Not all Champions League ‘winners’ take the trophy home in May. In 2009 Michel Platini, in his wisdom, decided that there were not enough champions in the Champions League, as a result of well-resourced also-rans from the large leagues crowding out table-toppers from the small leagues. The competition format was changed, champions from smaller nations would compete against each other.
The result of the change is that five champions from smaller leagues are guaranteed entry into the tournament. Conversely, runners up from the smaller leagues need to fight it out against non-champions from the big leagues, like Arsenal and Manchester United. The concern expressed at the time was that the flood of money gained by champions from the small countries would impact their leagues. ‘Good’, said a few of us.
Champions League money can double the income some clubs earn in a year. Successful Champions League entrants’ ability to compete would be greatly enhanced, perhaps meaning they jump into a virtuous circle, strengthening and qualifying in subsequent years.
There have been 30 places up for grabs in the champions route since, but the qualification performance stats isn’t what was expected by many. 22 teams have qualified but only six have done so more than once. Two, BATE Borisov and APOEL Nicosia, are the only teams to go one step better and qualify three times. Curiously, only BATE and Celtic have qualified in back to back seasons, no one has managed three in a row.
For all the riches the Champions League brings to Celtic, and teams far more impoverished than them, successful teams seem to encounter the classic Nouveau Riche problem. All this money and they don’t know how best to invest it in order to make sure they get another payday.
Qualification itself is not costless in competitive terms. It’s likely each team who punches through the barrier to reach the Promised Land, has to suffer the cost of exertion and distraction, which the visits of Europe’s aristocracy inevitably brings.
Then there’s the question of what to do with the money. Your best players get a shop window, encouraging them to run down their contracts. Your manager is likely to be off too. You have to find candidates further down the food chain, either in a lesser-still league, or at a club in your own land who are prepared to sell to you. And remember, this New Money is in the hands of people largely unaccustomed to spending at that level. You can afford to sign a €3m player, but the most expensive player you’ve previously worked with cost €200k. Those who can spot a great €200k player are not necessarily experienced enough to spend €3m wisely.
APOEL Nicosia and BATE Borisov have managed what the other 20 teams have struggled to replicate. Both are in this season’s play-offs and are favourites to go one stage further again. If BATE achieve this, they will have been group stage entrants four seasons out of five, so sustainable success not impossible.
Last week produced signs that eventually the cream is rising to the top. Eight of the 10 clubs in this season’s play-offs have reached the group stage through the champions route before, with the other two, Astana (v APOEL) and Albania’s Skenderbeu (v Dinamo Zagreb) odds against making it. For the first time it’s likely all five champions’ qualifiers will former graduates. The current highest number to qualify in one season is two.
So although the 30 places have been filled by 22 clubs from a remarkably diverse 17 countries, the pool of genuine competitors is approaching a limit.
Here’s the challenge, for Celtic and the rest. Your Champions League is a distinct competition to the headline grabbing tournament graced by Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Yours is being won by BATE Borisov. They are the team who have figured out what’s needed to come through this summer test with most consistency.
There are five places up for grabs. BATE and APOEL are doing their best to make sure their names are against two of those places. Celtic can grab another slot, but Malmo, Basel and Salzburg, as well as the Czechs, Israelis, Danes, Poles and other Eastern European teams, want their piece of the action too. A win against Malmo would go a long way towards flipping resources in Celtic’s favour, but whatever the outcome, being better than the rest of this geographically diverse group of small-nation clubs should be our immediate target.
Happy Birthday 50th to the Celtic View, the world’s first football club newspaper. Congratulations to the many who have contributed to the View over the years.
Can’t believe the news coverage John Collins comment has received. When he heard Derek McInnes’ backlash (cough) he must have looked around for a dressing room full of Hibs players.
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William Hill died in 1971.
The fact that he was a former member of the Black & Tans is an irrelevance, in my humble opinion.
HH.
huntlybhoy86 on 12th August 2015 7:13 am
Glad to get that off my chest haha
========================================================
Or as Humphrey Lyttleton would say ” I’m glad to get that on my chest”, but hey, don’t ‘dump’ his fetishism on me!
Morning all.
Dreich down here once again. Cool too. This SAD sickness will be rife in the West of Scotland this year.
Seeing reports of VVD ofski for £10mil? Surely that figure is far too low?
Wanyama went for £12mil & the transfer market has moved on substantially. Would have hoped to keep hold of him for the CPL and sold in January but if a bid of £15mil came in then nobody could argue. £10mil in today’s terms for a top class prospect is peanuts for EPL teams. Would hope we’d instantly kick out a bid that low.
