When we drew Maribor I wrote about their performance in last season’s Europa League, when they were eliminated by eventual winners, Sevilla. Our man, Blaz, in Slovenia, also warned me that this was a settled team who had improved since ending Rangers’ interest in European football three years ago.
I watched Red Bull Salzburg destroy Ajax in Amsterdam last season with some sublime football, and my pal in Austria tells me not to put too much store in their 3-0 humbling by Malmo, who, apparently, rode their luck to an incredible degree. Having said that, on the balance of probabilities, they are by far the top seed we would have chosen.
As Croatia Zagreb, Dinamo Zagreb bossed Celtic out of the Champions League play-off round in 1998, our first attempt at the tournament. Zagreb’s stock has fallen since, so while you could make a good case to suggest we are far from ready to tackle any European team right now, this is a good draw. They are also not Legia Warsaw, which would have been an unwelcome confrontation at this time.
So far, so good. Then we draw a complete unknown from pot 4, who happened to eliminate Lyon in the last round.
Between now and the middle of next month Celtic have to be ready for these challenges. We have an opportunity to progress in the Europa League, earn some badly needed coefficient points, and revenue in the second half of the season.
Bring it on.
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Anyone care to suggest a team for Sunday?
I would take Hooper back in a minute, he’s better than the rubbish we have and let’s face it if he was scoring in the EPL he would have moved on by now to a top 10 team.
Awe Naw,
Whilst not in the financial position to match your donation, i would contribute what i could if such a thing existed.
Hooper to Crystal Palace? How’s that England thingy coming on?
themightyquinn
15:18 on
29 August, 2014
=======================
Sorry mate, I have an inbuilt defence mechanism against Nationalism.
How is Scepovic’s medical. Is he here, has he agreed to sign or is it all just paper talk?
Philbhoy
15:38 on 29 August, 2014
Anyone care to suggest a team for Sunday?
——————————————————-
Same team as Tues except Commons in for Mulgrew and Denayer in for Ambrose, oh and I think Lustig might be injured so Ambrose for Lustig….
So not the same team at all…
philbhoy
15:38 on 29 August, 2014
Depends on who’s available but I’ll hazard a hues that Lustig & Forrest are injured.
Gordon
Matthews Denayer VVD Mulgrew
Kayal Johansen
McGregor Commons Wakasu
Griffiths
Kojo
There is an element of truth in what you say but be careful not to paint a whole nation with the same brush.
Regards.
STARRY PLOUGH
How many chances did our striker get on Tuesday?
Did anyone see our striker actually do anything on Tuesday.
You know, kick the ba’, heid the ba’?
No service to the striker in these games is what’s killing us.
Apart from poor defending.
Have the dates for the Europa league games been made official ? Anyone know the nearest airport to the Romanian team.
Surely we wont play VVD in case he gets injured and scuppers his move?
Hooper wouldn’t fit into the current system any better than Stokes, Griffiths or Balde.
31003, RobinBhoy
The blog, because of its success, attracts all manner of folk, some who contribute positively, others set to undermine it, and a few who use it to disseminate their own agenda. We’ve even got some folk, not content with an anonymous alter ego, create a second parallel personality.
I’ve been screeding my drivel on here for 10 years, and during that time the blog has grown into a community, and from there, into something else. At its best, it’s vibrant, energetic, very funny and quite imaginative. It’s also remarkably effective at mobilising for good causes.
The more influential the blog has become, the more people have wanted to be a part of it, and it has at times been used by people for their own purposes.
For example, it is inevitable that the blog has been used recently to disseminate political views by political parties, primarily because its reach is greater than many mainstream papers. It is also used to unsettle, wind up or otherwise misinform on football matters. I am quite sure Media House and the likes have their very own in house CQNer.
A few folk, individuals, use it as a place to shout about themselves and at others, and that’s been a bit of a shame really. Not that I want some kind of sleepy village, but there is a yobbishness that for some, anonymity gives licence to. When the blog moves to a new platform shortly, I won’t regret it if the odd user login gets lost in the process.
This blog matters, not just to those of us who value it, but to those who want to use its reach for their own purposes.
Equally, we have seen something of a departure from the original purpose Paul had in mind. There is an increasing commercial aspect to some of the recent initiatives, whether that be banner advertising, the magazine, assorted book launches and whatnot. Clearly, there is a recognition that with so many people visiting the site each day, there is an opportunity to utilise that for revenue purposes.
There is a sense that UVs are just as important as the Celtic related aspects of the blog, and that is counterproductive, in my view.
I should point out that the revenue is miniscule, and makes not a jot of difference to Paul. Indeed, he is not involved in much of it, and it probably causes him more hassle than its worth, but it does make a difference to the blog. When we treat it like any other medium, we can’t complain if it has become just another medium.
This was originally a medium to share views and news amongst like minds. It became over time a forum to meet and share views, experiences and stories. It has become something altogether larger, but lost some virtue along the way. By valorising us posters and lurkers as ‘audience’ the blog inevitably becomes fair game to use by others with a different agenda.
I have made many friends on here, in this community of ours, and regrettably, a number post too infrequently now, some not at all, and that’s a shame. I think most will return in due course. Where else would they go?
I’m here though, and I’ll remain here for as long as I feel I belong to the community that Paul helped to create. It’s a remarkable place, with remarkable people. Where else would I go?
