At the end of last month, looking ahead to the Miydjitlland tie, I predicted, “a Halloween movie awaits”. Home and away, Miydjitlland created few chances until late in normal time, when Celtic tired. They were unable to sustain periods of pressure and will surely not lay a glove on PSV Eindhoven in the next round. Still, we endure Halloween in July.
The young and inexperienced defenders performed well, this one was not on them. As did Scott Bain, whose confidence to drop the shoulder before playing a 30-yard forward pass, created our best chance of the game. He also made two fine saves, which makes me wonder what could have been had we never embarked on our Greek Odyssey.
Callum McGregor’s goal was sublime; he placed rather than blasted his shot, one of the few occasions we tested a keeper who never convinced. Anthony Ralston reminded us why we had such high hopes for him a few years back, while Stephen Welsh and Dane Murray outperformed expectations.
James Forrest should have put the tie beyond the Danes shortly after coming on but poked his shot wide. Within seconds, Miydjitlland were level.
Like Celtic, Miydjitlland were short of reinforcements, but started extra time with four substitutes on the field, including an 18-year-old debutant, Victor Lind. The teenager repeatedly mishit the ball whenever he got near it, but he and the other subs managed to provide what proved to be crucial energy. Celtic made only the one change, Forrest for Liel Abada, until after they went a goal down in the 94th minute. When energy sapped from ever-busy Ryan Christie and David Turnbull, the writing was on the wall.
Even though Celtic closed the game unable to pass out of their half, Ange Postecoglou stuck to his game plan. Teams on their way out of a cup invariably go Route One in the final minutes, not so this time.
I am sure none of us had Champions League expectations; we are not at PSV Eindhoven level, but Europa League group stage qualification is crucial for financial, competitive, coefficient and recruitment reasons. That would have been achieved with a win last night. Two qualification rounds now have to be negotiated, you have more fraught evenings ahead.
I remain hopeful the squad we have on 1 September will be significantly better that that available last night. Whether that will be sufficient to take the Champions League bounty available to this season’s Premiership winners is another story.
461 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- ...
- 13
- »
Ange should get out with his reputation intact whilst he still can.
Charles Trevelyan stated with brutal indifference…
‘The famine has been sent by God to teach the Irish a lesson. The real evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of the famine, but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse and turbulent character of the people.’
https://tirnaog09.blogspot.com/
PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY on 29TH JULY 2021 5:48 PM
Ange should get out with his reputation intact whilst he still can.
I don’t think packing his bags after only a few weeks in the job would do his reputation much good .
glendalystonsils on 29th July 2021 5:41 pm
SCULLYBHOY on 29TH JULY 2021 5:34 PM
How about Dermot Desmond with a little touch of the Brooks Mileson’s ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Nice one. Seriously, how many people involved in a football club (all staff including the players) are involved simply out of love of that club? How many can be trusted? How many kiss the badge and leave as soon as the chance to make more money comes along? I was born into a Celtic supporting family and didn’t really get a chance not to support Celtic, if that makes sense. I assume most of you are the same. Do Celtic supporters love Celtic? Does it make sense for a grown adult to say that they love a football team? Are we just kids who never grew up? So, if you were asked, ‘why do you love Celtic?’ – how would you answer?
That is just a general thought out loud and not aimed at your good self glendalystonsils
JAMESGANG on 29TH JULY 2021 5:00 PM
For a commercial organisation to complete its workforce recruitment as late as September for a programme of work that begins in July as akin to manager not fielding a full team on the pitch until half way through the first half.
—-
Our board see their duty as selling season books, negotiating commercial contracts and trading players for a profit.
Actual football results are seen by them as being something outside their control and remit. They’ll always point to the financial results and the liquidation of Rangers to justify their position.
They’re helped in this by the fact that our two biggest investors, Desmond and Lindsell only care about the bottom line.
PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY on 29TH JULY 2021 5:48 PM
Ange should get out with his reputation intact whilst he still can.
——–
To be manager of Celtic is a great honour – Jock Stein didn’t inherit a squad of world-beaters, but he turned them into our greatest ever team.
Ange has a blank canvas – if he is good…and if he is supported, he can also become a legend. If he walked away now from a world famous club that is having temporary problems….how would he be viewed?
Saint Stivs on 29th July 2021 5:50 pm
Charles Trevelyan stated with brutal indifference…
‘The famine has been sent by God to teach the Irish a lesson. The real evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of the famine, but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse and turbulent character of the people.’
https://tirnaog09.blogspot.com/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Excellent reminder after Sunday’s memorial.
