Slovan Bratislava arrive in Kazakhstan today ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Kairat Almaty. Almaty started their campaign four weeks ago, eliminating Slovenian champions Ollimpija 3-1 on aggregate. They then overcame a 2-0 first leg defeat to Finns KuPS to win 3-2 on aggregate.
Those wins are the first Almaty have recorded in European competition since 2021, when they beat Luxembourgers Fola Esch to reach the Conference League group stage (finished with 2 points). We can expect to face Slovan in the playoff round later this month. The second leg is away from home on Tuesday 26th August; we are at Ibrox five days later. Almaty is 200 miles from China and an 11 hour flight time, plus a refuelling stop, away from the UK. Bratislava may suit us better.
Slovan were the fairytale side last season, starting in the Champions League first qualification round and reaching the league stage, having never previously qualified for the group stage. Fairytales do not always have happy endings and Slovan only managed to avoid bottom place on goal difference, having a balance one better than Young Boys. Their 5-1 defeat at Celtic Park will set expectations in Bratislava, even if you and I know this will be a different challenge.
Slovan’s material advantage is that they will have played eight competitive games before facing Celtic. By contrast, we will have played only three (St Mirren, Aberdeen, Falkirk). The difference in fitness eight games into a season from three is substantial.
Compared to what it could have been, this is a gift of a draw, there can be no excuses, but we need to get everything right to progress. We also have the ghost of Bratislava to exorcise.
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Amazing.
Interesting analysis, Paul, although you have neglected to mention the club that has historically been our most difficult opponent in these games and has cost us qualification more than any other – Celtic.
Yes?
Indeed they have. All self inflicted. Need to learn ……eventually.
‘There can be no excuses…’? ,you should direct that to your pals on the Board, the manager has told us the situation, that we are considerably weaker than last season
I don’t see Bratislava being too open off the back of last season’s CP showing.
They’ll sit and make life difficult for us.
We need wingers.
“Need to get everything right”
New signings bedded in would have helped.
Our biggest concern should be complacency.
If anyone needs a reminder watch last season’s cup final and the previous result against the same opponent.
As fans, we have a responsibility as any complacency on our part will come across in the atmosphere and seep through to the players
PS if anyone wants to protest about something keep it for another day.
Let’s get behind the team, and use the atmosphere to suck the ball into the opposition’s net.
‘Compared to what it could have been, this is a gift of a draw’.
Except that our squad is no stronger overall than last season. 9 days and counting till that registration deadline…
All quiet in Parkhead, and a Mexican stand off between Brendan Rodgers and the Celtic power brokers? Parties agree, that Celtic are short in quality, in key positions ( old news ). Celtic just don’t want to pay the money that quality players cost? Who knows are players being scouted and suggested? Are they being rejected, – nobody on the outside really knows.
Temporarily at least, we don’t want to pony up, the elephant in the room is the kerching and the unique cash pile, untouched even for the drips of rain through the Northstand roof. A PLC that doesn’t even deliver a bare minimum now back slugging it out with Sevco in a market, even they can afford. Complacency cost Celtic in the running on empty league and cup, to begin it all over again, arguably “ lighter “ is a well worn hand from Celtic, this time it could be unforgivable.
Daizen Maeda a bit like Celtic, still ‘off it’ since long before the cup final… kerching? 30 minutes of James Forrest ( testimonial played 2 yrs ago ) just about enough to help see off plucky Saints. 60 minutes of Kieran with no new cover, lucky we’ve got Liam who Brendan recalled gave. No players for now, just “club signings for tomorrow” , some still scattered to the wind. Too late now, even if we splashed the cash, there’s no time to bed in players before a trip to Pittodrie, or the Dome and certainly not in time for multi million pound CL contention.
It doesn’t matter who is the manager of Celtic, they’ve suddenly halted investing in the team? A Banana skin Bratislava and complacency killing the cat, stand by loanee Simpson – Pusey’s big reveal, signed last week that’ll fill this week spreading out the window. Blame it on the manager? who’s yet to lose a league title at Celtic lose faith play the blame game? Even if we had no manager we should have a replacement for Kyogo, Kuhn and Jota injured till next year, if he’s lucky.
