Last night Manchester City became the ninth UK club to reach the European Cup/Champions League final, where they will face either Real Madrid or Chelsea. Of those who have reached this stage before them, only Leeds United and Arsenal are without a win in the tournament.
European football was more interesting in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Each of those decades saw four (90s), five (60s, 70s) or six (80s) clubs win their very their first European Cup. That trend of variety has stopped. Since Paul Lambert lifted the trophy with Borussia Dortmund in 1997 only Chelsea’s name has been added to the new winners’ list. The football peak seems to have effectively closed to new entrants.
City and last night’s losers, Paris Saint-Germain are the obvious omissions from the list. The petrodollars pouring into both of them, as well as Chelsea, makes their ascent to the top only a matter of time. If City do not win this season, they will continue to spend until they do. The same goes for PSG, both will win this decade.
Then, unless Uefa or the European Club Association can find some mettle, the door will finally close on new entrants. The European Super League may have died but its ghost will live on to haunt aspiring European clubs.
Can you name all 9 European clubs?
A note on the comments’ section. CQN is not the best place for anyone to demonstrate their inability to be respectful to others. I have a ton of email (yet to respond, sorry) on this subject, if you cannot leave off the personal abuse, your account will be pulled.
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Cornelius
I’m sorry about your wife’s SCAD, but very relieved that she received swift treatment.
It’s relatively rare, and while no disease is ‘fair’, this condition seems especially unfair, striking often fit (disproportionately) women who are otherwise healthy and doing all the right things in terms of diet and lifestyle.
Unlike many people who suffer a cardiac event, your wife probably doesn’t need to change her lifestyle. (That might just about give your ammo needed to wriggle out of all imposed restrictions planned for you!😉 I suspect/fear not!)
Cardiac rehab in the uk is often excellent., both in terms of physical and psychological support. Can’t speak for its equivalent in the US. The psychology of her recovery may be important.
Perhaps framing it as a ‘lucky escape from a bolt from the blue’ might help prevent any notion of self blame, which certainly isn’t justified in the case of SCAD.
Take care x2
HH jg
Good morning cqn from a rainy, overcast and all together miserable morning in the Garngad
Cornelius- Best wishes to your wife, that must have been a real scare for her in fact both of you. Hail Hail
Still no manag…. ah forget it.
Embarrassing and frustrating
D :)
Still no manag…. ah forget it.
Embarrassing and frustrating
————–
Sorry that bit of my previous post was not directed at Cornelius but the wider blog.
D :)
David66
Chat on twitter is that the new CEO made a good speech to staff, but potentially no managerial announcement till June.
Remind me, how effective are good speeches at defending speculative long balls played into the heart of the defence?🤷🏼♂️
HH jg
CORNELIUS…
My best wishes to you both.
HH.
DAVID66….
Yesterday I was Posting about me MAYBE heading to another “Local” Pub, in which the Beer aint very good etc, and which is maybe around 80/100 yards from my Hoose ?
I think I will waiting til 17th May and my REAL Local to reopen, as I think I will struggle badly to walk that far, especially on the way home after many dodgy Beers.
I managed to walk downstairs and back up again to take out my rubbish this morning, and that was far enough…so I think my Bins and my REAL Local Pub are far enough for me to walk to for now. Wee short walking bursts is the answer ?
Also this “other” Local Pub tends to attract several Chumps/Space Cadets in ” Normal” Times…so the fact that they are open, it might mean that their Beer Garden is awash with even more Roasters than usual…so I think I will give that place a miss ?
IF I am going to go to any Beer Garden BEFORE the 17th when my Local will reopen, I think it will be Taxis for me from home to the Merchant City or city centre, and Taxi back again ?
I will be okay at walking short distances once I am inside a Pub…back and forward to the gents, and outside for a smoke.
I hope that you and the family are all well .
HH Mate.
Jamesgang – Exactly, I find this whole episode bazzar at a club the size of Celtic.
Season tickets will definitely be affected if what you say is true and as time goes by so will next season’s league campaign.
D :)
Big Jimmy- Wait till your local opens it’s only another 11 days that will gee you 5 days of prep for the 21st
D :)
France and Jersey ready to go to war with each other over Fishing Rights caused by Brexit……but dont worry Brexiteer Buccaneer Boris, has already donned his Nelson Eye Patch..and is on the Poop Deck of the Royal Navys warship…bellowing out orders to his Fleet…and all the while asking…” Kiss me Priti” !
DAVID66 on 6TH MAY 2021 6:31 AM
……………
I MAY just do that..and wait.
