By Alex Gordon.
A DREADFUL penalty-kick miss by Bahrudin Atajic condemned Ronny Deila to his first defeat as Celtic manager.
The Bosnian striker had the ideal opportunity to level the scores four minutes from time after substitute Paul McMullan had been downed in the box.
Unfortunately, Atajic blazed his spot-kick over the bar into the Hamburg crowd much to the annoyance of the new Hoops gaffer.
It was a largely experimental Celtic line-up with Deila taking no risks ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier against Legia Warsaw in the Polish capital.
Alas, appalling defending by Filip Twardzik gifted the Germans the winning goal before the interval.
The left-back made a mess of trying to control a long and hopeful punt into the Celtic penalty box. The ball broke clear and was immediately presented to Christopher Nothe who could hardly believe his good fortune.
Nothe struck his effort first time from eight yards and Craig Gordon had no chance as the low drive zipped past his right hand in the 39th minute.
Twardzik toiled in the opening 45 minutes and was also booked in the 33rd minute after a lunging tackle after once again giving the ball away with a slack pass.
Celtic started at whirlwind pace and had three excellent opportunities inside the opening 10 minutes.
Atajic fizzed in a low shot from just outside the box, but keeper Philipp Tschauner got down swiftly to hold the ball at his right hand post.
Five minutes later, Tony Watt, looking lively on the left wing, tried his luck from a tight angle.
His shot totally bamboozled Tschauner, but carried over the crossbar and out to safety.
Amido Balde should have got the game’s opening goal in the 10th minute when he was through on goal after some neat play outside the box.
However, the Portuguese Under-21 international lacked composure at the vital moment and allowed the keeper to block his hurried parting shot.
Gordon, making his second appearance for the Hoops, showed he was still rusty after being out for over two years with a slack goal-kick to Nir Biton.
The Israeli midfielder, captain for the day, was taken unawares and St Pauli broke forward, but made a mess of the opportunity.
Stuart Findlay, partnering Eoghan O’Connell in the middle of the inexperienced back four, was also sloppy with some wayward passes, but the Hoops escaped punishment.
The game was billed as a friendly – and the clubs have an affiliation – but the home players weren’t slow to put in some punishing challenges.
Skipper Soren Gonther was yellow-carded for a rugby tackle on McGeouch that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Celtic’s current home at Murrayfield.
Liam Henderson tried to set up Balde with a neat chip into the danger zone, but the ball carried over the giant frontman’s head.
It looked like being a stalemate at the interval until Twardzik’s lapse in concentration and control allowed St Pauli to snatch the lead.
Deila put on Lukasz Zaluska for Gordon at half-time and replaced the ineffective Balde with Paul McMullan.
Henderson brought the St Pauli keeper into action with a long-range free-kick in the 65th minute. The idea was good, but, unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite match the ambition.
Zaluska produced one memorable moment when he pushed a raging effort from Sebastian Mhyre over the crossbar 10 minutes from time.
Then came Atajic’s dreadful spot-kick blunder which was followed in the last minute by an effort from Watt which swept just wide of the target.
As an exercise, it was worthwhile and the Celtic youngsters will expect to do better when presented with the opportunity to impress the new manager.
CELTIC: Gordon (sub: Zaluska 46); Herron, Findlay, O’Connell, Twardzik; Biton, Henderson, McGeouch; Atajic, Balde (sub: McMullan 46) and Watt.
1,482 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- »
Johnny Rambo 67
I watched your video
The death of so many children are war crimes
Fair play to you for putting the work in because you felt you needed to say something and were not prepared to sit idly by
As for the snipers on here attacking your reason de etre and making comparisons
Ignore them
I bet none of them have ever witnessed the brutality of war at close quarters
While they type in safety in suburbia
WWC – Those lands are the very cradle of Christianity itself.
Islam is a 7th Century phenomenon.
I am sure that the centuries old persecution and genocide had got nothing to do with “western meddling”.
16 roads:
I completely understand religious persecution goes back centuries.
The more recent events in Iraq have the Iraq war as a backdrop.
