Optimism among the Celtic support is tangible right now. For much of last year the league title remained in the balance, but today, despite being promised a more taxing season, we’re miles ahead. You can get odds of over 40-1 on second favourites to win the title; the definition of No Contest.
As I noted yesterday, the transformation goes deeper than the heroics of Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele, neither of whom were material in the level of performance shown against Barcelona.
Achievements are often subject to reassessment at a later date and Celtic’s progress or otherwise over the last two years fall into this category.
A year ago, with a faltering Craig, Emilio, Efe, Dedryk, Stuart, Gary, James and others, we looked miles away from being a Champions League team. It turns out, we have a squad full of Champions League players.
Youth development hit the jackpot with Kieran Tierney, while John Park’s swansong signings, Erik Sviatchenko and Moussa Dembele, saw a return to form for our recently departed chief scout.
Money isn’t everything. Since 2004 it’s been clear on CQN that many Celtic fans have no interest in the game’s finances, all they are interested in is seeing an improving team on the park, but for the rest of us, the financial consequence of simply getting to the group stage this season is enormous. It makes accession to the same level next season so much more achievable.
None of that matters right now as we have the first cup final of the season coming up on Sunday. The litany of underachievement in this tournament stretches back to Jock Stein, who qualified for ever League Cup final during his 13 years in charge of Celtic, but after winning the first five, contrived to lose seven of the next eight.
I’ve seen a lot worse teams than Aberdeen knock us out of the League Cup, I hope nothing is taken for granted in the dressing room.
I’ve no idea what happened at the Newco AGM this morning but you’ll remember we discussed here the wisdom of launching a hostile takeover bid while a company is being driven into the sea by boycotts? More precisely, Newco was driven into the arms of the lender of last resort – Sports Direct. Sports Direct provided the cash that kept the lights on and picked up various rights and properties in compensation.
Offering a lender a shop at a rental of £1 per year for a decade seems harsh, but if the alternative is administration, there isn’t really an alternative. We didn’t know what the quid-pro-quo was for Ashley at the time, but we knew there had to be one.
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Fidel Castro
Rest in peace.
HH
To Michael & Natanya
A lovely daughter.Dahlia.
Good Health and happiness :-)
HH
T
Fidel Castro.
Good riddance to the guy who came so close to changing the Cold War to a nuclear holocaust.
GREENBING,
Sorry for your loss.
I’ve lost friends and not always thru terminal illness.
It’s very tough, as even decades later I still think if them .
I’m sure that you will always remember your mate, and that’s all he is asking for .
RIP.
Sorry guys just logged on for my morning Celtic news fix but seem to have came onto some sort of Daily Mail/Fox News right wing Christian fundamentalist site by mistake…will give E Tims a try.
Macjay
Free medical care,a more balanced society. A medical corp that was first to assist wherever there was a natural disasters.per head of population more spent on health, education and public works than per head in the so called leaders of the free world.
Nuclear holocaust -I disagree.political brinkmanship yes
Now if you suggest the threat of a good example i agree
instead of the feral capitalism of U.S and its foreign policy of being allowed to repatriate its profits, continious low intensity wars inspired by cia.costing millions of lives around the globe.
Its easy to take the miami/mafiosa side in their crutique.alas their corruption was even more dire than anything Castro fotwarded.
HH
..
The Griff to Finish Top SPFL Scorer @ 7/1 is a Great Bet..
Hardly started a Game yet Only 3 behind Moussa and 5 behind Scott who both are getting Man marked more than they did at First..
Summa of TheReturnOfTheGrinchGriffCSC
Very quiet over on E Tims.Come on now the USA encourages democracy all over the world and when it does’nt like the result they have a military coup…Algeria..Egypt…Chile and so on.Off to watch the Life of Brian…powerful.
Summa…nice one Sir.Celtic talk…i fell into the trap.Yes the Griff and Dembele up front tomorrow please Brendan.
Nature does what the Central Iniquitous Agency couldn’t.
RIP Fidel Castro.
https://youtu.be/b04TohQrJi8
Rest In Peace Mr Castro…
https://youtu.be/MJm5fwgU8Hg
Let’s hope American Corruptionism never returns to the island..
https://youtu.be/MJm5fwgU8Hg
Not so cold this morning, but my 5k will still be indoors at the gym. Parental visits, taxi duty for the visiting lhad, cooking some Spanish goodies, and maybe a bit of football on telly.
Sounds like a plan to me , have a good day everyone.
HH
Well said big Dan! Are you going on Friday?
Scott Sinclair hasn’t been ruled out yet by Brendan who’s giving him to the last minute ?
It could be a bit of ” kidology” by Brendan, and why not ? Lefts leave Aberdeen and their manager guessing.
This Cup Final is all about how we approach it, and I like to believe that whoever plays for Celts will be busting a gut for the Celtic fans, the Celtic jersey, Brendan , the club and each other !
HH
Lefts = let’s !
