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.
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Sipsini
The Commonwealth of Nations is an interesting study not oft reported in this here Island.
It is some time since the Commonwealth was known as the British Commonwealth, and while there is a clear link in history to most, but not all, of the countries being former British Colonies, I think you will find that the yes campaign points to the fact that all of these countries have broken away from Britain, become independent, signed up to the Commonwealth charter which has evolved over the years to include at least two countries with no historic relationship with Britain ( Mozambique and Rwanda ) and remain on good trading and political terms with the UK. That charter states that each nation shall be free and equal and has done so since 1949.
Also it is worth pointing out that several have ditched HM The Queen as head of state and of the 51 sovereign states competing at the games she is the titular head of only 16.
An interesting idiosyncrasy is that all Commonwealth States have to sign up to a constitution which includes the fact that each country must be a democracy, have human rights goals and so on. 32 countries are republics and 5 are monarchies with different monarchs.
The only country in History whose membership was simply allowed to lapse ( as opposed to withdrawing or being expelled or suspended ) was Ireland who remained a member of the Commonwealth until 1949. When the Republic of Ireland Act was passed in 1948, Ireland ceased to fit the criteria as at that time Republics were not allowed, although as can be seen above that has since been changed.
On 3 October 2013, after 48 years of membership, the Gambia became the most recent nation to withdraw from the Commonwealth
Kojo Collie etc,
you stated free marches for all is how it should be,
how many walks a year are you going to allow the OO ?
squire danaher
23:40 on
26 July, 2014
auldheid
23:25 on 26 July, 2014
Would it be appropriate to ask your opinion as to how you think this will all pan out?
I do not think Celtic have the stomach or the will to take this any further but would be delighted to be proven wrong.
==============================
The SFA’s policy is one of refusing to recognise the exchanges between Rangers and HMRC that Celtic now have that provide the key dates under the rules as well as suggesting that the issue was not dealt with as UEFA intended. What is missing is what Rangers told UEFA and how the SFA treated it.
The SFA can either prove they followed the rules as UEFA intended in a manner that Celtic can explain to the shareholders such that it will remove any suspicions that the SFA were less than even handed in the monitoring of the licence granted.
or
The SFA hide behind the confidentiality that surrounds licensing correspondence between them, clubs and UEFA and refuse to engage meaningfully.
That puts Celtic in the position of either saying they can take it no further when in fact they have the means to do so, as set out in Res12 (UEFA CFCB) as well as having the evidence to take to UEFA
or
simply voting to pass Res12.
A lot depends on the SFA response but they appear in no hurry to give one.
What happens once/if UEFA investigate depends on what that investigation of all the correspondence throws up.
Had what is already held put Rangers and SFA in the clear the matter would have to have been dropped already.
Clashcitybhoy
23:59 on 26 July, 2014
1. Yes. It’s a fact. Or an opinion.
2. No. Are you serious? You honestly think someone would pay me to post stuff on a football forum? Who are these people? I demand to know who they are. Would you be prepared to effect an introduction?
gordybhoy64
Kojo Collie etc,
you stated free marches for all is how it should be,
how many walks a year are you going to allow the OO ?
===============
Gordy – I’d allow all walks of any group. Would you ban all walks in your new Scotland?
Tricoloured Ribbon, we were at the Developement team game v East Kilbride FC last Saturday.
Paul was playing wide left and I was a bit disappointed in him as he rarely went by a player. I know he is right footed but he kept cutting inside. I don’t know if his leg break has affected him or not but I was looking forward to see him play but left wishing he had done more.
I know the game was against a Lowland League team and was for fitness mainly but I wanted to see if any players had potential to go forward with us.
The right back was a Uruguayan chap named Hernan who liked to attack and made a couple of good tackles but positionally, not the best.
The subs who came on were all from last season’s u/17 squad with Joe Thompson looking the best. He looks a bit like Broony.
I’ve probably put the kiss of death on Joe Thompson’s career now.
Soccer in the US of Awesome.
