If it’s a choice between a trip to Macedonia or Azerbaijan, Celtic would doubtlessly prefer the former. Baku, where Azerbaijani club Qarabag reside, is not as far west as Astana, where Celtic played two years ago, but it’s east of Iraq and it’s not a city which appears in many tourist lists.
Rudar Pljevlja returned from Baku midweek with a 0-0 draw. In days gone by that was regarded as a great away European result, but the lack of away goal will much of the second leg is played on a knife-edge.
One large note of caution, Qarabag went out of Europe last season by a one goal aggregate margin to Red Bull Salzburg, who lost in Baku, but won in Glasgow a few months later. They have twice eliminated Polish opposition in the last five years.
My hunch is that Celtic are better than each potential opponent, but if we’re short of fitness or preparation, we’ll have more trouble than we want.
The good news is that neither club plays summer football, so they should be no better prepared that Celtic. Rudar finished competitively in May, Qarabag a week later, while both played their first competitive games of the season on Wednesday. From what I can tell, both also play on grass, so we’ll avoid the Scandinavian bounce.
Before concerning ourselves too much with the 3rd Champions League qualifying round we need to use today’s game against La Liga side Eibar to sharpen fitness, and take care of business in Iceland on Wednesday.
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Good to be back
Good to be back
Lennybhoy
I was in fine fettle until you rockets started commenting!! :-)
Turkeybhoy..i Dont believe it..
But i would take it..Thats what im saying…
J McCormick, agreed, good point, continuity brings consistency and success.
I would also be against league construction, I think it’s being pushed to try to stop the 10. Easier to stop if only playing each other twice. HH
rudicantfail,
Lets get one thing straight.I am not”Your mate”.You talk mince.You sound like a hun to me,and I have never seen you post on the blog before.I might be wrong,but you still sound like a hun.So p!ss off.
Very good tribute on the tele marking the retirement of the great Pablo Aimar.One of the great No 10s.
Rudi,
Can’t quite work out the best game ’79 I was 15, left school to watch the midweek game ( I believe ) ’86 we went not expecting anything but came away ecstatic and followed up with copious amounts of alcohol, signing and dancing into the night. Other games worth mentioning 4-4 at Ibrox against a formal rival and again 6-2. Barcelona 2-1 beats any Clash concert, just.
If VVD leaves I’d expect it’ll be to the EPL. That being the case, I’d start the bidding at £10m.
Why are people going on about 10iar…The only thing its worth is the possibility of CL football,to me it means nothing more…10iar to beat our old record, ok..to beat anything else is an embarrassment..
Hypothetically….
I’m an EPL chairman with the authority to sign cheques….
VVD. Go on convince me to shop in the SPFL….
Risk or Reward?
Loving the clash stuff ……….met Mick Jones briefly outside loftus road 89/90 fish …..lovely guy …..all smiles …….
My fav band by a mile ……a band that really mattered …….
Turkeybhoy…
Sober up mate.
It gets easier after a few weeks lol
it must be some kind of “app”…….an automatically created guff fomenter……………..
bgx
22:52 on 18 July, 2015
What’s wrong with Celtic conceding 10 goals in a row in Europe?
Pray tell?
almore
22:23 on 18 July, 2015
Slainte
miss GFTB & Mrs GFTB had a great day so that made my day
WITS only ever been to Newcastle, Ayr, Hamilton & Kelso racing, the Galway festival is on my to do list, heard it is magic, as for Dublin 2016 the good lady is very receptive and it’s going to come down to holidays from work, the aforementioned miss GFTB loves the song Grace and I have told Clogher Celt that it isn’t a holiday more of a history lesson, I am the youngest of 5 and the only one who never got the “family holiday” in Ireland, my older siblings back in the day never enjoyed it too much (back in the 70s)
hamiltontim
You looked to be in fine fettle…seriously, glad you had a great time…:):)
VVD will go for £12 million.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
One for the gin drinkers out there
Snoop Dogg – Gin & Juice
https://youtu.be/DI3yXg-sX5c
MagsMcgill..Aye ok..Yir dead clever..
