In a little over five hours, Nomme Kalju are in domestic league action, their 20th game of the season. 2018’s champions are level in the battle for third place with tonight’s opponents, Paide, so this will be a competitive encounter. All things considered, the forthcoming games against Celtic are less important than finishing third and qualifying for Europe next season.
They are five points off second and 10 from the top of the table. It has been a disappointing campaign for the two-time Estonian champions, the most significant positive being this week’s Champions League qualification win in Macedonia over Shkendija.
Like Kilmarnock, who went down to the other CQN last night, Shkendija are preseason, and having won away, should comfortably have taken care of business in the second leg, but weakness in the other kind of legs is likely to have been their downfall. Both teams were clearly drained from their first competitive action of the season, leading to bizarre results.
Nomme probably have the lowest economic footprint of any club Celtic have faced in European football (Lincoln Red Imps may just edge them). Wednesday’s game at Celtic Park will certainly contribute more to the economy than their entire 2018 exploits. This tie is a fairy tale for Nomme Kalju, who will transform their 2019 economic footprint with TV rights for the home game, and a gift to Celtic, who had the far tougher task of overcoming Rosenborg at the same stage a year ago.
The European draw gods were unkind last season, let’s hope they continue to pitch softly to us for another few rounds.
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Thanks for the replies. still gwet the shivers from 2 years ago where we won 5-0 at home to Astana but after 65 minutes in the away leag we were 4-1 down. So I suppose what I’m saying is that we shouldn’t assume that 2-0 or 3-0 is acceptable – the more the merrier!!
Keeptheheid CSC
—-
my heid is well kept
just didnt understand neils comment
he could.have easily said that it was his tactic to do it
so looked like a tactical genius
but reminded me of didier agath’s last couple of months when he was so obviously told not to cross the half way line
even tho all his best stuff was goin forward
GG 11.11pm
It has been widely reported that “if” Kieran goes to arsenal he will treble his wages … probably took a bbc “reporter” this long to multiply £20k+ x 3 …
The wee mhan isn’t away yet … KT left back with Boli Bolingoli in front of him could supply a number of goal scoring opportunities in the coming season …
Only worry about KT leaving when he has actually left :-)
For the record I wish KT the very best in whatever he chooses… hope he stays
Paul McStay CSC
Lot of negativity on here despite Lowry’s win.
I guess it must be due to the Huns leading in the close season stakes.
They’ve scored more goals.
They have signed more dross than us.
They’ve grabbed more headlines.
They’ve piled up more debt.
They’ve appeared in more court cases.
Meanwhile all we have is the spine of last season’s treble winners.
At this time of year, being well into pre season compared to English teams, I would expect us to take four or five off a team like Blackburn at home. That’s Blackburn Rovers managed by Tony Mowbray, with 33 year old Charlie Mulgrew starring in Defence.
The pre season is drawing to a close. Time for the winners of the last eight league championships to defend their title.
🍀⚽️
Hunderbirds 11.44pm
Are you suggesting Alfredo the (not so) great goal scorer was nullified by Chas Muldini & co
You won’t read that in the papers the morra :-)
From the Scotsman, forgive me but it is so ridiculous
Rangers (sic) braced for bids for key man. For braced read praying.
“5. Ten clubs eye Tavernier
Rangers captain James Tavernier is reportedly wanted by Newcastle, Aston Villa, Brighton and seven other clubs in England, Italy and Spain according to reports. (Various)
other “
Sorry it took so long to post. The wife was helping me off the floor.
Laughed so much I won’t need diuretics for a week.
Warming Up Nicely For This Week’s Heatwave In The Verdant Chilterns…
An interesting and rather polarised debate on recruitment, isn’t it always. Yet as always more than a few good points.
Now I’m with !!BADA BING!! @ 7:47 PM on most of this…
“…I think we all agree the team needs a revamp,we have lost our back 4 from last year,give or take,our forward planning is a joke,trying to save a couple of hundred grand by getting a guy on deadline day is unacceptable, we might get a couple in this week to take the heat off Lawwell before the Festival thingy next week, but when you sign a guy at this time of the season, they are usually not match fit,and end up playing the most valuable games of the season not knowing their team mates names,it is a total farce.We do this pantomime every season…”
So agreed, apart from the pre “festival” signings, I’m not so sure, yet it may well be the case if we can sell “high value”.