I wonder what a Pint of Beer looks and taste like…LOL ?
Keep well my Celtic Mate….and see you soon for a Beer Frenzy.
HH.
If Priti Patel EVER tried to kiss ME….I would chase her outta Town.
If Bonkers Buccaneer Boris ever tried to kiss me…I would have the Chump jailed by the Polis…..after he was Forced to Walk the Plank.
HH.
HAIRLIKESPAGHETTI on 6TH MAY 2021 2:21 AM
Westcraigs, you just broke one of the unwritten cardinal rules of this blog. There are certain non Celtic-related, non football-related topics posted on here that you cannot/should not/must not question…..
Hairlikespaghetti
Nevet knew that.(of the rule you just made up.
all things are questionable and discussed.
nowt wtong with Westcraigs question and hopefully nowt wrong with my answer.
education is all is it not?
off to work
hh
More great news on the Covid vaccine front. It is reported from Israel, the only country to have vaccinated a bigger proportion of its citizens than the UK, that the two Pfizer ‘shots’ now give 95% protection – amazing really when you think that the annual flu jab sits at around 70%.
I noticed a report on Tuesday about our 18s beating Dundee Utd 3-1 at a St Andrew’s University pitch. It’s frustrating to see no mention of the game on the Celtic website.
The article suggests a mini league is being played, I’ve also seen that the huns beat Aberdeen 2-1 recently. Utd’s next game is away v Hamilton tomorrow. The virtual season ticket could show Celtic’s remaining matches.
Certainly, my experience this season is we’re not following a club any more, only a team on a monitor.
BIG JIMMY on 6TH MAY 2021 6:38 AM
DAVID66 on 6TH MAY 2021 6:31 AM
……………
I MAY just do that..and wait.
I wonder what a Pint of Beer looks and taste like…LOL ?
Keep well my Celtic Mate….and see you soon for a Beer Frenzy.
HH.
——-
Big Jimmy – You To.
Canny wait to The Fricken Beer Frenzy Friday.
Mmmmmmm
Right Coal face beckons.
Laters yall
D :)
Every team at Celtic, out with contractural tv agreements, should b streamed at a very low price, say £1 to £3 to cover costs. Let us, the fans, see what out future looks like on the field of play. I’m pretty sure most of these games are recorded for technical playing reasons, so why not expand that. Wouldn’t it have been something to have watched the developments of Forest, McGregor and Tierney through the ranks
CORNELIUS
Hope your good lady makes a speedy recovery.
por cierto.
Liverpool “gazumped’ Celtic when they signed Ben Davies from Preston in the January window. The player has yet to start in the first team. Now there is talk that he may be loaned to Gerrard for next season……foul play, or, what?
JAMESGANG on 6TH MAY 2021 6:09 AM
David66
Chat on twitter is that the new CEO made a good speech to staff, but potentially no managerial announcement till June.
###
If that’s true then it’s more a case of planning to fail rather than failing to plan.
`potentially`.
next season……foul play, or, what?
ERNIE LYNCH on 6TH MAY 2021 8:35 AM
JAMESGANG on 6TH MAY 2021 6:09 AM
David66
Chat on twitter is that the new CEO made a good speech to staff, but potentially no managerial announcement till June.
###
If that’s true then it’s more a case of planning to fail rather than failing to plan.
————-
In my opinion, I just can’t see this happening. How on earth are they going to promote SeasonTicket sales which we rely on more than any club in the UK. ?
For each 15,000 adult season tickets we do not sell we lose £9 m.
This is financial suicide and no business plan would contemplate such self destruction.
HH.
CORNELIUS
Best wishes to your good lady for a full recovery.
JHB
Hope you are ok too!
Take care.
West Ham have joined Chelsea and a host of other clubs in the race for Brentford’s 25-year-old English striker Ivan Toney, who will cost £35m. (Sun)
Gone yirsel PETER.
AN TEARMANN on 5TH MAY 2021 9:59 PM
Philbhoy
You at Aberdour goffin? this year
……………………………………..
A back problem suggests not, sadly!
(I was away to my bed when you posted last night! It’s an age thing!)
St Stivs – cheers re sale and leaseback.
Totally get the concept …. but it’s still analogous to pawning your house.
Short termism of the worst kind.
JHB – cheers.
Greenpinata on 6th May 2021 8:56 am
I wish I had your confidence, I have seen no evidence that there is any planning going on with our board.
I will not be fooled into renewing this year, unless I see evidence that we actually realise the seriousness of our situation my money will stay in the bank. Wife is panicking that I may be around the house at the weekend :-)
CORNELIUS
Best wishes to your good lady for a full recovery.
