I’ve been trying to interpret the Champions League group all evening. It’s an exciting draw. The world’s biggest box office team will come to Glasgow, a chance for us to marvel at, and test ourselves against, Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and the rest. We also have a sporting chance of finishing second or third, either of which would be acceptable.
For me most of this analysis is irrelevant for now. The two most important games are the first, Benfica, and the last Spartak Moscow, both at home, so for now, all that really matters is the 90 minutes at Celtic Park against Benfica on 19 September. Beat Benfica and you go to Moscow in the following game with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Can we beat Benfica at Celtic Park? Benfica have lost all three games they have played at Celtic Park, twice in recent Champions League history, but they are not a pot two team and we are not a pot four team for nothing. They have played only two league games this season and did not benefit from being tested by a Champions League qualifying competition.
In short, playing Benfica in the first game, when we will have played twice as many competitive games as they have, is ideal. We will be ready for them.
Tomorrow is a big day. Who was it said ‘perfect day to bury bad news’? While some of us are busy trying to keep a server online as transfer speculation reaches its annual crescendo, what chance last year’s accounts will be released?
If they are (and I have no information on this), you can count on some very bad news. Losses will be frightening, which sheds some light on some of the earthy tones from Neil Lennon today on just how big a result the win over Helsingborgs was.
We needed that win. We needed Messi and his pals to help us sell 60,000 ticket packages, and to prompt Celtic fans to go out and buy some of the many thousands of season tickets still available.
Let me leave you with a word that came out from the Spartak camp tonight. Andrey Tikhonov, Spartak player until he became a coach at the club last year, said, “Barcelona are favourites from the group. We and Benfica will be fighting for second place.
“Celtic are outsiders. The Champions League competition is about very good technical football. It has nothing to do with running after the ball that somebody kicked forward.”
Beat these clowns, Celtic.
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everybody’s written us off , that’ll really help
lisbon1967
Vasily Rats ;-)
Del Piero to Sydney?
Kayal33,
And twice as good!
Del Piero ?
The latest ———–take your pick——
” talking again with Sion ”
” has rejected Sion’s offer ”
” is considering Arsenal’s offer and was very impressed with Arsene Wenger “.
” likes the idea of a new challenge / life in Australia “
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
10:41 on 31 August, 2012
KEV 1032
Blinkin’ stupid thing to say.
If you pay the slightest bit of attention to other posts,you will know their views. Maybe it IS all about you,after all.
_________________________________________________
Aye, whatever.
http://www.raithrovers.net/2938/official-statement.htm
As a result of the participation of one of our Directors on an SFA panel, this football club finds itself now having to contend with various threats in the form of emails and telephone calls, during the build-up to an important SFL league match.
This club, along with every other club in the SPL and SFL, voted for change at last year’s AGM. Part of that change involved the setting up of a panel of individuals who would give of their time to better facilitate and judge on football issues affecting the game in Scotland.
Individuals who agreed to an involvement in that process now find themselves chased by the media, vilified by sections of the press, subjected to abuse and hate. If this is the consequence of participation, it is more than likely that many will wish to consider whether or not such participation is worth such a price.
This football club remains supportive of our Director’s involvement in what has turned out to be a fiasco. It is, however, incumbent on us as a football club to point out that we are NOT directly involved in the process per se. Threats to our staff, our infrastructure and our reputation is something we could well do without. So far this week significant additional costs have been incurred here at Kirkcaldy. Equally, tomorrow’s important game against our friends from Dumfries, will be subject to greater security and police presence than would otherwise be the norm.
The Board at RRFC will have to consider why we should be subject to additional costs in support of a battle which has nothing to do with the football club. We may well be viewed as ‘collateral damage’ in the wider debate re the future of one of the country’s larger footballing institutions, but we are nevertheless heartily sickened by what has happened this week.
This Board now looks to the footballing authorities to defuse the current mayhem and allow this football club – and no doubt others – to get back to business as usual.
Paul Ince. The granddaddy of modern Celtic rumours.
B B
The box office is already full!!
I see we are home after every CL game apart for the last one against Mosgow
Wee Willo Flood sitting in a rust coloured Vauxhall Chevette at the bottom of Kerrydale Street. Just in case he’s needed later on this evening.
rothbhoy
Spartak also lost to Terek Grozny last weekend.
After game against Fenerbahce, their keeper Dikan was called a hero and got 76 % votes best Spartak player.
Dikan said after that game: To be honest with you, there was the moment of the game I thought it was defense and battle of Stalingrad. I did look like that.