We have had a very high FIFA ranking for a few years, much higher than Scotland’s for instance. 15th currently while Scotland is 27th.
I believe it’s mainly due to soccer being well organized at national level as opposed to the moribund administration at Hampden.
Attendances at games are on the rise. TV exposure is higher than I recall in 20 years.
At grass roots level the participation rates are phenomenally high, with numerous local and high school leagues springing up.
College scholarships are now common for high school graduates and the quality of some college sides is rising. See Sevco’s recent struggles against 4th tier sides.
Contrast with the struggles to promote football at local and school levels back home.
Ernie, of course they aren’t, but governance of UK PLC is skewed to benefit the SE.
Now, I understand there are reasons for that, population size, economic centre.
However, there are different priorities in other parts of the UK.
One of those happens to be a Nation, the one I live in.
That Nation has a choice before it, continue, pretty much as is, or take a risk.
The economic arguments, the better together, bigger more powerful arguments are persuasive, but at the end of these discussions there is a feeling, do you believe our a Nation can exist and thrive alone? Or do you want to continue in the trickle down economic policy from a London in the hope they make enough money(from our oil) for the trickle down to be substantial enough to give us a reasonable economy in the frozen north?
I started this debate as a No voter, I have been persuaded otherwise.
Much of that is emotional of course, but in this fact will only so far in this.
One of the facts that I listened to was this.
If the Tories are re-elected they will call a referendum on a decision to leave the EU.
That would be a disaster for the UK, and Scotland, and, frankly, I would rather be a citizen of the EU rather than the UK. The economic arguments for that are, in my opinion, incontrovertible.
clashcitybhoy
23:59 on 26 July, 2014
I saw Ernie’s response to you post as suggesting that the issue of Celtic finding another playing environment was as little relevance to Celtic as the referendum outcome
Ernie is well able to speak for himself but I didn’t think he was slagging your post – he was shooting at DD rather than you
Kojo,Collie etc,
I am one of the undecided with regards to the independence vote,
but with regards to the OO I would certainly want a restriction on the number they are allowed and would look to limit them to a smaller period of time in which to have them
Good old Ernie.
Not so much a broken record but rather a broken record, cd, cassette and download combined.
.
Jose says Shaw’s wages would have ‘Killed’ Chelsea..
Mourinho says Shaw’s reported wages of around £100,000 a week were too large.
“If we pay to a 19-year-old boy what we were being asked for, to sign Luke Shaw, we are dead,” said Mourinho.
“We would have killed our stability with financial fair play and killed the stability in our dressing room, because when you pay that much to a 19-year-old kid – a good player, fantastic player – but when you pay that amount of money, the next day, we would have had players knocking on our door.
“They would have been saying, ‘How is it possible I play 200 games for this club, won this and that, yet a 19-year-old comes here and gets more money than I get?”‘
..
Interesting..
27M to Chelsea is Circa 6M to Celtic..as 100K a week is 30K a week to Celtic so if Celtic sign a 6 Million Championship striker l would say the likes of Scott Brown and maybe Fraser Fosters nose could be out of Joint..
l have Always thought when Kevin Keegan signed Asprilla..? in January when the had a good lead in the League that It killed the Newcastle dressing room and their Title hopes..can’t imagine Big Jock signing someone that Yes could easily walk into Celtic’s team and Dressing room..But wearing a Mink knee length Fur coat.. Crocodile skin shoes and Bling to match..?
This is where l strongly disagree with PL’s strategy with the likes of say Samaras..You should Not repay a 7 Year servant of the Club with a Wage Cut..because that same Dressing room is watching and thinking is that me in a Couple of Years..see VVK FF et al..
Just a Thought..
001
gordybhoy64
——–
Personally I’d ban the lot of them but that’s not really civilised :o)
Ernie Lynch,
Thank you for your answers.
I am sure there is good reason as to why you felt it necessary to expand on your answers beyond a simple Yes or No
Good luck to you
Doc
00:09 on
27 July, 2014
It occurs to me reading your post that the Tories suffer from cognitive dissonance. Wishing to leave a larger organisation of which they are an economical part whilst asking Scots not to leave a larger organisation of which they are an economical part.
