At his presidential inauguration in 1963, Lydon B. Johnson said, “I would give anything not to be standing here today”. It is with a similar sense of mourning that we look at tonight’s Europa League qualifier between two Baltic sides, Spartaks Jurmala and Suduva, to discover who we face in the play-off round. I wouldn’t give anything to be in the Champions League qualifier, but I’d happily concede a few league defeats.
Europa League group stage qualification can be worth up to £10m to Celtic, but even winning the trophy will not come near to closing the financial gap between this tournament and Champions League group stage money. Still, it is an important tournament for reasons other than money.
Accumulating Uefa coefficient points in the Champions League has proven very difficult for Celtic. Winning games in the Europa will be easier; we have to deliver on this target. It is also important to qualify from the group into the knockout stages. We have not faced genuine domestic competition in a very long time, and I see little change this year. As a consequence, we need European action after Christmas. Better teams that Celtic have licked their wounds and got on with life in the Europa League, we need to do the same and prepare for the tournament in a professional manner.
I don’t know if the intervening 16 years have been kind to Suduva since we last met 16 years ago, but they hold a special place in our folklore, so I hope they progress tonight. I also have a great wee story of one man pitching up in the North Stand for a few minutes at the home game, just to be there.
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WITS-G67- Denayer better than what we have, but would rather play a bhoy from U20s, than be a ship of convenience for a guy who doesn’t want to be here.HH
Dunno what Judith said there, but there will be weather tomorrow..
some interesting, and important, thoughts from JJ and auldheid this morning. Good reading.
Do we feel our last 3 games and the poor results were due to Brendan and the(lack of) Recruitment Wrangle? Were the players affected?
If so, as there is no resolution then we could be in trouble at Thistle on Saturday.
If not then we still have the players to hammer the Jags. Time will tell
From the excellent Moravcik67 on Twitter last night on the coefficient-
14. From that table, if we reach the EL GS we’re guaranteed a minimum of 3pts. In comparison, if you reach the CL GS you get 4 bonus pts. Not much of a difference.
It’s what happens after that might hurt us. The EL & CL group stages handle coefficient points slightly differently
15. In both tournaments, once you reach the group stage the coefficient points are 2 for a win, 1 for a draw.
However, in the CL, these pts for wins/draws are added onto the 4 bonus points you get for qualifying.
So a CL team that wins 2 games gets 8 coefficient points
16. That’s not the case for the EL. We’re guaranteed a minimum of 3pts. But that 3 points isn’t added on to the points we get from winning games. If we win 2 games in the EL we only get 4 points. But If we lose all our EL games we still get the 3 minimum points.
17. You also get 5 bonus points for finishing top 2 in your CL group, then another point for reaching the QF, SF and Final.
You get nothing for getting out of the EL group, but you do get the same for QF, SF and Final appearances.
Perhaps not something we need to worry about…
19. This year’s european adventure is replacing the 13/14 season. In 13/14 we gained 6pts – 4 for qualifying for the group stage, 2 for our sole win against Ajax.
6pts is our target this season just to stand still. To break even we need to win the equivalent of 3 EL group games. Ends.
Not quite the gathering of easy coeff points is it?
Just back from the stadium tour. Boyata’s jersey has been taken down, never to be seen again.
Grandson loved the tour…and the superstore. Grampa loved the tour and now skint from the superstore.
Naebody signed yet???
CL exit is a scunner, but lets get back on track at the weekend, play our strongest team, get a much needed win, hopefully a team good performance, and back on track for another treble.
HH
We are likely to be a pot 1 or 2 side this Europa league season should we make it. That said, the games should theoretically be easier but less attractive to the paying customer.
Now if Celtic priced the games cleverly and signed a couple of players they could still get a half decent crowd. (Pending getting through)
Paul67 et al
As opposed to preparing professionally for the Champions League. Or concentrating on selling Boyota to Fulham a few days before a knockout tie in Athens. Then again AEK were an inferior team. Allegedly.
Still, playing Sudova would bring back a few memories. At 8-0 in the first leg, I really did think that we could go on and break our alltime result, (11-0 against Dundee back in the 19th c.) but alas it was not to be. Think a good run in the EL could be worth a fair bit more than £10 mill all round, especially if we have a fairly settled team playing good football. If.
