Media and Spartak take hit for underestimating Celtic

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Celtic’s win in Moscow on Tuesday has caused an interesting introspection in Russia, with both Spartak and some in the Russian media coming under scrutiny.  The pre-match tone was set by comments we reported from former Spartak player and coach, Andrey Tikhonov, who, on the day of the draw, said:

“Barcelona are favourites from the group. We and Benfica will be fighting for second place.

“Celtic are outsiders. The Champions League competition is about very good technical football.  It has nothing to do with running after the ball that somebody kicked forward.”

Another former Spartak player and Soviet international, who now works as a technical analyst and all-round raconteur , Aleksandr Bubnov, had a completely different take on Celtic, Spartak and the Russian and Scottish media.

Bubnov told Russian television:

“Spartak players thought they could push Celtic defenders around like toys.  They played long crosses forward like the idiots.  Celtic defenders knocked back everything.  It was like training for Celtic, they were on holiday.

“When Celtic attacked for the first time, de Zeeuw thought that Insarualde would stop the Celtic player, Insarualde thought Pareja will stop him.  When Celtic scored de Zeew asked, ‘Where was Pareja ?’  Pesjakov answered de Zeeuw, “You forgot?  Pareja is still at the lunch, he will be back for the second half.”

Bubnov criticised TV analysts who before the game debated whether Celtic would survive in the bottom half of the Russian premier division or a lower division.  He added:

“We were told by the experts that Spartak will shut Celtic out, kill them and bury outside the stadium.  They are experts, they watch games, they take money for this kind of analysis.  They told us Celtic are one story heroes.

“They talked about Rangers relegated to the fourth Division for financial cheating.  You see how they do things there?  What fantastic salvation. You are cheaters Rangers?  OK, go and take long rest.  Those in charge are professionals, nobody would help Rangers. They don’t go to the president, or the prime minister.

“Cherdantsev (TV expert) never played football.  You heard him, Spartak players and all these experts. ‘No problem, champions of Scotland?  Who are Celtic, who are Scotland?

“Experts?  Did they watch Celtic against Benfica? Benfica are top in Portugal, Celtic drew with them.  Even the stupid Scottish experts came here and told us Spartak would win 2-0.”

When asked how Spartak should play in the return game against Celtic, Bubnov suggested:

“You need to close wings and play carefully at the back. Celtic will not perform like Spartak did against Barcelona. They played and let the other team play.

“Neil Lennon was very smart coach.  He closed Spartak options on the wings.  Emeri (Spartak manager) should close Celtic wings.  Emeri’s tactics was move wingers to the centre to leave more room for attacks from left and right defenders.  But, our defenders were poor and slow.

“Emeri was stupid, he moved Aiden McGeady and Dmitri Kombarov to the centre because Neil Lennon closed wings.  What happened? They both played out of position and Kombarov scored an own goal.”

“Spartak were open on the wings and there was a brothel at the back.  Neil Lennon did what he wanted to do with Spartak”

Conversational Russian is apparently rich with imagery.

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  1. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TALLYBHOY

     

     

    With the QF on the 30th,will you be going along?

  2. saltires en sevilla on

    lionroars67

     

     

    18:28 on 4 October, 2012

     

    DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY

     

    18:25 on

     

    4 October, 2012

     

     

    Pre match comments from Aidan clearly showed Aidan is a Celtic man

     

     

    Sadly your post reflects badly on you

     

     

    —–

     

     

    Really…

     

     

    How ?

     

     

    Aidan achieved more leaving Celts in than he ever did as a player in games that mattered!

     

     

    A good Celtic bhoy but many realised he would be anonymous in the game on Tuesday .. Not least Lenny who had him by the throat …and rightly so on at least one occasion

     

     

    I offered to boot his erse down London road more than once when he tried to play the smartass with GS

     

     

    Kris Commons is more a Scotsman than Aiden is Irish

     

     

    Maybe you already knew that ?

  3. I am actually begining to despair about this long drawn out saga, and thinking that not one of them will face any kind of justice at all. Lord nimmo smith is a Q.C and he made a statement in direct reply to CG comments. He didnt do it for a laugh or have nothing better to do at the

     

    time. And those spineless b******s at the sfa say not proven.

     

     

    When talk about celtic playing in england or a european league surfaced I used to think no,

     

    celtic are a scottish club with a great scottish history and should play in scotland.

     

    I dont think that anymore and would jump at the chance of getting out of scottish football.

