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.
449 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- »
Sorry for the long post- don’t know how to do the link thing. Found this whilst looking for Hatem’s career. (No connection to Hatem, just followed the dots…….
****************************
Ten years ago, I was a professional football player and a member of the Palestinian national football team at the peak of my career. But on July 22, 2009, Israeli soldiers arrested me while crossing from Gaza to the West Bank to play a match. Israel not only robbed me of my career and my passion, but also my freedom.
The Israeli authorities accused me of being a “terrorist” – a claim which remained completely unsubstantiated and unproven right up to the day I was released – three years later. During the final stages of my wrongful imprisonment, I spent three months on hunger strike.
Throughout my ordeal, I received many messages of support from athletes across the world who called for my immediate release. When you are stripped of your rights, unlawfully imprisoned and banned from seeing your family and friends, global solidarity like the kind that I received during those dark days is incredibly important. But the need for solidarity with Palestinian football players and the Palestinian people as a whole, did not end when I walked out of Israeli prison. In fact, that solidarity is needed now more than ever.
I was not the first and will not be the last Palestinian football player who has been the subject of Israeli repression. Just over a year ago on March 30, 2018, the career of promising young Palestinian football player Muhammad Khalil Obeid was destroyed in a flash when he was shot in both knees by Israeli snipers while he was peacefully protesting as part of the Great March of Return. And in January this year, a number of Palestinian football players were injured when Israeli forces fired tear gas into the stadium they were playing in – for absolutely no reason.
When you live under military occupation, the oppressive regime infects every aspect of your life – from sport to education, from your culture to your home. Endless restrictions on freedom of movement, access to resources and fundamental civil liberties make engaging in sport a constant struggle for Palestinians – these violations of rights are totally incompatible with the principle of sport being accessible to all.
Today marks the UN International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. It is a great opportunity to reflect on how sport can be used as a vehicle for positive change in the world around us and how Israel instead of doing so, is using sport to perpetuate its crimes against the Palestinian people.
The Israeli Football Association (IFA) includes football clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements, training and playing matches on stolen Palestinian land. Israeli settlements are illegal land grabs that form an integral part of Israel’s occupation infrastructure pushing indigenous Palestinian families off of their land, robbing Palestinians of natural resources and denying them their right of movement. Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are considered war crimes under international law.
In this sense, the IFA is clearly in breach of FIFA rules which prohibit a member association holding competitions on the territory of another without permission. A comprehensive report by Human Rights Watch said that by allowing the IFA to hold matches on stolen Palestinian land, FIFA is enabling business activity that supports the illegal settlements more broadly and, in doing so, is in violation of its own human rights commitments.
Over the past few years there have been growing calls for FIFA to take action and suspend IFA’s membership until Israel complies with international law, but this demand has consistently been ignored.
Meanwhile, IFA has refused to take measures to end its complicity in war crimes, despite being repeatedly condemned by UN advisers, dozens of elected officials, public figures and civil society and human rights groups. It is, therefore, imperative that all individuals and organisations who believe in freedom, justice and equality hold the IFA to account for its actions, and refuse to work with its representatives until it ends its complicity in crimes against the Palestinian people.
In particular, IFA’s main sponsor, German sportswear manufacturer Puma, needs to take action. Just last summer, Adidas announced it was ending its sponsorship of IFA following a sustained campaign by activists and athletes across the world. Over 200 Palestinian sports clubs have already called on Puma to end its support for Israel’s military occupation by terminating its sponsorship deal with the IFA and we must continue to lobby the Germany company until it decides to fully abide by its stated commitment to human rights.
As someone who has experienced first-hand the devastating impact Israel’s regime has on access to sport, I urge all organisations who work with Puma to call for an end to its sponsorship of the IFA and, if it does not answer these calls, to cease all partnerships with Puma until it does. I also urge all those who believe in freedom, justice and equality for all to join the growing global campaign to get Puma to stand on the right side of the history by ending its complicity in human rights violations against the Palestinians.
Though Israel robbed me of my career and my freedom, they will not rob me or any other Palestinian, of our determination to attain the rights and freedoms that we are owed.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mahmoud SarsakMahmoud Sarsak
Mahmoud Sarsak is a Palestinian footballer who has played for the Palestinian national team.
