“I’m so tired of being alone,
I’m so tired of on my own,
Won’t you help me, girl,
Just as soon as you can”
Al Green’s lament is written for those tired and distant from homely comforts If you and I do our job tonight, the Astana players who take the field will know what it feels like to compete in what is the wee small hours of their internal body clock. They will be tired, and the crisp Glasgow night will feel nothing like their central Asia base. Home advantage is worth nothing if you don’t make the most of it.
Astana’s Bulgarian manager, Stanimir Stoilov, promised his players are ready for tonight’s game at Celtic Park.:
“Discipline will be key. When we were here last year feelings were running high and we could maintain composure. We just have to remember two games will decide who gets to the group stages of the Champions League. We need to keep our nerve for both games.
“I have no words that can describe what it would mean for Kazakhstani football for us to reach the group stage. I am pretty sure the players know what it will mean for them, they are focussed on success.
“Celtic have risen up in recent years under Brendan Rodgers. He has done a good job and Celtic are stronger.
“We need to score [tonight]. If we don’t, get a goal, the game in Astana will be tough. We must try to be ourselves and play our football, no surprises.
“Any team which doesn’t lose in eight months deserves huge respect. We will be very happy if we win. On the other hand, there are defeats in football too, but we will see what happens.”
One interesting fact emerged from his Celtic Park media conference yesterday: the Astana board publicly set a target for their team to reach either the Champions League or Europa League group stages this season. This was achieved with the win over Legia Warsaw in the last round.
Given a choice, I’d prefer to play a team who’ve hit their targets, than one whose very essence replies on them beating you.
Let’s get stuck into them, Celtic.
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275 Comments- Pages:
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Bada Bing
Either of them is a huge step down in my opinion but the wages they would offer would probably double or treble the offer we have on the table.
Medals or money. That is the decision.
I hear that KT is in a pure sulk and his Mum is pure ragin’ at Big Sutty. Thanks for the sabotage, Chris.
Tonight – keep Stuart Armstrong well away from the pitch; don’t think his head’s anywhere near being right for a CL match.
Get fired into them at a high tempo right from the start; don’t let them settle and we’ll take 5 of fthem.
Celtic – 3 is 17/2 with Betfair.
Celtic to score 5+ is 16/1 with Skybet.
I expect both outcomes fulfilled with Nostradamus-like awe.
COYBIG
I am not a clever Bhoy as many on here will agree however, as fans of any club are members of the public and plough money into the SFA coffers etc, then surely under ” The Freedom of Information Act” Scotland….the SFA have a legal duty to abide by a “FIA”, and make the 5 Way Agreement Public ?
As for McCoists role ( I am feckin stunned and horrified that he had ANY role to play in any decisions) in relation to the 5way agreement…..it would be interested to know ” How many ( if any) OTHER MANAGERs of Clubs were allowed to have a say in that 5 way agreement ?
Feck me…….McCoist ?
HH
G67- agree, if Gamboa was match fit, i would have him RB and Lustig CB
Stuarts’s advisors…………………
*cough*
“Stu, for the guid o’ yer career an’ the guid o’ scoddish foo’oball, leave sellick an’ go to….errr, ummm
…eh……Port Vale….”
Aye, thanks……
RobinBhoy – thanks for the update – good work keeping us informed.
ROBINBHOY
Thanks for that,mate. It looks as though Doncaster is either pushing for a review but hiding behind the SFA apron-lip service-or laughing at us as they have stitched it up.
There seems to be a belief that we will just go away. You’d think they’d have learned that we have a history of playing a long game.
Aye,well. They’ll learn the hard way. Again. And the make the same miscalculations again.
SANDMAN on 16TH AUGUST 2017 12:32 PM
can this guy Nostradamus play centre hawf ?
HH
http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/into-the-known/
Nothing to fear but fear itself. A look at last years ties. HH
“Mr Doncaster made it very clear that the decision taken by LNS cannot be revisited”
Why not? It’s whole outcome (LNS Inquiry) was predecated on the EBT’s being legal. The Supreme Court said EBT’s were not legal.
The LNS outcome needs revisited.
Most important game of the season and Nir Bitton is likely to be CH. Those posters predicting a 2 or 3 goal winning margin are kidding themselves.
BIGJIMMY
Ironic that you should post at 1234 about Sally being involved in the 5WA
Prick canny get much further than that without taking his shoes and socks off.
How could they have any say in what their punishment was to be!!.
It beggars belief!!.
Mc coist ffs.
From the article on the CSA meeting with Doncaster and McKenzie….
‘Mr Doncaster also agreed with us that the Five Way Agreement (FWA) was a barrier to Title stripping’
John James says he’s spoken with Charles Green and Chuckles says the 5 way agreement that he signed doesn’t contain any obstacles to Title stripping. If you believe JJ that is.
Big Jimmy on 16th August 2017 12:37 pm
SANDMAN on 16TH AUGUST 2017 12:32 PM
can this guy Nostradamus play centre hawf ?
