Celtic will face their first Champions League qualifying opponents on either 31 July or 1 August but heartbeats among the scouting staff will quicken tonight and tomorrow when every potential opponent will play in the second qualifying round.
A number of potential opponents from eastern and northern Europe are mid-season but all will benefit from successfully coming through two qualifying games before tackling seeded opponents two weeks from now.
It is crucially important that Celtic are ready for this tie.
The final qualifying round, scheduled to take place during the last two weeks in August, will offer a greater challenge on paper but European qualifying games in July are notorious for catching better teams unprepared.
After a credibly, though ultimately unsuccessful, Europa League group campaign last season Celtic’s domestic form clicked into place and we looked like a team capable of becoming champions. There was some regret that we didn’t hit form early enough to make the most of our European adventure. Neil Lennon will also be keen to avoid the anaemic performance against Sion, who beat Celtic on aggregate but were subsequently awarded two 3-0 defeats for failing to observe rules.
These Celtic players found hidden depths last season but they have a point to prove in Europe. There is also the nagging suspicion that this Celtic team is more talented that the two Gordon Strachan took to the later stages of the Champions League.
Bring it on.
Get your season ticket and saddle up for the ride.
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TC
I only want the suits to give Lenny what he wants.
Im no asking for anything unrealistic, we have saved serious money with the players we have let go, my 20k a week was way way under what we have saved, we are in a position to buy a quality CH, Lenny has been after one from some time now, a striker is not the priority imo, we can and will score goals with what we have.
Just give Lenny what he wants, a quality CH.
THE EXILED TIM on 17 July, 2012 at 22:59 said:
jimtim
****
were singing from the same song sheet here mate . We have pleaded with the suits to push the boat out and plan for europe .never mind up here . this spl is only a means to the riches of the big stage , thats where we should aiming .
jimtim.
I think this season will belong to Sammi
Top corner @2241
Absolutely brilliant. Mrs Weefra nearly dropped her drink when ye asked about the EBTs. Superb.
Weefra HH
crc,donation sent,thanks and well done with the fundraising..
moravcik, 23:18
yes, a strange one… he gets paid by one of the MSM (who he doesn’t write a column for them or speak to) not to write for or speak to any other media… a vow of silence…
TET,
its got to get better, me, I think we have quality all over the park, never cared about “big signings”, remember I thin Landry should still be in our team, still scunnered we never kept him. Hope we go back for him, really.
Never have and never will care about a managers value of a player, I’ve got my own eyes, I’ll judge how good they are, and I’m going to :oD))))))
Paddy McCourt will grow up this year, and we’ll be giving him the same reverence we give Joe McBride, Jinky, Henke, Lubo, jealous wee bhoys will always knee creep, they’re still doing it to the Sammi, I’ve got my favs, innit :o)
Singing Detective
McCourt is better than Messi…at what…drafts?
Ive been with, known, stood beside, a lot of ugly peepil but hately beats them all hands down!!
HaiL HaiL
hmmm………
Compare
Scotify
with
Masonic Symbols
I guess I’m paranoid.
THE EXILED TIM on 17 July, 2012 at 22:16:
I’ve found myself chuckling when I think about this.
I would love to be able to send a text to myself – back in time to this time last year.
It would say “This time next year the huns will be undergoing liquidation. All their top, first team players will have buggered off for nothing, the bastard offspring will be playing in Division 3, if they can get an SFA license and membership – a very BIG if. And, they liquidators are beginning to investigate the criminals who were in charge for 15 years. P.S. The stripping of titles and cups, although certain, hasn’t started yet. P.P.S. Their only saviours are either Bomber Brown or wonky “lawyer” Gio DeStefano.
I think sometimes, because it has been a drip, drip effect over the last few months, that sometimes we forget how much has changed.
Imagine getting the above message this time last year when the huns had just signed the captain of the USA team and Goian, given massive contracts to their five biggest stars, and were looking forward to a Champions League campaign (against a pisspoor Malmo team).
CRC
How come you get all the praise? lol
feelingleftoutcsc lol
HH
Who’s bhoyo is this…….?
https://p.twimg.com/AyBHTpMCAAAar01.jpg:large
The funeral for Lisbon Lion, Joe McBride, will take place with a Requiem Mass at 9. 30am this Wednesday, 18 July, at
St Dominic’s Church
21 Kirriemuir Road, Bishopbriggs,
Glasgow, G64 1DL.
