Every week, every game, counts at this stage of the season, when players are fighting for full fitness. Hibs’ remarkable comeback last night after going 0-2 down to Asteras Tripolis will have their Greek opponents wondering if three preseason friendlies was sufficient preparation for a game of that importance. Hibs have played five games in total.
AEK Athens, who lie in wait for Celtic or Rosenborg, have also played three games since losing the Greek Cup Final on 12 May. They play a fourth on Tuesday against Galatasaray, their final match before the Champions League third qualification round.
By contrast, Celtic have played five friendlies and are in their second qualification round. If they overcome Rosenborg, they will face AEK having played 10 games, including the league opener against Livingston. The difference between four and 10 games is significant. Four games is nowhere near enough to get a squad ready to perform at their best.
I know no one at Celtic Park or Lennoxtown likes having to come through four qualification rounds. It provides unnecessary hazard and denies the club access to lucrative friendly competitions, but there is nothing like a competitive focus to get players in shape.
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TRADITIONALIST88
Interesting article:))
Reminds me of another club closer to home..
HH
” Gers topple Croatian giants Osijek ”
Daily Rainjurz
” Gers set to snub new Chinese bid for Alf ”
The Scum
BSR
They’d be aff their heid
Shortie………..
” Will Celtic be able to hold onto their narrow lead over the Norwegian minnows….. and will the mounting uncertainty around Dembele and KT cause further upset for the East End outfit…”
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 27TH JULY 2018 10:55 AM
” Gers topple Croatian giants Osijek ”
Daily Rainjurz
——
BSR. Please tell me you are at the wind up…?
Croatian Giants ffs they finished 4th.. If true does not surprise me in this cesspit of a country.
???
D. :)
Southampton eyeing Celtic hit man……….or is it too early for the ‘you’ll be a
sensation down south’ headliners brigade!
What happened to the Rainjurz pennants money?
What happened to the bucket collection,collection money,or is it being counted as we speak.
starry plough on 27th July 2018 10:53 am
It just seems that in some countries, most notably Italy and maybe Greece too, it is far too easy to go down the ‘newco’ road and shed all your debt. Numerous Italian clubs have done so and returned, most recently Parma, Bari and Cesena. Where is the deterrent?!
Of course, there is a deterrent in the UK whereby it shouldnt be possible to reform with the same name but one entity managed to find a way to circumvent the rules.
HH
Have we signed a French full back?
I commented how fit our team looked in the second half compared to Rosenborg. We looked the team well into our season.
A see Premier Sports have shifted the game next Wednesday to Premier 2, non HD, all because there’s an EPL kick aboot oan the HD channel, cheeky bassas!
TRADITIONALIST88
Justice in football seem to be just an illusion especially in Scotland, frustrating and anger inducing the longer it goes on.
And for that exact reason there will never be a time where I want Sevco to do well in Europe or anywhere else for that matter.
No matter how well Celtic are doing there is always that burr under the saddle threatening to unseat us all:((
HH
TNT
Development player internet story.
Sevco charging the hun hordes 99p to watch an interview with Hunny G…….
Starry………..
agreed.
Bada,
Fools and their money……….
Ah well the yearly holiday conversation with the folk from the ‘old Kent Rd’ that the huns don’t exist any more. Always better within ear shoot of a hun but alas the only Scot here…..
Jason Denayer on the move.Should we,Could we,Would we.Shocked to learn he is only 23.Must have been about 14 when playing for us.Well,it seems that long ago.
Hi Paul67,
Yes, you have to say four qualifying rounds is quite ridiculous, yet for Celtic, not only is the money and prestige of European football desirable, Europe is the only place we can develop and face true competition – so, it has to be done..
It was genuinely great to see the Scottish Clubs doing so well in European competition this week and those Clubs can utilize European funds and competition to improve also.
Our preparation for the qualifiers and the therefore the season ahead has been first class in my opinion. To be out-running, passing, tracking, pressing, Rosenborg, a team who are half way through their season at the end of the match at Celtic Park was one of the many satisfying aspects to that great match.
Many would argue that we should have been further advanced in our transfer dealings, I would have none of that, at a point you have to say it is what it is and start maximizing the things you can control and trust your squad.
We still have a lot to do in Trondheim but I’m opTIMistic and can only see this team getting better.
Hail Hail
With Mrs TB,talking about nipping over to blighty for a bit,I have made an enquiry to Sophia Vergara,to see if she would be interested in a wee trip over her.I could throw in an Orange strip from Mehmets as an inducement.I mentioned this to Mrs TB,she just laughed and said”You have as much chance as West Ham do of signing Olivier”.
