Hapoel Beer-Shiva delivered Olympiakos first defeat in a Champions League qualifying match in six years. The Greeks have competed in the group stage every season since, holding their own throughout the period, so getting knocked out by Hapoel was the equivalent of losing a Scottish Cup semi-final to a lower-league club.
Hapoel are not better than Olympiakos, not nearly so, but they were good enough to progress when they got the breaks. Anyone who thinks we’ll easy past them into the group stage is being ridiculously complacent.
I’m trying to avoid the nonsense coming out of Ibrox while we have more important things going on, but good grief! Please, please, have them follow through on the nonsense of ditching their legally contracted Puma strips to wear something else.
That stadium seems to be a beacon attracting stupid people doing stupid things.
You’ll note the INDEPENDENT SFA report on crowd at the Scottish Cup final recorded no assaults whatsoever on Newco players. This clearly caused some dissonance at the media organisations who reported utter fabrications after the game.
Never mind, Newco is in the same good hands which were on the tiller when their disastrous EBT plan was enacted, and the players who benefited from EBTs are front and central of Newco media coverage.
If you can’t see how this story ends, you’re not looking.
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Philbhoy Camslang. Higher Blantur or lower Ruglen. HH
Philbhoy… Delighted you & the family had a great holiday, like your good self I have been off the blog and thought it done me good…. Had a wee nosey tonight and saw AoW’s post, then sometimes you realise for all the bans who try to infest the blog the good always will overcome the bad……
My thoughts on Brendan so far…… He has at least been willing to try different formations, I supported Ronny D as Ronny was a title winning manager, am wee enough and ugly enough to realise Brendan is on a different level from Ronny, and I also think Brendan’s main target(s) will wait to see if we are in the CL……..nothing to do with Spl teams, some players might fancy 6 champions league ties, and yet again Broony is responding (when fit) to a new managers ideas, some will only realise how good our captain is when he isn’t there………
Got home from holiday at about 3:AM this morning.
Had a meeting with clients at the office at 10 this morning.
Good to be drinking some decent wine and to be able to flush my toilet paper, instead of putting it in that wee plastic bin.
Knackered.
So……off to bed!
Love being a Tim.
Good night and God bless!
Philbhoy Neg 2 helps make this blog interesting. His counterintuitive views are healthy. Give the guy a break. He loves Celtic as much as we do. He supports Celtic in his own way. HH
GFTB
Been away from the Blog for a couple of weeks and missed it.
Very hopeful that Brendan can turn things around/
Hope you and yours are better than good!
GORDON64
Can we agree to disagree on that, please?
Away to my bed now.
G64
I’ll higher Blantyre ya big galoot.. :-))
Swinecastle
My least favourite top flight ground. Tight pitch. Usually a poor surface. Horrible fans, right on top of the pitch.
It is a very fine balancing act between playing with enough physicality and intensity to compete, but being clear headed enough, and cute enough (Copyright Kev J) to avoid red cards.
Broony and The Griff……………. Careful Bhoys.
Philbhoy nae worries big fella. HH
TET…
Sorry to here that, hope your goodlady will be fine.
I know what you mean re the huns.
The more points they drop, the more trouble there will be and they will be blameless as they’ve been hard done to… hun monkeys. Hail Hail
BT that made me laugh out loud. HH pal
Is lower tyre bhoys will be in PV tomorrow with some friends from ml3 and elsewhere
My dad only managed to get 1 ticket for tomorrow so wee BGFC they are like gold dust
GFTB
How was Santa Celtic? Daft question really as all the exults went our way.
Equally daft question, been out today eating tapas, what should I cook for Sunday lunch?
https://twitter.com/jobbytash/status/762022880049790976
Has Sinclair signed and sealed yet, haven’t seen him with the Hoops on yet ?
Think he will be an excellent signing for us
BT one of our Vogue bhoys is moving to higher Blantur next week. I’ve warned him about you lower Blantur crowd. HH
G64
Westercraigs isnae Tyre :-))
& there isnae. T in blanur
Sargassosea- yep, one and the same.
