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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Ordered my Malmo ticket on the phone.
I asked if it would be a paper ticket or uploaded onto my SB and the ghuy wasn’t sure, went off to ask a supervisor and came back and asked if I wanted it on my SB. I said OK but I get the feeling that it may still be a paper ticket. Anyone else had it put on the SB?
HH
Not wanting to repeat the post I put on a couple of weeks ago about the Brugges CH.My very good Belgian mate out here,who was at one time Mayor of Brugge,and was a long time board member of Brugge FC ,supported the club for 40 years,has told me Brandon Mechele is the best CH he has watched at Brugges.He also told me,he would be willing to go to Celtic,much to my mates disgust.He has actually spoken to the player.
Cant get better reporting than that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Celtic interested in Berbatov?
Have I just woke up in 2004? :)
“Not wanting to repeat the post….”
Turkeybhoy,
I believe ye :))
HH
BSR
No need to worry.
Form’s temporary, class is permanent.
Interesting mention of BATE going for their fourth successful CL qualification in five years.
The year they failed to qualify (13/14) they were eliminated in qualifying round 2 by a certain shakhtar Karagandy!
bate had beaten bayern Munich in the group stages the season before as well; their equivalent of our 2-1 win v Barca. Don’t know what on earth happened to them v Karagandy, otherwise its an unblemished record….
I like Livibhoy’s idea of group stages for the qualifiers. Better for the blood pressure too, and no worries about away goals or ties going to penalty shoot-outs.
BSR..
Beatbhoy is always clued up.
skyisalandfill @ 16.36hrs.
Booked Malmo ticket by phone yesterday after a 10 minute wait. I was informed at the time that my ST would be activated for this game although there was still a £1.50 charge.
Received a confirmation E-mail shortly after. Following your post I have just read said E-Mail and it states my address for postal delivery.
HH Confused are us.
Couldn’t imagine a player less suited to a Ronny Deila team than Berbatov
TGBS
It used to be the toss of a coin, as in Lisbon ’69 after Benfica pulled back a 0-3 defeat in Glasgow. I always wondered if we used up all our luck for that year’s tournament at that moment, so had none when we needed it in the Final.
JJHS @ 3.22
Good post
God bless the Celtic support in our travels to Maryhill, without which we’d have no Malmo.
Eddieinkirkmichael
Congrats on the new job. Currently unemployed myself.
Recently gave up my job in shoe recycling factory. Didn’t like it one bit. It was sole destroying.
Sipsini
My wife saw that, and said it’s a typo.
Should have been “clueless!”
THUNDER ROAD on 11TH AUGUST 2015 4:31 PM
Speysidelhad
Sorry was waiting on you contacting me!
Will email you in a few hours.
++++++++++++++++++++++
thanks, Thunder,, they way i read Lennybhoys email was that he copied you into a mail from me with my addy for you to read
re buying a couple of big name signings, i certainly think we could afford them, both in signing on fees and wages, i think even if Perdo were to attempt such signings its enticing them here that is the real problem………. games against the majority of other teams in our league will have little or no interest to a top class player, especially when they are enlightened to the honest mistakes and anti Celtic agenda from our media
if you were a top class player and were offered being booted black and blue with no protection from a biased mib on a bitterly cold and wet night on a horrible pitch in dingwall / inverness midweek in winter, there would need to be some serious incentive to come here opposed to germany / spain / portugal etc
Hi , I’ts years since i’ve been in Glasgow and able to go to a match so i intend going this weekend, can some helpfull CQN’r tell me if there is a bus i can get from town to take me along London Rd to drop me of at the new Celtic way so as i can go to the ticket office and take in the sights at the same time, also as i’m doing this i might as well ask if the are any supporters busses going along Dumbarton Rd to the game that could cope with a 74 year old codger :>),I’d be very gratefull for any help, thanks in advance .
Greenpinta
I’m so glad it’s not just me.
HH
typo…. perdo = pedro
Braw post jj
HH
non dee ploom on 11th August 2015 5:07 pm
sorry i’m unable to help but wish you a wonderful afternoon out in Paradise, may the sun shine and you see a great game with plenty of goals for the Celtic
Excellent piece Paul.
It would be interesting to see how much BATE and APOEL have reinvested into their own leagues through buying players etc. Just as Celtic has done with Dundee United
Just realised that the custodians of Celtic FC are as corrupt and morally bankrupt as their counterparts across the city,they just love to screw their own support at every turn and squeeze them for every last penny they can get
A run by the ticket office this morning to activate my sons ticket for the Malmo game,saw me baulk at the thought of standing in a queue that looked like at least an hours wait before getting to the front. Lilkliehood it would have been a longer wait once staff disappeared for smoke and t breaks. So hi ho time to embrace modern technology and head home a activate it over the Internet. Simples but didn’t realise that would get shafted for another £1.50 for an Internet booking. Why they didn’t think to shut the ticket office to all season ticket holders and get them all to activate their cards online God only knows………£60’000+ would be a nice little earner.
