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.
[calameo code=000390171586f6fbaa2ba lang=en page=122 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
3,233 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 86
- »
Possibly the least sexy draw we have ever had,but i will be there to support the team.One consolation is the EL helped NL mould his team for a couple of years,i hope RD can do the same,£45 and £15 for kids,max package price IMO.
Art of War
13:01 on 29 August, 2014
Don’t think we are in a position to be cocky………from Wiki…….
Club world ranking[edit]
These are the IFFHS club’s points as of May 2014:[7]
P Club Points
36 Celtic F.C. 179,0
37 FC Zenit Saint Petersburg 171,0
38 Club Nacional 169,5
39 Astra Giurgiu 169,0
40 Club Libertad 166,5
41 Guangzhou Evergrande F.C. 166,0
42 Panathinaikos F.C. 166,0
————————————————-
IFFHS rankings are bowl of lucks, ignore them, no value.
But I agree with you for other reasons.
Did Astra not used to play in the Vauxhall Conference?
Here is a wee clip of Dynamo Zagreb fans…………………………………..
at the team training session!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttx_nkLRUMY
Why are some Celtic supporters only Celtic supporters when there is ‘glamour’ opposition?
HH
Have you seen the name of the Red Bull Salzburg manager yet???
Adolf Hütter
Big wavey it’s clear that no change is coming and that it will only come if WE force it.
It’s sad but true.
I won’t be buying any tickets for the EL……
Philbhoy
13:01 on 29 August, 2014
I want to know why the Legia owner has not been on Sky Sports discussing our Europa League Group.
Fe**in midden!
—————————————-
I wouldn’t worry – Radio Scotland will call him later and provide a platform to tell half-truths and lies.
themightyquinn
Fuhrermore, his wife’s name is Eva!
Braw(n)!
As good a draw as we could have wished for. Will we qualify from that group? I think that depends on the management team being able to deliver something in short order. Have to say – I’m not overly confident this will happen given what I’ve seen to date but, of course, as a Celtic supporter I’ll be supporting my team all the way.
I think some on CQN thought that a new manager with new ideas should have had Celtic hitting the ground running.I felt the chances of that were very slim and so it has turned out.Now we were never going to win the CL and for me there is no surprise that we didnt qualify for the group stage but we have European football at least until Christmas.So lets give the team our support and give Rony and John time to rebuild our team.H.H.
glassford03
13:03 on
29 August, 2014
Did Astra not used to play in the Vauxhall Conference?
and we have a winner,,,,,:}
Meanwhile in another universe
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/290070-rangers-will-not-be-able-to-pay-creditors-if-4m-share-offering-fails/
I think a lot of people on this blog, are in denial.
Its would be quite obvious to any fair minded person, that we have crashed from the heights of beating Barca…to the thrashing from legia and the pathetic home defeat by maribor.
If we continue to decline….supporters wont bother to go.
Its clear that pl and co, do not care about Celtic….they only care about money.
How bad do things need to get…before we do something about it?
HH
NegAnon2
13:06 on
29 August, 2014
I won’t be buying any tickets for the EL……
=======
I was referring to fans who do go depending on the opposition. I know you have your reasons and I do believe some on here owe you an apology for some of the comments towards you. The shambolic attempt at CL qualification said a lot.
That said, Celtic is our club and I don’t think walking away solves anything when there is no coherent plan to change things.
HH
Neganon2
On the Tuesday not a lot.
On the Peter Lawwell interview, what where you expecting?
He has been telling you lot this for three years, and you still don’t get it.
I didn’t need the interview, I know what was happening, and what was going to be sis, everyone did, but now everyone is saying they said it first, gimmi a break.
Joe Filippis Haircut
13:08 on 29 August, 2014
I think some on CQN thought that a new manager with new ideas should have had Celtic hitting the ground running.I felt the chances of that were very slim and so it has turned out.Now we were never going to win the CL and for me there is no surprise that we didnt qualify for the group stage but we have European football at least until Christmas.So lets give the team our support and give Rony and John time to rebuild our team.H.H.
————————————————–
Your knee isn’t jerky enough, I’d get that checked mate ;)
That Johan Mjallby line about the 56, 500 (think it was that) crowd was slightly odd. It was rather too precise. Did a journalist perhaps make that up?
Incidentally Mjallby was talking crap. We had lower crowds in the MO’N years.
Johan is trying to justify himself so he can get a new job.
So a football club loses a football match and some people demand that the CEO of said football club issues a public apology to the supporters.
I wouldn’t want these guys beside me in a battle.
Apparently a new ‘billionaire’ plans to buy shares in sevco:
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/senior-north-korean-bank-official-defects-with-5m-of-kim-jong-uns-money-30546722.html
Tom McLaughlin
A lot of hand to hand combat round your parts? #emotionalblackmail
Lets not forget,we will have Broony back,hopefully Forrest(at least for one game),our new striker and our new winger.
If Broony had been playing on Tuesday,we would be in the CL.Massive influence to the team.Ronnie should send Efe and Izzy away for a holiday.He wont,but he should.VVD.Who knows.We will see.I am looking forward to these games.
Whats not to like?.
Could sumdae please bring over the link that was on the previous page abt Big Johan Malby?
GM- I think we will have to take our share of 6-05 KO games,fixtures & times out in about an hour.
Proposed new name for blog:
Gullables Travails
Neganon
No beef with your right to an opinion, and you make some valid points, but please, where facts are available, please use them.
We pay approx. £530,000 each year in dividend to holders of CCP shares. Desmond with 30% of these, receives around £160k each year. Not the £600 odd grand you quote.
This isn’t nit picking, it’s important. It’s important because you are maligning all holders of CCP shares at once, shares bought and paid for in good faith and in full.
We have a capital base comprising assorted classes of shares. That’s what we bought into, and what supports the business of the club.
It seems odd that you would differentiate between one class and another. Are holders of 2005 issue shares more or less connected to the club than holders of 2001 or 1999 or 1995 issued shares?
There’re plenty of legitimate questions to ask of Desmond’s role at the club, but that’s not one of them.
That’s all.
TBB
Mjallby link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2736821/Celtic-Champions-League-defeat-Maribor-no-surprise-says-Johan-Mjallby.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Bada,
Aye I know. Atletico was an early one in the past.
Its purely selfish reasons you’ll understand;)
Turkeybhoy-PL during the interview named some players we had, who done well in the CL.”van Dilk for the moment…….”
Philbhoy
13:01 on
29 August, 2014
I want to know why the Legia owner has not been on Sky Sports discussing our Europa League Group.
Fe**in midden!
—————————-
Dont worry Phil-radio shortbread will phone him tonight!
GM-Agree,it adds to a cluster—- of a season.
Surely in Europe, Astra is Kadett
Does anyone know if this Tonev rumour – he was returned to villa – is true ?
Wouldn’t we have spotted this at the medical ?
C’mon Guys… Lets get over the huge dissappointment of the CL.. Were still in Europe.. weve got 5 new players, lets be positive, lets be Celtic SUPPORTERS !!! Hail Hail.
So what Mjalby was saying it was going to get harder to get success so I decided to leave well that doesnt show much fighting spirit and dont ask me have I ever seen him play of course I have.I stll think a so called Celtic man could have shown some metal.H.H.
bjmac
How you doin’ Big Man?
Hope you are good!