AEK Athens have played only four friendly fixtures since losing the Greek Cup Final on 12 May. They failed to score in three of those games, beating Galatasaray 3-2 at home in the more recent game. The fixtures have been spread out: with 6 days, 8 days and 10 days between them. There will be a gap of 8 days between the Galatasaray game and their visit to Celtic Park tomorrow, so there has been no intensity to their efforts.
AEK needed to prepare an entire squad, not just a starting 11, during these games. This is not appropriate preparation for one of the most important ties of the season. It feels like an inexplicable oversight, I would be livid if this was Celtic’s preparation for this tie. Such complacency deserves to be punished.
By contrast, Celtic have played five competitive games and five friendlies since our 12 May Cup Final. The fitness strategy contrast between our squad and AEK’s is stark. As a consequence, we have to make tomorrow’s game a multi-ball, unrelenting, occasion.
Even if the game is tight at 80 minutes, how we finish the match could have a significant bearing on who progresses. This is when you would expect AEK’s lack of fitness to be most telling. Players lose concentration and coordination when tired. This is when we should look to push the tie over the edge.
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HS @ 4.19
21.40 tomorrow night — good result hopefully a great result then hopefully the club DJ will let the Pointer Sisters loose on an unsuspecting CP.
Your challenge will be to spot the dad dancing that will go along with it.
For one night only — weddings excepted — I will make some moves like it was 1988.
It might not be the Chicago style of my youth but Oakland is close enough.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 7TH AUGUST 2018 3:04 PM
@ CALL ME GERRY on 7TH AUGUST 2018 2:58 PM
It’s true that we cannot purchase first team players directly from England and for precisely that reason we should be scouting the European market.
We’ve done very well with players from the English leagues recently – Boyata, Ntcham Sinclair and Dembele all purchased directly from England.
Our starting line up on Saturday had 4 players bought from European clubs, 4 home grown (if you count Gordon) one from Aberdeen, one from Australia and one from an English club.
Our bench had 7 scots and Sinclair
We’ve just bought an exciting talent from Australia
We do look beyond England but when we’ve bought from there recently our success rate has been excellent
Double treble winners in crisis, because we
EUROCHAMPS67
Where’s the money going………………. Tom?
Where’s the money going
Davy Provan CSC
BSR @ 4.??
There is no plan.
The fag packet was lost.
PL has forgotten the answer and it is drying BR mad.
It is erse covering for the fat and happy exec level who think CL qualification is a shoe in.
‘Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has access to ‘significant fighting funds’ from mysterious benefactor’
No he doesn’t.
my phone is obviously feeling the heat
Just found an old Celtic jersey. It’s from the centenary year. Tis cool as ffff, got C R Smith as sponsors though. The Celtic Cross instead of shamrock. Gonna keep it forever. 1888- 1988 .
Also, Mrs Tuco Benedito Pacifico Juan Maria Remeerz is a great painter. She did a great painting of Jimmy Johnstone for my Brother in law Dave’sChristmas present. I have a photo of it but have no idea how to post it. Dave if ye are reading this take a photo of the painting and post it for all those in Timland. I ken you know how to do it Dave. Are ye there Dave?
Mon the Celts Hail Hail
Rich
@ BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 7TH AUGUST 2018 4:14 PM
The same tired argument about “no guarantee”. Each of Brendan’s big signings in the summer has had a big impact on the qualification process. As people have mentioned before, there are no guarantees is any business, so to hold that out as the standard for any signing is unrealistic. In addition, you are then questioning Brendan’s ability to spend on the team.
RE Boyata, do you believe that we cannot sign a better player? We are not talking about Larsson here or even Dembele. Relative to their positions, he is a weaker player than a whole host of his teammates (Ntcham, Brown, McGregor, Forrest, Edouard etc have all proved far better players).
To quote Brendan further:
“He’s a player from a few months back I was really interested in. When you don’t complete a deal it opens the door for other teams… we’ve lost players, the bare minimum is to replace them.
We lost Stuart Armstrong and haven’t got a replacement yet. Patrick Roberts has gone out and we haven’t got a replacement yet…our job this year was pretty straight forward in terms of bringing players in. We only wanted quality.’’
”He’s a player from a few months back I was really interested in. When you don’t complete a deal it opens the door for other teams.We’ve lost players, the bare minimum is to replace them
We lost Stuart Armstrong and haven’t got a replacement yet. Patrick Roberts has gone out and we haven’t got a replacement yet our job this year was pretty straight forward in terms of bringing players in. We only wanted quality.’’
Brendan Rodgers quote from Celts are Here blog
If this is true then Brendan is clearly unhappy. He also is quoted in the Scotsman concerning Boyata
“‘He is clearly a player of value and at this point in time for us he is very important and so the club rejected that. At this stage it would be pretty difficult for us to sell him because there is not a replacement there.
If you lose someone of that quality then the very least you need to have is someone of similar quality coming in and that is not the case at this moment.”
Both these quotes demonstrate to me that Brendan is unhappy. Up until now, he has never given the MSM any fuel, but, that seems to be changed.
