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. The Battered Bunnet on

    According to the UN Population Division, there are a little more than 7 Billion people living on planet Earth.

     

     

    According to Nielsen Online/ International Telecommunications Union, there are 2.26 Billion internet users in the world, around 32% of the global populaiton.

     

     

    According to Mark Zuckerberg, over 1 billion people in the world use Facebook.

     

     

    In short, Facebook has a ‘market share’ of about 44% of the World’s internet users.

     

     

    How come then Facebook doesn’t make any money?

     

     

    How come so many people fired in to buy shares at $38, when earnings per share are 1% of that?

     

     

    Is Facebook a virtual Football club?

     

     

    Does Mark Zuckerberg own Sevco 5088?

  2. Dead and Loving it on

    I think that if a few more teams play with a “Brothel ” at the back, I think we will get to a semi

  3. Aberdeen v St mirren

     

    Sevco v ICT

     

    Utd v Hertz

     

    Soooooo,

     

     

    Celtic v St Johnstone

  4. traditionalist88 on

    TwoTunTimfromTeddington

     

     

    Wembley May 2013

     

     

    Lisbon May 2014

     

     

    Get booked before its too late;)

     

     

    HH

  5. CELTIC v ST JOHNSTONE

     

    DUNDEE UTD v HEARTS

     

    RANGERS v INVERNESS CT

     

    ABERDEEN v ST MIRREN

     

     

    Surprise, surprise another home tie for Sevco!

  6. Big Swee walks on with Neil Lennon on

    A chance to set right the score after our last performance against the Saints.

  7. OG Rafferty

     

    I certainly was.

     

    Following year I was 1 of 25 ( I believe ) of the Red Army ( a Patrol I suppose) who made the trip to Nantes for the European Cup Winners Cup R1. Happy days

     

     

    The Onlooker

  8. Big Swee,

     

     

    that was my initial thought too when seeing the draw.

     

     

    HAIL! HAIL!

     

    Token

  9. Big Swee walks on with Neil Lennon on

    Now is it 30/31st.

     

     

    Not been able to get up for the games with the wee one being born so well due a trip to Celtic Park.

     

     

    Wonder if I can bring her into the lounge for the Barca game……… :o)

     

    Her first cold pie……

  10. feedthebhear

     

    14:10 on

     

    4 October, 2012

     

    Glad to be at home, delighted not to play zombie fc

     

     

    Totally agree

     

     

    Play the kids Neil

  11. The Onlooker, 14:07

     

    I did my bit for the home game (0-1 I think).

     

    Went to every game home and away from 78-81, mostly by train or on foot. Some very close calls.

  12. DontPatmadug

     

    14:09 on

     

    4 October, 2012

     

    Huns v ICT on BBC again ? Would not bet against it.

     

    Raging cert mate,no matter how many times Sevco ban them,they can’t help throw money at the Mother Ship

  13. First they roll in ex-uberHun MCCall and his listless surrender-monkeys, now they roll in ex-uberHun Butcher and his heelan fermer rugger-buggers.

     

     

    They’ll get through to the semis and it’ll be guaranteed lifelong wannabee uberHun Wee Craigy ‘Billy Boy’ Broon and his rag-tag unpredicatable sheep.

     

     

    Next: referee appointments. Gollum? 1-2 favourite.

  14. Philbhoy - It's just the beginning! on

    Butcher won’t lie down.

     

     

    They’ll be up for it.

     

     

    They need the money more than most.

     

     

    A good draw imo.

  15. “Home ties” were mentioned twice during the draw – They were mentioned, with regards to the two ties that were drawn immediately after Sevco was out of the hat…….Funny that.

     

    Still paranoid.

     

    Teuchter ár lá

  16. Thinking about that draw again…the two guests pulled out balls with numbers in them and Longmuir then says…’that’s —- against —-‘.

     

     

    How were the numbers decided, were they made known beforehand and

     

    why not just put the teams’ names in the balls?

  17. Why are so many interested in a third div teams tie……..?

     

     

    Visits on here less n less frequent as some have obsession with sevco which i dont get.

     

     

    Surely, after cup draw involving Celtic, should be focal point on celtic quick news, getting tiresome.

  18. OG,

     

    I remember that period well.

     

    Coming back from just about every visit to Coleraine Ballymena, Portadown and Lurgan minus a few windows on the supporters buses.

     

     

    Onlooker.

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