Tel: 0141 762 1154
http://www.st-dominics.org.uk/index.htm
Henke
The bould bhoys….. Tá ár lá anois on 17 July, 2012 at 23:29 said:
Jordan Larsson – King of Kings bhoy
HH
gordybhoy64 on 17 July, 2012 at 23:15 said:
Thanks for picking up on that. You are right every £1 counts particularly after what the wee mhan has gone through over the last couple of days.
To be fair, the overwhelming majority have not only paid the postage but also a bit extra. To that end indeed any pennies our CQN friends can afford, we are extremely grateful for.
I have stories of CQNers kids giving up their pocket money for Oscar and indeed other CQNers out there with their own issues including sick kids within their family, who are championing this cause through the badges and the “Small Change” campaign.
For that we are very humble and proud.
Only Celtic.
HH
CRC
Good evening CQN
If you’re interested in playing golf with CQN Golf Club please email me at cqngolfclub@gmail.com
NOT to be confused with the highly successful Charity Golf Day run by TaggsyBhoy & BlantyreKev
The next date will be the international weekend at the beginning of September.
If you are interested in attending this one OR would like included in future invites (we run around 4 per annum) simply drop me a note.
hh
bjmac
lochgoilhead bhoy
Na… Yer Para…
The bould bhoys….. Tá ár lá anois
Henke’s ?
Chuck (in the towel) Green can’t have it both ways.
If he doesn’t want to be saddled with sanctions applied to, what’s it called? You know, that team we used to play.
Anyway, if he doesn’t want their sanctions applied to Sevco Scotland Ltd, I think that’s only fair.
HOWEVER, the only way that can be done is for him to completely disassociate his new business from the old business. Sevco Scotland Ltd must be 100% a new club, which just happens to own some of the assets of that other club.
Oh dear. That also means it can’t be a transfer of the membership/registration from them to him. It is therefore a new application to join the SFA & SFL (3).
You must therefore pass all the financial requirements of ANY new applicant.
And of course, it also means, you must wholly disassociate your new business from the history of the old one.
And then you also lose your fan base.
That’s your problem Mr Green. You are caught both ways.
If you quite rightly consider that Sevco Scotland Ltd are not that other club which used to play at Ibrox, then you need to make it abundantly clear to EVERYONE that you are starting a wholly new business.
I wonder if Bill Miller is keeping an eye on events down Govan way and thinking, phew, thank God I walked away from that mess…
Correct sirs…
‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’….Get the bhoy signed…Pronto !
Hail hail
Bundoran Bhoy – RAISING AWARENESS OF NEUROBLASTOMA (GOD BLESS WEE OSCAR) on 17 July, 2012 at 23:28 said:
You get the beer, I get the praise! Swap anytime :-)
You are doing an amazing job, my friend. I know the hours you have put into this already.
HH
CRC
celticrollercoaster supporting wee Oscar on 17 July, 2012 at
All joking aside, been an honour doin this for a great cause
HH
The bould bhoys….. Tá ár lá anois on 17 July, 2012 at 23:31 said:
Thanks. Thought it was just me /\
celticrollercoaster supporting wee Oscar on 17 July, 2012 at 23:33 said:
As you say mate, very humbling reading some of the stories.
Makes me proud to be in the Celtic Family
HH
The likeness is uncanny….Imagine yer auld bhoy bein Henrik tho eh?
Nae wunner he’s got that big cheezer ! hehe
Mrs Weefra and I have committed to the Oscar fund, but I have had no contact. If you ask Paul67 for my email address I will ensure we will complete our donation.
Weefra HH
Just watching a report on Peterhead where newco will
play in their first game,showed you the dug out,
i have sat in better bus shelters,poor wee sally
Bundoran Bhoy, CRC et al
You truly are a real credit to the Celtic family, outstanding work.
hh
bjmac
PS Bundoran where’s my badges & wristband ? ;-))
NEW CO ARE SUEING OLD CO
Rangers: Sevco threatens administrator with legal action
By Chris McLaughlin
Senior football reporter, BBC Scotland
The consortium in charge of the new Rangers is threatening legal action against the administrator who sold them the old club’s assets.