Itiswhatitis EL CSC
We are all hurting, some show it in different ways but we are hurting.
Some will defend the suits come what may, some will blame them come what may, but anyone who has half a brain cell can see that we are a shambles presently, I do not know the reason for it, apart from what I can see with my own eyes, we have downsized to an alarming scale that I fear is going to take some fight to get back to where we were.
Many on here and elsewhere could see the signs during Brendan’s tenure, MoN told us years back to be ready for life in the slow lane, at a time when we should have invested and kicked on afore the TV deals kicked in, we defo should have invested when BR took us to the CL twice in a row, we could have still been dining at the top table.
So the answer, nobody on a blog can tell you, DD and the board will have mapped out a strategy and the CEO, it’s been Pedro till now would have had 100% scope to do as he pleased within that strategy as long as the end goals were being met, sadly the end goals were not to further the footballing side of the club.
It is what it is and there is eff all we can do about it apart from bitch and stamp our feet, but lets do it without all the hun pish Ok.
SCULLYBHOY on 29TH JULY 2021 5:57 PM
You are right , football is a business , and one’s attitude towards the Celtic entity will depend on what your connection with the football club is ….. emotional , financial , a mixture of the two .
I have no right to expect Dermot to be anything other than he is , I would just like to see more of that unconditional love of Celtic influencing the direction we are taking .
In the Orwellian world of Celtic Quisling News it’s those calling out failure that require psychological help, not those that applaud it. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
SFTB-that’s a fantastic thing you’re trying to do 👏👏
Can I just make a donation without playing?
Does anyone know what percentage of shares are held by fans either aligned to, or an active part of, the Celtic Trust?
onenightinlisbon @ 5:14 pm
Did I single anyone out by name?
Is it better to make generic insults? If so, it would be alright for me to say that all critics of the current Celtic set up are Greenhuns,no? I don’t believe that BTW but I recognise the passive aggressive nature of a generic insult as much as the personal one. I find the latter, less cowardly.
You and a few of your pals on a personal crusade…
I think you just broke your rule again
Fairhill Bhoy
The donations are separate to the competition to allow for just that but, if you want a wee bit of harmless fun and a small prize, it does not take long to bang in a few score predictions. You can input months in advance an still change them , when you have time, anytime before the match takes place.
Saint Stivs, trevelyan tried to do the same in the heilans, only the generosity of the lowland Scots prevented that and yet the lowlife over the other side of the river ask us why don’t we go home, where Connemara or Culloden.
AN DÚN on 29TH JULY 2021 5:58 PM
Actual football results are seen by them as being something outside their control and remit. They’ll always point to the financial results and the liquidation of Rangers to justify their position.
——-
Without results and success on the park, the bottom-line will be always be RED. The complete opposite to the aims and interests of shareholders and investors.
There has been negligence and for the life of me I don’t know why. There is always an underlying for non-investment – what is it?……I don’t know, does anyone? It is certainly not to alienate the support on which the club depends for its very existence.
I don’t buy the idea that the strategy was for *Rangers to catch-up. Ibrox, due to its large constituency in Scotland it was always going to make a serious comeback, sooner, or, later, most of us knew this. What we didn’t foresee was a simultaneous collapse at Celtic Park.
We don’t know all facts….maybe we might find out now!!!
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 29TH JULY 2021 6:17 PM
Does anyone know what percentage of shares are held by fans either aligned to, or an active part of, the Celtic Trust?
===========
Less than 5%.
https://celtictrust.net/the-drive-for-five-crowdfunder-appeal/
I reckon that the players who were disgruntled last season are finished as players, Eduoard, N’tcham, Christie, Julien, Boli, will never reach the heights of quality of the quadruple treble. They witheld their best performances because they wanted big transfers and large pay rises. The 4 highest paid players were all on loan,
We need to build a team with players who buy in to Ange regime, Let Ange work with last nights team, Drop Eduoard, Rogic Ajeti get rid of Bitton, Griffiths, Barkas, N’tcham betc
THE EXILED TIM
Excellent
Tonight, for one night only, you are the Boss.
You need an attacking player. I have one available. We have had him for a year. He has made no starts for us and has scored no goals. He has only made 9 league appearances for us, playing for a total of 132 minutes.
In the final 6 months he made only 2 appearances for 10 minutes. He has not been injured. How much would you pay for him?
JHB
Easy.