As far as the saving a couple of couple hundred grand last knockings, this is typical of an accountant being in charge of recruitment instead of a football man.
Brendan Rodgers always wanted players in early, this was to get them first team ready for the important games that were coming.
A while back I gave this example/scenario…
During his last tenure, Neil “an eye for a player” Lennon wanted Teemu Pukki in, he thought there was a player there.
Turns out he was right, just not for Celtic.
My point was, what if we went less intense on the haggling and had got Teemu in early and did what BR ideally done with recruits… gave him a couple of games to have a good looksey, took him away from the team, gave him a conditioning regime with the sports science, coaching and training guys – got him up to speed with fitness, performance and tactics required, then re-introduced him to the first team.
Now, whose to say what might have happened but if we look at Teemu’s Norwich City performances, we may have had a “high value” player there and got a good few highly desired goals and made ultimately made multi-millions with that approach.
My point is that there are different approaches to the “it’s all about the money” approach, that may result in much better value.
In fact, all the evidence suggests it does.
GFTB @ 11.11pm,
Well as a wiser man tha I said “if he goes there will be trouble if he stays there may be double” – My original thoughts were our dealings in this window were predicated on the selling of “high value” players. Now, I think the KT deal will go through ’cause if it doesn’t we have an issue.
Apart from KT, our usual suspects for selling this window are N’tcham and Rogic; on current, attitude, performance and fitness the words high value may not apply.
So who else could we sell…
Calmac, Jamsie could bring in a few bob.
A left field bid and an early harvest for Odsonne, Ajer or Mikey might happen.
But all in all, it’s not looking great on the sales front, so if that doesn’t happen we are pretty much finished this window.
For that reason I think we will sell KT, even if we have to do a Dembele and sell him cheap – Keeps PL and NL happy; respectively – money in the bank and money in the transfer pot.
Hail Hail
Chairbhoy 5.33am
Not forgetting it might make KT happy, surely we can’t entice young players from afar with a platform to showcase their talents (wanyama, moussa, Virgil) to further their careers without also the same applying to KT, Calmac, Jamesy F & co …. I know most of us would say … “I would never leave” but that’s easy to say when you never have the option
I still hope KT stays
Paul McStay CSC … (although he did nearly leave for Udinese ?) :-)
GFTB @ 7:39 AM,
Yes, it would be unfair I think, to put pressure on the lhad to stay because he’s one of us. He has his career and must be allowed to make those decisions for himself, as with all our Academy bhoys.
A little while ago I made the point that we should give KT a new contract on double his wages with a sign on fee.
That way he could maybe justify to himself staying for TIAR and get an even better move in a couple seasons time.
However I also highlighted why Celtic PLC would never pay those sorts of wages – so it’s pretty hypothetical.
Sad to say, we may never see another Paul McStay for many a long year.
Hail Hail
Chairbhoy 8.16am
“We may never see another Paul McStay for many a long year”
Broony ???
Your Temmu Pukki is interesting, think young Temmu didn’t settle in Spain, Germany or Scotland …. then had a successful spell with Brøndby before getting his move to the championship, hope he does well in the premiership but think other teams before us had the chance to get the best out of him but might have been down to the player more than the clubs, who all must have saw the potential when he was younger
GFTB @ 8:35 AM,
Broony!?
Well, yes and no for me. Some profound similarities sure but also some distinct differences but a point worth making.
Obviously Scott is a Footballer of the modern era and was paid a small fortune for a 22 y.o. Scot, I’m not sure his pay has increased that much. It certainly hasn’t kept track with the Football inflation top players have seen.
Would Ryan Christie be happy if he continues making progress to be on the same wages in ten years!? Big question really.
Do you remember BSR’s comments, staying up all night to get Pukki, as we got him in the twilight of the transfer window?
He certainly had potntial but he had to come in and replace the highly successful Gary Hooper… a big ask, too big.
We need to manage players as professional sportsmen and not as commodities. In the end it will add value to the player all round.
