This is one of those hard ties to analyse. AEK were no more than a decent team. