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
736 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- ...
- 20
- »
JERRY CORNELIUS on 11TH AUGUST 2016 4:39 PM
What? Mass murder and slavery
________________________________________________
Aye, very good. If you are too stubborn or too obtuse to understand the point, there’s no real point in explaining it to you.
Proper radical protest has a time and a place; inside Celtic Park next Wednesday isn’t it.
I’ll have a Palestinian flag with me next week, and will meet others at the Celtic Way giving them out. The World is full of injustice none more so than that dumped on the Palestinians, I’ve always felt we should speak up against injustice and that’s what I’ll be doing next week, along with supporting the Hoops, funnily enough that’s what a lot of us think of when we go to Parkhead. Not all but some of us. Like many I think Celtic is about more than football, some agree and some don’t that’s life. And before anyone suggests I haven’t seen that name before, been a long term follower of CQN and a lifelong Celt. HH and justice for Palestine.
If Simonovic is attracting attention without ‘kicking a ball’ after knee surgery – I would be astounded.
…..and if he is, how much more will he be worth when fit and playing?
He/We deserve a season in a Celtic shirt….at least
OFFS and logs off CSC
Gary67 2:51
Am with you would love to see Henderson stay.HH
Auldheid …
Re: JC
I know a guy who knows him …. says JC is a rabid Barca fan, with a soft spot for Celtic.
Apparently started to follow Barca during his rebellious teenage years, just to annoy His Father …
who is a Massive Tim!
To those advocating the flying of prohibited flags will you pay the fine, or reimburse Celtic if part of the ground is closed?
If fans ‘flag’ protest v Be’er Sheva brings the inevitable fine from UEFA for breaking their competition rules, then those involved should be identified and Celtic should send each one a bill for their share of the fine as a consequence of their premeditated behaviour.
As people of principle, they will presumably be happy to pay up. In addition their STs should be suspended until their ‘contribution’ is received.
Also these individuals don’t seem to care for the safety of those real fans who will travel to Israel for the 2nd leg. How do they think the home fans in the 16,000 Israeli crowd will react to the 1st leg protest ?
By the way, I too have political views but I do not express them to the detriment of the football club’s reputation and finances .
IF we qualify for the CL why not try to buy Patrick Roberts from Man City, make a decent offer for him as he wont get a game for them, not that he isnt good enough but sometimes people do not know what they have in front of them and when money is no object they go for names.
I would not bring Aiden McGeady back to Celtic his time has been and gone.
JGK 67.
Why not organise a trip, wearing your Celtic scarfs if you want, to the Israeli Embassy, or George Square. Why hurt Celtic and our supporters or don’t you care.
The time and place for activism is NOT at a EUFA controlled game or do you nust not care? Please explain how some supporters waving paper flags is going to help the Palestinian cause? Do something which will help – political activism outwith CP might be a start.
Interesting suggestion on crowd funding for fines, reckon Celtic have done well enough out of me over the years and continued to do so last night at Parkhead. I’m signing off now but urge you all to fly the flag next week. HH, and keep Henderson he’s a cracker.
AN TEACH SOLAIS on 11TH AUGUST 2016 5:06 PM
I wonder just how many are at the regular stall every weekend in Buchanan St canvassing for the Palestinian cause?
JGK67@4:57
Celtic Park is NOT a political forum – Celtic is about football – it is because we are a successful and world reknowned football club, that we can get involved in other charitable things.
Will you pay the next in a long line of fines?
Where were the political agitators when our supporters were lining up in the heat, outside the ticket office contributing to our 52,000 STs? – they would have chased you had you turned up.
You are NOT a supporter – you are a DETRACTOR, who would punish the club and the overwhelming number of supporters for your own political agenda – who don’t want you and we certainly don’t NEED you – stay away.
Oh FFS ! Feel good factor leaving the blog already. To the ones who want to get Celtic into bother, can I just say, not in my name…
Right so we have Jgk67 who apparently has already made his fiscal contribution, or maybe not.
Anyone else got a “well thought” out answer.
Alternatively, a yes or no will do.
Grant Russell @STVGrant 28m28 minutes ago
No ban has been overturned. Walker wasn’t banned until today. He didn’t appeal – he wasn’t banned. He went today to fight a charge.
