The last two teams out of the pots for today’s Europa League draw left to former European Champions. Celtic will face Inter Milan, who they have met twice before in European competition. The teams faced in the European Cup Final in 1967, when Celtic won the tournament, and again in the European Cup Semi-final in 1972, when Inter progressed on penalties after two 0-0 draws.
It’s not the draw I would have handpicked but it’s a great draw from many perspectives. Inter will bring genuinely tier-one talent to Celtic Park, and provide Ronny Deila and the squad with an invaluable chance to test their progress.
The games will take place a few weeks before the 50th anniversary of Jock Stein becoming Celtic manager and set his team on the road to dismantling La Grande Inter. History is made of great stories and no sporting event in history has been so infused by story telling than the first meeting between these clubs.
If all these stories teach us anything it’s to fear no one. Bring it on.
Among many great features, we have an interview with Dixie Deans in the 2015 CQN Annual, see above, who among many things, discusses “that penalty”. Still time to order yours for Christmas.
You can also order the CQN Annual and DVD bundle here. It’s a great offer, check it out – oh, and there’s tons of photos, fresh stories and comment on the first time Inter faced the green and white hoops.
The latest edition of the Magazine is out today, click on the download link on the graphic below to read for free.
[calameo code=0003901718eccc6101c78 lang=en page=1 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
819 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- »
Lhads……what the feck youse doin up at this time…..stayed wae Kitalba and Kin last night.
We sat on the porch of his ponderosa (Think South Fork wae a better script) and skulled a bottle of Balvennie and many (not sure about that number) of peroni and any other lagers that come to mind.
Today is recovery mode for Singapore the morra so sticking to the the unrivalled fruit content and .the restorative qualities of “Summer Bright lager with natural lime” which is a truly wondrous gift to the world. I think it’s the lime that does it!!
Hail hail
Estadio
AIPPLE
Used cars? Have to go some to beat these guys.
(Warning-parental advisory!)
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ejbC9G_Tpmo
ESTADIO
Aye,sounds like yer enjoying it. No surprise!
Estadio
04:06 on
16 December, 2014
“Summer Bright lager with natural lime”
Tried a new one tonight, not too impressed. Dream Machine IPL. Had highish hopes.
bmcuw
Did full screen and cranked it up. Sent to my work for yank mates tomorrow with advisory attached.
Takes some beating.
Aipple
Ffs it’s 5.7% ABV
Mind you I wouldn’t trust a brewery called Magic Hat :)
The glass is perfect for a hair of the dug…. :)
http://www.nj.com/drinks/index.ssf/2014/02/beer_of_the_week_magic_hat_dre.html
Hail hail
Estadio
Some reflections on the Celtic AGM
Published on Tuesday 16th December, 2014 by Celtic Trust
Better late than never!
A few personal reflections on the recent Celtic AGM.
The Celtic AGM which took place on Friday 14th November was the usual stage managed affair to which we have been treated over many years now. Once again noticeable by his absence was the absentee landlord, Dermot Desmond and this despite being paid £25000 per year for his ‘services’. Also absent was the gentleman known as Lord Livingston of Parkhead but as he is only paid a measly £13,500 he can perhaps be forgiven for not turning up. The warmest welcome was rightly reserved for the new manager Ronny Deila who probably wondered if he was in a parallel universe.
It was quickly evident from the well-rehearsed, pre-recorded interview with the Chairman Ian Bankier, that at least some of the concerns of the Celtic support regarding the refusal by the Club to pay the Living Wage to employees had reached the ears of Board members as he announced that the Club would ‘consult’ with full time employees on this issue with a view to increasing their hourly rate to £7.85 the current Living Wage rate. This caused some reaction as at last year’s AGM the same Mr Bankier had assured shareholders that only part time employees of the Club were paid at a rate below that of the Living Wage. Also it illustrated how out of touch he is in that he thought that those on less than the Living Wage needed to be ‘consulted’ on whether or not they would like a pay rise!
We then waded through the re-election of various non-executive directors, remuneration of the auditors and other similarly riveting standard resolutions before arriving at the two resolutions proposed from the floor by small shareholders, both of which this year had been sponsored by the Celtic Trust.
The first concerned the Supporter Liaison Officer whom Celtic had appointed recently in accordance with UEFA regulations. Just 36 hours before the AGM was due to commence the Chairperson of the Trust was contacted by the company secretary of Celtic Plc suggesting that as much of what was contained in the resolution was already agreed that the resolution not be put to the vote. Around 150 shareholders signed the form in support of the resolution, and as they may be wondering why it was not pursued the following is an extract from the email setting out the basis of the agreement which was eventually reached.
