Celtic were one of five seeds from the Champions League, champions’ section, in the last round, but only one of the other seeds is still in the competition, so while seeding is welcome, it would be a mistake to read too much into it.
I’ve no idea what happened in Malmo last night, where the Swedish champions overturned Salzburg’s two goal lead from the first leg in a remarkable first half, and are a potential opponent for Celtic in today’s draw. At half time I still fancied Salzburg to get things together and qualify, but Swedish football gets its act together every now and then. There appears to be some substance to this Malmo team.
A trip to Albania to play Skenderbeu would be ideal. They are a small town club who are in the play-off round after beating Crusaders and Moldovan’s Milsami Orhei. It would also give those of us who’ve been around for a while a chance to bore the rest of you about that great game against Partizan Tirana.
A return to Astana is also possible, this time to play FK Astana, who beat HKJ Helsinki in the last round. The most alarming fact about Astana is that they beat Maribor in the second round. You remember Maribor? The name sounds familiar but I can’t place them.
The team with the highest coefficient we can face is Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Maccabi overcame a first leg defeat to Hibernians (the Maltese Hibs, that is). They then lost at home to Czechs Viktoria Plzen but a two goal victory in Plzen saw them through. I missed the preseason game against Sparta Prague, what shape is Czech club football in?
Former finalists Partizan Belgrade are the fifth and final possibility. They beat the Georgian champions before seeing off seeded former winners Steaua Bucharest in the third round. So although Skenderbeu would be my choice, a trip to Belgrade would be a decent alternative.
Reading through the list, the one thing which is evident is that Champions League football would be transformational for every team in the ‘champions’ side of the draw. The aspirations invested in qualifying will be huge. The Albanians would earn around 20 times their annual income. Expect every trick in the book.
189 Comments- Pages:
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jabbywatter
Good morning CQN from the beautiful island of islay…,,
Would like to avoid the Partizans,
BURGHBHOY on 7TH AUGUST 2015 9:38 AM
Bamboo
Totally agree with you.
Can u imagine Martin’s team with a Boruc or a Gordon or Forster in goal?
However, my recollection on De La Pena is that Martin wanted to trial him as he had a long spell of injury.
De La Pena took the huff at that thinking that a trial was beneath him .
HH
PartizanA
Surely.
1979
Paul67:
We’ve got to be in it to win it.
Whether it is a Team from Albania, Sweden or the Czech Republic.
We will through if we apply ourselves like we did in the last round.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Paul,
we are guaranteed to get Astana!
Congrats on the shiny new site – us old timers will remember how it looked 10 years ago!
Check out this link and check who the match reporter was for the Hearts game…..!!
http://web.archive.org/web/20060104060417/http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/
Hail! Hail!
DavieL
Morning all from a sunny(!!) South Ayrshire coast.
A trip to Albania would do me. Beards are now allowed.
HH!!
WC
Only problem I have is on first page, refresh goes back to top and not to last post
WC
Could I have George Connelly if possible?
HH!!
DavieL
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Happened to click on a few other links and this one took my fancy:
http://web.archive.org/web/20051218132344/http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/2005/12/uefa-cup-tie-broadcasts-exclusively-in.shtml
Interestingly the 10 years that have followed have seen huge increases in internet speeds and technologies yet the old model of collective selling of TV rights remains as strong, if not stronger than ever.
Mort
PAUL67
There are only five possible opponents available and as such cases can be made for and against each of them.
We thought we had hit the jackpot last season wi Maribor,but we hit ourselves over the head wi a sledgehammer instead.
I’m confident,no matter who we draw,that tactical naïveté won’t be our downfall this time.
San Diego Bhoy on 6th August 2015 6:16 pm So, a BIG hearty congratulations to Paul67, Winning Captains and the rest of the CQN team.
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Hear Hear – Hail Hail
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Sipsini / Petec – Love to yer good selves and to all Tims.
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Good luck to the Celts in the CL draw today – I’d take anybody.
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Will find out soon whether I’ll be jagging you all with my wee devily-fork from the underworld or….if I’ll be up in the big JUNGLE in the sky cheering on the Celts and, helping to shine a protective light on you all from above….we’ll see…
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Winning Captains
__________________
I still have a parcel of Celtic DVD’s which my son bought for me from this site last Christmas….If I don’t get the time to watch them…my son will return them to you to give to some Celt as a gift…thanks…Hail Hail.
….Oh, re: the wee icon-pic next to yer name, a wee pic of Murdo or the JUNGLE would be grand.
Btw…someone said last week that they wouldn’t mind paying a subscription-fee for CQN…if this comes about, count me in….if I’m still about.
God Bless and Hail Hail to all Tims.
…..oot. YNWA.
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At this stage I’d prefer the Albanians but any team we are destined to beat will do. Re the debate about pictures with the blog names, I’d be proud to be associated with any of our Hooped heroes, Tommy Burns is my all time favourite but I think there would be dozens ahead of me for that one so I’ll put my hand up for Lenny or failing that Charlie Tully.
Beautiful Embra weather heralding the Champions League draw plus the advent of The Festival. Spanish friends have arrived for a month and will visit Glasgow, the football capital, and of course Embra, the cultural capital ….
As for the CL draw, Sweden would ensure a big travelling support and sensible distance to travel, but I would just prefer an away tie first to ensure a crazy CP European night to clinch a group place.
BLANTYRETIM
Same here,which had previously been sorted.
CORKCELT
COSYCORNERBHOY would have Charles Patrick Tully beside him every day of the week!
Regardless of who we get, I want the return leg to be at Celtic Park. Home advantage in the return game has counted so many times in the past at this stage.
