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
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- »
Are there any rumours of potential signings? Or are we settling in for the traditional selling of our best players and not buying any replacements?
If you asked a Sevco fan to plan out their ideal summer in relation to Celtic (aside from Brendan walking) they would have planned something pretty close to what has thus far transpired.
No progression in the team, £1m net spend, selling off players without replacing them, public fall outs and failure to qualify for the CL.
BSR
King Billy NcNeill is from good Lithuanian stock.
God bless Billy.
YNWA
First leg away ?
My old granny was from Marijampole…
Well watched a full 45 mins of that mob, compact and not as pish as has been suggested, well apart from moreorless who managed to miss a sitter albeit off side. See what second half brings.
The apostrophe abuse on here by some poster’s i’s absolutely shocking!
HH!!
!!BADA BING!! on 16TH AUGUST 2018 8:05 PM
Yes
DD…enjoyed a cup of tea with big Billy at his home where we talked about our Lithuanian background…
namedropping csc…
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 16TH AUGUST 2018 8:05 PM
Are there any rumours of potential signings?
Jason Denayer
Tallbhoy…apostrophes? What about whose and who’s?
Huns do not win many tackles cleanly hence 3 bookings.
In Scotland they would have no cautions.
They are positionally patient and do not leave many gaps for clear chances.
Morelos missed his customary sitter but was offside anyway.
Hard to tell if huns are playing well or Maribor are just mince.
https://twitter.com/_TamSelleck/status/1030156156038258689?s=08
Scotland’s Shame
I’ll drive Denayer to the airport before he arrives…
WBC
I loved Pat Jennings. My favourite ever goalie, till Artur Boruc signed for Celtic. Both huge characters as well as being world class goalkeepers. Would have preferred Pat Jennings to Peter Latchford in the Celtic team, as an 8 year old wean. :)
C40- ta HH
Scotty Arsefield?!
Who the feck is the squeaky-voiced co-commentator(sic) at the hun’s game?!
…and as for the Engerlish commentator!
A blame the skool’s!
HH!!
Huns just pack defence and midfield with the snorter up front himself.
They are pish, but will be hard to get through, but we play our game we win….simples.
D. :)
BlantyreTim: just catching up. Breithlá sona to TOHG
No goal conceded by Sevco in the opening 3 minutes. 0-0 at half time. S Ger. In high glee.
TOHG, happy birthday. HH
Tallybhoy Alex Ray tax dodger, soap dodger and looks dodger
D. :)
Who would I like to see at Celtic Park in the upcoming days?
A/ Those who want to sign.
B/ Those who want to stay.
If you consider us an option, trot on!
Sudova home on the Thursday before Sunday lunchtime game against the zombies. They’ll be in Russia on the Thursday night, 8 hour flight, 4 time zones.
WBC
My daughter has been researching our Polish family tree. My Grandfather who moved from Gdansk to Glasgow was Polish. My Great Grandfather was from Lithuania seemingly. Moved to Gdansk for employment.
Hail Hail bro.
DD…what height was he when he was eight? Maybe a wee bit wee… :-)
PADDY GALLAGHER on 16TH AUGUST 2018 8:17 PM
We’re one of several options for every player we sign, like we line up players as an options before deciding which one to sign. That’s how it works.
Alex ‘Nosferatu’ Rae is a feckin pundit?!
Jeezoh!
HH!!
Haha
I was eight. Badly written. :)
” Tavernier is a proper athlete ”
Alex Rae
‘The Rangers fans in full voice’
Alex Rae
as Bobby Sands cops it
Dunno if anyone else has made the observation ? They are solid.
They’ll challenge us this season.
They are not great, but such has been the dereliction at Celtic they will provide a threat.
I’m fecked if I know “how” but more importantly “why” we have not enhanced our team.
10 man Zenit 6, Dynamo Minsk 1 aet
Besiktas heading out, their game is in injury time
Alex Rae definitely watching a different game from me. ?
BIG-CUP-WINNERS on 16TH AUGUST 2018 8:30 PM
They are well organised in defence and very committed. How many blocks inside the box? They also close down quickly in midfield. In an attacking sense they’re limited.
As bad as Maribor are they are creating a lot of openings but good blocks and poor final ball decision making keeping it at 0-0
Zenit win 8-1 in the end. Besiktas score in injury time to go through on away goals.
Found this incredible statement on the UEFA site today. We are informed that told that UEFA has Eleven Values. The First Value states:
‘In everything we do, football must always be the first and most important value that we take into consideration. Football is a game before being a product, a sport before being market, a show before being a business.’
What utter hypocrisy. Do they actually believe the supporters of the leagues that they determine are not suitable in their eyes to play with the ‘big teams’ accept that UEFA stand by this Value.
Have watched the second half of the Zombies. It is all Maribor, but they do not have a final ball or finish and have just missed an absolute sitter. Huns have offered virtually nothing.
Blantyre Tim. Nearly forgot, please wish TOHG many happy returns of the day. Spoke to him at the last game at Celtic Park and he was in good form.