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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This Ghana guy looks good, signing him for tonight is mainly to get him registered to play in 2nd leg – almost 100% sure he won’t start tomorrow even if registered
Have the option to buy him so good business – another try before buy
HH
WHITEDOGHUNCH
PF AYR?
Get the money up front,bud.
Oot and aboot earlier .
Get things done before it gets seriously Scorchio .
Local bookie quoting these ———–
Maribor — 2.95
Draw–3.30
Celtic –2.70
The odd loan signing is nothing about which to grumble.
However, it seems that there is an almost blanket policy of such signings.
I would much prefer our scouting department and manager’s eye for a player to be such that we might actually be able to identify quality and sign a player in the normal fashion.
Loan deals are good if the player works out at the club, if he doesent, then offski, if it keeps a winning product on the park so be it, if not? We move on to another loan, it’s basic business whether you like it or not.
Really enjoyed
The 500 Barry and ally Stories fantastic journalism
Guidi last nite on ssb
Wallace 4 mil player
BBC printing sevco score twice
been a great week
the legia decision
Hurt the msm so badly
I wonder when we play Poland
Will they give their national team the same coverage
Mmmmm
bhoylo83
11:28 on 19 August, 2014
TTT
Must keep an eye out for him
*****
He’s on tonight , doing the Arsenal game, with Kevin Kilbane.
They are doing our return against Maribor next Tuesday.
TTT
Not CQN gents but people Noel90 and you willl know from my village
Thomthethim
Quite …but when the fiscal performance directly impinges upon the on field performances then it’s not a fair comparison to make
Our financial results are based on parsimony……which removes funds which would be used to bolster football activity
DD is very happy with him ….I don’t think DD is a football fan tho
Bom dia,
Bit off track this, but after last night’s earth shattering 8-1 win (FFS – get a grip, I tell ma’sel at this point). Hope that the mini Northern Darksiders (Brora) do the business at home to East Fife tonight.
Under Ben McKay’s Svengali influence they’ve assembled a good team (of mostly ex-SPL) players and whilst I fancy them tonight, would also say that they’d be more of a threat on their game than Clyde. So a kind draw on Thursday and who knows?
Remember where you heard it first……..
Maribor’s results haven’t looked convincing in their CL campaign so far. Went through against Bosnian’s Zrinjski Mostar after a 0-0 away draw followed by a 2-0 home win.
Next round they faced Maccabi Tel-Aviv, where they won 1-0 at home and drew 2-2 away.
Tellingly they’ve struggled away from home, the game at Celtic Park will be crucial if we can keep it tight in the away leg.
While the tie should be approached with caution, there are reasons to be optimistic despite their successes last season. Team performances can change a lot between February and August, as we well know.
BMCUWP
No accepting that sort of craic fae you …right !!!!
Just wondering if the fact that the SPFL are not using vanishing spray for free kicks has something to do with the fact that most of the MIMs would found be out as they really can’t count to ten. Or could there be another reason?
Of course , it should be …. would be found out. Getting too old for this.
If anyone is signed and registered PROPERLY before the 11pm deadline, then I would expect to see him in the stand tomorrow night and possibly on the bench for the next league game – if he comes on in the league game then he may get a place on the bench for Maribor home leg.
All this rushing about is to have him registered as a ‘just in case’.
Unless young Forrest is out long term and we need wide cover.
PF AYR
Nor should you,mate.
It was a cheap gag,unbecoming of me,and unfair on you as an undeserving recipient.
Haven’t seen too many springing to your defence,mind….
Loans with option to buy makes perfect sense.
Also means if a player has an absolute stormer in his loan year we have first option on him. If we’d signed him outright and he’s a world beater no way we’d hang on to him for 2 years:)
HH
sonsoferin
11:38 on 19 August, 2014
Maribor’s results haven’t looked convincing in their CL campaign so far. Went through against Bosnian’s Zrinjski Mostar after a 0-0 away draw followed by a 2-0 home win.
Next round they faced Maccabi Tel-Aviv, where they won 1-0 at home and drew 2-2 away.
Tellingly they’ve struggled away from home, the game at Celtic Park will be crucial if we can keep it tight in the away leg.
===================_=====
“struggled away from home…”. Blimey I wish Celtic away in Europe struggled that much!!!!!!
The strategy from Ronny is simple. He wants width and pace for 90 mins.
A winger is getting tired or getting no joy from the full back he can switch them or replace them with an equally pacey winger.
Get to the bye line and cut the ball back or go inside and shoot at goal. I am looking forward to seing how this develops in the next few games.
These players will be hungry for success. A loan move with option to buy gives the club options. It also gives the player an incentive to perform. Could be a business masterstroke. Just because it isn’t common place in football doesn’t mean it isn’t smart!
