I thought it would be worth looking at our next Champions League qualification opponents from the Cluj-Maccabi Tel-Aviv tie. The Romanians won their home leg 1-0, leaving the outcome wide open.
With 3.5 coefficient points, Cluj look like a dangerous non-seed. They eliminated Astana, who have 27.5 points (Celtic have 31), in the first round and hold that slim advantage over Maccabi Tel-Aviv, who have 16 points, but there are signs in the detail that these results flatter.
Celtic twice faced strong Kazak opposition in recent years but not only did this Astana team lose to Cluj, they managed only a 0-0 draw in the Europa League qualifiers in Andorra this week. On the face of it, this result looks a bit like Celtic’s afternoon in Gibraltar three years ago, but unlike Celtic then, Astana 19 games into their season. It looks like the fizz has flowed out of Kazak football, to the benefit of Cluj.
Both Cluj and Maccabi Tel-Aviv were in close season over the summer, but their preparations could not have been more different. Before their game this mid-week, Cluj played five friendlies, a Super Cup game, two qualifiers against Astana and two domestic league games. Maccabi Tel-Aviv arrived in Romania having played only three friendlies and a Super Cup game since May.
After 10 games, the Cluj squad would have been near full fitness. After four, not many of the Maccabi squad will have played a complete 90 minute game. Cluj are ready, Maccabi are not.
Celtic will have played nine games, including our opening league encounter, by the third round. Not as many as Cluj, but we will be well up to speed. I remember taking a look at AEK Athens this time last year and getting an ominous feeling. The draw has been significantly kinder this time.
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GFTB
Your Shaun Ryder.
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BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on
MY holy medal was to be dipped in a HOLY WATER FONT in church not in a spa full of burds.
On this day Nana signed
https://twitter.com/i/status/1155614161939968000
HH
Naka lol
HH
BGFC wee BGFC
Have you caught any of king ludwigs castles
In Bavaria ?
HH
Hunderbirds … 8.48
The rest of the year I am a Boomtown Rat …. never liked Monday’s :-)
School Holidays now own my leave sheet
Annual Leave CSC
Am Tearman 9.18pm
With all the nudity I hope it’s only King Ludwig both big & wee George have caught !
AN TEARMANN
Myself and Mrs H visited Neuschwanstein Castle on holiday last year. I read somewhere that it was the inspiration for the Disney Castle. Amazing looking place.
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I suspect the Disney story is an urban myth.
Btw What’s the difference between Bing Crosby and Walt Disney?..
Bing sings, but Walt Disney. That jokes so old, it might be new again soon. 😀
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AT
it was prince Ludwig who handed out the trophies at the German gran prix yesterday
His mad predessor’s gaff
at Nueschwanstein is a magical stunning place
So far we have failed at this transfer window
Is our squad any stronger than the two defeats at Ibrox 100% no
We have never been cash so cash rich before and are Failing at recruitment
Why ? Two words. Peter lawell
Good article in Celtic star
https://thecelticstar.com/lawwell-simply-cant-let-go-why-celtic-dont-have-a-director-of-football-like-john-park/
An Tearmann
On this day Nana signed
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Well you know what they say about Nans and Scottish football
B-)
wonder what team lennie will put out tomorrow ! We’ve had our beatings by nobodies in europe !!
I see once again,wevare being trounced in the pre-season league.Sevco have a fantastic manager,a fantastic team,the deluded demanding they announce 55 now.Also demanding their raggedy assed club,”Just pay the money for Kent”.All their signings have been “Unbelievable”.How can we ever compete?
All this just from today.Compare the hysteria from the SMSM,to Klopps.”Friendlies mean nothing,win or lose,no matter,just training exercises”But,but,but,”Sevco drew with Blackburn,and BEAT Derby,they must be brilliant”
Sydneytim 10.22am
Transfer window does not shut until 02/09/2019…. still approximately 36 days to go … “we” have spent approx £13m on three defenders
Without clinking on the link you posted I take it’s a “good article” because it suits your mindset
“If” we make the “CL” group stages we might entice players who would maybe not be interested in the SPL
But your obsession with Mr Lawell nullifies any of your points … I read that CQN is meant to be “board friendly” probably comes across like that because of the extreme opinions of the bored (sic) haters
We are a long time deid so you should try and enjoy Celtic
Although some are only happy when unhappy
By the way the “two defeats” at Ibrox are as meaningful as our draws with Livvy and other teams in the league or as important as our defeat at tynecastle… some “Celtic” fans slag the media then do the very same ….
29th December was a shambles from managers selections to players performance
The 2nd “defeat” there the league was already won
But … again, it’s whatever mindset you want to go with
Funnily enough some Celtic fans never mention our wins… 2 victories in 90mins since 2012… just imagine it was the other way about … them at least I could understand the greeting & moaning
SYDNEYTIM,
“So far we have failed in this window”.Really?So far,we have signed a LB,2 CHs,a midfielder.We have so far retained KT,have lost none of our better players.Got rid of a load of deadwood.Lenny tells us we will be bringing in more.We have 5 weeks to do so.Ridiculous comment to make.You could have said the same after the 1st couple of days of the window.”So far,its been rubbish”.
Why not wait till the window closes before making these comments..
Doom and gloom,seems to be the way with so many.
GFTB,
Exactly.Well said.Unbelievable some of these comments.
wheres lenny and catman as i need a good rumour!!
Turkeybhoy 10.42am
I annoy myself on here as I sound like some sort of happy clapping board apologist …. I am no fan of any board BUT so far they are backing Neil and for some to even try and distort the truth have to be questioned …
The “two” defeats by our nearest challengers should be put into perspective …. they finished 9pts behind us… that’s an actual fact .. so their 2 wins means hee haw, I can understand the Sevs trying to cling on to the “victories” against us but can’t fathom why any Celtic fan would use it to score points …. again they (our nearest challengers) have beat us twice in 7 years …. even in the 90s we always won a game or two against the bank of Scotland sponsored Ebt’ers every season
Apologies for the rant :-)
GFTB your Boomtown Rats post ‘I don’t like Mondays’ is pretty apt today condsidering another mass shooting in the US (California food festival) today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Don%27t_Like_Mondays
MWD Feck Trump, Fox, NRA, Repulicans and all right wing tory scum
£13 Mill. spent, so far! Wish we would stop doing just enough to stay in front of them! por cierto.
Moonbeams 11.19am
I didn’t realise the story behind the song, always just thought it was more to do with Monday being the start of the working week …
I will try and use it less flippantly now
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 29TH JULY 2019 8:54 AM
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Me and Da on the way back hame fae hunnurs a nudie german chicks in a spa. Whoo hoo!
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Photos! Or it didnae happen 😉😂
Well done griff
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/49077403
new article posted.