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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Time for a CQN straw poll – not had one for a while.
Genuine Question so genuine answers please:-
Who believes that any regular poster on here is actually a “Hun” masquerading as a Celtic fan /Supporter?
I don’t.
squire danaher
Pray tell us WHAT money we have stock piled in the bank, I’m interested in this statement, and you know this how?
big wavy @ 14 25 .
I dont think we will win the Europa.
A wee snippet from their LSE website! Enjoy!
__________________________________________________________________________
The biggest problems is the “onerous contracts” much discussed have been written to ensure they survive any administration. Money will continue to bleed out the club regardless.
There is debt. The reason Rangers changed their beer supplier recently is they own the previous supplier £600,000. The crazy thing is there was an attempt to spin this as something new and wonderful. One supplier has to whistle for their money and a new supplier who will only do cash on delivery. Filthy stuff.
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HH
The long wait is over
Any huns that do come on
Quickly get shot down.
But at the moment. ..all is see is hoops fans
HH
Joe Filippi’s Haircut
Hyya, Joe?
Good fur You,pal..
Yes. you are Four Square oan that!
Mjallby,is No Celtic Man.
Sure, He played fur us, n.. Worked??? Fur Us..
But, when awe Is said n Done..
Big Johann,is Jist anither guy, who Likes tae Stab us.. where it’s Sore..
N.. Neil, In Ma opinion.. By making his .. Sleekit Comments.. n his Stupid Hints .. of walking oot oan Us, Because he wiz no Getting Mair Money.. tae Improve the Team.
Is No Much Bettah.
Celtic, wur right no tae Gie Him Any Money, tae speak o..
Look,at awe the No Users that Neil, brought in.?
If Neil, really Left fur the reasons that He n Mjallby , Hinted/Said..
Then That reason wid be Shown tae Be… Pure Poppycock..
Fur, you Mean tae tell me that, IF n WHEN… Neil, gets anither Managerial Position..
He is gonna tell hiz Noo Employers..that if they Don’t gie Him Beaucoup Bucks,tae spend..
in order tae Bring In Toap Class Players..
then ..He wull Walk.. jist like he did , At Celtic??
Bosh!
Man.. Neil, Wull Grab at the Chance tae Get Back in the Swing.
Neil, left fur a reason.. that’s fur Sure..
But.. It wiznae because , Celtic widnae Back him wi. Millions.
It maks me sick.. The Read.. of an Ex-Celtic Manager..
Who goes oan T.V. .. n .. Gies the Impression..that It wiz No His doing.. Leavin us.. High N Dry… a few weeks afore the Start of the Season..
He shoulda gien Celtic.. at Least. .. A Loat mair Notice..
As it wiz.. Celtic, hid tae Scramble.. tae fill the Noo Vacant Managerial Spot..
Nice Chatting Pal.. as evah.
Kojo
Still,Laughin
It wiz awe the Fault of the Tight Fistednes of the Celtic Board.
The long wait is over:
Thinks there is probably one or two!
Who was the Hun who used to post on here a while back ? Seamed a fair bloke
Sorry fellas.
It was tongue in cheek. If you read back jim fella mentioned what he didn’t see.
I giggled :)
And I’m not that daft. At this moment there is something to look forward to. I ll take that.
Yes, pitchforks out. Out the huns. (this could be a bluff of course)
Personally now, I’m getting fully behind Ronny. In Wanyama’s first game he literally couldn’t kick a ball. I hope Ronny now shows us the same level of progress. That’s all we want to see now. We’ve no option but to give the guy a decent chance and our support. I’m sorry for slagging him so much a few days ago.
As for the board, I’ve convinced that Moneyball is a flawed strategy. It encourages success to be judged on spreadsheets rather than trophy rooms.
My expectations for the next 25 years are for us to have won more SPL titles than the various combinations of RFC, and for us to win the CL, World Club Championship, and compete in at least another european final.
Not for us to have success defined by defying our ranking every season by a few places due to clever statistical filtering of talent, and making a profit. It’s a deeply flawed strategy.
One thing that has always bothered me is that I remember PL saying the Atlantic League was a non starter due in part to the lack of rivalries. Bunkum, as Rapid Vienna, Legia, Ajax will testify to. The train is leaving the station for all tier two / three nations. We are in serious danger of being an irrelevance, a footnote in history within ten years, utterly unable to compete at any european level.
We have to increase our revenue by 500% to start competing at the top again, such is the level of growth amongst the top five leagues. The TV bubble isn’t going to burst anytime soon. Maybe China, USA or India will be the biggest leagues in the future, but for the next couple of decades, the top five leagues, along with perhaps Turkey and Russia will pull away, never to be caught.
In that time our domestic game will contract further. English league 1/2 will rival our pulling power. We will never have a decent player for 5 years again. Top clubs will be paying 50 times our top wage.
The SFA, scot gov, Labour, Tories etc have to exert political pressure for Scottish clubs to compete in England or a summit of tier two euro clubs has to be called asap.
We are finished as a euro club within ten years if nothing changes.