No to Denayer…will be the same as Boyata…players must want to come and play for us. No more one season stepping-stone chanty wrastlers…
£10m would be the Europa UEFA earnings only and prob not include the gate fees
DAVID17 on 16TH AUGUST 2018 1:04 PM
Team for the weekend,
Bain
Gamboa Hendry Ajer Hayes
Kouassi Ntcham
Rogic
Christie Griffiths Sinclair
……………………
Whenever, Brendan has made wholesale changes we have tended to struggle. Why would you advocate jeopardising our Treble Treble at the first attempt in an away game against opponents who have caused us great difficulty over the last two seasons? I hope Brendan has learned and keeps changes to a minimum.
If anyone doesn’t want to be at CP then go…just go! No greetin’ faces, moaning minnies, wimps, greedy egomaniacs, treatment table warriors…you can be easily replaced…ain’t that right Peter?
Alternative chant for the GB
We better sign Denayer
Cos by Saturday it’s bye bye Boyata.
Surely the process of preparing professionally for the Europa League, includes identifying weaknesses (I.e right back and centre half) and addressing them as quickly as possible.
Only then can we approach Europa level matches with any degree of confidence
Anyone have any insight on Tony Ralston ?
Loaned to Dundee Utd from January to May this year. Recently signed a new contract I believe.
When PSG smashed us 5 – 0 at Celtic Park last year, he was the one player in a Celtic jersey that got pass marks.
Surely, worth a stint at right back.
No more part time centre halves please get some in that we can build our defence round, go and make a decent offer too for Big Miks replacement…
I hope my humble expectations are not the seeds of future disappointments..
“In the middle of difficulty
lies opportunity,”
Albert Einstein.
HH
CelticsupportersRus.
Scaniel..
a braw day for the wean…..the joy on his boatrace worth every thrupney bit you possess …
smiley the beat goes on thing
Braw
Coming over here, stealing our jobs, scoring our goals. Lets just put em on a big boat and send em all home. Bloody foreigners…https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45206066
Mullet- thanks for your in depth reply earlier.Phil’s figures for Dafabet,£70 mil over 7 years (i think) is well up on current deal.My info re sponsorship is £2.25m per year from Dafabet, and 750k a year from Magners, unless the big jump is for stadium naming rights.HH
RUGGYGMAN on 16TH AUGUST 2018 2:12 PM
Good shout. I think he’s ready and should be given a start. Cant do any worse than what we have.
Now I wonder which game they would pick from our League? Hmmm.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/la-liga-confirm-deal-to-play-a-competitive-fixture-in-the-us-1.3598258
Team for weekend
Bain
Hendry Jozo Ajer
Gamboa Kouassi Ntcham Tierney
McGregor Rogic
Griffiths
A hearing into whether Rangers chairman Dave King has breached a court order which compels him to make an £11million offer to the club’s shareholders has been postponed.
I wonder if you and i would be afforded the same time…….
Bada…do people still read Phil Yerboots?
He seems to hit his thumb more than the nail…
Denayer is no better than what we have. No Thanks
Regards the speculation on Denayer .
Much as I like the player I get the vibe he looks upon us as 2nd best
RUGGYGMAN on 16TH AUGUST 2018 2:30 PM
Canny believe you’ve drapped Ralston already.
DILLIGAFBHOY…YILLYGAF…OJMF… :-)
DILLIGAFBHOY on 16TH AUGUST 2018 2:25 PM
UEFA will ignore Brexit and tell countries that if they want to play in European competition they go by “their rules”
Just like they are not taxed on any earnings gained from CL finals (in the hosted country).
Dead easy : ))
DILLIGAFBHOY on 16TH AUGUST 2018 2:27 PM
RUGGYGMAN on 16TH AUGUST 2018 2:12 PM
Re A Ralston
Good shout. I think he’s ready and should be given a start. Cant do any worse than what we have.
believe me he is.
Dilligafbhoy
He’d need to be in the side first in order to get drapped. But I know what you mean.
Not sure the craic with Ralston at the minute. Could be one of many carrying an injury ?
Don’t know, but Thistle would be an ideal game to give the lad some minutes.
Aretha RIP
I know a Bobo Balde CB would not be able to pass the ball 5 yards, but I bet he could pass the likes of Naismisth and Lafferty at least two – vertically — and it is on these three archetypes some results will depend.
Bring back Bobo.
I heard Huth is a dirty so and so….
Denayer its a NO from me.
Say a little prayer……
For Aretha