I guess that was my poorly made point…
“Property is theft”?
Don’t think it was KM who said that. Could be wrong though.
WWC – Definitely agree that the Western powers exasperated the situation in the likes of Iraq, Libya, Syria etc.
You needed a strong dictatorship to keep the lid on Islamist fundamentalism in those places – but it was always there bubbling beneath the surface.
Also I put this to you – The Western governments are vehemently anti-Christian.
US,England,France then add the likes of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar to the blend…
Those poor Christian communities have no chance whatsoever.
And to top it all – Zionist Israel.
The Synagogue of Satan and the Masonic.
Only God can save the world now.
That is Jesus.
Gone.
Morning all. Beautiful day down here. Summer is back.
I hope football is back on the blog. We have a very important game this week.
Conflicting stories in Press this morning re Tony Watt. If he goes I think we will live to regret it.
From last night…..
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
21:39 on 27 July, 2014
Neganon2
So why do you constantly attack Celtic ?
_________________________________
He disny – he attacks the ‘bored’ and PL.
Surely such a learned ‘poster’ like yer goodself would be aware that, the ‘bored’ and PL urny Celtic?
The fans are Celtic.
But, you knew that, right?
This is the article from The Daily Mail. Although they do seem really sure that it is a done deal, there are no quotes from Celtic ( or anyone else.) :
“Celtic have agreed a fee of £1.2million with Standard Liege for striker Tony Watt and are bracing themselves for a double bid from Southampton for prized assets Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk.
The deal for Watt was thrashed out late last night and the player will fly to Belgium this morning to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical.
The talented 20-year-old striker had a loan spell at Liege’s rivals Lierse last season during which time he impressed with eight goals for Stanley Menzo’s team.
He also had several well-publicised bust-ups with Menzo when the coach questioned the Scotland under-21 international’s attitude, but his on-field ability ultimately caught the eye of Liege.
They are keen to push the deal through today as they have a Champions League qualifier against Greek side Panathinaikos this week and want Watt registered for that clash before tonight’s deadline.
Watt shot to fame in 2012 when he scored for Celtic in their 2-1 Champions League victory against Barcelona at Parkhead – just months after Neil Lennon signed him from Airdrie for £80,000.
Lennon then sent him on loan to Belgium for regular top-team football but the player had hoped to kick-start his Celtic career under new boss Ronny Deila.
Deila wanted to sign Watt last season for Stromsgodset but couldn’t get the deal done in time before the Norwegian transfer window closed.
Watt shot to fame when he scored against Barcelona in 2012
+3
Watt shot to fame when he scored against Barcelona in 2012
Celtic are bracing themselves for an increased bid from Southampton for Fraser Forster
+3
Celtic are bracing themselves for an increased bid from Southampton for Fraser Forster
Watt played for the Hoops in their 1-0 defeat at the weekend to German club St Pauli.
Now, barring any unforeseen last minute hitches with Liege today, that will be his last appearance for the Scottish champions.
Southampton meanwhile have cash to burn after the sales of Dejan Lovren to Liverpool and Calum Chambers to Arsenal and are poised to retrun for goalkeeper Fraser Forster after an initial bid was rejectd by Celtic last week.
They are also keen on central defender van Dijk who was a stand-out success for the Scottish champions last season.”
Those bits with the +3 beside them were photographs. I meant to delete them all but obviously missed some.
JJ
Cant understand tony watt at all
Thought he was a celtic man ?
Really gutted if he leaves. I reckon he is for the off , forster will be nxt.
Then maybe virgil
Then we might sign 1 or 2 players.
Exciting times… Not
So. What is the CQN narrative on Tony Watt?
Happy he is leaving because he can be naughty! Best for club and all that.
or
Great loss as he was a fantastic prospect.
MWD says AYE
Corkcelt
I can guarantee ` we will live to regret it`!! If he does go, the first game where we fail to score after his departure will find CQN filled to the brim with posts expressing such regret 0:-) He will become a £20 million pound player whom we let go for peanuts.
There is something about him that suggests a very effective player but when I look at the reality, I only see fleeting glimpses of that talent. Fine day for golf if the blog decides to ignore Celtic and talk of the Israeli/Palestine horror.