“As we discussed, the Board agrees that effective communication and engagement with all supporters is crucial. The Board welcomes the proposals from the Celtic Trust and has confirmed that a review of the role of the Supporter Liaison Officer and the Supporters’ Forum has been put in hand.
Since the role of Supporter Liaison Officer and the Supporters’ Forum were introduced, we have (in many cases thanks to suggestions from supporters):
· Generated a Supporter Charter;
· Generated a complaint handling procedure;
· Had greater levels of fan engagement through social media;
· Hosted two Fan Forums attended by a cross section of supporters; and
· Provided a presence at European away matches to assist fans attending those matches.
During our review, we will:
· Maintain the Fan Forums and consult on improving that format;
· Consult on further developments of the role of the Supporter Liaison Officer; and
· Create focus groups to work on key issues identified by our supporters and associations.
· Consult with a wide range of supporters, supporter organisations, partners, colleagues and shareholders. Nobody will be ignored.
The conclusions of the review, and the views expressed in the course of these discussions, will be carefully considered.
Given the substantial legal and regulatory issues and responsibilities involved, for good governance reasons, decisions on how to act upon the review must rest ultimately with the Board rather than with an informal working-group as suggested in the resolution.
For that reason, if the resolution were to be put to a vote, the Board would recommend that shareholders vote against it.
Given, however, that there appears to be common ground on the underlying purpose – review of the SLO role and the Supporters’ Forum to develop them for the better – we would suggest that, rather than the resolution be put to the vote, the Chairman propose to adjourn the resolution indefinitely, whilst committing to continue and implement the review process. In the future, if need be, questions could be asked about the review at an AGM (or other meeting), or a further resolution could be requisitioned.
If this suggestion was acceptable, the Chairman would give a brief introduction (touching on some of the bullet points mentioned above) and propose that a show of hands be taken to adjourn the resolution. He would ask a representative of the Celtic Trust to respond and to indicate that the Trust agreed to the resolution being adjourned so that the review process could be continued and implemented.”
Following the receipt of the above and some further assurances as to time scale the members of the Celtic Board decided, in spite of the last minute approach which precluded further consultation with those who had signed the resolution, that the best way forward for both supporters and Club was to cooperate in this review and so the resolution was not put to the Meeting. However it was made clear that if there was any slippage in the process we would raise it again in the future.
The Resolution requiring Celtic to become a Living Wage employer was proposed by Jeanette Findlay a former Chairperson of the Trust. While welcoming the announcement by the Chairman re consulting staff she pointed out that this fell far short of Celtic becoming a Living Wage employer. She then went on in her usual cogent and comprehensive way to illustrate how the claims by the Celtic Board that they would lose control of their cost base were completely without foundation and quoted from several very successful businesses and organisations who had become accredited Living Wage employers and who had found this to produce positive and beneficial results. She then reminded the Celtic Board that they had could no longer be the first football club in Scotland to become a Living Wage employer, as Heart of Midlothian had already achieved this honour.However she called upon Celtic to become the first Premier League Club to do so. In conclusion she stated that in this call she was not alone but supported by the 130+ shareholders who had signed the resolution support form and the further 10,000 supporters who had signed either online or in person a petition calling on Celtic to do so. She then handed the said petition to the Ian Bankier who immediately ‘recycled’ it under the table, perhaps summing up more eloquently than words, the attitude of the present Board to the wishes of ordinary Celtic shareholders and supporters.
Several more speakers backed the resolution from the floor before it was put to the vote where like last year it received overwhelming support. However as a poll was called we await the result which will be of course the usual total rejection by the large shareholders.
The question and answer session followed and despite the Chairman’s attempts to stifle discussion or even mention of the Living Wage issue, it is to the credit of successive individual questioners that they refused to be silenced and raised it again and again along with their questions leaving the Board in no doubt that this is still a live issue and contrary to their wishes it will not go away.
Footnote to the above.
Since the AGM officers of the Celtic Trust and Celtic officials have met together and at this meeting both the Living Wage and the Supporter Liaison review were the subject of further discussions. We hope to report on what progress has been made in the New Year.
BMCUW
Creaming massel.
Now bookmarked for later use.
Ooops people gathered round ma screen now :)
Hail hail
Estadio
Celtic victory over Milan can finally bury memory of my penalty nightmare, says Hoops legend Dixie Deans
CELTIC hero Dixie Deans today urged the Hoops to crush Inter Milan’s Europa League dream – and bury the memory of the infamous 1972 European Cup semi-final defeat.
Tuesday 16/12/2014
The game was settled by a penalty shoot-out after both legs ended goalless.
But Dixie agonisingly skied his effort over the bar and Jock Stein saw his dream of making a third European final in six seasons die.
Four decades down the line, though, Dixie is hoping the current squad can finally exorcise the ghost of his spot kick nightmare.
