Champions League pitfalls

717

Having the first leg of our Champions League qualifier against KR in Iceland instead of Scotland, as initially drawn, ticks boxes for both clubs.  Without being disrespectful (well, maybe a bit), if the first leg was in Scotland KR could find themselves trying to sell a dead rubber second leg to TV companies.  With their home tie starting level, this could be their biggest windfall of the season.

Despite KR’s lowly coefficient, Celtic are stepping into the unknown and would infinitely prefer the second leg at home, a week after competitive cobwebs are blown away.  If we encounter a Karagandy-goat-sacrifice-type experience in Reykjavik, we would still have the chance to resolve things at Celtic Park Murrayfield.  The only surprise is that it took the clubs this long to confirm the change.

Now all we need to worry about is the goat-sacrificing habits of Scotland’s rugby types.

News from Nyon that Celtic’s share of last season’s Champions League bounty was £14.1m, plus £1.8m for participating in the qualifying rounds, on top of ticket sales, reiterates how important the competition is to the club.

We’re now trying to qualify for the third consecutive season, a feat we’ve never achieved before.  After the chastening experiences of last August, and the changing of the guard, I’m taking nothing for granted this season.  By my reckoning we cope without reaching the group stage two years in five without significantly downsizing.

I got a bit of banter for saying I was still raw from Georgios Samaras penalty miss four seasons ago.  Why shouldn’t we be raw, it was the last time Celtic failed to win a Scottish championship.  Ever!  Those who celebrate that miss will be clinging onto it as a highlight for the rest of their days.

Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his book, All the Best.

[calameo code=0003901719d82038831a9 lang=en page=126 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

717 Comments

  1. Celticrollercoaster luvs his luminious lime boots on

    jeez_I_thought_blinker_was_pants

     

     

     

    23:36 on 26 June, 2014

     

     

    Listen if you work it out let me know! :-)

     

     

    Fine victory at 5s tonight and nice to see Marspapa getting that monkey off his back :-)

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  2. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Well done Algeria in getting to the last 16 even if they do have that big double ass cheating fanny bougerass in the team.

     

     

    Just so nice to see Meester Putins boys getting their jotters at the first hurdle. Get it right up the ruskies and go back to singing and bearback goat riding meester putin.

     

     

     

    Mon the Germans pump the Algerians rotten in the next round.

  3. DD

     

     

    He sounds like a good lad. My son is only six and although he watches some games he is sometimes more interested in the stuff surrounding the games . The guy who got what looked like a broken arm after being hit by the ball absolutely fascinated him, he was trying to reinact it much to his mothers annoyance

  4. Sispini

     

     

    If she’d been picking my results I’d have done a whole lot better :-)

  5. cliftonville celt from belfast on

    Fantastic news about wee Jay

     

     

    Find it a bit strange that this story hasn’t been picked up by the national media by now

     

     

    Maybe tomorrow

     

     

    Night all

     

     

    HH

  6. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    SETTING FREE THE BEARS 2013

     

     

    TYVM for the response,bud.

     

     

    Pretty comprehensive,though I recall the evening up comment being more stridently made.

     

     

    As you say though,Tom Devine’s frustration was clear for all to see.

  7. Delaneys Dunky on

    Borgo

     

     

    Ma baby is 21.:) First season ticket at 3. Took him till 7 in M O’Ns first season to truly get the fitba.

  8. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Jude, well done to your grandson. I guess that means he wont be playing teams in the far reaches of the world any longer, places like Arbroath? I’ve asked you a couple of times to let me know when the young un was playing in this neck of the woods. Sooooo, if he’ll still be kickin a baw anywhere in Angus please let me know so I can come along and see one of our rising stars.

     

     

    acgr@hotmail.co.uk

     

     

     

    HH and enjoy some well earned drams, you must be stuffed with pride.

  9. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    DD, whats the format for the pool tourney? Singels or doubles? I only ask cos I know sipsinis is pish and he needs a partner to bale him out.

     

     

    I could do with one myself:-)

  10. Suarez.

     

     

    Whit is that guy all aboot?

     

     

    I have an image in my head of 11 like-minded teamates on the pitch with Suarez and after he takes his mandatory bite from his aggressor he is then backed up by those teamates who swarm over that player like a pack of hyena’s, biting away until no flesh remains.

     

     

    Transferring that image that has been stuck in my head since last night in the hope that it is removed for a good nights sleep.

     

    Unfortunately 1 of you may inadvertently become the recipient of this image because you read my post and for that, i apologise.

     

     

    The mad thing about it is that he will get hammered………vilified……and although quite rightly so…..the guys that put the career enders of tackles in will not get the same.

     

     

    night night folks

  11. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    W. Germany v Austria, a disgrace .

     

     

    Germany v USA, played in a true spirit.

  12. Thanks for the links to the videos of Sammi and young Jay.

     

     

    Some people are truly Special, Sammi, well, We were Truly Blessed to have him with us.