Think I’ll let the tyres down on the gazebo tomorrow night….or I’ll just smash its windaes!
MadMitch
MADMITCH
Awe_Naw_No_The_Hunnish_CelticBoard_V CelticManager_P*sh?
Fag packet economics are for you, and the Internet .
You blame Peter Lawwell, your predecessors threw pennies at Bob Kelly in the stand and bemoaned the wee Wummin in Ireland, that scyphoned off the profits ( and stole the Kenny Dalglish money. )
You are the manna that leads SMSM to be able to create urban mythology like ‘biscuit tins’ whilst Celtic clean up and buy £9M players.
Hail Hail
Interesting quotes.
Passive aggressive and then some.
Games are being played and then some.
Unfortunately we all might lose if things don’t change.
AJAX footie hooligans could finally be prosecuted THREE YEARS after a sickening attack on a Celtic supporters bar manager left him with titanium plates in his face.
Bar boss Neil O’Donnell, 37, was battered by a gang of yobs in November 2015 and now Dutch legal chiefs have taken the first steps towards prosecuting those responsible for the attack.Fifteen supporters were found to be behind a number of Celtic bar attacks after the Crown Office passed responsibility for justice to prosecutors in Holland.
Yesterday, a spokesman for law chiefs in Amsterdam confirmed that police have begun questioning each suspect, including one female, and said the process should lead to court appearances.
Their statement said: “According to the Dutch criminal law, suspects have the right to be questioned by the police about the alleged criminal offences before we can go to court.
“In this case, we have ordered the police to question the 15 suspects
The Hands @ 4.45
If it’s a ‘tired argument’ it could be considered ‘consistent’ depending on which camp your in.
If its tired its no as tired “The window is still open”
I don’t want a player thats mibbee better than Dedryk,or mibbees no, I’m happy with the business decision BR and the board have made.
Comparing the contributions of James Forrest or any other non CB with Dedryk Boyata is a pure waste of time, ( so it is )
See line two repeat for hard of hearing “The window is still open” and talks are near conclusion for Daniel Arzani.
HH
BSR @ 5.12
So Wee Fergus was wasting his time — the families had it all worked out.
Your neo Con attitudes — the execs always know best — is perfectly in tune with today’s post Trump world. Unfortunately they don’t and they need reminding of that fact.
So keep on doffing your cap and believing what the man — or his AstroTurf — tells you.
Me — I just keeping hoping for good football, a few goals and some More CL nights this season.
I wouldn’t be hasty to read in to what BR said about why we rejected Boyata bid that we are not going to sign a CH. All he said was that it was rejected as we could not replace him at this stage. Could he have meant before our 3rd and hopefully 4th qualifying round. Remember English window closes Thursday 9th, we have further 22 days to sign a CH and any other signings.
As always…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Surely this must be first! PL is TURNING down money and letting a player go for free next summer.
I can see some folk on here who are disagreeing with our esteemed double treble manager.
But Brendan we have Kouassi and we bought young Morgan they will say.
The manager could not make it any more obvious.
Absolutely rolling in it and failing to heed the guy that got us there.
BIGBHOY on 7TH AUGUST 2018 4:47 PM
…“‘He is clearly a player of value and at this point in time for us he is very important and so the club rejected that. At this stage it would be pretty difficult for us to sell him because there is not a replacement there.
If you lose someone of that quality then the very least you need to have is someone of similar quality coming in and that is not the case at this moment.”…
I disagree with your inference that BR is not happy.
In my last post I have explained the reasons why. There is no replacement there at the moment but we still have time to strengthen. Yes we ain’t replaced Armstrong but arguably we have enough depth and quality in the middle of the park to get through until we can sign someone.
Time will tell who is right.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
@ BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 7TH AUGUST 2018 5:22 PM
It might be consistent in the sense you keep repeating it, but it has zero merit. There are no guarantees in any business. You can’t base your signing policy on signing only guarantees or else you would sign no one.
Agreed, window still open but could be out of the CL by then. We are taking a gamble.
“I don’t want a player thats mibbee better than Dedryk,or mibbees no, I’m happy with the business decision BR and the board have made.”
BR’s quote seems to show that there is a bit of space between the board and himself. Also, the business decisions are made exclusively by the board and not BR.
“Comparing the contributions of James Forrest or any other non CB with Dedryk Boyata is a pure waste of time, ( so it is )”.
You are missing the point. It is perfectly acceptable to draw comparisons to other players in the team and their relative worth. You seem to have made arguments in the past that Boyata is irreplaceable. The point I’m making is that Boyata does not have the same importance to the team, nor has he produced the same level of performance as other players within the team, never mind Larsson who was truly irreplaceable.
BB @ 5.19
Interesting developments.
Need to keep this issue live.
You have to wonder how active the Dutch authorities will be.
Need to keep reminding the SP how lazy they have been in all this.
Plus compare and contrast with their efforts regarding the disturbances on PRW last week.
I wonder if they have passed on the investigation to the Croation police?
