Maribor are currently playing monopoly with the Slovenian league, having won four titles in a row, and have a very settled, experienced, team.
The season before they eliminated Rangers into oblivion in 2011 they defeated Hibernian home and away, who had Anthony Stokes in their side. It’s worth noting that Edinburgh police arrested 30 Maribor fans following a riot in the city after that tie; this lot have an unfortunate reputation for trouble.
They lost away on Saturday, a defeat which was largely a consequence of their defence having a nightmare, however, among others, they rested key central defender, Marko Suler, who Celtic came close to signing four years ago. They were also reduced to 10 men 30 minutes into the game. It’s unlikely they will be so poor at the back against Celtic.
Dare Vrsoc is their creative fulcrum. He also likes to shoot from distance, with some justification. Whoever in the Celtic team is tasked with winning a personal battle with him will have a great deal of responsibility.
If Celtic leave space at the back Mitja Viler will be the player most likely to exploit. He is lightning fast and will have noticed how Celtic lost goals to pace against Legia. The early scare Gary Mackay-Steven gave us on Saturday further emphasises this vulnerability.
Brazilian-Slovenian striker Marcos Tavares, 30, is Maribor’s royalty. He has scored more goals than anyone in the club’s history, but he is a player who has found his level. He has been over the European football course before so will know how to unsettle defenders.
Macedonian international winger, Agim Ibraimi, scored the goals in the last round which got Maribor this far. He had a couple of unsuccessful seasons in Seria A before returning to Maribor. Good player with tendencies to lunacy.
The fans boo boy is goalkeeper, Jasmin Handanovic, who remains in place despite a disastrous last season. Slovenian clubs throw cross balls into the box to put pressure on him as often as possible. Some early attention might turn the atmosphere inside the stadium on Wednesday.
They score a lot of goals from headers: five of the 12 this season, before the o.g. they benefited from on Saturday.
Our man Blaz in Slovenia tells me they are better than they were when they brought the end of days to Rangers in 2011. Last season’s Europa League campaign, when they progressed from a group containing Russian, English and Belgian opposition, before giving eventual winners, Sevilla a fright, gives an indication of what we can expect.
After those performances last season they knew this could be their Champions League year. Drawing Celtic has put them in a state approaching over-confidence. A shift like we delivered on Saturday will come as a shock.
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Maybe Barry’s training to be the next Motherwell manager…?
RWE
A pleasure,mate.
I think the Tom Watson one is at the end of the link I put on the site.
But I’ll try to find it.
No sure if Mubarak should play if he is legally signed by us before the deadline.
Emdy?
RWE
It is on this page.
http://www.pga.com/news/golf-buzz/us-ryder-cup-captain-tom-watson-accepts-ice-bucket-challenge-raise-awareness-als
No problem with Loanees with an option to buy. Makes absolute sense to me.
Deila said that he doesn’t like loan signings……without the option to buy.
If people insist on mentioning this, please get the quote right.
Selective negativity.
Another thing.
Instead of harping on about PL’s salary, which he gets for obviously doing a good job for the club why don’t the same harpers focus the attention on the players who lack the professionalism to be as fit as they should be.
These are the guys who are overpaid for what they deliver.
…….and finally.
I see that Ferguson has leap frogged Mc.Call in the race to the bottom to become the manager of TTRFC, whenever thst clumpany emerges.
Deary Me
I’ve just done the opposite of the Ice Bucket challenge
I’ve just spilled a hole mug of freshly made tea, onto the front of a pair of Celtic shorts,
which will keep me off the casting couch for a few days at least.
Don’t think it’ll catch on
Kittoch
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
09:55 on 19 August, 2014
NATKNOW
Nae skoosh?
Broonie will be looking for a new nickname.
————————————————
:-)))
Shape up or ship oot! Nae skoosh or nae Broonie!
Or “Brownie” as our posher CQN-ers cry him… :-)
Did the huns rip Clyde apart?
Or were Clyde sh*te the way Dundee Utd were against us?
Philbhoy, Definitely shouldn’t start to-morrow night. Maybe the bench. If he plays against Calley and does well a la Denayer then he could be considered for 2nd leg.
corkcelt
Aye, that makes sense to me.
As long as we make sure the paper work is in order!
LiviBhoy
10:04 on 19 August, 2014
NatKnow
I think a glass of beer or wine with a meal is acceptable.
I also think as finely tuned athletes they should not be staggering about drunk anytime but we know that they need to let off steam or it can end in tears.
Ronny can’t change the thinking over night. He can install good habits though and through time he gets the players who want to live by his rules and train by his methods.
A lot of teams who play once a week or even twice a week enjoy a social drink or two. Rugby players certainly do. I think the key to this is moderation and I suspect that the players will be drinking much less than before because the men we have in charge of the team will work them hard, very hard. They want a very fit side and they are looking at every aspect to gain that 5% or 10% advantage. It all appears to be very mechanical but the coaching staff appear to want to give themselves every chance to succeed. I have no doubty there will be players unhappy but success should be their goal not a night out drinking. Neil Lennon had a different approach and he got success. Ronny has a different style. If he has the same level of success as Neil he will be doing well.