He also got a yellow for celebrating after he scored, so that’s 3 yellows
Perhaps the srewards could be instructed to confiscate any flags banner etc from those arrogant enough to seek to impose their will on the rest of us to the detriment of our club. Also anyone bringing the club into conflict with UEFA rules – ludicrous they may be- should, IMO, be given a banning order and hit with a demand for reimbursement if we are lucky enough to escape with a fine.
I thought that this kind of arrogance was limited to the Govan mob.
By all means campaign for Palestinian rights but no need to bring your demands into Celtic Park. HH
Mats Nilloc
No thanks, I’ll continue to support Hoops as I have done for over 40 yrs. Signing off this time for sure. HH
I had a conversation with a guy from Toronto (not Mike) on Tuesday about business. He is from Greek origins. We had sent his company a little business and he wanted to build up a bigger relationship between us.
Very business like call but at the end he recognised that I am based in Glasgow and asked if i liked sport and what my favourite team was etc.
It was clear that he wanted to hear that it was Celtic as he could not wait to tell me that his favourite player is Georgios Samaras and that he has followed Celtic ever since he played for us. So, when I did, I could not get him to stop talking. He told me that his neighbours are from Scotland and that they watch Celtic games together.
I sent him the Jay Beattie/Samaras link and a few more about Jay.
Half an hour later, his CEO emailed me to discuss further business cooperation.
The Power of Celtic.
(Mike – I may be back in Toronto again soon)
JGK67 – he won’t be handing out flags, he won’t be waving flags, he won’t be near Celtic Park.
Level 5 spy – anti-Celtic – here to try to dampen our spirits after a great performance last night.
Took them a few hours to work out their tactics. Don’t fall for it bhoys (and ghirls).
AN TEACH SOLAIS – “…I thought that this kind of arrogance was limited to the Govan mob…” – you are probably reading posts from that very mob infiltrating this site, so you are most-likely correct pal.
Just smile at them, and let them stew in their pathetic, scheming, cheating, losing, criminal juice.
HH
BGFC
We were cheated out of league titles, and the consequent financial rewards that came with those titles (money from participation in Europe). The exact number is unclear, but, realistically, we are talking millions of pounds, if not tens of millions of pounds. Yet, as far as I can tell, the Board has done SFA (if you will pardon the pun) to seek redress for same. Yet the slience on this issue from the Board and most on CQN (except for a few ‘nutters’) is deafening.
On the other hand, a comparatively modest fine from UEFA for a flag, and people seem to want the offenders hung, drawn and quartered.
What’s the old saying ‘steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you a king’….
I am not saying people should wave Palestinian flags (although I am not saying they shouldn’t) ….I get the pragmatism of those who say we will likely be fined (it is EUFA’s ball, so they get to make the rules), but something about this seems wrong to me ….
Apologies again for this, but it is a Celtic related topic and has the potential for serious consequences for many.
Chavez,HarryM & others
Ref waving Palestinian flags.
Political statements by fans fall well within the scope of Uefa. We have been punished for breaching this code in the past.
Generally speaking, none of us have the remotest clue as to the realities of life in Gaza or Israel, nor why that situation remains as it is. Most views formed by liberal minded people in the West are based upon a simplistic narrative promoted as part of an anti Israeli/US dynamic, one that has been confounded by the rise of Islamist groups across the world.
Life for some Gaza residents near the border with Israel is obviously not great, but those areas are controlled strictly by Hamas, principally to allow them to build their tunnels for infiltration into Israel.
For example, in the past week, due to heavy rains, four of those tunnels have collapsed and at least 20 tunnelers died. Hamas have released this information themselves.
Further, Mohammed Al Halibi, Gaza director for the World Vision Charity was charged last week with diverting approx 7.4 million a year from Humanitarian Aid funds & goods to the Al Qassad, Hamas military wing. The total involved is approx 60 million. He has been a member of Hamas military wing since 2004. He was indicted at Beer Sheva District Court. The same city where Celtic will play the second leg.
Hamas are a UK proscribed terrorist organization, but sharing that distinction with some Irish Republican groups doesn’t necessarily make them our friends, or people for whom we should have great sympathy.
For instance, their aim (from their Charter) is the complete destruction of Israel and the establishing of an Islamic State instead. They are sponsored & supported by Iran, and in 2006-7 fought a bitter short war with Fatah for control of Gaza.
In June this year, a close associate of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas was interviewed.
“Wherever you find an Israeli, slit his throat,” declared Sultan Abu al-Einein in an interview with a Palestinian West Bank-based “news” organization called Donia al-Watan.