     

     

    The powers that be are condemning innocent people to years more of hun hatred, bile and

     

    violence. Its disgusting

  4. Div3 was a punishment? They are lucky to be playing anywhere. They are lucky to have a team, a stadium, anything at all. If the administration had not been fraudulent they’d have nothing. They are still arrogant criminal animals. They need to be gone from football altogether. Sickening cretins.

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    OG RAFFERTY

     

     

    Thanks for all the updates.

     

     

    I see you getting a few pelters on here,and tbh,it’s understandable to an extent.

     

     

    But thanks to you,we know where to look for the story when it comes out,rather than get a spun version in the rags which allegedly we don’t read.

     

     

    So,CHEERS BUD!

  6. QP are going to have to share with lower league Glasgow Club when Hampden shuts down for commenwealth games

     

    can they go to asbestos dome? o))

  7. DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY on

    lionroars67

     

     

    That is my democratic opinion about wee Aidan. Peter Grant is a Celtic player through and through. Sadly also didn’t make him a great player for us. And your point caller is?

     

     

    thanks Kojo for your support. that’s the nbeauty aboot oor family we cabn agree to disagree, fair doos, lionroars67?

     

     

    yer pal DBB…no longer in Dushanbe city, but now in Sofia. (“Celtic…..supported all over the world”)

  8. saltires en sevilla on

    Starry plough

     

     

    Dead simple check the family line

     

     

    1 generation nearer for Kris

     

     

    Don’t try to get too outraged too soon :)

  9. saltires en sevilla

     

    18:45 on

     

    4 October, 2012

     

     

    Fair enough you clearly hate Aidan thats your opinion

     

     

    Many a game IMO Aidan was the sole player we had particularly during Mowbrays tenure

     

     

    Aidan may indeed have had issues with management, you obviously don’t do irony if you are holding up Kris as an example?

     

     

    Apart from the fact that both players represent countries at football in which neither player was born in i’m at a loss to understand this

     

    Kris Commons is more a Scotsman than Aiden is Irish

     

     

    I just dont think Aidan deserves to be rubbished, however you carry on

  10. saltires en sevilla

     

     

    Not outraged just seemed an odd thing to bring up in a discussion about Aiden as a player maybe your Jimmy Wig is getting in your eyes smart arse..

  11. did Aidan not save us from meltdown?

     

     

    well he made us £9m…. saved a few board members their job..

  12. one servco player in the under 16 Scottish squad

     

     

    does,nt bode well for their furture

     

     

    bodes well for Scotland though

     

     

    hh…….bb

  13. Just an observation after watching and re-watching the goals against Spartak Moscow, and that´s after watching it live on tv. What´s not to savour????

     

     

    Apologies if this point has been brought up earlier, I could hardly fit in watching the match itself, I only saw the second half live, never mind reading all the posts on the CQN.

     

     

    For the winner: Watching it again I remembered when I was watching it live at the time saying, well done, taking a short free kick inside their half. In my opinion that shows the courage of your convictions. The typical thing would have been the speculative high ball into the box, Joe Jordan rather than Kenny Dalglish. Rugby rather than football.

     

     

    Watching it again you can also see Neil Lennon on the sideline urging Izzy to take up position on the left. And what a cross Izzy swings in, pure Nakamura precision.

     

     

    Congratulations to yourself big Fraser.

  14. DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY on

    Saltires. Looks like you have upset the clique again. Being forthright is not allowed on here. Back of the queue. The ultimate oxymoron for me is “Aidan” and “End product”.

  15. DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY

     

    18:52 on

     

    4 October, 2012

     

     

     

    We had a fantastic result in Moscow, i am delighted with how we played

     

     

    I don’t see the need to rubbish Aidan

     

     

    I was also pleased with the respect and obvious affection Aidan showed for Celtic when he was asked

  16. saltires en sevilla on

    Lion roars

     

     

    Relax mannnn

     

     

    Aidan a decent player loved him and his tricks in the same way I love Paddy McCourt

     

     

    The truth is that Lenny has assembled a better crew and would not see these 2 guys as part if the future at cp

     

     

    Don’t twist my words into hating Aidan I kicked a ba’ with him …that doesn’t blind me to his limitations as a player …fine man that he has become and from a good clann

  17. !!Bada Bing!!

     

    19:01 on

     

    4 October, 2012

     

    FWIW Aiden was the only guy in the Hoops who entertained me when Naka left.

     

    —————————————————————————————————-

     

    WITABOOTSAMMI?

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TALLYBHOY

     

     

    Nae luck,bud!

     

     

    A short stay for you,then. Understandable,mind.

     

     

    GUESS YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT!

