Qualifiers, cash, mitigating fitness

265

Lots to consider after last night’s Champions League qualifiers.  Top surprise of the night was Marseille being eliminated by Panathinaikos on penalties.  The Greek side equalised in the 10th minute of added time at the Velodrome in what must have been a horrible way to lose for the home fans.

Should Panathinaikos reach the group stage at the expense of Braga, Celtic will earn an extra £900k in 10-year coefficient bonus.  Unfortunately, Copenhagen (higher 10-year coefficient than Celtic) twice came from behind in extra time away to Sparta Prague to win through on penalties, with Larsson Jnr scoring a first minute opener for them.  The Danes face Polish champions Rakow Czestochhowa in the playoffs.  Rakow started the new season in mixed form, so I expect the Larssons to be celebrating.

AIK Athens continued a good night for Greek football winning away at Dinamo Zagreb.  The second leg is scheduled for Saturday and a Dinamo elimination would also net Celtic around £900k.  Dinamo were keen to retain Croatia international keeper Dominik Livakovic for the qualifiers, so that position could change early next week.  Could be an interesting one.

This money all adds up for Celtic and shows the perils of Champions League qualification, where teams are caught early in their season’s preparation.  100 minutes into the game, it was no surprise that Marseille legs and minds were not up to the task.

Newco’s draw in Geneva earned them €5m plus takings from an additional home qualifier against PSV Eindhoven next week – huge money for a side that badly needs cash.  Their season ahead of our visit to Ibrox on 3 September will be markedly different to ours until that point.

We will have played four competitive games, none against a team that has/will physically exert us.  Newco will have played eight games, four of which are ideal preparation for facing Celtic.  They are in Eindhoven four days before that Celtic game, with the possibility of elation or depression, as well as exertion.

There are clear negatives for Newco but after eight games they will be close to fully fit, whereas we are likely to still be finding our legs.  That problem is hopefully something the backroom team can work on to mitigate.  Not sure if this is a good or bad fixture mix.

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  1. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    SETTING FREE THE BEARS @ 9:11 PM

     

     

    I read somewhere that Big Gustav is 254th in line to the Swedish throne.

     

     

    If 253 Royal Swedes were to suddenly die, would we have to sing “God Save the King”?

     

     

    ———

     

     

    Lol.

     

     

    As long as he focuses on football and doesn’t have any Dennis Price in him !

     

     

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kind_Hearts_and_Coronets

  2. McCoist does my absolute nut in.

     

     

    Palmers goal was good but it was a natural reaction. You see the keeper coming out so you head it over him towards the target. ANYONE on here would have reacted the exact same way. 75% of us would have scored. It wasn’t a “wonder” goal, it was a reactive goal. Simple as that. McCoist, in his usual air filling verbiage, described how Palmer jumped and deliberately heade the ball using “the left side” of his forehead to head the ball right.

     

    For me the boy got a wee bit lucky if it came off the left side of his forehead. If it did it wasn’t intentional. He was merely doing what you or I would have done and headed it towards the corner over the goalies hands. A natural reaction to a split second chance. McCoist, to ingratiate himself with the viewer, makes out the goal to be “absholootly unbelievable”

  3. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Straight up, Reporting Scotland report just said

     

     

    “There’s a new buzzword in the building trade

     

     

    “Value engineering”

     

     

    🤦🤦🤦🤦

  4. @Bournes….Echoing the comments of The bhoys….

     

    Fantastic post …The grainy footage accompanied by the chosen music , top class…

     

    And to see our very own Con 12 so young and fit ..A bonus lol.

     

    My late Dad knew many of those bhoys who made made that historic journey from the Greenock Celts….

  5. @Big J ..reading back….Ref Man of the world .a pure classic in every way…

     

    Iv’e still got the single………

     

    The B side was a hoot……..By Earl Vince and the Valiants……and written by the magic Jeremy Spencer….

     

    Of course it was the Fleetwood boys lol……

     

    We go chastised by Auld Drovandie for playing it on his jukebox……

     

    No wonder……The Title????

     

    Somebody’s gonna get their head kicked in tonite…..Dearie me……

     

    The words actually did not matter…It’s a rippin rock song …

  6. TOM M

     

     

    The Celtic flag behind the guy in the office of the Irish pub…..the best was when the grandfather and another guy in the wine cellar hiding and out comes The Fields of Athenry(grandad singing) i don’t know where it came from because he didn’t have an Irish name.

     

    Don’t know the season or episode.

  7. Big Gus cannae keep the smile off his dial – looks like he has just won the Drömvinsten in the Swedish Lotto.

     

     

    Welcome aboard Gus.

