If Celtic overcome FK Sarajevo in the Champions League first qualification round they will face either Macedonians, FK Shkendija or Nomme Kalju, from Estonia. Shkendija are first round seeds.
Last season Shkendija eliminated Welsh side The New Saints in a remarkable tie, winning the first leg 5-0 and losing the return 4-0. They then eliminated Moldovans, Sheriff Tiraspol 1-0 on aggregate before Salzburg knocked them out 4-0 on aggregate (no shame there). Our old pals Rosenborg then knocked them out at the Europa League play-off round, 5-1 on aggregate.
In 2018 Shkendija won cofomrtably against Moldovan opponents in the Europa first qualifying round, then beat HJK Helsinki in the second round and Luthianians Trakai in the third. This setup a trip to the San Siro for the team from Tetovo (population 52,000), where they lost 6-0.
Nomme Kalju exited last season’s Europa League at the first round to Stjarnan, our pals from Iceland.
It is almost certain Shkendija will progress to the second round. They are one of the better teams who float around the qualifiers without ever reaching a group stage, but Celtic should have enough in the tank to progress through both opening rounds. Happy to take this draw.
It is clear Celtic wanted David Turnbull, but not at any price. Wage structures have been broken for ‘the right player’ but everyone needs to have signed up to the view that the player in question is worthy of breaking the structure. The player and his agent are entitled to shop around for the highest wage.
Still, it is another one that got away. Stiffer challenges than Sarajevo, Shkendija and Kalju will arrive in August.
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Bada, I never know whether guys are leg pulling but firstly are you serious or joking and secondly please excuse my ignorance but who is Wiggy.
Big wavy.
I am not happy and i will worry.
Sevco’s biggest asset is our board.
And this has always been the case and i go back to Bob Kelly.
Sevco’s hope going forward is Peter lawwell.
I dont agree that we are weaker that we Were last season. We look stronger middle to front.
We look weaker at the back and clearly need a rightback. I am sure that will be resolved. We need one centreback too. However, people seem to forget benk was injuried an awful lot last season and so to was boyata and he often gives me the fear.
People worrying about who other clubs are signing need to realise not all signing are equal. its harder to signing a shved that a loan kid from liverpoor or a centreback from league 2 (4th division in england). I would be going tonto if we Were making these signing and so would nost on here.
I would rather wait for the correct quality even if it does my head in at times. If we cant get better quality i dont wait squad fillers. Lets judge our business when its done not before its started.
HH
It takes a worried man, to sing a worried song,
Oh, It takes a worried man to sing a worried song,
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song.
I’m worried now but I won’t be worried long.
MIT
What’s happening in Toronto big yin?
What was the last song you listened to? ?????
David66
Brilliant news D. Congratulations ???
The circle of life. Thomas rip.
WestCraigs
If their biggest hope is a guy presiding over 8inAR, 3 triple trebles and and a bank account that outspends their entire turnover, they are even more deluded than even I thought….
DD
Still cleaning up after the Raptors party … 2 million people shut down the downtown! crazy.
I’m on a trial at the moment, but it is on hold until Friday, so went to see a concert last night … The Teskey Brothers …. bunch of young aussie guys who sound like Otis Redding, Bobby Bland… pretty great.! Give them a listen, and let me know what you think …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5fjHGtvPl8
CORKCELT on 19TH JUNE 2019 9:19 PM
Bada, I never know whether guys are leg pulling but firstly are you serious or joking and secondly please excuse my ignorance but who is Wiggy.
————————–
Corky …Wiggy is hun apologist and cheerleader Gordon Smith.
@ CELTIC40ME on 19TH JUNE 2019 9:09 PM
They probably are not as accurate as reading the accounts, but I take the point. However, looking at Celtic’s profile, we had £42.56m at the bank as of 2018.
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/cltff/financials/balance-sheet
You mention our interims as at 31 December 2018 which show a period end net cash at bank of £38.6m (2017: £30.9m). So we are nearly 8m up on the same date in 2017.