LB
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I agree on developing good habits. Fraser Forster had the habit of getting in early, training hard and leaving late – while the rest were apparently off home before lunchtime. That was a guy who was looking to improve himself as much as possible on a personal basis. He was still part of the team. I also agree that is RD can bring the kind of success Lenny did then I’ll be delighted. Big challenge there.
sipsini
10:06 on 19 August, 2014
Natknow.
Irn bru is bad enough for an athlete…surely not coke though…..;)
———————————————————–
It hasn’t been the same since the took out the “active ingredients”!
:-)
Philbhoy. It would be daft to play him he doesnt know his team mates we dont know how fit he is Rony already made this mistake once and it cost us.H.H.
I would like to see us doing better in the domestic cups, than Lenny achieved.
I don’t think that is unreasonable of me.
It would be an utter act of folly to throw the new fella in.
But it does keep the opposition guessing…..
Mindgames csc
Philbhoy. I want Celtic to dominate Scottish football its the treble for me. H.H.
JFH
Agree.
See corkcelts post above.
Sky Sports News HQ @SkySportsNewsHQ 22m
Rubin Kazan forward Mubarak Wakaso undergoing medical in Russia ahead of a loan move to Celti
Thomthethim
Did I read the other day u have a son who presents the matches on TV3?
Cork,
Those people who believe in primitive extremism and bloodshed are seldom able to converse with those whom they disagree with. Enjoy the game tomorrow.
Mr Fawkes, good point. Forgot about that crap.
Geordie, the blog exists to allow us to comment on Celtic. Why not moan?
Offski.
Well off oot taking her who must be obeyed to the shops. H.H.
Celtic are closing in on the loan signing of Ghana international Wakaso Mubarak but may not have the player registered in time to face Maribor.
The Rubin Kazan left winger is undergoing a medical in Moscow and, if successful, will travel directly to Slovenia to meet up with his new team-mates ahead of their Champions League Play-off first leg match on Wednesday.
Celtic assistant John Collins confirmed that Celtic were racing to have the deal and relevant paperwork completed in time for Mubarak to be available for the European match but admitted it was a ’50-50′ chance that it would be possible.
However, Mubarak would need to be registered at domestic level and with UEFA ahead of the Champions League signing deadline at 11pm on Tuesday.
As the Ghana international has not played in 75% of his nation’s internationals in the last two years, he would not automatically qualify for a UK work permit endorsement.
That permit endorsement could be granted by a Scottish FA panel in time for the match but STV understands that Celtic have not requested a panel to be convened yet.
kittoch- can’t see him getting a game tomorrow,even if registered.Where’s the striker ?
Paul ———–
” Macedonian international winger,Agim Ibraimi, scored the goals in the last round which got Maribor this far . He had a couple of unsuccessful seasons in Serie A before returning to Maribor ”
Help ! ———- I am confused..
I think he had one season ( 2013-2014 ) in Serie A ( with Cagliari ) . I saw a lot of him on the tele . I thought he looked like a very good player. . La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed that Cagliari wanted to buy him but couldnt / wouldnt meet Maribors asking price . Italian cyberspace rumor mongers claimed that much bigger / better clubs than Cagliari were interested in Ibraimi
9 goals in our last 2 games. Where’s the striker? por cierto :)
por cierto
11:10 on 19 August, 2014
9 goals in our last 2 games. Where’s the striker? por cierto :)
____________________
I also had a wee laugh at that one myself. ;)
Why have we signed 3 left wingers on loan? We need a striker not another left winger.
Thomthethim
As to where PL does a good job for the club is a matter of opinion not a fact
IMO he doesn’t do a bad job but is overpaid and should have more focus on football rather than finance
Silly me ,Pukki and Balde are the new Dalglish and Rush……
TTT
a few of my good friends were over by and enjoyed a few in Sean Og’s looked after by the lovely shelia I’m sure you would know some of them
!!Bada Bing!!
I am ushering Balde to the airport in a taxi payed for by PFayr
Bada Bing
Have to agree, we cant keep signing wingers, there must be plans to play some of them through the middle.
Did you see RD’s comments on how accomplished Lee Griffiths was as a striker, contrary to what you hear from the posters on here suggesting he may be away.
Crotch cooling down now!!
Sorry meant Crouch for me
Bubba’s Hover
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=573783562767180&id=338233632988842
bhoylo83
11:06 on 19 August, 2014
Thomthethim
Did I read the other day u have a son who presents the matches on TV3?
********
Yes
PFayr,
The proof of the pudding is that his bosses, the Board, pay him and are obviously happy with the job he is doing in keeping the club solvent, in these difficult times.
If every other area of the club performed likewise, we would be truly flying.
WDH,
Sean Og’s is in my neighbouring parish, Gweedore , so I only go there when Noel90 and other CQN affiliates are around.
Sharkey’s in Annagry is my local.
My friends in Celtic,
Not posted for a wee while now due to work thingy.
I expect that this has been posted to death. However :-
Absolutely delighted that the undignified, whinging Legia Warsaw have lost their final appeal at the Court of Arbitration.
Its a conspiracy I tell you, they’ve all got in in for us cheating bassas, first FC Sion in the Europa league then Legia Warsaw in the CL.
Sorted them both out though with 3-0 wins.
HH.
PS : IMO too many loan players are not compatible with a stable team or building for the future.
There was another team who had a CEO and a board who didn’t bother about finance, wonder what happened to them?
TTT
Must keep an eye out for him