No point in phoning up to complain because that would probably skin me for another £6 or £7 by the time you actually get to speak to somebody
Makes me wonder if we actually qualify for the group stages are the support going to be hit for another £4.50 for activating their tickets for each individual home match
Customer care my arse
Still think that’s a really nice touch on the blog up in the top right corner.
“How are you__________?”
Shows you the type of people you’re dealing with right away.
Till Live Updates tomorrow night.
Have a great evening, ahll.
Na, disnae work after a vowel.
Consonant please, Rachel!
GREENPINATA on 11TH AUGUST 2015 4:51 PM
skyisalandfill @ 16.36hrs.
Booked Malmo ticket by phone yesterday after a 10 minute wait. I was informed at the time that my ST would be activated for this game although there was still a £1.50 charge.
Received a confirmation E-mail shortly after. Following your post I have just read said E-Mail and it states my address for postal delivery.
HH Confused are us.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/celtics-real-champions-league-competition/comment-page-2/#comments
—————————————————————-
Your card should be activated and the confirmation email should state:
UEFA Champions League Play-off Match
Season tickets will be activated for those Season Ticket holders who purchase their own season seat by the deadline for this match. Those Season Ticket holders relocated for UEFA requirements will be sent a match ticket.
Speyside Lhad
Thanks for your kind thoughts i too see a Celtic goalfest :>).
MICKBHOY1888
join home ticket scheme
no charges(saves me £9 IN cl BOOKING FEES FR ME AND MY BHOY)
Also when buying package for CL had to stump up in
a lump sum approx £150 Home ticket scheme takes it off
a week or so before each game
Oct\Nov|Dec
NON DE PLOOM,sorry can’t help you with supporter bus but I always try here for bus details:
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/glasgow/journey_planning/maps/
Enjoy the game.
NON DEE PLOOM on 11TH AUGUST 2015 5:07 PM
From Glasgow City Centre, the Nos. 61, 62, 64, 255 and 240 buses go to Tollcross Road and you would get off at the Parkhead Forge Shopping Centre and walk down to Celtic Park. The No 43 bus goes along London Road past the ground.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
JC2, Spot on mate saves me time and money not to mention less stress standing in q’s.I’ve been on the home ticket scheme since they opened it its a great system.Most of my mates are also we must have saved a fortune over the last 5 or 6 years.
Non de plum
Number 2 first bus will take you from Dumbarton road to Celtic park
Not sure about supporters buses but the Smiddy and /or the Dolphin are good places to start
ziggydoc
My email states my delivery address but not the text you quoted.
Not really bothered either way but it seems to be a common misunderstanding with our Ticket Office.
Thanks
HH
Non dee ploom
Well, are you?
Hope this helps.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=buses+to+celtic+park&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
timmy7_noted,
Thanks for that, I’m sure I’ll enjoy watching The Celtic whatever :>)
Good post Hunderbirds.. I’ll call you old HAG from now on.. Two other salient points to add to the restrictive nature of the champions league for the ‘wee leagues’ which in European terms we are part of:
1. We have footballing authorities who undersell the value of our game and as a result the television funds we receive sit well below the true value we should be receiving for the audiences we generate. Even if this provided another couple million a year it would allow a slightly higher upper wage to attract players of a slightly better calibre – we are restricted by what we offer in salary to players who could be good, show promise and appear worthy of taking a chance on instead of those who look more the finished article. With this strategy some will prove to be successes (wanyama, van dijk) whilst others will fall despairingly short of the standard required (amido effin balde for example).
2. Prize and TV Money in the champions league is disproportionately awarded to the big teams making it doubly difficult for those who punch above their weight on occasion to make it a regular occurrence. This has actually led to a staleness in the champions league as the same teams continually reach the latter stages and the competition is shorn of its romance as a result.
These two points addressed wouldn’t guarantee us the honey each year but addressing them would perhaps give
us a better spoon with which to have a go at the honeypot!!
Am i right in thinking we play Dundee United away at noon on Sunday then Malmo away 2 days later. Surely not?
TIMMY7_noted
Group of 6 of us 4 in home tkt scheme 2 not
Usually all get tkts for semi’s finals but Home tkts scheme
members always get them.
Finally convinced the other two to join this season
They are like woooo this is easy.
Lennybhoy,
Thanks for that the 43 do me just great :>)
JC2
I assume the home ticket scheme is automatic,not really feasible if there are matches you may miss due to other commitments. People may have the luxury of being able to commit to every game but unfortunately some don’t. As for 3 match packages for the group stages I personally won’t be exercising my right to that deal as I totally abhor the take it or leave it attitude when you attempt to purchase your own seat on a match to match basis
beatbhoy,
Naw ahmm No ,thanks for asking and thanks for your help, Lennybhoy has given me the bus that suits me :>).