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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Excellent post livibhoy well done there does seem to be a john Collins witch hunt from
people who couldn’t even tie the laces of his boots
LIVIBHOY
Balotelli is a great player,but a panel of top psychiatrists would be needed along with his signature.
Particularly aggressive almost total coverage anti Celtic msm rags over the last couple of weeks. Possibly just really hurtin Huns , they hate it and I am lovin it. Wonder if the sevconians have a tax bill to pay or some overdue legal costs. The lying king keeping low while the press attack us. Will be great to see them hurting even more when we beat Malmo.
LiviBhoy
Great post and support for John Collins. I think Ronny gave him great backing yesterday and the Club should put the laptop loyal on the spot as you say.
The only time Celtic got an even handed deal from the press was when they were dealing with Jock Stein. They were all s..t scared of him.
I had a lengthy discussion once with Hugh McIlvanney and he told me this.
I have a feeling that Ronny Deila has presence about him and the media are latching on to the fact that he is no fool and not to be messed with.
The best answer to the sewer rats is for the team to pump the opposition on the park. We will never get asked, “why are you so good?” Do we ever want such toe curdling mince?
Right Celtic, it’s time to get the coat off here and come out swinging. Hard.
For a CFC member of staff to be vilified and BULLIED like this is beyond the pale even for pathetic SMSM.
The man spoke no more than the truth and they know it.
Tell you what…. if the game in this country was refereed straight some of the hidings Celtic would be handing out would show the true gulf between Celtic and the rest. It’s being kept artificially closer than the reality.
lineinthesandcsc
LB I know the Balotelli thing was just a throwaway suggestion but I’d imagine £3mill a year wouldn’t cover half his current wages.
Livibhoy,
Well said! I think the press have realised Ronny is too clever for them (which has frustrated them) and so they have tried JC for a line, any line, that they could twist to run a negative story. John will be very aware of how he has been attacked and he will have learnt not to give them anything to work with again. The best GIRUY to the press would be qualifying for the champions league and dominating the premiership. Given that Celtic are top at the moment I think behind closed doors the management and the playing squad will be very determined to stay there from now right till the last game of the season. Pundits who harp on about Aberdeen and how they ran Celtic close last season forget that we actually finished 17 POINTS above them last season. Yet they come away with “ah but if you take away the four head to head wins it would have been 5 points” etc. Well, here’s the thing, you can’t take it away, those games happened and Celtic were a class above.
Aberdeen may take points off us this season but I’ll be amazed if we don’t win the league by more than 10 points.
Forgot to add, if a 17 point gap constitutes a title race then using the same logic I could go and give Usian Bolt a ‘close’ race in the 100m!
Morning all.
Welcome LONDONBHOY.
2-0 again tonight?
No, 3-0!
HH!!
…… The likes of Aberdeen, Dundee United and others will say that you are seeing a challenge from them and you are seeing a challenge from them in a domestic circumstance. But our clubs continue to get knocked out in the first round in Europe every year.
“It has been left to Celtic to carry the whole of Scotland in a European context and that is a context where we have to show that our football can stand up to scrutiny. Over the last few years, it hasn’t…………
Who said that?????
TBM
Other question……
How much do Celtic FC get paid from Ticketmaster for the privilege of having them as our Account/Manager, Event Management Strategists????
Moe questions than answers csc..
TBM
what happened to the missing r?
LIVIBHOY
Your idea about not wasting transfer fees on strikers who don,t score
and taking a loan player and paying his wages for a season, is good
but Balotelli imo is not the man . I think he is a moody non team player,
all about him and not nearly as good as he thinks he is. Rodgers wasted
16 million and banished to train with the youth teams, why because he
is disruptive and a loner, imo, might be wrong but wouldn’t take him
even for free, team spirit gone in a flash.
Eastern European teams is where the bargains are it’s just a matter of
scouting and identifying that market, maybe we are ,who knows.
Great idea ,wrong man .
HH
TALLYBHOY
Howdy,mate. You got over the shock of getting dragged round B&Q yet?
Old joke,last time I was in there some old git in an orange outfit asked me if I wanted decking?!
Fortunately I got the first punch in…
WhaursmajaiketCSC
http://www.celticnewsnow.com/news/celtic-prepare-bid-for-defender/122059/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TwitterFeed
spiritof67
Yeah I agree on Eastern Europe and would have signed the Legia Warsaw man who tore us apart last season. I think Ronny has his targets already and is focused on the CL. I just hope he plays the players to get us the goals to get us there.
Griffiths and Commons must start the home leg against Malmo. Persevering with a striker who is not playing regularly and hasn;t scored this season in pre-season or Europe is madness.
We must build a lead to take to Sweden and we must play our most potent goal scorers. Ciftci is ideal for the away leg but at home it’s best attackers with goal ratio and assists for me.
LB
BMCUW
Morning old bean.
I think we may be going back to B&Q later! Groan!
Liked the joke.
Give you a bell later.
HH!!