HH!
Fred Quimby,
Indeed!
Othee people feeling offended offends me greatly! ;0)
Gooooooood Morning Timland
Still no idea what Winning Captains was on abooot :-) last night
Something about a butcher a baker and a candlestick maker – sounds moonbeams not quite right, or going to plan ?
Hail Hail
Good morning CQNers
David McCarthy of the Daily Record is getting dangerously close to an admission the msm are playing 2nd fiddle to the internet news sources with this sentence…
“And it is why, in these days of when clubs prefer to use their own websites to give supporters a sanitised view of events, it is vital there is an alternative.”
The quote is taken from his piece regarding John Collins which I have resisted in adding a link as he really blows his defence with the following…
But what is disappointing is the assertion from Deila that this is all just part of the media “circus” that surrounds his club. No it isn’t. Celtic come under big scrutiny because they are one of the two giants of the Scottish game in terms of fanbase.
Everything that comes out of Parkhead and Ibrox is scrutinised and publicised more than any other club and that comes with the territory.
Hmmm
Winning captains I think meant the bread man knows he has been duped. They can’t get Allan coz there’s no dough…. And a bread man needs his dough…..
That’s my interpretation…
When the seagulls follow the trawler….
Ellboy,
I agree with your thoughts on Virgil. £15 million would just about be acceptable (especially if it’s an English club who make a move for him considering the dross that continues to be snapped up for north of £20 million in the “worlds greatest league” TM BSkyB).
I would really like him to help us qualify for the champions league and stay for the 6 group games (I know it’s unlikely but not impossible) and then if he really has his heart set on leaving then he could do so in January.
Watching Barca defend last night I’m sure Virgil could even do a job for them. He is good on the ball and is comfortable playing from the back (like Pique). He has pace, strength and bags of confidence. Compared to Bartra, who had a shocker, he looks a much better prospect for a club like theirs. If he can get coached to take up better positions when defending and improve his concentration, which he would undoubtedly have to in Spain, he could easily do a job for one of the major clubs over there. I’m surprised it’s only English teams who seem interested.
Morning from a sunny North Staffs – good result fot the Vale last night, usually get dumped out in the first round. Looking forward to the game tonight but before then got the pleasure of my 2 grandsons today.
Till later
herdingcatsCSC
HUNTLYBHOY86
Great shout re Barca, I also think he’d be a great fit for them. No question VVD needs to improve his concentration. Though perhaps this will develop naturally when he’s playing in a league where concentration levels are more demanding. However it’s clear to a blind man the talent he possesses & like you I’m surprised there’s not a queue of European clubs lined up for his signature.
Ellboy,
His next choice of club will be very interesting and might even determine how his career develops. I can honestly see him playing at the very highest level (like Henrik) but I would fear for him if he moved to a club like Sunderland or Everton. I think the way he plays would fit in very well in Spain. It’s funny that the likes of David Luiz can go for around £40-50 million, while still on occasion being a complete liability as a defender (see last years World Cup semi and the champions league last season, Chelsea games apart) yet if any Scottish teams suggest we have a player worth at least £10 million we get scoffed at. In my opinion there is not a chance that Luiz is twice or three times the player that Virgil is, if anything Virgil is on a par if not better.
Anyhoo,
Prediction for tonight: 0-3. Griffiths (2), Johahsen
From what I saw of the Dundee derby it looked to be a belter . Big crowd , spectacluar goals exciting finish.
There were a few flares and a couple of pitch invasions and a manager getting sent-off (even though he didnt go).
Wondering if its got the required ingredients to qualify as a “shame gome”?
“shame gAme”
Roberttressel
Can you now explain the bit abooot Wee Wullie Winkie, which was Winning Captains last post :-)
Hail Hail
Hi everyone. Long time reader of the blog – first time i’ve decided to join in myself.
If we put aside all of the negatives surrounding Platini (of which there are plenty), then i have to admit the champions route and the new qualification structure for the Euros are two initiatives that i back.
I would take 3 rounds of qualifying any day over the old structure where we needed a miracle against teams like Arsenal (or just a decent referee and someone not to score with their backside).
A quick note on Malmo as i work in Sweden – consensus is it’s one of the two toughest away trips domestically – probably the best atmosphere of any ground. Missing Rosenburg for the first leg is massive for us though, and they appear to think we’re a long ball team so their scouts are obviously on the sauce.
Welcome Londonbhoy.
Are you in the Jose Mourinho is more impotent than Eva Carnerio clique.