June ? Thought there was fairly definite hints of it being start of May / this Tuesday / Thursday (today) / before 15th May when the players go on their holidays (because they haven’t been on holiday all year, apart from Dubai, and because phones don’t work after 15th May) / end of May / a.n.other date.
If it is June, he’ll need to walk in the door with a big bag from which he will produce a new, prefab, pop-up team !!
HH
BGFC
Morning all
BGFC
Might not be so far away with that shout mate.got to be something going on behind the scenes.it would utter madness to leave players coming in or leaving so late
Cornelius
Best wishes and good luck to Mrs C for a full recovery.
Is this site becoming too Woke – as far as I can see the original rules of the site haven’t changed – no swearies and treat fellow posters with respect.
CORNELIUS
Best wishes to your good lady
Maybe to many players know their fate and thats why JK got no response from them..
dunno…just a thought.
GENE on 6TH MAY 2021 10:01 AM
‘Is this site becoming too Woke’
###
Indubitably.
It reflects the times in which we live, where identity politics are to the fore, and slights real or imaginary are sought at every turn to foment grievance and resentment and division.
Maybe our new manager is already in the city?
Maybe he’s a proven winner?
Maybe he’s already got a squad?
Maybe the great Desmondo is planning to do a Wallace Mercer?
Maybe they’re prepping for the launch of Glasgow United?
HH jg
“Woke (/ˈwoʊk/ WOHK) is a term that refers to awareness of issues that concern social justice and racial justice.It is sometimes used in the African-American Vernacular English expression stay woke. Woke resurfaced in 2014, during the Black Lives Matter movement, as a label for vigilance and activism concerning racial inequalities and other social disparities such as discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, women, immigrants and other marginalized populations. Woke has also been the subject of memes, ironic usage and criticism.“
On the contrary, CQN could do with being still more ‘woke’.
HH jg
I can’t believe any Celtic fan can be pleased with:
our results or performances this season.
our current management, coaching, playing staff or board.
Our search for a new management team
Of course, I may be wrong.
First things first, total respect for Paul, someone who has provided an oppportunity for all of us to debate all things Celtic. That debate is always colourful and humourous but can never descend into personal antagonism.
Paul knows his economics and his “laissez faire” approach to this site has been exemplary. However everything has a limit and we need to respect his request for people to tone it down. Besides we need clear heads to get Celtic back to their best. No other site has had this scale of civilised debate, on any football club. It is also important to couch our language. We all know sweary words but their use debases our debates, Let´s leave all the cursing to middle class actors and actresses.
A few points to raise on this Thursday morning.
We all need to stay grounded and not believe our own hype.
Scott Brown is a legend? Yes and No
Of course he is a legend for us and an SPL legend but is he a legend of European football or International football? I don´t think he can be considered that.
The management merry go round
If the owners of a company and the managers of a company are underachieving ( to say the least ) then how do you expect the workers to perform?
I have absolutely zero faith in The new CEO, sorry but that has to be my starting point because I have “backed” the board online since the days of Brian Quinn and even John Reid ( who was a crass political choice by the celtic hierarchy from their Labour party love in days….which are not completely over ). I backed them because not every Celtic supporter is the same as me and they also were quite laissez faire …in fact the modern celtic chairmen tend to leave all alone and just pick up their pay cheque. I bought into the “for the common good” approach. Our support and fans had been manipulated so much by the MSM, even Fergus getting booed at Parkhead!!! that we needed a united Celtic more than ever and we ran a good ship lollipop as our old friend Kojo would say during the generation of domination
The director of football
This has obviously been the sticking point and something I identified early on as a necessity, especially when you see the role of someone like “Monchi” in Sevilla.
So Eddie Howe wants to name his own director of football…..his own boss!
One thing is absolutely for sure, Scott Brown may not be a bona fida celtic legend but Eddie Howe is not any kind of legend, although his self promotion abilities are bordering on legendary.
The man for the Director of Football should be Feargal Harkin, he has the CV from his time at Man City. The trial balloon of John Kennedy for Director of football shows Celtic are trying to accomodate Eddie Howe ( or Eddie Who? )
This has to be the first appointment…Feargal Harkin, Director of Football…….then a Manager
Big George’s fan cLub
If it is June, he’ll need to walk in the door with a big bag from which he will produce a new, prefab, pop-up team !!
If its June….. he”ll need to walk on water!!!
CORNELIUS
Hope your wife has a speedy recovery for you and the kids sakes 🙏🤗