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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non dee ploom on 11th August 2015 5:44 pm
Your welcome, enjoy.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
MICKBHOY1888
Fair enough i am handy and go to alll home games
well except friendlies
just pointing out benefits to others in case they dont realise
“whats in it for me”
Nom de ploom
I am assuming you mean Dumbarton Road Partck, if I was travelling from there my choice of transport would be by means of the train from Partick to Dalmarnock a 5 minute walk from the ground. You can also get a train from Partick to either Bellgrove or Duke Street but these alternatives ar a good 15 and 10 minute walk from the ticket office respectively
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family,
Thanks for your help sounds fine, Have to go. :>).
Non deep loom: A wee note of caution re. Bus 43 ; they don’t run that often unlike the others mentioned.. SORRY NON DEE PLOOM , blinking text predictor!
JC2
Just don’t understand the logic if you have an e-ticketing system in place wether you subscribe to an automatic home ticket scheme or you are applying to activate your season card for home games on an individual basis there is a need for a supplementary charge. I assume that there is no additional expense to the system that is already in place electronically activating individual cards which are electronically applied for
Mickybhoy,
You are a regular on here.
I’m finding it hard to believe this is the first of you hearing about the internet charge.
Speysidebhoy
Mail sent
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/commensurate-with-experience/ por cierto
Henke@5.01
Did you get that 1 from Bognorbhoy?
MickBhoy – the other advantage of getting the train to Dalmarnock is that you’ve nothing but Celtic Park in front of you from you step out of the station…….. (if you can ignore the veledrome of course – but you catch my drift!!) …….. Walking up to Paradise…….. Nice…
Oh, and the ticket charges on line – posted on this the other day. Spent circa £100 on some home tickets recently. £1.50 to print them or £7.50 to get them sent out. Seriously……. it’s a joke. I suspect it’s whoever Celtic outsource such things to (TicketMAster maybe) but it shouldn’t happen and it sure as hell shouldn’t happen to ST holders!
Phil’s latest ,,,
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/commensurate-with-experience/
Geordie Munro
Sorry to disappoint you but I don’t meticulously scrutinise every post and as far as I was aware this was the first season whereby your electronically chipped card could be activated for individual home cup games via the Internet. As it is my first time using the system as my own season ticket covers me for all home cup games and preliminary rounds in Europe. Should I wish to exercise my right for further group games on my ticket it is done via e-mail and access passes have to be collected or posted.
To me £1.50 is profiteering for a system already in place
It really beggars belief that a club like Bristol City with a ground capacity
of 13,000 can buy a player for £6million
We have nearly 5 times the capacity but due to TV deals, etc
we can’t compete in this market.This madness certainly has to crash at some point
Shane long is the exact type of player we could do with, fast, strong, great in the air and mobile, forwards are the one area of the team that you rarely get a bargain, so much money wasted on 1-2 million pound gambles
NAKASAMMI on 11TH AUGUST 2015 5:41 PM
Am i right in thinking we play Dundee United away at noon on Sunday then Malmo away 2 days later. Surely not?
We play Arabs Sat 22nd with 12:00 pm KO
When we play away to Dundee Utd on Sat 22nd before our trip to Sweden, Malmo are away later that afternoon to a team called Hacken.
Hope they live up to their name :-)
Roberttressell
I can understand the £7.50 for tickets being sent out as some poor soul has to open an envelope and put the tickets in same …..a labour intensive practice which merits a £7.50 charge for 20 seconds of time and effort
As for a £1.50 charge for the e-ticketing system to communicate with the electronic card reader at the turnstiles to let it know that your card is valid for that particular game defeats me. I wonder if their system will weed out those using concession season cards on these particular nights even although they are not entitled to be using them hmmmmm
Anyone know Paul67s email address?
celticquicknews@gmail.com
Your heart sinks when you read that Stoke just signed Shaquiri for 12 million, EPL prices paid by what I would call small clubs, no disrespect to Stoke but without the BIG BUCKS EPL they would never in a million years being buying these kind of players.
Cracking wee player by the way, would run riot in Europe for us!
mickbhoy1888
Thanks for that sounds good :>)
The service celtic use for sending out tickets would cost you around £6.50.
Nomdeploom, I agree with the poster who said get the train to Dalmarnock.
As you come out Dalmarnock station you can walk along the new road, it runs parallel to Springfield Road, and have a good view of Celtic Park as you are walking up. The banners at the front and sides of the stadium make it look even better.
The 64 bus no longer runs along London Road by Celtic Park.
Cosy Corner Bhoy
Thanks for , Gave me a good laugh anaw, sound like something i can do without the help of a predictor :>).
Anyway got to admire Malmo for only charging the away support £19 for the corresponding fixture in Sweden
One day trip to Sweden £359
http://www.tmgsport.com/travel/celtic-fc/
£659 for a trip with the official party with a 1 night stay in a 4 star hotel . I am assuming then that a double room is coming in at £580 for a 1 night stay
@celticfc: Doors open at 7pm at the No.7 Restaurant.
A panel of former Celts, including Jim Craig, Tom Boyd and Murdo MacLeod will take part in a Q&A.
Why have MacLeod there, shocking decision imo
Radio Shortbread ahs an interview Henrik this Friday at 8pm.
Tom English is interveiwing him.
Remember non de plum is 74
He maybe a sprightly 74 for all I know :-))
My last post should have said Radio Shortbread has an interview with Henrik at 8pm this Friday.
Is the ding dong Dindee Derby on the TV tonight?
Balntyretim at 6.57. I agree Murdo McLeod should not be there unless he can be asked why he is so negative about us.
Sorry, Kev j about having a go at Murdo.
His stuff in the Ladbrokes website about John Coliins’ comments, is a lot of rubbish.
Blantyre Tim,
Aye. Ss1
HH
Gee whizz the One Show doing a piece on big burdz attacking and stealing folks chips at the sea shore
Wonder if they would have done an article years ago about the big Savvy burdz that would swoop down a steal a whole table full of drink and anything else you had in your pockets
Can’t believe a celtic fan age 74 nobody from that area could pick the old chap up and take him to Celtic Park.
Cheers Geordie
My kodi will be used again
Down with sky
NON DE PLUME….the 43 bus ceases service at 7pm. Probably be better by train!!!
Embramike
Thanks for post about the Utd game.
And its good to know Malmo have a game too!
NS