Given that we ended the year 17/18 with circa £43m in the bank (as per the website you provided) and we are £8m up on that year as at 31 December 2018 and we have received £9m compensation for Brendan in the interim, does that not suggest to you that we will maintain the same level of cash at the bank, if not adding to it?
In Jan-Jun 2018 we received £16m in player sales for VVD and Armstrong. This year we have more cash in the bank at 31 December 2018 on account of the Dembele sale (£20m) and have received £9m for BR’s comp.
Thanks Voguepunter.
Big wavy.
I give up.
You are too smart for me.
Argies right back in this now I can see the scots burds bottle it HH
Penalty argies
Good debate going on, apologies for bringing it down…
Now there has been comparison made to the David Turnbull miss to the John McGinn one.
Now my take is kinda yes and kinda no…
Why yes. It’s simply this; in most lines of commerce you want to “win” business you need to make deals, the most successful businesses have closers…
The girl or guy who brings home the bacon.
It doesn’t matter how close you got to making the deal, if a salemen doesn’t close the sale there is no commision, the one that got away stories don’t wash.
You need to understand exactly the requirements, your strengths and weakness and develop a winning strategy.
Let’s take Castagne for example, it looks like we had the heads up he wasn’t happy at Atalanta, he wasn’t getting much game time, his agent reckoned Atalanta would do business for €10M.
Ok, this is December… and Celtic are primed…
Now the bad news is he wants a major league, he doesn’t fancy Scotland.
The good news is, he wants to win trophies and have European football, preferably UCL.
Ok so what’s the strategy… assuming you really want the guy…
Well, you understand his current contract and what he wants in regards personal terms…
You get set to woe him, promise of trophies, European football, a great stab at his terms and conditions and make him feel important and wanted… Tell him you need senior players.
Then you hit hard and fast, €10M on the table as well as his fabulous and magnificent contract.
He bites, Atalanta are tempted…
You need to close so you say we need a decision quick, you want him in Dubia with all the lads, you’ve got some big and important games coming up. Would that work?
What did we do… chance our arm, €6M, see if they bite…
No
But the Right Back is now in play and Lazio and Napoli come in and French and German Clubs are shown an interest. By the first week of the window you are totally out of the running. The Deals Dead.
Of course you feel you haven’t embarassed yourself enough with your hamfisted low-ball, so you wait until the end of the window and Atalanta has determined he’s not for sale and put on a price tag of €12M (which you helped bump up btw;)… then you slap a desperate €8M bid in…
So what’s the strategy for David Turnbull, a guy from a North Lanarkshire, a family who don’t like the old firm stuff!!
Would you say hubris and arrogance and letting him know whose boss is the way to go!? Because that’s not the strategy I’d adopt.
The President of Lyon FC described Peter Lawwell’s negiotiating tactics as Bulldog like… do you know why? It’s because President Aulas had a strategy and is a wily old fox…
Now the why no, the reason why John McGinn was different from David Turnbull was he came from a dyed in the wool Celtic family, he was a proven entity, well worth the money Hibs were asking for him and the Managers and player wanted the deal done, but Hibs aren’t going to budge on the price.
What’s the strategy here… we have an open goal. You offer the money negotiate with the player and agent, which should be putty in the hand and CLOSE THE DEAL!!
Of course we managed to miss an open goal here.
As a wiser man than I once said…
“Being a Celtic CEO is not always easy, but it is very worthwhile;)”
Sebo Lawwell
Hail Hail
Ffs penalty to be retaken ?
3-3 ?
Shellby Kerr must go bring back big ebt eck ?HH
HE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 19TH JUNE 2019 9:37 PM
@ CELTIC40ME on 19TH JUNE 2019 9:09 PM
They probably are not as accurate as reading the accounts,
Why not? Where else do they take them from if not the accounts?
but I take the point.
Thumbs up.
However, looking at Celtic’s profile, we had £42.56m at the bank as of 2018.
The figures on the website are in dollars not pounds.
Given that we ended the year 17/18 with circa £43m in the bank (as per the website you provided) and we are £8m up on that year as at 31 December 2018 and we have received £9m compensation for Brendan in the interim, does that not suggest to you that we will maintain the same level of cash at the bank, if not adding to it?
