Last night my brother reminded me of a comment he made after the 0-0 against Benfica on match day one of the Champions League, “I hope we’re not sitting with one point after five games”. Expectations can be as high as you like, but reality based on experience at that stage suggested Celtic would struggle to have more than a single point at this stage of the tournament.
A solitary point away from home in our Champions League history would lead the harsh realists to expect our trips to Lisbon, Barcelona and Moscow would be fruitless, leaving the enormous matter of tackling Barcelona at Celtic Park.
Two of those away games resulted in defeat, and we were behind in Moscow before one of the most significant fight-backs in modern Celtic history. It’s difficult to find perspective for the win over Barcelona. Suffice to say, they won 0-2 in Lisbon and 0-3 in Moscow. Celtic’s 2-1 remains the most astonishing result of this season’s Champions League.
Manchester City’s failure to qualify for the knock out stage, with their seemingly limitless budget, tells the story of how difficult this tournament is. England’s other mega-wealthy club, reigning European champions Chelsea, sacked their manager this week as the expectation they are likely to be eliminated at this stage dawned.
Beating Spartak and qualifying for the knockout stage will be suitable reward for a remarkable team.
The very first CQN Annual is NOW in stock and shipping order yours here! P.S. it’s great.
In case you missed the story, check out the Celtic Trust’s ‘Stand up for the Green Brigade‘ call on the 12th minute on Saturday. Full details on the Trust’s site.
P.P.S. Stand up for the Green Brigade.
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up_over_goal
Kayal, Brown, Ledley & Mulgrew. 3 from 4 or possible all 4.
Brown will declare himself fit and Lenny will play him. Likewise Ledley. Your doomsday scenario of no fit midfielders apart from Kayal won’t transpire, unless something happens over next 2 games.
We have enough in midfield to leave the defence alone. Rogne would probably have to come off injured after 10 minutes anyway.
Priority number one will be don’t concede. That may be enough to qualify, but i’m sure we’ll score anyway.
You know it, I know it, and little by little… the world is beginning to realise it – this is why we are…
Rangers stood accused of years of massive tax-dodging as well as breaking SFA and SPL rules – the latter accusations still have still to be resolved – and it was repeatedly said that, as one of their prominent administrators at the time, Ogilvie must have known all about the complexities and implications of the scheme.
What part of this is difficult. “The latter accusations have still to be resolved.” That’s right. The former accusation, that Rangers indulged in “years of massive tax-dodging”, has been resolved. They did. And they got away with some of it, but not all of it.
“As one of their prominent administrators at the time, Ogilvie must have known all about the complexities and implications of the scheme.”
You’d like to think so.
BRTH
The Devil is, indeed, in the detail. But we often find that the truth lies there too.
Thanks for taking the time to write that – most sense I’ve read in a very hysterical, neurotic week.
mille grazie
U
I notice all FFM’s posts from the night shift have been removed. I don’t know why he singled me out for abuse but he was certainly angry about something. I thought I was back in the dark day’s when I used to post on hun media and take the knocks for the team. Thankfully those days are behind me now, well at least I thought they were.
Mon the hoops
Mon the Glorious Green Brigade
BRTH
That must the longest article I’ve read on here.
Brilliantly written!
Brilliant,CQN annual just arrived in post ,looks fantastic,well done on quick(news) delivery.
Wonder what I’ll buy the missus for Christmas now that’s me sorted?HH
I had the great pleasure and privelage to share a beer with kitalba today in his hometown. He is the very embodiment of a Celtic supporter in giving of his time and wisdom to strangers in a foreign land helping newly landed Celts in Oz. Thank you Kit
BRTH
Jeez, oh …
And thanks for that.
And for anyone interested, here’s how Wikipedia desicribes
‘The Ramsay Principle’, so cherished by would-be Celtic Great, Dr Heidi Poon:
The Ramsay Principle is the shorthand name given to the decision of the House of Lords in two important cases in the field of UK tax, reported in 1982:
Ramsay v. IRC, the full name of which is W. T. Ramsay Ltd. v. Inland Revenue Commissioners, Eilbeck (Inspector of Taxes) v. Rawling, and its citation is [1982] A.C. 300.
IRC v. Burmah Oil Co. Ltd., the full name of which is Inland Revenue Commissioners v. Burmah Oil Co. Ltd., and its citation is [1982] S.T.C. 30, H.L.(Sc.)