Dikan cleared sixteen shots on target.
stevietar – putting the turd back into the turd division
10:34 on
31 August, 2012
Andy Burke = top bloke
As Lenny said yesterday, Del Piero isn’t coming
Off to Sydney
kdc – “the real world” you ought to try it sometime instead of reading Friedman textbooks and thatcher biographys
I don’t have time to watch MTV you ninnyhammer. (thumbsup)
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS – I leave satire to the clever chaps. Knock Knock jokes are more my pace.
It’s a glorious day in Philvis-shire. The sun is shining, the air is clean and crisp with a hint of autumn, and it’s Friday. (thumbsup)
BBC Scotland’s Brian Mclauchlin on Twitter: “Hearts have turned down offers from Rangers for Templeton and McGowan. The offer made combined was less than £1 million.”
KevJungle
Not like you to fall out with fholk.
KEV 1051
Off out,it’s opening time and thus time for my medication.
You obviously either forgot yours,or started on mine early doors.
Del Piero signs for Sydney FC.
Boooooo.
The only investment worth making from Dundee United is young Mackay Stevens , IMO , Daly is as slow as a week in the jail, and Russell whilst a whole hearted player and strong runner , his game is not suited to facing packed defences week in, week out.
Just catching up this week , saw the Betwick ‘goal’ seems to me
that the Berwick CF makes a movement to obstruct the keeper , which the ref saw and gave a free kick.
Tinhatcfc
Good morning Bhoys!
I called the Celtic Ticket Office Enquiry number. They have no information on the away tickets yet. I was calling to find out if I can buy them even though I live in Spain. They said they will only sell away tickets to season tickets holders.
If I get family back home who are season tickets to buy the tickets for me, will that work? Anyone know what sort of checks are in place, ID, return flights, etc?
Thanks!
Ten Men Won The League
10:40 on
31 August, 2012
pauloanthony
Mulgrew, Rogne, Wilson plus Wanyama + Lustig can cover at CH
No way we will bring in more than 1 centre half
IMHO, we don’t need one
EKbhoy
someone is slipping you hallucinogenics or you are in bad need of attention.
Hail Hail
PHILVISRETURNS 1056
I got a text from an august poster on here yesterday,along the lines of
Good to be a TIM,today the CL draw,tomorrow the last day of the transfer window.
Or Thursday and Friday as Sevco fans call it.
Cheers,VOGUEPUNTER, a lot of people appreciated me sending them that,and a lot more didn’t,haha!
Right,offski.
Del off to Sydney? Thats devine.
Zbyszek (10:54).
Thanks for that mate – even more encouragement for us!!!!!
The mighty Terek Grozny eh? The St Mirren/ICT of the Russian PL we hope!
ALLY McCOIST’S moves to rebuild Rangers have been thrown into chaos by rules forbidding SFL clubs from signing too many senior players.
Rangers have been caught in a red tape wrangle that could ruin their chances of significantly strengthening their squad before the transfer window closes tonight.
An SFL rule, in place for at least a decade, prevents its member clubs from registering more than 22 players aged over 21 in a bid to encourage youth development throughout the lower leagues.
To add to Ibrox woes, up to five senior players, including Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker, Allan McGregor and Kyle Lafferty, are still officially registered to the club even though they’ve moved.
Rangers have kept them on their books as they try to gain support from FIFA to win transfer fees for them. That could restrict McCoist’s plans to add up to six senior players to his pool before the club is banned from transfer dealings for a year.
He hopes to sign David Templeton, German Michael Fink and Swedish striker Daniel Larsson but could be denied by the rules.
But at least the manager was happier with his team as they returned to form with a 3-0 League Cup win over Falkirk.
McCoist said: “I was on a real low at Berwick on Sunday but this was 100 times better. Some of our passing was excellent.”
Earlier, the SFA had given McCoist a three-match touchline ban, suspended for a year, while chief executive Charles Green was censured for claiming bigotry was behind the refusal to grant Rangers entry to the SPL.
McCoist had demanded the public naming of the judicial panel behind their transfer embargo.
He said: “At no time did I intend to bring the game into disrepute, I just wanted full transparency.”
Green added: “I have said publicly what I meant by my remarks and it is time to move on.”
Falkirk boss Steven Pressley said: “My players gave me absolutely every ounce of effort.”
Just in! Is Messi on his way or are we still in a messi with the whole transfer thingy?
Do you think we’re going to have a, “No inflated signings on transfer deadline day is as good as a new signing.” – Mark Hateful, moment at 11:00pm?
TELLY bosses made a grovelling apology last night after writing off Celtic’s Champions League chances on Twitter.
