My initial reaction to a Sunday 12:00 kick off time is not positive. It’s out of routine, so there’s an inherent objection, but as I don’t have a long journey to Celtic Park it may end suit me better than a later kick off.
Fans who travel from great distances will have the inconvenience of an early rise, but some, who are dependent on public transport, will be prevented from attending, which is never a scenario to be treated lightly.
I see a bit of angst against James Forrest over his decision to reject a new Celtic contract and opt instead to leave the club when his contract expires next year, if not before. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of James. When he arrived in the team in the wake of Aiden McGeady’s departure he was on fire, but the intervening years have not been kind.
Injury has robbed him of a regular starting place, and a fair bit of form when he does get in the team. Sean Maloney was in a similar position a few years back. Injured for long periods, even when he was fit he was often a substitute. He needed to leave Celtic Park for a fresh start. Had he stayed, I don’t think he would have rediscovered his early peaks. Putting all emotive issues aside, James Forrest looks like a player in need of a fresh start.
He’s not alone, of course.
Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu took a shot across Uefa bows when he told the BBC he wants big (trans: rich) clubs who fail to qualify for the Champions League to be given wild card access. Make no mistake, this is a follow up to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s recent utterances on creating a closed-shop tournament.
Bartomeu also said he views the FA Premier League as the biggest threat to Barcelona, which is 100% true. When teams like Bayern Munich and Barcelona coordinate statements on structural change you know that profound moves are underway.
I’m all for change, Celtic have much to gain, but we need to organise quickly. Find similar allies – big clubs from Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Turkey and Portugal – and plan accordingly. Europe’s major clubs are each leaving hundreds of millions of TV money on the table each year because of the existing league and European tournament structures.
England has opened their eyes to what is possible. Change of some sort is inevitable now the ball is in play.
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Been watching Arsenal-Barcelona since half time. I wasn’t concerned who won but the anti-Barca whinging by McManaman has me wanting a goal to shut him up.
NegAnon2
I think you can live your life in Scotland, blissfully unaware of racism, and some choose this.
When it comes to football, I agree with most of your stuff, but disagree on how Celtic ( the big football club ) can take on society in this country, as a small minority.
I also disagree on Celtic’s alleged ‘complicity ‘ in how and why, we are now on the verge of the SPL inception of new club, with a familiar name.
That’s not to say that we shouldn’t take on the SFA, when of course we should, and now from our position of total outright financial superiority it should be a pre requisite.
I don’t believe we have the directors to fight for Celtic, or what Celtic represents, to some Celtic supporters.
2-0 Bayern.
HH!!
Melbourne Mick on 23rd February 2016 8:53 pm
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Played boys club in my youth and every year in the Scottish Cup we held our own.
Until………….we got to play a glesga team on an ash park.
Horrible surface and by the time we got used to the speed and bounce of the ball we were 4 or 5 down and out the game,
Sure am still picking bits of red dirt out my knees to this day.
i’vehadtochangemy
I think your’e right.
DD
I wish it would just fall down….Its like big Victorian public toilet.
Well past its sell-by date.
HH
Paul67
McManaman has a point they are diving play acting cheats.
If an Arsenal player put a face into a Barca player the way they had done earlier he would have went down like a tonne of bricks and red cards would be out.
Pretty snidey of a great team with great players to cheat and ‘Mourinho’ their way to a good result….
Tactically the Arsenal Barca game is almost a rerun of our win against Barcelona in 2012. Without the unbelievable atmosphere and glorious goals.
Sipsini
Cheers and wise move :-)
My kids normally do better than me on this. Buying back of history just lets me stay in longer :-)
HH
CRC
By the way from what I can see on the other pub screen Bayern are going to take some beating. They are fabulous.
Cmon Barca get intae they hun like commentators:)
HH
Paul67
McManaman is commentating as though it is an England v Spain match.
Very annoying to this Spanish fitba lover.
Go Barca
Ha ha ha
DD
To be fair his accent, and the more annoyed he gets the more higher pitched (whiney) it becomes, is fair starting to get on my thruppenys
Great breakaway goal from Messi. Just as Arsenal at last commit some players forward.
Yessssss
Come on the wee man
TGM
I have my ticket to operate the big wrecking ball.
That is one job I would do for free.
Messeeeeee :-)
Brilliant work from Neymar
Cmon Barca tank the arrogant Arsenal:)
HH
Wellbeck really reminds me of David Trezeguet with that languid style. One player who truly terrified me when he came on for Juve in the 4:3,game
When the game restarted after the Barca goal, McManaman, after watching about 5 replays, says ‘how on earth did that happen?’
Err, that’s your job mate.
Clunks
Hope the wee magician has put his gas at a peep.
Tallybhoy, I’m no fan of Bayern but I hope they give Rubentus a real doing.
I saw about 15 minutes of the second half,Bayern with none of their defenders playing , were toying with Serie A ‘s equivalent of the horribles.
The ref is not giving them decisions they would get in a league game and they are not happy.
I Messi’s goal against the Arse was with his right foot.
Clunks, a player is allowed to writhe when receiving studs in the calf, it hurts. McManaman’s high-pitches moans are also bothering dogs across the land.
Delaneys Dunky, indeed.
Juve confirm how little I really know about the game. 2:2
Barca playing well…unlucky
Clunks
I could say the same, when our lot played on a big grass
park in a cup tie we were always destroyed, our hard
upbringing on black ash never helped when good players
pinged the ball about wide acres of green. but i’m hoping
to get the best of both worlds with my grandson, although
i’ll probably get stick from his parents.
H.H Mick
‘You don’t want to advocate fouling but Ramsey should have brought Messi down’
Steve McManaman
( then the did again )
Goodnight Vienna as they say somewhere.
DD
Agreed he has been a lot less whiney. And he will now having banged in a second.
Paul67
That was a robust challenge with the Arsenal player being ‘committed’ (Copyright BBC Sports)
Melbourne Mick@8.53
Brilliant ,a real lol.
HH
Pique chalks up a deliberate yellow, misses next match.
Not daft CSC
“Messi’s never scored against Petr Czech”
Useless Information CSC
Ha Ha…Wee Mr Messi shows the arrogant mob what its all about.
Great Football from Barca.
Joy to watch Messi and Neymar
Ha Ha Arsenal
HH
Melbourne Mick on 23rd February 2016 9:24 pm
The kids today are at a huge disadvantage.
We played football in the park, in the street, in the garage, in the hall. We generally played where we could get 2 jumpers down and enough room for someone to play crossey shoot in………..
We played from 9am till about 20 mins after dark.
You do that nowadays you are likely to get an ASBO.
I think I tempted fate a bit with my last post about the Bayern Rubentus game.
coming up………………………exclusive STV interview ‘Warbs on Barca’
Partick Thistle 2 St Johnstone 0
The Real World CSC