Still,you have to enquire,dont you?I hope this does not reach any click bait sites.
CHAIRBHOY,
Thats quite enough optimism from you,my lad.This is CQN,dontcha know.
speaking of things orange….
@RudeRebel1888
13 Std.Vor 13 Stunden
Mehr
So the Orange order said the attack on Father Tom was nothing to do with them or members, strange that considering the guy arrested and charged is in the picture with his orange band from Bridgeton
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DjEMam-XsAADGPR.jpg
smiley warning content is hun ugly to the 3rd degree thing
Braw
@ CHAIRBHOY on 27TH JULY 2018 12:25 PM
I think you can hold both positions at once: that we should be further advanced with our transfer dealings while simultaneously recognising what a fantastic job Brendan and the team are doing.
BSR
Thanks
I guess Cork City are relieved their not likely to get a doing from the Mighty Glasgow Celtic ……Steady as she goes Brendan Looking good so far , hopefully the injury situation begins to clear up .
‘West Ham chase Celtic sensation’
Which one??
Friday afternoon quiz
I want to…………………………
A) Break Free
B) Ride my Bicycle
C) It all
D) To make a supersonic man out of you
£30 plus booking fee for Tynecastle. Bassas.
TURKEYBHOY on 27TH JULY 2018 12:10 PM
He was awful at Sunderland, but Moyes did play him in midfield. Not sure how he’s fared at Galatasaray. Would fit the profile BR likes, young, full of potential, comfortable on the ball, pacy but he seemed to think Scottish football was beneath him when he left. Must have been gutting to see his replacement at CP star for Belgium at the WC in the position that was his at the Euros 2 years ago.
NEUSTADT-BRAW
Well,I’m shocked!!!
TURKEYBHOY @ 12:35 PM,
Read your post at 12:32 PM, think you out OpTIMist me;)
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE @ 12:48 PM,
“I think you can hold both positions at once: that we should be further advanced with our transfer dealings while simultaneously recognising what a fantastic job Brendan and the team are doing.”
Well yes, my point was more along the lines of… you get to a point then you go with what you have.
We’re all hoping that activity is on going and that the scouts, the negos and the management team are pushing ahead.
You make some excellent comments and made a great point earlier, i.e. the signing of OE has been significant to our qualification campaign (maybe even crucial:).
Yet concentrating on the team at hand; preperation, fitness, tactics etc… is key to qualification – risk analysing every potential hole in our 11 that should be plugged and pushing to make that happen for me is the wrong approach.
Like I said earlier, you get to a point then you have to trust the guys you got and prepare as well as possible…
Each transfer window is unique. This window might see us losing upwards of £50M of talent from our first team squad. That is a huge game changer – literally.
I’m with BSR, this is our most important challenge this transfer window…
It is, unfortunately, running on a different timeline to our European qualifiers and takes priority this window.
Hail Hail
West Ham have spent in excess of £100m in this transfer window, and also signed Jack Wilshere from Arsenal on a free transfer. Ridiculous amounts of money for wee teams in the EPL.
And on the huns strip last night, there 3 ‘fishul shirts this season are blue, orange (? ) and a white one with a red and blue diagonal stripe ( suspiciously sash-like ).
SG Rangers are an absolute shambles, on and off the field. Long may it continue.
And one other thing about today’s lead……..we still need to get past Rosenborg. No point in giving them any motivation by assuming it’s a formality. ?
Holiday fun, telling Londoners that they have to slow down speaking because you can’t understand their accent……..
CHAIRBHOY
Who are the £50m?
Our Three Amis cost about £10m between them. KT only development costs.
Sell them all-and personally,I think you are being VERY conservative on your valuations-and we are not losing £50m of talent.
The club is banking £50m and expecting the manager to deal with it.
Fortunately,I don’t think any of the four young tyros think they are ready for life elsewhere. Not yet. A year or two more,have some fun wi yer pals,win a few medals,still got a decade or so at the top.
Sure hope so…
Btw,tyros autocorrects to typos on this. Spellcheck Supreme
Huns bid for Laffatme
Watching Sevco last night it looks like Gerrard is going full Wattenacio with them. Defend deep and in numbers, play ball forward quickly, by pass the midfield, to try and get the ball into the wide areas for wingers to run onto or a striker to hold up and wait for support from deeper. Lafferty bid this morning would confirm this. Interesting that it was their 2 most ‘creative’ players from last season that he dropped last night. They’ll lose less but will also score less than last season.
Limited, boring but probably effective enough to clinch a best ever 2nd in the league.