The incentive for Brendan Rodgers and his players is clear, beat AEK Athens and you will face either Malmo or Vidi (known as Videoton until earlier this year) in the Champions League play-off round.
Malmo, who are 16 games into their league programme, will be slight favourites to make the play-off round. They beat Romanians Cluj in the last round and Kosovans Drita in the first qualifier.
The Swedes were eliminated from the second qualifying round last year by Vardar of Macedona – a stage which did not offer the compensation of a Europa League entry.
Vidi recorded the result of the last round by eliminating Ludogorets Razgrad 1-0 on aggregate. They overcame Maltese and Estonian opposition a year ago, before recording a remarkable away goals victory over Girondins Bordeaux. Eventually losing 4-0 on aggregate to Partizan Belgrade.
It all went wrong for Celtic three years ago when former player, Jo Inge Berget returned to haunt us for Malmo. Berget scored twice in the Champions League play-off first leg at Celtic Park in a 3-2 Celtic win, but the Swedes progressed after winning the return 2-0.
Malmo changed manager in June, appointing Uwe Rosler, who was sacked by Fleetwood Town in February, Not a conventional route to Champions League glory.
There are pitfalls if we approach the tie as ill-prepared as we were in 2015, or as Bordeaux were last month, but AEK are by far the strongest team we will face in order to reach the group stage.
It’s all about Celtic Park on Wednesday; the hugest or hugest games.
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new article posted.
CELTIC40ME on 7TH AUGUST 2018 2:01 PM
Rodgers says we need to replace Armstrong. Given our interest in McGinn, I’m guessing he is the envisaged replacement. McGinn’s goal scoring record at Hibs is very similar to Armstrong’s at DU.
Again, Armstrong played 39 games last year, we need a replacement in the team. Even with Kouassi contributing more, we are still lacking in cover. Also, given Broonie probably has two years at current level left, it would be sensible to start planning for his eventual replacement.
It’s pretty normal for us all to get a little angsty at this time of year as our impatience for new signings butts up against the fear of disappointment. To be fair to the club, while the the Willo window still stalks our consciouness, it was almost 9 years ago, and since then business has been pretty good.
You could scroll back to every August on the blog and read the same stuff, the only thing that changes is the names. I remember the widespread disappointment when, with a sieve as leaky as ever, we ended up with a big lump from Groningen and some bit-part kid from Man City’s youth academy.
There is though a new dynamic in the summer transfer window, being that the (wealthy) English clubs have until the end of this week to complete their business, while we have a further three weeks thereafter. Any player with an ambition to play in the EPL, and that’s the standard we’re looking for, won’t sign for us until the English window closes out on his hope for another season. At that point, he’s open to offers elsewhere, including Celtic.
It impacts on McGinn too. Hibs won’t sell him to us until the English window is closed, at which point Celtic’s is the only bid on the table.
Irrespective of offers elsewhere, McGinn can elect to decline them. In effect, Hibs have a harder job selling Aston Villa to McGinn than they do selling McGinn to Aston Villa (or any other interested party).
It would be a pity to lose Boyata at the very point where he looks like he’s finally becoming a player, but if some club had offered £9M for him last season we’d all have needed a prompt change of underpants, and thereafter suggested the scout at the buying club be referred for psychiatric support.
Compper is a mystery I doubt we’ll live to see solved, while Hendry is a foal with a lot of growing up to do. In that light, we need at least one quality centre half, two if Boyata goes, and I doubt that has been lost by Brendan and his team.
Personally, I think we’re screaming out for a dead ball expert, someone who would add 8 goals and 16 assists in a season. Problem is he needs to be as good in open play as whoever he replaces, whether winger or midfielder.
But nothing will happen this week, and we’ll go up against AEK home and away with the players already here. Once that’s out of the way, expect Celtic to make their moves.
We can all fall out when we see the new Daniel Majstorovic, Rami Gershon and Amido Balde.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 7TH AUGUST 2018 2:14 PM
CELTIC40ME on 7TH AUGUST 2018 2:01 PM
Rodgers says we need to replace Armstrong. Given our interest in McGinn, I’m guessing he is the envisaged replacement.
Also, given Broonie probably has two years at current level left, it would be sensible to start planning for his eventual replacement.
You’ve contradicted yourself there. Your second statement makes far more sense. He’s a different player to Armstrong, we already have MacGregor and Rogic in that position, he doesn’t get in ahead of them.
Gamboa Ajer Jozo KT
HH. ?
Madmitch
I think you know what my point is.
A centre back guddle or a internet CB guddle?
Having ‘wasted’ £1M on Marvin Compper whether you like it or not, the plan wasn’t to spend X Millions on another experienced CB for the CL qualifiers. not at least until the English window closed, and we’re still
involved in qualifiers of some kind.
Personally I agree with the plan, and would buy CB’s when I knew by the end of the window who was remaining at Celtic, and that would determine how much we needed to spend? – pretty much common business sense .
What a job we have on our hands to replace CB’s ‘good enough to play for Celtic’ if Dedryk Boyata is valued at £12M ( ‘ Liability’ ‘Bombscare’ ‘Waste of Space” )
Think we’re in good shape for AEK and Dedryk might make the bench, maybe not, the question will be Hendry or Simunovic in the starting line up.
TicketsOnGeneralSale CSC
Those pesky Scottish fans at it again!
Real hard nuts…
…allegedly.
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/police-search-area-after-rangers-fans-kick-over-three-year-old-boys-sandcastle/
HH!!
They just have to concentrate.
It’ll be sad to see Dedryck leave, however the club simply cannot turn down the money being offered.
Double Treble winner – legendary status cemented.
HH. ?
https://readliverpoolfc.com/2018/08/07/celtic-want-to-sign-pedro-chirivella-from-liverpool/
I dont think Brendan and Peter would have looked out of place with
Robin Robinson and Frank Muir in 80’s game show.
Not saying were not interested
But if Hibs want to play the game
then Captain Peter unleashes a JOKER
CALLMYBLUFFcsc
Why is it so difficult to understand that we have to wait until the English window closes to try and make signings.Even foreign players we might be interested in could be waiting tosee what transpires.
If Mc Ginn really wants to play for Celtic,he only has a couple of days to wait.
Celtic have made it official that they want John McGinn
Apparently he wants to play for Celtic
When the English deadline closes we are the only game in town for Hibs
Why wouldn’t he wait a few days – the ball is in his court, not Hibs, not AV
If his agent is any way competent he explains to Hibs that his client goes to Celtic now for £2m or 12 months from now for nothing.
Hibs are also losing out on Scott Allan or Mikey Johnston or Ryan Christie, all 3 who will go on loan somewhere but not Hibs