No it doesn’t suggest that:
The website gives the figures in dollars our accounts are in pounds
Again you’re failing to understand the difference between cash income and accrued income. Only when we’re actually paid the cash will it appear in the cash at bank figure, I have no idea if we have received the actual money or when we will receive that money, neither do you. I think its unlikely that we’ll get paid the entire amount in one go, its not how transfer fees are paid. But I dont know.
You did actually say it would be £50m + the Rodgers money (what happened to the Rodgers money?) so you should really exclude that from your calculation, no?
Field of Drams
Agree re DU, but can’t say I care too much for Dee. About 3.5 miles doon the road from me, at Panmurefield.
HH
Scottish women’s team taking lessons from male equivalents on how to drop out the world cup
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE
Does this mean we can stop talking about Ajax now
VAR – and not just because of the events a moment ago – it complete bollocks.
Spoils the natural flow of the game.
Rubbish for football.
HH
BGFC
And – hey there Delaneys Dunkey Hello from me and the wee man.
Just back from seeing Blackberry Smoke in Antwerp, and a wee visit to Download the day before.
Were also in Germany on Sunday for a visit to Therme Euskirchen – sauna and spas German-style – very nice :-)
Topped off by seeing your name again.
HH
BGFC and Wee BGFC
Friesdorfer, I don’t care for Dundee either, the club of Dundee’s ‘professional classes’, but I did once hear a good anecdote about them when Peter Marr was Chairman and owner.
So…as usual Dundee are playing crap and losing at home.
Some guy stands up in the main stand and, gesticulating at Peter Marr in the time honoured fashion, shouts ‘Peter Marr, Peter Marr…eh peyd fifteen pound tae watch this shite!’
To which Peter Marr replied, ‘Listen pal – eh peyd twa million pound tae watch this shite!’
Brexit is easier than the VAR nonsense
Does this mean Indy Ref 2 is cancelled?
Chairbhoy
A good deal of assumption, rather than hard evidence, imo obviously.
HH
It seems a moderator didn’t like my verb asterisk description of VAR.
Are we allowed to say Scotland were cheated. And blatantly so.
@ CELTIC40ME on 19TH JUNE 2019 9:56 PM
“The figures on the website are in dollars not pounds.”
No they aren’t- check the link. The figures for the financial information are in £s for Celtic and €s for Ajax. The stock figures are denominated in USD.
The figures we have quoted for both Celtic and Ajax relate to “Assets” which are included on the “Balance Sheet”. It has nothing to do with income which is included under the “Income Statement” sub-heading.
Furthermore, even if the above was incorrect (which it isn’t), you provided figures for Ajax’s cash in the bank. When I relied on figures for Celtic’s cash at the bank from the source you provided (which corroborates that Celtic have circa £50m in the bank – I recognise I’m a couple million £s light), you query it; so either both sets of figures are inaccurate or both are accurate, the position has to be consistent.
FRIESDORFER @ 10:10 PM,
Well that’s a very good point, my problem is, as we don’t actually closed transfers to bring players in… it’s kinda difficult to baseline.
Hail Hail
However, thanks for introducing me to that source.
Gutted and drained. Big time. Big decisions in all 3 games all went against Scotland, my country. Off for a really grumpy, moody, disturbed sleep now.
Field of Drams
??. Good Dundee craic there. Think one of the Marr’s lives across the road from me a lady of advancing years)! Very swish cars visit from time to time.
HH
The goalie foot on the line gig at penalties can only be safely done by positioning yourself behind the line at the kick
Jobo
Agree. There was a replay from behind the goal which seemed to indicate that the defender played the ball first, but was only shown once, and not for the VAR. Gutted for them.
HH
Prestonpans
I think, but could be wrong, that the GK has to have at least one foot on the line at a penalty. But, almost impossible to save, without the GK moving.
HH
PB…as far as I understand that is not allowed. One foot must be on the line. I’m not sure why you can’t stand behind the line…