JJ
moonbeams wd. wee oscar’s our bhoy and kano’s our mhan.
—
Bit of both i would say.
Think he is gonna be a player but all the managers cant be wrong.
Proudbhoy
What a beam of positivity you offer!
Do be careful if you have to go outdoors today 0:-)
JJ
justafan
07:54 on 28 JuLY
It was Proudhon, not Marx.
PB (that post of mine was in response to your 8:27 post. Your reply to MWD seems perfectly at ease by comparison! ) .
JJ
Big Joe
05:43 on
28 July, 2014
Interesting article in the Herald.
European football: Keeping the rich rich and Scotland poor . . .
Michael Grant
Chief football writer
MONDAY 28 JULY 2014
A NOTHER midweek of Champions League and Europa League football awaits for three of Scotland’s clubs so let’s dust down that great, loaded phrase “unbroken history” and see if it applies to the tournaments themselves.
————————————————————————-
Another piece of garbage journalism.
Completely fails to mention that the architect of this model that panders to the TV companies and by extension the big 5 is our very own EBT beneficiaries Campbell Ogilvie and John McLelland.
Mhhhhhh…. really they have nothing to whinge about.
HH
What ever happened to all those players Neil Lennon said he’d sign before World Cup for Champs League perpetration?
Oh. That’s right. Silly me thinking we’d buy players before we sold our best!
MWD says AYE and hawds hid heid in hands shaking it thinking, don’t be daft now this is the best plan.
Kevjingle
You are factually incorrect as usual, look back if you wish.
Ps I ain’t a Celtic fan, I’m a Celtic supporter. What are you?
Fantastic piece of business if we’ve managed to get £1.2m for Tony Watt.
I can’t wait to see the accounts. When are they due?
• Zbyszek
05:52 on 28 July, 2014
Big Joe The worst draw for both teams in my opinion. The chances for going through are 70% Celtic, 30 % Legia. I would say, Legia are the favourites by a margin in Warsaw. On the other hand, this is football and all is possible.
Thanks for the reply mate, that’s exactly what I was thinking.
Impressed by Berg since he took over………………
AllthebestMate
By Roddy Forsyth11:30PM BST 07 Jun 2011CommentsComment
Despite fears – and predictions – that he would not succeed in persuading the Scottish Football Association to tear up its constitution, dismember its committee system and revolutionise its archaic disciplinary procedures, Stewart Regan emerged with the unanimous backing of his annual general meeting at Hampden Park on Tuesday.
The occasion was an overwhelming endorsement of the work put in by the SFA chief executive and the new president, Campbell Ogilvie, when they crisscrossed Scotland on a diplomatic mission to persuade the association’s 93 member clubs to endorse an unprecedented overhaul of its structure.
“Getting this through unanimously is terrific. It was a bit of a concern, going on to the meeting, wondering how people would actually vote,” Regan admitted.
“You never know quite what the mood will be like. I wasn’t completely sure if there were even some little things which might derail us but there wasn’t even a question.
“It was just complete support – people realised we simply do have to change. There is a mood of change blowing through the game and we now have a chance to get on with it.”
Related Articles
Decision day for Scottish football reforms 06 Jun 2011
Bankier to replace Reid as Celtic chairman 03 Jun 2011
McLeish urges clubs to vote for change 31 May 2011
Republic of Ireland 1 Scotland 0 29 May 2011
Levein buoyed by flashes of promise 28 May 2011
The demanding tour, conducted over several months with the incoming president, saw Regan explain his mission against the background of the most turbulent season in Scottish football, history.
The referees’ strike, attacks on the SFA mounted by the Celtic chairman, John Reid and his fellow traveller, Paul McBride QC, plus evident and well publicised flaws in disciplinary procedures all contributed to a climate of disillusion throughout the game north of the border – but paradoxically made Regan’s task easier.
“It did – absolutely it helped,” said the man who was recruited from Yorkshire county cricket club last summer. “A lot of the big issues we have faced in the game over the last eight months helped me to almost put a mirror up to Scottish football and say: ‘Do you want to carry on like this in the future?’
