It feels like rock bottom this morning and, as far as Europe is concerned, it probably is. The ties against Legia were our worst performances in Europe. Neuchâtel has a horrible 90 minutes, Artmedia was a 20 minute collapse, and we beat Utrecht comfortably at home, but this was abject over two games.
There are unfathomables, for example, it’s hard to know why a defence which was so solid last season is suddenly inert, but it will surprise no one we didn’t make Champions League football this season. The day Neil Lennon left I suggested it would be a huge ask and it’s proven to be.
We are less than two years since the high point of recent seasons, finishing ahead of Benfica and Spartak Moscow in the Champions League, but the decline can be traced slightly further back than that.
We had an 18 month purple patch of player recruitment, starting when Fraser Forster, Gary Hooper and Emilio Izaguirre arrived in summer 2010, continuing with the arrival of Wilson and Wanyama, and ending with Mikael Lustig’s signing in January 2012. We were bringing players in for a few million who were Champions League calibre.
Since Lustig, the strategy hasn’t changed, but despite signing a raft of players, for much the same money, only van Dijk has improved the team. Most are, at best, misfits or squad fillers. Things started to go wrong with the bizarre signings of Miku and Lassad in late August 2012 and ramped up last summer with the arrival of Boerrigter, Pukki, Balde and Biton. There are more, of course. Some, like Griffiths and Johansen are hitting the modest levels expected of them, but we’ve been missing the target at an alarming rate.
Ronny Deila has so far brought in a six month loaner. He’s working pretty much with the squad Neil Lennon scraped into the Champions League with last season. He’ll now know what you and I knew about the squad months ago. Most importantly, he needs backing from the club as well as the support.
He has to refresh the squad, try to clear out the deadwood, and perhaps accept that one or two of our reliable performers in recent seasons are beyond their peak. It’s critically important that whatever has been going wrong since Lustig’s arrival is put right. Stop haemorrhaging millions of players who cannot command a starting place and start finding value.
[calameo code=000390171ae033f39a0c4 lang=en page=120 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
2,011 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- »
Can I just say that no matter what the outcome of this hearing, and no matter who Celtic now get in the third qualifying round, if our team play the way they did in either of the games against Legia ( and I don’t see how that will change ) then we will beat precisely no one!
What the decision has done is put us into the group stages of the Europa League- that’s all.
My first emotion is with our Legia Warsaw poster Zyber (sorry cant remember the spelling)
Sir your team were a credit to you and to Poland worthy winners over Celtic and no doubt the better team – I don’t know if you are now out of Europe completely or if you take Celtics place in Europa League – whatever your fate I wish you well
67 ECW
Huns on SSN now confirm that we’re through.
WhytheLongFaceCSC
givehimthemoneypetercsc
McGregor scored the goal mhate.
No official confirmation as yet. Deep breathe.
Fat PLG wants to know the names of these UEFA people’
Opus Dei strikes again.
Auldheid
Like you I think also we’ll win the champions league now.
It’s in the stars mate..
timmy7_noted
10:05 on 8 August, 2014
Mmmmmmmmmm ……. We will have more games under our belt by the next round
Woooooooooooooooooooooooosh and the Celtic roller coaster swings rapidly upwards
Chris Graham is nothing but a propaganda merchant.
He does his cause more harm than good and more power to his elbow.
Well done Big Peter your doing a great job big mhan. H.H.
I think we should offer a couple of pre-season friendlies to Legia as a gesture
I can’t see the basis for an appeal, all the facts were known in the rulling. All Legia can add are some words in mitigation and contrition, the “honest mistake” argument.
I don’t buy that Celtic should feel in any way guilty or sheepish over this decision. Celtic had no part in Legia’s actions nor in UEFA’s decision.
Why do you guys talk about CG, He’s a nugget and of no consequence to us, He supports a new team in the championship. And you wonder why they think its the same team so do we it would seem.
Rules are Rules, unfair on Legia but we have a reprieve.
Hail Hail!!!!!!!!!!
KLV
Mr Z
So sorry pal.
