Celtic were not the only seeds to get a bloody nose in this week’s Champions League play-off round first leg games. Lyon and Real Sociedad looked well matched before the game but Lyon’s 0-2 home defeat suggests the seeds were outclassed.
Austria Vienna were the team I wanted this round but despite indifferent domestic form they upset the odds and beat Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 in Croatia. Perhaps the biggest surprise was Schalke’s 1-1 home draw with Poak Salonika.
Our defeat was, apparently, an historic sporting occasion for a country who are only a decade or so into their relationship with the game. Kazak prime minister, Serik Akhmetov, went into the home dressing room after the game on Tuesday to congratulate Shakhter and bask in the fruits of his sports development policies, but I hear there is trepidation ahead of their trip to Glasgow.
Top Russian TV analyst, Vasily Utkin, predicted, “Celtic will solve all the problems before second game, they will learn what mistakes they did in Astana and they will show their real power. If this happens I’m pretty sure Celtic will go through.
“In the previous round Shakhter beat Albanian champions Skenderbeu 3-0 but in Albania they were down 3-0. They are the team whose emotions are very important. If Celtic start the game well at Celtic Park, with all their songs from the stands and support given by their fans, the players from Karaganda may start the game on their knees.
“Their only chance will be on the counter attack. Whether this will be productive is the question for Celtic. A goal for Shakhter would complicate Celtic’s situation.
“I see Celtic reaching the Champions League group games. They are Champions League quality. Whatever Shakhter will do they are not Champions League quality, at least not yet.”
“This… is a question for Celtic” is the key phrase. Champions League qualification is in our own hands. Beat Shakhter Karagandy by more than 2-0 at home is as good an offer as anyone will get to qualify for the Champions League.
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BRTH you mention the Celtic Traingle have you heard when they are starting this? Just thought they were looking to get the concourse completed for the games!
Triangle even!
Brogan Rogan Trevino you say:
However, even if it was, the best way to gather liquid cash is through Champions League participation so why not bring in the personnel who guarantee that?
Your argument is flawed, no new signing will GAURANTEE the team will win any game.
Remember Clyde V Celtic a few years back? Roy Keane etc humbled by Clyde in the cup, we could have lost 5 that day.
THM
If I have a problem with what a poster says, I address them by their moniker, simple really.
You just canny help it can you.
Fine if it makes you feel superior, carry on.
HH
OTH is supposed to = On The Other Hand …
Glad that’s cleared up then,, fedupreadingsevcotypeposts csc
Paul,
I read stories about the SK manager (I think it was) saying he would run down the street naked if his team beat Celtic.
Also that they were trembling in their boots at the proposition of facing Celtic.
One commentator told us that there would be less than 1500 Kazaks in the stands for the game such was the apathy/low expectation blah de blah.
Another told us that their only tactic was a stoke city style throw in.
Oh and that SK were a limited team who were full of 6’3” + players and hit well on the break.
Well, after sitting back and letting us have the ball for 10 minutes, lulling us into a state of confusion, – such was their lack of motivation to get into our faces like every other supposedly inferior group that we come up against – we were right royally caught.
Now Paul, it does look like you could be falling into the trap of, well its Celtic Park and this is a diddy team who will crumble in fear when they here YNWA. Personally I dont think so. I think they will sit tight and let us come at them again. I just cannot see us being able to break them down enough to get the goals we require. Sorry to say but I feel very pessimistic about this one. I do hope im wrong.
I think that you might be better creating a narrative of ‘Celtic fearing an exit’. ‘We wont be able to break Shaktar’ etc. If the message gets through to SK that we think we have blown it then job done. We turn up on the night and blow them out of the water.
HH
Agreed Paul.
If we were offered that (beating SK by more than 2-0 at home) as a one off chance at CL qualification, most of us would be delighted.
However, we would not have witnessed our struggles v Elfsborg and in Kazhakstan to temper our optimism.
Dexter and Cultsbhoy
Totally agree. Its not going to be any comfort next Thursday morning to supporters that we didn’t “waste” millions on players for CL if we don’t qualify.
Next Wed is a make or break game, and I am feeling nervous
HH
Brth:
Which personnel guarantee navigation of 3 rounds of cl qualifiers?
There is always a risk attached. Sure you can mitigate that risk. Simple fact is that the players we have are good enough to beat the teams we have played.
the long wait is over
12:40 on
22 August, 2013
Dexter and Cultsbhoy.