In summary, companies that had made substantial capital gains had entered into complex and self-cancelling series of transactions that had generated artificial capital losses, for the purpose of avoiding capital gains tax.
The House of Lords decided that where a transaction has pre-arranged artificial steps that serve no commercial purpose other than to save tax, the proper approach is to tax the effect of the transaction as a whole
The decision is not limited to capital gains tax, but applies to all forms of direct taxation, and is an important restraint on the ability of taxpayers to engage in creative tax planning.
FF
Everydaysaschoolday.CSC
I just watched that video – Celtic Charity Fund in Kenya – and I hope that when big Victor goes we get more than 20 Million pounds for his transfer and what a compliment to our ethos if our board could find it within themselves to give a quarter of what they receive back to the children of Kenya.
I know… I’m a mug.
VP
Surely the missus will want her very own copy of the CQN Annual?
kitalba
Thank you for Celtic Charity Fund in Kenya link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdO4sgjYyvc
QPR sack Hughes…
Neil being linked with the QPR job yet?!
HH!!
Unfortunately the MSM have not learned from previous experiences, they have once again been too quick to jump to the defence of dead co. the devil is indeed in the detail of the FTT outcome, unfortunately the MSM fail to grasp that to actually get to the detail and assess it in its ENTIRETY you actually have to read it for yourself and not rely on other news agencies or PR departments, am I disappointed or indeed surprised by the headlines displayed in the tabloids? not a bit of it, this is what weve come to expect, this is how they operate, this is how they will continue to operate, there is nothing new in their approach, im grateful to BRTH 67 RTC Phil and other internet bampots for keeping us up to date…with the facts.
Hail Hail
‘Arry to QPR then?
BRTH
The truth of Rangers and Murrays behaviour is all in there for everyone to see and the reluctance of the msm to look at Murray’s role is unfathomable as is the rush to put the blame all on CW.
Just what power does SDM have over the msm?
It is disheartening though that no matter how much evidence of guilt exists that it cannot be applied as evidence.
Whatever the msm trumpet, Rangers by their own secretive actions committed suicide with no external help.
Karma.
Kayal33
Brown will be fit, you say? Oh, well, that’s that then. Never mind his long-standing, frequently recurring hip condition that had his manager all but apologising for playing him on Tuesday night, a condition which by all accounts often leaves him unable to walk the next day. But, as you say, unequivocally, everything will be fine.
Be that as it may, we ought to make sensible contingency plans based on the remote possibility that he might not be fit, whether he himself insists on it or not. Similarly, Ledley is 50/50 – that’s hardly a guarantee of him being 100% ready to give a top notch performance come our CL night of reckoning.
We do not have enough in central midfield – that should be obvious and will be to Neil Lennon. I very much hope we see some experimental use of the likes of Ambrose, Kayal and, when he returns (which won’t be tomrrow) Mulgrew. If the minor miracle occurs, and Scott Brown is ready for action, great. And your point about the defence is moot – there is no reason not to meddle with it, as we are conceding, and not just against Barca and the mighty Portuguese (although both goals in that game were shoddy ones to give away), but v the likes of St Johnstone and Dundee Utd.
If performances improve, I’ll hold my hands up. In the meantime, change is undoubtedly required.
Suspect.
ABZMike
QPR sack Hughes…
Yet another manager touted on here when Lenny’s appointment was being derided.
(Thought it worth mentioning)
BRTH.
Thankyou.
HH
Auldheid
What I find mad is how they believe the Bog Tax case prevented them from being sold.
Do they not remember the bank debt of 30 million in 2010 which went down to 18 the Craig Whyte paid off via Ticketus?
Any buyer actually had to pay that. It was a crystal clear debt as was the wee tax case.
No offence to QPR fans themselves, but given the way they’re run, I hope they go down at the end of the season.
With wages at 183% of revenue, who knows? There may be some cheap bargains to be had.
Hunnies rubbin’ themselves with glee like they just got some kinda reprieve.
They just don’t get it.
Their club is gone.
The zombie tribute act is bouncybouncing in the 4th. division and they are getting financially abused by the man from Yorks. Such is their reality. They really do need to check it.
They’ll be in the doghouse soon….again. Then what? R*****s mk. 3?
Sooner or ater it’ll dawn on them that lower league football, even with suspect reconstruction, is their lot for the foreseeable future.
Or will we really have to endure, as we did for decades, the wwf comparison?
Enough is enough, ffs.
I blame Jimmy Pursey.
HerSHAM Bhoys CSC
who will get blamed for administration 2 the sequel?