The Tory Party, where cognitive dissonance appears to be a membership requirement.
If they did not exist would the case for independence collapse?
—-
Strange That We Haven’t Heard About This ‘State Of Emergency’…..
In One Of Our Near Neighbours…
From Our Own MSM…..?
~~~~~~~~

July 27, 2014
Day 2: Norway terror warnings
NTB/The Local | 25 Jul 2014, 09:59
UPDATED: Norway’s nuclear facilities and a Jewish Museum in Oslo are the latest security closures amid the imminent terror threat to Norway announced on Thursday.

“Credible” but “unspecific” intelligence of terror attack
Threat linked to fighting in Syria
Prime Minister Erna Solberg postpones holiday
Increased security at Norway’s two atomic reactors
Increased security at borders and Norway’s two nuclear reactors
Oslo City Hall and the Royal Palace and closed to public
Prime Minister informed on Wednesday evening
Flights unaffected
UK and US embassies in Oslo warn travellers to ‘remain vigilant’
“The PST [Norway’s security police] recently received information that people with links to Islamic extremists in Syria may intend to carry out attacks against Norway,” PST chief Benedicte Bjørnland told a press conference in Oslo on Thursday. She added that the attack was planned to take place “within a few days from now.”
“The PST has warned several times that extremist Islamist groups in Syria intend to carry out terror attacks in Norway. We often receive such information, but often it turns out to be inaccurate. However, on this occasion our suspicions have been backed up,” she said.
“The resulting investigation we have carried out leads us to believe that this is credible, while unspecific. This is related to people who have participated in fighting in Syria,” she said.
Norway’s intelligence services estimate that between 40 and 50 people with links to Norway have fought or are fighting in Syria.
Justice minister Anders Anundsen said people should be vigilant and follow instructions from the police.
“But it’s important not to judge people,” he told the press conference.
Police on alert
All Norwegian police districts have increased their level of alert, Bjørnland said:
“We have called in people from their holidays and want to work to confirm or disprove the information we have.”
Bjørnland added that further information would be limited out of respect for the security service’s sources. She added that the PST did not know who was behind the threat, nor where or how any attack might be carried out.
The PST said it was releasing the information in the hope of preventing the attack. Police are raising their alert level, said acting police director Vidar Refvik:
“People will mostly notice our increased level of alert through increased presence at border crossings, among other things. The police will be armed,” he said.
Increased security at nuclear reactors
Security tightened at the atomic reactors in Kjeller, Oslo and Halden, south of Oslo. Viktor A Wikstrøm, communications director of Institute of Energy, said to Adresseavisen: “Our security people are in place and have taken all the neccessary precautions. We have continuing contact with PST.”
PM cancels summer holiday plans
Prime Minister Erna Solberg said she was informed of the threat against Norway on Wednesday evening. She told news agency NTB that she trusted police to take the necessary actions.
“This is a terror threat against Norway that PST and the Norwegian Intelligence service judge to be credible,” she said, adding that the decision to inform the public was made in light of the intelligence services’ policy of increased openness.
“I trust the police to keep abreast of the issue and take necessary actions, the PST and Intelligence Service to cooperate effectively through the joint counter-terrorism centre.”
Solberg has postponed her planned summer holiday in light of the threat. Secretary of State, Sigbjørn Aanes says to NRK:”I can confirm that Erna Solberg should have gone for her vacation together with her family today.”
City Hall closed
Following the information about the threat, Oslo City Hall announced that it would not open to tourists until further notice.
“We are currently assessing the situation. We will have a meeting at 1pm with experts who will carry out a security assessment,” City Hall manager Bjørn Risvik told NTB.
The Royal Palace closed
The Royal Palace in Oslo has cancelled all tours of the building until further notice. The move was decided by the Head of Court on Thursday.
Tickets pre-paid for tours will be refunded at the ticket office (billettservice.no).
