Booking £20m from TV rights in China over 10 years is a remarkable deal for the SPFL, it shows a lot of faith from broadcaster, PPLive, who have the responsibility to foster the league in the world’s most populous country. The cash will be beer money to Celtic but represents a substantial income for most of the Premiership.
The deal opens the door for Celtic to follow-through, the only club with the wherewithal to exploit the merchandising, scouting and recruitment opportunities there. We’ve seen strategies developed in Mexico, India and now China, while the European football-tourist market is also now being targeted through online partners.
None of this will put the ball in the Ajax net tomorrow night but it is important nonetheless.
Delighted we’re at Tynecastle in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup. Hearts players found the will to live against Hibs last week but they have little more than effort to their game. Should be a cracking tie, which will not be subject to the performance vagaries of a home tie with Morton.
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HORRIFIED Celtic fans last night told how they were ambushed by dozens of Dutch footie thugs armed with weapons including pickaxes.
Yobs chanting ‘Ajax hooligans’ lashed out at the 50 Hoops supporters after they stormed a bar in Amsterdam.
The Scots revealed how the boozer’s windows and tables were broken, and drinkers were left soaked in blood in the sickening rampage.
Paul Hughes, 49, from Glasgow — in tears after the assault — said: “They smashed the windows and I thought it sounded like GUNSHOTS.
DAMAGED … Pub
James Stewart
“They had weapons and burst through the door and were just lashing out. There were loads of them — they then disappeared out the pub in a line. It was orchestrated.”
Pal Robert Bonnar, 45, from Paisley, fears violence could also erupt before tonight’s crunch Champions League clash in the city.
He said: “I think it’s a disgrace that we weren’t better protected by police. How can so many people walk about with masks and weapons and no one stops them?
“Even afterwards the police didn’t seem too bothered. Now we’re all worried about what’s going to happen tonight.” Onlooker Andrew Watt, from Leven in Fife, was also left shaken by the brutal scenes inside The Old Sailor pub in the city’s Red Light district at around 9pm.
He said: “There were dozens of them. The doormen just moved out the way and they started setting about people with pickaxes. We were all minding our own business but this was obviously planned.
“The police officers who came afterwards didn’t even ask us for statements. We couldn’t see the thugs’ faces but they looked quite young.”
ATTACK TERROR … Fans Robert Bonnar and Paul Hughes escaped violence
Gloating Dutch yobs TAUNTED Celtic fans after the attack.
Four Ajax supporters last night posted pictures on Twitter clutching a flag stolen from Hoops followers.
The tweet said: “We were the boss in Glasgow, and now we showed them we’re boss in Amsterdam.”
Trouble flared last month when marauding Ajax fans charged police and stewards at the Champions League clash at Celtic Park.
Dutch hooligans ripped up seats, and pelted cops, stewards and home supporters while trying to break through a security cordon.
They said there were no reports of anyone needing hospital treatment.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman added: “We are aware of reports of an incident involving football fans at a bar in Amsterdam.”
In 2001, security company boss Lewis Rodden survived a gangland shooting in an Amsterdam pub before Celtic’s Champions League qualifier against Ajax.
CELTIC will go for the jugular against Ajax in a bid to keep alive their Champions League dream.
Boss Neil Lennon has revealed his side will attack the Dutch champs in the Amsterdam ArenA tonight.
A win could see Celts jump into second place in Group H and Lenny said: “The key could be how we attack and can we find quality at the end of it, because we have quality in the team.
“Kris Commons and Georgios Samaras are back, which is a boost.
“I think that Kris could be pivotal. They don’t know him and he might surprise a few of them as well.”
Lennon saw Vitesse beat Ajax on Saturday with tactics he is set to copy as Celts chase a last-16 spot.
He said: “Vitesse did really well. They passed it better than Ajax. I was impressed by the way they went about it and it was a similar set up to the way we play.
“So it’s given me a lot of food for thought. We’ll look at the game again and see where we can hurt them.”
Lennon hopes Celts can reproduce their form from the 2-0 defeat to AC Milan.
He added: “I thought we played really well in Milan, in terms of controlling the game for large periods. That was the most galling thing when we ended up losing that game.
“If we can find that level of performance again then we will have a chance of doing something, although I think Ajax are a different team.
“So it’s about how we shape up, win the ball in high areas of the park and use it better on the counter-attack than we did against them at home.”
VIRGIL van DIJK has never won in the ArenA.
But arriving home in Holland last night the big Celtic centre-half insisted he has a good chance of changing that.