Hope you will help bring some much needed sanity and humour ( no pressure eh ) to the blog
HH to you and happy blogging.
if the smsm agree with J.C. about there being a difference in playing , champions league as
opposed to spl football , then obliquely they would be admitting , that there is also a big(ger)
gulf between celtic and the govan goatasticos.. no ?
anyway affoooot
kev j hope you are ok
HH
LONDONBHOY
Welcome aboard,mate. One good thing about working in Sweden-you won’t have a bliddy heart-attack when you buy a round in London!
BOGNORBHOY
I echo your sentiments/concerns about KEVJ.
His most recent post did not read well. I’ll put him a close second on my ‘shooting stars’ wish list for tonight.
Welcome londonbhoy
Won’t ask you if are a Hun which is the normal way on here for first time posters.
Will be interesting in the build up to the game to get a view from someone who actually lives in Malmo as to how they view the game from there.
Ah what the hell.
Are you a hun?
Good to see that Paul67, and a few others feel we should/will strengthen the squad on qualification for the UCL.
We really need to be playing consistently at this level, I know if we manage it, in the short to medium term most seasons the best we can realistically aim for is Europa after Christmas.
But with the resultant extra cash, higher coefficient and better quality of players, it allows us a platform more suited with our standing in Europe.
Still Malmo is a tough ask, so no chicken counting…
Kilmarnock 0-3 Celtic
Thanks very much for the welcome guys/
Anything he does to distract attention from a defeat is immediately considered utter genius from not just the hacks but most fans down here – it’s all getting very tiresome. I would love it if we got through and drew that mob – I just knew last year that Maribor would get them after they beat us.
Exactly Bobby – . don’t know how the room service guy at my hotel keeps a straight face either when he’s delivering the £32 burger and chips. If i was on my own cash out there i’d basically be doing volunteer work! Transferring to covering Helsinki/Oslo from next week which is horrendous timing obviously given the Malmo draw – was gutted when Helsinki threw away their lead in Astana.
This makes a really nice wallpaper for your iPad/Tablet/phone etc
@BarryMcGonigle: Wee wallpaper for you. If you use it please stick a wee bit extra in the plate at mass if your that way inclined HH http://t.co/TwNM5DIwCO
HH
Knives are out for our assistant gaffer.
Before JC came back to Celtic he was the much loved and respected Sky TV pundit. Almost every football fan to a man in this country respected his views and also his playing career abroad and down south. Collins was a bit of a hero to me. Came to us when he didn;t have to, stayed with us again when he didn;t have to and done the business in big games especially against the deed club and that great night against Cologne. Sure he left on bad terms but I didn;t grudge him it, certainly not in hindsight of what was to develop after he left and when looking back at how long he stayed and what he gave us he probably deserved his Bosman move.
Anyway, JC is asked a question and the press jump on it. Now this has happened a mere couple of days after a Sevco group of supporters have contacted the SFA, SPFL and no doubt the press to complain everyone is picking on them and also after a front page head scratcher where Swally McCoist is saying farewell to some wummin at the airport who may be involved in some kind of swindle at the Tax Free Arena. The story didn;t even add up for me and the media swung into action to even it up.
John Collins looks slightly perplexed. All these journos who used to fawn over him are now hassling every manager, coach and player in Britain what they make of his comments. It will be noted by JC. He was not one of the best Scotland players of his generation for nothing. He has a steely determination and when the press come looking for their next story Mr Collins will provide them nothing. It’s dusgusting the treatment he is getting to mention Mr Swally again I don;t remember him getting anything like the treatment JC is getting and he is still taking £60k a month out of a club in the lower leagues for doing nothing. There is no Celtic paranioa this is downright disgusting behaviour from the journos and I would like Celtic to tackle this head on. Next press conference get our PR man or PL himself to ask the journos direct – Do you think what John Collins said is inaccurate? Then produce an article or even a list of articles written by every single one of them talking our game down and then read word for word to them what John said.
Nip this matter in the bud because it is starting to grate on me.
Anytime something like this happens I am reminded of a story Jock Brown (remember that guy?) told when visiting the CSA club in London Road when he was CEO/DOF or whatever his title was. He had some research done about press reporting. The press hated him because I think he knew a lot about most of them personally from his days in the media and he knew how to work them.
He said that the year Diana Spencer died her name was mentioned in the press so many thousand times. The word Celtic was mentioned double that number in the Scottish media.
He also said that you must back me because what I will do is take the flak. The media don;t like me and will vilify me. I will take the flak. It’s what I am paid for. I don;t mind it but I will play them at their own games.
