It’s been six weeks since Celtic have had something to play for: 1 May, a five goal win over Dundee. Since then we wound down the remaining Premiership games before cranking up a fortnight ago at our new second home in Paisley, but it all comes into focus on Wednesday at Celtic Park, when we are expected to humble apparent Champions League whipping boys from Iceland.
People at Celtic have complained for years about having to play such important games in the middle of July, but I’ve never bought that argument. If we have to face Legia-type opposition later this month, we can’t have an early enough test. The challenge is known, it’s the responsibility of the club to be ready.
Stjarnan are likely to be the least resourced team we will face this summer, but if we get a comfortable win on Wednesday, these two games, as well as the friendlies against Eibar and Rennes, should provide ample opportunity to physically and tactically ready for the real test.
A few weeks back we discussed the game of brinksmanship involving Greece and it’s analogy in Scottish football, “Those sitting at the Syriza side of the table know they may be marching their citizens off the edge of a cliff”.
8 days ago Tsipras won his referendum mandate but quickly accepted that you can’t play poker if you don’t have any cards, never mind aces. I wondered if he hoped to ‘lose’ the referendum. I wonder if others hoped the SFA would find ‘against’ them a few months back. As we mentioned, it was “one of the classic failures of leadership – telling people what they want to hear in order to gain power, without any way of delivering on the promises made”.
If the Greeks had said ‘Yes’ Tsipras could have capitulated, blaming the will of the people. If the SFA said ‘not Fit and Proper’, others could have declined to invest, blaming Peter Lawwell and his ‘cronies’ at Hampden. I’m sure you could write the script yourself.
Populism’s easy, until you are given control, then it’s harder than granite. We’ll see the same lesson played out in Scottish football in the months to come. You need five aces in your hand to play poker with a billionaire, even then, don’t make assumptions.
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DD good stuff from yersel never doubted it for a minute zealots for the hoops is what we are
The Villareal bhoys have a genuine affection for the Celts
hankray
I heard yesterday that tickets for the second leg have been selling well so fingers crossed.
BMCW & BT
Agree totally just another lets blame Celtic article with no consideration given to the draconian cut in job & services being applied across the country, nor even a mention how much money Celtic attracts to the area
turkeybhoy
09:38 on 14 July, 2015
Yep. I noticed the same. Got a bit irritated by it firstly I then put it down to the strapline of this site. I figure its pure and utter lazy journalism. Jabba is writing the copy. The Scottishmeejahadeen simply print what he sends.
pathetic but predictable
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Morning, Timland. Just on to say that we are on the road again and now we are in Germany on the way to Munich. Just to tell poguemahoneyahun and any other German CQNers. We are currently on the a4 near Aachen in Nordern Westfallon (sorry about spelling). Weather a bit rainy.
HH
WEE BGFC
gerryfaethebrig
Cheers Gerry, I hope the job is going well!
big georges fan club – hail, hail, wee oscar
Enjoy your trip wee fella but keep your hands on the wheel! :-)
Ginger
I will watch the Eibar match on Saturday in the Villareal Celtic Submari CSC.
Taking a few wee gifts for the locals. :)
WEE BGFC
‘Weather a bit rainy’
——-
Watch out Jobo!
This kid’s got style……but hey we knew that already!!!!
Take care of your old Dad. That’s what sons are for!
HH jamesgang
Anyone seen this? Says Stokes has been told he is free to leave.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/07/14/celtic-forward-anthony-stokes-free-to-leave-leeds-among-english/
DD: enjoy your trip.
Hi bhoys,does anyone know when the kerrydale opens tomorrow? Looking to make a wee day of it but want to make sure we get in!
Hoping for a 3 or 4 goal lead to take over there next week.
Warning
Over 50`s only.
Charlie Cooke,Peter Osgood et al.
When English football mattered.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLs8fU4NdUM
bellshill tim
From the FB page.
Kerrydale Bar
13 mins · .