LENNYBHOY
LB thanks as ever for your input on here I for one appreciate it in this always now tense windae time.
Do you know if there was any truth in the rumour that we scouted a player in Germany only for the deal to fall through at the last minute??
Faith Being Kept
HH
Big Georges Fan Club – Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on 7th August 2018 2:26 pm
Just reading back,Well done to WBGFC a fantastic effort from the Bhoy.
Celtic FC SLO
@CelticFCSLO
1h1 hour ago
Important Info for CSC Coaches for tomorrows match, we have just been informed that the Emirates Coach Park will now be available @CelticFC @CelticFCTickets
MadMitch – You seem to be getting worked up over all this business. Trust me, there’s no need.
Have a look in the mirror, what do you see? A good looking Tim celebrating double trebles and on the way to 10 in a row!
Now imagine this if you looked in the mirror – A sad and pathetic Sevco supporting loser who pretends to be a Celtic fan on a blog so that he can post negatively about the treble winning Champions of Scotland. Look in the mirror – an ugly red faced tool whose brother is also your mother. You did nothing while your team died and the abomination that now plays out of ibrox will be known as Sevco forever. FOREVER. And this is how you respond? When everyone on the site can see right through what you’re doing and is laughing at you? You let your team die and your new team is going the same way you inbred tosser. You spend time here when you should be having fun with your girlfriend and pals… oh wait, there’s a problem there, can you see what it is?
Now that would be nightmare! But when you look in the mirror you see a good looking Tim so take it easy pal – the bookies are already paying out on us winning the league!
Mad mitch @5.25,
Me — I just keeping hoping for good football, a few goals and some More CL nights this season.
So far, good football, check, won 4 drew 1
A few goals, check, average 3 a game
More CL nights this season, check 6 out of 6 so far
Even without our right back and centre back!
Won every domestic trophy we entered for the past two years.
The board and Brendan must be doing something ok surely?
Lenny Bhoy,
As usual your insight on transfers is welcome but is there not an inference that the Roberts and Armstrong gaps leave the squad weaker?
Appreciate there is still time post Thursday but these are our most important games of the season and we have accepted being in a weaker position.
Paul67 et al
First saw Dedryck against Davie Moyes wee Spanish team out in ol’Paisley back in 2014.
(Think Elizabeth R might have had a gig at the dear green place.) Tall, athletic, quick, quite good in the air if a wee bit compulsive, but a player in there no question. And he has improved since then, unlike his compatriot Denayer, who is moving in the wrong direction. He knows now he is valued at two clubs, question is which club value him the most?
I’VEHADTOCHANGEMYMIND on 7TH AUGUST 2018 4:43 PM
‘Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has access to ‘significant fighting funds’ from mysterious benefactor’
No he doesn’t.
*naw its teresa may.
SCULLYBHOY
The ole ‘damned if you do damned if you don’t’ regularly applies to our CEO
Few quick points on McGinn
1. If McGinn does sign for AV people need to quit saying he was desperate to sign for Celtic and Celtic alone.
2. It’s clear Hibs wantes to sell him to anybody else but Celtic.. They are letting him visit AV without any fee agreed!
3. AV have a bigger budget than Celtic
4. It’s really up to McGinn. If he wants to come to Celtic he needs to wait til after the English window shuts. Hibs were never going to allow him to leave before then
MADMITCH
I don’t think your expectations are too high and neither does the Celtic board, I’d imagine.
They are just not as bereft in evidence of how Celtic are best placed to achieve it, than you are.
You are an emotional Celtic fan that doesn’t like the board because we spend within our means, how well within our means
nobody on CQN really knows – do they?
Fans ( Fanatics ) ( Fantasy ) just want to buy £5M CB’s and pay them Millions when we’ve already got 4 CB’s and players earning Gazillions?
Good point, re 1994 Fergus new era with CEO’s etc.
Peter Lawwell has erred in the personnel employment recruitment like most CEO’s in world football, so we’re not
‘treated differently’ there either. By and large we use scout and spend in the market very well, especially when we use EPL clubs that no one else in Scotland can?
I do think, I understand how Celtic transfers work, in the modern era I also understand how the transfer ‘windows’ have changed the way they work, including a ‘log jam’ until deadline day.
I can assure I don’t doff my cap even proverbially, but I always bow to Celtic’s superior knowledge, if that makes me a Celtic fan, I’m a happy Bhoy
HH
BGFC
7 Straight A’s for G, to match 7 straight titles for Celtic. I am so chuffed for you all and especially Wee BGFC.
YNWA
Also, i disagree that its a gamble not doing your transfer business before the window shuts. You get to the CL on the back of your regulars. It’s a big risk throwing somebody in the deep end
see: Van Dijk in Khazakhstan
Whenever we’ve thrown a bunch of new players in the team we got pumped.
Bada @ 5.19
Think the BBC or SevcoTV will cover the story?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Chirivella
Seemingly has rejected a move to Rosenborg after a fee was agreed, £2.4m plus add ons. Linked with us.
well done W. B. G. F. C.