Blan ur
Not blantir or Blantyre
Anatrampoline tramadol and cocodamol taken so good night bhoys
Oops
Quinine too. ☘☘
Here’s Roy’s post gents:
ROY CROPPIE on 4TH AUGUST 2016 1:43 AM
You’re in my Heart
“Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssss”
It was even louder than that. This was the ‘heart ward’ as it was known in ‘The Monklands’ and this was the quiet hour when you rested after the so called lunch and awaited the Russian roulette of visiting hour…let it be somebody good!
More importantly Stephen McManus had just scored an extremely late winner to snatch a 2-3 victory for Celtic at Tynecastle in a cracker of a match that we looked like losing until the last few minutes. I could hear her feet coming along the silent corridor and the rhythm appeared to be in triple time. There was four of us in the ward: two auld fellas were still sound asleep despite my best attempts at waking ‘the dead;’ Rab the bluenose from Bellshill was sitting bolt upright just shaking his head at me and mouthing ‘jammy bastards’.
I regressed to childhood and feigned sleep however I could smell her ward Sister Efficiency standing over me.
“Your heart rate is through the roof” she mouthed disapprovingly. I’d forgotten about the Telemetry device I had to wear that was constantly feeding back my surf like heart waves to the Nurses’ station.
“Doctor will be here shortly.” Her clipped tones confirmed my suspicions-a crabbit bluenose!
“You better hide that radio.” She wasn’t all bad as there was a few games coming up and confiscation could necessitate the need for an escape plan.
“I take it your team won? Jammy as ever.” That’s what Bluenose Rab said I thought. He was still sitting bolt upright shaking his head and mouthing sectarian obscenities but as it was in the context of the match and I had more to worry about, I let it go. Rab wasn’t looking that good though and Sister’s attention was drawn to him for a precious few minutes as I wanted to hear the after match chat on the radio and enjoy our dramatic win.
The Doctor gave me a mild rebuke but reiterated when it was rest time, that’s what I had to do. I told him that I’d be far more agitated not knowing what was happening and the radio helped. He sympathised but then said the immortal words: “Do you want Celtic to be the death of you?”
It was a rhetorical question but in my racing mind I was now going through a catalogue of incredible Celtic highs and lows that may have answered his question on more than one occasion.
“Good chance they will be,” I mumbled…
Rab was now fast asleep after his scare and it appeared to me that he’d come off the worst after the late winner for Celtic. He was one of my longest companions in the ward and was good company. He had a warmth to him that led me to say during one of those never ending days that, “You could be a Tim.” He couldn’t stop laughing especially as I backed it up with the age old and still very apt retort, “But you’re not handsome enough.” With tears in his eyes from the laughter he asked, “would I need to give up the baun’?”
He had previously regaled me with tales of the Bellshill Baun’ and his role as a dummy flautist. This was comedy gold but he couldn’t see what I was laughing it. I imagined a book: ’Marching for Dummies.’ I felt this was oxymoronic perfection. Dummy drummers, dummy twirlers, dummy speakers…the list was endless. He even said most of his baun’ were dummies. That nearly ended me. Mischievously I enjoyed this guided tour of Bellshill ignorance and bigotry but I bonded with the guy in medically challenging circumstances and it was good for killing a couple of hours.
I’d been in the ward since Boxing day and watched everyone else around me come and go. The two old boys left on the Monday after the Hearts game and Rab and I looked forward to getting to know the next two inmates. Some guys were talkative and others-I understood why-were insular and tried to keep themselves to themselves. Difficult that in a room with 4 beds and very little privacy but you had to respect their wishes. Disastrously the bold Rab was released on the next Friday…I should change that to miraculously as this was the Friday before the Clyde cup game and that wouldn’t have ended well for either of us. I just hope he didn’t celebrate too much…
Once again I tried the old radio under the covers with one ear-phone in but I got rumbled early doors. My old friend the telemetry monitor and two early disallowed goals for Clyde ensured it was lights out for the remainder of the game. I struggled to sleep but eventually managed it albeit a very fitful repose. I must have sub-consciously known that a football catastrophe was occurring in Cumbernauld. The choirmaster’s team were convincing winners against a star-studded Celtic side with Keane, Hartson and even Du Wei in its ranks. I was gently awoken by a Celtic friendly nurse and I’ll never forget the look on her face; ignoring all heart issues and my current setting I asked, “Did we draw with Clyde?”
