Europa door ajar for Celtic

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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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  1. I think home grown tims preferably with long hair(and the ability to speak English) is the way forward.

     

    Detail isxeverything

  2. The Spirit of Arthur Lee on

    HT

     

     

    You don’t go to the home games

     

     

    Ya geordie lover

     

     

    LOVE

  3. Mag7,

     

     

    I think he’s an Ok player and maybe he coulda done a good job for us but I like to see how players do against us.

     

     

    Last I checked it was 1 goal v us that wasn’t a deflection. 2 in total.

     

     

    So it’d be a no from me.

  4. The Battered Bunnet on

    Awe naw… Who started Bournesouprecipe on wing mirrors?

     

     

    This won’t end well.

  5. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    timbhoy2 I wonder why that was last season you could have managed Celtic and won as much as he did.He is hardly getting knocked down by the rush of clubs offering him a job I believe the Celtic job is the biggest job Lennie will ever have just my opinion. H.H.

  6. bournesouprecipe on

    Best fictional football rules 1. A club can give its CL place to another club

     

     

    2. The punishment for liquidation is demotion

  7. jungle jim

     

     

    Are you talking about the spat with Eddie specifically or in general when you say that he merely responds in kind?

  8. Neganon thinks that by not buying EL tickets, PL will be forced into a corner. The Exiled Tim claims to be “starving Celtic” by not giving them a penny.

     

     

    Tell you what. Why don’t you 2 fantasists hold a press conference and announce that you will never buy another Israeli product.

     

     

    That should end the Gaza conflict in 5 minutes.

  9. glendalystonsils on

    Henrik was able to jump 2.7 millimetres higher for headers without his dreadlocks………

     

    Fact.

  10. Snake Plissken

     

     

    17:00 on 29 August, 2014

     

     

    GerryBhoy

     

     

    Better together eh?

     

     

    Bitter together; Aye.

  11. And Big Peter the wonderous wizard flapped his magical cape…and all was well.

     

    But somewhere in the cold distance, something dark and slimy with a hundred thousand hooves galloped towards the holy ground.

     

    Big Peter smiled…he thought to himself…I dont need Celtic supporters…I am the king of the world…and then

     

    He flapped his magical cape once more

     

    And all was well.

     

     

    Based on a true story.

     

     

    HH

  12. Kojo

     

     

    16:40 on 29 August, 2014

     

     

    Petec

     

     

    Hiya,palomine..??

     

     

    As Alwiz.. Great tae See Yer Smiling Face…

     

     

    You goat the Message.. pal..

     

     

    Shout it fae the roof taps..

     

     

    “Yoof,is/Ur the Light N the Wey!”

     

     

    Alwiz , said that.n.. Ah firmly believe it..

     

     

    Obviously, Neil ,,,DIDNAE..fur if he did..

     

     

    He widda Gien Mair or ur Up N Comers Fae Bhoys Town.. Mair Exposure..

     

     

    Last Season..

     

     

    but,he wiz Mair Interested in Cockamie.. n.. Useless… Records.. than In Advancing oor Kids..

     

     

    Noo. we hiv a Manager.. who. so Ah am Told..

     

     

    Diz. Believe in ..

     

     

    “YOOF, Is/ur the Light n The Wey”

     

     

    Go Ronny, Go.. Boy…

     

     

    Let’s Bring a Few Mair.. of the Kiddies..

     

     

    If we Unearth..only Wan or Two a Year..

     

     

    As Quality Streeters.. Then Soon we wull be Knoaking oot oor C.L. Opponents..

     

     

    Right n Left..

     

     

    Fir it is A Cinch that We are Very Under Manned.. Ill Equipped…

     

     

    Toofless.. in fact..

     

     

    At this time,in oor History.. whenevah we hiv the Awful Prospect of

     

     

    Facing a Toap C.L. Side..

     

     

    We need Far mair Quality…

     

     

    Nice Chatting

     

    as Per..

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still,Laughin

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    Sometimes it is difficult to smile, life is hard most times.

     

     

    Neil done a Sterling job at Celtic and he was exactly what the Blessed, IMO, Celtic needed at that particular moment in Time. We were struggling badly and that Man, with all his human failings done an incredible job at Celtic.

     

     

    The young mans first Management gig is Celtic – Wow what a start.

     

     

    The whole structure is obviously built for bringing through the Tommy Burns inspired Kids.

     

     

    There is obviously going to be pain, hopefully, not for long.

     

     

    As always, I hope you are smiling for many future events.

  13. Greenpinata

     

     

    There’s an exception to every rule.

     

     

    He did look more exciting with his dreadlocks though and, as for when he stuck that tongue out….

  14. starry plough

     

    16:54 on 29 August, 2014

     

    I said at the time had Neil wanted JR he would have been at CP.