More questions than answers as usual at Celtic here it is in colour,
🍀 / 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙁𝘾 – 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙬 𝙎𝙤 𝙁𝙖𝙧…
First team players only
Transfers in
🏴 Doohan – Free
🏴 Tierney – Free
🏴 Osmand – Free
🇸🇪 Nygren – £2M
🇯🇵 Inamura – £250K
🇯🇵 Yamada – £1.5M
🏴 Simpson – Pusey – Free
💷 Total – £3.75M approx
👋🏽 Transfers Out
🇩🇪 Kuhn – £17M
🇸🇪 Lagerbielke – £2.2M
🏴 Taylor – Free
🏴 Bain – Free
🇵🇱 Nawrocki – Loan
🇭🇳 Palma – Loan
🇦🇺 Tilio – Loan on hold
🇳🇱 Frimpong – £5M (Sell on fee)
🇰🇷 Kwon – 250K
💷 Total – £25M approx
Will the coaching team and playing squad do all they can to give us the best chance of qualifying ? Yes .
Will the club do all they can to give us the best chance of qualifying ? As of now , no .
All about what we bring to the game.
Body, Mind, Hearts.
Recent experience of winning important European games should be a factor.
Last season only 3 European teams beat us.
BVB Borussia away gave us a kicking.
Aston Villa away closed out their must win tie against us in injury time following a mistake from a rookie CB.
FC Bayern at home beat us by the odd goal in three but needed injury time in return leg to salvage a draw on the night and progress.
As for our battle readiness?
We were ALWAYS going into this tie having played only 3 domestic games.
Neither a surprise nor a secret.
Hence our preseason match selection.
Some hot, sticky evenings.
Sporting Club Portugal, Newcastle, Ajax.
2 wins, 1 defeat.
All better than Slovan Bratislava.
All about what we bring to the game.
Body, Mind, Hearts.
Bring it on.
If yir feart?
Go hide under yir mammie’s skirt until 28 August.
No excuses…….
Sack the board.
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 5th August 2025 1:12 pm
All about what we bring to the game.
Body, Mind, Hearts.
Recent experience of winning important European games should be a factor.
————-
no complacency here, but I feel the blogging world wants to talk down celtic at every opportunity, the gaps in the squad are exagerrated by ignoring the strenghts of the players we actually have.
13 of the current squad played against slovan last year.
i watched that game again this morning, scored 5, had 2 disallowed.
they were that rare thing in europe, i didnt pick out a single player of theirs that i thought , take him.
this was a funny thing from sunday, but even as we struggled to get in front, i didnt find the crowd hostile, but they were willing that ball in the net.
a new clarion call today, James is 34, it is terrible we have to rely on him.
why ? he contributed well.
FWIW – The Paul67 daily Blogs are generally excellent, he has put up a single thread 24/7 open forum with a public comments section, for more than 20 years. Doesn’t participate in the debate online, and doesn’t diss Celtic supporters, with a differing opinion.
That requires special powers by all means we can disagree but keep it mindful that this is a Celtic site, as he himself used to say.
A lot of supporters like to disagree with what they read, and would the same supporters turn up, just so they could agree? There would be no debate, no commenters.
Welcome to Celtic – Jahmai
Right after Seville, The Board (aka DD) took the decision to reign in the spending. Painful as it was, it was the right decision. We had been spending beyond our means. Many of us were unhappy about the downsizing that followed, but it was necessary.
When rangers died, the Board took the decision to reign in spending, citing the absence of domestic challengers. I am not sure that this was the right decision. Fair enough, we were going to scoosh the league. And this scooshing is still under way. However, there was a virtual guarantee that we would be in the UCL qualifiers every year until therangers came back…which they haven’t yet.
I am convinced that we missed a big opportunity by not pushing on and making a major effort to get into the UCL. The guaranteed money was better then, so getting in to the Group Stage two years in a row, could have elevated us to permanent participants.