I agree – I am surprised P67 hasn’t been more critical.
OTH perhaps he’s not holding back for any reason other than it is only half time and the first leg result is irrelevant in many respects as long as we get through.
I think Paul already stated he will wait until the tie is over before dissecting in detail.
Benjy
You are correct– so i will revisit my words.
The personnel who would give you the best possible chance…… of reaching that goal.
How does that suit?
Really must do some bleeding work!
I will say it everyday until Wednesday. We will pump this mob!
I saw nothing in their team bar a long throw in which we couldn’t deal with.
Celtic have to score more than 3 to make the CL and they will.
Don’t panic!
LB
FF to set up “war cabinet”:
“Forming a Supporters War Cabinet/Committee
Another day,yet more attacks on the club,its incessant and never ending
High level documents & communications leaked all over the internet
More crap from the ASA
Betting allegations arising after a period of seven years coinciding with the accused wearing a Rangers jersey
This is one day in the life of our club.
I ain’t going to go over old ground but we were hung drawn & quartered by HMRC & the footballing authorities,presumed & pronounced guilty by all & sundry.Its beyond obsession or addiction now
Leaks from HMRC,leaked emails & contracts from the footballing authorities. What’s happened to the supposed police investigations?? SFA indeed
Any news on the arson attackers on our team bus?? No thought not!
We are at a distinct disadvantage as we do not promote or accept brain washing of our kids. We just don’t produce the worker ants that the [RC’s] do from age 5,nor would I want us to.
Its a cyber war,a PR war,a day to day battle for the future of our club and our way of life. We ignore it at our peril
As a starting point I would like to see a fans cabinet formed containing the best minds [problems begin to emerge] we have from IT,legal,financial,PR & club historians as well as any other areas where we have useful & important expertise [mindless violence and vandalism?]. Lets be honest the authorities are NOT going to do us any favours,we need to do it ourselves
In effect form a war committee to deal with the cr*p continiously thrown our way.
78 bheasts complain to the ASA,it shouldn’t be beyond our wit to identify them & get their names out via social media
Want to grass up a Rangers player after 7 years?? How do you fancy your name all over social media??”
——
“If we dont unite and organise now we are going to end up too far down their cess pit of an abyss to climb out”
——
“A determined and intelligent group of fans [back to the drawing board] – with modest financial backing – could do a lot of good work on the club’s behalf. The RFFF would provide the modest funding required on an annual basis under the heading ‘special projects’.”
——
“I would go further,the mhedia’s match day experience should be made as difficult as possible. Cold pies & salty bovril should be the ‘least’ of their problems”
——
“we’ve barely lifted a metaphorical glove in response.”
——
“We can’t keep on shooting the messenger when we are continually shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Tet.
Well apart from the examples I just posted.
I really don’t think Im superior but then again I don’t present myself as the voice of the righteous, telling people how to behave. Can you say the same?
PL is a mineshafter.
He always assumes that any big budget signing would get injured before the important game where we could reap our financial reward.
Really hoping the boa-rigter constrictor and Rogic are on the team.
Watched Rogic against Brentford. He was a class act.
I love WGS’s team suggestion. Id hesitate leaving Sammy out. He knows he needs to up his game in this one. Give him 50 mins or so. If he is not at the races then Balde to reap havoc.
TT. Indeed 3 and a half. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have twins like you have
I don’t get a moments piece but like you we both know its magic
Monaghan1900
12:49 on 22 August, 2013
FF to set up “war cabinet”:
_____________________________________
With fans this thick it is no wonder their team are down the tubes! Love it!
Fair cheers you up! Mon the Hoops!
“However, even if it was, the best way to gather liquid cash is through Champions League participation so why not bring in the personnel who guarantee that?”
To be fair, If the current squad do not take care of business in this tie, I think it’s nothing short of a disgrace. These guys are paid the opposition wages 10 times over and couldn’t even match them for effort.
Lennon got everything wrong for one of the biggest games of our season. Is that the first time we could say that?
I am as disappointed as anybody that we seemed to let go of Kelvin Wilson without a fight, but at the same time Lennon still didn’t have to choose a completely new pairing at CB.
The board have tried to get a striker, but if anything, they should be blamed for wasting time on unlikely targets. Schalke refuse to sell Pukki, Rudnev wasn’t interested and neither was Arnoutovoic.
I don’t think the club are planning to “stick with what we have” this season as many complained. I just think they have went for the wrong targets.