Maley’s Bhoys @MaleysBhoys
Of particular interest is the last paragraph…Mrs Crimson being picked up the airport before the FTT(T) by Mr Red? http://maleysbhoys.com/2012/11/23/tax-doesnt-have-to-be-taxing-until-you-die/ …
The Bhoy from the Village:
Like we tried to tell each other today what it is to be part of the Celtic Family, we can’t change the world, not individually nor collectively; we just don’t have that power, but if we could it would already be done. However, in the interim, we have the heart and the upbringing and every kindness we can do each other and more so a kindness for those who don’t enjoy our good fortune, our actions are but just a wee baby step in the right direction; no matter how small our efforts – it does make a difference.
Btw… the pleasure was mine and I’m hoping you can find an hour or two on Sunday on your way home from the beaches to pull off the highway and have a beer at my home.
Celtic First
It will be interesting to find out if CO ever knew about the existence of side letters.
What are the chances he had no idea they existed. If he did then with his administrative experience he must have known the potential consequences.
On the other hand, and to be fair perhaps it was because Rangers knew what CO would rule if they had bothered to ask that they did not seek his advice.
Whoever decided not to ask the SFA has a lot of questions to answer.
PFayr@10.19am today…or anyone else.
The last couple of days have been manic and difficult to find the time to either read the FTT judgement in full or keep up with CQN.Your piece today rightly praises BRTH for catching and articulating the essence of this ongoing scandal.My brother adised me to find it,read and absorb.I have scrolled back and cannot find it.Anyone help please.
I face a weekend of explaining to all my London converts how I could have been so wrong-at least that is how they will see it.
Back home .
Treated myself to 90 minutes of Bangura on the tele . .
At one point the Neapolitan commentator said .–
” He [ Bangura ] is a Celtic player — they must have seen him playing with a square sponge “.
Bangura swapped shirts with Cavani at the end of the game —
Football the Mark Hughes ‘way’?
During his spell in charge of Blackburn, Hughes’ side was accused of being “over-physical” and “dirty” on multiple occasions[22][23][24] and the club finished bottom of the Premier League disciplinary table in all four of Hughes’ seasons in charge.[25]
HH!!
Auldheid @ 11:11
I agree: it’s mystifying as to why the MSM (with very few exceptions) continues to find itself unable or unwilling to see through SDM; not least in light of the damning indictment of this FTT ruling, bizarrely being presented as a vindication of his shrewdness and as someone let down by a mixture of bad luck and HMRC vindictiveness.
To anyone with half a brain (a group into which I easily fit!), the guy is a total chancer.
In his favour he seems to have (for some) a certain superficial charisma; he may or may not be an excellent host of dinner parties; he may or may not be a Grand Mufti of some secret society or other; he may or may not have JR Ewing-style secret files on his foes’ and allies’ various peccadilloes. Yet, despite his repeated exposure as, basically, a high-end conman, he remains – to many – a dearly loved figure.
I might also add that, having read BRTH’s excellent critique of the FTT ruling, I’m still not sure about this necessarily being the end of the matter: not if the ol’ Ramsay Dictum still has force in this land …
FF
BRTH
I meant to say thanks for the effort you put into that. I was looking forward to reading your views and was not disappointed.
I don’t know if HMRC are intending to appeal the decision or not but there do seem to be a lot of chickens being counted before the eggs have hatched. The case could be taken to the Upper Tribunal by HMRC and ultimately, if I’m not mistaken, to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court having made some rather high-profile decisions recently which depart from the Scottish courts’ view of things!
This could run for some time yet. I doubt that the open criticism of HMRC’s tactics will have caused much soul-searching in HMRC offices!
Craiginho
Fat Lady No Sung Yet CSC
garcia
its here
http://broganrogantrevinoandhogan.wordpress.com/2012/11/23/the-hoover-the-runaways-and-a-judicial-nod-is-as-good-as-a-wink-on-the-rangers-tax-case/
I wish HMRC would just say we’re appealing and stop all the speculation. It would put the spotlight back where it belongs and make it harder for the Lapdogs to channel their narrative of Poor Rangers bla bla bla.
Knowing them they’ll wait until day 54 of the 56 they have to lodge this.
You can bet your boots the MSM will react in the same way as they have this week to the decision (even though they have cherry picked what they want to talk about rather than the wide range of issues arising from a 2-1 verdict.
Sofa- 90 minutes of Mo?
That’s entertainment.