It has been so long since Celtic progressed into the knockout rounds of the Champions League we dare not allow expectations to take root in our heads. For now, at least, the prospect is a live one. The result against Lazio at Celtic Park tomorrow night will give us a real insight into where our European prospects lie this season. For me, anything (within reason) remains possible.
No disrespect to the thrilling events at Fir Park on Saturday, but Brendan Rodgers is here for games like Lazio. This is where he gets to put his skills as a manager to the test. If he performs as well as he did at Ibrox last month, we will do well.
Tom Rogic signed off on his football career overnight, announcing he was retiring to Australia, with his wife expecting twins. He was much liked at Celtic Park among the non-playing staff, always showing respect to others. His acknowledgement of the managers and directors who helped him through personal challenges reflects his values. Although he will live on the other side of the world, he will forever be an ambassador of Celtic.
He leaves memories of so many important goals; countless against Newco, the Cup Final winner and that winner at Fir Park, memories to fortify him for the years ahead.
Update on yesterday’s blog. I wrote that Mick Beale was offered and rejected the Wolves job. I have since learned he did not make the cut after a poor interview. Excellent source. You have to respect the way he hustled his limited background into a £3.5m contract. Nice one, Mick.
169 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- »
Hello
Hail, hail Tom Rogic!
Thank you Tom
Caught the Tom Rogic news earlier.
What an incredible footballing talent he was. Never quite knew what he was going to do next.
Mercurial, seems apt.
His decision to be an equally fantastic husband and father seems equally appropriate.
God Bless you, Tom, and thanks for passing through Parkheads gates.
Uncle Jimmy
I don’t think even Tom himself knew what he was going to do next when the ball rested on his twinkly toes
Was Tom Rogic another one of Lawwells failed projects….asking for a friend
Tom Rogic wearing the hoops will live long in the memory. Thanks, Tom and good luck.
Paul 67,
Great article emphasing our team and our managers European aspiration.
Our results in the short period have not been great and I feel we have not sufficiently prioritised our European campaigns.
I feel too often we have sacrificed European ambition in preference of domestic success.
A club like Celtic needs to function on both fronts and as we all know ” European footie refreshes the parts that domestic football cannot reach ”
I am soooooo glad this inward aim low and short- sighted attitude seems to have changed
Respect to Tom Rogic the gracious man and the brilliant player.
HH, the journey continues.
I don`t really know what I expect tomorrow but would I be happy with a draw? I don`t think I know that either :-)))
Big Tam the Hunskelper.
But i’ll remember him most for THAT goal against Aberdeen.
Legend.
Thanks Tom Rogic for all your efforts for us. We will always remember you as one of us.
Incidentally, why do they want Steve Davies. He wont snooker us.
CONNAIRE 11.53 Carried over.from last blog
Booked for Rome. Tried to get on a flight direct from Glasgow on the Monday to be informed that it was fully booked. Went to travel agents and discovered I could get on that flight but it would cost me £960 return .So, I am going out on the Friday before the game and staying a week. Return flight was £302.
Enjoy your trip Connaire
HH
Lazio is a challenge, I have no idea how good/strong they are
Against Feyenoord a bad wall a lucky bounce and a not so great dive gave them the lead
A protecting arm gave them a man advantage
Such fine lines separate a win from a loss
Against Lazio I hope we have our share of game changing incidents
Let them make the silly mistakes
I predict a Celtic win
67ECW
TOM ROGIC…A Bhoy who could appear to GLIDE across the grass, controlling the ball as he goes past the opposition as if they weren’t there… What a BHOY !
As I have Posted before, BIG TOM in full flight would remind me of Zinidine Zidanne on occasions.
BOTH were able just GLIDE by the opposition, and stick the ball in the net, for the END PRODUCT.
Thats the biggest compliment that I can pay to TOM ROGIC.
He must have been a nightmare to play against when he was in full flow.
God Bless you TOM and your family, thank you for many great memories.
HH
P.S. TOMMY BURNS could ALSO appear to GLIDE across the grass. A wonderful Player and Man.
CONNAIRE…..
You may come back from Rome….SKINT…..but thats okay, as long as you bring back the THREE POINTS !
Although ONE Point may be quite good also ?
LOL
HH
Lazio struggling, if we are to get 3rd place at least,it’s a must win game
I love when Celtic have a maverick type, lubo, naka and Rogic all come into that category of being the one player on the park that can change a game in the blink of an eye, enjoy your retirement tom
The human face of Celtic exposed once again with Tom publishing his family situation. There will undoubtedly be many more examples over the last twenty years of the care and empathy that our club shows to its staff and players – examples not ‘shouted from the rooftops, but privately embodying the ethos of Celtic.
“We don’t care if we win, lose, or, draw” – of course we live/love to be winners, but not at all costs and under any circumstances. That difference, that distinction, sets us apart dramatically from our biggest domestic rival.
Hail Hail & God bless Tom Rogic and family – he was good for us and vice versa.
Take one for the team.
For those doing sober October, just give a donation to MacMillians on the day, support your local pubs and community, enjoy your gargle, brave the wet and windy weather and lubricate those vocal cords.
Get Paradise rocking.
Corinthians 13:13, Paul writes, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love,”.
We are human and imperfect and so we can’t love all the time, but hatred says so much more about those expressing it than those to whom it is directed.
Bzzzzzzzzz………..
“Ding docked for wearing The Wrong Trousers”
– The lodger’s in the frame.
“CLOUD9 on 3RD OCTOBER 2023 1:21 PM
hatred says so much more about those expressing it than those to whom it is directed.”
What does it say?
Clouds,
Should you reply, I will respond later. Going out.
Cheerio for now.