Hail Hail
Chairbhoy 9.28am
Don’t disagree but some players use clubs as much as the other way round … they don’t take less pay if they are rubbish :-)
My point about Broony was as you said his length of service, pretty sure at some point he could have moved, think Redknapp at Spurs was meant to have been interested
As for Ryan Christie he is a player who has came on leaps and bounds and has surprised me how influential he has become, think his dad was similar to Teemu Pukki and didn’t settle with us as a youngster, homesick for Inverness, glad young Ryan isn’t a chip off the old block :-)
HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 21ST JULY 2019 11:44 PM
At this time of year, being well into pre season compared to English teams, I would expect us to take four or five off a team like Blackburn at home. That’s Blackburn Rovers managed by Tony Mowbray, with 33 year old Charlie Mulgrew starring in Defence.
============
By that reckoning, I’d love to know your expectations for Wednesday!
Anyway, Charlie Mulgrews age… you say that like hes a cripple or something. He’s 33!
Players (most of them) these days look after themselves incredibly well. If Mulgrew wasn’t matching up in training to the youngsters he wouldnt be in the team
Extreme example maybe but look at Ronaldo to see what is possible. We also signed Lubo who was 33 and Larsson was fit as a fiddle well into his 30s.
Not every position needs to be filled by an 18-25 year old with resale potential.
HH
Elhamed to be added to the squad for Wednesday?
HH
3 strikers available for free. Danny Wellbeck. Daniel Sturridge and Andy Carroll.
Would take Wellbeck
I think it would be a good thing when Desmond and Lawell and co leave,they maybe could at keeping the club on a even keel,but the football side of it not so good,as for Neil Lennon he shouldn’t have been appointed as a coach,he was with Celtic,then he walked out,to go to Bolton,why did he go,well he seen the budget on bringing in new players,thanks but no thanks,after a few yrs he ends up at Hibs,then he leaves them,then back at Celtic Rogers leaves for Leicester City,so Lawell is looking for a manager,hey presto Lennon is available,and what do you know he is appointed as the coach,easy for Lawell,because he knows if we have someone in mind,shows him how much he has to spend on new players,the new man has one look,and his answer is no thanks,so along comes Lennon jumps at the chance of managing the hoops again,no questions asked,and we’re are we know,same old answers were looking for the right players,but it takes time,how many times have we heard this over the last month or two,no it’s the same old spin,ones a bigger liar than the other,
St Tams
You’re a physio and I claim my ten pounds :)
Q3 Champions League draw
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel) or Cluj (Romania) v Celtic (or Nomme Kalju)
6/7 August: first leg
13 August: second leg
Well done Shane. And good to hear the song without stupid add ons.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215065112004464&id=1330598160
Not a great draw!
Charlie Mulgrew is still a first pick for Scotland and probably still the best CH in the squad
I don’t think the result on Saturday means anything much in terms of how they will challenge us this year.
I watched us getting pumped 5-0 by Arsenal pre season in ’87 ; we had signed and ageing Billy Stark and a young Andy Walker and had lost McClair, Johnston , Mcinally and McLeod
I feared the worst and then some. Not sure what happened that season……
St Tams
Danny Wellbeck’s dad was a professional pyrotechnics technician
First name , Stan……
Happy with the draw. We avoided PAOK and Red Star. Qarabag were a banana skin too.
Frankly we should be beating Cluj or Tel Aviv and can have zero complaints if we can’t make it to the play off round.
MALONE BHOY on 22ND JULY 2019 11:12 AM
Not a great draw!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
No easy draws at this stage but happy to avoid
Greeks(think invincible s)
Red Star beat Liverpool in CL last season 2-0
AH DUN SNAP
MALONE BHOY on 22ND JULY 2019 11:12 AM
Not a great draw!
CL coefficients:
Maccabi Tel-Aviv = 16.000
CFR Cluj = 3.500
Celtic = 31.000
Happy enough with the draw – could have been worse. Assuming we make it to round three of course!!!
HH
BGFC
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17785939.celtic-drawn-cluj-maccabi-tel-aviv-champions-league-third-qualifying-round/
Lets focus on Estonians
But if successful… potentially tough ties in Romania or Israel
Tel Aviv … evokes recent memories of Hapoel Beer Sheeva
If it were to be them, the heat over there is tough going. Would need to stay alive in the tie. Bring them back to Parkheid, and then scud them.
If only it was that easy.
new article posted.