Think what you will of Celtic, Gladback won’t fancy it

Playing away domestically after a Champions League away game is statistically the time you are most likely to drop points, so Manchester City’s defeat at Tottenham was unsurprising.  The manner of Barcelona’s defeat at Celta de Vigo, 4-3 after being 3-0 down at halftime, was distinctly out of character, but showed signs of their exertions in Germany on Wednesday.

Borussia Monchengladback’s 4-0 defeat at Schalke, who were bottom of the Bundesliga having lost all previous five games, was the shock of German football this week.  Gladback have one game before coming to Celtic Park, home to Hamburg, who took over Schalke’s mantle at the bottom of the table, with one point from six games this season.

Borussia are the only team from Celtic’s Champions League group who will be rattled by their weekend reversal; Barcelona and Manchester City will take the defeat in their stride.  It’s unlikely they will drop points to Hamburg on 15th October.  Their defeat to Barcelona was the first competitive game at home they’ve failed to win since January, while it’s been straight away defeats this season for Hamburg, but as we know, playing bottom of the league is a no-win scenario for a Champions League team.

There will be a hangover from that 4-0 defeat, one which will be allowed to fester for a fortnight.  Think what you will of Celtic, but the prospect of travelling to Glasgow in two weeks will not be relished in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Before heading off for the Great Scottish Run yesterday I read through the donations to the Celtic Foundation.  There’s nothing more effective than putting the wind at your back than knowing a lot of people put whatever they could afford into supporting the Foundation’s cause.

It was a brilliant day.  The green competitors’ t-shirts with the Foundation’s Health, Equality, Learning and Poverty written across the back were storming through the streets of Glasgow in force.  Well done to all.

Thanks to everyone who supported all of us.  The MyDonation’s page hasn’t closed, yet, but this will be the last call, honestly!

Thanks also the lady who while out pushing a go-chair with her child in town yesterday, took off my shoe and bent back my toe.  Over and above the call of duty – but it was that kind of day.