LB
Wut a voice.
http://blog.petflow.com/marvin-gaye-goees-acapella/?1LlLroCWJRTF0kuO.01
dexter
10:22 on 19 August, 2014
I would suggest that, ideally, RD might not prefer loans, but they are necessary if you are trying to be / having to be very careful in the transfer market …….. as a Scottish Club, we are doing really well in this area of our operations….KTF
tonydonnelly67
You posted a link to a female singer last week for two posters but for the life of me I cant remember her name.
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
11:46 on 19 August, 2014
Are you slaggin’ PFayr ….put ’em up ….hahahahahahaha
Any word ON James Forrest?
i see many on the blog are now praising our new strategy of only bringing in loan players……
Maybe Celtic should go the whole hog on this and adopt a strategy where you can pay to play for the club.
Its a winner for the club and a winner for those who pay.
Of course we wont win football games but that doesnt seem our objective in any case.
oh and I see we want a team of wingers and midfielders.
I’m sure it all makes sense somehow, somewhere…..
Morning all.
Started a weeks holiday back in Glasgow on Saturday and seeing the celts win 6-1 was a good start to the week! Thought we played really well but the atmosphere at the match was very subdued. Maybe just nerves for Ronny’s first home game?…
I think Boerrigter getting a 2 match ban is ridiculous, for me there is contact. The SFA now have to be extremely diligent in handing out similar punishments to anyone else. If it wasn’t such a corrupt sham of an FA I would expect consistency. I won’t be holding my breath. Not sure why Celtic have accepted the charges.
Bring on Wednesday night, essential to keep it solid at the back. Build from there. Was really impressed with Denayer so hopefully he can perform again.
HH
67 HEAVEN
You have every right to support the current policy of loan deals,especially bearing in mind the high failure rate of our recent signing policy.
That’s what we get for demanding a stop to the ‘project’ idea which we tried for a few years.
Though TBH those demanding such a stop probably didn’t envisage the current alternative.
We were thinking along the lines of coughing up some cash for the real deal.
Heyho,outsmarted again.
Someday oneday I hope we start behaving like a proper club again.
Meantime,as we clearly have no influence on signing policy,we either turn up and support the team-and manager-or we just snipe from the sidelines.
Thing is,almost everyone who turns up would prefer more quality on the pitch.
And those sniping from the sidelines want to be in the ground supporting a team worthy of The Hoooooops.
new article posted.
67 HEAVEN
PF AYR is a diamond,but I reckon I can run faster than him.
Especially since he is likely to still have his pint in his hand,not wanting to waste it!
“For its a grand old team to have an option to play for’ – not ideal but makes sense in the current situation
PFayr,
It really is a circuitous argument.
We are in a relatively healthy financial situation, relative to our place in the football firmament.
The circuitous part is, what level of spending would have any material effect on the quality of player that we could attract and who would be willing to play in Scotland?
We don’t have the financial top up that exists down south, via television money.
However, we all know the situation and until the situation changes, we have to continue to cut our cloth.
It is too easy to back a spurious case with a throwaway, catch all phrase , like DD is not a football man.
He is not at Celtic to make money.
I think that what ails the support is anger.
Anger at what has been done to our game by the Huns and the organs of the State to facilitate them.
Many of us turn that anger towards our own club,being impotent to get at the SFA.
We can boycott the MSM and radio progs, but still buy tickets for SFA cup ties and Internationals.
Doesn’t make sense to me.
I see the rain’s off, so back to the Ol’ lawnmower.
Greenpinta
Building a team for the future is a thing of the past.
Depending on how good a player is the future is one year if really good, 2 years if becoming really good.
After that we depend on those guys who are not really good although capable of being so in the odd game to see out their contract and, for reasons of continuity we either keep him or if his performance level is starting to fade we sell or let go.
Players of potential are hoovered up by clubs with no money worries ( I mean clubs who do not worry about money as opposed to clubs with money).
So you get a scarcity, but if you cannot afford the inflated price a club with no money worries paid then taking on those players in an affordable fashion makes sense IF.
Now the IF is a biggie and that is you have a playing system in place which new players can quickly dovetail into. Like sharks teeth, one falls our and another takes its place.
In signing RD Celtic seem to be trying to install that kind of responsive to reality set up.
I say “seem” because that narrative fits what we are seeing, but I do wish Celtic could take a bit of time to set out their thinking so that we all knew the story.
We might not like it but at least we would know the story.
BMCUW
Expect a lawyer’s letter from PFayr in the next couple of days!
HH!!
tonydonnelly67
11:27 on
19 August, 2014
There was another team who had a CEO and a board who didn’t bother about finance, wonder what happened to them?
Whilst their fans sang and danced, they accrued a shit load of trophies and, if Celtic get the least bit complacent they will again.
on and on and on and on……its like the Spanish Inquisition on here, you’d think we’d been relegated, or worse, Liquidated! Lighten up guys, Roses will bloom again.