A game against Union Berlin, from the second tier of German football, four days before our Champions League qualification campaign gets underway sounds like perfect preparation. Union will be better than any opposition we have or will play since defeat in Turin last month and they will be miles ahead of our Champions League second qualifying round opponents.
Having to play six instead of last season’s four games to qualify for the group stage has cost Celtic ‘lucrative’ preseason friendlies. I am sure those charged with the task of balancing the books at Celtic Park (we always pay our bills) will be less than entertained by this, and for many supporters, if feels important that we face Real Madrid or Inter Milan preseason, but the summer time is all about qualifying for the Champions League. There are five weeks between Celtic’s opening qualifying game and the first leg of the play-off round. This extra preparation time should ensure we are fitter and ready.
Legend has it that competitive football in July inevitably leads to a drop in form late in the season but legends are not always reliable. Last year Basel entered Champions League qualification at the same stage Celtic will next season, and next week they become the first Swiss team to play competitive European football in May ever. Apoel Nicosia entered at the same stage in 2011 and became Cyprus’ first qualifier for the Champions League quarter final last year.
The Champions League final of 2014 will be held in Lisbon, the first time the city has hosted Europe’s top game since………. you know when. There are 1730 miles between Berlin and Lisbon, or 10 months, if you prefer. Preparations are already underway.
Late call for adverts for the next edition of CQN Magazine, get in touch, adverts@cqnmagazine.com.
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Ah…to be ticked off by Kojo….lucky me. I stand by my opinion of Joe Ledley….otherwise I’d be just one more cowardly flip flopper in the style of the Tory front bench.
As for Tony Watt….he is a racehorse of a player.
And we abound in thoroughbreds.
And unlike the racing fraternity we steer clear of ye olde anabolic steroids.
: > )
DBBIA-BT-thanks
DBBIA .
The sausages are long gone —-bought from a supermarket in Nashville / put in a motel bin / wrapper retained, cleaned and pressed —– soundtracked by Mrs S of T questioning my sanity.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
13:59 on 30 April, 2013
‘Ernesto -are you suggesting they need their arses kicked to teach them how a real supporter behaves?’
#####
It’s the only way for them to learn that violence is not the answer.
york
I think I know what you’re getting at there 【ツ】
Lennybhoy, 45,000 ST holders, several thousand away supporters every second week. 16,000? At the semi final(me included). Comes down to the luck of the draw I supposes after those who have been to away games, early rounds have been allocated tickets, at some point they will get to a point where they have x amount of tickets available and x+thousands still wanting them, ballot then, looks like not this year, as you say, ho hum.
Clink\o/
14:01 on 30 April, 2013
“Cadizzy
Ole GP is very much up to speed.
Ala Snakeoil Salesmen Of The World”
Ah! so he WAS talking about Govan then.
Starry Plough
Cheers. Highly recommended and the areas he has them in are off the beaten, but close enough to visit them all. Kreuzberg is a fab area for punk pubs/obscure wee shops/markets and just lounging in parks drinking beer at 0.49c and coppers won’t give you a £60 fine for drinking in public either…..very laid back city. Even more envious now. Hope Mrs.Starry gets a trip there – she’ll love it……I could go on, but just in case…
Good ole aleatory ars* kicking contests are the new season tickets.
Ernesto ;/)
BT,
yep fine mate.
Very rarely get jet lag as such now, try to last as long as i can first day home to try to get into normal routine. Always tired that first day hoem of course, but that seems to work OK.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
BT’s lunched delivered…….that’s someone else with a bad back noo.hh
James Pearce@Pearcesport34m
Spanish court, holding blood bags that could incriminate many athletes, orders they must be destroyed. Appalling. In Spain cheats do prosper
Celtic fans to get their erses kicked.
That kind of treatment is usually followed by the puzzling claim that “hingin’s too good for them”
Who’d want to be good enough for hingin’ anyway?
swatson Neil Lennon’s 6ft skinny twin!
—————————————————-
Alright big man, have all you in front of us decided where to move to? I was gonna text Paul S to see where you were all moving to. Quite like the chat up there!
miki67,
I personally dont understand those whon cant see what Joe brings to the team, but each to their own eh?
And to be fair as BT said earlier, he definitely plays a different role for us now than he used with Cardiff, one that we dont see too often, but when he does, the goals do come.
Hope you doing Ok at the moment.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Lennybhoy…Supporting Neil Lennon and CFC until I die
13:52 on 30 April, 2013
Just logged on to official site, no tickets being offered to me for Final. Anybody know of criteria?
Had to break the news to my brother that I checked online and I and Miss P had tickets but not him. So he phoned CP and was told the starter for 10 was 4 away tickets bought from the club. I had a quick look at my history record because I don’t always get tickets from CP. Killie, the two semi’s and Benfica so I just qualified…………
miki67
14:07 on
30 April, 2013
I’m with you re. Joe Ledley. Our most under rated players who does all the dirty work that covers the inadequacies of others. Sacrafices his natural game, bob to box attacking midfielder at Cardiff, to do a job for the team. Its noticeable that when he doesn’t play, i.e. Sunday, that our left side is so much weaker and there is a lack of cover for our wandering left back.
