Celtic went into the home first leg of their European Cup semi-final against Dukla Prague at 1-1. Two second half goals from Willie Wallace added to Jimmy Johnstone’s opener were enough to ensure a British team would eventually reach the final of Europe’s premier tournament. The return leg finished goalless.
The clubs met 14 years later in the Feyenoord Tournament, when two first half goals from Murdo McLeod secured a 2-1 win. Since then, European football has been robbed of its meritocratic principles, which allowed talented clubs a route to the top, no matter how rich or poor their domestic TV contract was. Nowhere has been so brutally robbed as east/central Europe.
The 1960s-through-80s saw teams from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia and Poland regularly dominate clubs from Scandinavia, south-eastern Europe, France, and occasionally, all comers. Eastern Europe remains one of the world’s most productive areas for developing talented footballers, but even the average ones are stolen for a pittance while still in their teens.
In the 60s, Dukla were a genuine leading light in the game, producing seven of the Czech team who collected runners-up medals to Pele’s Brazil in the 1962 World Cup, with peerless midfielder, Josef Masopust, picking up the European Player of the Year award that year. They would have fancied their chances against Celtic in ’67.
Where great tradition and sporting affection exists, so too does commercial opportunity. The people of east/central Europe just need to figure out how to harness it. Uefa are Europe’s maker of competitions. Their job is to establish the structures which allows great and successful sport to take place. A modern-day Jules Rimet is needed.
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In Portugal on hols staying in same hotel as hull city ( tried to find Jelavic to have a chat about yon deed team but he’s not here ) incredibly there are 30 players and 16 ( what the hell do 16 of them do ) back room staff , the ” murderous pre season training ” seems to consist of 2 hours in the morning and the rest of the day by the pool ….
allyhuntersgloves
Hell Mhan. I trained harder in turkey last week!
HH jamesgang
What is the Stars.
Was at Musselburgh a couple of weeks ago, an invite from Richie a CQNer, Running about with an owners badge on, I lost that day, I’ve bet your tip @7/1
.
We should have another race day at Musselburgh,I enjoyed that day although I lost a good few quid that day as well, but the company was good, so the pain wasn’t so bad.
Btw Steve Bruce must be 20 stone minimum , He’s trying to catch up with Sally
The Exiled Tim
I havent yet,I couldnt make pool day, but Acgr gave it to liobsroar67 who I will catch at end o next week.i will post your link to your site also.dont be worrying.its getting it to me lol.hope your ticking over good
HH
tontine tim
22:48 on 11 July, 2014
Is it O’Learys next to BK? Only here 2 nights, what a place.
Sitting near Frankfurt, with an old man, half blind with badly greying hair.
Despite his physical deficiencies he has a beautiful wife and a generosity of spirit you would expect from a Tim.
My goodnees, you moonhowlers are quiet tonight.
Af oot tae get a swally in Palm Springs.
Goodness
midfield maestro
It’s a full moon big fella. That means all moonhowling communication must be conducted outside. Glad to see your enjoying your trip to the US of A. Mind make sure your mobile & any other computer equipment is fully charged for the flight back or you’ll be interned for 20 years !
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma
22:54 on
11 July, 2014
A wee Strandsky Tale about a remarkable man who triumphed in the face of adversity.
The boy from the Streets, the man with the moustache and the King of the Court jesters
http://wp.me/p1G95H-1jy
———————————
Wonderful “wee tale” that deserves a wider audience, if I may say so!
Thank you BRTH & Hail, Hail!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12591383
I’m offering a controversial thought on the above.
When a muppet in the media quotes ‘Rangers owner Sir David Murray’ accusing ‘Alex Salmond of “intimidating” Scotland’s business community and said independence would lead to greater taxes’, my first thoughts are, well, the opposite is probably what happened.
Since then, SDM has been using his goat fetish contacts to maintain pressure on Salmond to attack Celtic, keep us in the news, sell him the best land deals in Edinburgh for a pound and help him maintain anonymity during the hun collapse years.
I think wee Alex is actually a student of Minty.
The Channel 4 doc on the Independence debate raised concerns about the SNP “intimidating Scotland’s business community”, you only need to look to what I quoted at the start of this post to see where he learned it from.
I’m even more convinced (that Minty is pulling strings) when I think about the hun references to the UFH. He takes reality, turns it around. Not the best at Masonic cover-ups, as the usual approach is to muddy the waters, but then apparently Minty wasn’t a mason.
To summarise and be clear – we are dealing with utter muppets. But, as the current tory government prove, it doesn’t matter now. With the unions gone, public apathy is at a suitable level, where institutionalised child abuse in Westminster, the blatant robbery of £1B from the taxpayer under the guise of “privatising the Royal Mail”, and total incompetence, will not cause any significant problem.
As with the tories, as Celtic supporters, we will have no right to complain in a few years about the increased onslaught of hunnery, as we have done nothing to stop them (res 12 actioners aside of course), and their arrogance will carry them away.
I would also like to add however, that I’ve noticed that several of those telling us all here we are full of “fear” in expressing concerns about Celtic PLC’s handing of this affair and the impending return of the huns, were also dismissing and ridiculing those of us who complained about the absurd refereeing during the hun rescue campaign of 2010-12.
These kind of people are, in my mind, shouldering a lot of the responsibility for the politically apathetic situation of the western world today.
Anyway, enough of my ranting.
If Petec or BMCUW look in before their Bristol adventure, here’s a couple of songs to get them in the right frame of mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibyTspKpyHM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–hNg4_WuZY
FFM
Just finished my shift,I’ll have a look at them in a coupla hours,bud.
