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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965 Comments

  1. Miki67

     

    Thanks for that , I don’t post often but just felt really happy after reading that article!

     

     

    Just to be a statto

     

     

    Sep 17 86

     

    Rovers 0 Celtic 1. McLeod

     

     

    Oct 1

     

    Celtic 2 v Rovers 0 Petit Merde (2)

     

     

    I was in the main stand for some reason that night with my mates and my dad who drove us back to darkest ayrshire.

  2. Raymac

     

     

    02:01 on 5 October, 2012

     

     

    Aiden’s contract is going to run out soon, and that may well be in 2 years time max.

     

     

    Aiden is an amazing player if he is played in the right place.

     

     

    He is a number 10 to my mind and will be a fantastic re-acquisition from those STUPID Russians.

  3. Raymac

     

     

    Every Celtic manager since Tommy Burns has been timid away from home in Europe and to an extent in Scotland.

     

     

    Away games we would have won with a positive attitude

     

     

    Lyon

     

    Bayern(second half)

     

    Anderlecht

     

    Copenhagen

     

    AC Milan

     

     

    Home games we blew

     

     

    Man U

     

     

    Interesting that I only criticise one home game, 1.1 but with any kind of out ball we would have won. No runner at all in

     

    WGS squad except McGeady, bit omission.

  4. Neil Lennon has matured even over this season, I don’t think my chagrin at the team selection and formation messing when I flew over for Hibs game will be repeated. Hopefully the ticket office will improve at the same rate(no lying on contract about posting tickets to Ireland and moving you out of a short queue to a longer one while lying that the next queue is for pick up only and finding massive sales and the ticket being in the original queue!!! )

     

     

    PS my letter is written but who is in charge of ticket office?

  5. suttons volley on

    evening all

     

     

    we are all witnessing something special, i’ve never seen a squad so strong at Celtic, have you?

     

     

    think about it, look at the bench we have these days, outstanding work by Mr L. the players know if they get injured or suspended there is no guarantee they will get back in to the side despite previous form.

     

     

    grew up watchin the hoops in the early 90’s when we were a shambles, the squad we have is the best I have seen in my lifetime and 5 years of sheer celticness is on the horizon!!

     

     

    HH

  6. Just caught up and realised Wee Oscar’s target has been surpassed.

     

     

    Bloody fantastic news.

     

     

    Still a handful of targets to be met – particulary amused with the fella going for the full body wax, lulz.

     

     

    My eyes, they are watering…

     

     

     

    http://www.justgiving.com/teams/weeoscar

  7. suttons volley

     

     

    02:32 on 5 October, 2012

     

     

    This Club is so spiritual it is incredible.

     

     

    Celtic should have been destroyed by the Bank that destroyed anything not Hun orientated.

     

     

    “The Creature from Jekyll Island” author should perhaps have a look at Scotland. ;))

     

     

    LOL

     

     

    Celtic are waiting patiently, like Georgios, to take their place at the very pinnacle of the game of football.

     

     

    The financial crash that is coming is going to be hellish beyond belief.

     

     

    Celtic Ship – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIrKyW6-Ko – pihS citleC

     

     

    The foundations have been strengthened for years so we can become what we All want Celtic to become.

     

     

    BSR – It won’t be long until the spaces you were unhappy about not being filled are filled.

     

     

    If the team out on that quality pitch is fantastic, allied with a reduction in prices of the Season Tickets, Celtic Park will have 60000 every home game.

     

     

    I hope the Celtic Board realise just how much that capitalising on money in this day and age is as detrimental as paying over the odds for a player.

     

     

    Drop the ST prices and edge them up as Neil Grows Celtic.

  8. Petec if you’re still around…. any thoughts on a couple of those games that might go over 2.5 goals? I’ve not watched much french football but I’ve noticed that the Eerste Divisie in holland often has a fair few goals

  9. Sandman

     

     

    02:36 on 5 October, 2012

     

     

    Just caught up and realised Wee Oscar’s target has been surpassed.

     

     

    Bloody fantastic news.