It took a Tom Rogic sclaffed penalty at Hampden to rouse DD to get serious again. Since then, we have been somewhat serious about our continued improvement. (Except, of course, that shower scene at Hampden Bobby Ewing (aka Lenny) got a 2nd chance). A 2nd chance that came with the admission that the Board hadn’t considered ANY other candidate.
Then, Sevco won the league. Yes, it took that to the powers that be to get serious. This brought us Ange, followed by a returning BR.
So, here we are. Thinking we have done enough, and believing that the Americans can’t possibly challenge us…
If we didn’t have money in the bank, we could understand that taking on debt might not be the best option.
But the money is there. In fact THIS window’s receipts in itself would be more (way more) than enough to get us what we need.
It is a disturbing tale of winning, followed by over confidence, followed by failure, followed by an embarrassed DD, followed by action.
When will we learn…?
Weeron.
onenightinlisbon on 5th August 2025 1:19 pm
No excuses…….
Sack the board.
——–
Interesting idea ONIL … worthy of debate.
Question:
“Sack the board”. How?
Wow some real issues on display today.
Weeron @ 2:13pm.
I really enjoyed reading your post.
Respect.
(Ah-Ah ! There’s always a but with BTB)
“It is a disturbing tale of winning, followed by over confidence, followed by failure, followed by an embarrassed DD, followed by action.
When will we learn…?”
Takeaway “disturbing” and
replace “and embarrassed DD”
With “a stirred DD”
And I’d probably agree almost fully.
Bit of devil’s advocacy at work here …
But I suspect the leadership might think
“13 titles out of 14? Where do I sign? Nothing big to learn here”
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/august/05/welcome-to-celtic–j/
Have never seen this young man play in my life.
What I do know? (Limited)
1. Not getting selected for Man City doesn’t mean you are not a player
2. From this image? Aged 19 .. he’s got a thick neck and big shoulders.
Welcome to Celtic Jahmai.
You’ll get my full support, kid.
Wee Ron
Very good pal.
I would urge a bit of caution about the Enbra huns, The new owner is certainly no mug, write them off at out peril.
KINGLubO
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 5th August 2025 1:12 pm
I agree – we have nothing to fear, except fear itself.
I also find it interesting that so many posters feel the key to our success or failure is just mair wingers.
Especially in an age where football systems are as critical as individual brilliance, we need guys in all positions to do their job as units in a machine. Ie… keepers to shotstop; defenders to defend stoutl; midfielders to thread defence splitting passes; and forwards to smash goals in instinctively rather than sclaff and spurn gilt-edged opps. Mon the Tic !
FranklinDelano CSC
BACK TO BASICS…
Thanks (I think)….. :)
I am very aware of 13 out of 14. It is the metric that we should all focus on. It is the metric that SHOULD help us through the trauma should sevco win a title at some point.
That said, organizations can make mistakes from time to time. We can all accept that. However, RECURRING mistakes are unforgivable…..
Cheers,
Weeron.
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 5th August 2025 2:17 pm
Ah just wishful thinking…….
KINGLUBO,
Fair point. I would think that the league would be unlikely for them. It takes a big squad of good players to get through the 38 games. What they could do is a cup or two….and possibly upset us (and thems) when they play us.
Cheers,
Weeron
quadrophenian on 5th August 2025 2:30 pm
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 5th August 2025 1:12 pm
I agree – we have nothing to fear, except fear itself.
—————–
like the flat earthers; they have nothing to fear except sphere itself……………
any more on the rumour the Livingston game might get moved?
Welcome to Celtic JAHMAI.
I hope that you are not only an excellent Defender, but also hopefully DANGEROUS in our opponents box whenever we get Corners etc….especially IF/WHEN we learn how to take Corners ?
Our Corners were very poor on Sunday.
Celtic are NOT good enough to take ANY Opponent lightly.
Hopefully, that will change IF/WHEN we bring in a Goal Scoring Centre Forward ASAP ?
HH.