PL. You/we got out of jail last year. The cell door is ajar right now.
Get off yer rear end and let’s make a move.
HH jamesgang
My word, what an emotional and moral position to find ourselves in, or at least some of us.
Delighted we get another crack at it.
Gutted for Legia supporters.
Especially feel for the Legia chairman. Genuine error, no advantage sought
Beaten out of sight..fairly…well…unfairly …no fairly….no I mean unfairly???
Does PL splash or sit on his hands?
What will happen if we get through and draw a Bayern, or a Man City……….does that matter?
DoVVD and FF stay now?
Do they want to stay now?
Do they wait and see if we qualify?
Dont you know henderson is mcgregor in polish ;-)
FF was in meltdown last night with the news that we could be reinstated,think it will be beyond that now:)
Who broke the news on SSN? Jim white? or is he out back heaving into a bucket?
Chris Graham @ChrisGraham76 4m
Appears UEFA rules require Celtic to have filed a protest in order for Legia to be kicked out. Any other team would have been embarrassed…
Oh the hurt!
——————-
Chris Graham gets it all wrong shocker…
Celtic didn’t have to do anything.
I hope when Peter Lawwell speaks he says how refreshing it is to have a governing body that aplies the rule book without fear or favour.
Here’s the list of maybes. Let’s start checking their form and of course their club admin record too, just in case :)
NK Maribor
Molde
Slovan Bratislava
Aalborg
Ludogorets
Paul67 what yer thoughts mate? New Article? ;)
KLV
big wavy
10:16 on 8 August, 2014
Auldheid
Like you I think also we’ll win the champions league now.
It’s in the stars mate..
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I can feel it in my Walter ………. Woooooooooooooow
Somebody posted a list of our possible opponents in the CL qualifier. Are you able to post them again please?
Big Wavy
Haud oan I think you’ve taken that too far in Chewing The Fat terms :)
I’ll settle for winning back our pride in our team through the football they play.
BRTH, there is time for things to change before the next tie.
Few people like change, they get comfortable in an environment and when it changes they resist. Those who can adapt, others move on. New players will come in.(Peter, if you’re lurking, get to work!)
Ronny needs time to put his stamp on the club.
In the long term it may not work out, but putting him in place and judging after on tie!!?!?!?
He needs the club to back him.
That is you and me, and the board, the players,the back room staff, everyone.
Good stuff Pedro
Hope to see you around when the pub opens back up
is there a right of appeal?
turkeybhoy
10:11 on 8 August, 2014
What makes this even better is the
thought of the hun.Can you imagine
them?.
The appeal will of course be
mandatory,but will not be
upheld.Banned player,and a
precedent from 2 years ago.The team
then also appealed and
lost.Again,precedent.UEFA are very
big on this with smaller nations.
Cant be bothered with all this
sympathy for Legia.Just what are
they to us?.Their fans would be
partying in Warsaw if the boot was on
the other foot.Zybzek also.Tough.
——–
Totally Agree…Byzantine Palomine…..
Down With Oor ‘Muppet Tendency’..!
HRT For MWD….
You Know It Makes Sense!
Magnificent comeback from the Lhads.
Shame on you haters who had no faith…
Will paddypower now pay on my Celtic to qualify bet?
BOTTOM LINE?…we are guranteed european football till christmas now [which seemed unlikely]…and who knows..get the team gelled better and celtic park back in play and we might even reach the big time [champs league proper]..i feel sorry for the poles but dog eat dog in this world……well done celtic for keeping to the rules of the game
i couldnt care less about legia or there fans
dont know them, dont know anything about them so im not going to cry any crocodile tears for them
brogan rogan trevino and hogan supports oscar knox, mackenzie furniss and anyone else who fights neuroblastoma
10:15 on 8 August, 2014
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Remember, we’ll be back at Celtic Park ………. when’s the signing deadline….hahahaha
itsabouttim
Look up at 10.18
The Official UEFA site just updated, the Champions Route Pot now includes Celtic , it has shown Legia up till now.
http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2015/draws/index.html
“We’re doin’ the huddle in the Champions League” …