HH
=================================
:))
I think his legs have gone now, but I hear he once predicted the death of the Huns pretty accurately…
Call_of_Juarez on 16th August 2017 12:39 pm
Most important game of the season and Nir Bitton is likely to be CH. Those posters predicting a 2 or 3 goal winning margin are kidding themselves.
——————————————————————————
4 goals??? Bold, but I’ll go along with that…
;)
Al Green?
A teenage Al Green was beaten up and thrown out of the family home by his ever so Christian father-His sin -?listening to the Devils Music in the form of Jackie Wilson…
ROBINBHOY on 16TH AUGUST 2017 12:19 PM
The elephant in the room is the same club narrative.
Kill that dead, make the authorities declare that it is dead, and the question of title stripping becomes pretty much irrelevant.
Big Jimmy
Id say your instincts are spot on.
McCoist indeed. Everywhere that man goes, there is the stink of rotting fish.
Secret Society member, goes with the territory.
HH
5 Way Agreement?????
It sounds like it was the 1 Way Agreement. Whatever Rangers (IL) says, that’s the way.
SOT
Al Green, what a voice, truly gifted.
One of the best.
HH
JAMESGANG on 16TH AUGUST 2017 12:44 PM
Dbhoy
You still looking for a ticket bud?
HH jamesgang
I think we have a lot of players who have still to find their form this season.
Brendan has instilled a better collective spirit within the current group of players than previously existed, and it is this, coupled with his excellent strategical and tactical understanding has enabled the team to remain undefeated for so long.
These attributes should hopefully see us through this tie.
As a bit of insurance however, It would be timely if the likes of Sinclair and Rogic can produce tonight, one of the better performances that we know they are capable of, but have failed to show so far this season.
BMCUW
Aye….. “There’s been an ear-cupping” :-)
HH
Juarez.
I’m no predicting 2 or 3.
I’m predicting 4 or 5.
What’s wi the negative waves!!.
Kellysheroescsc.
Celtic By Numbers at 12:39
That was a well composed article and a reassuring read. Thanks for your efforts.
JJ
If you’re not nervous, you’re not normal. It is after all, a momentous game tonight.
2 or better to 0 would be great.
Nostradamus can play a bit. Reads the game well, has an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time.
;-)
Call_of_Juarez on 16th August 2017 12:39 pm
Most important game of the season and Nir Bitton is likely to be CH. Those posters predicting a 2 or 3 goal winning margin are kidding themselves.
==========================================
No, I’m cleaning out the bookies.
-3 @ 17/2
What if McCoist is one of the so far unnamed EBT recipients? Word i heard from someone who knows him, said he is expecting a large bill from Hector.How can he have any influence in any of this?
Juarez.
According to Celtic by Numbers, our back four in the Away tie against Astana was:
Lustig, O`Connell,Ambrose, Tierney.
and for the Home tie:
Janko, Lustig,O` Connell, Tierney.
Tonight is likely to be:
Lustig, Simunovic, Bitton, Tierney.
Maybe that instils some confidence in those predicting a two or three goal victory.
JJ
feck me…..McCoist having an almighty say in the 5WA ?
was Derek feckin Johnstone unavailable that day ?
Keep the ball on the deck and it won’t be so easy for the elbows to fly.
Celtic play in a certain way. Fair.
I don’t think they will have changed much a year later. A horrible team to play against because they were fly with their elbows, just about every player in their side.
Deck them 1st leg Celtic.
CALL_OF_JUAREZ on 16TH AUGUST 2017 12:39 PM
Most important game of the season and Nir Bitton is likely to be CH. Those posters predicting a 2 or 3 goal winning margin are kidding themselves.
………………………………….
Everyone of us is entitled to an opinion,
Haven’t you heard ?
HH
Happy Birthday TOHG. Have a great day.
The Saw Doctors
Swansea have just sold some guy I’ve never heard eh fir 45 mill, and want oor stretch fir a measly 6.
Tell them tae go piss in the wind celtic!.
Theresa May PM commenting on ” Chartlottesville” on BBC lunchtime news.
She condemned the Right Wing politics and violence etc, she then also stated ” The British Government has and will continue to tackle Right Wing Groups in Britain”…or words to that effect ?
Theresa….read Chartlottesville…………think feckin IBROXVILLE !
Ya horrible right wing Tory Coo !
And yer feckin ugly to boot !
This is the quote from the letter from EUFA to Res12
We refer to your correspondence dated 27th May 2016 and understand that you are acting for a group of shareholders in Celtic PLC, it is not the general policy of EUFA to write directly to lawyers representing unidentified clients and if this is a matter that a MEMBER CLUB of the Scottish football association (i.e. Celtic FC) wishes to take up with EUFA then the club should do so directly.
Will a club any club in Doncaster’s SPFL league (preferably Celtic) please submit a complaint to EUFA regarding matters of licensing and governance of Scottish football its the ONLY WAY forward
At next AGM of SFA will any of the 42 clubs who are supporting Celtic on requesting a review of these important governance issues propose new people for office bearers of the SFA please!! we need a clear out
Doncaster hiding behind the SFA, the SFA is the clubs ffs, they vote in or out as they see fit, clubs have the power please use it, stop hiding behind risible laughable statements from your association spokespeople