In fact, he reckons he has a Dam good chance.
Van Dijk, 22, grew up in the town of Breda dreaming of playing the mighty Ajax in their own backyard — and beating them.
In three attempts with Groningen he never managed to win in his very own theatre of dreams.
But van Dijk is convinced tonight can be the night — in a crucial Champions League group game no less — when he finally fulfils his lifetime ambition.
He said: “The only special thing is that I am going to my home country.
“We want to win there and we’ll be focused on that.
“I’ve never won in the Amsterdam ArenA, so I hope this is a first time.
“I feel better equipped going there with Celtic and this is a different stage.
“When you are growing up in Holland as a footballer, you want to be able to go to Ajax, play in their stadium and win.
“Everyone wants to win in the ArenA.
“There will be a lot of my family and friends there.
“I couldn’t get all of the tickets I needed. Originally I asked for about 20 or 25, but that couldn’t happen.
“There will be enough people there for me, though, and I hope to win in front of them.
“It is difficult to play there and win. It will be again in this match, but we’ll be focused for a result.”
Van Dijk is enjoying the form of his life.
He took a few weeks to adapt to life in Scotland after arriving in the summer, but his quality has slowly but surely begun to show.
The Celtic supporters now see him as their classy centre-half who is comfortable with the ball at his feet.
But throw in the fact he also wins his fair share of headers and it’s little wonder van Dijk is in a good place.
Ajax boss Frank de Boer did the gentlemanly thing after the last clash between the sides at Celtic Park when he congratulated the big man on his performance.
It may only have been polite sportsmanship from the former Rangers star.
But de Boer is a Dutch legend from an era of players van Dijk grew up idolising, so his comments meant the world to him.
He added: “Frank de Boer is a very good coach and he was a very, very good player. I have a lot of respect for him.
“I spoke with him for a short while after the game at Celtic Park and he congratulated me on a good performance.
“Of course, he was mad at losing the game but it was good of him to speak with me and it meant a lot coming from him.
“As I said, I have a lot of respect for him. He was a great player and now he’s a top coach, so it was nice for me.”
De Boer is actually a man under pressure.
Ajax supporters aren’t best pleased with the form of his side and have been making their feelings known.
They dropped points in the league at the weekend against Vitesse Arnhem, just like Celtic did against Dundee United.
The difference was that Ajax were booed off the pitch after the 1-0 loss and slaughtered by their punters who are sick of what they are being served up week after week.
It bodes well for Celts if they can grab tonight’s game by the scruff of the neck.
Van Dijk added: “I watched the Vitesse game against Ajax at the weekend.
“Vitesse deserved to win and now Ajax have to beat us, but I think we have a big chance to win the game.
“Maybe them being under pressure could work to our advantage.
“I think the backing from their fans and ours is different.
“I’d say the clubs are the same because they always have to win and the fans expect it.
“But at Ajax, they have a small group of big supporters and the rest are spectators.
“At Celtic, everyone is a hard supporter.
“Their fans expect more, but we don’t need that. We just have to play our game.
“We have enough quality in our team to win it, anyway. I hope it can happen.
“We know what we are capable of and I definitely think that we can go on to qualify if we win this game. It’s very important and, if we get a good result and finish it at Celtic Park against AC Milan, we’ll have a good chance to go through.”
Van Dijk’s form for the Hoops has seen him been talked about as a potential Dutch national team player, so tonight would be a good time to showcase his qualities.
But he insists: “I just want to play my game and I’m in a good phase of my career. I want it to continue.
“Breaking into the national team is achievable and that is the dream.
“But I cannot focus on that. I have to focus on Celtic.”
NEIL LENNON hopes Fraser Forster heaps more pressure on under-fire Joe Hart with a Euro shut-out.
The Celtic boss insists his keeper deserves a crack at being England No1.
And Lennon reckons he can boost his chances by keeping Ajax at bay in tonight’s Champions League showdown in the Amsterdam ArenA. Lennon said: “Three years ago there is no way you would have envisaged Fraser being in the England squad.
“But he’s improved year in and year out.
“He will be a crucial player against Ajax.
“It’s a big one for him but I don’t think it’s a make-or-break game. I have said this to him already.
“I said, ‘you have just got to stay in the moment.’
“He just has to keep his form going at this level.
“I can’t see him not being picked for one of the friendlies coming up. He deserves the opportunity, regardless of Joe Hart’s form.
“I don’t want to put extra pressure on Fraser by saying, ‘you have to play well.’
