A cursory look at our fellow pot 4 Champions League teams shows the extent of the challenge. Six of the eight teams lost: Steaua Bucharest (3-0), Austrian Vienna (0-1), Celtic (2-0), Real Sociedad (0-2), Plzen (0-3), Anderlecht (2-0).
Copenhagen got one of the better results of the night, a 1-1 draw at home to Italian champions, Juventus, while Napoli, who split Juve and Milan in the Italian league last season, but are still a pot 4 team, recorded the only bottom tier win, a 2-1 victory over last season’s finalists, Borussia Dortmund.
Napoli are in a different category than the rest but Celtic are in with a decent chance of out-performing others from pot 4.
Sociedad’s home reversal to Shakhter Donetsk, who are going through a rebuilding process was a shock, but Valencia’s 0-3 Europa League defeat to Swansea indicates a worrying scenario for Spanish football below the uber-indebted Barca and Real Madrid. As a general rule, anything which undermines one of the economically powerful football nations should be welcomed by those disenfranchised by the size of their TV market (that’s us).
Shakhtar Karagandy put in a credible performance before going down 2-1 in Greece, a far better showing than Elfsborg’s 4-0 collapse in Salzburg. Best of luck to the Kazaks.
I’ve been going to the football long enough to remember black players being booed whenever they touched the ball. The phenomenon seemed to arrive here in the late 70s and faded around a decade later, although such is human nature I don’t think complacency is appropriate. Homophobia is a different matter.
‘Out’ gay footballers are so rare I don’t know what the reaction would be at a match but the crowd-bullying phenomenon which can exist in the game makes any minority vulnerable. The first step is to explain to the hard-of-thinking what they are doing, and the error of their ways.
Can rainbow coloured laces change the world? Stonewall have distributed rainbow coloured laces to every player in the UK, asking them to wear them this weekend. We’ll not see the WAGs acronym become WAGSABAH overnight but it feels like an appropriate, colourful, first step.
Keep reaching for that rainbow, Celtic.
1254125 at The Great Scottish Run.
On Sunday 6 October there is a 10k and Half Marathon. If that is beyond you. There are family events taking place the day before. This is your club, remind the world of what really counts and get involved in 1254125.
The first thing you need to do is sign up for the Great Scottish Run, or here for one of the family events.
Once you’ve done that, you can register for the 1254125 campaign here.
Then you can create a donations page here. Click Start Fundraising, search for Celtic Charity, setup your My Donate account).
Email me and let me know if you are having trouble signing up or need any more help, celticquicknews@gmail.com.
To read the new issue of CQN Magazine click here (don’t try to read the graphic below).
[calameo code=000390171853d2bfc4f69 lang=en page=4 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
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Bar even
If its no cowrie its bar..
I give up..
Oldtim in Barcelona for week?
I imagine it’ll be less Sagrada Familia and more in the way of familiar sangria .
.
Stokes was walking on very thin ice – Lennon
Boss urges Dubliner to take second chance and become star striker, writes Roddy Forsyth
ANTHONY STOKES came within a crossbar’s width of scoring a vital goal for Celtic in the San Siro on Wedensday night – but was within an inch of being dumped by the club only a few months ago, according to Neil Lennon.
The manager had much to say in Stokes’ favour after the Dubliner’s performance against AC Milan in the Celtic’s opening Champions League group game, but he also revealed that the striker – who incurred Lennon’s ire when he attended a memorial tribute for a member of the Real IRA who had been shot dead in Dublin – had brought his own future into doubt by his general demeanour around the club.
“I had him in the office a couple of times. It’s fair to say Anthony was walking on very thin ice,” said Lennon.
“He was hurting himself. It was nothing to do with stuff last year – the stuff in Dublin – it was just his indiscipline around the training ground and around the team. He’s really tidied that up now and become a really good professional.”
Asked what had caused the penny to drop with Stokes, who spent much of last season sidelined by injury, Lennon said: “I don’t know. Maybe the injury and missing out on the whole Champions League campaign last year and watching the boys play against Barcelona and Spartak Moscow and realising what he has at Celtic.
“Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until you’re not there. I’ve never spoken to him about it, but I certainly think the natural thing would be to sit down and think, ‘I want to be a part of this’ and now he is.
“You do sit down with them, but ultimately it’s down to the individual. I really like what I’m seeing in him at the moment. He’s always had goals in him and he will score goals at Champions League level if we can get the right service to him.
“As a lone striker, you sometimes have to create your own opportunities and he had one in the first half in Milan when he latched on to a mistake and I fancied him to score, but he just scuffed the shot a little bit – and if his free-kick had been an inch or two lower we’d all be raving about him.
WISHY-WASHY
“There were things he was doing in the game on Wednesday – challenging for balls in the air – whereas before he was a little bit wishy-washy. I think now that Gary Hooper’s gone, he’s looking to be the No 1 here and he’s enjoying that challenge.
“He should be looking to be the No 1 striker here, to continue scoring goals at domestic and European level and he should want to get in the Irish team.
“Again, he let himself down there. Unfortunately Trapattoni has gone now, but you hope that when a new manager comes in the slate is wiped clean and he can make a charge on that aspect of his game as well.”