     

     

    Maybe. But since he wanted Balde and Pukki instead then maybe it’s best he’s gone! ;-)

  15. The Battered Bunnet on

    you can say what you like about Tony Donnelly, and to be fair, from what I gather he doesn’t represent himself terribly well in his posts. But…

     

     

    …he uses his own name. Like James Forrest and Tom McLaughlin, he should get some respect for that much.

  16. Auldheid

     

     

    There is seismic change happening in Scottish football and some seem to want a day on the beach when there is a tsunami warning.

     

     

    ——————————–

     

     

    Most valid point I’ve ever read on CQN? Perhaps, perhaps.

  17. the mighty quinn

     

     

    “If those are your friends (and they must be if you share their world view) then I don’t want to talk to you any more.”

     

     

    Not this now!!

     

     

    On top of the cancelled Embra dinner parties, I am to be deprived of linguistic interaction with a fellow Celt.

     

     

    Well, that’s me convinced. That is Top Class Electioneering, of a kind that would put Theodore Roosevelt on the stump to shame.

     

     

    Can you look at your hypothesis again and see if there are, perhaps, any flaws inherent such as the old GIGO problem?

     

     

    Did Hitler believe in gravity?

     

     

    Did Pol Pot believe that the sun rose in the east?

     

     

    Did Oliver Cromwell believe you should be nice to children and pets?

     

     

    Is everyone you know a Yes voter? Were your parents in favour of the SNP? Your grandparents?

     

     

    The SNP has been going since 1934. It won its first parliamentary seat in 1945. It has offered itself for election in every constituency, pretty much since the 60s. There was nothing natural about Celtic fans forming common ground with the SNP, who were offering the same policy then of Independence, first last and always. The idea that you cannot understand a Celtic fan that does not automatically support Scottish Independence means that you do not understand the vast majority of Celtic fans who ever lived.

     

     

    P.S. Do they actually invite Glaswegians to dinner parties in Embra? I thought they were always told “you’ll have had your tea?”

  18. Auldheid @ 16:57

     

    It defies belief that some people on here believe what they do but still they do!

     

    JJ

     

     

    Budweiser? King of Beers? My God!! The UK has a fantastic number of wonderful beers yet some people look forward to Budbloodyweiser ! I give in 0:-)

     

    JJ

     

    PS The smiley doesn`t mean I am joking. It just means the issue, although disappointing, is not necessarily serious. Then again…..

     

     

    Cheerio.

  19. GerryBhoy

     

     

    16:55 on 29 August, 2014

     

     

    And if Scotland votes Yes (stop sniggering at the back, it’s A Once In A Lifetime Opportunity!) we’d be in a currency union with a non EU member.

     

     

    How would that work?

     

     

    Seriously, how would it work?

  20. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    Jungle Jim. It is a pity that fellow Celtic supporters resort to slagging each other like primary school children. We should be able to discuss our varying points of view and agree to differ.H.H.

  21. Jungle Jim

     

     

    Two years ago we beat Barcelona en route to the last 16 of the CL. We were competitive at CL level, easily better than this year’s side.

     

     

    Sipsini

     

     

    Hiya, mate. If Neil sanctioned the signing, then he is responsible. If he allowed a player in for the sake of “getting bodies in”, at substantial cost remember, then that is wasteful. I still find it hard to believe he signed Amido.

     

     

    HH

  22. HT @ 1702

     

     

    Good philosophy:)

     

     

     

     

    Ernie @ 1703.

     

     

    I genuinely laughed out loud at that :)

  23. Syd Negakev

     

     

    17:09 on 29 August, 2014

     

     

    My car doesn’t have wing mirrors. It has door mirrors. Call me odd.

     

    ———————————————

     

     

    Pervert.

  24. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon ....The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    auldheid

     

     

    16:57 on 29 August, 2014

     

     

    You’re wasting your time on that one…..the green man is ‘off on one’ with blinkers on …he he

     

     

    What do you make of this share issue ? …… I think it’s desperation to keep them afloat to the point where the spivs can maximise their ‘return’ on the assets etc.

  25. estorilbhoy

     

    16:57 on

     

    29 August, 2014

     

    Have we signed Lance Armstrong yet? ………………. Or is it all just spin? :)

     

     

    ——-

     

     

    You’re just recycling old news and peddling mis-information.

  26. Auldheid

     

     

    I dont expect Celtic to champions of Europe.

     

    But it do expect us to be beating Legia and Maribor.

     

    The board imo…are diluting what Celtic are all about.

     

    An absentee landlord who praises bigoted cheats, and a ceo who thinks he is Celtic in person.

     

    Im no economist…but I can see with my own eyes whats happening.

     

    Executive salaries warrant responsibility for failure…but I dont see that at CP

     

    They just peddle the same old nonsense, which is insulting.

     

    Time for a shake up.

     

     

    HH

  27. 67Heaven

     

     

    You hate it when I question our ceo.

     

    But he needs to take responsibility for his performance.

     

    Please tell me, what am I saying thats so outrageous?

     

     

    HH

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