

     

    B1.3 Roddy McCorley

     

    B1.4 Merry Ploughboy

     

    B2.1 Kevin Barry

     

    B2.2 Steady Boys And Step Together

     

    B2.3 O’Donnell Abu

     

    B2.4 Mountains Of Pomeroy

     

    B3.1 Great Day For The Irish

     

    B3.2 Boys From The Co. Cork

     

    B3.3 Wearin’ Of The Green

     

    B4.1 Jackets Green

     

    B4.2 Skibbereen

     

    B4.3 Irish Rover

     

    B5.1 God Save Ireland

     

    B5.2 The Moon Behind The Hill

     

    B5.3 Ireland’s Fight For Freedom

     

    B5.4 Leitrim Rebel

  8. Neil Lennon & McCartney on

    BIG PACKY ~ sure you’re not alone. We got a Dansette early 60’s ~ rebel tunes ruled ~ then I found Motown!

  9. Many of the pundits and our critics tell us we are only doing to other teams in scotland what the likes of Bayern, Barca and PSG are doing to us, in a way thay are correct, but they all miss the point, nay the fact that the elite teams have the best players on the planet in their teams, a bit of a difference from the gap between us and the other scottish teams.

  10. Reading that team there, I will be very surprised if at least one of Moussa, Forrest or Rogic don’t start tomorrow.

  11. NEIL LENNON & MCCARTNEY motown allright. but i found john kongos. redbone and deep purple not forgetting wishbone ash.hail hail.

  12. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    The Holy Ground LP by the Green and White Brigade , released in late sixties .

     

     

    The front cover had a big Celtic rosette on it.

  13. Sloleybhoy.

     

    Sorry I can’t help with tickets.

     

    I would like to say however I hope you all have a wonderful trip.

     

    My daughter stays in outskirts of Norwich, relatively close to the airport going away from Norwich so I know it’s a fair old journey for you all.

     

    On the ball City is the chant from the in law side. :-))

     

    Hail Hail

  14. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Conservative MP , SFA match official and disliker of Travellers , Douglas Ross , is one of the assistant refs tomorrow.

     

     

    He certainly gets about with the financial rewards of two jobs.

  15. The Exiled Tim.

     

    Yes they are deliberately missing the point.

     

    Also from a betting perspective Celtic were 33/1 to win in Munich, no SPFL team, that I am aware of, are those odds when they play Celtic.

     

    Hail Hail

  16. DALLAS DALLAS WHERE THE HECK IS DALLAS yes think i had that one as well .my favourite was the black velvet band .her hair it shone like diamonds etc etc.

  17. Gary 67.

     

    Poor show from Hibs as a club. Motherwell only took approx 10,000 tickets and have allowed Sevco the rest for their semi.

     

    Hibs, obviously, have grossly over estimated their fans interest in this tournament, at this time.

     

    Hail Hail

  18. JNP

     

    Jeezo, even the huns think their players are better than ours :-)

     

    But seriously, it’s a big point they are deliberately missing, anything to put over negative Celtic viewpoints, the sooner they all go tits up the better imo.

     

    HH

  19. What is the Stars on

    Just watched the Brendan Rodgers press conference.

     

    Have to say I am very disappointed. Not so much with what he said. But rather what he didn’t say.

     

    Not once did he mention the elephant in the room that has dominated cqn discourse today.

     

     

    Heidi Klum

     

     

    Could be the last straw.

     

    Brendan out..Heidi in

  20. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    I hope that kid on hard man and horrible hun , Whittaker, gets taken to the cleaners tomorrow by any of our players .

     

     

    Another one who when he signed on fur ra gers , who kicked players more than kicking the ball in matches.

     

     

    He was sent off at least twice against us.

  21. Just home, what a great time Munchen was.( Bayern if Batteen Bhoy is on) :)))

     

     

    So many cracking memories with great company.

     

     

    Need to go to Glasgow airport now to pick luscious Welshy.

     

     

    Thanks to all that made it special.HH

  22. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Big Packy, back velvet agnd along with the Holy Ground , are fantastic songs .

  23. Sipsini.

     

    Well done for making it home.

     

    I notice on Twitter 12 out of 14 Drumchapel bhoys missed their flights home.

     

    I am in no position to say anything,having done the same thing myself previously. Two of my best mates missed flights home twice.

     

    Germany kind of does that to you, everyone is so friendly, life is grand, a few strong beers and its, bleep it, lets just go home tomorrow.

     

    Hail Hail.

  24. John Kennedy is NOT and never has been our ‘ defensive coach ‘.

     

     

    Guys that are paid £50k a week as football managers don’t tend to subby-out 40% of their job.

     

     

    I don’t think I know of anybody, ever being employed as one.

     

     

    Anyway fwiw I reckon 90% of a complete footballer can’t be ‘coached’.

  25. TET/Corkie.

     

    I notice is 2.2 at half time with St Pats and Cork.

     

    Cork were 2 up.

     

    Hail Hail

  26. DALLAS DALLAS WHERE THE HECK IS DALLAS. you wont remember these but my late father used to sing songs by john mcormick i hear you calling me. kathleen mavourneen bonnie mary of argyle etc.

  27. Celtic have just tweeted, under Brendan played 4 won 4 at Hampden.

     

    Goals 8 conceded 1.

     

    That’s the kind of stats I like.

     

    Hail Hail

  28. Cosy Corner Bhoy on

    Read the article re Orange Walks and road closures and it reminded me off an incident about 1988 to 1992(all three offspring in London then) when left a game against Hearts early as we were winning and I had the first of the problem I have at the moment,when I was walking down the road between the old school and what is now The Turnstile Bar when a Police Sergeant approached and said ‘You can’t walk down this way. You will have go back the way and onto Springfield road or Janefield Street’ ‘Why’says I ‘I am going to Dalmarnock Street station’

     

    ‘No Celtic fans allowed this side of the park’ Either I was dead handsome or had my Celtic scarf on!!!

     

    ‘Unless the Council have issued a bye-law or someone has applied for a temporary restriction or there has been an accident I shall be walking on the Queen’s Highway as is my right.’

     

    Don’t even remember who told me that but he walked away!

     

    Hope that spells the beginning of them walking away to their hearts content.

  29. socrates mulligan on

    Corkcelt……..3 more votes secured….my brother and both his girls……..good luck

  30. JNP

     

    I know, I never had the chance to cash out, but not to worry, it’s only gambling, why else do you do it unless to lose and the chance on occasion to win :-)

     

    HH

  31. NALLY81 on 20TH OCTOBER 2017 8:35 PM

     

    John Kennedy is NOT and never has been our ‘ defensive coach ‘.

     

    Guys that are paid £50k a week as football managers don’t tend to subby-out 40% of their job.

     

    I don’t think I know of anybody, ever being employed as one.

     

     

    i humbly disagree, top managers thrive on having the right team around them and that includes specialised coaches for all areas of the team from goalkeeping to strikers.