Shakhter boss fears Samaras, will defend

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Shakhter Karagandy manager, Viktor Kumykov, spoke to the media yesterday, and again this morning, ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League play-off first leg game against Celtic.

“Some of the players who played on Friday night will not make the starting line-up against Celtic but we have a limited squad so I cannot rotate too much.

“Celtic have a high calibre across their squad of around 20 players, they can rotate players without dropping standards.  Whoever we face will be difficult.

“Their most dangerous players are the striker Samaras and wingers Forrest and Commons.

“We will attack but we will keep things tight at the back.  The most important thing about a home game is not to concede.  Celtic are a quality team but we are going to stand up to them with our best game.  We have our plans.

“I said a few times that it’s going to be tough game for us. We are new in the Champions League, Celtic have lots of experience in games in Europe, they even won this tournament. But this does not mean that we are going to be taking a beating. We will do our best, will give our full strength to achieve a good result.

“We watched Celtic in last season’s Champions League, and against Liverpool.  They are stronger than us but football is a game where the strongest don’t always win.  They play a physical game, it will be hard playing against them.

“Unfortunately Toktar Schangyalyschbai and Mikhail Lunin will both miss the game through injury.

“We would like a full stadium, the crowd is going to be an important factor for us.

“We have achieved our main target, Europa League qualification, so the pressure is off us.  We can take a risk in our play.”

Captain, Andrey Finonchenko, added, “Our dreams started with the games against BATE, few imagined we could beat them.  The results against BATE and Skernderbeu have given us faith.  We will do our best tomorrow.”

Stories of the ritualistic slaughter of a ram inside the Astana Arena this morning are true. No medieval stone unturned.
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378 Comments

  1. glendalystonsils on

    Don’t know what all the fuss is about Karagandy ritually slaughtering a ram.

     

    In the Sevconian boardroom a goat is ritually abused on a regular basis.

  2. Ah so now Johnny (1 goal in 3, yet to complete a full competetive game in the Championship) Russell is the solution to the Champions League level striking problem. Okay dokey.

  3. leftclicktic oscar in our thoughts on

    craigwhitesoptometrist – fearless #teamoscar.

     

    He travelled with the squad so I would hope so

  4. Mike in Toronto supports Oscar Knox on

    I know one swallow doesn’t make a spring… but it has been a long time since I saw a player whose first 1/2 hour was so promising, and seemed to energize the rest of the team as young Derk…. I am looking forward to (hopefully) seeing him continue in that form.

  5. @twists n turns

     

     

    Derk can operate on the right or left. I will be far more comfortable with Derk, Sammy and Commons rather than Forrest. The wee guy isn’t a good enough crosser and is abysmal in front of goal.

     

     

    I think his enthusiasm and work rate allow him to get away with a lack of quality

  6. If Neil sticks sammy up top I reckon commons will be on the left and forrest will be on the right.

     

     

    Not my cup of tea for sammy though as he is much more effective as a winger than a striker.

     

     

     

    Stokes wont get a start as he will get “rag dolled” by the hefty centre halves they have.

     

     

    Big Bad Balde up top should be the plan

  7. Timaloy, clunks, Greenside

     

     

    I agree, and especially like the look of GSU’s line up, but fear Neil will be a bit more cagey than to go with Derk and Sammy. There is so little known about this side, it may even be that he’ll change things quickly as the game progresses and he’s seen this team first hand.

  8. Mike in Toronto supports Oscar Knox on

    BCCUW

     

     

    That was what I tried last night…. but i probably mistyped it… I’ll try it again.

     

     

    Cheers.

  9. leftclicktic oscar in our thoughts on

    I really have not got a clue what kind of team we will face tomorrow ,but i am looking forward to it.

     

    If we play to our strenghths we will still be in the tie after 90mis and that will do me .

     

     

    InNeilitrustcsc

  10. squire danaher on

    timaloy29. 14:33

     

     

    Re Jamesy Forrest

     

     

    I think his enthusiasm and work rate allow him to get away with a lack of quality

     

     

    Over recent months those are two attributes I haven’t seen much of in his case

     

     

    We can’t start with him or Stokes tomorrow

  11. Twists

     

     

    Agreed. The whole point of this leg is to come back to Parkhead with a realistic chance of putting it to bed. That means 0-1, 0-0 , 1-0

     

     

    Keep it tight and as the game progresses we will get a chance or two.

  12. Dont see Derk starting.

     

     

    The game is on astroturf and as he has just had an ankle injury it will do it no favours at all

  13. Dbia @1434

     

     

    The tic tie on Tuesday is too soon for Teemu.

     

     

     

    Teemu will need time to pick up the tactics in the tic team talks.

  14. timaloy29

     

     

    14:33 on 19 August, 2013

     

    @twists n turns

     

     

    Derk can operate on the right or left. I will be far more comfortable with Derk, Sammy and Commons rather than Forrest. The wee guy isn’t a good enough crosser and is abysmal in front of goal.