Hamas are a self declared Islamist group whose military wing Al Qassam has direct links the Islamic State in Northern Sinai.
Beer Sheva is the closest Israeli city to the Egyptian Sinai, where the IS of Northern Sinai have until recently operated pretty freely.
They are the same IS group who downed the Russian airliner that flew from Sharm el Sheikh in the Sinai.
They have also killed around 50 Egyptian police and military in several attacks El Arish – 90 minutes from Beer Sheva.
Last week, Egypt announced that their planes had destroyed their HQ in El Arish, killing their commander and many of their group.
IS in Northern Sinai’s response was to release a video threatening Israel with serious retribution.
In other words, although Egypt carried out the raid, IS in Northern Sinai deliberately chose to translate that into another excuse to kill more Israelis.
If we are not careful we will stroll into a perfect storm of politics, conflict, terrorism, religion and personal danger where gestures of the type mentioned are usually counter productive for all involved.
Uefa will be on alert for anything. Sympathy with the plight of poor people, refugees and people trapped in war zones is universal amongst Celtic fans and beyond. Do something constructive not something that threatens Celtic.
PS. We have also had vile fascist stuff about Nir Bitton and killing Jews/Israelis circulating on twitter, allegedly written by a Celtic fan. Frankly disgusting.
Getting through the tie is our priority – nothing else.
Judging by the response in here, ok I know it’s not a wide proportion of the whole support, but it seems the majority are not in favour of any Palestinian flags being waved at next weeks game. So leave it out Eh.
Hrvatski …
Let me know when you are coming to town. It would be great to catch up in person.
HH
JGK
The use of the word “supporting” whilst deliberately setting out to harm the club by having UEFA sanctions imposed and hurting fellow supporters by possible closure of part or all of the terracings and/or expulsion from the tournament is a contradiction in terms.
Please consider what is more important : supporting the team within the rules of the competition. (If you wish to start a campaign to have the rules changed in the future, that is your prerogative) or waving a Palestinian flag in contravention of the rules. How exactly does that help the people in Gaza or the West Bank?? Or does it just make you feel important?
Do something for the cause but just not within CP. HH
AN TEACH SOLAIS
Or does it just make you feel important?
Nailed it mate, with one sentence.
Surely it is obvious to even the most stupid supporter that EUFA take particular glee in fining CFC. Continental teams can literally do what they want and get away with it–there are numerous examples on Utube. EUFA go after those they see as soft touches and rigid rule followers. Celtic should not be held hostage by the showing of Palestinian flags. It’s crass, ignorant, and counter-productive. The singing of rebel songs also gives ammo to the hunnish MSM. Get to a good reb pub somewhere and give it laldy.
I have a great sympathy for the Palestinian cause,but if you feel that strongly about it,enlist for one of their fighting groups. I’ll take your names and keep count.
jgk67 on 11th August 2016 5:08 pm
Interesting suggestion on crowd funding for fines, reckon Celtic have done well enough out of me over the years and continued to do so last night at Parkhead. I’m signing off now but urge you all to fly the flag next week. HH, and keep Henderson he’s a cracker.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You can choose to spend your money as you see fit – can Celtic FC choose to pay fines on your behalf? BTW I have always supported the Palestinian people but not by flying a flag at a football match, especially when a team from Isreal are visiting.
Flegs ffs, it will be poppies soon enough….
Heart on my sleeve when it comes to politics. Same as my football.
One thing I’ve always said is,if you don’t like the rules,get them changed.
For instance,OBaF. Outrageous piece of legislation,and many have worked tirelessly to have it repealed.
Same goes for showing support for the plight of the Palestinians. While their leaders are by and large an abomination-much like ours!-the plight of the people is a festering sore on a civilised society.
But…
UEFA rules prohibit showing support for them.
Their rules,their baw. If you don’t like it,get that rule changed.
am taking a union jack,
so there.
is there really really a rule that says you cant fly a palestian flag at a UEFA event ?
realy is there ?
Raymac 5.35
Great post.
TT
Two new monikers suggesting they will do something to hurt Celtic next week.
Pair o’ Level 5 Hunterloupers.
THUNDERROAD
Thanks very much for the cup-tie info.
And also for the additional text re their first year of existence.
Five home ties out of five. Not bad. Must have been the year their bus got burnt out.
SAINTSTIVS
Seems so. Clubs get fined for it.
JGK….
OK….just back off…and go back to kindergarten
Sheesh!
HH
Can I bring a Star of David flag?