Fairhill bhoy
Guys posted saying me and such and such made up a rumour to see how far it would run
So not my opinion what someone actually posted
Apparently banter
🙈
Fairhillbhoy
WITS
Sky’s coverage of the golf is fantastic…takes it to a new level…the open zone with the hologram type stuff is brilliant. Loving it
Kikinthenakas 🏌️♂️🏌️♂️🏌️♂️
Dubs to play Roscommon in second round of Super Eights in 15 minutes.
Up de Dubs.
KICKINTHENAKAS-absolutely agree 😉
Mick’s big pal is my work neighbour who stays next to your sister 😉I think
DR’s reporting we got a medical
Nineteen minutes gone and Dubs lead 1-7 to 0-4
Florintina ?. Type surely ?
O
😂
HT: Dubs strolling it 1-15 to 0-7.
What a round of golf that was
Amazing round,considering the pressure on the guy
HT: Dubs strolling it 1-15 to 0-7.
—-
so im not the best mathematician in the country
im about 3rd or 4th
but why dont they give the score as the total points each like they do in the egg chasing, then maybe give the breakdown of said points seperately
im only with carol vorderman twice or three times a week so if she’s not with me then i cant work out who is winning 🤔
Magnificent scenes at the golf. Well done big Shane.
I’ve got money on Fleetwood, but I hope Lowry wins it. What a round of golf that was
Half way through second half 2-19 to 0-12.
Let’s all: One goal = three points so currently 2-19 to 1-13 is 25 to 13.
Up de Dubs.
Almore
“Dubs to play Roscommon in second round of Super Eights in 15 minutes.”
Someone should have told the Roscommon players
Think we’ve sign Ed him
FT 2-26 – 0-14 or 32 – 14.
Up de Dubs
Setting Free: really disappointing from Roscommon.
Will be cheering Dún Na nGall tomorrow.
As per earlier post
https://videocelts.com/2019/07/blogs/latest-news/have-two-celtic-fans-kicked-off-the-bertolacci-rumour-as-a-wind-up/
New FB app…
https://twitter.com/stephencairney1/status/1152602274826522624?s=21
Let’s all: One goal = three points so currently 2-19 to 1-13 is 25 to 13.
—–
aye i know that.
but why not just give the total score as well as the breakdown
in the egg chasing, they dont give the score as 5-2 v 10-4
and as i said, when im with carol vorderman she cant be arsed counting 😂
Let’s all: All you need to know is that the Dubs won😁
Going for five in a row DSC
Moussa Wagué on loan possibly, one of a few options I hear. We are trying to get a permanent RB but Moussa is a possibility for RB. As I posted before O’Donnell is a permanent possibility but looking for better.
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Thanks Lennybhoy
Wague’s a talented boy…..
Fairhillbhoy
My sister said that. Mick lives round the corner from me…need to a wee game up at Colville Park 🏌️♂️🏌️♂️🏌️♀️
Kikinthenakas
Thanks for the update Lennybhoy.
I am away to put The Child Of Prague statue in the garden in order to help Shane with the weather tomorrow.
Blog broke?
Hiunderbirds- i think there has been more posts on the other channel i last few days….HH
Noone knows anything really
Cracking to get insights into fitba dressing rooms. It’s a game we ALL Love.
Keep it going Simon.
1 Timothy 2:1-3
There is a lack of Prayer these days.
The Inevitable will transpire.
Matthew 24
Gerry C – MAGICAL
I said to Aidan that we were playing a World Championship of Pool @ the Reardens Glasgow joint. First to 18.
The Last Time I was there it Disturbed me that I got to 8 frames in a Row, I mentioned I’m going for 10 and Aidan won the next Frame.
Here we go Here we Go Again.
Saturday – me little olde petec.
I Lost the first 4 Frames on the american Pool Table. I Got the 10 in a Row that I wanted after that.
Aidan got a Cracking 5 in a row efter.
Magical
thisismajoab.CSC
Aidan Won.
Pete
Gerry Cinnamon smashed Benicassim last night. Many Celtic and Villarreal supporters wore the hoops. Gerry on his knees. Humble superstar 😎👍🍀🍀🍀🇯🇲
Forgive, Forgive, Forgive…..
If ye Dinnae dae Anything Worthwhile in yer Life. just FORGIVE.
Please for petec’s sake.
Molly and Fearne are looking after us Believers,
NFL took on the Hardest Job Ever.
C’mon CELTIC.
Pray for your Leaders.
Garry God Bless You and Thank You.