Norway Chess Olympics under threat
The Chess Olympiad to be held in Tromsø – the world’s third biggest sports event and 181 nations scheduled to take part – said they have a “security plan” and are working with the Norwegian authorities and police, said organisers on their official Twitter account.
Jewish Museum in Oslo closed
The Jewish Museum of Oslo has been closed because of the terror threat against Norway on Friday. Rolf Kirschner, assistant manager of the museum said to NTB: “As a potential target, we have made this decision. It is sad. We have nice exhibitions going on, but we cannot risk the lifes of our staff and the visitors.”
Flights unaffected
Armed police were patrolling Oslo’s Gardemoen airport at lunchtime on Thursday.
SAS, Norwegian and Avinor said flights were running normally. Neither the airlines nor airport authorities had been contacted by police regarding the threat.
Marit Kjær, communications director at the airport said they had not raised the threat level. “For the time being everything is running as normal,” she told NTB.
UK and US travellers must ‘remain vigilant’, say embassies
Officials at the British Embassy told The Local that they were aware of the situation, but had not changed their travel advice for British citizens visiting Norway. The Foreign Office website noted the Norwegian warnings and advised travellers to ‘remain vigilant’.
Norwegian authorities today announced a credible but non-specific terror threat to Norway. UK nationals should remain vigilant.
— British Embassy Oslo (@UKinNorway) July 24, 2014
The American Embassy has issued the same warning to travellers. They emphasise public institutions, businesses and especially US embassies are targets for terrorists and extremist groups

July 27, 2014

Terror Attack Feared ‘Next Monday’: TV2
NTB/The Local | 25 Jul 2014, 13:48
Terrorists are planning to launch an attack on Norway on Monday of next week, government sources are reported to have said on Friday.

Norway’s security police, the PST, fears a terror attack on Monday 28th July, said Norwegian TV channel TV 2.
The government security agency produced a threat evaluation that stated the Muslim holiday of Eid al-fitr, the end of the fasting period Ramadan, is specifically mentioned as the day when a terror attack against Norway might occur. Several independent sources confirm this, TV 2 states.
Officially, PST neither confirms nor rejects the information.
Jon Fitje Hoffmann of PST said on Friday that a group of people are believed to have left Syria, looking to strike against targets in the West for a terror attack. Norway is mentioned as a possible target, according to PST.
*ttp://m.thelocal.no//20140724/warning-norway-faces-imminent-terror-attack
~~~~~~
Course, If Scotland Does Go Independent….
No Worries That BillyBhoy 05 & Smeato….
Will Protect Us All From A Similar Terrorist Threat….?
Those Damned Norwegians Obviously Have It Coming…..
For NOT Invading Iraq And Afghanistan..!
Right..?
(Latest : Airspace Closed Over Norway’s Second City,Bergen )
—-
9 million for FF? Yes please, provided it goes through after CL qualification and that the bounty is reinvested.
Doc.
Agree with your points regarding SE of England sponge and also started out as a no voter. However, I believe the EU to be fundamentally anti democratic so would happily co exist along the lines of Norway.
Ernie, I’m a bona fide non SNP supporting yes voter. Nae £. nae EU and Nae Queen.
HH
Auldheid, I believe you to be correct in your thinking there.
If there were no Tory Party there would be no reason for Independence, but there is:-)
For either the UK, or Scotland, not being in the EU would be economic madness.
.
Ps..
The Worlds 4 most expensive Defenders are..
Player From To Amount (£m) Date
David Luiz.. Chelsea Paris St-Germain 40M.. 2014
Thiago Silva..AC Milan Paris St-Germain 36M.. 2012
Rio Ferdinand..Leeds United Manchester United..33.1.. 2002 (wow)
Luke Shaw..Southampton Manchester United..27.. 2014
..
Jeezo give me Cauldenbeur any Day..
001
Tricoloured Ribbon
23:44 on
26 July, 2014
Have there been any indications that HMRC will appeal the farce that has happened in Scottish courts so far and try and take the issue further?