Celtic, who face St Johnstone at home in the SPL this afternoon, have inevitably been the subject of much analysis and comment, following their 2-0 midweek defeat in Italy.
Lennon, though, has conducted his own initial post-mortem and said: “You have to take the performance in its context. Did the players do what we asked them to do? Yes – apart from scoring, which is the hardest thing to do in a game.
“Did the players listen to what I said? Yes. Did we play well? Yes. There’s a lot to take from that. Is this as good as it gets for a Scottish team? Who knows? We were 8/1 to win the game.
No one gave us a prayer and I thought those odds were very, very long. I didn’t think there was much between the teams having watched AC Milan on Saturday night and that proved to be the case.
“At times we denigrate the game too much. We have a good team here, it’s growing and it will get better. As always when you are on the up you need investment and that’s one thing that teams can’t guarantee. That’s where we are.
“I was asked last year after we played Juventus if the last 16 of the Champions league was a ceiling for Scottish teams. I don’t believe that it is – there is always scope to improve and progress whether it be this year, next year or in three or four years’ time.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)
Summa
Rozzers to round up Celtic Supporters this morning and co-erce us into participation of the pro-independence rally in Edinburgh? The one situation where they actually film, identify and log those who are NOT taking part…?
To SNP supporters – please note there is no letter “a” in the word “independence”. This error seems to be snowballing. There will be some good photos to be had today for this reason.
Good morning from a sunny München here for my 27th consecutive Oktoberfest. I met Aw-Naw yesterday, he is a craicing Bhoy! Pity/just as well we only had 20 minutes together, downed 2 Weißbiers in that double quick time, it would have been mental :-). I will defo be looking him up again in the near future.
Aw-Naw have a great weekend!!! Well my internet connection is when I can get it, just been banned by the hotel internet server from putting a bet on, no gambling allowed! Didn’t say I couldn’t sacrifice a sheep though!
All you ghuys and ghals have a great weekend, I’m off oot to get ratted and I’m ashamed to say I will miss the game today :((( The first barrel is tapped at 12:00 and this will go on for 16 days. Must be getting old as I will only manage one day this year.
Right, as it’s the weekend for you guys, maybe I’ll get an answer before the lucky bassas head for CP……..
Gowf related…
Lookin fur a user opinion on Cleveland 588 altitude irons. Body getting older and relying too much on my 24 putts a round. An before all the smartass replies it’s nothing to do with getting it up.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
09:50 on
21 September, 2013
Talking of kosc.
Has Phil a book due out soon?
HaHaHa nice one BT made me laugh this morning.
KTF
HH
Everybody’s favourite away trip today as Saints head to Glasgow and Celtic. Kick-off is 3:00pm, tickets on sale at McDiarmid until 12:30pm.
@St.Johnstone 1884
Kevin McKenna argues that the fight to save @KeepStJoes is about the future of Catholic education in Scotland http://www.sconews.co.uk/opinion/31467/draw-a-line-in-the-sand-in-milngavie/ …
” keep all the Catholics together “
bournesouprecipe
10:03 on
21 September, 2013
Weather forecast for Celtic Park : Cloudy; little or no rain.15 Celsius light wind
My iPhone says : Thunder with a high chance of goals.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles 10:13:
Got you line on for you…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Bsr. Nothing about hail??
Aye aye aye, Simpson is better than Yashin
Big Yogi is better than Eusebio
And Johnstone is better than anyone
KINGLubO
Sorry, should be four ayes
KINGLuBO
Dontpatmadug
Disgraceful state of affairs..
Typical anti catholic west of Scotland behaviour..
Well defo off oot now. COYBIG. Need to meet my big Bavarian, Tim pal at 12:00.
BSR
I have always liked the St J fans. They seem to quite like us, too.
Aff oot to make my way to Paradise from Arbroath via ACGR`s and son ( his).
JJ
PS Not overly confident today. Saturday games after CL are notoriously difficult for all clubs in that situation.
jake the snake @celticservant 2m
Major disturbances on Craigton Road, Govan. Clashes between orange walk & protestors.
Large influx of huns on Crossloan Rd
Nat
Your TimPhone?
*Wife demanding that I change her’s back to the way it was before IOS 7*
desertb
Yip there’s always hail.
Well,folks. All this time we’ve been bad-mouthing TSD,and I for one feel guilty for it.
We owe him a debt of gratitude for outing ACGR as the hun that he is.
I’d invite him to the DAYOOOT next week,but he would be too embarrassed as none of us would allow him to put his hand in his pocket.
ACGR,my advice is to never darken these hallowed pages with your hunnery again. Hand over your Celtic onesie that you used to fool us.
Oh,and your season tickets-you have my address.
Now,yer telt-beat it,ya hun!!!!
Telegram for Vmhan, Telegram for Vmhan
OldfashionedCSC
HH
CRC
Jungle Jim
Along with Dundee Utd, – you get some good ones.
There is a psycholigical barrier to be overcome in these games, as someone has already hinted MSM are hoping for that Euro hangover.
CRC
Vmhan
Was in Derry last weekend. The port the weekend before that.