Sevco Ltd claims that Duff and Phelps reneged on a deal to pay back around £500,000 put up by the consortium to help fund working capital when it agreed to buy the club back in June.
But Duff and Phelps has denied that the money should already be paid back.
It says it has a legally binding agreement that it has adhered to.
The Sevco consortium led by former Sheffield United chief executive Charles Green bought Rangers’ assets for £5.5m after failing to prevent the club going into liquidation.
Rangers crisis explained
Rangers went into administration owing up to £134m to unsecured creditors and will eventually be liquidated
As a result its registrations with the Scottish FA and Scottish Premier League were terminated
Charles Green led a consortium which bought Rangers’ assets for £5.5m
The former Sheffield United chief executive is reforming Rangers as a new company
But the ‘newco’ did not get the required votes for re-admittance to the SPL
Instead, the new Rangers will start life in Division Three
Sevco was denied a place in the Scottish Premier League and the fresh dispute comes in the middle of negotiations with the Scottish Football Association for a membership that would allow the new club to start life in Division Three.
A consortium source told BBC Scotland that an agreement was in place whereby it provided the £500,000 to the administrator with the promise of most of it being returned by mid-June.
However, the consortium has yet to see any of the cash and says it is still awaiting an explanation from Duff and Phelps despite numerous calls and emails.
“Shortly before the takeover, Duff and Phelps asked us to make an additional payment of £500,000 to pay for operating costs from 1 June to 14 June,” said the consortium source.
“This was on top of the original £250,000 and £5.5m.
“D&P said they expected to spend only around half of the money, that they’d give a breakdown of all that was spent and that the remainder would be returned a couple of days after the 14 June.
“All we have is an indication that most of the money has been spent, with no breakdown.”
Duff and Phelps, which remains in charge of the old Rangers until it goes into liquidation, refuted the allegations.
“It was made clear to the consortium that the balance of running costs from the end of May to June the 14th would be repaid at the earliest opportunity,” the adminstrator stated.
“These costs and liabilities are being finalised before the balance is being returned.
“This is happening within a perfectly normal time frame and there is absolutely nothing untoward here. There will be full transparancy on all the costs.”
Canamalar
Can’t agree with you on Landry, but opinions eh !!!
Paddy n Sammi agree 100%, they are world class.
Paddy would be a revelation in any other league than the joke that is scotland, just imagine him in a league where footballers are allowed to play football, the mind boggles at the thought.
Sammi had a decent euros, I’m sure his value went up a fair bit, just hope Lenny can hold on to him.
I still think we need a quality CH, we have let 3 go so far this summer, and no replacements, not good enough IMHO.
…………………………..
TCC
I was saying something similar the other day, never could we have imagined we would be where we are today, it’s feckin amazing, dreams were made like this.
And there will be much more coming, court cases are just around the corner, hopefully jail time for a few, the deserve it, they are just common thiefs and fraudsters.
Personally all I want is that the referees are sorted, and we can get back to watching footballers again.
Here is a link to the BBC, the beginning of the fallout, with Green going to war with the administrators.
But what I liked was the fact that the link has 1888 in it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18881004
bjmac on 17 July, 2012 at 23:37 said:
Wristbands are on order from Oscars dad (knoxy2000)
Who you order through? me or CRC :P
HH
bjmac on 17 July, 2012 at 23:37 said:
You asked for paradise pickup buddy, want them posted or meet in town?
HH
TET,
and when we get that £20K centre half, and he get crippled,
then what
well at least we tried :o)
No, No and No again, this is the sea,
Scotland dont have anymore excuses :o)
the only “bad guy” left, is who we leave in place :o)
Charlie, Vic, Big Rogne, the Wilson bhoy I’m hoping Lenny will prove us all wrong again, the bhoy has speed, and h must be able to kick a ball too, else he’d no be there. Like WGS said, ‘We dont just go and pick big bhoys, they have to know how to kick the baw too’ :o)
Me I think its a wee bit of what Paddy’s got, audiencephobia :o)
wee bit of hypnosis will sort them.
Like Sammi they need to feel wanted, then watch them go :o)
hail hail
Sippin a new malt tonight seems ok so far. <o))) The things I do??
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on 17 July, 2012 at 23:43 said:
Is there a name for your new malt?
HH
CRC