  19. Leftclicktic@6.03pm

     

    Re ticket prices for EPL. Those prices for Saturday’s West Ham game are the base prices. In other words the cheapest ticket on offer is £49. At that level football feels well out of kilter with the economic reality of our times.

     

    However, football fans have managed to defy economic reality and continue to find the cash to support their teams. Haven’t done any real research into this but I wonder if attendances across all leagues and cups is falling ( with the exception of course of a small third division side down Glasgow Govan way who are needed to prop up European football )?

     

    My son was in Madrid recently and picked up a ticket for the Real – Madrid second leg final. Price 95 euros.

     

    Now completely off topic, I am having dinner next Saturday night with an avid season ticket holding Arsenal fan and equally avid London-based Manchester United fan. Now for a wee insight. They are both North London immigrant Jewish accountants. Pretty good fun. They love their football. Like me but are hugely dismissive of Scottish football ( think Irish league to compare ). The Arsenal fan initially supported Watford ( local )but switched to Chelsea . Gave that up because of an anti Semitic / National Front element. He is now a season ticket holder at Arsenal. The other guy behaves like many men I know in Scotland. If it is a lunchtime kick off,5pm or Sunday lunch then the social calendar has to be adjusted to watch Manchester United on TV. He is in his early 60s and went on the tour of Old Trafford two years ago and attended his first live match there last year.

     

    In comparison, I was taken to Celtic Park/ Parkhead in 1949 and of the really big games since then I only missed the Racing second leg World Club Championship game in Buenos Aires and the play off in Montivedeo ( our Gorbals- based Sarsfield Celtic Supporters Club failed to organise a bus/flight). The degree of passion is different.

  20. Celtic have a lot to be grateful for when it comes to Aiden McGeady. His disciplinary record as a player was remarkable, considering the authorised abuse he was forced to receive. It must be great not having to put up with that in Moscow. I wouldn´t rule him out playing a stormer at Celtic Park, even though I´m sure it would break his heart if it led to Celtic losing. Would Ireland have got to the Euros without him? Maybe I´m biased but that spark of electricity he generates on the edge of the box leads to chances and goals. I would have him in my all time Celtic squad.

     

     

    Maybe he could catch a heavy cold as the winter creeps in up there……….

  21. garcia lorca

     

     

    we are born Celtic fans, we remain Celtic fans…

     

     

    we are not fickle through and through…

     

     

    we are faithfull through and through…

  22. Aiden is and was a class act for us and I was happy with the money we got for him, he was happy, met him a couple of times and always good for a laugh with the hoops fans. I can see him being in the EPL soon, only hope he doesn’t have a good game against us in December. Always thought he did his best, tried hard, even when we were poor. Good luck to him HH

  23. Bit too serious on here……

     

     

    So……I’m at this course in Ibrox this afternoon having been well warned about my conduct before I head to it.

     

     

    We’re sat down in groups of 6 and asked to do one of those ridiculously crass ‘introduce yourself’ activities. I’m with 3 other males and 2 females and we’ve been instructed to begin with……..

     

     

    My name is…….and if I ruled the world I’d……..

     

     

    So this fella says…..my name is Andy and if I ruled the world I’d avoid having to pay my taxes!!!!!!!

     

     

    Couldnae help myself.

  24. lionroars67

     

     

    19:15 on 4 October, 2012

     

     

    ‘alex thomson‏@alextomo

     

     

    TOMOBLOG RANGERS http://ow.ly/ee5ja

     

     

     

     

     

    That doesn’t make sense.

     

     

    One Stop won the case, didn’t they?

     

     

    Why is it now in the Court of Session? Has Whyte appealed? Even if he did it would only be on a point of law, there would be no witnesses giving evidence.

  25. Aiden is one of us,we shouldn’t be having a go at him……..though saying

     

    there are one or two on here ,I could have a go at :O)

     

    Bring back the bould bhoy’s,there’s a ghuy who can speak his mind.

  26. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo, 18:11

     

    Appreciated.

     

    saltires en sevilla, 18:34

     

    Fair enough but appreciate it’s a balancing act.

     

    I can never come close to saying half of what I’d like to until after the event because saying things on a public forum can greatly affect the outcome of the event. It’s happened before and I’d prefer to see it play out the way it should rather than be the first man to spill the beans on CQN.

     

    I don’t mind teasers on here – there are plenty of them let’s face it – and I’ve spent many an hour chasing them down, nearly always to no effect whatsoever.

     

    I post here during the games, sometimes when there is something about the North, or music, and when I know – and I personally know – there is something good coming up that will be of interest. I say, if I can, when the news will come out.

     

    That’s as much as I can do

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