Ajax sit top of the Dutch Eredivisie, ahead of fourth-placed PSV, who picked up three points in the Champions League last night. Four wins and a draw, away to Twente on Saturday, is a near-perfect start to the domestic campaign, although that was only Twente’s second point of the season, if that provides a glimmer of hope.
Form has been less convincing in Europe. An honourable 2-2 draw away to Rapid Vienna was made meaningless by a 2-3 defeat in Amsterdam in the Champions League qualifiers. Ajax then endured a tense two-leg Europa League qualifier against Czechs, Jablonec, which ended in a 1-0 aggregate win. Not that we should be dismissive of anyone on European form.
What will give Ronny Deila room for some encouragement is who Ajax have faced so far in the league. AZ (13th placed), Willem II (15th), NEC (10th) ADO Den Haag (12th), before dropping those points to Twente (16th). All they can do is beat the teams before them, but they will not have been stretched domestically. Even Jablonec are struggling in 6th place in the Czech league. Celtic should be able to provide a test at a higher tempo.
By any measure, Celtic are not without their problems. We’ve not kept a home clean sheet since the opening day of the league campaign against Ross County, and we’ve won only one of our last four away games – and that was against Dundee United who lost four on the bounce. But there’s three points to play for tomorrow, and I doubt either team are taking them for granted.
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The 5 “diddy countries” champions route qualifiers to the CL…….
Malmo pumped 0-2
Astana pumped 0-2
Maccabi tel aviv pumped 0-4
BATE pumped 1-4
Zagreb beat arsenal 2-1
Well done Zagreb, but their result apart, a pattern is emerging.
Meantime as the gap between the richer CL clubs and the rest grows even bigger, steps are being taken to introduce a third European group competition for clubs from smaller nations that go out at the earlier CL qualifiers / Europa lge playoff rounds
Stewart Regan is heavily involved in this.
Coming soon, in the next couple of years, Celtic in the third tier European competition v the champions of Hungary, Montenegro, Macedonia etc?
Looks very much like it. I think we are now heading towards a three tier European football league set up:
1. CL aristocrats: biggest clubs from England, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, champs from Belgium, holland, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Porto and Benfica
2. Middle tier- 2-3 also rans from each of the big leagues, plus the likes of Feyenoord, Ajax, sporting, Braga, champions of countries ranked 13-22 ie Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic, Israel, Denmark, Croatia, Poland
3. Bottom tier – champions of lowest ranked countries ie Scotland, Sweden, Bulgaria, Hungary, Norway, Slovenia, Slovakia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Georgia, Bosnia, Finland etc
Ironically in such a set-up the only true “champions league” would be the lowest tier competition reserved for the minnows.
Ole republican Jerry Corbyn Just doesn’t want to kneel before the Queen ….the sycophants in the meeja clearing oot a cell in bloody tower.
Up them!
Delaneys,
I think the best we will get is a draw,
and we will need to be at our best to achieve that
Hamiltontim I think you make a very good point against me. Do I do enough? The answer is categorically no. Now largely at this gage in my life it’s because my life is consumed by work and when it’s not by family (not enough of the latter mind).
I have said, on more than one occasion that I absolutely admire your work on the OB. It puts me to shame.
In ,y younger days I was very active politically so I know what it takes.
However all I will say is that none of this diminishes my points. Unless you want to debate where I am wrong?
Celticrollercoaster of course I don’t mind. However if you read back you will find I have made no judgement on whether the story is true or not, in fact I have very much hedged my bets.
I think that too often it’s easy to pigeon hole me. That’s my fault but is still a version of lazy journalism.
Bada
Lawless….its the fekn law sticking the boot in.
HT
U are right… hopefully.
lot of mad feckers oot there .
Away for a shower then bed …shit if that’s all we have to worry about.
I give in
Good night Timland
DD
Well worth the admission money, which was nil as I was a guest of a fellow CQNer :-)
No, seriously very good
HH
CRC
Macjay1 dude keep going. Honestly it’s the most fun I have had for a hike. Shall I give you a pick axe to,join the shovel that you are using to keep digging that hole?
HT
I have seen us win twice in Amsterdam, both well against the odds for us. Got attacked twice by Ajax drug addicts. It is a mad place, then I entered a Coffeeshop. Hope all our troops stay safe tonight. Thankfully young Chris is there without colours. :)
Paul
Perhaps you could consider changing the sub heading on the site with the following that I saw on social media.
“I gave up explaining myself when I realized people only understand from their level of perception.”
Applies to all sides in all situations on here.
Has anyone ever in the history of CQN – ever – been persuaded to change a fundamental stance on any issue as a result of the bong bing bong on the blog?
See Zagreb didn’t need and extra centre half after all.