Arrogance, complacency and downright incompetence.
Thank you, Desmond, Lawwell & Lennon.
25 mullyin.
Looks like one night and jhb have found a room ♥️
Sorry Bankiebhoy but we already sold him to Celtic for 5 million. We are all away to put dry trousers on.
Best Wishes David Moyes.
We ARE in a bad way currently in terms of football recruitment – that is an uncontentious statement.
The people who can do something about this are going to have to show signs of progress before August is out. I have confidence that they can do much to alter our stars and I also feel that there is a low bar to becoming SPFL champions.
Europe, on the other hand, is becoming choppier water to swim in. We can do better than getting knocked out by Midjtyland, AEK , CLuj and Malmo but no peripheral league club is going to challenge the last 16 CL hegemony of the TV-Steroid money big leagues.
If Ange can recruit a team capable of being closely competitive with Sevco, he will have done enough to have his contract extended and secured. But I will make no demands of Europe for Celtic htis season- a wee run in Europa would be great but we don’t yet have the squad to achieve that.
Is today the deadline to bring players in to face Jablonec?
Are we confident with this current squad?
SCULLYBHOY on 29TH JULY 2021 6:01 PM
Saint Stivs on 29th July 2021 5:50 pm
Charles Trevelyan stated with brutal indifference…
‘The famine has been sent by God to teach the Irish a lesson. The real evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of the famine, but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse and turbulent character of the people.’
https://tirnaog09.blogspot.com/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Excellent reminder after Sunday’s memorial.
Itiswhatitis EL CSC
###
Sentiments echoes by SNP leader and founder member Prof Andrew Dewar Gibb QC
“Wheresoever knives and razors are used, wheresoever sneak thefts and petty pilfering are easy and safe, wheresoever dirty acts of sexual baseness are committed, there you will find the Irishman in Scotland with all but a monopoly.”
No new signings till we ‘see where we are in European football’. Oh ma sides.
Sell off all your assets, play a league 2 standard team, get beat (of course), use that failure to justify no investment. Hahaha.
45K season book renewers taken for mugs. Big Ange hoodwinked. Big Dermot at the Galway Races during last night’s game. Big Pistol still on the Board.
It’s a race to the bottom. And you’re paying for the privilege.
SFTB-if it’s ok with you I will just make the donation 👍
The corrospondence of the Celtis Trust and the PLC is interesting. If you can be bothered reading it.
Trust – we suggest you give us shares as our “value add”.
PLC – nwe youse got cheeky in the way you asked.
Trust – em, ok, members lets buy our season books anyways.
I always thought David Low was tactically more asture than that.
———————
disclaimer, by publishing this i am in no way shape or form taking the boards side.
diclaimer of the disclaimer – neither am i a relative or friend of Peter Lawwell and can therfore deny being “a lawwellite smpathyser.
further ther is more to disclaim –
I know none of the bord, never met them have no business with them other than buying my annual season card in a customer/company sales transaction.
and finally
I am neither a lickspittle or a lacky, and once did indeed participate in Celts for Change rallies and car park protests with no violence dished out.
———————-
https://celtictrust.net/celtic-plc-recent-correspondence/
45K season book renewers taken for mugs. Big Ange hoodwinked. Big Dermot at the Galway Races during last night’s game. Big Pistol still on the Board.
———–
I renewed along with 53000 others, where do you get the 45k number from. I dont feel mugged off. I knew all the factors in play.
Ange not hoodwinked, he is happy to be here.
Can a man no enjoy a night at the races ?
Lawwell is retired from the position of CEO and is no longer named on the PLC Board.
Absolute hatchet job on Ange on STV and BBC there.
Gives them the chance to replay the goals against more than once.
Natasha from ACSOM is now the face of the Celtic bloggers, on both channels.
Paul Lambert now the go to guy who never got the job.
SAINT STIVS on 29TH JULY 2021 6:45 PM
Are you aware of the concept of the transitional demand?
St Tams
Cheers :)
HH
ST TAMS on 29TH JULY 2021 5:06 PM
Agree – lennon appointment was the writing on the wall
67ECW
SAINT STIVS-my god ,you like to goad 🎣
ERNIE LYNCH on 29TH JULY 2021 6:52 PM
SAINT STIVS on 29TH JULY 2021 6:45 PM
Are you aware of the concept of the transitional demand?
———–
I am not, is it an SNP thing ?
David Low @Heavidor· 11h
‘They’ve become what we replaced.’