TBB
lennon’s passion
15:43 on 29 August, 2014
Have the dates for the Europa league games been made official ? Anyone know the nearest airport to the Romanian team.
——————————————————
Depends where the Romanian team are at the time.
Go tell the Spartam
We should start investigating now anyway.Just in case likes…when it becomes abundantly clear in about a year even to those that cant contemplate it that we have an Old Firm Board.
HH
We need to get 8 points in this group to maintain our coefficient at its current level for next season when the 09/10 European run falls off our ranking points.
With the squad as it is we have no chance of getting that points tally.
Salzburg and Zagreb have prolific strikers. Salzburg reached last 16 in the Europa last season having finished 3rd in their CL group.
Astra look to me to be a team on the way up, winning their domestic cup and beating Lyon in the qualifier.
I think we will finish third in the group.
18-Sep Salzburg a
02-Oct Zagreb h
23-Oct Astra h
06-Nov Astra a
27-Nov Salzburg h
11-Dec Zagreb a
All home games 20.05 kick off
All away games 18.00 kick off
Philbhoy 1538
Injury prone GK, Matthews (if still with us), Ambrose , whoever is in for VVD so he doesn’t get injured before he goes, Izzy (cause he will still be with us)
Midfield – God knows, changes every game – Mulgrew, Johanssen, McGregor and 2 others but not Commons
Stokes
It’s a shame that aspects of the yes campaign are resorting to thuggery. But it’s not a surprise.
Gary67
That team looks fine to me.
Although Mulgrew would be a temporary measure until we get a new big left back who can defend first.
Izzy has had his day imo.
Shame.
Or maybe loan/trialist instead of Ambrose
Philbhoy
Anyone care to suggest a team for Sunday?
………………………………….Gordon…………………..
……………Lustig… Denayer…Van Dijk…Matthews
…………………….Kayal……. Bitton…. Henderson
………………McGregor……. Berget…….. Commons
go tell the spartim
15:43 on 29 August, 2014
Surely we wont play VVD in case he gets injured and scuppers his move?
He will be in Englandshire by Sunday,at a CL club he said…….
Philbhoy
Been saying that for two years Phil!
TBB
you need to start writing some headline CQN articles. Very good
You can of course replace blog with Celtic FC
HH
Izzy & Ambrose need dropped/rested for a couple of weeks,WC catching up with them
Ah widnae tak Hooper Back..
Because..
He wia NO MUCH use . when He played , agin Toap Class opposition..
Like. we meet..in Europe.
He is Noo Found oot..
He wull end up. back in the Lower Leagues of England
We need a Guy .. or Guys.. who Wull Be able tae go Toe tae Toe..
agin Top Competitors..
That is oor Problem, Folks..
In Case ye don’t Know.
Kojo, could turn oot fur Us.. Agin.. S.P.L Competition..
Oh.. He wd Be Useless.. No Question..
But..
We wid Still Manage tae Win the League , Agin…
Yes.. th S.P.L is ..That Bad.
Commons, proves that.. or…hivnae ye Noticed .. So Did Ledley.. Mulgrew..or.. Like..
Pukki or A Host of Ithers..
All these Guys..
DISAPPEAR.. whenever we play agin Toap Competition..of the Kind ,which we Meet in the C.L.
Whit we need are guys who kin Compete In the C.L.
Heck.. Ah thought Everybuddy Knew that..
But.. eveidently.. It takes a Guy lke Me.. tae remind them of It..
Kojo
Still,Laughin
Badabing
If you looj on phils twitterline thr is a clip of swally and neil patey.swally demandin respext and fitba questions only.cant do link out here
HH
Really looking forward to the Europa Games….
Refreshing to visit different places and experience different competition.
Also if last Europa expereience was anything to go by then a much higher percentage of real Celtic Supporters and much lower percentage of the whining moaning glory hunter types both at home and away games…
Supporters as opposed to spoilt consumers with a misplaced sense of entitlement.
Hopefully these games can provide good stimulus and real comeptitive experience for a team to build on.
Some rumour on Twitter that Lee Griffiths is going back to Hibs on loan.
Bawsman;
If you vote no you’re also a nationalist.
Just a British nationalist rather than a Scottish nationalist.
You’re argument is paper thin.
Your. Not You’re.
Shite.
Neganon2
thuggery!
Hahahaha. Seriously! What’s coming next? YES will be the reason for the hightened state of terrorist alert next!
Head hand shake vigerously.
MWd says AYE
And here comes the condescending corporate pash!
MWD says AYE
Philbhoy,
According to uefa we had 15 attempts on goal and only 2 on target.
Need to be more lethal like a couply season back imo.
lennon’s passion
15:43 on 29 August, 2014
Astra come from Ploesti, just north of Bucharest.
Ryanair fly to Bucharest from
Stansted
Dublin
Brussels Charleroi
Enjoy
Moonbeams WD. Wee Oscar’s our Bhoy and Kano’s our mhan.
15:26 on
29 August, 2014
==========================
Why do you feel the need to personalise and insult people with views that differ to yours?
It seems a trait with the YES campaign, if logic is scuppering your arguement SHOUT LOUDER or insult folk.
Folk will get fed up, Salmond in the last debate simply SHOUTED to get his pre-packed insults and sound bites out, he showed himself for what he’s always been, a very SHOUTY windbag.
Jim Murphy getting followed and SHOUTED DOWN when trying to debate his side of the arguement.
NO thanks.