     

     

    MALINKYS CSC

  8. TIMHORTON on 16TH AUGUST 2023 9:06 PM

     

    Did anyone watch a series called Sneaky Pete

     

    —————

     

    Aye. Sure did!

     

    Decent for the first two series then went a bit shit.

     

     

    Although, I know you’ll be meaning the Celtic wall in the bar in it. Loved that tbh. Girlfriend thought I was really sad for being delighted at that.

     

     

    They just don’t get it!

     

     

    😂👍🍀🇮🇪🍀🇮🇪🍀🇮🇪

  9. Tom McLaughlin on

    TOM M

     

     

     

     

     

     

    TIMHORTON

     

    The Celtic flag behind the guy in the office of the Irish pub…..the best was when the grandfather and another guy in the wine cellar hiding and out comes The Fields of Athenry(grandad singing) i don’t know where it came from because he didn’t have an Irish name.

     

    Don’t know the season or episode.

     

    Yes I remember the wall covered in Celtic flags and banners. The guy was a diehard rebel and IRA supporter. The bad guy stole his framed original of the Irish declaration of independence. If I remember correctly, Sneaky Pete recovered it and returned it to the old man’s family.

  10. Good morning all from another dry day in the Garngad.

     

     

    A full day of training ahead.😪😪😪

     

     

    Get another 3 or 4 signings in.

     

     

    Greedybarstewardcsc

     

     

    D :)

  11. FAO BELMONT BRIAN….

     

    I tried to pay my SUPERBRU Fee in ” EMPTY GINGER BOTTLES”….for some strange reason SUPERBRU wasnt having it !

     

    LOL.

     

     

    HH Mate, I hope that you are well.

  12. I switched AFF the Super Cup Final at half time due to that CHUMP ” MCoist”.

     

     

    He was CONSTANTLY saying to Commentator ” Darren Fletcher”…. ” Ive got to say”…and ” I’ll tell you this Fletch Blah Blah”….an absolute CHUMP….and he should stick to Gardening.

     

     

    I tuned into The GODFATHER on Film4. Classic movie, GREAT Acting by everyone except that Female CHUMP ” TALIA SHIRE”….Ive never liked her in any Film…including the ROCKY Movies.

     

    TALIA SHIRE and KIM HUNTER ( Planet of the Apes )……Two of the WORST female actors that I have ever seen in Films and TV.

     

    KIM HUNTER also had a part in an COLUMBO Episode on TV……..She looked BETTER in the Ape Suit.

     

     

    LOL

     

    HH

  13. Good morning from a bright North Staffs.

     

     

    Wall to wall lionesses on the TV 😞 – heaven help us if they win on Sunday.

  14. AN TEARMANN on 17TH AUGUST 2023 8:19 AM

     

    Mornin Gustaf :-)

     

     

    https://twitter.com/CelticFC/status/1691872455797666033?s=19

     

    —————

     

    Think he’ll be a great signing.

     

    Also hearing that Hatate and Abada are about to sign new deals.

     

     

    Oh! And the Huns are linked with a centre back from Peterborough United. No laughing at the back! 😂😂😂😃🇮🇪🇮🇪🍀🍀🇮🇪🇮🇪

  15. Logger-belk – seems to be the way to pronounce the kids surname.

     

     

    Yes Melvin, he looks just out of short breeks.

  16. EMERALDBEE \O/ A DOUBLE NINER!! on 17TH AUGUST 2023 8:54 AM

     

    MELVIN,

     

    Both!

     

    —————

     

    Oi! Watch it! 😂👍

     

    —————

     

     

    QUADROPHENIAN on 17TH AUGUST 2023 8:55 AM

     

    Logger-belk – seems to be the way to pronounce the kids surname.

     

     

    Yes Melvin, he looks just out of short breeks.

     

    —————

     

    😂👍

  17. I’m a Logger-belk and I’m OK

     

    I sleep all night and I play all day

     

    He’s a Logger-belk and he’s okay

     

    He sleeps all night and he plays all day

     

     

    He cuts down trees, and eats they huns

     

    Drinking water from lavatories

     

    On Wednesdays he play Champions League

     

    And has buttered scones for tea

  18. POR CIERTO on 17TH AUGUST 2023 9:11 AM

     

    QUADROPHENIAN on 17TH AUGUST 2023 9:00 AM

     

    You’ve written stuff for The Osmonds, haven’t you? :))) por cierto

     

     

    ——

     

     

    Only Marie Osmond PC 😂

  19. bournesouprecipe on

    Super Salary breaks world record for the number of times you can say ‘ Fletch ‘ during a football match

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