Guys
Does anybody know how I can get a ticket for tonight’s match? I have checked both our website and Kilmarnock’s, it appears that we are selling only to season ticket holders and that Kilmarnock will not sell to away support?
Thanks for any info
All this furore about John Collins’ comments. Tbh I’m usually reluctant to get involved in these chats. The agenda gets set by the tabloids and the radio shock jocks and everyone chips in – even people who claim not to read the tabloids. You end up publicising them. If you want to make them irrelevant ignore them, rise above their nonsense and stick to the positives about our club. There is no point in regurgitating their garbage and keeping those churnalists at the centre of things. By doing so you’re paying their wages.
Bobby M
Sorry for not getting back to you yesterday, something came up .
Got sorted for a ticket mate . Thanks for your offer of help .
HH
SOLENTDAVE
Contacted a couple of likely lads,I’ll let you know ASAP
My favourite Celtic interaction with the press was when Billy McNeill gave Gerry McNee an “exclusive” at Heathrow airport.
THEBARCAMOLE @ 10:34,
Interesting, wonder if JC had put in the context of Scottish Football needs a strong Rangers – would it have been reported differently!?
The challenge for the other Clubs in Scotland, isn’t to prove JC wrong, it is to ensure when the new Club comes up, they are still competing for European places and domestic trophies. Not allowing an under resourced new Club walk into second position.
I’ve posted before, Celtic have no God given right to be the best team in Scotland, no one has. Going back a generation to the eighties where were we, going back another generation to the early sixties where were we?
Hearts are allowed to build a new stadium, give supporters a great match day experience and put some quality on the pitch, improve their attendance and improve their European performances, improving their coefficient, improving turnover – as can Aberdeen.
Clubs from a lot smaller Cities than Edinburgh are regular performers in Europe.
Mind you fair play to Robbie Nielsen.
Hail Hail
CHANNELISLANDCELT
Never a problem,mate. Long as you get one,that’s the important thing.
My Dad and my two sisters are likely to be slumming it in The Park Hotel beforehand. Carnage,I reckon,if he has trouble getting a pint in on a tight schedule!!!!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 12th August 2015 10:54
Cheers
Good mornin, got the hoops at13/10 to win first half and second half not a bad bet, with PP that was, not a bad bet I thought.
LIVIBHOY
Yep i agree about the home leg and Ciftci has his
merits but not convinced he will score goals for us.
Players can look good at a wee club but at a big
club they are average and can’t step up, time
will tell, hope he makes me eat humble pie.
Anyway nice chatting , gardening beckons.
HH
Chavez, agreed, these hacks spend their lives trying to start fires and we do the stoking for them.
A wise man once said to me “just look at where its coming from”.
There is not one journo in Scotland who knows how to write a good fact based story, they know their team us deid and the truth is hurting them big time, best ignore them
HH
gsu
us should be “is”
gsu
H ve been wittering on about Greg Stewart for a couple of seasons now.Fantastic left foot,which is a rarity nowadays.I have seen him give us loads of trouble in games.Very skilfull,big,strong,pacy.Last nights goal he has done on a few occasions.Looks an ideal player for us.Surprised,very,he is still at Dundee.A snip at the price we would have to pay.We should also buy Christie and leave him at ICT for at least this season,or else suffer the same fate we did with Mc Carthy.
SOLENTDAVE
HAMILTONTIM is sure you have his mobile number. If you text him,he says he will do his best to get a ticket sorted for you.
Good luck!!!
LiviBhoy’s @ 09.47hrs.
Great post. I would not ban journalists either, however I would turn the tables on them. I would encourage the Celtic PR people at the press conferences to ask very awkward questions. Football and non football. Basically I would trap and ambush them the way they have done to us over the years.
If they want to court controversy at our expense then let us play by the same rules. If they do not want to play by our rules then fine they will stay away. Problem solved.
To reitterate, well done John Collins. Well done Celtic. Now let’s go on the offensive. If they want “scoops” then let’s oblige.
HH.
Tony D
How’s things with you mate?
Just heading to meet big J J for cup of tea and a wee catch up .
HH
The Collins articles are irrelevant. People in England or Wales take no notice of Scottish football.
In Scotland, real Celtic men will know exactly what he meant and know what the Scottish media are capable of.
The rest of the football fans in Scotland tend to hate us and will read what they want into it. It’s preaching anti-Celtic nonsense to the anti-Celtic masses. It won’t change anybodies minds.
I don’t think we should be banning the hacks as its more ammunition for them. Lets just move onward in what is truly a golden era of Celtic. Champions.
Is the new Celticnewsnow app available on android phones via Google Play Store?
Árd Macha
CHAVEZ,
Spot on.
Árd Macha
Chairbhoy on 12th August 2015 10:57 am……..
Thanks for the response, which, I think, validates my point. That being, with the the so called sports journalists in this country, it is (actually) who is stating what and not (slant) what is being stated that gets castigated. A lazy case of playing the man and not the ball (in print)…..
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM