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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Yeah good article Paul.
I’ve cut and pasted – just incase Legia need the info at 5 o’clock rock.
Pogmathonyahun – “Unfortunately for the Yes camp a lot of voters think that a Yes vote is a vote for Alex Salmond and the SNP and not a vote for the right of self-determination.”
I see this written a lot and I don’t think this is anywhere near the size of issue it is being made out to be, particularly by the Yes side. People are well aware it is not a vote for the SNP, and certainly not Salmond.
One thing I did have somebody say to me regarding this the other day when I pointed the above out is, the vote is certainly not for him however he will be doing the negotiations with the rest of the UK if there is a Yes so whether either side like it or not, he and his party are a factor for that reason alone.
NatKnow
I’ve posted lots (certainly more than my employer would like) of football related stuff.
No indicator mate. The politics is turning this place into an absolute boreathon. Hardly anybody picks up on the hosts’ football related blog anymore but piles of this nonsense.
The sooner referendumquicknews is up and running the better….
To much politics crap, am offski for a pint,…..yes….no….who cares what yi vote do it on the day an give us awe peace wi yer mad rants Aboot Whois right an Whois wrong, lurking Huns GIRFUYs
sheik yerbouti
14:53 on 18 August, 2014
Moonbeams WD. Wee Oscar’s our Bhoy and Kano’s our mhan.
13:52 on 18 August, 2014
What time is CAS result due and do UEFA need to comply with decision?
MWD says AYE
————————
I asked this question earlier
On page 40 of the last article
Got no reply
Hope U have more luck
Id like to know.
———–
Think a few folks have posted this, but in case you missed it I think it was 5pm today.
HH
/Bishop B
Sheik Yerbouti & Moonbeams WD.
Gregory Ioannidis@LawTop20 · 4h
CAS will issue a decision on the Legia v UEFA matter at around 17:00 UK time. Remember the parties only filed written submissions.
big wavy
14:58 on 18 August, 2014
NatKnow
I’ve posted lots (certainly more than my employer would like) of football related stuff.
No indicator mate. The politics is turning this place into an absolute boreathon. Hardly anybody picks up on the hosts’ football related blog anymore but piles of this nonsense.
The sooner referendumquicknews is up and running the better….
————————————————————-
Don’t disagree – but it seems a bit rich for someone to post nothing whatsoever and yet complain about the subjects that are being posted on!
Len Brennan
15:00 on 18 August, 2014
—————–
Thanks len
Bada Bing Thankyou for your response been a busy bee unable to keep up.
Awerabest PJ
Sheik Yerbouti – CAS result due at 5PM
Celtic have around forty players for two sides apparently, wonder how this list will have altered come 01/09/14?
2 Adam Matthews – Keep
3 DF Emilio Izaguirre – Keep
4 DF Efe Ambrose – Keep
5 DF Virgil van Dijk – Keep
6 MF Nir Biton – Keep
8 MF Scott Brown (captain) – Keep
10 FW Anthony Stokes – Keep
11 MF Derk Boerrigter – Move on
15 MF Kris Commons – Keep
16 FW Jo Inge Berget On loan
17 FW Amido Baldé – Move on
18 MF Tom Rogić – Move on
19 FW Hólmbert Friðjónsson – Loan out
20 FW Teemu Pukki – Move on
21 DF Charlie Mulgrew Keep
22 DF Jason Denayer On loan
23 DF Mikael Lustig – Keep
24 GK Łukasz Załuska – Move on
25 MF Stefan Johansen – Keep
26 GK Craig Gordon – Keep
27 MF Aleksandar Tonev On loan
28 FW Leigh Griffiths – Move on
31 MF John Herron – Loan out
33 MF Beram Kayal – Keep
34 DF Eoghan O’Connell – Keep
35 DF Stuart Findlay – Move on
36 MF Jackson Irvine – Keep
37 FW Bahrudin Atajić – Move on
38 GK Leonardo Fasan – Keep
41 DF Darnell Fisher – Keep
42 MF Callum McGregor – Keep
43 DF Joe Chalmers – Move on
44 DF Marcus Fraser – Move on
45 DF Lewis Toshney – Move on
46 MF Dylan McGeouch – Move on
49 FW James Forrest – Keep
50 MF Paul George – Move on
53 MF Liam Henderson – Keep
56 MF Filip Twardzik – Keep
59 DF Callum Waters – Keep
Forty players isn’t alot for a club the size of Celtic and we can’t keep loaning players out, when they move into first team age, I expect incomings and outgoings.