HH
VP- True mate,a place where you can’t trust anyone.HH
NegAnon2 on 16th September 2015 10:46 NEGANON2 on 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015 10:29 PM
Macjay1 is that it? Shall I help you remove the hook from your mouth? =============================================================
Is this the hook you are referring to? And I quote : “Didn’t you realising I was be ironic”
==================================================================
So.
No answer,then.
Understandable.
Keep well.
RWE,
yeah mucker,i always thought it was roasted cheese I made,
but I have been talked into accepting it is toasted cheese
CRC
Glad you enjoyed. Tosh is a good guy. Always honest and true. Why he can’t have a career in the SMSM.
Re the BO story
I saw Celtic slo refer to it earlier this week, so I assume it’s true.
Whoever sent that out needs ‘ a career conversation’
Rwe
Yeah, quite a lot.
I’ll give you an example, JFH over the last few days has stuck his colours to the mast after the weekend.
Yours truly, was panicking a wee bit, JFH has put it all in perspective and calmed things down a wee bit…when quite a few (moi)were doing the knee jerk Ott stuff…..
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART @ 10:01 PM,
Well, I didn’t think you would and it would’ve been nice to get your thoughts on my musings.
BTW: I’m not totally disregarding Ayn Rand, I see myself as a Libertarian but there’s a lot of wrong thinking in her methods and certainly the people who have adopted her credo are dogmatic, right wing, ideologists. And if you think we are living in an entrepreneurial society you couldn’t be more wrong – creativity is stifled by the Corporates, if someone manages to do something of value, they will gobble it up and Corporatise it.
From YouTube, to Innocent Drinks…
As far a the Labour Party goes, pre Corbyn, the only reason anyone thought they were a serious political force was the combination of their infamous spin doctory – and the Tory etiquette of never kicking a man when he’s down, well not if you’re playing rope~a~dope.
They’ve got five years, they thought a comfortable, five years to finish Margret Thatcher’s work and bring put their disutopian UK in place.
Will be hard to reverse it by then, won’t it?
Corbyn for me is a breath of fresh air, is he a real PM candidate, well that’s academic really. What’s more important, Is he a guy that can change the political landscape, get young people engaged in a different kind of politics – getting some politicians thinking outside the box, and strangely Enuff for an’ old Socialist, bring Britain’s political discourse into the 21st Century.
He will attack and expose the vested interests, so the next five years while the Tories make their vested interests richer, destroy the welfare state, pull apart the NHS, expand the underclass and further divide the nation – for at least some of that time they’ll be a different drum, that might inspire a younger generation to understand that the baby boomers feasted on their parents past and on their future.
Hail Hail
A fake according to James Forrest – http://thecelticblog.com/2015/09/blogs/something-stinks-but-it-aint-the-celtic-supporters#rHMPMmFhM6DWLcCU.97
Note the difference between these two quotes:
“I can exclusively reveal the letter is genuine”
“I can ‘exclusively reveal’ the letter is genuine”
The top one is what’s being reported as confirmation from the SLO that the letter is real. The second us what he actually wrote.
NEGANON2 on 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015 10:43 PM
Hamiltontim I think you make a very good point against me. Do I do enough? The answer is categorically no. Now largely at this gage in my life it’s because my life is consumed by work and when it’s not by family (not enough of the latter mind).
I have said, on more than one occasion that I absolutely admire your work on the OB. It puts me to shame.
In ,y younger days I was very active politically so I know what it takes.
However all I will say is that none of this diminishes my points. Unless you want to debate where I am wrong?
———
It wasn’t a point against you, it’s just that I struggle to fathom how someone with so much passion does so little to address the wrongs that cause you such angst.
Not for a second would I question your priorities, your family should take precedence. However, in today’s digital age much of the work the Trust and FAC do can be done online.
I think you’d be better getting involved in some of the issues rather than trying to convince those on an Internet blog who have equally strong opinions polarised to your’s.
Just a thought.
Pointless typing this out as there’s not a chance of us playing this way but I’d like to see us line up like this tomorrow night.
————-Gordon
—-Lustig–Boyata–Jozo–
Janko———NB———-Izzy
——–Brown——Rogic
————Johansen
————-Griffiths
More bodies in defence,with pace to get forward down the flanks & an extra ball player in midfield. Cant see Ajax being overly physical but they will no doubt have the bulk of possession. Though it’s obviously important for us to be able to keep the ball when we do win it. For this Rogic & Bitton are our calmest players in possession & both can see a pass, I think they offer the best opportunity for us to gain some control of the midfield. Janko & Izzy can make five at the back if need be but will also give us pace going forward & hopefully two much needed out balls (We haven’t had one in Europe since Sammy). Griffiths must start as our top goal threat, the only dilemma is who to play behind him. Johansen gets the nod for his energy & ability to get about the pitch, if only Commons had the legs. Also keeping Forrest, GMS, Commons & Ciftci on the bench, gives us good options for when the game becomes stretched.