     

     

    Still a handful of targets to be met – particulary amused with the fella going for the full body wax, lulz.

     

     

    My eyes, they are watering…

     

     

    http://www.justgiving.com/teams/weeoscar

     

    _______________________________________________

     

     

    Great news.

     

     

    I said to my fellow bucketeers, it would be fitting if Oscar one day played for Celtic.

     

     

    That is the power of thr Almighty.

     

     

    HH

  10. Sutton’s volley

     

     

    You make a fantastic point which takes my old brain some working out

     

     

    I am son of the summer of love so grew up(operational definion 5 to 12 years if you agree) with

     

     

    Dalglish

     

    McGrain

     

    Hay

     

    Lynch

     

    Macari

     

    Edvalsson

     

    Convoy

     

    Sneddon

     

    Lennox

     

    McLeod

     

    BURNS

     

    Reid

     

    McGarvey

     

    Nicholas

     

    Proven

     

    Aitken

     

     

    I was lucky to watch great players with a decent level of success before I started paying my own coin to watch the Celts.

     

     

    You grew up with little success and poor finances but I remember

     

     

    A 90 minute Walk On around 92when we beat Aberdeen for the first time in ages

     

     

    Valentines massacre in 91

     

     

    95 cup final

     

     

    Stopping 10 in a row

     

     

    In the 90s we took all positives as veterans so we should always suppress negativity we see these days because if we win the league and the EC where can we go for the moaners like my auld boy?

     

     

    Love your attitude and more in my age group need to realize we didn’t win everything when we had our best times. The Jungle around 82 was Nirvana and we only won the LC. 20@3 was a blast and I was in Seville with no ticket but had a blast and we won nothing that season which WGS or TM would not have got away with. I TM got a raw deal

  11. as_i_thought

     

     

    03:13 on 5 October, 2012

     

     

    Petec if you’re still around…. any thoughts on a couple of those games that might go over 2.5 goals? I’ve not watched much french football but I’ve noticed that the Eerste Divisie in holland often has a fair few goals

     

    _____________________________________________________________

     

     

    I would avoid the Dutch 2nd division, the bookies are not giving value there at all, at the moment.

     

     

    It is like a reverse from the French and Dutch 2nd divisions.

     

     

    Pile on whilst the bookies still think it is not normal. ;))

  12. petec

     

     

    by the looks of things you’re right, not great odds on the dutch stuff. ill have a closer look at the french games. thanks

  13. as_i_thought

     

     

    Le Havre over 2.5

     

     

    L Mans over 2.5

     

     

    Emmen over 3.5

     

     

    Excelsior over 3.5

     

     

    Is my line for tonight, 26/1 I’m more worried about the Dutch games than the French ones at this moment but there is no doubt, now that they are kicking off an hour+ earlier, the French games will be causing me more anxiety.

     

     

    Good Luck to All CQNers when they try and win some cash boo lah this weekend. ;)

  14. Margaret McGill on

    A Tim on his way home from work in Wishaw comes to a dead halt in one way traffic on Kenilworth Ave, and thinks to himself that this traffic seems worse than usual. Nothing’s moving.” He notices a police officer walking back and forth between the lines of cars so he rolls down his window and asks: “Officer what’s the hold up?” The officer replies: “It’s a Hun, he’s just so depressed about Sevco, he’s threatening to douse himself

     

    in petrol and set himself on fire. He says his family hates him, his mates are all laughing at him and he has never had a job; I’m walking around taking up a collection for him.”

     

     

    “Oh really?” says the executive “How much have you collected so far?”.

     

    “So far,” replies the policeman “Only about three hundred litres, but a lot of people are still siphoning.”

  15. Margaret McGill on

    On an earlier question from Kitalba…

     

    Somehow I left the Phoenix with a bottle of Bacardi. However, I think this is more to do with the generosity of SFTB than any innate ability.

  16. as_i_thought

     

     

    04:04 on 5 October, 2012

     

     

    petec

     

     

    thanks ill have a look in the morn

     

    ________________________________________

     

     

    The very best of luck m8.