Good afternoon CQN
Can anyone recommend a decent Celtic leaning pub in either Torremolinos or Benalmadena to watch the Lazio game?
Hot Smoked@ 2:05
——
You’re a clever man – you know the difference between a hater, and a hateee! – it’s stark!
Great to see Celtic looking after our own, and in a real life-changing way. Not only actions of a caring organization but a sensible way of operating. For all Billy Bullshit’s arrogance and lack of charm decevt candidates with long-term career plans will look at how the Huns treat managers in crisis moments and think twice.
Just read Tom Rogic’s statement in full.
Beautiful.
This VARce down in England.
🤦🤦🤦
One of the Dalai Lama’s rules for life is
“When you realise you’ve made a mistake take immediate steps to correct it”
“Simon, SIMON, S-I-M-O-N !!!”
“STOP THE GAME. IT WAS A GOAL”
Greenpinata
“I am soooooo glad this inward aim low and short- sighted attitude seems to have changed”
———————-
I disagree with your framing of the debate there. Nobody at Celtic chose to be non-competitive but we have failed to be as competitive as we could have been.
But I don’t know what has changed or seemed to have changed. We have played only one European tie and we lost it. Until or if we beat Lazio on Wednesday, nothing has changed yet.
Just remember what the vast majority were saying after the window closed – we weren’t thought to be in a good state to beat a poor Sevco mob, far less CL opponents.
As Micky Beale proved , talk is cheap. You have to actually gain a few wins and draws before you can talk about post-Xmas European competition. And then, you need to do it for a few seasons consistently before you can say we have altered our course.
I still fear for our defence against counter-attacking teams and Lazio will try to do exactly that.
We are gonna need to work very hard and we are gonna need Kyogo back to scoring form.
Lazio come to Celtic park with a record of 2 wins in their last 20 away European games
They’ve lost their best player and the new replacements are struggling. Immobile looks like he might be slowing down, Sarri can’t get his team
to play to the patterns he’d like, they’ve lost and drawn games against ordinary Italian teams, they sit 26TH in Serie A after 7 games
They are capable of getting results – the deserved their 1-1 draw against Atletico in Rome and beat Napoli but they are seriously struggling for form and consistency
There for the taking at a raucous CP if we our makeshift defence can hold up.
I think JHB’s “brother” might be back with us
16th. 26th would be crisis time
SFTB
Brothers, surely. That would be fun
Apologies if already posted.
Big Tom
After careful consideration I have made the decision to retire from professional football. I have always been rather private with things in my personal life but I feel given the significance, I think it is important for people to understand why and how I have made my decision.
“Throughout the past seven years, my wife and I have been on an immensely challenging journey with fertility issues. After years of trying and many failed rounds of IVF, my wife and I were fortunate enough to welcome the birth of our daughter in 2021. I have loved every minute of being a dad and consider it my greatest achievement in life.
“After experiencing some more struggles and heartache with fertility treatment, we have recently received the amazing news that our family is growing and we will be expecting twins in 2024. Given our past and how hard we have fought for this, along with the challenges that will come with having twins and a two-year-old, now seems like the right time to give my focus and attention to what is the most important thing in my life – my family.”
“I feel very lucky to have had a career where I spent the majority of my time playing at Celtic Football Club, one of the biggest clubs in the world, playing European football, winning many trophies and playing in front of 60,000 fans each week. I have also been lucky enough to represent my country with the Socceroos on over 50 occasions and experienced playing in major international tournaments.
“I’d like to thank all of my teammates for everything over the past 12 years, it’s been a special journey which I’ll look back on with fond memories. I feel very lucky to have formed some wonderful friendships through football and experienced so many special moments together.
“I would also like to thank Peter Lawwell and Dermot Desmond. Without their help all of this would not have been possible. Through Peter and Dermot, I was put in direct contact with one of the world’s leading medical experts, which eventually led to my wife and I being placed at the clinic that would give us the best chance possible to start a family.
“To the managers who supported and guided me through some tough times, I’d like to say a big thank you to Brendan Rodgers, Neil Lennon, John Kennedy and Ange Postecoglou. Indeed I would like to thank everyone in football who has given me such great opportunity throughout my career to be part of the game I love. And finally, I want to thank all the fans who have given me so much support, you have been everything to me. I’m looking forward to what comes next and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.”
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 3RD OCTOBER 2023 2:30 PM
Good afternoon CQN
Can anyone recommend a decent Celtic leaning pub in either Torremolinos or Benalmadena to watch the Lazio game?
Benalmádena – Lewis Bar Avda Antonio machado 35 Centro commercial ole local 18. Lewis Bar CSC
Benalmadena – Lynch’s Bar, Avda Antiono machado 35.
Oh for a big Tam Rogic in his pomp in the team tomorrow night….
Loved the big man and wish him well.
Like others. No idea about tomorrow night. We’re ill-prepared and so, it seems, are they, but with added italian angst in the camp, and a coach who looks straight off the cast of Rab C Nesbitt.
Brendan needs to push our system over individuals again and let’s hope for better decision-making and a wee dose of luck you need on these occassions.
Celtic 4 Lazio 1
HH
“BIG WAVY on 3RD OCTOBER 2023 3:41 PM
We’re ill-prepared …….. Celtic 4 Lazio 1”
Hmm….
I have no idea what the outcome will be tomorrow – it could be anything – we just don’t have enough info to be sure either way.
I know it sounds like a cliché, but with new Brendan, new faces and new injuries, it has all come too soon in my opinion.
I’m sure the team/squad under Brendan will settle in the coming months – just don’t know what to make of things at this moment in time.
Hoping for the best and a nice surprise. HH