“It was like, ‘Is this how you want it to be every season, or do you want to actually draw a line under it?’ I asked them if they wanted to sort it out with improved structures, improved procedures and protocols.
“There was an overwhelming desire to follow and be led. There was a real desire for someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck and say, ‘let’s change’.
“There was a recognition that we needed to do things differently and there was a real frustration and dissatisfaction with how we were.
“People hated seeing Scottish football being dragged through the press and through the gutter, if you like, for some of the things that were happening.
“They just wanted a solution, they wanted a way out, they wanted to get to a better place.
“It was a great opportunity for Campbell and me to hear what these people had to say and give them some confidence that what we were trying to do would, hopefully, get them some way towards that new, better place.
“There’s a lot of good work that goes on in the game and we shouldn’t forget that the committees are made up of volunteers that put a large amount of their time and effort into running the game and they do it for the right reasons.
“Where they have been let down is with the processes and with the procedures and with the articles.
“It was certainly nothing to do with the people we met – I wouldn’t say they were disgusted, but they were frustrated. The word for me would be a real sense of frustration with what they were seeing, reading, listening to and being made aware of.
“They wanted to buy into change and it was great for me to be able to say, ‘Back us and I’ll make a promise that we’ll get you there, and we’ll try to drive as hard as we can to get these changes through’.
“It’s been very, very satisfying to see it come to fruition.”
George Peat, the outgoing president, can take the principal credit for calling upon the former Scottish First Minister, Henry McLeish, to conduct the comprehensive and critical review of the SFA that formed the bedrock of the reforms which will now be overseen by Regan.
The chief executive now has the advantage of working with a president who is the most experienced football administrator in Scotland – Ogilvie was the architect of the Champions League 20 years ago – and who is rated highly at home and abroad.
“Campbell is a very well respected administrator on the international stage as well as domestically and he and I make a great team,” said Regan. “He’s very personable, amiable and able to consult.
“He can influence the government and be a great lobbyist.
“I’m much more practical and I can drive hard and deliver change and deal with difficult situations. I’m not afraid to deal with conflict.
“I think together we can actually build Scottish football for the future. I am eight months into the job and I think I have an awful lot to offer Scottish football and an awful lot I’d like to achieve in the game.
“It’s a big day for me and a big day for Scottish football. It’s an achievement for the Scotttish FA – I’ve just been able to put the jigsaw together.
“A lot of the groundwork was done by George Peat in actually commissioning the report and I think he leaves today a very proud man with a legacy behind him that he left on the day that the biggest decision in Scottish football was made.
“The board have been supportive of me and the staff and management team have really just got on and put the nuts and bolts together and allowed me to drive this forward.”
MAx Bygraces CSC
Ernie.
How is teacher this morning? Well I hope.
Article by Robert Fisk on the subject referred to earlier by 16 ROADS.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/one-of-the-oldest-christian-communities-in-the-lands-of-christ-has-been-destroyed-as-sunni-caliphate-spreads-9631796.html
…and then there’s Tony Watt. Talented boy, but won’t knuckle down to learn his trade.
…Gimme a few weeks to see if I can get through to him.
…
…So Ronny, Tony Watt. How did you get on with him?
…Impenetrable I’m afraid.
It would be a pity if this is how it works out for Tony Watt. The boy has all of the tools to be a top player – technique, speed, game brains – except it seems the one that differentiates the top players from the pack – attitude.
• Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
08:36 on 28 July, 2014
Big Joe
05:43 on
28 July, 2014
Interesting article in the Herald.
European football: Keeping the rich rich and Scotland poor . . .
Michael Grant
Chief football writer
MONDAY 28 JULY 2014
A NOTHER midweek of Champions League and Europa League football awaits for three of Scotland’s clubs so let’s dust down that great, loaded phrase “unbroken history” and see if it applies to the tournaments themselves.
————————————————————————-
Another piece of garbage journalism.
Completely fails to mention that the architect of this model that panders to the TV companies and by extension the big 5 is our very own EBT beneficiaries Campbell Ogilvie and John McLelland.