The Maribor game isn’t relevant to who Celtic sign, and reshaping the personnel should have been planned months and months ago, in continuation with NFL’s plans, and now with RD’s input.
Rogue, a few people I have spoken to recently have used the ‘Salmond factor’ as the reason for voting No. I also know a lot of people around my age group and older who fear that they may be a lot worse off in a independent Scotland – self interest will always win in situations like this. No pain, No gain.
Natknow – Fair enough fella. Not going to fall out over it.
Anyway, seems my provocative ‘deadwood’ post only stirred the negatonians out of their slumber flailing about like a couple of madmen.
Ok, let me put it another way – how do we keep over 10 midfielders on the books happy this year and who do we think is not in the managers’ plans ?
Rogic is an interesting one. Is he more suited to Ronny’s pass and move ?
God loves a trier csc
Bawsman
Agree. Couldn;t list all the professions but thought Doctors and Lawyers were the biggest numbers from the top 4 Universities. I don;t know a lot about University myself never been to one apart from a day visit with the school. There is a pub near Edinburgh Uni called doctors and when I stayed in Livi there was an endless procession of Irish dentists who had studied here and had to work for a set amount of time before being allowed to move on to practice their profession.
LB
Sheik Yerbouti
14:53 on 18 August, 2014
Moonbeams WD. Wee Oscar’s our Bhoy and Kano’s our mhan.
13:52 on 18 August, 2014
What time is CAS result due and do UEFA need to comply with decision?
MWD says AYE
————————
I asked this question earlier
On page 40 of the last article
Got no reply
Hope U have more luck
Id like to know
————————————————
I don’t believe any CAS decision is binding upon UEFA – unless UEFA, Legia and Celtic have all agreed to abide by the CAS decision in advance – which they have not. CAS is a quasi-legal body for arbitration – not a court of law. I believe it is up to UEFA to decide whether or not they want to accept anything CAS may have to say. If UEFA decide to ignore the CAS opinion, Legia will need to take the matter up through a court of law. Sion FC did this and took it as far as they could. Here’s an excert from Wiki which describes what happened ultimately to them :
“On 15 December, CAS upheld the complaints by UEFA, affirming its right to discipline Sion according to previous agreements. CAS also lifted the provisional measures ordered by the Tribunal Cantonal of Vaud (Cour civile) on 5 October 2011.[20] After the ruling, FIFA threatened to suspend Swiss national and club teams from international competition if FC Sion were not appropriately penalized for its ostensible rules violations.[21] In late December 2011, the Swiss Football Association complied with FIFA’s demands and penalized Sion 36 standings points (based on how many matches ineligible players were involved), moving the club to last place in the league standings and putting the club at risk of relegation if the ruling stands.”
Bourne
Couldn’t have put it better myself….lots of youngsters around the edges need moved on or loaned out rather than hanging around the B team. We need to be a bit more ruthless at that age given the conversion rate to 1st teamers.
Timmy7
12of us are going to Lucca first week of October,based there as accomadation is cheaper than Florence.Good train connections to Florence And Sienna also Pisa,but I will give that a miss as IMO not much to see except the Tower.
First time at the hotel we have booked so cannot really recommend it until I stay there.
Puccini recitals/concert is well worth a visit.
Florence is an absolute joy.I have never managed to get to Sienna but that is a certain this time.
