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.
448 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 12
- »
Arzani?
Loan move may depend on Europa League qualification?
Manc City may be less keen on loan deal if no chance of euro footy?
HH
Arzani…
Delay could also be due to waiting for international clearance?
HH
BADA BING. try he,s goal.com sports.
Paul67
I don’t agree with the complacency of your post.
We have yet to qualify for the EL and Hearts Hibs and Sevco have all improved domestically.
TT
glendalystonsils. ……………Yes I’ve noticed Celtic are big news in the media both here and across the pond. So we really are a big club after all.
Team for Thistle game (assuming Edouard is injured)
………………….Bain……………………….
Gamboa…..Ajer…..Jozo……Tierney
……………..Brown…..Ntcham………..
…………………..Rogic……………………..
……Forrest………………McGregor….
…………………Dembele…………………
Gordon has been shockingly poor in distribution in recent games, and deserves kick in the ass that benching would give. Lustig has started 3 games in 6 days – rest him.
Otherwise, start with strongest line up. Try for 2 goal cushion, then take off Dembele and a.n.others with next Thursday in mind.
HH
Rest Lustig.
HOT SMOKED on 16TH AUGUST 2018 5:34 PM
Nat Know
I was at our final game of the season. There`s your evidence :-))
JJ
———————————
The evidence mounts…! :-))))
I’ve noticed a few comments suggesting the Europa League is a tournament we could expect to make significant progress in.
IF we are paired with Suduva in the play off we should pay more attention to the fact they eliminated APOEL this season than the fact we hammered them 15 years ago.
We should have too much for them but I am told by an APOEL supporting friend they underestimated Suduva and paid the price.
Should we get through here are 3 examples of the type of group we COULD end up in,assuming we are pot 2.
Chelsea
Celtic
Eintracht Frankfurt
Spartak Moscow
Or
Seville
Celtic
Dinamo Zagreb
Standard Liege
Or
Arsenal
Celtic
Real Betis
Red Star Belgrade
Some very tasty possibilities there and no certain victories.
The notion we could “Do a Seville” without strengthening our current squad is,in my opinion,unlikely if we were to land a group like one of the examples above
BP ta
http://www.hesgoal.com/news/32466/Molde_vs_Hibernian.html
VFR
Eat your heart out.
petrichor
noun: petrichor
1. a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.
MEDTIM on 16TH AUGUST 2018 6:22 PM
Any of those teams looking at video footage of the goals we’ve lost will be rubbing their hands.
Let us keep winning the league for ever more. Success in Europe will follow eventually. I think.
Disappointment is temporary, but liquidation is permanent.
MEDTIM on 16TH AUGUST 2018 6:22 PM
I’ve noticed a few
Was that in CL ?
MEDTIM
Yip. Chequebook required for the Europa also.
SANDMAN on 16TH AUGUST 2018 5:44 PM
Tallybhoy on 16th August 2018 5:26 pm
Aretha Franklin RIP.
Respect.
=========================
Very good, I see what you did there.
Moment perfectly timed.
I knew you were waiting…
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Thanks for that!
HH!!
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 16TH AUGUST 2018 6:36 PM
Agreed. Quite a few Champions League level teams in there.
Is Chief Inspector Lex Bailie our Lex Bailie?
M and Co 2
Yes
Sticking my neck out here but I expect us to dispose of Suduva if, as expected, they qualify tonight.
They are obviously better than the team we hammered 10-1 0n aggregate in 2002, but if we fail to defeat them…?????!!!!!
We should then be in pot 2(?).
European fitba’ ’til Xmas at least.
HH!!
Hibs 1 down HT
It’s time the 3 Amigo’s came to the top table inside Celtic Park,ie Dermot Desmond,Peter Lawell, Brendan Rodgers,and tell us the fan’s,that thing’s are going to be ok,and that’s all I want to hear,and if there is a few additions that to would be good to.
Hopefully the Arzani deal is on hold because we are signing Paddy Roberts.
TT
Paddy to Girona season loan
Mullet
Aye. Ex Celt Lex Baillie.
I seem to remember that ex Celt Roddy MacDonald became a polis occifer too.
https://twitter.com/hooliganstv1/status/1030145244925517825?s=12
The Scum at it again…
Adi
Yes,they met in the Champions League First Round .
My APOEL supporting buddy slated the APOEL coach and players for their complacent approach but anyone who can play in Nicosia in July and go through is no mean achievement.
As an aside,I am currently watching APOEL v Happoel Bar Sheva (remember they ran us close recently?)
They drew 2-2 in Israel and Happoel are currently winning 1-0 against the run of play in the second leg.
BB
Was in Girona 2 years ago. Lovely part of Spain. Good luck PR7.
YNWA
Getting what’s app videos of huns fighting again wtf
The most horrible support on this planet
HH
D. :)
BB
What is it wi Chelsea fans at hun matches?
Med t
Cheers
DD Scotland’s shame at it again
Horriblefc
D. :)
I not only post garbage, I talk garbage as well…hence, I never appear at cqn corner. :-)
I hope John Fallon is enjoying his birthday…
First it was Dick Beattie then Frank Haffey…then John Fallon…
If I remember correctly, big Frank used to make a mark by dragging his foot from the penalty spot to the goal line…big John was often seen swinging from the crossbar…
“Accumulating Uefa coefficient points in the Champions League has proven very difficult for Celtic. Winning games in the Europa will be easier”
Aye says who? I tell yous’ this for nothing, if we fail to strengthen the team pronto we are just as likely to be royally pumped in the EL as we were in the CL. A lot of bloody goods teams there.
Deeply sadden to learn of young Paddy R7 signing for a Spanish team. Now that’s a bhoy who didn’t know what a sideways pass was.
Get this fecking mess sorted Celtic and damn well sign a couple of decent players. And for what it is worth I am not sure that Brendan was / is overly keen on the Aussie super kid.
Pesky Scottish fans at it again…
Weebobby…
I think you mean ‘pesky CHELSEA fans at it again …
fixed that for you.
sectarian orange strip ffs