“Res 12 comes into the category of Basil Fawlty’s ‘Don’t mention the War’.”
On the contrary, the “it seems we are no further forward” is the equivalent of “Are we there yet”
Despite the regular and frequent patient response of Auldheid to update requests and demands, the doubters will not be convinced until the end point is reached. To them, nothing will count as “further forward” other than a result. Reaching half-time at 0:0 is no furhter forward, even if you have had lots of corners and pressure, and the opposition is down to 10 men.
After Auldheid responds to today’s enquiry, there will be another along in a few days claiming there has been no updates at all. I wonder why he bothers.
neganon2
14:29 on 29 August, 2014
Tony I am neither happy nor unhappy and with respect you haven’t answered my question.
I am genuinely interested in the answer.
So given you believe that there are lots of hurting Huns on here do you believe I am one?
_________________________________
What part of the I couldent give a monkeys who or what you are, you seem uncomfortable,? And not sure of your self, I hope your not alone, is there so one with you there,?
Very happy with Europa draw.
Salsburgh just up the road off the M8.
Good pint of light in the local Miners Welfare for 4 and eleven pence.
Should manage a point if Effie and Izzie are back on song and Big Dek
bombing down the wing.
HH
MK Dons at home to Crawley on Sat.
Must be up for it after grubbing Man U midweek in front of 28,000.
Popping down to Ladpox now.
HH
Tim alone will Tell.
Celtic are not alone in being too wee for the CL and too big for domestic.
Dynamo Zagreb are in same position. See my link earlier.
Now instead of the EL being arranged in groups, what if it were a true league consisting of those teams.
Same with CL.
Best from EL go into CL, lowest get relegated or go back to domestic competition.
Restructuring imperative.
quonno
This is why it is my belief that the support is key at this time and have concerns about those who are not going to Celtic matches at the moment for reasons such as NegAnons, even though there is no doubt his heart is in the right place.
Even accounting for this, we are a big club. We need 11 guys who can play football and a manager to organise and motivate them. I wonder if we have been over complicating things with all the ‘student of the game’ carry on. Spend our big money(wages) on a GK, 2 x CB’s, and 2 quality strikers – these are the most important posiitons in the team. Fill the other positions with reliable types, promising youngsters.
Start by snapping up EVERY promising player in our own division. That would be a welcome change to the recent strategy which is both manageable and has the added bonus of the players knowing the league etc.
HH
Neganon
I’m surprised you think so – that redeeming the CCP shares is a good idea. It would take all of our current cash and we would break even on the deal only after 22 years.
Fact is though, that these shares are convertible to Ordinary shares at the discretion of the holder. It would be smart to encourage some significant conversions, albeit that would impact on the relative shareholdings of everyone else.
bigshuggy
14:36 on
29 August, 2014
A wee bit more dangerous than Zagreb though.
Kojo so big Johan and Neil Lennon are now personna non grata for telling the truth.
Interesting approach you have.
TBB my point was simply at least I would understand why we were saving up. At least it has a point. I would rather we bought some good footballers…..
the long wait is over, Darwin’s Beautiful Idea, not certain about ryecatcher, he made one very strange post late one night, totally off topic about Walter winning 3 in a row with an Old Age Pensioner at centre half. He was called out on it by several guys but never responded. Resumed posting a couple of days later and never referred back to above mentioned controversial post. There are 2 or 3 others I have doubts about but what the heck. I’ve trolled on Hun sites as well, so what’s sauce for the goose.
Huns arent the problem on this blog.
Its the curtain twitching bootlicking clappers who need a shake.
They will believe anything big peter says.
HH
Now Tony I don’t think there is any need for that.
As I said I am genuinely interested. You believe there are a lot of Huns on here. So I am just trying to establish whether you include me as one of them. It’s a very simple question and one that is easy to answer.
I am not angry or upset.
Just genuinely interested.
So to repeat to you include me in the group you believe are Huns?
There’s no huns in BG -)))
That MWD says aye, he’s a hun. for sure.
bjmac he’s ahun as well.
An so is that Paddy Turner bloke, but don’t say it to his face because he is aboot 6’6″ tall.
Right pint time.
Outa here. Lurking Huns GIRFUYs
I do not think any Celtic supporter with the Club’s best interests at heart can quibble with what PL is saying and the strategy per se.
What we can take issue with (and PL does not do enough to address it in his interview) is its poor execution in recent years. Something has gone badly awry with player recruitment over the past few seasons and needs to be fixed. Unless that happens there will be more nights like Tuesday and the spiral of decline will continue.
I have sympathy with the view that resources and the ability to attract some players will be impacted whilst we remain within the confines of Scottish football. But having said that, one of the reasons the folks who run Celtic are paid the big bucks is to find solutions to problems. So until we get out of Scottish football the first question at every AGM should be: what have the Board done over the past twelve months to get us out of Scottish football? The second question should be: what will the Board be doing over the next twelve months to get us out of Scottish football.
So instead of bleating about how bad the pies are or complaining that the Bovril is too cold, let the Board know they will be assessed on their ability to deliver this objective.