  17. M.McGill

     

    Spent 4 very unhappy years at St.Aidan’s being chased by Wishy High pupils down Kenilworth Av.

     

    Still have the nightmares.

     

    Couldn’t get out of school fast enough!

     

     

    SPF

  18. VICTORIOUS Wanyama

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJrarMZIG7I&feature=fvwrel

     

     

    And his Daddy!!!!!!

     

     

    Efe, one Efe…..

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJZbrynsz7I

     

     

    Bring on Barca at Celtic Park.

     

     

    If I was Neil, I would open up fully against Barca at the Nou Camp and take the heavy defeat and compete with their subconscious at Celtic Park.

     

     

    After Moscow, Celtic can definitely get 1 point in Barcelona but they must Believe they can get that point and the only way to get it is by totally attacking Barca with the front 3 only. :)))) no need to advance any midfielders when we have such quality up front.

     

     

    Go for it Neil, when we get them back to Celtic Park we will take at least 1 point from them IMO.

     

     

    Celtic are really going places. Time to secure Neil on better terms and a longer contract. ;)

  19. One of the most obvious things about Neil Lennon’s management is how he sticks by his players through thick and thin.

     

     

    How many players have been given treatment from the media especially and it then sometimes manifests itself at games.

     

     

    I’d like to take you back to Neil’s first interview as manager.

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hte6w2CwsWg

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMwC_RWWmkA&feature=relmfu

     

     

    Thunder just after 4 minutes….

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1lallDuo2I&feature=related

     

     

    Neil has his mind way down the line and I am sure even the “suspicious” DD has influenced Neil immensely in where he is wanting to go.

     

     

    The days just up ahead are going to be absolutely fantastic IMO.

     

     

    If anyone thinks it is all free sailing to victory, well then they are not reading their Bibles……

     

     

    The GA as Kojo calls it, will always be there, in whatever form it manifests.

     

     

    A manifestation can take multi generations to materialise and that is why you should never dabble with the occult. This should be getting shouted from every chapel and church IMHO but it is irrelevant messages that are being sent out from the Pastors and Priests.

  20. Petec,

     

     

    Apologies for my dismissal of yon video the other night.

     

     

    Am looking back and see you got some attention for it.

     

     

    Your own personal humility and steady faith transcends it all. Always got your back amigo, and won’t say that again to you except in person.

     

     

    Much Love and hugs to you.

     

     

    PS How many dents does your ceiling have after Tuesday night?? :)))) Mines has 7 – aye, referees :)))

  21. Nakas

     

    his hip is naka’d

     

     

     

     

    AOW

     

    I agree but the GP.s/judges seem to be very harsh at the moment

  22. petec

     

     

    Before I look at that – I have a wee gift just for you. But in OGR style, full dets will be revealed later – though without the good mhans foresight,. just my own hindsight :))

     

     

    The love is shared my friend. I say, let the rest of them get a room ! :))

  23. Top of the morning to you all from a calm, still Kingdom of Fife.

     

     

    Coneybhoy enjoyed your piece was welcome reading and your obvious admiration and love for your late father-in-law shines through.

     

     

    They are not forgotten etc.

  24. Good morning friends and a Big Happy Friday from a very slightly damp but calm East Kilbride.

  25. Fortunes Favour Mibbes

     

     

    CW has a fantastic Rangers smile.

     

     

    Big Billy McNeill gave a FM handshake a few years ago. I spotted it on McMurdo’s site recently.

     

     

    I hope I am being ridiculous.

     

    ;))

     

    ______________________________________________

     

     

    http://www.ephesians5-11.org/opnltr.htm

     

     

    tiocfaidh ar la

  26. petec

     

     

    http://youtu.be/44Ta8ekk9k8?t=3m18s

     

     

    “As long as you remain a Mason and continue to claim to be a Christian, we have to choose whether to believe your claims, as you participate in a pagan religion, or to believe the words of John which are found in the Holy Bible: ”

     

     

    In my words, Masons are fannies.

     

     

    And to finish, just for the ghood fholks – this is Sammy’s song :

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJNqaWlsnXE

     

    ;))