The 29 day resurrection, Same old Alloa

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Yesterday’s win over Motherwell came 29 days after the defeat in Gibraltar but for all intents and purposes there was a lifetime between the performances. Celtic have been transformed in that time. It’s still early days but you can see the week-on-week improvement in Celtic.

We look like a proper team, one which will be difficult to play against and will carry a threat. Although we went home raving about the flowing, attacking, football, Celtic were patient early in the game; it took them 11 minutes to craft a chance. I think this is going to be a feature of our play this season. Getting our systems organised and feeling our way into games before stretching opponents.

Scott Sinclair probably did more last night than on his marquee performance at Tynecastle to show what he will bring to the team. He often played between the forward and midfield lines and always had an eye open for the defence-splitting pass.

It was another solid performance from Moussa Dembele, who looks increasingly comfortable in a Celtic shirt. Goals help, of course. Top performer was Tom Rogic. Twice he scored by perfectly timing a run into the box, the first of which was an exquisite piece of work between Rogic and Callum McGregor.

You will have again noticed Rogic’s fondness for ‘having a pop’. He’d developing that antenna for goal which we like so much in Kris Commons, a good number of Motherwell keeper Craig Samson’s saves came from the Aussie.

In the next round it’s ‘Same old Alloa……..’ This game comes in the midweek between the first and second European group stage games, so a home tie against lower league opponents will probably be a welcome change of pace for Brendan and the players. And us.

The Road to Lisbon

As many of your know, our own Mouldy67 will undertake an enormous effort in May to commemorate the 50th anniversary of something or other. He and others will cycle from Celtic Park to the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon to raise funds for the Celtic Foundation.

They will leave Celtic Park on 6 May 2017 (50 years to the day since we won the league across the city), arriving at Estadio Nacional on 25 May, the 50th anniversary of the Lisbon Lions becoming the first team to break the Spain-Italy-Portugal stranglehold on the European Cup.

This is a stunning project. At the moment, opportunities exist for you to join Mouldy and the others in the cycle, you can also become a project sponsor, or simply donate to the fundraising effort. For more information, visit theroadtolisbon.com

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736 Comments

  1. SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 12TH AUGUST 2016 10:52 AM

     

     

    A couple of quick questions.

     

     

    When we played Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Mowbray era at CP, were there any “political” incidents and any fines levied by UEFA?

     

     

    Then, why do you think there will be this time?

     

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    There may be a “incident” because a Facebook group called “Fly the flag for Palestine, for Celtic, for Justice” has been set up to arrange a flag display on the day of the game and has 500 members. They state they intend to hand out flags at The Celtic Way to fans entering the ground. It won’t convince me, but may well convince others – if it happens..

     

     

    There may be fine because Dundalk were fined €18k when someone flew a Palestine flag at one of their games against a team from Israel previously.

  2. SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 12TH AUGUST 2016 10:52 AM

     

    A couple of quick questions.

     

     

     

    When we played Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Mowbray era at CP, were there any “political” incidents and any fines levied by UEFA?

     

     

    ###

     

     

    There were Palestinian flags among the Celtic support. There were no fines.

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

     

     

    Then, why do you think there will be this time?

     

     

    Because UEFA have changed their stance. They have singled out the Palestinian flag for particular attention. One can only speculate as to what has induced them to do so.

     

     

    The pretext for the ban on the Palestinian flag is that “the conflict with Israeli forces in the region is still ongoing.“

     

     

    By that logic the Israeli flag should also be outlawed.

  3. Dumbhoy

     

     

    Thanks for posting that. One case in particular highlights the stupidity of people at UEFA who decide on punishments – the case of the Danish FA regarding an empty plastic bottle being thrown to near the Danish bench at a European Futsall Championship. Danish FA fined €3k! Danish FA appeal stating that no Danish fans were even there.

     

     

    What a waste of time! Someone at UEFA didn’t think it necessary to establish whether any Danish fans were there in the first place…at a BLOOMIN Futsall Championship!

  4. SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 12TH AUGUST 2016 11:08 AM

     

     

    Nat Know

     

     

    There was an equivalent of the Facebook Group organising and agitating at the Hapoel game.

     

     

    They had no impact.

     

     

    I never queried the idea that UEFA would not levy a fine for displaying a Palestinian flag.

     

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    I never suggested you queried the possibility of a UEFA fine. I simply explained the possible consequence of flying a flag they don’t like. Call it value-add…

  5. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    We are being used here, nothing more nothing less. It would suit the publicity aims of these groups, royally if Celtic suffered a fine or sanction .

  6. Seems to be a lot of ‘expectation management’ coming from the mouth of Warburton the last week or so regarding his spending money.

     

     

    Meantime, are we REALLY going to get 4.5mill for Simunovic?

     

     

    Unbelievable if true… this summer is getting better and better

     

     

    B-)

  7. ERNIE LYNCH on 12TH AUGUST 2016 11:10 AM

     

    SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 12TH AUGUST 2016 10:52 AM

     

     

    By that logic the Israeli flag should also be outlawed.

     

    ______________________________________________________________________

     

    Eddie, Palestine is a de jeure state and not a full UN member – it’s a non-member observer state where as Israel is a de facto state and a full member of the UN. By dint of the difference, UEFA fully recognises Israel, but not Palestine. Flying the flag of Israel would therefore not be seen as political or provocative. On top of that, we have an Israeli playing for us so it could be justified in the same way we could display the flags of Ivory Coast, England, France and Ireland because we have players from these countries playing for us.

     

     

    Doesn’t necessarily make it right but it makes it so!

  8. Davidopoulos

     

     

    UEFA is run by a cabal in Switzerland based on self interest and operate like they use Mein Kampf as their intellectual and operational guide. They are essentially fascist in their outlook and require complete conformity and adherence.

