Historic Kazak win, view from Russia

1082

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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  1. Mike in Toronto supports Oscar Knox on

    tommybhoy

     

     

    reading about your dog.

     

     

    I’ll tell you my story, for whatever it is worth. I hope it helps you a bit.

     

     

    I grew up with a dog… my best pal. As he got older, his back legs went, and other stuff…. he had days where we were sure this was it, and a few times my dad even book ‘that appointment’ with the vet … but each time, he seemed to get recover…

     

     

    the last time, he was having a hard time standing up…. he was lying in the back room (he liked to lie there and feel the sun’s rays coming through the glass doors). We decided that if he didn’t improve that day, dad would take him up to the vet.

     

     

    I spent a few hours lying with him …. but got up to do a few things…. when I came back, he had gone…. it broke my heart … he was a great dog … the best pal a guy could have….

     

     

    and, to this day, it still breaks my heart to think that he passed on by all alone… (I’ll admit that my eyes are tearing up thinking about it, even now) ….he deserved the last thing he saw and felt was the face and hand of the people who loved hiim and who he loved…

     

     

    it is tough, I know, but you are doing the right thing…. trust me, its hard now, but in the long run, I think you will be glad that the last thing he felt was a loving hand.

     

     

    Hail hail

  2. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Raman Bhardwaj‏@STVRaman33m

     

    @NickPLittlewood No, other way around – it’s up to people to provide evidence to SFA..

     

     

    That usually works well, doesn’t it? #Whitewash

  3. McDowellcelt god bless wee oscar on

    Celtic are 1/25 to qualify next week. Shaktar are 9/1… Does coral bookmakers know something we don’t know!!lol

  4. TootingTim supports Wee Oscar on

    Can’t stop thinking Celtic may need 5 goals next wednesday.

     

     

    Can we play it on Pro Evo Sahcuh?

     

     

    HH!

  5. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    Sevco FC in rule break shocker!!!

     

    Hope Black is not banned or sacked. He is costing them crazy money in wages.

     

    Another shameful episode in the new clubs history!

     

     

    LB

  6. I have an unpleasant recollection of McCoist appearing in a television advertisement for a betting company. He was pretending to work for a living and sharing a breakfast of various baked goods with various other ex-footballers who were pretending to work for a living.

     

     

    I can’t remember the firm involved, but I would have thought being in the pay of the betting industry would colour his view.

     

     

    Or maybe his contacts there are the source of his assertion that players betting against their own team is rife.

  7. Not been on since the aftermath of Tuesday, nothing has changed.

     

    SACK the board or (bored) depending on your thoughts.

     

    PL bonus is his only thought, not the benefit of Celtic if we sign a striker.

     

    Sack Lennon for his tactics.

     

     

    Come on “Get a Life”

     

     

    We are 2 zero down in an away leg and still to play at home with real grass and (I hope) a vociferous support. Green Brigade we need your help around the stadium.

     

     

    Lennon’s tactics last year got us through the the last 16 in Europe. Maybe he had a better squad available but it was how HE deployed them got a result at Parhead and not too far from a great result over in Barcelona.

     

     

    So Big Mike and Dexter (previous blog) don’t think we can get a striker for 1.5 to 2 million? how much did we pay for Hooper. Celtic MADE him a 5 million pound striker. IMHO I think he will get nowhere near the goals he got for us fighting relegation with Norwich.

     

    PL & NFL have a difficult job convincing players to come to Scotland and obviously they are still trying to bring someone to Celtic Park. Everyone is going on about a striker but NFL said they were looking a another 2 players as well.

     

     

    The transfer window is still open until 2Nd September so if the doubters can tell Celtic how we convince big money strikers (Big money like Andy Carrol !!!!! for instance) to come to Glasgow I am sure it would be appreciated by the Suits and Coaching staff.