Mhhhhhh…. really they have nothing to whinge about.
HH
I didn’t say I like it………………….
Just interesting……………………………
Gets a debate going……………. No ?
BigJoesittingONtheFence
TBB
What is Tony Watt`s attitude?
JJ
TBB
so why does that not worry the Belgians ?
Take the money and run.
HH
Big Joe
08:45 on
28 July, 2014
Absolutely as you have just proved :-)
HH
On Tony Watt,
Standard Liege have bought one of the most exciting young talents in the game for a bargain basement price.
PL has worked wonders to get a seven-figure sum for a spoilt brat who is rapidly wrecking his own career.
Time will tell which of the above is correct. At the moment,I think there’s a lot of truth in both of them.
The outcome is in the hands of Tony Watt himself.
I wish him every success. Thanks for the good times,Tony.
jungle jim
08:33 on 28 July, 2014
—
Ano mate.
Just get fed up with good players leaving and no ambition to improve the squad. Very frustrating.
Gambling again on group qualification
JJ
The wrong one, by many accounts.
Auldheid
22:08 on 27 July, 2014
___________________
You can’t provide the ‘books’ from the year before MO’N’s arrival just as well as, I can’t.
But, I base my point on what MO’N said whilst being interviewed by the media which, again I can’t provide the evidence of, so….does that mean then that, I made it up?
If yer calling me a liar….that’s fine – I’ve been called worse by better than you.
But, if yer calling MO’N a liar well, I know who I would believe first.
The ‘bored’ sucked a section of fans ‘in’ with their resolution 12 p#sh.
And that’s what I view it as so, don’t come on and try all yer ‘gobble-de-gook’ selling point stuff cos, I’ll just scroll-on past cos it is designed to decieve and you and yer gang have fallen for it. imho
Sutton in – £6 mill….Viduka out £6 mill
Lennon in – £5 mill….Berkovic out £5 mill
Jos Val in £3 mill…Burley out – £3 mill
Thommo in £2.5 mill….Riseth out £1.5 mill
Agathe in £35k…..Burchill out £1 mill
Douglas in £1.5 mill
Vega in Free transfer
All of the above produced a treble v’s the most expensive ‘EVER’ assembled Rangers squad and at a time when most clubs were flush – cos of the SKY TV deal.
Hardly – bankrupcy material. imho
The season following Seville……The ‘bored’, who dined-out at the top tables in Europe, somewhere that that hadn’t been since the days of Mr Stein, announced that they would be bringing in PL to ‘fix’ the financial running of the club, after our last eight knock-out by Villa Real in the Uefa Cup, and MO’N – who was nobodies puppet – told the fans that they would have to be prepared to go into the ‘slow-lane’ in terms of European ambition.
It was embarrassing to say the least. I mean, the shackles were so tight that, MO’N couldn’t even get James McFadden on loan from Motherwell or, bring in Peter Canero the Kilmarnock right back for the, injured Agathe. The best period in our history since the Mr Stein era was over and, MO’N knew it. Downsizing whilst, charging top dollar to watch a reduced in quality product was not something that MO’N would be part of and, if the unfortunate illness didn’t visit MO’N’s wife, I think he would have left anyway.
When MO’N first took over the reigns of the club, he wasn’t slow in telling DD were to go after, DD questioned the wisdom of signing Chris Sutton for £6 mill as, CS had only scored the one goal all season with him being, in and out of the Chelsea team.
For me, Martin O’Neill’s stewardship of Celtic killed Rangers as, SDM was terrified that MO’N would have won a European trophy with Celtic.
But what do I know?
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
08:37 on 28 July, 2014
__________________
I’m a Celtic fan.
TBB
Are we not too readily accepting those `accounts` ?
JJ
“But what do I know?”
Indeed.
JJ
All we have to go on JJ is the material that’s been put out there by his managers over the past couple of years, neither of whom have been glowing in their reports.
I thought maybe Deila could turn the boy’s head. Maybe he still can. Who knows.
Talent is nothing without hard work.