AEK Athens are a far sterner test than Celtic or Rosenborg would want in the Champions League third qualification round. Last year they despatched Brugge 3-0 on aggregate from the Europa League qualifiers before drawing home and away against AC Milan. They left the tournament in the first knock out round on the away goals rule to Dynamo Kiev.
On the positive side, they are preseason and the third round will be their first competitive games since May. Although they are a famous European name, last season was their first domestic title in 24 years, when the interrupted Olympiacos’ domination of football in Greece.
Should we overcome Rosenborg, this would be a big task for Celtic. AEK will be favourites, no matter who they face.
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blogs are mainstream now JF
Auldheid @ 10:54, said:
`go back to square one and think about what caused the judgement.`
Here is my attempt at doing just that:
A) James wants Celtic to be as successful as possible;
B) To be that, Celtic would need to buy some players better than we already have;
C ) James does not accept that Celtic cannot do that;
D) This angers/disappoints James;
E) James highly rates the Celtic Manager:
F ) James concludes that if Celtic are not buying better players, then the Board must be at fault;
G) James interprets the Manager`s words in a way which supports his ( James) opinions.
JJ
AULDHEID 10:54
Very profound post there, have you ever explored Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
I am a CBT therapist always preaching just what you said
(smiley face and thumbs up)
BR has shown he is not afraid to spring the odd surprise with the occasional left field selection.
Would not be at all surprised or disappointed if Gamboa started tonight.
Squad is strong despite the injuries. Very confident.
I’vehadtochangemymind,
Yes, just chilling before going tonight’s match.
tumbs up ec67
we’re gonna win the league
we’re gonna win the league
ee ai me addio
we’re gonna win the league
My prediction for tonight:
Gordon
Gamboa Hendry Ajer Tierney
Forrest Brown Ntcham McGregor Sinclair
Edouard.
Cheers JimTim. I wondered what I had said! LOL.
Jaysus James
Chill out fella. You’re not that important in my world, sorry to disappoint you. My original post was done in jest and you were described as the great James Forrest…..
You come across as a little too sensitive for a man writing to the general public. That can’t be great for your health…
Lots of love coming your way….
Big Wavy
JAMES FORREST
Sorry James mate he was asked abut the McGinn transfer specifically and he said he had nothing to add and that was between the clubs, he then said we’re looking to strengthen and also said he was aware that patience was needed.
Doesn’t sound to me anyway that he didn’t know where we are in the transfer market.
HH
Big Wavy:
I might have mistaken you for someone else there fella, so I apologise brother :)
Starry Plough:
When it comes to the McGinn deal, I suspect Brendan knows exactly what’s going on behind the scenes, because I know for a fact that Lawwell clued him in on that and asked him and the backroom team just how much McGinn was “needed” in this window … that’s politics and I wholly understand why Brendan would want to stay out of that stuff. And like I said, he’s been kept informed on that front.
But last night he stated openly that he has no idea whether the club will emerge from this window stronger or not. That ought not to be in the remotest doubt. We have money to spend, and there are players out there who tick the boxes. Now, it might well be that we’re waiting until the English window shuts on 9 August, when prices will be somewhat lower and we’re not competing with them for players, but that takes us past the Athens fixtures, if indeed we make it that far.
Not that I think we’ll have anybody signed by then anyway. I am pretty much resigned to having to write the worst transfer article since The Wilo Flood Window at this stage.
I can’t say this enough times; when you consider that Armstrong has been sold for good money (and hat off to Lawwell for getting a transfer fee that big for him) and that the Van Dijk settlement gave us a nice chunk of change at the end of the last campaign we’ve spent zero. Nada. Nil.
Two Champions League signing windows have come and went. Another one looms in a week. I don’t understand, I literally do not get, how anyone could be satisfied with that.
By the way, it’s nice to be back posting on this site again :)
I get on very rarely these days. I hope all my old comrades on here are well.
It’s always nice to come back. I would post more regularly if I had the time. I’d also like to be a regular on the Scottish Football Monitor, but if any of the regs from there are on here, man that site needs cleaning out. The same posters, day in day out, trying to keep the focus on fluff … yeah, that’s the one problem with having a site that’s open to everyone. Easy to hijack.