     

     

    As Brendan O’Carrol (Mrs Brown) says ” You do not become a Celtic supporter, You are Born One” quotes a man born in Govan (not Ibrox).

     

     

    Lets never forget WE ARE CELTIC through thick and thin.

     

    God bless Wee Oscar and all the Celtic Family

     

    HH

  8. Desert Bhoy

     

     

    Hiya,Pally?

     

     

    Pleased tae meet Ya!

     

     

    Ach…

     

     

    You are thinking aboot a LINNET..

     

     

     

    An am Talkin’ aboot a LINTY!

     

     

    Hiv ye nevah hoid of a Linty?

     

     

    Well.. that is No Mystery..

     

     

    Fur..

     

     

    Naebuddy else Hiz every Hoid of Wan..

     

     

    Because..

     

     

    Nabuddy Hiz evah . Seen Wan!

     

     

    This is oan account of

     

     

    A Linty is So Fast …

     

     

    The only evidence of Them..

     

     

    Is

     

     

    Whenevah ye see a Cloud of Dust.. in the Distance.

     

     

    Ma Pappy Told me aboot them..

     

     

    Ah hiv often seen Cloud of Dust ,in the Distance..

     

     

    So the Next time , you see a Cloud of Dust ..in the Distance.

     

     

    Ye kin Say..

     

     

    Well.. There Goes Anither Linty!

     

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still Laughin’

  9. lilys grandpa-Me and Lily backing Oscar on

    A stor Mo Chroi

     

     

    ITS for YOU!!! haha

     

     

    Take care my friends! and dont forget Laughter is the Best medicine!

     

     

    lilys

  10. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    McDowellcelt god bless wee oscar

     

     

    They know that team are total mince!

     

     

    I have been saying it since the game finished on Tuesday. All the people who think we have no chance on here will be able to fill their boots before Wednesday. 9/1 is a great price for all the punters who think we won’t go through.

     

     

    LB

  11. The Honest Mistake loves being first on

    Tet.

     

    “That is not me saying that I am the best supporter, far from it, but I and others are entitled to hold and voice our opinions without all the sly digs, all the put downs cos we see things a different way.”

  12. Raman Bhardwaj‏@STVRaman55m

     

    Ally McCoist reckons footballers betting on games is rife:”I have a list of over 100 players & officials who have a bet on their own team”

     

    __

     

     

    Are all 100 of these players and officials at second rangers? I think we shoudl be told.

  13. The Spirit Of Arthur Lee on

    The Big Man™‏@BootYurBaws10m

     

    2 weeks ago Ally McCoist said folk fae the West of Scotland don’t scare easy, somebody tell him they don’t like grasses either.

  14. The Honest Mistake loves being first on

    Brilliant lg:)))

     

    Father to son:

     

    Who’s that nosey bassa who keeps on writing down what we say?

     

     

    Son to father: dunno but he’s been here two days in a row.

  15. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    McDowellcelt god bless wee oscar 15:06

     

     

    Maybe they don’t know the first leg has been played :-)

  16. Blindlemonchitlin on

    He loves his lists does the rotund one.

     

     

    I’ve never liked or trusted people who refer publically to a ‘list’ .

     

     

    There’s something very National Socialist about someone who’ll tell you your name’s on their list.

     

     

    Norman Tebbit did it with the BEEB, claiming he had a dossier of pinkoe liberals who hated Maggie and her Klan.

     

     

    Eugene McArthy ( an affront to Irishmen and Catholics) had his infamous list.

     

     

    It’s now a matter of public record thatSir Robert McCalpine and other indistry bigwigs operated a construction industry blacklist for years, doing decent working men and women out of a job.

     

     

    Fatso is in good company with that little lot.

  17. Its quite clear McCoist and his new club are having great difficulty with the rules of Scottish football, Mr Bryson from the SFA should be giving all officials and players of the new club remedial classes in the rules governing the game

  18. HJ

     

     

    Lovely story about your Dad!