Coneybhoy on 5th August 2025 2:48 pm
quadrophenian on 5th August 2025 2:30 pm
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 5th August 2025 1:12 pm
I agree – we have nothing to fear, except fear itself.
—————–
like the flat earthers; they have nothing to fear except sphere itself……………
—————–
Or the teetotal flat earthers….. They have nothing to fear except beer itself….
Weeron
Weeron
🤣
Its a decent draw from which we should progress to the group stage. However, it depends on what Celtic turn up on the night. Inconsistency is an issue, often in the same game, typically one half good other poor.
We have lost Taylor and Kuhn but have added Tierney and Nygren. We also have Jota long term injured. We need another winger even on loan. There are several young prospects signed and the fringe has been trimmed. All in all I see us as similar overall.
The manager has promised flexibility and we can see the odd long ball and overlapping full backs rather than tucked in. No other significant changes noticed. Slow build up, over elaborate play and shot shy remain issues.
We need more flexibility and consistency.
No amount of turd polishing, blind faith and misty eyed looking back in time will resolve the fundamental problems. We are four players short from last season.
As for those who think we are stronger, and there were two last week, I have a friend who is a Nigerian Prince and wants your email address.
i am really suprised about this – fife huns without the bus fare.
turnbull hutton will be spinning
—————
Raith Rovers are set to strike a ‘co-operation agreement’ with Rangers after fans gave the deal the green light.
An overwhelming majority of the supporters asked for their opinions on the tie-in have backed the move.
The Stark’s Park outfit polled almost 1,500 season-ticket holders after insisting they would consult with fans on any partnership proposal with the Ibrox club.
Of the 988 responses received over the weekend, they say 85.4 per cent voted in favour
Some supporters had previously voiced concerns over becoming a ‘feeder club’ for Rangers, or over losing out because the Premiership side will be able to recall loan players at short notice.
However, Raith can now continue discussions with the Light Blues with a mandate from their faithful.
A statement read: “Thank you to everyone who responded to our recent survey on the proposed co-operation agreement.
“We received 988 responses from the 1,456 supporters contacted.
No chance any quality players we’re in the bidding for are going to agree to a move to the SPL without Champions League Group Section qualification. Not a hope in hell of that happening. Suck it up bedwetters.
It’s an extremely kind draw but we continue to push our own luck with the transfer 💩🎪 sorry strategy. We love to have it both ways. A team with our resources needs to accept a glass ceiling in European football. Also us – a team with our resources can’t always expect to beat these relative minnows in these games. Just ask Malmo, Maribor, Artmedia, AEK, Midtjylland etc, etc.
So basically a team with our resources can generally expect to both richer and poorer teams, almost all of whom could only dream of our cash in bank levels.
Slovan have a 30% chance of knocking us out. It would have been 3% against last year’s version of Celtic. We’ve done what we always do – asset strip the team and hoard the cash. For what purpose?
At the same time we have a senseless focus on the supposedly terrible transfer window of 2024 where the players we bought will at worst give us a break even when we sell them (oh but where is the sell on potential? That’s what our club exists for apparently).
All the while ignoring the cataclysmic 2023 window that sp****d the best part of £20M up against the wall. No resale value in them duds lads.
For the little it’s worth I think we’ll probably scrape by Slovan, something like 2-1 on aggregate. Well then lose most/ all of our group stage games because we won’t be able to score at that level. Maybe the first few will be by 1-0 because we have a decent defence. Thereafter they’ll lose heart with the hopelessness of the attacked and there’ll be a couple of demoralising scuddings in the final games.
Rinse and repeat for next season where the plc will charge you for friendlies and to watch puffball interviews on Celtic TV with increasingly obscure English loannees, all under the stewardship of Shaun Maloney.
Slovan’s reported turnover is £14.3M. kairat’s is £8.7M. Celtic’s is £110M.
Still, it’s so hard to attract superior (to Slovan and Kairat) players to the SPFL.
The returnof weeron on 5th August 2025 2:13 pm
%
So, the board cut the quality of the product on the pitch, but still put the ticket prices up, after Seville.
is that not what Tories and their Snp proxy redirect do?