Not getting carried away with tonights performance/score.Same as Wednesday.It was only a game to shake off the cobwebs.Get the players up to speed.Dont give a monkeys who played well,who did not,they will shine through throughout the course of the season.
Not listening to any of the tacticians,player raters,would be managers on here.I trust in the guys that watch them everyday in training.I will go with their selections.
Just a footnote.I collected £400 tonight from last season.My Turkish betting partner is a shark,especially on Turkish football,and I phoned my bet in to my bookmaker,and he gave me 11/4 Hibs winning the Championship.So thats next summers spending money taken care of.
£1,500,smackers,and the huns in the playoffs.Does’nt get much better.
Really Good Fight..well Done Frampton..
thompsontwin
What did you think of wee Leigh’s treble tonight ?
Av got a feeling the wee man could score a barrow load this season
Esta indecision me molesta
Si no quieres librame
Digame que tengo ser
Sabes que ropa me queda
Me tienes que decir
Me debo ir o quedarme
turkeybhoy
23:00 on 18 July, 2015
Not getting carried away with tonights performance/score.Same as Wednesday.It was only a game to shake off the cobwebs.Get the players up to speed.Dont give a monkeys who played well,who did not,they will shine through throughout the course of the season.
Not listening to any of the tacticians,player raters,would be managers on here.I trust in the guys that watch them everyday in training.I will go with their selections.
Just a footnote.I collected £400 tonight from last season.My Turkish betting partner is a shark,especially on Turkish football,and I phoned my bet in to my bookmaker,and he gave me 11/4 Hibs winning the Championship.So thats next summers spending money taken care of.
£1,500,smackers,and the huns in the playoffs.Does’nt get much better.
Hope your judgement is as strong as your opinionated stuff….lol
Lennybhoy
It was great catching up with my maw and the blues festival was superb.
I certainly wouldn’t be expecting anything less than £10m for VVD.
rudicantfail
22:56 on
18 July, 2015
Turkeybhoy…
Sober up mate.
It gets easier after a few weeks lol
I am perfectly sober,and as for it “Getting better”.It has’nt for you since 2012.
Stay
M McG
It is still the clash
Love
rudicantfail,
At least I wont be crying when the bet comes up.
“Opinionated”Na,I just dont suffer @ssholes,sorry.
Bombers and blog polis.
Whatever next ?
HH
……………………..
Mags
I reckon you should stay.
HH
They hanged young Kevin Barry high
Just a lad of eighteen years
Cork City’s flames lit up in the sky
But our brave lads new no fear
The Cork brigade with hand-grenades
In ambush wait and lay, and
The black and tans, like lightening ran
From the Rifles of the IRA!
The tans were got, taken out and shot
By a brave and valiant few
Sean Treacy, Dinny Lacey
And Tom Barry’s gallant crew
Though we’re not free yet
We won’t forget
Until our dying day, how
The black and tans, like lightening ran
From the Rifles of the IRA!
Sending me over a squad of lightweight wimps.
Clydebank,Derry and Dumbarton are well and truly pashed.
Ballymurphy still standing, as per always.
:D
HH.
esta indecisión me está molestando
todos ustedes son un grupo de amantes del ano
Turkeybhoy. You don’t suffer arseholes?
How can you live with yourself??
Right,I will leave you all with one less numpty tonight,and wish you all(apart from the usual trumpets)a very good night.Oh,and a very new “Trumpet”.
arthur lee
23:05 on 18 July, 2015
Joes looking well
Tell him hello
Neil loved him
turkeybhoy
23:04 on 18 July, 2015
rudicantfail
22:56 on
18 July, 2015
Turkeybhoy…
Sober up mate.
It gets easier after a few weeks lol
I am perfectly sober,and as for it “Getting better”.It has’nt for you since 2012.
Delighted for you mate….Sobriety in the Caliphate ….that must be difficult at times lol
Indecision will cost you dear, be brave and go for it
HH
The Doors – People Are Strange
https://youtu.be/GJY8jJkDoMY
turkeybhoy
God love you mate
Gobble gobble
Or is it Con Stant in Apple?