Now lets be honest Jock was never going to work out and he got things wrong but he was never backed. I felt at the time he was an interesting apppointment and certainly made sense from Fergus point of view. He wanted a man with no emotional attachment, a guy who was media savvy – Fergus was taking a pounding (Remember the ridicule because he looked funny? Let’s be brutally honest here it’s cause he had a squint in his eye. Does the new super power at Ibrox not have that? Paranoia again?), Jock was also a qualified sports lawyer. Looking at the qualifications and the circumstances it made sense but he was never going to be a hit.
My point is that Celtic are there to be hit by the media. We always have been and always will do Jock Brown admitted it to the CSA delegates that day before letting us sip champagne from the recently won League Cup and we are seeing it now with the frankly disgusting treatment of John Collins. Well done to Celtic and Ronny for standing up for him also John Yogi Hughes who gets John Collins and what he is about. Yogi respects JC and said at one time he is the only man in football I would work as an assistant with.
John Collins is one of the best footballers Scotland has produced in 30 years. He was a very good Scotland international player and had success abroad with a top European club. He says one line that can be miscontrued and the press swoop like vultures.
Celtic – stand by your man. JC needs full support and an attack from the club at certain journlists who seem to find any beef with the club. I don;t want them banned it helps nobody in my opinion but when they next visit for a press conference get them grilled and hit them with their own evidence. Every newspaper bar none predicted armageddon a few years ago as did the SPL chief and the SFA chief. None got the grief Collins is facing. Hope the Green Brigade have a banner for JC tonight.
We are all John Collins
LB
Is there anyway we can do to let Celtic know that we think 10 million for VVD is poor ? as was said in an earlier post bidding should start at 15 million and not a penny less. H.H.
LIVIBHOY
Another great post about JC and the club backing him
totally agree.
Didnae agree about your thoughts on Balotelli tho
no good for us
HH
Joe Filippis Haircut
Personally I think £10m is about fair for VVD. Anything more than that is a bonus. I would hope a sell on clause would be inserted too but do trust PL to get a good deal for the club. He has done in the past when dealing down South. Press are just throwing numbers about. We will know in a few weeks what VVD is worth and we will deal because the Bhoy wants to go whether we make the CL or not. There is no way VVD will be a Celtic player after the window closes.
LB
Virgil for the offski?
We’ll have a game the night then I take it?
HH
QUANTUM
To answer your question – no i’m not a hun. I’m a hun……dred percent green and white.
I don’t actually live in Malmo, live in South London and spend 3 days/week in Sweden. Most of my clients out there are in Stockholm so support either AIK Stockholm ( establishment club – lots of dangerous fans) or Djurgarden (more left wing, my preferred team out there).
It’s a great place, obviously with the huge Swedish connection we’ve always had most people out there have a big affinity for Celtic. Strangely they don’t seem to rate Lustig that highly, although i’ve always thought he’s looked like one of the better players for the national team. They also mostly think Bangura is a quality player, and are convinced if given more time he could have been a star for us. Apparently the stuff about us signing the wrong brother is definitely just a gag!
Livibhoy. Well said. Je suis J.C.
LiviBhoy
Good post mate, the media agenda has been out of control since 2012 as the Collinsgate story shows.
Next we’ll be hearing JC brings it on himself:((
Hail Hail
Livibhoy,
While I agree with your sentiments, this is nothing new. JC is just the next one to be treated so. As long as he and our manager tell it as it is, I am content. Ignore the SMSM. That should be our mantra. I would now add Alex Thompson to the list, tbh.
Any team news lhads muldini back in the squad I believe
Almore
I noticed you were trying to upload and install Windows 10. How did you get on?
LIVIBHOY
Wonderful post,mate. Especially the bit about throwing the hacks’ own words back at them.
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LONDONBHOY
South London? I hope you are well acquainted with The Wimbledon CSC. Smashing place!
LiviBhoy,
great post about JC.To add to the guff,even today we have the Record asking Lee Mc Culloch !!!!!!!!?,his thoughts on JCs comments.Its a direct attack on Celtic,nothing less,and should not be tolerated.
spiritof67
It was a Hibee at work who mooted Balotelli. I thought it was worth thinking about and sharing to gauge a response. Boy is a player. On his day he is near unplayable. He has lost his way probably in life and obviously on the pitch. I then remembered the Ronny video of his thoughts on the game and what he is about. Balotelli fits the bill of what Ronny does.
I felt it was worth discussing. It was largely a no but it’s good to moot thoughts and get reactions.
I would rather take a chance on Balotelli at say £3m a year in wages on loan than a Balde, Derk or Pukki signing.
I just like to share my thoughts sometimes I am a bit off the wall though. Hahaha
LB