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
- ...
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- ...
- 86
- »
Kevtic. Celtic are well run as long as you don’t worry about what happens on the pitch.
But they are about to be not very well run off the pitch either when their customers desert them.
Are any of Peter Lawwell`s trenchant critics on C.Q.N. moved by these , his words?
“In terms of the [personal] abuse, I am a Celtic supporter and have been all my life. It hurts and the pain hurts in terms of results. I feel more for my family – my brothers, kids, wife and cousins who all go to the games. I feel responsible for them and bringing that on them. But you either put up with it or you don’t. That is the business we are in, it is frenzied and hysterical. You either say ‘Okay’ and deal with or you say ‘Adios’.
They could have been spoken by Neil Lennon.
Mad Mitch
I assume your a Celtic supporter and attend matches regularly
Do you cheer the team on .. Encourage the player who’s lost form … Shout at the striker who missed a couple of chances to keep his head up . Appreciate the efforts of all in the hoops ?
I know I do … I have my moments of frustration which is due to my love for the club . I often call them my first love cos in many ways they are : they screw up … They screw me up .. They sometimes even slap me in the face and I admit they have made me shed tears – of joy as well as sorrow and frustration .
But in the morning I wake and I am still in love and the pain eases
When I go to Celtic park next weekend to watch the charity match I still get a buzz seeing anyone in hoops run onto that hallowed turf … If if if only I had one chance at that ;)
And when we play Aberdeen next home match I will be there and yes I will clap
Sorry if you reckon that people like me in some way are responsible for what many see as our demise but although I see myself as a happy shafter : they are and always will be my first love and I’m sure that no matter how many people point out their faults their place in my heart will always be there .
Keep the faith my friend …
Kevtic our so called strategy DEMANDS that we have a lot of poor players sitting around. You have got to kiss a lot of frogs blah blah and given we sell our best players almost instantaneously then by definition we will have lots of poor is players.
It’s a direct consequence of hat we are doing!!!!!
Morning all. Fair to middling sort of a day down here. Could go either way. Maybe a bit like the Independence Referendum.
Woke with 2 wee thoughts from yesterday’s CQN. I think there was a suggestion that we may not be too safe financially. A wee bitty worrying, if I picked that up correctly. One nugget I did pick up is that the undead may not even own their ain players. That brought to mind John Broon’s cry: show us ra deeds. Do they owning anything in Govan, even their name??
Pfayr- VVD signed a contract. We lose a game (which if had done his job properly we might have won), and now decides he is too big for us? That makes him a coward and a traitor in my eyes.
What happens with the funds is another issue but as we play against “pub teams” don’t look for any world beaters to be banging in PL’s door. Expect more overpaid mediocrity.
Sorry to see VVD leave but we don’t need or want any poison in the dressing room.
For some time many of us have wondered just who is Jack Schitt?
We find ourselves at a loss when someone says, ‘You don’t know Jack
Schitt!’
Well, thanks to genealogy efforts, you can now respond in an
intellectual way:
Jack Schitt is the only son of Awe Schitt.
Awe Schitt was married to O. Schitt, the fertilizer magnate, and owner
of Needeep N. Schitt, Inc. They had one son, Jack.
s
In turn, Jack Schitt married Noe Schitt. The deeply religious couple
produced six children: Holie Schitt, Giva Schitt, FullaSchitt, Bull
Schitt, and the twins Deep Schitt and Dip Schitt..
Against her parents’ objections, Deep Schitt married Dumb Schitt, a high
school dropout.
After being married 15 years, Jack and Noe Schitt divorced. Noe Schitt
later married Ted Sherlock, and because her kids were living with them,
she wanted to keep her previous name. She was then known as Noe
Schitt-Sherlock.
Meanwhile, Dip Schitt married Loda Schitt, and they produced a son with
a rather nervous disposition who was nick-named Chicken Schitt.
Two of the other six children, Fulla Schitt and Giva Schitt, were
inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens
brothers in a dual ceremony.
The wedding announcement in the newspaper announced the Schitt-Happens
nuptials.
The Schitt-Happens children were Dawg, Byrd, and Horse.
Bull Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world.
He recently returned from Italy with his new Italian bride, Pisa Schitt.
Now when someone says, ‘You don’t know Jack Schitt,’ you can correct
them.
Sincerely,
Crock O. Schitt
Macjay1 of course any abuse by association is wrong. But I do wonder whether lawwell is completely exaggerating that. I have never heard ANY such stories anywhere from anyone.
Let’s face it peter has a track record of lying……
Is Ronny the best that Celtic could get?
I think the biggest investment should be in the best manager possible.
Norwegian football is poor.
Manchester United invested in the very best manager they could get but sometimes it is a long road.
For UK’s finest two only time will tell now.
Bobby
Lol liked that
Virgil va Dijk is agitating for a move to another club.
Does everyone agree with that statement?
van – would help if I spell it properly
Most of the customers are staying away due to lack of competition.
The ground was full on Tuesday.
Gooood Morning Celtic fans :-)
A lot of good points being made this morning, both positive and challenging :-)
For me, why do we need a squad of over 40 players, of which over 20 will never make our first team ?