     

     

    That’s what we buy into.

     

     

    They have forgotten the symbiotic nature of their relationship with clubs and supporters and think they are untouchable. It would be nice if the underlying frailty of this relationship was reminded to them by those receiving the boot…

     

     

    HH

  9. DUMBHOY

     

     

    Spot on mate, UEFA is one of the most corrupt organisations int he world, risible that they should tell others how to behave..

     

     

    Lock ’em up and throw away the key for their role in destroying the beautiful game, the peoples game..

  10. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 12th August 2016 10:52 am

     

     

    A couple of quick questions.

     

     

    When we played Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Mowbray era at CP, were there any “political” incidents and any fines levied by UEFA?

     

     

     

    Then, why do you think there will be this time?

     

     

    ……………………………………………………………………………………………

     

     

    You are Right. There won’t be any.

     

     

    Celtic have a task to take on an Israeli team to get to the CL.

     

     

    Noone knows the History of the Centre of the Earth.

     

     

    It is Ludicrous for Anyone…..

     

     

    500 Miles

  11. Did someone not run onto the pitch at Ibrox with a Palestinian flag a few years back when they played an Israeli side in a European tie? Pretty sure he ran the length of the pitch and tried to handcuff himself to the post….

  12. LENNON18 on 12TH AUGUST 2016 11:24 AM

     

    Did someone not run onto the pitch at Ibrox with a Palestinian flag a few years back when they played an Israeli side in a European tie? Pretty sure he ran the length of the pitch and tried to handcuff himself to the post….

     

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    Yup….

     

     

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6658003.stm

     

     

    Not sure if he or they paid the UEFA fine.

     

    LOL!

  13. Captain Beefheart on

    This Palestine campaign is a fringe one which mostly attracts middle class lefties who are smug, condescending and have the belief that they have the simple answer to a complex problem.

     

     

    Celtic will once again be used by the mob in order to promote their unpopular politics.

     

     

    We need an army of Tony Donnellys to sort them out.

  14. VFR800A8

     

     

    By that logic (and I’m not arguing the point) the Fleg would then not be a Fleg merely a bit of cloth with 4 colours on it.

     

     

    But by the rules UEFA can get offended by and deem anything acceptable or unacceptable. The cabal will decide and the plebes will get booted. That’s the operational model.

     

     

    Now did Mandela every say anything about Palestine? Has he ever been pictured in relation to that? It seems UEFA have already deemed anything Mandela as acceptable since they are happy to promote and recognise him which in UEFA world is clearly not political at all….

     

     

    HH

  15. Captain Beefheart on

    Good grief. Now UEFA are fascist.

     

     

    No doubt they are also racist, homophobic, Islamaphobic etc.

     

     

    Oh, and Zionists.

  16. Dumbhoy

     

     

    UEFA are the father that is fond of saying “As long as you live in my house, you will obey my rules”.

     

     

    They also seem to employ the “Do as I say, not as I do” tactic.

  17. As a wee exercise, I compared my own ‘rating’ of those players who started the 2013 Barcelona games (2-1 victory) to our (IMHO) best starting 11 in the potential CL Group stages:

     

     

    2013 2016

     

    Player Rating Player Rating

     

    Forster 9 Gordon 7

     

    Lustig 8 Janko 7

     

    Ambrose 7 O’Connell 8

     

    Willson 7 Toure 8

     

    Matthews 7 Tierney 9

     

    Commons 8 Roberts 9

     

    Wanyama 9 Rogic 8

     

    Ledley 7 Brown 9

     

    Mulgrew 7 Sinclair 9

     

    Miku 5 Griffiths 9

     

    Samaras 8 Dembele 8

     

     

    Total 82 Total 91

     

     

    Even if we swap out Mulgrew and Miku for Brown and Hooper in 2013 and rate both at 9, that still gives the current team a higher rating than the ‘successful’ 2013 team. Add to that the options we have in defence and a potential new midfielder along with Johannsenn and Bitton, there is a good argument to be made that this current squad is better.

     

     

    Thoughts?

  18. Now that the onesie appears to have ran its time I think Celtic hiquab would be time to launch?

     

    Head to toe hoopsters :-)

     

    HH

  19. AN TEARMANN on 12TH AUGUST 2016 11:36 AM

     

    Now that the onesie appears to have ran its time I think Celtic hiquab would be time to launch?

     

     

    Head to toe hoopsters :-)

     

     

    HH

     

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    Burkinis are all the fashion….

  20. Dumbhoy on 12th August 2016 11:28 am the flag is recognised as that of the de jeure state (and government) of Palestine which has no political or, in reality, economic control of the region they govern. It is also the recognised flag of the PLO and many countries who do not recognise the State of Palestine do recognise the PLO as the legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people. So whichever way you dice it, the Palestinian/PLO flag is seen (by UEFA) as a political statement inside a football ground.

     

     

    Interestingly enough, Palestine has a national football team with membership of FIFA!

  21. DAVIDOPOULOS on 12TH AUGUST 2016 11:39 AM

     

     

    !!Bada Bing!! & SFTB

     

     

    Leigh can be a girls name apparently.

     

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    So can Pat..

  22. vfr800a8

     

     

    I’m just looking for absurdity now but would flying the European Union flag be citable given the current Brexit fiasco… :-)

  23. Go tell the Spartim on

    Wouldnt it be a good idea that those that are planning to protest or indeed take a flag to the game put some money aside and pay the expected fine, isnt that a noble thing to do.

     

     

    BTW i think its abhorrent the treatment of Palestinians and in any other part of the world this would be condemned by everyone including the UN and the USA.