Join us for family friendly build up pre match tomorrow from 5pm, bar and food court open. All match ticket holders welcome, first come first served. http://www.celticfc.net/hospitality/kerrydalebar…
Hi Paul67,
Good article, the Greek situation shows who really holds the power, democracy is a sham IMO and there is no place in politics for talented Free thinkers like Yanis Varoufakis.
As far as the new Rangers are concerned, I’ve been watching with interest, they seem to be playing the long game, cutting their cloth according to their means?
Well whatever way it goes as some wiser posters have pointed out, they don’t have a viable business model that competes with us.
Europe awaits…
Hail Hail
Send for Hamiltontim and his bhoys,. :)
Taxman set to probe St Mirren over failure to pay the minimum wage for players
07:00, 14 JULY 2015
BY GARY RALSTON
THE club have came under fire for the £1-a-week contract handed to teenager Kieran Doran and other clubs could be in the firing line soon.
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Firms who sued a tax avoidance scheme could be made to pay £400million to the taxmanThe tax man is after St Mirren
ST MIRREN are being officially probed by HMRC over their failure to pay minimum wage – and other Scottish clubs are in the sights of the taxman.
Officers from HMRC have now written to the club asking for details of the £1-a-week deal signed by teenager Kieran Doran.
They have demanded answers before the end of the month and Falkirk could be next in the firing line after Will Vaulks admitted in the build-up to the Scottish Cup Final his first contract with the club netted him just £4.33 a month.
Other clubs, particularly in the lower leagues, also stand accused of offering peppercorn pay deals to tie down youngsters who are often happy to sign as they see a route to the big time.
But agreements between employers and employees that fail to reach national minimum wage levels are illegal and invalid.
Kieran Doran playing for St Mirren
The SFA and SPFL also signed up to an autonomous agreement three years ago between UEFA and FIFPRO, the umbrella body for players’ unions, accepting minimum wage legislation must always apply throughout Europe without compromise.
Record Sport revealed the case of Doran, who was forced to go legal against Saints when they refused to release him from a three-and-a-half-year deal when he quit to study medicine . The first seven months of his contract stipulated earnings of £1 a week when he was 16 and still at school – and it was never even paid.
It’s believed there could be dozens of similar cases in Scottish football but kids and their parents are often afraid to rock the boat in case it jeopardises their future in the game.
Doran’s case has been championed by PFA Scotland lawyer Liam O’Donnell, MSP Chic Brodie and Willie Smith of campaigning group realgrassroots.co.uk.
Smith said: “The HMRC investigation into St Mirren in the first instance is only the tip of the iceberg.”
St Mirren and Falkirk declined to comment.
I’d happily let Stokes leave. Can’t play up front on his own and not enough pace for one of the attacking midfield positions. Wonder how much we could get for him (1-2m)?
He gave us 5 good seasons and while he was always pretty limited always tried his best. Wish him the best of luck with a new club!!
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Nuestadt Braw we are just passing Neustadt on the a3. :)
HH
WEE BGFC
niallo83
11:28 on
14 July, 2015
No disagreement on logic.
Limited? Aren`t we all?
Howevaaaah…(courtesy Kojo )
I still hate to see 100% Tims leave.
Gooood Morning Fellow Bhoys and Ghirls
Wee Shug the Dug, beginning to look a bit better :-)
Now
Celtic should be looking at moving Derk Boerigter & Calum McGregor on ( both on very decent contracts) before Anthony Stokes
Hail Hail
COWIEBHOY
Glad to hear Shug is on the mend,mate. Nearly as injury-prone as Boerrigter.
Good luck to Anthony Stokes if/when he goes.
It was obvious that his days were numbered after Deila revealed his football philosophy.
It will also mean bit part roles for Commons and Mulgrew, i.e., squad players, rather than first picks.
However, it is important to have understudies in any production.
Macjay,
I think pretty limited would be a compliment to me;-)
TONYDONNELLY67
Disgraceful exploitation of a kid’s ambitions. What’s even worse is that these cases only came to light because of Kieran Doran’s wish to attend university instead. To which St Mirren’s response was a refusal to release him.
