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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HT, Predictor! totally forgot.
I blame Awe_Naw, and beer.
Paolo Nutini’s napper is like a bird’s nest.
Jamesgang
It’s your ribs that you really need to worry about!!! :-)
Parkheadcumsalford
22:54 on
12 July, 2014
Jobo Baldie,
Nothing like a good greet at a funeral. I hope I’m laid to rest in Dalbeth in a downpour.
————————-
If its Dalbeth it will be chucking it down.
Fatty mccoist is dusting the pastry off his resume and iserting it into an envelope with a Rio post code.
Worrying times
Doc
I’d forgotten too and ended up trying to send it by carrier pigeon from a restaurant earlier on!
If he didnae get it you can vouch that I predicted 3-0 :-)
tricoloured ribbon
23:06 on 12 July, 2014
Paolo Nutini’s napper is like a bird’s nest.
RecedingJealousyCSC?
It is for me, lucky young bassa!
HH jamesgang
HT
You’re a formidable couple. All of me respects all of ‘youse’!
HH jamesgang
HT, I will vouch when Holland went 3-0 up you told me you predicted 3-0.
Promise.
ACGR
The Brazil cameras have panned from one beauty to another for the duration of the tournie.
Gregg’s finest would fill the big screen even on a 1:1scale!
Too ugly and too ‘Rafael’ for any gig other than his present one!
HH jamesgang
Can’t wait to see Paulo at the ole Hydro in October.
Ah, Candy….
What channel is Paolo on???
The last pope was German and this one is Argentinian.
Either way a popes XI will win the day !!!
HT
115
HH jamesgang
Paolo on BBC3
HT – he’ll be on iPlayer tomorrow ;-)
This petition is only crawling towards the 7500. We still need 116 signatures. I know there are a few on who haven’t signed it yet. So come on lads lets help it over the line. “What burns where the flame used to be”. HH
Cheers Bhoys!
Hoops top in the audience…
Ah there’s the hoops waiting for you :-)
Jobo
I struggled to find BBC3 I’ve got no chance with blinkin iplayer :-)
Jamesgang,
hahahaha.
Long while since the hair was hinging over ma eyes..nae dirty jokes fae you ACGR..;-)
HT
Do you not get BBC3 in Cumbernauld?
Corkcelt
Pretty sure I’ve signed it….a couple of times :-)
What a song now!
Mrs Baldie always mistakenly sung along “Pay my last respects…..”
SOAL
I was busy picking veg in the herb garden.
tricoloured ribbon
23:21 on 12 July, 2014
Jamesgang,
hahahaha.
Long while since the hair was hinging over ma eyes..nae dirty jokes fae you ACGR..;-)
ACGR ONLY does durtee jokes!!!
HH jamesgang
HT
Nice
I love Paolo, announces mrs jamesgang.
Threatened? Moi?
SingingLessonsCSC
HH jamesgang
SOAL
Beats meat.
Not going to out anyone, but you can check which of your facebook friends have not signed. A couple who are online here are in that category. LazyBassasCSC.
Hi bhoys and ghirls
Just home from the wee Ayrshire hootenanny. Our wee rain dance worked out well. It pissed down most of the day. We were thinking how sweaty it must have been for the hordes in their crimpeline suits. Ya beauty!!
Hail hail to all the bhoys who made it today. Magic!
Jobo
You’re a hoot!
HH jamesgang
Hamiltontim
22:11 on
12 July, 2014
eddieinkirkmichael
Eddie, I’ll get mocked no doubt but my belief is that those strangers we meet when we’re at our lowest are our guardian angels.
No wings or halos but an incredible ability to guide and lead.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Be a light unto the world, and hurt it not. Seek to build not destroy. Bring My people home.
How?
By your shining example.
Seek only Godliness.
Speak only in truthfulness.
Act only in love.
Live the Law of Love now and forever more.
Give everything require nothing.
Avoid the mundane.
Do not accept the unacceptable.
Teach all who seek to learn of Me.
Make every moment of your life an outpouring of love.
Use every moment to think the highest thought, say the highest word, do the highest deed.
In this, glorify your Holy Self, and thus too, glorify Me.
Bring peace to the Earth by bringing peace to all those whose lives you touch. Be peace.
Feel and express in every moment your Divine Connection with the All, and with every person, place, and thing.
Embrace every circumstance, own every fault, share every joy, contemplate every mystery, walk in every man’s shoes, forgive every offense (including your own), heal every heart, honor every person’s truth, adore every person’s God, protect every person’s rights, preserve every person’s dignity, promote every person’s interests, provide every person’s needs, presume every person’s holiness, present every person’s greatest gifts, produce every person’s blessing, pronounce every person’s future secure in the assured love of God.
Be a living, breathing example of the Highest Truth that resides within you. Speak humbly of yourself, lest someone mistake your Highest Truth for boast. Speak softly, lest someone think you are merely calling for attention.
Speak gently, that all might know of Love.
Speak openly, lest someone think you have something to hide.
Speak candidly, so you cannot be mistaken.
Speak often, so that your word may truly go forth.
Speak respectfully, that no one be dishonored.
Speak lovingly, that every syllable may heal.
Speak of Me with every utterance.
Make of your life a gift. Remember always, you are the gift!
Be a gift to everyone who enters your life, and to everyone whose life you enter.
Be careful not to enter another’s life if you cannot be a gift. (You can always be a gift, because you always are the gift—yet sometimes you don’t let yourself know that.) When someone enters your life unexpectedly, look for the gift that person has come to receive from you…
I HAVE SENT YOU NOTHING BUT ANGELS.”
― Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations With God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Vol. 2
jobo baldie
23:20 on 12 July, 2014
Hoops top in the audience…
…………….
And with that news there’s a stack of Sevcovite tv screens just booted in..
HT
Aye LOL + LOL
LOVE
Corkcelt
I don’t do Facebook but can you check if I’ve signed that one please, I’ve certainly signed other ones.
Corkcelt
been out and offline all day..