She never answered but the look said it all and I thanked God for one small mercy that Rab wasn’t here. The two new guys who apparently supported Airdrie-well they had the day before-were delighted for the small club and Scottish football as a whole. Aye right or Aye Ready springs to mind. I wanted to dig a hole to escape.
I hit the jackpot with visitors roulette as a posse from the Supporters bus came to see me. It was cathartic and I appeared to be consoling them far more than anything they were giving me. The three to the bed rule was smashed as this was an emergency and the crabbit bluenose Sister was off the weekend, no doubt toasting Clyde’s triumph as a smile cracked across her formidable coupon. The Bhoys and Ghirl from the bus seemed to replay the full match in front of me and all I could really ascertain was that Du Wei was crap; Keane was crap and Clyde deserved to win. Oh and Graeme Roberts is a…I’ll leave that there for common decency as they were awfy het up.
January came and went as did my various temporary companions in my ward. It appeared that I had heart failure and this was a lot worse than the heart attack boys who were turned around in about a week and released back into the community promising salad was the way ahead. The outlook was grim but I truly didn’t grasp the enormity of the situation until I was moved to the Transplant Unit in the Royal and I met the surgeon who would ultimately save my life…the very next morning.
Prior to the excellent Jubilee Hospital ward 67 was a nirvana for Scottish heart failure patients (although my new mate was from Australia on work experience). Again my Celtic DNA kicked in and the number 67 was sure to prove lucky. My room was amazing, a penthouse in the Royal infirmary with two sides totally glass. Straight ahead from my bed was the East-End and I could see the tops of the Celtic Park stands. Fantastic. To my right was the Eastern necropolis, Glasgow Cathedral, Drygate and the Barrowlands. What a location to die!
The Surgeon and I looked over the east-end late on the Monday evening as he tried to improve upon the intelligence gleaned from my Monkland notes. He admitted despite the numerous weeks in hospital he still wasn’t sure what was wrong. He was going to watch me closely and I declared for the first time my fears and my desire to take my son to a cup final. The big guy was into sailing and rugby and as I probed him further it turned out he was telling the truth. I had a multitude of cards/souvenirs from the Monklands and he commented on these. At 1130pm at night overlooking the Necropolis with a heart surgeon I felt he had to know where I came from. He was still into sailing and rugby so I trusted him; he listened to me wax lyrical about Celtic and acknowledged my passion. We hit it off. Sleep came easy for the first time in months.
There were only 5 rooms in Ward 67 and we all had our own dedicated nurse. I felt invigorated on day one and pushed for a shower on day 2. Happy days.
As I left the shower room around 20 yards from my room…
That’s all I remember. My hero was on the ward and operated on me as I hit the deck. A cut to the groin, a pacing wire and several thumps to the chest brought this Tim back into the game, Some man. He had his answers though and I couldn’t have been in better hands.
By this time the season had marched on and the unrealistic goals that I had set myself had come and gone. Nightly I’d debate with John Knox out of my right window as I glorified in the Celtic Park Stands straight ahead. Knoxy wasn’t for listening but the green on the Cathedral roof cheered me up as did the flashing lights from the Gallowgate and the deer in the Necropolis at 6am in the morning.
As the season progressed it looked like we were on for a League and League cup double. The League cup final was my aim to take my Bhoy-his first Celtic cup final-but it was not to be. However his uncle (Lymmbhoy) and my cousin Tony ensured the wee mhan had a day to remember. He visited the ward that night bedecked in a scarf and flag and oh how the tears flowed.