Just watched the interview from PL.
Oh dear,who scripted that?
Even the soviets didnae refer to a fifteen year plan to cover their failure,but PL seamlessly wove it straight into the narrative.
It also seems that all profits will be spent on the club. In other words,a frank admission,even in doublespeak,that the team on the pitch now subsidises the operations off it.
Not the other way round.
Which,FWIW,was his initial remit all those years ago. Before he became Peter the Powerful,Master of all Things,and Genius Director of Football.
No admission that the quality has dropped,merely lies that we could never afford wages to pay for it now. No admission that the wage structure has players on different levels anyway,so the red herring of a free-for-all is left dangling like The Sword of Damocles to all of us halfwits who know eff all about running a club,and why am I having to do this interview anyway.
That whole interview was an exercise in lies deceit and self-justification.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k5hWWe-ts2s
SFTB
I have not seen original request but we are at an important juncture, have a bit of work to do next week and intend to update those who signed the resolution thereafter.
The impatience is understandable but the reasons for delay and below radar strategy are more than justifiable as time will tell.
Tonydonnelly67
There are many people on here well versed and better versed than me in finance.
I have seen a litany of departures such as Forster, Wanyama, Hooper etc over the past two seasons in terms of transfer money coming in, and the higher-waged leaving to be replaced by individuals on lower terms, eg Ledley, Samaras.
I agree that money has been spent to replace but not at the same level and as effectively as has been the case. EG boerighter, Pukki, Balde, new contract for Stokes.
For you to disagree, you basically need to accept that every penny coming in is spent on the football operations of the PLC. Given you are an admirer of Mr Lawwell, I guess that will be the case.
I see downsizing and it is difficult to accept. I believe that we as a club bent over backwards to keep the Huns in the game between 2009-11 and think we’re doing the same again.
I read BRTH earlier on that note and hear what he says. However it does not take away from the fact that we have a PLC who see the O** F*** as their best bet. If it’s increasingly likely to be a loser then they’re as grubbed as the Huns.
Keep posting m8, but try to accept that criticism of how the PLC are running the club does not make people Huns.
Campbell and Woods in a history of the club speak about the lean years of the late 1950s and early 1960s. They use the line
“The opposite of love is not hate. It’s INDIFFERENCE. “
Neganon 2
Just reading back from page 1 , can you clarify who is lying? Only PL or others
Your constant use of the ‘l’ word …. is disturbing
Been lucky, all home games 8:05 ko, couple away are 6:05.
Imagine everyone on here was a Hun but was just fantasising what it would be like to be a Tim!
I think there are a fair few who wish they were .
I always remember an ardent Hun admitting to me when ha was steaming that he thought we were totally cool! Never forgot that and neither did he!
Does that mean you are not going to answer the question Tony?
tonydonnelly67
14:30 on
29 August, 2014
Well Tony the June 2013 annual report noted the cash in the cash in the bank of £3.6M. However that did not include £20M of transfer fees received. We spent around £8.5M. Bank balance circa £15M.
We then qualified for the CL. While not as successful as the previous season – it still would have provided around £20M income. In a normal CL season it generally results in about £10M profit – £25M in the bank. That’s supported by comparing the interim reports from Dec 2012 and Dec 2013.
Now given that generally I’m a supporter of the board and I’m producing these figures using he published info from the club and some basic arithmetic, there’s no reason why you can’t reach the same conclusion yourself. It’s all out there.
TD67
Tony, remember to check under your bed
There might be lurking huns there:)
HH
neganon2
14:41 on 29 August, 2014
Now Tony I don’t think there is any need for that.
As I said I am genuinely interested. You believe there are a lot of Huns on here. So I am just trying to establish whether you include me as one of them. It’s a very simple question and one that is easy to answer.
I am not angry or upset.
Just genuinely interested.
So to repeat to you include me in the group you believe are Huns?
___________________________
“To be or not to be” on that note I’m outa here, I’m a pint behind.
Neganon
Hiya, Auld Mucker o Mine?
Nice tae greet ye..
Pal.
Ah am sure that an erudite Fellah,such as yer guid Sel..
Recalls..only too Well…
Whit Pontius Pilate said.. When he Defined ..
the Trewth..?
By Askin’ this..
“Whit is TREWTH?”
Yes, Trewth, is whitevah.. wan Believes tae Be ..well The Trewth.
If it agrees wi whit Ye Believe..then
well.. That’s the Trewth.
Obviously,You Believe that Neil n Mjallby Spoke the Trewth…when They gave thur reasons why they Left us..
Ah say.. Sure ,in Ma Opinion , they Spoke..
No the Trewth.. but
“THEIR VERSION of the Trewth!”
Which,is tae expected..
Shucks, Ah dae THAT.. every Day..
Don’t You?
Sure ye dae..
Everybuddy diz it..
Like Auld Pontius so wisely, Asked..
“Whit is Trewth?”
Kojo
Still, Laughin
There is a wilderness where hope goes to die.
It is not the Europa League.
It is the 4th Division of Scottish football.