I read earlier from PETEC that he fancies a bit of clubbing at the end of the night.
If he’s still fit for that after nine hours keeping up wi me,I’m not half the man I was!
(Last bit’s true-ed)
Looking forward to seeing the fella and putting the world to rights. As one does.
FFM – I’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)
03:51 on 12 July, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12591383
I’m offering a controversial thought on the above
–•••••–•••—–
T
Great read BRTH….
HH.
Just in to say….
blantyretim
_________
Sorry to hear about yer pals loss fella.
I was at a funeral in St. Josephs about 5 weeks ago, my bro-in-law’s GF passed away and, there were two priests there, not sure which one was Fr Lamb but, and I’m not kidding here, one of the priests looked like – Hugh Keevins!
I know that HK’s bro is a priest but, surely that wisny him?
I was going to ask but, away from the keyboard, I’m the shyiest guy that you’ll come across.
So ah just make awe youz pay for it :)
Take care Fella and of course I see that later inyer posts, yer hinting that thg might come back or, maybe yer saying that ye want him back?
Either way, it would be grand if he came back but, I still have a sneaky feeling that CG will pleasantly surprise a few folk. Only saying.
Hope yer ‘Grand Ole’ CELTIC family are Ghood mate.
Hail Hail
blantyretim
_________
All the best mate.
Celtic Quick News
Hahahahahahahppy – Clapping
the ‘boreds’ collusion in enabling
the huns back to the top table again.
Ye couldny make it up – CSC
Have Happy 12th of July fholks
Off oot tae ‘toot my flute for you’ – bye.
Hooooowwwwwwwooooooooeeeeellllllllllll
midfield maestro
02:51 on 12 July, 2014
My ex sis in law lives in Palm Springs, lovely place.
Got 1 or 2 golf courses there ;-)
Only 2 weeks of rain a year. Enjoy
P
Good morning friends from a still dry but becoming overcast East Kilbride.
Morning all.
Been raining in South Ayrshire.
Typical!
The day of the CQN hootenanny.
Ach who cares. Look forward to meeting up with some old and new friends.
HH!!
700 parades in Norn Iron today.
Hope it pishes doon!
HH!!
Paddy Power on ch4 racing resplendent in the colours of the day
Looks like one of those England supporter twats with that butchers apron garb on
Family colours apparently …..if they were my family colours I wouldnae tell anyone
Surprised that the OL did not wake me up this morning, they did last week! Anyway got my tickets for murrayfield this morning which will be a bevy day in town.
Off to the golf resplendent in my bright green breeks!
Jobo
Swing slow :-), hope you don’t get caught in the rain…… HH
Morning troops,
overcast and slightly dreich here…….typical!
– lovely all week and now inclement.
All border manoeuvres cancelled.
What exactly was Holy about Artur Boruc?
Tallybhoy
08:07 on
12 July, 2014
700 parades in Norn Iron today.
Hope it pishes doon!
HH!!
Th e Patron Saints of rain include,
Agricola of Avignon
Heribert of Cologne
Honoratus of Arles
Isidore the Farmer
Julian of Cuenca
Medard
Odo of Cluny
Solange
Theodore of Sykeon
so get praying.
Hail Hail.
Snyder
The 12 of July is my Grandfather’s anniversary, his name was Alexander Burnett and he worked at Celtic park for over 40 years, he was in charge of the money and stewards at Parkhead. Throughout the years he told me and the family great stories about players and managers during his time there, he was a Celtic man through and through, and died on the 12July 2001, who says god doesnt have a sense of humour!!! Wish he had been here to see the refs been found out, oh and of course the rangers dying!!! 13 years and still badly missed , hail hail paps.
Rip Tommy Ramone
Top of the morning to you all from a grey Fife where the sunshine of the past week is taking a day off.
I always have mixed feelings about the weather on this weekend. Wishing for sunshine on the happy music lovers at Balado and wishing cats and dogs for the RC haters in Belfast.
FFM Minty’s Masonic membership denials should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Masons are experts in the art of obfuscation and double speak.
I remember the late David McLetchie MSP with IDS then top English Tory being interviewed on BBC Scotland News and mocking the reporter who asked if he was a Mason.
Of course not chided David and IDS hitched up a trouser leg and pointed at the offending journo suggesting his attire was Masonic-looking.
Then the climbdown. The humiliating admission that he had once been a member of a Mussleburgh lodge but hadn’t been for years or paid his fees so in his view he hadn’t lied when he said he wasn’t a member as his membership had lapsed.
This brought a rebuke from Grand Lodge stating once a Mason always a Mason until they said otherwise.
Even the Grand Lodges sometimes give membership numbers as being only those who rise to 3rd Degree, Master Masons and discount 1st & 2nd Degree members as being less than the full monty Masons.
Using Minty’s sniff test analogy, I would say he passes my test for the Mafia of the mediochre.
For the younger CQN’rs:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1805593.stm
Morning all. All good things must come to an end. Shame it has to choose me birthday to start raining.
Still, there’s a rather big upside. I guess all those bauns oot celebrating my big day in the North will get a wee bit drookit.
Still a Celtic supporter efter aw these years.
Bognorbhoy
Last one of the original Bruddas line up now gone.
Saw them a few times, but Glasgow QMU in ’78 was something else.
GGH.
tallybhoy
08:07 on 12 July, 2014
The streets will be ‘flowing’ with it…!!
jamesmcn1974
09:08 on 12 July, 2014
Hail Hail, Paps…!!