Cynical look at coupon busters

688

Astra started their season on a historical high, eliminating Lyon from European competition, but their 8 games since August have brought five defeats, two draws and a solitary win against opponents currently 14th place in the Romanian league.

On paper this sounds as straightforward as previous European ties did against teams from Karagandy or Maribor but as we found out on those occasions, European ties are seldom straightforward.

The cynic in me suggests there is more going on at Astra than meets the eye.  Any team who can win in Lyon would be heavy odds against shipping three goals in the cup to lower league opponents a few weeks later, which Astra did.  They then turned up away to league leaders Steaua Bucharest to keep their only clean sheet since August.  Another coupon buster.

Astra, it would seem, are a gift to those who bet outsiders.  They are long odds tomorrow, so I’d caution against backing Celtic for a comfortable win.  The visitors will apply themselves, just as they did earlier this month against Salzburg, who won by a single goal.

The Celtic books we have published in recent years have been a real labour of love.  After a biography of Willie Wallace and a football journey from Tommy Gemmell, we published your story of Seville, a record of its impact on the Celtic Movement.

Today we launch Caesar & the Assassin, the accounts of Billy McNeill and Davie Hay as Celtic managers, told in their own words.  It documents the period of our history from when Billy took over from Jock Stein in 1978, through to the end of his era 13 years later, including Davie Hay’s four years in charge.

Most of us lived experienced that period first-hand but it has been an absolute education to read about the games and events which we watched as spectators from the managers in charge.  It’s the best CQN book yet.

The first batch of orders will receive a copy signed by Billy and Davie, more here.

If you fancy watching Sunday’s game against Kilmarnock in comfort…….. We have secured another pair of Premium Seat tickets for the Jock Stein Stand from Celtic sponsor Magners. To win the tickets answer the following question:

Which country do Thursday’s opponents FC Astra come from?

Optionally, if you have £1 available, please donate it to Mary’s Meals at this MyDonate page, which will send your £1 straight to Mary’s Meals, then send me your contact details (with or without donation confirmation) to celticquicknews@gmail.com

Competition closes tonight (Wednesday) at 10pm, so get your entries in now and watch your inbox Thursday morning. You can donate more than £1 if you like, of course. Terms and conditions are available here.

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688 Comments

  1. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon ....The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    geordie munro

     

     

    10:32 on 23 October, 2014

     

     

    Thanks for that …!!!!!! …I’m buying for someone else …..I’ve God the old ipad

  2. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon ....The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    fieldofdrams

     

     

    10:51 on 23 October, 2014

     

     

    Thanks for that….!!!!

  3. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon ....The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    right…I’m taking predictive text off. God = got ……hahahaha

  4. £60 quid for a t-shirt you can wear every weekend for two years that won’t get ye abuse for repeatedly appearing in pics wearing…..

     

     

    …..bargain!!

  5. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Are nike still producing the strips in 3rd world sweat shops?

     

    If so why so dear….

  6. fieldofdrams

     

     

    Funny. Im on my second HP laptop largely due to my first one lasting 5 6 years without any real issues.

  7. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    SKYISALANDFILL

     

     

    Aye,but you don’t throw yours at the wall when Celtic lose a goal…

  8. I went through 5 hp’s in two months once.

     

     

    God knows how much chips and pies I went through in the same time:)

  9. Bhoys….

     

     

     

    A wee bit of assistance required..

     

     

    Can anyone advise how to get to pollock from Glasgow central using public transport….

  10. No agreement with the man who doesn’t hesitate to lie – it’s the last FFin’ straw:

     

     

    “If King is allowed to trade and be a director in South Africa were he had his tax issues then how the …. would he not be able to be a director of a company thousands of miles away from his alleged taxation issues?”

     

    ——

     

    “Read your Bible…

     

    The Book of Exodus is an incredible parallel to this story of the club’s journey; from bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land and the glory it holds.

     

    King is our Moses.”

     

    ——

     

    [K. Jackson tweets about no agreement]

     

    “He’s never too far off the mark” [Just off the radar, Sammy.]

     

    ——

     

    “Easdale can **** right off I’m seriously considering not got going back”

     

    ——

     

    “I hope this is where plans B, C and D kick in.”

     

    ——

     

    “Sandi Sleazedale wouldnt know a Stock Exchange rool from a fish supper.”

