You and I are both optimistic types. So every year on this day, we remind ourselves that ‘these things even themselves out’, and after a run of difficult group stage draws, we expect Celtic to get a favourable Champions League draw this evening.
Pot 3 could make or break the draw. Celtic are in this pot and it is undoubtedly weaker than Pot 4; Pot 3 has only one club from a ‘big five’ league, whereas Pot 4 has six. Drop your cynicism and allow me a few more hours optimism before Uefa’s new computer system determines our fate.
Earlier this week we discussed that Matt O’Riley will become a case study in how to recruit, manage and sell a football player. Within a few days, Matt is subject to another case study. He was injured after six minutes football for Brighton. Today it was confirmed the injury is serious and will require surgery.
This is football. At any point, your biggest asset can be a second away from being finished in the game (not that Matt is in this situation). When you are sitting on an offer for a player, but have a game to play against an ‘industrious’ St Mirren, the potential for things to go wrong is a consideration.
In 2010, Andreas Hinkel was subject to a £1m offer to return to Germany. Celtic were keen to get him off the payroll and recoup some of the outlay on him. Andreas suffered a crucial injury in a reserve game and was ruled out for the entire season. That injury cost Celtic £2.5m (wages and lost fee). Michael Nicolson would have been happy at fulltime on Sunday at more than just the result.
Best wishes to Matt, he will hopefully return for the Paradise Windfall Draw during his convalescence. At least £4m of his fee is performance related; the chances of collecting this portion took a hit today.
I’m also sitting on a lot of optimism for what the next 35 hours will bring. Looking forward to seeing Young Boys and Red Star!
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SCULLYBHOY on 30TH AUGUST 2024 8:31 AM
What future Bhoy is Bobby up against here?
…
Stevie Murray
A Happy Hoopy 81st Birthday to the one and only ” BUZZBOMB”…..Bobby Lennox.
I met and chatted to the BUZZBOMB once inside Celtic Park in 2001. His ” Patter” was as sharp as a tack, just like his playing style.
HH BUZZBOMB.
Lots of last minute transfer activity. An interesting Euro draw which blends glamour with achievability.
Trust all at Lennoxtwon are now fully focused on the next game.
Things all going fairly smoothly. Even I have nothing left to moan about! Wonders will never cease.
Think we might get Sanchez in today.Too good a talent and looks a real bargain.According to some genuine reports,we are £500,000 short in our bid.
Brendan wants him it seems,soooooo !!!.Norralorra dosh.
FF,
“Has to be the Easiest
draw ever in the CL”
Europa League winners,and ,last season.CL finalists.
I swear they get more stupid each day.And uglier.
eratic on 30th August 2024 8:02 am
Excellent
morning, all.
It’s interesting when you look beyond Scotland what you get for your money
Gasperini at Atalanta is not your average manager. For his €3m net salary he not only finishes high enough for European football with a small club, he also wins major trophies while operating to a tight recruitment model involving big turnover of players. He’s in his eighth year there.
Emery at Villa is paid 8m a year. He’s a mixed bag, 4 europa league wins and a runner up with 3 different teams but his record in the CL means he will never be considered a pot 1 manager until he goes deeper. He was considered to be a cup specialist, but last seasons fourth place finish with an unfancied Villa team might suggest that’s changing
We know about Rose at Leipzig. Paid €4.5m a year he was good enough to be given the BMG, Dortmund and Leipzig jobs after a very good start with Salzburg where he reached the semis and then the quarters of the Europa. He was god enough to finish second in the Bundesliga with Dortmund, his domestic record is good, his European record less so, or ally qualifying out of the groups in the cl but going out in the first knockout
I’d say that’s a decent test for three of the 8 games against managers with better pedigrees. Any points from this games would certainly add to his standing, although any sort of qualification would be good for him and for Celtic
Good morning all from Govanhill. It’s Shipbank Friday! 😁🍺
Should be interesting last day before the window slams shut ….. Iwata has a very low profile this season , maybe his lack of pace not entirely suiting where Brendan is taking the team … over at the Huns , I hope that all their incoming transfers fall through and they sell their keeper at the 11th hour
HH
Morning all.
ERATIC
Poor Phillipe 🤣🤣🐟🛒
Off to wash my hair before meeting up with GGH and introduce him to that rabble of ‘Shipwrecks’
Light a candle for his soul.
HH
Big Jimmy @ 7.56am
I brought in Albert Einstein yesterday who I tasked with explaining the complexities of the draw to a simple fella like me. Even he was bamboozled !
EKbhoy
Yes curious re Iwata. He looked to be part of it last season. Did well when called upon at a critical time.
BigJimmy
Wee Bobby is a really terrific guy. A great people person and fabulous ambassador. He has so many stories to tell. Not a bad footballer in his time either.
Weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth..
Peter Lawwell is undermining our club ..Sabotage to keep his old firm dream alive.
Corrupt to the core,failed bean counter. Brought Brendan back just to deny him funds and then watch him walk away.
Absentee landlord Desmond is no better,off playing golf when he should be putting his shoulder to the wheel. He should be manning a turnstile to help pay for his huge mega millions monthly dividend.
Our club is a laughing stock.Brother Walfrid spinning in his grave..Window about to slam shut and we are weaker than ever before..
Lawwell Out
Just remind Einsten that e = mc (squared)
Ecstasy = Minted Champions Celtic
WITS 😅
But you know there will still be a few desperately seeking some glitch with which to berate the manager & the board after midnight!
Celtic40me @ 9:02 am
Really good post.
Those three games you mention – Brendan will want to measure up to those guys and let the world know he is on that level.
Which is good for us, not a conceit.
bigrailroadblues on 30th August 2024 9:02 am
Good morning all from Govanhill. It’s Shipbank Friday! 😁🍺
——————–
get some Sham69 on the jukebox!!
Think it would be a mistake to sell Tomoki – he’s only ever been rock-steady for us. A loan if necessary but no sell.
test
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 30TH AUGUST 2024 10:25 AM
Tough away fixtures but none of the teams we play are in the top ten favourites to win it, so we’ll all hope to compete at least. And its a very good opportunity to improve our chances of qualification in future with some coefficient points.
8 games makes it more of a league, we’ll need to be a bit smarter about picking up draws in games we don’t win, even if they’re at home. Difficult to change the mentality from easily beating european cannon fodder like kilmarnock and Hearts, though, but its a necessity.
CHAIRBHOY on 30TH AUGUST 2024 6:37 AM
“It will be interesting who we face at the end of January, depending how our summer transfer recruitment finishes… we may need the January window to give us the extra boost to get our play-off spot.”
You can rest easy about January – we register our squad for the league stage in a couple of days. Any players we sign in January cant be used in our 8 games
Tomoki going to Brum on loan.Nawrocki going somwhere on loan
Cameron Carter-Vickers was not present during the open segment of today’s training session at Lennoxtown ❌
C’mere there’s more :-))))
HH
I really do think some are in for a shock.The football we played in the States,totally new,defence to attack,rapid,the movement,passing,got bogged down a bit playing teams in Scotland,10 men behind the ball,although our passing still great.
BRs signings are to play this system,which,£700 million of Chelsea talent could not live with.Hoping the Mob are stupid enough to open up Sunday.
TURKEYBHOY
Hope yesterday at the beach was chill. Agree on the style of play. Quietly confident with the draw.
Good morning all from the Shipbank.
Coneybhoy 10.29
Hendrix, Sabbath, Ledzep and the orrible oo.
😁
And Rory of course. 👍
Engels gets his first call up to the Belgian squad on the day he signs for Celtic. What a time for the bhoy.
new article posted.