Given a choice, you would rather a rival pitch up to play you with a lame duck manager who has clearly lost the dressing room, than sack him and allow players and coaches an opportunity to disavow some of his more glaring errors. Rene Weiler took Anderlecht to the Belgian title in May, his first season at the club. But, when he was sacked yesterday, they sat ninth in the Jupiler table with just two wins and eight goals in seven games.
They have a cup game away to lower league Westerlo tomorrow, the third consecutive away game in a series of four, before Celtic come to town in eight days. The Anderlecht board’s hope is that they can remain in the cup, then pick up a win against Waasland-Beverent (seventh, but on the same points as Anderlecht), in an attempt to stabilise the club before the crucial Champions League game with Celtic.
By any measure, Anderlecht have been rubbish this season, but they will employ the weapon all rubbish teams have, that of an embattled underdog who is capable of raising standards by exception. Their performance at the Allianz Arena last week, where 10-men gave Bayern Munich some nervous moments, is an indication of what we are likely to face next week.
The game in Brussels is not only our most important game of the next week, it’s the most important game between now and December, when Anderlecht visit Celtic Park. Despite their historical-comparative rubbish status, Anderlecht are better than any team we will face in Scotland. Notwithstanding that, our objective has to be a win in Brussels.
I was there at Hampden when Paul Wilson scored twice as we won the Scottish Cup against Old Airdrie in 1975. Paul was an exciting player during an era when our star was fading. We enjoyed the thrill of seeing a breakthrough, flamboyant, talent emerge. I still recall that header against Spain which seemed to affirm Paul as the genuine article.
The four years after nine-in-a-row finished was an era of decline. Kenny Dalglish carried the team to an extent we have never really acknowledged as a club, or a support. But Jock Stein’s period of pre-eminence was long gone before Paul Wilson and his contemporaries made their mark. Paul moved on in 1978 to little fanfare, as Celtic finished fifth and Stein was asked to leave the dugout.
On his death yesterday, he was noted as a trailblazing player of Asian descent in British football at a time when inclusivity was not a term society was familiar with. He was that, but for me, he was a young and powerful Celtic striker who put the ball in the net with ease.
Win tickets for Ibrox
Our raffle to win two tickets to the Celtic end at Ibrox for Saturday’s game ends at midnight TONIGHT!! If like me, you’re stuck without a ticket, this is your chance. Celtic sponsor and all-round good guys, Intelligent Car Leasing, provided the tickets to support our work with Mary’s Meals.
As you will know by now, over 3,000 children in Malawi and Liberia eat a school meal each day because of money raised by CQN’ers. This improves lives in a profound way.
To enter the raffle, answer this question:
Which Belgian team will Celtic face in this season’s Champions League?
Please donate a minimum of £5 to this MyDonate page. Then forward your confirmation email with your answer in the SUBJECT LINE to celticquicknews@gmail.com . Winner will be informed early tomorrow, so make sure you include adequate contact information.
Many thanks to you and Intelligent Car Leasing.
Good luck!
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW, BEHIND THE SCENES AT HAMILTON v CELTIC WITH BT SPORT AND AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS SUTTON – LISTEN BELOW
Hardback, now only £10.00 plus p&p from cqnbookstore.com
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When big sammon is terrorising your defence you really need to have a long hard look at yourselves!!
HahHahahahaha
1-1
Tellt ye Doolan was lethal.
:-)
Doolan…makes it 1-1…..et on the cards?
Extra time please.
Whole bunch of E.Ts in the stand below the camera…
Craigan says wonderful first touch to get space from Cardozo.
As if.
An elephant could get a step on that diddy
Hahaha
The unfit Sevvies will be loving the idea of thirty more minutes before facing us:))
Saturday’s going to be epic.
Aye,
How come the huns are being given an extra days rest before the weekends derby geme?….answers on a biased postcard
My word Liverpool have a few problems . Need to buck up there ideas or clippity will be riding into the sunset . Very poor side
Sandman
What will the Wick be like on Saturday night after the game? Going to the caravan in Prestwick for the weekend but getting a lift from an Ayr CSC to and from Ibrox. Wondering whether Ayr would be better for post match celebrations.
2 things.
1. Thistle were by far the fitter looking team (Morelos apart) in the last 15 minutes which bodes well for extra time.
2. Was Ally only contracted to speak for precisely 90 minutes? Haven’t heard a peep from him since the equaliser?
Hibs through.
Sevco blowing bubbles for the last 20 minutes.
Doesn’t really matter who goes through, I think physically and psychologically the damage has been done.
Thistle well worth the draw, they have a great chance now. Sevco are Shite.
This extra time will be good for us at the weekend. We are way fitter than Sevco.
Enjoying this game. Must meet with the support group tomorrow. Jobo, your place?
;-)
Pedro looks like a greeter on a cruise ship…..
If we turn up on sat at the bigot dome we crush this mob and I mean crush them, they are brutal all over.
Ally praised every touch from a Sevco player. You would swear he was their selling agent.
Another 2 things ;-)
1. Very surprised they took Morelos off.
2. When did this new ‘4th sub in extra time’ rule come in – is it just one that’s for the Scottish League Cup?
Jobo- said on Friday the huns are not fit, we will score a couple last 10-15 mins on Saturday
HT,
seriously….yer going to the asbestosdome…..save herself the trouble & listen to it on holiday…..the result will be the same…..but yer holiday will be better ;-))
H.H
HT – we’ll be watching it in there. I expect at least a dozen – 20 good Tims to be in there all afternoon after the game. And I hope it’ll go as expected and any Huns fade off after a humping.
The two bhoys who have the place now – I know one of them – are no mugs and should have the security tight. I’d certainly choose Prestwick over Ayr for celebrations. You can walk around Prestwick high street between pubs safe enough – only the Burns should be avoided. Ayr only has the Market – rest of the town a Hun shop.
WTF is the four subs all about
And Thistle blow it.
Z-1 Huns and fat gardener finds his voice
Lots on here getting ahead of themselves – Dundee first – then we can look at Newco
Goalkeeper slow to react? But good shot and a goal from Candy Ass.
The quandary.
Rangers win.
We get another chance to slap them down.
And Pedro stays.
Or Thistle win.
No lose situation.
Remember, we slaughtered this team 1 – 0 last month. Only saying.
FFS, back to these siside banners that take up half the screen. What gives with this? Seriously, having to type blonde for the first 5 or 6 words on posts and can’t see the bulk of any other posts. No way of closing them down. Anyone got a fix for this??
**blind
The £10 Mill Mexican seals it
Macjay,
I know what I’d prefer…..pump them outa both cups again…..;-))
H.H.
Oh , dear.
Looks like Pedro stays.
Ach chit. 3-1
:-(
Game over. Thistle haven’t turned up for extra time, maybe legs have gone. Herrera has made a difference. On the bright side the Huns are daft enough to think they’re a team again.