It made the difference for Basel v us in 2002, worked in our favour v Spartak in 2007, Helsingborgs in 2012 and Karagandy in 2013. The only year that really bucked the trend of the team with home advantage in the return leg prevailing was v Maribor last year and there were maybe mitigating factors then with the new manager coming in.
Morning all , nice to be still in the shake up for the big cup
KEVJUNGLE
I hope you are still posting from this side of the curtain for a long time to come,mate. And I hope that while you do,you go back to Celtic Park and cheer on THEHOOOOOOOOOPS.
HeavencanwaitCSC
Scorchy in Korce? Expect 30C at kick off.
Same in Belgrade
Hotter again in Tel Aviv
Astana is a tad cooler, expect +21C at kick off.
Malmo on the other hand uses Jobo’s weather report each morning as a proxy.
Interesting to note Malmo’s income is greater than every team in Scotland excluding Celtic, and that’s before their Champions League windfall from last season. Could cause us some bother.
On which basis, looks like a straight choice between being hot or bothered.
BURGHBHOY
My memory ,which is not the most reliable, was that De La Pena did come on trial but he eventually got pissed off with waiting. Of course we dont know whats going on behind the scenes . I also seem remember him later playing against Celtic in a friendly and handing out a mid-field master .
50 shades of green 67
67 was just b4 my time and I always assumned that woth Jinky and Lennox our best players were in attack. I now mind my dad saying that the defence was rock solid.
DavieL, “Match Report by Kano” stopped me in my tracks.
I’ve so many great Kano memories. Him doing the match reports started after he’d regularly email me during Saturday night our time/his Sunday morning with an apology for his language the previous night.
He often had a drink while watching the game, then get onto CQN and let loose. We got chatting about the match reports and between us decided he was well placed to do them, as it’s often a hassle taking notes in the stadium and finding peace to write it up when I get back.
His illness is still a shock.
It was great to see the old site, thanks for linking it. I was in touch w Lisa yesterday, will be in touch soon…
BMCUW, aye.
BMCUW, Charlie played for my local team Cork Hibs back around 1959/60. At the time I was about 11 or 12 and a fanatical supporter. Remember watching a grainy black & white newsreel about the 1960 Cup Final, a wee 12 yr old boy who was sitting on the grass behind the goal can be seen rushing over to hand the bold Charlie the ball to take a corner. Same boy who now posts here under name of corkcelt.
Bet the Maccabi CEO is extra excited by the draw
Winning Captains – can I have Pat McCluskey please?
Now that BMCUW has got me nostalic and thinking about my childhood, I must mention that my first encounter with Celtic fans was not that great. Celtic were over on a pre-season tour and were playing my local side Cork Hibs in a ground called Flower Lodge. There was a big grassy hill behind one goal where I was sitting and there were dozens of Celts sitting around and behind me. A few behind me started a playful scuffle and rolled down the hill and I got a big boot into the small of my back. An older Celt came over and fecked the culprits out of it.
Anyway the game ended one all and I was happy coz I loved both teams.
Morning all.
Bright and sunny down here today. Brilliant.
WC,
As many will know on CQN, Charlie Gallagher is my all time favourite player. I would be delighted yo have him for my monniker. Failing that, George Connolly, Dunky MacKay, Paddy Crerand, Bobby Evans or Bertie Peacock would be great. (the last 4 were my first heroes.)
Just popped in to say that the new site looks great!!
If this suggestion of wee photos is a runner can I have the picture of Henrik chipping Klos please?. if it’s possible, could the picture include the prostrate hun (Konterman?) lying on the grass at Henrik’s feet like a dead fly lying on a carpet.
Last day of my holidays and waiting excitedly for the CL draw. Too early for a beer. OK heads or tails? Damn, lost. OK – best of three….
Morning Hoops,
The draw is approaching, bring it right on:))
On the subject of pictures can I have Naka, the wee genius:))
SP
Ha Ha, Just read the clumpany, THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING BREAD. I had to laugh at the loaf with the green wrapper and the name, THICKEST.
leftclicktic on 7th August 2015 10:29 am
Could I pretty please have any picture of Bobby Buzzbomb Lennox though the one with him with his fist in the air after scoring would be a bonus,
ye know the one in this article :))))
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/celtics-one-club-men-no-2-bobby-lennox/
Take it that Braafheid’s still available for a tag photo ?
Reading this I put Malmo at top of the to be avoided list but we have to be better than all of them to go through.
http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/celtic/1326032-the-lowdown-on-celtics-potential-champions-league-play-off-opponents/
TBB
Martin Bain CEO of Macabbi eh? Must have got his overdue pay owed eventually after June 2011.
Link for the Play-Off Draw
http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/
HH
First memories of Celtic watching the black and white tele when we were gods, going to the Columba club for the Celtic story when it was being made football in the raffle signed by the Lisbon Lions, playing fives with Billy McNeil , Tommy Callaghan and Bobby Lennox at Butlins in Ayr. Would have to go for one of the MON team Henrik or Lubo for a photo . Great to hear that Izzy had a stormer the other night, love the wee mhan, one of us.
WC
Tommy Burns for me please…..naturally.
Wouldn’t want Belgrade. Childhood still scarred from the last meeting. The Albanians are the dream. Being a beard, I could now proudly flaunt my facial hair without having to contend with Communist nutjobs.
Please not another dull side from Sweden. Israel would be a fascinating place to visit but would rather Celtic don’t end up there.
Astana would also do me. Our friend from there, John, could watch his beloved hoops from a nearer distance.