Mr Surgeon worked wonders with me and after several procedures a transplant looked less likely and I was taken off the list. The final procedure was a cardiac ablation and I was informed this would be exceptionally painful’ and you would be awake. My new aim was to witness Celtic winning the league and to celebrate with my family. In Surgery the big fella informed me that I could not be knocked out due to the volatile nature of my viral dilated heart but they would provide pain relief and music provided by the Surgeon. I tried to laugh. He told me the pain would come in waves lasting 45s of intense pain and 15s of relief over a period of 35-40mns. I asked about the music…
I was sedated.
It was agony.
The first song, ‘You’re in my heart, you’re in my soul’
I smiled. Bring it on…
5/4/2006
I made it to the Championship winning game and my defib didn’t activate. I’ll never take Celtic or family or life for granted again.
Well done the Surgeon for his skill and his music…although I have a couple of musical suggestions!
YNWA
Tomorrow we will see a proper Celtic team going to tynecastle with 2 strikers as it should always have been. Brendan will get a real taste of what to expect going away from home. Physical football and dodgy refereeing. I have the feeling its going to be the start of a great adventure.
G64
I very much doubt he will go with 2 strikers, he will play a 433 imo.
HH
Anyone know if i will be able to catch Celtic games in Playa del Carmen,
would U.S tv be broadcast there
GORDON64 on 6TH AUGUST 2016 9:09 PM
Weather update. It’s horrible in G72.
No weather report required big guy…..:0
..
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 6TH AUGUST 2016 7:46 PM
I watched Accies have at least 5 players booked today for fouls and also watched Barton loose 2 tackles which left the Accies players injured, Sky didn’t replay those tackles..
..
A Aussie bookie gave me 5/1 Barton to get sent off against Celtic in Season 2016/17.. Ha
I thought Shirley they Must mean 5/1 on..
【ツ】
Summa of SentOff4SevcoCSC
Tet it should be written into our constitution if we had one that for all domestic games Celtic will play with a minimum of 2 strikers. HH
Jmccormick
We had a magic 7 days in the ole Santa Pee, after about 5 days I yearn to be home, my good lady can’t fathom me out, am a bit of a homebird, don’t like the sun, canny swim, don’t like the beach but had a magic break….walking home around midnight from the local swing park was the highlight, wee yin on the swings in the dark (still roasting but a nice warmth) ate out every night but not adventurous as your good self :-)
10€ a litre of Smirnoff = good holiday
Philbhoy if reading in the morning all good here stuff that coming home from holiday and straight into that work stuff :-)
BT
I’m on Amatrampoline, Tapentadol………… And Stella :)
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.CSC
G64
I actually don’t like the 2 striker thing, it’s very limiting imo, better with the 433 or the 4231, much more attacking options.
HH
To those who complained that Sevco had been given an easy start to their first ever SPL campaign… you were wrong.
After today’s curtain raiser against Donati’s dynamos, they next have to play away to the current SPL leaders, then they host the current third placed team.
That’s actually quite a tough opening sequence.
BT
Dropping all those pills then trying to distinguish higher & lower blanter ?
InvertedSnobberyCSC
Posted from Upper / Lower Coatbrig :-)
TET- hope the good lady is well, i think we can agree ,1 up front at CP is brutal I bet a couple of pals Dembele will score 25,add LG ,Paddy and Sinclair, we will be 100 goals plus this season,and i am a pessimist ….
GFTB
No need to apologise for not being adventurous, I’m just a big tart when it comes to food. I equally love a pudding supper as much as a tapas feast. Problem is, I canny cook a puddin supper as good as the chippy. That Atlantic CHippy in Whifflet does a nice fritter by the way.
Weather forecast for Embra tomorrow afternoon.
Temp 18c
Overcast
6% chance of precipitation
64% humidity
Breezy
Seems to be a stadium easily affected by wind.
Keepitonthedeck.CSC
ART OF WAR
I will be back in Glasgow on Monday 15th August for two weeks, so unfortunately will miss the service on Wednesday.
Please pass on my condolences to Mari and his sons.
I will be calling Eamon tomorrow as I am told he is making some arrangements.
Could you please get my email address from Paul and we can take this offline?
Tet historically we have never been a 433 team. Our most famous formation was 424. Big Jock believed in 442 which will do for me. HH