Think he is still recovering..
Time for Derk to show what he can do. He looked good on his 20min debut but has been unimpressive since.
#Fearless Wee Oscar is on a Celticrollercoaster 10:37:
Sent him a tele…text…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Just downloaded the Dubliners by James Joyce for my holiday reading. Is it any good?
Channel hopping there and made the mistake of stopping at Soccer am. The presenter said ‘all six games in the scottish premier league ended in away wins last weekend, lets have a look at the highlights’ . After 3 or 4 goals they slip in a Sevco goal from last weekend.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie 10:36:
Sent you a text…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Michael Monaghan @monie2511 8m
Orange walk attacked on Craigton road , smoke bombs a missiles thrown
DontPatmaDug
Are they still marching ? You’d think they’d get bored or embarassed but they seem to take a pride in their ignorance.
Morning Celts, long night ……..still on Doire time and of course BT is correct :>)
V
A Sto Mo Chroi
Aye predictive text on the tablet makes changes not spotted until too late. The one that gets me is SFA becomes SAD ( how predictive is that?)
It was the lead blog and the background to its appearance that told me Celtic were not paying lip service to the integrity debate.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
10:40 on
21 September, 2013
Cheers BT, he has contacted me in spirit, or should that be dowsed in spirits :-)
HH
CRC
corkcelt
09:27 on 21 September, 2013
Sorry to contradict but getting out if bed when Celtic are playing in the Champions league is easy peasy however of a morning when Celtic have to face the likes of St Johnstone in the SPL it’s like getting up to go and spend a couple of hours in the dentists chair. You don’t really want to do it but you know you have too
Wouldn’t feel so guilty about giving it a miss if I hadn’t bought a ST
The Horseface
Honestly mate, why bother paying anything to Sky or looking to that source for any entertainment, sports or news coverage?
I used to have sky packages, but for over 5 years now I have refused to pay the Murdoch corporation a penny– not for newspapers, not for TV, not for apps or anything else.
The continued financial support of Sky makes no sense in Scotland. Your money does help to sustain the EPL and on a pro rata basis all Scottish money helps keep middle of the road football clubs ( with absolutely no disrespect to the clubs themselves ) such as Stoke, Reading, Blackpool, Wigan or whoever in a financial bubble where they can pay far more for players than our own club.
Sky pay far less into Scottish football than they take out AND they do so in a way where they feel that they must include and pander to the viewing population that goes to Ibrox—- no matter what league they are in and no matter what they do off the field.
You will never here any of Alex Thompson’s journalism repeated on Sky, nor any type of Mark Daly documentary. They do nothing but talk up the current Rangers set up because they want the bears to pay the subscriptions and when they do they are not interested in investigating what is going on or what has happened to the Rangers’ fans money.
Clearly, what and who you subscribe to is up to you and I have no problem with it, but don’t think for a minute that Sky have any loyalty or interest in Celtic Football Club or doing anything which may right any wrong or report on any injustice or wrongdoing if it harms the team in blue.
They don’t and won’t.
Personally I would starve them as all football information is available from far more reliable and honourable sources.
Cheers
BRTH
bamboo
10:52 on
21 September, 2013
Spoke to a local lad yesterday who said there were going to be 33 bands walking.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
10:30 on
21 September, 2013
Dontpatmadug
Disgraceful state of affairs..
Typical anti catholic west of Scotland behaviour..
I posted an email link to support our wee school a while back and several CQN’rs signed it.
What we have here is a situation where the local council are basically lying through their teeth surrounding St Joseph’s. When this was first mooted it was St.Joe’s and Milngavie primary were both earmarked for closure. If you know the layout of Milngavie both schools are either side of the ” village”. This caused a stir with parents and all the shop keepers as closing the schools would have an adverse on business. Eventually Milngavie was giving a reprieve leaving 3 non denominational primary schools. St Joe’s was still to shut leaving no RC school in our area. We do not have a RC high school our kids have to travel to St Ninians in Kirkintilloch although there are 3 non denominational in a 4 miles radius.
The council are using misleading figures to help push this wee gem of a RC school out. Real figures for example are that to build a new joint school in Bearsden is estimated at £8.97 million with a 30-40 year life span. The cost to repairs over the same lifespan for St. Joe’s is £1.8 million and for St Andrew’s is £2.5 million. Both schools are rated as generally satisfactory and there is no pressing need to rebuild these schools.
This is just a part of the lies that the council have claimed and not revealed to the wider community.
In my opinion and what we are pushing for is for the Archdioseces to step up to the plate.
It is also crucial that we target our local MP’s, MSP,s and councillors to let them know our feelings on this. I have and so have plenty of other people not all RC’s as the parents of Milngavie primary are very much in support of St.Joseph’s. It would be wise for anyone who has the belief that we should maintain Catholic education in Scotland to pay attention here as if we fail I believe we will see a domino effect on Catholic schools throughout Scotland.
I know that one of our esteemed posters on here is a mp or councilor, I would be interested in having a chat with him for some advise or to here what his views and party’s views are on this subject.
We will keep fighting for our rights.in Milngavie.
KTF
HH