     

     

    Things may look straightforward and clear, I am troubled that a Man that has the Celtic Ethos flowing through his veins, likewise the Manager are not, where I think they should be.

     

     

    Somethings are priceless.

  13. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    leftclicktic we are all neil lennon

     

     

    21:13 on 26 June, 2014

     

    On way to bet Samedov to score anytime

     

    Phone rings ” Dad can you give us a hand for 10(ten) mins to lift a suite into the house please”

     

     

    Over an hour later two doors and facings off later suite (minus FEET)eventually in, look at time 21:00

     

    Weans ehhh

     

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    That’s nothing,mate.

     

     

    A coupla years back,my mate had to take the front windae out!

     

     

    Anyone who knows Castlepark in Irvine will know of that problem. Bloody architects should have to live in some of the buildings they design.

  14. Delaneys Dunky on

    ACGR

     

     

    TT hisnae revealed. If it’s doubles? I want The Rock fae The Rock. Pete’s a pool player. Lookin forward to see you again bud. :)

  15. •-:¦:-•**• -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-• on

    A Ceiler Gonof Rust @23:41 on 26 June, 2014

     

     

    Mon the Germans pump the Algerians rotten in the next round.

     

     

    ——————-

     

    I’m still going with algeria. I’m the kind of person who bears grudges – this one isn’t even mine but i’d love to see karma, 32 years later.

  16. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Sipsini, I don’t think so. I’ll still be drinking the champagne and scraping multiple breakfasts off ma coupon after winning the sclaffbaw tourney the day before. I’ll have nae time for rueing. Either that or I’ll still be blootered and looking for my bats.

     

     

    Mon the Argies, I’ve a ton on your shoulders.

     

     

    Rueing is time consuming and unproductive………Pahh!!!

  17. DD

     

     

    Oops didn’t realise your wean was a man :)

     

    Thought about getting the boy a season ticket this year , instead I am going to take him to a couple of games instead then maybe next year but no way will he be exposed to that shower if they are around .

  18. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    •-:¦:-•**• -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-•

     

     

    I hope all your dreams come true. How about we compromise and Algeria pump the Gerry’s but the big cheating hun fud boogerass gets his leg wrapped roon his neck in a freak mistimed tackle with German crossbar?

     

     

    I’d settle for that.

  19. A Ceiler Gonof Rust

     

     

    23:53 on 26 June, 2014

     

     

    DD, whats the format for the pool tourney? Singels or doubles? I only ask cos I know sipsinis is pish and he needs a partner to bale him out.

     

     

    I could do with one myself:-)

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    I hope it is not a knockout thing because I only play my best at precisely pint 4, or was it 5?

     

     

    If it is doubles, I’d like to have a non drinker in my team to make sure things are balanced, apologies to my team m8 in advance. :P

  20. •-:¦:-•**• -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-• on

    A Ceiler Gonof Rust – yes that sounds perfect. Deal :)

  21. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    DD, looking forward to it. Just don’t partner me with sipsini. He’s cross eyed and short sighted whereas I’m more tom cruisesque myself. And, I know which end of a pool bat to put the bloo stuff on..

  22. Acgr,

     

     

    From what I’ve heard in the Cqn pipeline, your favourite for the sclafball due to your dubious handicap.

     

     

    Whereas, in the pool tourney there is no such crutch available…if singles that is.

     

     

    As for doubles…now, yer in wae a shout if you charm Petec.

     

     

    Kip time mate, looking forward too next week.

  23. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    •-:¦:-•**• -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-•

     

     

    Cool bananas

     

     

     

    Hail Hail Sister

     

     

     

    Mon the Algeria……………………………until they get rogered by the wee messi falla.

  24. DD

     

     

    Not sure if your blog name is in honour of Jimmy Delaney, but when I was a kid and picking Celtic’s all time eleven my dad would always have the great man in the side before Jinky. He would coming up for 94 if he was still alive so he saw him in the flesh.

  25. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Sipsini, if only I could get a dubious handicap. Them bassa’s at god holy turf are pretty good at making sure I’ll never win a match never mind a tournament.

     

     

    HH bruv, it’s going to be a cracking weekend all round, win lose or draw.

     

     

    I’m more concerned about my outfit anyway. Does anyone know or have a pttern to turn a Celtic onesie into a Celtic mankini? They say the forecast is hot for next Friday.

  26. Delaneys Dunky

     

     

    00:01 on 27 June, 2014

     

     

    ACGR

     

     

    TT hisnae revealed. If it’s doubles? I want The Rock fae The Rock. Pete’s a pool player. Lookin forward to see you again bud. :)

     

    _____________________________________

     

     

    Delaneys D,

     

     

    Is definitely a Pool player, A wee drinker (unlike me – big drinker haha) and a good friend. I’d be over the Moon to partner the G thang at Doubles and the one thing we would do if we got knocked out the first round by a granny, would be to celebrate like we had Won the World Cup. I know this to be True.

  27. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Minx, if you are lurking can you post the link to the JG site you posted earlier. I’ve trolled back and cant find it.

     

     

    Fanx