The legendary striker, still a Parkhead matchday host, said: “I’d love to see Celtic give them a hammering and settle an old score for me. It is not beyond them.
“Look at that win over Barcelona a few seasons back – if you get a full house at Celtic Park and the place is jumping you just never know what can happen.
“The Barcelona players raved about the atmosphere that night here. Professional footballers are never intimidated by noise and a big crowd, but you forget that it also pumps up your own players.
“I’d love to play in the new stadium. I can imagine what it is like standing in the tunnel getting ready to walk out to that level of energy and noise.
“Some players go into their shell and can’t handle it, but others really rise to it. It can bring out the best in them.
“It is hard to say where Celtic are just now. I still work at the club at home games and I think they are playing not too badly.
“But they have been dragged down a bit because the standard round about them is low.”
Dixie admits the memory of that game in April, 1972, remains a painful reminder of the night a dream died.
And he still recalls the sheer panic of being spooked under such intense pressure.
“I remember we were all in the circle on the halfway line and the referee kept blowing his whistle for me to come,” he said.
“I had never taken a penalty in a game before and none of us had ever experienced a penalty shoot-out to decide a game.
“I had no idea that I had to walk from the halfway line all the way to the 18-yard box.
“You could have heard a pin drop. Near on 80,000 people in the stadium and the place was silent.
“I remember picking up the ball and wiping it on my jersey but by then I had lost it.
“I was totally panicked. To this day I still don’t know if I imagined it, but I think their keeper moved a fraction and I tried to lift it over him.
Well, I certainly did that!
“It has been a long time since Celtic met them again in a competitive game, but it would be nice to think they could win. I’d love to see it.”
Gary Keown
Tuesday 16 December 2014
By GARY KEOWN
INTERNAZIONALE have insisted that an electrifying Parkhead atmosphere coupled with the pressure created by a disastrous start to their domestic season is still not enough to tip the balance of a mouthwatering Europa League showdown in Celtic’s favour.
The Milanese club are mid-table in Serie A, some way off the pace, with their new manager Roberto Mancini still struggling to find his feet after taking over from Walter Mazzarri in mid-November. Ahead of last night’s visit to Chievo Verona, they had won only four of their 14 fixtures.
However, Inter’s director general, Marco Fassone, believes his side hold the edge ahead of their meeting with Celtic, the club who defeated them in the 1967 European Cup final in Lisbon, in the Europa League’s round of 32.
He has also promised that Mancini and his players will be unfazed by the welcome already being prepared for them in Glasgow.
Celtic Park will host the first leg between the sides on February 19 with the return taking place in the San Siro a week later.
“There will be an incredible atmosphere, but we are ready to face that,” said Fassone, who represented the Italian club at yesterday’s draw in the Swiss city of Nyon. “Playing the second leg at home is a minor advantage.
“It will be one of the most exciting ties of the round.
“We feel under pressure due to our league position because it is not what we were expecting.
“We have months to work with, though, and we hope to climb the table in that time.”
Mancini has also expressed the need for Inter to recruit a number of new faces in the January window and enter the meetings with Celtic with a much stronger squad with Mario Balotelli having been linked with a transfer from Liverpool.
Ronny Deila, the Celtic manager, is certainly delighted with the draw and admits he is looking forward to unleashing his star striker, John Guidetti, on the Europa League after being denied the Swede’s services in the group stage as a result of failing to beat the signing deadline.
“It will be a positive thing to have John with us during these games,” said Deila.
“It’s going to be a very good match and I’m really looking forward to it. We are meeting a big opponent, but we always have a chance.
“I know they have been struggling a bit for the last year or two and aren’t the team they were in 2010 when they won the Champions League, but they are a good team and it’s going to be a tough game. We will have to be at our best in both games to, hopefully, go through.
“The history adds to the match and every training exercise and match will be to prepare us as good as possible for the matches.”
Estadio/BMCUWP
On the subject of TV ads…….this one from Lynx takes a bit of beating
Very NSFW. http://youtu.be/hFvQqTBFe48
HH
lymmbhoy
She’s got really prominent cheekbones…. :)
Hail hail
Estadio
Just trying to read back but……
_________________________
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon ….The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
21:30 on 15 December, 2014
….and there’s more from Phil
________________________
You and, Phil…..it’s worse than Chick Young and David Murray FFS.
Why dont ye ask wonderful Phil, where awe Celtic’s money has gone since the ‘wording’ on the huns playing licence was altered coz – thats all that happened FFSM.
The only way that the huns will ‘disappear’ awe the gither is if sumdy kills them but, the tricky bit is – naebudy has the cojones.
The huns have screwed – anybody and, everybody….and walked away from the lot.
They’ll never be punished – never ever.
Concentrate on why Celtic Park is hauf empty then, you’ll find the ‘real’ crooks.