I blame the scouting, and yes our strategy here, so get that sorted and change strategy on player recruitment and retention
Need to clear out the non functioning part of the squad though.
We do not receive full value of any player sales in a single transaction, generally spread over 4 years, so don’t expect to see it in accounts in a single transaction.
Now if VVD wants out of our club, thanks and goodbye
And finally Yes, Ronnie is a huge gamble, but I expect our players to be professional footballers
Hail Hail
Neganon
I agree with most of your posts but surely you have heard and seen the abuse by our own supporters at CP directed towards Lawell?
Kikinthenakas
VVD isn’t even a full international, if Celtic get 6million for him I’d hold the door open for him to go, thinks he’s too good to be at Celtic so for me he can go
Nakas
nearly as bad as the abuse on here to fellow fans….
Seems to be some suggestion that the Celtic support are gonna do walking away. Well, while I hope it doesn’t happen, I guess I’ll be one of the 20,000 (as to our then Chairman, Mr White, used to announce on a regular basis) who will still be there, so long as I can manage to get to Celtic Park.
If I didn’t (and not that don’t want to), I feel the family generations who went before me will have been let down. Celtic were founded for the likes of them and I will forever cherish that.
Oops sorry BT missed your pick:
AWATR: Portsmouth
BT: Swansea
GL2: Hearts
Jobo: Hamilton
Lenny: Derby
PF: Wigan
POG: Norwich
TTT: Doncaster
The joys of no Saturday game, being dragged round Shops by Mrs LB…
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
NegAnon2
09:08 on
30 August, 2014
Macjay1 of course any abuse by association is wrong. But I do wonder whether lawwell is completely exaggerating that. I have never heard ANY such stories anywhere from anyone.
Let’s face it peter has a track record of lying……
—————————————————————————————————————–
My dear NegAnon2
There can be no adequate response to that.
Lennybhoy
you should pop into ksc, ernie recommended thr fish…8))
Tbj
What does PL have to do — in your eyes — to lose his job?
He has no divine right to be the club CEO?
He has to earn that role through results.
Madmitch
thats the problem , his results are not measured on the football pitch.
We now know that next years CL planning will be the same as this year, ie none Lawwell out
BT
You’re not wrong….
Kikinthenakas
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
09:27 on
30 August, 2014
Madmitch
thats the problem , his results are not measured on the football pitch.
———————————-
Agreed. But be careful – last time I raised that subject on the blog I was told to butt out since the KPIs of the CEO were not football related. :-)))
Back to my earlier question – is there anyone who thinks that VVD is NOT agitating for a move away?
Madmitch –
So PL comes over all RN?
I agree. Every morning I wake up and say to my missus. I bet that PL comes over all RN again today and every day I am proved right.
Ig has to stop and soon. I have had enough of him coming over all RN.
Can any of you goes who KNOW about these things give me the benefit of your knowledge. I hear of vast sums of money being deposited into Celtic,s bank account,lets take Forster assuming he went for £10m-£11m could some break this down, as of today how much have Celtic received, how much did Newcastle receive? was there any VAT payable,any agents fees.some=someone. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Tom I would try and be RN everyday if I knew what it was,I think we should be told!! Hail Hail Hebcelt
In the first instance we only have the word of journalists that Virgil is “agitating” for a move. A couple of days ago they were saying that Kris was looking for a move and now apparently his agent is coming on Tuesday to negotiate an extension to his contract. I have no idea whether Virgil is looking for a move or not, I do believe he is one of the best players in the squad and he will only get better. Even if he is looking for an out, we should do a deal, keep him for the Group Stages of Europa and tell him if X amount offered in January window then we won’t stand in his way.
Hebcelt
did you mabage to sneak a wee vodka on maribor bar bill
Negs on
Let’s face it peter has a track record of lying
——
Ha Ha, most folk who use the ‘lie’ word are indeed themselves well practiced in that art hence their projection onto others , an observation that I suspect that will not have gone unnoticed , but hey keep digging.
Hebcelt,
This is going to be interesting.
corkcelt only if we have been eliminated from the Europa, which I admit is a likely outcome. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Natknow,
I agree. Anyone who has heard a vvd interview in the last few weeks would be hard pushed to deny he was ‘working his ticket’.
Which isn’t illegal but it is undeniable.
I think we all knew regardless of CL qualification that FF and VVD would be off, one has a decent shot of furthering his national career and the other has been spouting the same mantra every window since he’s been here, which is only 2 of them. The conundrum is now, how can we justify giving a new manager the full plc backing, despite him being out of his depth on evidence so far, when we openly admit we can’t attract decent players. If VVD is gone by Monday and were left with Ambrose, Mulgrew and a promising Man City teenager, then we can kiss any rational thoughts of competing in Europe, at any level goodbye.
To me it seems a deliberate ploy of news management to stage a stacked interview before the window shuts. Like it or not PL divides the support and as we are always fond of saying no one is bigger than the club. Where do we go from there?
Kikinthenakas. Let’s be clear. The chanting and anger vented at lawwell at matches is to be expected given his rather poor performance.
However anything directed towards relatives isn’t.
However how would anyone even know they are relatives?????
BT No but I should have they were bevving until 03:30. Made an excuse and left early, bad night but great meal in Bacchus. Hail Hail Hebcelt