Shamelessly stolen from a mates FB page:
On a tour of Scotland, the Pope took a couple of days off his itinerary to visit the north coast near Aberdeen on an impromptu sightseeing trip.
His 4X4 Popemobile was driving along the golden sands when there was an enormous commotion heard just off the headland. They rushed to see what it was and upon approaching the scene the Pope noticed just outside the surf, a hapless man wearing a Rangers football shirt, struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a twenty-foot shark.
At that moment a speedboat containing three men wearing Celtic shirts roared into view from around the point. Spontaneously, one of the men took aim and fired a harpoon into the shark’s ribs, immobilising it instantly.
The other two reached out and pulled the man from the water and then, using long clubs, beat the shark to death.
They bundled the bleeding, semi-conscious man into the speedboat along with the dead shark and then prepared for a hasty retreat, when they heard frantic shouting from the shore. It was of course the Pope, and he summoned them to
the beach.
Upon them reaching the shore the Pope went into raptures about the rescue and said, “I give you my blessing for your brave actions. I had heard that there were some hooligan elements and sectarianism, bigotry and evil people trying to divide
the glorious Celtic and Rangers, but, now I have seen with my own eyes this is not true.
I can see that your society is a truly enlightened example of cultural harmony and could serve as a model on which other peoples could follow.”
He blessed them all and drove off in a cloud of dust.
As he departed, the harpoonist asked the others, “Who was that???!” “That,” one answered, “was his Holiness the Pope. He is in direct contact with God and has access to all God’s wisdom.”
“Well,” the harpoonist replied, “he knows feck all about shark hunting. How’s that bait holding up or do we need to get another one?”.
I hear smsm are now combing social media for signs that Celtic supporters have dandruff.
A few I know would love to have dandruff. It would mean they had hair.
With apologies to the follicly challenged of course.
Auldheid
If there’s no reaction to the guff…..it’s of no issue.
Can’t understand why such reaction to banality.
Believe.
http://youtu.be/tSEnHKmmLB8
Auldheid
You’re way head and shoulders above the rest of us mate.
HT, I was there that night :-) in Amsterdam. There was also bother with the Ajax fans that visit as well – w@ankers.
I hear smsm are now combing social media for signs that Celtic supporters have balls.
A few I know would love to have balls. It would mean they had drive and ambition.
With apologies to the celtic eunuchs of course.
Since we canny trust the smsm and cops to be incahoots with Celtic supporters in the same way their Dutch counterparts are with Ajax may I suggest we poison their food and water next week?
MARGARET MCGILL on 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015 11:35 PM
Auldheid
You’re way head and shoulders above the rest of us mate.
=======================================================
Speak for yourself,Maggie.
Macjay Dismay
No shampoo for you eh?
You want the real poo!
MARGARET MCGILL on 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015 11:45 PM
Macjay Dismay
No shampoo for you eh?
You want the real poo!
-=================================
Very punny,Mags.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on 16th September 2015 11:24 pm
:-)
” And I`ll have an orangeman for my crocodile.”
Auldheid
Don’t listen to them, your worth it.
MARGARET MCGILL @ 11:38 PM,
Yvette Copper had three balls, didn’t help her:/)
Fit aw tomorrow…
G’nite!
Hail Hail
oldtim67 on 16th September 2015 9:54 pm
There’s been a lot said over the last four days or so and it’s getting boring, you either support Celtic as your team or go and support another team there’s no need to watch Celtic if it’s so upsetting.
I remember when I started watching Celtic it wasn’t for the great football that they played, No I just got impressed by a good footballer, when I started to watch Celtic in the 52-53 season they weren’t champions, in fact the Huns won the League that year and we won it the following year, then for the next 12 years we weren’t a threat to anyone, I think most of you posters would have stopped supporting the team by the way you carry on now.
You take the bad as well as the good,It was a long wait but when the good times returned we came back with a hell of a bang, European Cup, nine in a row and a multitude of Cups, but the good times don’t last forever, if they did, I maybe would start a bit of moaning, because it’s boring to watch them winning every year.
But for us to be 2nd in the League after 5 games ain’t that bad a couple of wins over the leaders will bring us back to a point in front remember the team were playing International Football for their Countries and some did a lot of travelling.
Give the blog a break and stop the moaning and shit stirring, we’ll be back,
=======================================================================
Well said, the senior stalwart.
But you’ll be confusing some of the habitual, ubiquitous moaners; they only remember supporting the Hoops since MON’s treble in 2001. And their google searching trends with ‘Henrik Larsson’.
Still, the rest of us will enjoy the Hoops taking on Ajax tonight, while they watch ‘the Celtics’ versus ‘Aye-axe’….