If it is your first visit you will be blown away,fantastic part of Italy.Enjoy.HH
This should create a bit of space in the squad for the new season
2 Adam Matthews – Move on
3 DF Emilio Izaguirre – Keep
4 DF Efe Ambrose – Keep
5 DF Virgil van Dijk – Keep
6 MF Nir Biton – Keep
8 MF Scott Brown (captain) – Keep
10 FW Anthony Stokes – Keep
11 MF Derk Boerrigter – Move on
15 MF Kris Commons – Keep if he signs new contract, otherwise move on
16 FW Jo Inge Berget On loan
17 FW Amido Baldé – Move on
18 MF Tom Rogić – Move on
19 FW Hólmbert Friðjónsson – Loan out
20 FW Teemu Pukki – Move on
21 DF Charlie Mulgrew Keep
22 DF Jason Denayer On loan
23 DF Mikael Lustig – Keep
24 GK Łukasz Załuska – Move on
25 MF Stefan Johansen – Keep
26 GK Craig Gordon – Keep
27 MF Aleksandar Tonev On loan
28 FW Leigh Griffiths – Keep
31 MF John Herron – Loan out
33 MF Beram Kayal – Move on
34 DF Eoghan O’Connell – Loan out
35 DF Stuart Findlay – Loan out
36 MF Jackson Irvine – Move on
37 FW Bahrudin Atajić – Move on
38 GK Leonardo Fasan – Keep
41 DF Darnell Fisher – Keep
42 MF Callum McGregor – Keep
43 DF Joe Chalmers – Move on
44 DF Marcus Fraser – Loan out
45 DF Lewis Toshney – Move on
46 MF Dylan McGeouch – Move on
49 FW James Forrest – Keep
50 MF Paul George – Move on
53 MF Liam Henderson – Loan out
56 MF Filip Twardzik – Loan out
59 DF Callum Waters – Loan out
Just Another Tim
12:42 on
18 August, 2014
Saint Stivs
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hidjzqw4wl6122m/Train%20Song.wav
Let me know if that is ok for you
HH
——————–
superb sir, much appreciated, and the source of much merriment in the office (i even sound like the bold brian now).
Has Freuler landed or is he circling Glasgow still ?
2023 =2013
Gary67 –
I saw big Pedros version of that list it just said – MOVE ON – PRICE ON APPLICATION
Markyjig
14:44 on 18 August, 2014
Any chance we can stick to the football? Politics bores me…
————————————————————
The blog has been up for nearly 3 hours and that’s your only post. You don’t seem overly keen to discuss anything.
I THINK YOU FIND THIS IS NOT MY ONLY POST.
I only post about football matters ( celtic related) albeit not every day or even weekly as i have a busy work life, thanks.
big wavy
15:15 on 18 August, 2014
Has Freuler landed or is he circling Glasgow still ?
——————————————————————————
Another winger? We’ve got more wide men than a Sevco board meeting…
:-)
bournesouprecipe 15:05 on 18 August, 2014
No. 19 on your list of players Hólmbert Friðjónsson. Does he actually exist? Bigfoot has been sight more frequently than our prolific young player.
I see that Manuel Pellegrini admits Micah Richards, Matija Nastasic, Scott Sinclair and John Guidetti all likely to leave Man City by September 1. John Guidetti has been mentioned on here and elsewhere for a long time. Maybe this is our chance. Anybody know what he would be worth roughly?
HH
darwinsbeautifulidea
You may be right,in time he may turn out to be a poor winger but he is quicker than Stokes.
Maybe you should try watching the game.
Markyjig
15:17 on 18 August, 2014
Markyjig
14:44 on 18 August, 2014
Any chance we can stick to the football? Politics bores me…
————————————————————
The blog has been up for nearly 3 hours and that’s your only post. You don’t seem overly keen to discuss anything.
I THINK YOU FIND THIS IS NOT MY ONLY POST.
I only post about football matters ( celtic related) albeit not every day or even weekly as i have a busy work life, thanks.
————————————————————–
Well it was until you posted that. :-)
I assumed you were miffed because you’d posted a football-related comment and no-one had responded to it, so I checked back and couldn’t see anything. Just point me to your post it and I’ll read and respond…
Natknow
I ‘understand’ he’s a CM or CH but little is known about him, even from our Swiss correspondents.
