Neil Lennon took his players to the vast open spaces of the Camp Nou last year, took the lead and held onto a point until the fourth minute of added time. It was an enormous and disciplined achievement. I feared we would suffer a backlash when Barcelona visited Glasgow.
What we experienced instead was more of the same. Barca played some of the most mesmerising football we have ever seen, but it took them until the 92nd minute until they managed to beat Fraser Forster, this time, too little, too late.
Barca have the best Plan A in football but they were unable to effectively change when making no progress and unable to cope with Celtic from set pieces, while their own concentration was called into question.
While our visitors will be keen to make up for their disappointing result in Glasgow last season, Celtic have their own disappointing result to avenge. The heroic tales from Milan last month count for nothing. Celtic need to show they have the necessary edge.
We are the team with something to prove. We are the only team who can leave Celtic Park tonight with any material achievement; a win would do nothing for Barca, whose place in history is already acknowledged. The only prize in the game worth having – professional honour – is only available to Celtic.
Tonight we have a rare opportunity. Take it, Celtic.
A good day to bury bad news
Rangers International FC PLC accounts, released this morning, curiously report “First team wages/turnover ratio at 43% while total staff costs are £17.9m, or 94% of turnover. I’m not convinced this is evidence of a vast and unnecessary filtering of cash out of the club. While the board and management will take a slice of the extra wages this total figure is not unusual, or unexpected. It takes several hundred people to run a football club with an average attendance at 39k. There is not a whole lot they will be able to do about this figure.
DM Hall, who produced fabulous property valuations for Ibrox and Murray Park when Sir David Murray was in charge, are back, this time valuing the assets at £65.2m and £14m respectively. This is vastly more than was paid for them last year but still a fraction of what DM Hall valued the properties at in 2005. The combined existing use valuation recognised in the accounts is £42.5m – a tidy sum, if achieved by sale and leaseback.
The club has operating costs of £33.6m while income is £19.1m. They are clearly spending more than necessary. When looking to cut costs there will be some low lying fruit (or Greggs pies) but cutting into the player budget, or back office staff costs will be difficult, while cuts to policing, rates and utility costs are unlikely.
Cash at 30 June 2013 was £11.198m, so, before cost cutting and after exceptional costs are removed, they are looking for circa £18m cash to fund operations until 30 June next year. There are several established ways to achieve this, including ticket securitisation, used by both previous owners of Ibrox.
A significant uplift in season ticket prices is also likely to be necessary. Charles Green set initial ticket prices low. An appeal could surely have been made to fans to step forward and offer support at a higher price, but Green was under pressure from Paul Murray’s various attempts to win control-while securing fan support for his Blue Knights group.
If Murray hadn’t run his ultimately-doomed campaign, Green’s need to over-promise and under-price, in order to sell any tickets, would have been different. As would the operating deficit reported today.
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philbhoy – bring it on!!!!
14:15 on 1 October, 2013
I am not able to go to the game tonight for a variety of reasons, which I won’t go into at the moment.
———–
Would not having a ticket be the main reason?
Paddy T
good luck to everyone lucky enough to be there tonight….and of course good luck to the men in hoops.
My lhad is in the fan zone just now mingling with the visitors and behaving himself, I hope. Whatever happens tonight will happen tonight , tomorrow we move forward in our journey to get back amongst the big teams in Europe once again.
Hail! Hail the Celtic family!
A Light Insanity
Sorry mate will send it in two mins from my old account and see if it works
HH GMB
Paddy Turner
Regretfully no!
Hope you are well my friend!
And your good lady of course, and mind me to young Ryan!
I just took a call informing me that a senior figure from the Carlsberg brewery is attending tonights game ,with a full camera crew his attendance is to negotiate a fee from the participants regarding;- if only Carlsberg did teams….if only Carlsberg did fans….if only Carlsberg did tifos…and if only Carlsberg did atmospheres……in conclusion to his phonecalll the Carlsberg man asked me to accompany him to the game tonight…..my response was …. if only Carlsberg did fairytales H H
Feeling a bit more confident – Sid Lowe (the Mail’s man in Spain and expert on Spanish football) saying the Barca papers are looking forward to returning to Celtic Park.
“A place with great history, traditions and fans” – they were not too upset at losing last year as they achieved their objective (topping the Group).
Admire the Club and a great compliment to Sammi – they see him as a very talented player that drags players out of position. Lowe went on to say that Sammi is seen as similar to Ibrahimovik – you have no idea what he will do to you on the night!