Ghuys
Our host has given us a great place here to spout whatever gibberish we want to.
Why are you waiting on the Leader post to spark your discussion.
It is only another fans view . It is not the Word of the Prophet (sorry Paul). And it is most certainly not The Celtic View.
Dont think Sydney Tim or Kev J would go down too well there nor the various other so called mineshafters.
The sheep are in Aberdeen.
You can get away with anything here.
Be thankful for it
Apologies if already posted but lovely obituary by Celtic minded Bernie Slaven below:
As a kid, I was brought up in Castlemilk – a huge council estate about 10 minutes drive from the city of Glasgow.
As an only child I lived with my mother and father in one of the many high-rise tenement buildings.
It was in Castlemilk that I took my first steps on the way to a professional football career.
I remember my Da trying to encourage me to play football, probably when I was as young as four or five, kicking the ball up and down the hallway in the tenement.
From then on football was all I was interested in. My Da tried to encourage me to stick in at my homework. There is no doubting that school was important, but deep down he wanted me to play football, almost as much as I did.
But neither of us were alone, half the boys in Glasgow dreamed of one day becoming a professional footballer.
As part of my football education, he took me on a regular basis to Celtic Park to watch players like Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Lennox, Billy McNeil, Kenny Dalglish and his boyhood hero Bobby Murdoch. Those were terrific days and memories.
One of my greatest memories watching Celtic was when my Da took me to see The Hoops take on the great Leeds United in the European Cup semi final, second leg at Hampden Park.
More than 140,000 people witnessed the game that night – and I was one of them.
Not only was I excited by the occasion, but I was on a promise: my Da had told me that if Celtic beat Leeds he would take me to Milan for the final against Feyenoord at the San Siro.
Unfortunately, Celtic lost 2-1 – but what an experience for an eleven-year-old.
Like most da’s, he was my biggest critic, in fact I nicknamed him Jock Stein, after Celtic’s great manager.
Every week he would tell me what I was doing right and more likely what I was doing wrong. At times I was thinking that I couldn’t do anything right, and would hit back at him: “You think you’re Jock Stein.”
To be fair he had a look of big Jock, with his cubby features and dark wavy hair, but that’s where the similarities ended.
The biggest lesson he taught me was to use the inside of my foot. If you throw a ball at most youngsters, they will automatically hit the ball with the top of their foot, as using the inside is uncomfortable.
As the years progressed and the goals were flying in, the majority were from the inside of my foot. I used to caress and stroke the ball as opposed to blasting it, and that technique was down to my old man.
I arrived in England the in 1984/85 season. I had gone from part time football to full time, trebled my wages and signed a three year contract – but within two weeks I was on the phone to my Da saying that I wasn’t enjoying it, I was home sick and that I was returning home.
His reply as he bawled down the phone was: “You won’t be getting back in here. Give yourself time to settle and be a man for once in your life.”
Then he banged the phone down.
Needless to say I didn’t return to Glasgow. But without my Da’s persuasion, influence and guidance I would have packed my bags and headed back north, and no doubt would have been signing on the dole.
My 380-odd appearances and 147 goals for Middlesbrough would have only been a dream.
Away from the football my Da was the perfect role model. He didn’t drink, smoke, gamble or abuse people and thankfully I have inherited those traits.
Sadly, on Sunday 18th August 2013, Hugh Slaven passed away, peacefully in his sleep after a two year battle with illness, aged 79.
He was everything to me, he was blessed with charm and charisma, he was charitable, kind and caring.
He was my best friend, my idol, hero, advisor, psychologist, coach, manager, but most of all he was my Da.
Rest in peace.
NatKnow – Supporting Wee Oscar
I’m aware P67 intends to give his views on the result after the tie is complete…
I’m interested on his view on the spending strategy so far and the impact of taking us to the point of a MAJOR GAMBLE in the last game. Regardless of the outcome of the match my view is that it is a stupid gamble.
If we don’t get through – PL has effectively wiped the profit on Vic and Hoops by not speculating a few £m….my view is that instead of another hit and hope punt of £2m for Balde etc, we could have bought closer to home. Griffiths and McGinn both scored more than Hopper in SPL last year and would have cost a combined sub £2m.