Away Off oot tae read back.
Nye Bevans’ rebel soldier
19:19 on 15 December, 2014
John Fairgrieve…….well know Hearts fan, apparently!!!!!
_______________________________________________
Hi Oh Ghreat Whan, hope yer well – Hail Hail
Aye, Fairgrieve…..
I recall some of his column in the Sunday Mail in May 1983 were he opined that….
“Rangers fans should look upon Charlie Nicholas as, no more than an ‘ill wind’ which will soon make it’s way To England were his talents will flourish but, it’s ‘vitally’ important that, the talents of – Davie Cooper(Rangers) and, Gordon Strachan(Aberdeen) are kept in this country.”
Aye. laters…….
Could you imagine your centre forward stating this after missing a penalty in a CL Semi final now.
“I remember we were all in the circle on the halfway line and the referee kept blowing his whistle for me to come,” he said.
“I had never taken a penalty in a game before and none of us had ever experienced a penalty shoot-out to decide a game.
“I had no idea that I had to walk from the halfway line all the way to the 18-yard box.
Dixie Deans 1972
CQN72
Sack the manager!!!!
Anyway….prediction….
Celtic(Scepovic) 1-0 Inter Milan
Inter Milan 0-1 Celtic(Scepovic)
Off oot, bye.
tully57
00:04 on 16 December, 2014
Brilliant….!!!!
Kevjungle – “rfc / sfa / scottish establishments biggest fear is that – one day – celtic football club will be run by rebellious celtic fans who – dont – kow-tow to a hun establishment”. simples.
05:58 on 16 December, 2014
Yur a wee trier….I’ll give you that ….:)
Good morning friends from a clear skied but unexpectedly frost free though damp underfoot East Kilbride.
Hoop Doggydog
The government would become the cartels, if you watch many other things with regards to drugs and the pathway it takes it can never be legalised and run in a safe and legal manner. Look at the pathway drugs take from say Colombia/Belize etc to USA. look at Mexico for example every copper and government has been bought and that strays into USA.
Go back a little further to Pablo Escobar and you will see exactly what drugs and the power that came with it did to an ordinary man, no government would be any different.
Russell brand for the most part means well, I’m not overly convinced by him, there are many other more reliable sources and activists out there who are more informed and educated on the subjects than him. (who can articulate it at normal speed, I think Russell got a thesaurus for his last Christmas as well).
He will soon bring ridicule on himself and the kind of activism he is trying to represent.
Kevj
Aggregate celtic 2 inter 0
Sack the board
:-)
Until The Last Chic Young!
Good morning CQNers,
Most interesting snippet from this mornings trawl through the on-line media – Absolutely Ally received £125 un-receipted expenses, Ashley/Llambias throwing out bait?
Morning Timdom.
Stunning early morning with some sneaky remaining vestiges of black ice on dunblane’s pavements.
HH jamesgang
The amount of un-receipted expenses should of course read £125k…
Hoop doggydogg
I agree Russell brand is raising
Awareness more than most
find the trews excellent
The msm hate him becausehe highlights stories we should be reading
Check out max Kaiser
And George Monbiot
Edward Snowden & asssange
The informationis out there
Just a massive jigsaw
I get most of my news from twitter
Did we not get Adam Matthews for free, even though he was under 23 – due to it being a different jurisdiction? If that is so, why would it be any different for John Guidetti?
Hi Robert 88…i take on board your points but was thinking more of a Holland/Portugal type situation having worked in the likes of Springburn and Possilpark for 24 years i have witneesed the devastation that drugs cause and the current situation of having addicts turning up at the chemist’s at 9am for their methadone whilst probably terrifying old ladies isnt working…more importantly where can i find Morrisey’s autobiography ?
Happy birthday to our resident comedian Spirit of Arthur Lee! Have a good one!
Happy Birthday SOAL
HH
SOAL, Hoooopy Birthday.
Have a great day fhella.
Gordon j/Jimtim
I believe that the reason Airdrie United were able to change their name back to Airdrieonians is that there was no longer any legal impediment following the completion of their liquidation process – which took 11 or 12 years to come to fruition.
HH
SOAL
Many happy returns ya goat worrier. X
Friesdorfer
Airdrie United had never been Airdrieonians before, so didn’t change their name back.
Morning shout for CQN ANNUAL 2015 – it’s better than ever this year and at 196 pages makes a great festive read! Still time to make today’s trip to post office!
Order at http://www.cqnbookstore.com – there’s a choice of Annual on its own or Annual with your choice of DVD from a list of ten.
We have only four signed copies of Caesar & The Assassin left – when they are gone they are gone…
Hoopy birthday SOAL!
HH jamesgang
Best wishes SOAL – have a good one