On that assessment – off to put a wee wager on Sammi!
VP
Only work when I’ve a meaningful contribution to make, retired very young.
Getting the same vibe and same jitters as I did before the Milan game……….not good. Would not be surprised but would be gutted if a 2-0 defeat was delivered to us again. The gap is huge, but we have closed it before so God willing… ‘mon the Hoops.
The other game —–
bwin odds
1 3.00
X 3 .40
2 2.25
I am of the opinion that when NL took over from Tony Mowbray the Walter character was looking to win the SPL by more than 10 points.If that had happened then the old club would have taken a 10 point hit on administration.
Now,forgive me for being a suspicious sort, and cynical to boot,but this season’s Sevco signings I believe were made to give them an unassailable lead in the league they are in. If they do make it to the end of May and are in admin again,then they would take the hit with no consequences to speak of.Anyone else see this scenario?
Half time in Greenock with Barca leading 1:0. They have dominated more as the half went on but our young bhoys are showing great energy in trying to match them
I aint the brightest of folk when it comes to looking at accounts etc., but, to me, those accounts were saying (a) they’ve got loads of money in the bank, (b) they made a profit as well!
As Son if Dan has already asked, WTF does “negative goodwill” mean?
Would that be the sale and lease-back agreement?
Sorry for being thick, but unravelling creative accountancy was never my forte!
Anyway, 2-2 tonight, Commons and Virgil to score.
HH
First pint in beer cafe, I’m the one in green, if anyone fancies a pint.
A Light Insanity
Message sent from other account about 10 mins ago
Let me know if you get it ok
HHS GMB
TopTip
Save a fortune on a big screen TV get a 17 inch flatty and simply pull your Argos stripey
deck chair in closer.
Skyisalandfill
3 of us in Babbity Bowsers… Hurry up!
Jobo
C above!
Kikinthenakas
Raymac
Yes, I too have considered that scenario also. Should insolvency 2 occur, and they get promoted, will the points deduction not take place next season, like what happened to he “minis”?
Something is afoot, either that , or sell their “assets” for a fee and make a profit on them!
HH
That awkward moment when you rack your brains trying to remember what you were wearing the last time we beat Barcelona .
Can I hav a raspberry
Waiting on skyisalandfill then we’ll be over!
Kikinthenaks
Just in from the garden,shower,lunch and offski to the finest atmosphere a football fan will ever have the pleasure to savour.
So grateful to my sisters for insisting that I go instead of one of them!
They love me really……
One thing for sure-not a word of criticism from me after the game,win lose or draw.
MONTHEHOOOOOOOOOOOOPS!!!!!!!!!!!
Earliest I can flexi 3 oclock
just had the deid club mob telling me they have their Barca scarves looked out for tonight.
Smiled…..
Was going to say how long til you hear the CL music…even when they win league are going to be on the right hand side of the draw with a coefficient close to St Johnstones
but smiled silently.
: > )
an tearmann @ 14:17 Haha !
I did add a couple more at 13:37 though.
Be good to add a few more tomorrow from the first XI tonight !
Hail Hail
1-1
Young Celts looking the better team :-)
1-1 Celtic v Barca youth (latest).
Negative Goodwill
The situation which arises when the price paid is less than the value of the net assets..
Unfavorable sale conditions led Minty to sell up for washers . That left a lot of Negative Goodwill for the spivs and vultures to fight over.
bournesouprecipe @ 14:53
I am pretty sure you were wearing a green mini-skirt.
Young Hoops more than holding their own.
Denny Johnstone makes it 1-1.
HH!!
The Champions
The best
The biggest teams
The Champions
A big gathering
A big sports event
The main event
They are the best
They are the best
These are the champions!
COME ON THE HOOPS!!!
Morrisey
Ha – New CQN Wallpaper
Big sign for McGangster’s buses behind the goal, I hope it disnae spontaneously combust!
Celtic have started well in the 2nd half and, after equalising, twice came close to leading.
Saying that Barca have just missed one.
McMullen and Henderson looking good again.
andy bhoy lytham
Welcome aboard
Hail Hail
LEFTCLICKTIC
Disappointed for you and your daughter that neither of you will be there tonight.
Really good save from Oberschmidt in our goals there
http://www.uefa.com/trainingground/index.html
Just turned on Al Jazeera …. 20 mins into last game an Wanamaker has just scored.. Must be an omen
Anybody on whose in the fan zone just now?
I’m heading in about 5 and wondering how busy it is. Dont fancy waiting ten deep at the bar.