Big thanks to everyone who attended anyone but Celtic in St Josephs church hall last night. Over £1k raised for building fund
Paul Larkin really puts his head above the parapet and deserves a lot of credit for his tenacity at naming and shaming the cheats and masons
☘️☘️☘️☘️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
I am indeed.
I was in cafe on wed.said hello to your good lady.heading in for dinner on fri but t-total as am workin that night.
Be good to see you :-)
HH
Anybody think we could use Gamboa to good effect on Sunday to both combat the speed of Johnny Hayes and to exploit Hampden’s wide open spaces?
No?
Good morning friends from a still clear, still dry and still frosty (though not quite as cold as the last few days) East Kilbride. And Happy Cup Final Eve ;-)
Summa
Fair point but Griff has to play to score (!). Likewise, of course Moussa and Scott. The fact that Brendan is more able to alternate might make Rooney a good bet if he remains injury free.
What are the odds on him?
I will read any replies later as I have to scoot oot so cheerio for now,
JJ
https://youtu.be/j9u1Uj5CPmg
If you’ve got a spare 20 mins take a look at this video. We were lucky enough to see the wee guy play football on Wednesday night. From 12.30 mins onwards is beyond belief.
SFTB
I have seen very little of Gamboa and think he is just )K.Hayes, on the other hand, is a very dangerous player. I would block his runs so that he has to change direction at speed or accelerate from a standing start. He does have an injury prone hamstring 0:-))
Definitely off now,
JJ
just )K = just OK !
Great work again by Hot Smoked and vfr800a8 on this week’s Q&A session with Celtic.
Here is this week’s report.
CQN EXCLUSIVE: CELTIC ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON STADIUM, FAN EXPERIENCE & SAFETY ISSUES…http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/?p=30251
Please note that next week’s Q&A is on ticket allocation and the following week it’s about the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act. Submit your questions to competition@celticquicknews.co.uk
monnnnnnnnnnnnnn the hooooooooooooooooooops
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbeattttttttttttt the sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
On the subject of the questions to JP was he asked if sevco have been taken to task or indeed have paid for the destruction yet again of the toilets at their end of Celtic park?
big big loss if ss doesn’t play
Sorry
I meant to address that to WC as he is presently online
changes our shape significantly when his pace and space isn’t there
GREENINBINGLEYINOSLO
___________________________
Sorry to read of the loss of yer pal – George.
Thoughts and Prayers to all who are close.
That’s so sad pal.
YNWA
Rot in hell Castro, revolutionary my ass, instead of the yanks running his economy he just switched to the to Russians run it, no doubt the CT the GB and the association will have a period of mourning for the rest of the week, spending less time spreading they’r guff on here would be a good start, get yer berrets oan, and head to the blane valley for a cigarillo smokers smokers night hosted by TGM, Canamalal, HT, Morrissay, FGF, and a flying visit from BMCW, and your combat jacket will be autographed Tommy Sherriden, the evening will finish with a huddle while singing Wull yi no come back again.
Viva la Tony ;)
SFTB
No
Renowned historical scholar and analytical mind nails Castro’s reign as an excuse for Glasgow lefties to dress as Citizen Smith, or attention seeker uses a death to push his own agendas- you decide which is closest to the truth.
Fidel R.I.P.
Another of my father’s heroes gone to his eternal reward.
Listened to Brian Wilson talking very well about Fidel on Radio 4. As he said, you have to look at the wider picture. Fidel gave hope to people all over what we used to call “the developing world”. His people, in contrast to much of the world, receive a good education and real medical care.
Here’s hoping the mafia and the other chancers who controlled Batista never gain a foothold ever again in Cuba.
SCF 1984…..
Eric Black scores a 5yd offside goal 0-1….
Big Roy sent off before half time, WGS tells Big Mark McGhee to stay on the ground and get Big Roy sent off !
Murdo moved out of midfield back into ch and played probably his best game in a Cellic jersey outwith all his hunskelping gemmes….imho.
10 man Celts, inspired by Murdo and Daniel Fergus and a rebellious Cellic end, fight back and the Maestro scores an emphatic equaliser giving us hope of a replay.
But, plyting with 10 men and, extra time vs an Aberdeen who’d won a European trophy the year before and, it proved too much as, Big Cheating Cute McGhee scored the winner in his fanal game for the Dons afore he went to Hamburg who’d just won the European Cup.
Aberdeen 2-1 Cellic = Timdom mibberied by Bob Valentine but, but,….Cellic were cheated by the Kelly’s n White’s who snaffled the Charlie Nicholas money by giving Davie Hay money to bring in, a young Brian McLair and Jim Melrose….imho.
Only time I’ve been at a cup final where we cuffed the Dons was the LCF in the King Kenny Dalglish year….just before the arrival of MO’N.
HH tae the auld rebellious Cellic end.
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 26TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:31 AM
On balance Castro, and the change he effected, was good for the people of Cuba.