Offer him a new, improved contract, and give him the permanent vice captaincy (he usually scores when he wears the captains armband) instead of passing around to whoever happens to be first out of the dressing room door.
Phil MacGiollaBhain@Pmacgiollabhain1m
Good to hear that the working relationship between Malcolm Murray and Craig Mather is close and convivial.
The luck of the draw?
Ask the editor of the Celtic View how many of his family had tickets for Seville and on what basis.
Ditto many other big games.
Entertaining wee snippet on Sicilian radio re Fifa ‘s corruption isn’t corruption until we call it corruption Report..
Apparently ISL mistakenly wired 1.5 million Swiss Francs to FIFA rather than the intended Havelenge . Havelenge asked ISL where his money was and on being told that FIFA had it , he contacted Blatter and got Blatter to transfer the money to Havelenge’s account in Brazil. Seems Blatter thought nothing of it.
Is there a difference between being a supporter and being a follower?
E.g. On Twitter someone may choose to follow you but you may choose not to accept their “support” by pointedly failing to reciprocate the gesture. You even have the option of blocking them.
Blocking could be the new arse-kicking I guess.
‘I’m here for the long haul’
Chortles Verde
sot
iSL?
I’m angry that the MSM are suggesting that the bestest fans in the world would vandalise seats. In protest I’m boycotting the ole Scottish Cup Final.
I’m angry that not enough Ross County or St Johnstone players shared my opinion that Wee Kris Commons is the bestest player in the whole wide SPL. In protest I’m boycotting the current series of ‘The Voice’.
bournesouprecipe ‘I’m here for the long haul’ Chortles Verde.
The Long Hall is one of my most favourite pubs in Dublin City Centre. He’s not after it too is he ? :-)
Marti
Sevco (three ripped out seats) Celtic Colts (two ripped out seats)
FA Youth cup final 1st leg Norwich 1 Chelsea 0. Attendance 21,595 all there to watch the football. Islam Feruz was playing.
Miki67
Pal.. Ah didnae “Tick Ye off”.
No, Sir..
Whit Ah did wiz.. “Set Ye Right.”
If EVERY Player , in oor Team.. Played the Game ,the Wey .. Tony, Diz..
Then..
Ah wid Be able tae Retire.. and Cease and Desist..
Voicin’…
Ma Reprovals.. Disapprovals and Dissensions
… oan Here.
Fur..
Ah Wid Hiv Bliddy Nuthin’ tae Rap ..aboot!
Celtic, hiv a Doze of Guid.. Potential World Beaters oan thur Books.
The Only Thing that prevents and distracts those aspirin’, ” Potentials”,frum .. Vindictatin’ the Claim tae thur.. Potentiality..
Is..
Their TOTAL LACK of … The Ebullience, Vigor , and Positivity .. of which .. Tony ..
so Abundantly..
Possesses!
Ah demand a Very High Standard.. Frum.. well.. Everybuddy.
Ah canny Help ..it is .. Ma Nature.
Kojo
Still… Laughin’
On the other hand if the ole Ra*gers were to replace all the seats they’ve ripped out, Firhill would be the new Maryhill Maracana?
Marti
“I’m also buying t’owt – T’ Long Hall in Dublin eh ”
*say it in a Yorkshire accent *
place empties
*goes to cut grass*
ernie lynch 13:30 on 30 April, 2013
The Battered Bunnet 13:22 on 30 April, 2013
‘As regards whatever went on a Firhill last night, and there are plenty of contradictory views:
Celtic supporters support Celtic; Hooligans cause trouble.
The two are mutually exclusive.’
###
No they’re not.
They might not be your idea of what a Celtic supporter might be, but who said you were to decide?
————
ernie lynch 13:48 on 30 April, 2013
Dontbrattbakkinanger 13:40 on 30 April, 2013
That’s your perspective.
Others may have a different perspective.
Some of those who were there last night may have been a bunch of wee clowns who need their arses kicked but to declaim they are not supporters is just silly.
————
Good to see that old Ernie has his confidence back today.
THe sevco seats were ripped out, but the main thing is they kept their history.
Many distinguished Scottish thespians [ but not I expect Gerard Butler] have sat on them to roar on the Magyars.
blantyretim
A Swiss marketing company with a sideline in lobbying . Processed surprisingly big sums of money . Some of those sums went to FIFA boys.. Went bankrupt .
Kayal33
Pal.. As ye Know.
Ah entirely Disagree wi Ye..
Ah Positively.. Dispute.. Yer Reasoning..
Regarding the worth tae the Celtic cause, which ..Ledley.. Contributes..
He disappears, in Game after Game..
He .
Is the Original.
“Flatter tae Deceiver”
That is Ma Opinion of the Lad..
And..He has done Naethin’ tae invoke Me .. tae Chinge it.
He needs tae Show Me Mair.. of whit he has goat.
And so far
In Ma Opinion..
He is a “Toom Tabard.”
Kojo
Still.. Laughin
I’ve got a soft spot for Partick Thistle and their boho fans, but just thinking, if they belt out this old favourite in the SPL next season:
“….we hate the boys in royal blue,
we hate the boys in emerald green,
so f*** the pope and f**** the queen”
might they find themselves in a spot of bother under the ole Offensive Behaviour legislation?
Thanks SOT