===================
They have a set time in which to seek permission to appeal but not sure what that is.
Their issue will be how to get around the FTT ruling that the loans in question are not just cleverly disguised payments that players can easily get their hands on.
‘gg
23:28 on 26 July, 2014
Alas I fell asleep watching the first half. Waking up just in time to see the goal.
A wee bit of poor control, ruthlessly punished.
Still it was hardly a first choice side we fielded.
Will maybe stay awake to see how young John does second half, unless a more alert CQNer can provide a measured judgement.
VITUPERATIVE PERSIFLAGE
Sounds like a perverse unnatural act common to Follow Follow, and should not be encouraged.
Originalsadiesboy wins the used acupuncture needle by a thin edge.
………………………………..
Can’t honestly claim the credit. I think the well known Glasgow criminal lawyer Lawrence Dowdalls used it during a trial.
Sky,
Not only is the EU undemocratic but it is also corrupt and domineering.
Interestingly, I had a night out with people from 5 different countries (4 Euro) last night, not one was fond of the EU.
Auldheid 00:04 – thanks for your thoughts.
Dallas Dallas 00:08 – Thomson looked the pick of the sizeable Celtic contingent in Scotland underagers in UEFA U-17(?) finals
Doc 00:09 – yes, interesting how the Better Together campaign seem to have quietened down on the argument that a YES vote will result in loss of EU membership. A NO vote will result in the same outcome after the election of a Cameron/Farage UK coalition.
Dallas Dallas,
Thanks for that pal.Paul George’s natural position is as a right sided midfielder or winger.
Cannae understand that at all.On the left wing? Jesus.
I know for a fact Dallas that this lad had the chance of going to the top teams in England and rejected them in favour of Celtic.Really hope the boy can turn it round.
The thought of that Sevco thug finishing his career annoying me big time.
Doc
00:19 on
27 July, 2014
Auldheid, I believe you to be correct in your thinking there.
If there were no Tory Party there would be no reason for Independence, but there is:-)
====================
Indeed but every four or five years there is a chance to get rid of them. That chance will be gone for Labour voters down south which is not so brotherly.
I did a count and have survived 7 Tory and 7 Labour led Governments in my life time. Perhaps the opposites are needed to put right the excesses of either party when in power?
That begs the question how can that be done if there is no real alternative opposition?
SkyisaLandfill, the SNP will retain the Monarchy, they will retain the pound and the EU.
Gideon Osborne has no right to deny Scotland the pound. The Bank of England is that in name only, it is the Bank of the UK, and separation would have to be negotiated, not decreed, Scotland has a very strong hand, the UK’s credit rating owes Scotland much. Oil.
The EU will want Scotland as a full member, why? Oil.
And no, Oil is not the only economic prop we have.
The monarchy, there is an emotional attachment, one I do not understand, meritocracy for me.
Finally, agree, the EU is flawed, but reform without the threat to leave would gain more support within the EU Governments, again, and as always, an opinion.
HH
Seems all the yes voters started out as undecideds and none support the SNP.
Incredible.
Isn’t it?
How must a French or German Holocaust survivor feel at the moment? Terrifying that Europe is persecuting Jews more and more.
Auldheid,
Thanks for your response.
Believing in EU reform is like believing that Chuck Norris and Steven Segal were up there with De Niro et al.
Balderdash.
Captain Beefheart
——-
Behave you don’t really believe that, it’s to late to cause ruckus :o)
Auldheid, every 4-5years there is.
Count the years in power, that will give a different slant I think.
I’m 47, 27years Tory, 20years Labour is accurate I think, haven’t a googled it so happy to be corrected, just a quick memory recall.
I wonder how in how many of those elections did Scotland vote for the Government that was elected?
And that is a valid point, we get the a Government we vote for, except we don’t.
Night lads….
Ernie, for me, and I can only account for myself, that is true.
The Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
http://youtu.be/K56soYl0U1w
Squire, I agree, the Cameron/Farage outcome is a nightmare for Scotland.