Europa door ajar for Celtic

3233

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]
Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

3,233 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. ...
  10. 86

  1. For me it’s a win-win situation…

     

     

    We have a European adventure where the opposition are (in theory) at the same level or slightly below us.

     

     

    If our strategy is sound we should be looking at serious progression to the latter stages and can take that into next season (unless we punt all the stars to make up the ‘shortfall’ of missing zombies)

     

     

    If we crash and burn it is surely the end of the road for our strategy because it is clearly taking us backwards at a rate of knots.

     

     

    Anyway, being miserable all the time is pants…..Let’s get in about them Celtic!

  2. Mon The Hoops! on

    Because of the shift to a Sunday after a Europa League game, only one game will be at Parkhead on a Saturday @ 3pm before Christmas, as far as I can work out. :-/

  3. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    Big wavy. I have no idea fella but we are not hearing much about him from Parkhead.H.H.

  4. TBB thanks for the correction. However my point was that not every penny does get spent on the club remains.

  5. andyr53

     

     

    13:19 on 29 August, 2014

     

    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.

     

    _____________________

     

     

    Well said that man, I concur , but your as welcome in here as a fart in an elevator I’m afraid.

  6. Philbhoy

     

     

    I’m good, you & family?

     

     

    I was around your town on Sunday for a wee while.

     

     

    hh

     

     

    B

  7. mullet and co 2 on

    Still don’t get what Tony Donnely?

     

    Do you think it is ok to appoint a manager with no European experience sell his best players and bring in two players on loan and one for free who could play in our most important games? All the while with millions in the bank that should have been planned to have been spent on targets months ago?

     

    This is a club on the verge of returning to its own vomit.

     

    Its one thing being loyal to a football club when you know they are doing their best but its a different scenario when it doesn’t look as if they are trying at all.

  8. bjmac

     

     

    Everyone well thanks!

     

     

    You should have got in touch!

     

     

    Hope family well and biz good!

  9. Beamishismypint on

    mullet and co

     

     

    We all love Celtic. Many of us are allergic to the PLC and it’s practices!

     

     

    HH

  10. Traditionalist88. My reasons for not buying EL tickets are nothing to do with the opposition but we need to force change. Peter is clearly not for changing or learning from what he sees.

     

     

    I would normally buy the tickets even if I can’t make it due to work.

     

     

    But not a single penny more.

  11. Mullet and co 2

     

     

    Clubs being ran fine, we’re out of the CL , but so are lots of other clubs, it’s football, deal with it, what you want administration?

  12. Astra are a Russian club according to some blonde on UK SSN?!

     

     

    Lazy journalism?

     

     

    Shirley naw?!

     

     

    HH!!

  13. Philbhoy

     

    13:23 on

     

    29 August, 2014

     

    The dates been announced yet?

     

    Next hour i believe mate

  14. Are all 6 Europa games included on the season ticket? In lieu of a glamour friendly at home to Dagenham & Redbridge or some such?

  15. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/

     

     

     

    12:52 on 29 August, 2014

     

     

     

    20 pee a share?? Whers the weans piggy bank??

     

     

    ________________

     

     

    20 p a share, so there are 20mil shares on issue

     

     

    I hear it’s not underwritten, this share offer

  16. Beamishismypint on

    tonydonnelly67

     

     

    2012 £15millionCL money + 2013 £15million CL money + £11 million transfer fees

     

    – £5 million investment in players

     

    WOULD NOT = ADMINISTRATION

     

    BUT WE GOT LOANEES AND NO STRIKER WHEN THE DOGS ON THE STREET KNEW WE NEEDED ONE

     

    STICK TO FACTS NOT EMOTIONAL SEVCO LINKED RANTS

     

    HH

  17. Tonydonnely every now and then, particularly after a traumatic event, people realise that something has to change.

     

     

    These are often transformational moments and it’s when you realise that your best learning moments tend to be around failure.

     

     

    Despite my negative monikor I do live in hope that change can come without the paid.

     

     

    But it’s not the case it seems.

     

     

    So be it. It’s down to the supporters to force change then.

     

     

    The club will suffer. But it will suffer more in the long term if we don’t.

     

     

    I know you don’t agree. That’s okay.

  18. tonydonnelly67

     

     

    13:31 on 29 August, 2014

     

     

    Neganon2

     

     

    You won’t be missed, don’t need the likes of you in a battle.

     

    ————————————————————————–

     

     

    Tony, I know you are passionate about Celtic and I have sympathy with the approach you take in terms of positivity, but there is no need for antagonism (whether initiated or reciprocated – not getting into who started it).

     

     

    Can’t we all just get along…….*tumble weed*

  19. Just Another Tim on

    A £2.3 million buy, 4 loans, a free transfer, no deadwood shifted out. Pathetic.

     

     

    Again we have been handed a slice of luck with the EL draw but no doubt we will cock that up too. I hate myself for talking like this but the club have currently destroyed all aspects of positivity I had at the beginning of preseason.

  20. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    We could go down the road of the deed team by buying players we cant afford and pay them bigger salaries by not paying tax and still get humped in the CL as they did.Of course if we got caught we would be sent to the bottom division and end up in the same mess as them.I would rather we allowed our CEO to get on with his job and our club lived within its means.H.H.

  21. Celtic must gain 7 co-efficient points from this year’s EL campaign to retain its current overall co-efficient. That means 3 wins and a draw from the group stage or qualification from the group to gain more points in the knock-out stage.

     

    We need to maintain a decent co-efficient so that we are a seeded team in next year’s qualifying rounds.

     

    It will not be easy.

  22. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Neganon2 12:53

     

    PL quotes transfer of Shane long and McCormick as examples of it all being too hard. No one is asking us to spend that money. But hey let’s not let that get in the way.

     

    ——————-

     

    So what do you want – someone half as good as McCormack for £6m?

  23. Looking forward to it already

     

     

    Bring it on,

     

     

    Till later all

     

    on my bros laptop it is a crank handle you need to get it up and running.

     

     

    European football bhoys & ghirls BRAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

     

    might not be top table but I will settle for it over none at all.

  24. neganon2

     

    I agree and PL if he has said no change will reap what they sow ,should never have got to this but it has.

  25. squire danaher on

    tonydonnelly67

     

     

    13:29 on 29 August, 2014

     

    Mullet and co 2

     

     

    Clubs being ran fine, we’re out of the CL , but so are lots of other clubs, it’s football, deal with it, what you want administration?

     

    ——–

     

     

    Are you taking the piss??

  26. mullet and co 2 on

    You are a laugh Tony ill give you that.

     

    Your expectations are obviously low. Celtic will match those if Ronny Deila doesn’t turn into a genius.

  27. Captain Beefheart on

    One last point on Johan.

     

     

    Does he also blame Celtic for the football management’s pathetic preparations against Jubentus a few years ago?

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. ...
  10. 86