“But I think he is really in a good place.”
AMSTERDAM has its fair share of shows to take in.
Not like Broadway or the West End, you understand.
But away from the seedy underbelly of the Dutch capital, a stage has been set in a more respectable part of town.
And Neil Lennon knows just the men for the lead roles.
With a bit of luck, James Forrest, Georgios Samaras and Kris Commons will deliver the performance of their lives.
The kind of display which will have Hoops fans’ eyes popping out of their heads more than they were down at the famous Red Light District.
If they can do that, Lennon hopes it will mean he’ll be going into the final two group games crying out for more.
He said: “I hope Samaras, Commons and James have big games because the stage is set for them. We’re not going to be negative, we’re going to be positive.
“The only time we’ve really gone out to contain a team was in Barcelona. You can’t just go toe to toe with them. You have to be different in your approach because they are a cut above.
“With Milan away and Ajax away, we can try to get a foothold and stamp our own play on the game when we can.
“That comes with being brave on the ball and I’d like to see us do that a lot more here. We have to if we’re going to get something out of the game.”
Arguably, Lennon’s biggest problem is convincing his players that tonight’s clash is TOUGHER than they imagine.
Nobody within Celtic’s camp is naive enough to think it will be a walk in the park. But Lennon’s squad have a swagger about them.
He added: “There is a lot of confidence in the team, but we don’t want to be overconfident.
“This is an Ajax team that was minutes away from beating AC Milan. So despite their current form not being what it should be, they are still a very formidable team at home.
“But our away form has been good and I don’t think these players fear playing away from home. I really hope so anyway because we will have to play well over here. This is a crucial game in the group now. If we prevail it sets us up. If we don’t, realistically we are in a fight for third place.
“But we all want to qualify and we have given ourselves a decent chance of doing that.
“There was a time when we didn’t perform well enough away from home.
“But it’s a different group of players now. Guys like Lustig, Samaras, Ambrose, van Dijk and Izaguirre have a European mentality. They weren’t around when we were not getting the results we should have done.
“We have had some decent results. Udinese and Rennes in the Europa League helped us. Then we got that big result in Moscow last year. But I need to find that again.
“If we want to qualify we need to get something away from home and everyone will look at this game as our best chance to do that.
“There is a lot of confidence going into the game. I have to be very wary and I still make Ajax favourites, but only because they’re at home.”
That Celtic are still in the hunt for second place surprises many folk. And while Lennon would never discount his men against anyone, he admits their performances have surpassed his own expectations.
Yesterday, Lennon was still hurting from a recent trip to the dentist, his face bruised and swollen from an op to remove an abscess.
Bizarrely, the procedure saw a piece of COW bone temporarily inserted into his mouth — no doubt not what he expected when he sat in the chair.
Tonight he hopes things are more straightforward.
Lenny added: “When I played for Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan, I always believed we would win the game, no matter who we played against.
“The manager always gave us that belief and I want to transmit that to these players.
“There’s a belief about them, but I want to temper that with the fact that we are playing away from home in the Champions League.
“I would snap your hand off for a point. But we know this team is capable of winning and capable of losing, so we have to strike a balance on how we approach this game.”
Celtic lost to Ajax the last time they were here, although that was last summer in a pre-season friendly which meant nothing. Well, almost.
Smiling, Lennon recalled: “I went with a back three that day and I soon learned not to do that again!
“Things like that are important because we got a bit of a doing. We won’t try it again.”
tnt
Great job,mate.
Thanks.
twists n turns –
In that report at 4:29 Andrew Watt from Leven in Fife is CQN’s very own Tiny Tim.
Hope he’s ok.
Shocking.
Macjay
You’re most welcome.
Tom
I recognised the name and couldn’t put a CQN tag to it. Thank you. It would have been niggling at me all day!
Twisty
I see one of our very own (Tiny Tim) was in the bar in the Dam. Sounds pretty hairy. Sadly there is no way the Celtic support will stand back and take that all day long. Fearful of the day unfolding for fellow hoops.
Take care Tiny Tim and all the rest of you boys n girls out in the Dam.
MWD
Waking up on the day of another Champions League game is so exciting :)
Out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off.
Will it be the same feeling today for zombies…..mmm?
2 – 1 for The Tic
KC 1st goalscorer
Good Morning Timland.
Worrying news from the dam, hope all tims are safe.
vigilance should be the order of the day for everyone
over there………on the park hopeful more than expectant,
we will need to be at our very best……this current Celtic
side have defied the odds before, lets hope do so again
tonight……away to work.