One wee question though-and on this I think we might possibly be able to go after that Bryson eejit.
Aren’t all contracts supposed to be lodged and scrutinised with the governing body?
TonyD
That’s an absolute disgrace if it’s proven to be accurate. I sincerely hope that fans’ representatives of both (and any other clubs) are as diligent in holding the employers to account on this as the Celtic Trust have been.
All companies, not just football clubs, should be offering their employees a LW, particularly in these times of austerity.
Heading out, enjoy your day CQN.
HAMILTONTIM
It’s accurate,as a base payment schedule. It’s been reported before,and is the subject of evidence lodged in court.
BMCUWP
Very valid point on wee Shug, mind he just turned 2 on Saturday :-)))
Hail Hail
Cowiebhoy
I think it’s safe to say McGregor isn’t one of your fav players
I’d like to see him sent out again on loan until Christmas then maybe sell in January if he doesn’t regain form.
niallo83
11:40 on
14 July, 2015
Macjay,
I think pretty limited would be a compliment to me;-)
——————————————————————————————————————–
I know,pal.
Hard world out there.
No much room for sentiment.
I`ll never forget his performance against Kilmarnock ,which to my mind ,resurrected a draw for us when Lenny said that he had been prepared to resign,had we lost.
Made up stuff SMSM……. Glasgow Evening Times
EVERTON manager Roberto Martinez has told Celtic that he is not interested in selling Aiden McGeady.
McGeady has been tipped for an exit from the Barclays Premier League side this summer with his former club understood to be monitoring the situation.
However, Martinez insists that he has had no contact with any clubs over the 29-year-old Republic of Ireland internationalist and regards him as a valuable member of the Everton squad. McGeady is absent from the Goodison club’s current tour of Singapore because of a hamstring complaint.
So how has he told Celtic?
Bourne
You really need to learn to put logic to one side when dealing with press pronouncements.
Logic is the prerogative of the rational.
Aka.Oorsels.
:-)
bournesouprecipe
11:51 on
14 July, 2015
Made up stuff SMSM……. Glasgow Evening Times
EVERTON manager Roberto Martinez has told Celtic that he is not interested in selling Aiden McGeady.
McGeady has been tipped for an exit from the Barclays Premier League side this summer with his former club understood to be monitoring the situation.
However, Martinez insists that he has had no contact with any clubs over the 29-year-old Republic of Ireland internationalist and regards him as a valuable member of the Everton squad. McGeady is absent from the Goodison club’s current tour of Singapore because of a hamstring complaint.
So how has he told Celtic?
————————————————
Mange to directly contradict themselve within 30 worlds.
A new World Record?
https://mobile.twitter.com/FlanniganSeamus/status/620708136505184257/photo/1
Seriously screwed up people.
Worlds? Words!
A new Word Record…uhh….never mind
Aiden Mcgeady is 29, FFS
getting old CSC
p
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJ27o7kWwAAhsTx.jpg
Image of the scumbag who drove a car over the young girl in Ardoyne last night.
Hamiltontim
10:18 on 14 July, 2015
Morning all. Does anyone know why we’re playing the first leg of our CL tie at home? As the seeded team we’d normally be away first?
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I thought it wa sjust me.
Been bugging me since the draw.
I know some bhoys subsequently answered but I still think playing at home first is a disadvantage – you don’t quite know how to handle a team until you’ve met them mano-a-mano, so the possibility of an upset is always strongest in the first leg.
I believe the seeded team should be given the choice. We need to put at least 4 past them tomorrow night to be safe; may face dodgy park, etc in Iceland.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJ1W5kRW8AACYuA.jpg
Horrific stuff.Thank God the girl is now stable in hospital.
hamiltontim
10:39 on 14 July, 2015
So far I am turning up and they are paying me so canny complain
DD & weeBGFC enjoy your holidays and I am sure you will all be spreading the Celtic word
Hail Hail