@ JAMES FORREST on 25TH JULY 2018 11:58 AM
Great post.
JF
“But last night he stated openly that he has no idea whether the club will emerge from this window stronger or not. ”
Not in the interview I saw I’m only going by the presser that BSR posted unless there is an extended version.
We’re were also told that the business would be done at the end of the window, we accept that or not.
As for it being a Willo Flood type affair we won’t know that till the dread windae slams shut!!
Anyway I’m going out the door and I always read your stuff James but todays piece I found to be too over the top for this auld geezer:))
More power to you
HH
James Forrest
Stopped reading at he does not know what is going on with signings
Window open till end of August?
Hope you’re well
Hail Hail
No problem James fella.
Keep on keeping on and stay safe…
We all want what’s best for the tic….
Big Wavy
The Hands
Brenda’s feelings
Are you a …?
Auldheid
“Feelings are the sons and daughters of our thinking and we all love our sons and daughters, even if at times we might judge them wrong.
So no rush to judge, go back to square one and think about what caused the judgement.”
Quote of the month, thank you for being you.
JF @ this morning
As has happened at regular intervals over a large number of years — our dealings in the transfer market do not make sense.
The hidden agenda comes into play — our bonus culture and the KPIs being used to generate it.
Then there is the Irish Raj dimension — no more emergency rights issues or the possibility of an emergency rights issue at any cost.
Then there is managerial overconfidence in the ability of the defence.
Plus strange comments abou KT leaving before any rumours had hit the ground.
We are not playing with a straight bat at the moment.
There is an agenda we are working too — just a case that the support don’t need to know.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE:
You missed me writing a lot of nice things about you then ;)
Better go back and check!
Don’t get the angst among many about transfers. It’s the end of August the window closes not the end of July. We go into CL qualifiers each season with basically the same squad that ended the previous one, with a couple of exceptions. The players who took us over the line in the league and won the cup should always be good enough to negotiate the first couple of rounds of qualifiers.
Players don’t sign for clubs, especially in a small league like Scotland, until they’ve exhausted all other possibilities, so getting quality in takes time.
The major difference this year is the English transfer window closing on 9th August. Given our manager prefers to shop there, 11 out of 14 players signed in his reign have come from English clubs,I expect nothing to start happening on transfers until Friday 10th August. I include McGinn on that as Petrie will hang on till then to see if a team down south offers closer to £4m and he can use this as a bargaining chip with us (in his mind). Whether we play a back 3 or 4, we currently have 6 CHs and 3 RBs, until some are moved on we won’t sign anyone in these positions. I think we will sign a RB and CH but only once Gamboa is sold, Ralston is loaned out and at least 2 CHs are punted (most likely Dedryck and Jozo).
Awe_Naw_Nae_Noo_Article_Oan_The_Day_Either_Anaw_Noo?
Gary 67
In a nutshell☘️
We have moved :)))))
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/show-no-compromise/#comment-3259418
Good afternoon,
I want to be able to watch the football tonight, I live just outside Thankerton South Lanarkshire a rural area which has quite slow Internet.
Should I get Celtic TV or premier sports?
G-D
We have move to a new article bud.
Thanks leftclick.
@GARY67 on 25TH JULY 2018 12:19 PM
The problem with the approach that we will sign players in August is that we may have failed to qualify for the Champions League by that point, in which case the excuse will be made “we can’t sign players because we didn’t qualify”. This appears to be having your cake and eating it too, to an extent.
“Players don’t sign for clubs, especially in a small league like Scotland, until they’ve exhausted all other possibilities, so getting quality in takes time.”
We signed each of Edouard, Dembele and Ntcham early in the transfer window. This contradicts the above statement, as each of the aforementioned are quality youth players that all have international caps for France at youth level and, seemingly, wouldn’t be too short on suitors.
I take your point about offloading deadwood, but at the same time, why purchase the likes of Hendry/Gamboa for around £1m if we know their quality is lacking. Same goes for Hayes, Benyu etc