The Scottish champions were yesterday drawn in a tough group alongside Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow.
And the official Twitter account of ITV Football reacted with the dismissive tweet: “Bye, bye Celtic. They’ve drawn Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow.”
It was immediately greeted by a chorus of protests, including from a Celtic fan who tweeted: “More likely bye, bye @ITV football.”
Embarrassed bosses at ITV Football took the tweet down and posted an apology.
It read: “To Celtic fans out there. We mean no disrespect. An ill-advised way of saying you’ve got a very tough group. Apologies.”
Last night, no one was available for comment at ITV but a Celtic spokesman described the tweet as “ill-advised”. He said: “We’re pleased the company has retracted the comment and apologised.”
Celtic boss Neil Lennon responded to the first ITV tweet by writing simply: “Think ITV owe us an apology.”
But his club’s fans were not so restrained.
One Twitter user, Celtic 67Live, said: “It takes @itvfootball 45 minutes to apologise for a major social media, editorial and business failure. Reputation irreparably damaged.”
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What about a Celtic spokesperson speaking about the open corruption within the SFA and the SNP ???
awe_naw_no_annoni_oan_anaw_noo
11:00 on
31 August, 2012
EKbhoy
someone is slipping you hallucinogenics or you are in bad need of attention.
Hail Hail
—-
What John Daly is slower than a month in the jail?
ASonOfDan
Where the hell did they get a million pound??
AND THE DAY AFTER GREEN AND McCOIST are let off we get a sympathy article
Exclusive
By CAMERON HAY
Published: 10 hrs ago
30
RANGERS chief Charles Green and manager Ally McCoist were bombarded with hundreds of vile calls — after their mobile numbers were posted online by a Celtic troll.
Hoops yob Stuart Kennedy, 35, tweeted the private details — then used his Twitter account to urge others to hound the pair.
Photographer Kennedy, 35, targeted his club’s Old Firm rivals as he watched Celts beat Helsingborgs in a Champions League clash at a packed Parkhead on Wednesday.
He claimed the numbers were being passed among tens of thousands of fellow fans in the crowd of 50,000.
In his first tweet he posted an 11-digit mobile number and wrote: “No joke, the belfast bhoys have been giving them it tight all day! haha.”
Soon after he posted a second message, adding: “Someone sent that as a text to me haha dont know if it is s**t. Let me know lol.”
A Rangers source said: “It’s shocking. Ally and Charles were given dogs abuse all day. Some of it was seriously abusive.”
Last night, Kennedy was facing a police probe.
At his semi-detached home in a quiet suburb of Carfin, Lanarkshire, the dad desperately tried to play down his actions.
He told The Scottish Sun he had no idea that the numbers he posted belonged to McCoist and Green. Visibly shaking, Kennedy, above left, explained: “It was just a retweet. I didn’t think anything of it.
“Someone sent me it as a text and, like you would with a joke, I just thought that I would post it on.
“Honestly, I thought they were fake numbers — if I could say sorry to Ally I would.”
Kennedy suggested that he too has been the subject of sectarian abuse since he posted the numbers of the two Ibrox bigwigs. And he claimed he has had to hand his mobile over to Strathclyde Police as a result.
He said: “Since I posted the numbers I’ve taken them down.
“But I have been subjected to quite a few phone calls of a sectarian nature.”
A spokesman for Rangers described Kennedy’s actions as “grossly irresponsible” and insisted action had been taken to ensure Green and McCoist, below, were not subject to further abuse.
He added: “The numbers were made public on the internet, we believe, following the theft of a mobile phone.”
Strathclyde Police had no record of Kennedy complaining he too was subject to abuse on his phone.
A spokeswoman for the force said inquiries are continuing.
EKBHOY
do not pass go do not collect 200
Monopoly with only two is boring naw ?
Hail Hail
ASonOfDan
The offer for Templeton + McGowan was £600k. They offered to pay the £500k they still owe Hearts by Dec 31st instead of next June
EKBOUY
Go wash ur mouth out. How dare you slagg Jon D???
Two rolls wi sausage, copious mugs o tea, sky sports on all day watching JW’s twisted coupon tripping him as he announces our signings.
A Celtic day, power to Peters pen…………………………………………….Nice.
voguepunter
10:56 on 31 August, 2012
KevJungle
Not like you to fall out with fholk.
___________________________________
It was never my intention m8.
maybe it’s a case of – the bother already there to be caused. imo
Hail Hail
TimJim
10:52 on
31 August, 2012
Yeah, they crammed in the away games for the qualifiers!
[wee joke by the way]