We need a solution in there that doesn’t have Charlie Mulgrew as part of the answer.
Now the other wee fella from Rubin is apparently a winger which might suggest little time for James Forrest this year and with that in mind and Dylan and Derk to go I’d say we probably do need.
Saint Stivs
lol….happy to help out :)
ACGR –
Have a couple of nips last night – good stuff! :-)
fanadpatriot
15:11 on 18 August, 2014
Thanks,we are looking forward to it,mainly the wife since I’ve had a few unpleasant experiences in Italy but she has been trying to get me to go to Florence for years.So decided it was time to use some air miles before they time out.
Unless I get a good recommendation I’ll probably move around staying a couple of days in different locations,from all the feedback today I’m adding Lucca and San Gimignano.
Cheers,
NATKNOW 1438
I reckon that people will be motivated to vote in the referendum,while they may not have been in a Scottish or General Election.
Coupla reasons.
People are used to elections where their vote,by and large doesn’t count. Not much point in doing so if a party has a huge majority. And there aren’t a lot of ‘swing’ seats in Westminster or Holyrood.
Also,nobody really cares about those elections because our vote,even in a swing seat,makes no overall difference. Witness the number of times you,I,or anyone else talks about it in the pub.
This one can.
That’s why I think we will see a high turnout,possibly up to 75%.
And btw,I reckon the higher the turnout the more it swings to YES.
I genuinely believe it is gonna be tight,and dependent on one or two clever moves near the death.
Or,more likely,gaffes.
mullet and co 2
14:13 on
18 August, 2014
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To be fair I was going from memory and allowing for the fact you need some fat to burn over the match duration…….and on visual ppearance theres not much in it?
Top level Pro body builders(males) are on stage at 6%………I don’t believe you have the energy to play a high tempo 90 minutes of football at this level of body fat unless of course you stuff yourself with carbs about 2 hours before the kick off in which case you will be done for if you need to play extra time?
Either way my point is it requires basic food knowledge and body behaviour and physiology knowledge….?
The question still remains…….If a grant aided 300 pounds a week Commonwealth Champion can do it why can’t a 10,000 a week CFC footballers?
If you can……
run 100M in -11secs
10 miles in -60 mins
squat 200lbs+ in sets of 10 etc
………as a 12 -14 stone athlete then you are fit enough …….if you are paid by CFC as a professional athlete and you cannot do these levels then something is VERY amiss.
Just an opinion……
Bheaver
Was indeedy. Heading over for Maribor game.
August 30th sounds grand. Don’t know when back down in Doire. You and the big girl more than welcome to stay here although you were saying you normally stay at the in laws.
will pencil that in big guy. Great seeing you again ktf and up the hoops
bournesouprecipe
15:05 on 18 August, 2014
Agree with your list apart from Kayal he has a lot to do to change my opinion after his performance at rugby park he was an absolute disgrace that day.
big wavy
15:22 on 18 August, 2014
Natknow
I ‘understand’ he’s a CM or CH but little is known about him, even from our Swiss correspondents.
We need a solution in there that doesn’t have Charlie Mulgrew as part of the answer.
Now the other wee fella from Rubin is apparently a winger which might suggest little time for James Forrest this year and with that in mind and Dylan and Derk to go I’d say we probably do need.
————————————————————————-
Certainly need the centre mid sorted. Wee James is not having much luck is he? Shame really as he was looking good in the game at the weekend.
On that – I’ve watched the game again. I really enjoyed the performance and the result, however, as others have pointed out let’s not get too carried away. Dundee Utd. tried to come at us and left thekselves exposed at times. Additionally, they nearly caught us on a couple of occasions – something I don’t think we’d get away with against Euro teams…
greendreamz
I think the players who are buying into Ronny’s methods and his advice off the pitch are the ones who excelled on Saturday.
Hopefully more will follow because the man does have a plan and when it is executed it makes a difference. Big test on Wednesday. That will be a real marker for the team.
LB