     

     

    I think his enthusiasm and work rate allow him to get away with a lack of quality

     

     

    What do you mean abysmal in front of goal, what about his finish on Saturday?

     

     

    CoosersewiabanjoCSC

  15. Twists n Turns

     

     

    Ah am gled that You ,Also, hiv noticed that Sammi.. is a Very Effective Left Wing Raider.

     

     

    Noo.. Whit Ah am aboot tae Divulge.. is no fur Public Dissemination.. as they say in the Trade..

     

     

    Howevahhhhhhhhh..

     

     

    Whit the Heck!

     

     

    The Flying Dutchman .. A.K.A. . Dirk..

     

     

    Wiz signed not tae be used,Exclusively, as a Left Winger.. but

     

     

    More fur the Striking Role.

     

     

    Yes.. He wiz.

     

     

    It is a Pity that The Flying Dutchman, fell victim tae the “Curse of the Newbie”.

     

     

    Fur.. A Newcomer tae Celtic, is almost Certain tae be struck doon By it.

     

     

    Think aboot it.

     

     

    Anyway, because of Dirk succumbing tae the “Curse of the Newbie”.. and with Indecent Alacrity.. May Ah add..

     

     

    We shall hiv tae wait a Few Games afore .. Dirk , gets the Chance tae Demonstrate

     

    that He Wid Dae Jist Fine.. as a Celtic Striker.

     

     

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still, Laughin’

  16. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    Dubaibhoy-”If I signed off the accounts it has been in good faith.”

     

     

    Griffiths has signed a new 2 year deal at Molineux and would probably cost Celtic £2m+.

     

    Far too much for a bomb scare of a man who could start a fight in an empty house. I would rather avoid that one. Billy McKay from ICT is just as good as Griffiths and would cost much less if we want to go for an SPL striker. However, we already have Stokes and Watt who would both be profilic if they played as main striker for any other SPL side. Celtic are looking for a player with continental experience I reckon from the names we are linked with. We appear to want someone who can hit the ground running in Europe. I think this is what we all want. I think there is scope for us to sign a striker in the Griffiths, Johnny Russell (too late), Higdon (not good enough), McGinn (Would he come back to sit on the bench again?) mould but Griffiths off field antics would certainly put me off.

     

    Strength in depth is required up front but it’s getting the right players in. Neil knows who he wants. Hopefully he gets the players he is after.

     

     

    LB

  17. the honest mistake.

     

     

    you are being unduly harsh on cathode ray tv’s. believe it or not cathode ray still has the ability to be the best format for picture quality. the problem for cathode ray was bulk ( hard to hang from a wall). you can still buy them and they are now thinner but expensive.

  18. “What do you mean abysmal in front of goal, what about his finish on Saturday?”

     

     

    Was that not deflected?

  19. Paul67 et al

     

     

    Ritualistic slaughter of a ram…

     

    What happened, couldn’t they find a goat over there?

  20. To Whom it May Concern…

     

     

    Wee Jamesie is Celtic’s Catalyst.

     

     

    When He Plays..

     

     

    He Makes Things Happen.

     

     

    In Any Gang Fight..

     

     

    The “Leader Affer”.. is the Main-spring, in Every Gang.

     

     

    He Strikes the Foist Blow.

     

     

    Well..

     

     

    Jamsie.. fur want a Mair Suitable term..

     

     

    Is

     

     

    Celtic’s… “Leader Affer”

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still Laughin’

  21. dontbrattbakkinanger

     

     

    14:35 on 19 August, 2013

     

    On here we go in for the ritualistic slaughter of wee James Forrest.

     

     

    Am in, he is shite HH

  22. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    hun skelper

     

     

    Does Jamesie not have a very good scoring record for a winger?

     

     

    LB

  23. Anyone think that Saturdays team selection was as much giruy to his opposite number tomorrow.

     

    As in two can play at silly buggers.

     

    What will the Kazahs make of that formation.

     

    As we are favourites isnt it likely that they will set up to counteract our formation.

     

    I think Lenny just gave them something else to think about.

  24. livibhoy – god bless wee oscar

     

     

    14:56 on 19 August, 2013

     

    hun skelper

     

     

    Does Jamesie not have a very good scoring record for a winger?

     

     

    LB

     

     

    In a word – NO

     

    HH

  25. I think wee James’s form has dipped ever since he stopped blowing his nose on the front of his shirt every ten minutes.

  26. geordie munro

     

     

    14:59 on 19 August, 2013

     

    I think wee James’s form has dipped ever since he stopped blowing his nose on the front of his shirt every ten minutes.

     

     

    Haha

  27. thomthethim for Oscar OK

     

     

    No worries! I’m glad it is on 3E as otherwise it would just hoping the streaming stays up for the whole 90 minutes. They covered a fair bit of football last year as well in the Europa League.

     

    Marti

  28. The Honest Mistake loves being first on

    Trophybhoy.

     

    Sorry for slagging cathode ray technology.

     

    Cheers for the advice. Turkeybhoy might be getting a bargain then.

     

    Hh