Delaneys Dunkey @10:24pm
Just thank god your sons mate wasn’t in Amsterdam 2001 when Celtic Fans were shooting Celtic Fans with no regards as to who may have been caught up in the crossfire
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1337039/Celtic-fans-shooting-was-bungled-contract-killing.html
There again it may have been tittle tattle the press were reporting at the time and it may well have been the case that the persons involved had only been a couple of Glaswegians whose cultural visit happened to coincide with Celtics visit to Amsterdam
NegAnon2 on 16th September 2015 10:25 pm
EDB yes I have nothing to say.
Unlike your rather remarkable contribution to debate on cqn.
I bow to you sir.
Auldheid. Let me confess to you first. I have I confess studied psychology and sociology in the past. I am more tha aware of perspectives and views and understanding behaviour beyond the facade. It has stood me in remarkable good stead through my career.
Funnily enough I’ve managed quite well myself by being positive and I’m not knocking my pan out in the process.
You are deservedly a well respected poster on cqn. But I am not buying you popcorn my friend.
I wasn’t offering it I was eating it.
Onto your question.
So my world view justification!
If the event is true.
I take it that by “event” you mean a supporter or supporters (we don’t know) has BO and the SLO responded as in the letter
Why on earth is the SLO sending such letters.
The very fact that you ask suggests you don’t know, so you fill that gap with a supposition. That supposition could have been open ended asking for more information, but nope that might counter whatever in you created the original belief that he/Celtic was at fault.
My god I am pretty sure most supporters at most clubs have far more concerning matters to deal with. Celtic relationship with its support has all but broken down. That Celtic would deem this worthy of time and attention would, to me, signify a complete lack of grip from those running the club.
Do you honestly mean that if some supporters complain to THE SUPPORTER LIAISON OFFICER that a supporter has BO bad enough to affect their enjoyment of a game that he should ignore it or did he not get a complaint at all and fire off that letter because he was having an off day
If he did get a complaint and answered it as such perhaps he did not know who the complaint was made against, perhaps no one could identify the person and rather than accuse the wrong one he took a wider approach. Or maybe he was trying to protect someone a bit vulnerable. Now I’m making that up, but I know that I am, but rather than think it true I’d try and establish the facts that led to the letter before I blamed the SLO or gave the event the meaning you appear to have that it is a sign of poor relationships.
Now even if its all true and he wrote to a number of folk for reasons HE found justifiable, no one would have known he had if those addressed had not gone public. Personally had I got a BO letter and it was true I would be keeping quiet about it or else if I were angry at the accusation I might take that out on the letter writer by going public. Quite a lot to foresee especially if the motivation of the approach was a softly softly one, but again we don’t KNOW.
If the event is false
The fair enough, unless our SLo fell for it.
how could the SLO “fall for it” Fall for what exactly? Either he was given reason to act or he wasn’t. Are you suggesting Celtic supporters are BO free zones and the SLO should have been more alert about a bogus complaint?
If so again a lack of trust from the club.
How you turn this into a lack of trust from the club is beyond my capacity to make up, but I might be missing something you are not. However if what I am missing is the level of mistrust you start from then I’m not missing it, I’m glad you have taken on that job.
If not I expect Celtic to go after the daily record legally and with gusto. Now I know they won’t and so do you.
Again you don’t KNOW that, insufficient time has elapsed to establish if they will respond or not. If it is true then why keep a non event alive by keeping focus on it? If its false then put out a statement making the event about lies told about the club and not that a guy has BO.
The SLO will be in Amsterdam, he will have been busy preparing for it, I suggest he has little time at present to deal with something that might be a hoax he was unaware of. If lies were printed I’d expect a retraction.
I had a chat with the SLO once about a press report and asked why Celtic did not respond. Turned out the DR had the dirty on a player that became a bargaining chip. That is what I mean by not knowing, we know so little and yet act as if we don’t.
But that’s because they couldn’t care less about us.
I would suggest that is your default prism on matters Celtic. I don’t know why and if I were you I might feel the same. But my experience and feelings from it are more of frustration than anger but I don’t get the impression they don’t care. Perhaps its the way I tell em.
This is a racism story and Celtic should go after it as such. <strong IF it is I agree, but I don't know enough yet, what I believe is that there is an element in our media actively working against Celtic and I'd do everything to stop them if I could. What I wont do is feed them.
That they won’t says it’s all.
No matter how much you believe that to be true you don’t know they wont or why.
And lastly, can I ask you four simple questions?
What is your favourite colour? Red
What is your favourite animal? Lion/tiger/ cats
You find yourself in a white room with no windows or doors. How do you feel? Depends on what I make of the situation.
You find yourself travelling on a road. Describe the road? Interesting.
Look forward to the answers Auldheid.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/neither-ajax-nor-celtic-will-be-overconfident/comment-page-8/#comments
A couple of missed bold endings but I hope its understandable.