     

    ——

     

    “there has to be a protest to get these scumbags out!!”

     

    ——

     

    “It’s abhorrent the idea that a man with a VAT fraud conviction can kybosh this.

     

    It’s repulsive frankly.”

     

    ——

     

    “Time to storm our home”

     

    ——

     

    “Right then [Huns] – who is ready to reclaim our club by whatever means necessary ??!!!!!”

     

    ——

     

    “We need to flex our muscles and quick.

     

    WE NEED TO TAKE OUR STADIUM BACK, IT BELONGS TO US.

     

    NOW”

     

    ——

     

    “One of two things will remove the sp!\/s –

     

    Enough cash is an immediate certainty.

     

    Enough violence will also do it fairly quickly.

     

    Never been one for violence myself but …………..”

     

    ——

     

    “Why the negativity? DK doesn’t need Sandy Easdale to agree to anything. The way I see it is that DK gives a secured loan for which he only requires a majority board approval. He then either gets 51% of shares (via new share issue) or gets his money back.”

     

    ——

     

    “What will it take for thousands of bears to descend on Edminston Drive?”

     

    ——

     

    “King hopefully met up last night with a few guys who dealt with the ousting of gillett and hicks at liverpool and picked up on how to out smart the crooks”

     

    ——

     

    “we will be nothing more than a former shade of ourselves”

     

    ——

     

    “Am going for a walk Captain Oates style – will be back if there is a positive update.”

  11. bognorbhoy oscar in my thoughts on

    sorry for shouting

     

     

    right next stop gatwick.. see you on the new article :-))

  12. Money Money Money .

     

     

    Napoli media outlets are claiming that Liverpool have decided that they cant rely on the 16 million quid passenger that is Balotelli and will now cough up £ 32 million for Higuain.

  13. minx1888+ BT

     

     

    meds in Bag,in fact, first thing in bag.Tickets in Pocket, also Phone,Falsers in gub,seems like all prepaired.

  14. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Glasses and bookies pen and your ready to go oldtim..

     

     

    enjoy your day and night, I’ll text yon acgr to make sure he looks after you….8-))

  15. GOT..

     

     

    Leave11:20 Glasgow Central Rail Station Provider Scotrail RouteGLASGOW CENTRAL – NEWTON (STRATHCLYDE)

     

    View on mapFares:£1.80

     

    Arrive11:26 Queens Park (Glasgow) Rail Station

     

     

    (4m)

     

    Leave11:26 Queens Park (Glasgow) Rail Station

     

    View on map

     

    Arrive11:30 -58,Titwood, 52, Nithsdale Road, Glasgow, G412AN

  16. Som mes que un club on

    Sorry Paul67, I have gone against your advice, and I am ever the optimist.

     

     

    12/1 for Celtic -3

     

     

    COYBIG.

  17. Totally agree that the celtic stuff is rip off.. Socks shorts are also very expensive

     

     

    2yrs ago i was back in derry for christmas.. JJB had just closed down… Went to JD and they didnt have any celtic tops, had to ask the mate who was coming from belfast to get me one.

     

     

    Black away top.. 3months to deliver to oz after sending celtic shop twitter messages .

     

     

    125th anniversary white top.. Couldnt get it.. Sold out.

     

     

    Couldnt believe that week b4 christmas i couldnt get the hoops in Derry.. Celtic need to sort it out and make things easier to buy and more affordable.

  18. Bada Bing

     

    I drop it. I said what I know for sure.

     

    On the positive side, Celtic achieved 3:0 against Legia who after three games in LE won three times conceded not one goal :-)

  19. Just watched the official video to go with the Poppy Appeal this year, Green Fields of France by Eric Bogle.

     

     

    IMO, it looks like someone is trying to reclaim the original meaning of Remembrance.

     

    The words and video are 100% anti war and definitely not triumphalist.

     

     

    I can see nothing wrong in Bogle’s message and would , for the first time in years, feel comfortable supporting the Poppy appeal.

     

     

    EC67

  20. BMCUW

     

     

    Lol!

     

     

    Been tempted. That’s for sure.

     

     

     

    Oldtim et all. May catch you in the BV for a pint before the game.

     

     

    I note that one of Astra’s Tunisian players has vowed to do his international team mate Bilel Moshni a favour by beating Celtic tonight. What exactly has Celtic got to do with a player from a lower league club we have never played?

     

     

    HH