I don’t need to wait till Thursday to form a view on what has happened so far..neither I suspect does P67…
I think if you had said to Neil Lennon the Celtic team and us the supporters all you have to do to qualify for the Champions league is over come a 2 goal deficit to Shaktar at Parkhead we would have bit your hand off for that situation.Well we now have that situation so everyone Neil Lennon the team and us the supporters should get our heads up we can do it this tie isnt over Shaktar havnt qualified for the Champions League they have to face the Glasgow Celtic and we want to progress.H.H.
benjybhoy mul
12:42 on 22 August, 2013
Still remember Roy Keane gong down to ibrox and showing Barry Ferguson what a midfielder really was. Class player.
Monaghan1900
Hahaha, Monty Pythonesque.
War ships on the Clyde next?
All these comparisons of Shakhter’s European coefficient or ranking with that of St Johnstone, HB Torshavn, or whoever, are largely pointless due to the complicated way in which UEFA’s coefficient system works.
Wigan Athletic have a coefficient of 16.006 without having yet played a single European match in the period over which that coefficient is calculated. This is made up of the English national coefficient (accrued by teams other than Wigan) and 2 points for having automatic entry (by virtue of England’s position in the UEFA rankings) to the EL group stage… having lost the FA Cup Final. So without winning anything domestically or having played even one UEFA competition match, their coefficient is already half that of a team that has won it’s last two domestic league championships and which last season reached the last 16 of the Champions League.
Shakhter Karagandy are champions of their national league, and their relative obscurity in terms of European reputation is more down to the fact that football has only recently become a serious sport in their country.
We’ll still knock them out next week.
LiviBhoy – God bless wee Oscar
12:48 on
22 August, 2013
I will say it everyday until Wednesday. We will pump this mob!
I saw nothing in their team bar a long throw in which we couldn’t deal with.
Celtic have to score more than 3 to make the CL and they will.
Don’t panic!
————————
Spot on LB!
Derk (if fit) will cause some damage! …….with his left boot.
DLB
An enquiring mind on FF:
“Why would anybody want to raise their head above the pulpit ever again?”
The stench of the undead is strong tonight. You’re deid. Get used to it <:-))
We can qualify, no doubt. The worry remains when we come up against teams where ther onus is on us to play football in an attacking sense.
We fall short because we have little if any creativity.
Árd Macha
monaghan1900
12:49 on 22 August, 2013FF to set up “war cabinet”:
That my old bhoy is a rocket
TMOBIAR
HH
Paul67
Reading the comments and I fully agree with Utkin. He knows what he is talking about.
Better be the Winnie the Pooh type Celtic supporter than Eeyore.
“Eeyore, the old grey Donkey, stood by the side of the stream, and looked at himself in the water.
“Pathetic,” he said. “That’s what it is. Pathetic.”
He turned and walked slowly down the stream for twenty yards, splashed across it, and walked slowly back on the other side. Then he looked at himself in the water again.
“As I thought,” he said. “No better from this side. But nobody minds. Nobody cares. Pathetic, that’s what it is.”
When’s the draw…….??
Will take Real or Inter
Porto or Benfica
AN Other.. Not too fussed
Surely you mean parapet?
larsson80
12:58 on 22 August, 2013Apologies if already posted but lovely obituary by Celtic minded Bernie Slaven below:
RIP Mr Slaven
HH
I read yesterday that CQN had over 138000 unique hits last month.
That is an impressive number for one fan blog. It is also an easily accessible way for the business, CFC, to gauge the mood of its customer base, or should that be life-blood.
PL and his board have gambled big time, again. Even the most pro PLC fans would admit that.
We stand on the brink of a disaster, the support that is, not the board and major shareholders. Their loss will be offset by player sales. Our loss will be CL nights, the only thing left to get our club passion stirring. To lose a qualifier of such importance to say Schalke is acceptable, but not to a team ranked 362 in Europe.
I hear some right now, including my friend TD67, say I’m coming across as negative or even a hun. I’m stating my case now, while praying I had no need to write this at all. But today we stand at 50-50 in this tie, and thats not good enough.
Lawwell, Desmond and the other decision makers will be ill-advised ignore the views of this customer database, and stand accused of not having their finger on the pulse of its most important asset, the support.
HH
To be quite honest, this is Paul’s blog where he articulates his thoughts and opinions. I’m just very happy that we have a place where we can go to (CQN) and articulate our own thoughts and opinions.
I’m very grateful to Paul 67 for that. I also enjoy reading the wide variety of opinions held by posters on here which provoke thought, entertain, amuse and annoy in turn.