     

     

    Said a wee prayer for him…..and you and yours.

     

     

    God bless.

  19. Blindlemonchitlin

     

    15:17 on

     

    22 August, 2013

     

     

    There’s something very National Socialist about someone who’ll tell you your name’s on their list.

     

    __

     

     

    Next week the burning of Books .. I mean

     

     

    Next week the burning of bookies lines.

     

     

    HH

  20. Malone Bhoy

     

    at 15.02

     

     

     

    Ah wull go fur Speed . every Time.

     

     

    And..

     

     

    This Youngster

     

     

    Innocent Emeghara.. Aye.. Innocent!…

     

     

    Is a Very Fast Runner.. Ah mean..

     

     

     

    EXCEPTIONALLY , Fast.

     

     

    Fast,as yer Dough wull go ..In a Crooked Poker Game!

     

     

    He is Small..in Stature.

     

     

    but Big in Heart!

     

     

    Another Plus!

     

     

    Awe the Great ..and Ah mean.. Great.. Celts wur No BIG GUYS

     

     

    Big Target Men.. Ah despise.. exept, the Exceptional Wans, of Course!

     

     

    Young Innocent is only Five Feet Seven.

     

     

    A Magical Number..

     

     

    Yep..

     

     

    Ah Hope Neil Gets this Guy.. we Need someone who kin

     

    run

     

     

    Like A Linty.. anyway!

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still.. Laughin’

  21. McDowellcelt god bless wee oscar on

    I would never back against Celtic.. But the thought is crossing my mind to have a punt at that price for that other crowd.. It’s a no lose gamble! Celtic fail to qualify my trip over on wed and beer tokens is free.. Celtic turn them over even better again we have a champions league party to look forward to! :)..

  22. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    McDowellcelt god bless wee oscar

     

     

    Those odds do seem crazy. Ian Black working for Corals these days?

     

     

    LB

  23. “I think you will find that it was Chelsea fans who were betting against Rangers and posing as Iain Black” – Supper Ally

  24. Huns have stopped recongratulating their tatty garments to discuss their plum fish and chip cup draw and some of them fear a loss. Ahaa a ha aha. I regularly browse since it always cheers me up no end.

  25. Morrissey the 23rd on

    gerry_bhoy @ 11:11 and pflan76 @14:42

     

     

    There is no news yet regarding the GB being in section 111 for the next game. If there is none by later today, they wont be there. Lets hope that doesn’t happen.

     

     

    Lawrenzo @ 11:20

     

    Thanks you! You’ll find all the information you need here:

     

    http://thecelticnetwork.com/2013/07/29/resolution-for-agm/

     

     

    The Token Tim in support and praying for Wee Oscar @ 12:25

     

    I think we will go through. We are doing it the Celtic way.

     

    Although it is wrong we are having to do it without a striker.

     

     

    TheOriginalSadiesBhoy @ 13:07

     

    Hear!Hear!

     

     

    Thanks Paul67!

     

     

    Estadio @ 14:06

     

    I don’t know you but you’ve made me tear and put things into perspective for us all.

     

    Best wishes.

     

     

    *************************************************************************************************

     

     

    I asked the reporter to thank CQN’ers who have been outstanding in their donations to my Sky dive. For whatever reason, this was omitted from the article. Quotes and figures are inaccurate but it is still great free publicity for the cause.

     

     

    Today I received I very big donation from Margaret McGill. Maggie also gave me money to have the jump filmed, which will cost £90. So, I will be able to post a link in here for all to see… my pain.

     

     

    https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/morrissey23rdskydiveforstiliyan

     

    https://twitter.com/Morrissey23rd/status/370276798082199553/photo/1

     

     

    MaggieMcGillCSC

  26. McDowellcelt god bless wee oscar on

    Livibhoy

     

    Must be an error but that’s the odds there giving at the minute! Mite take a punt now b4 they change their mind! Lol