Feels very like the Benfica game away last season, we didnt really turn up that night but put in a performance like the brilliant one we had away to AC Milan and we should be ok.
A heroic 0-1, van Dijk with the winner.
Typical anti Celtic bias in the tabloids posted earlier…
Sticking in CQN’s very own Tiny Tim drinking in a bar in the red light district.
The boycott starts… eh, years ago I thought it started.
Good morning friends and welcome to Champions League day or, as our ole neighbours call it, Wednesday.
Damp, cloudy but a little milder in EK this morning.
As simple as it is…..that wee joke is my favourite 1 nowadays and was lookin forward to somebody crackin it!
Thanks Jobo :)
Wonder how many times i can tell it today.
Morning all.
Similarally saddened by the reports of attacks on hoops fans supporters in the Dam.
Hope all can stay safe and not be provoked into anything rash. EUFA should come down on Ajax like a ton of bricks but won’t as it’s away from the ground.
1-2 to the good ghuys tonight.
HH
Todays gonna be a good day.
Gonna go for a few beers with an old friend to watch the game.
Saw him for the 1st time in about 10 years at my Dads funeral a few months ago.
Really lookin forward to seeing him again and catching up!
Morning all.
Aff oot to Amsterdam….hopefully a good day for the Bhoys ..on and off the pitch.hh
Tiptoe through the window By the window, that is where I’ll be Come tiptoe through the tulips with me
Oh, tiptoe from the garden By the garden of the willow tree And tiptoe through the tulips with me
Knee deep in flowers we’ll stray We’ll keep the showers away And if I kiss you in the garden, in the moonlight Will you pardon me?And tiptoe through the tulips with me
Maybe it’s flowers you stray will be the showers of life And when I kiss you in the garden in the moonlight Will you pardon me and tiptoe through the tulips with me
OldSailorsCSC
Another performance like this please!!!
http://youtu.be/FSn59uH4AzE
HH
Thunder Road
06:08 on 6 November, 2013
the KC first 2-1 scoreline was one I considered but with Neil bigging him up I wonder if Kris may be deployed at times as a decoy.
Morning,
If you have a minute a wee prayer for my father would be appreciated who is waiting on test results. Initial findings were not good.
Oh and Happy Birthday Celtic.
asonofdan
Consider it done mate.Best wishes to your dad.
Worrying overnight news from Amsterdam. Hope our Bhoys stay . Ajax support living up to their reputation.Scum.
Let’s doo them on the park Celts.
Hail Hail
Just in to say….
ASonOfDan
07:46 on 6 November, 2013
______________________
Sorry to hear that pal
Thoughts n Prayers to all
who are close.
Off oot.
Skiisalandfill
Doc was on last night.
In elgin tonight..
I’m sure mrs TT will have noted the bar was in the red light district..
Take care ovet there..
Asonofdan.
Prayers offered up.
whitedoghunch .
hi palomine how are you. memento.not momento.!!!!
how is b/briggs boy doing?
Good morning CQNers,
ASonOfDan……my sincere best wishes for your father.
Our forwards may not be capable of winning tonight’s game, but our defenders just might do it, and if not them then the midfield will definitely do it.
Morning all. Miserable weather down here. Dark, wet and windy.
Big, big day. A win would be great; a draw would be an excellent result.
WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
Macgnificentseven 2339
What’s your problem?
I stated I met him in a hotel with my wife, he had an abscess and could barely speak.
What’s your issue with that?
Or do you normally splutter nonsense on a regular basis?
Asonofdan
sorry to hear of your dads illness..thoughts and prayers for you and yours at this time ynwa
There’s some bad heads in Amsterdam this morning!
Whither the cash strapped scrofulous hillbillies the day?
FAVOURITE UNCLE
if you are referring to your kind gesture for the poorly wee guy it was very warmly received. If you are referring to the film I do have much in common with the lead
A Son of Dan
Prayers already said. My own Da has just come through another fright and hopefully your Da can do likewise.
A Son of Dan.Best wishes for your Dad and a prayer said for him and your family. H.H.
Cheers BT.
Doc if you reading let me know where you’re planning watching the game.
HH
A Son of Dan
Best wishes to your dad….thoughts and prayers
HH YNWA
On ole One Show last night wee Frank Skinner expounded to the nation on anti -Catholic essence of Bonfire Night. Wee Welsh lassie and Farmer Matt taken aback by this turn of events.
Anyways, best wishes and prayers to dad of Son of Dan.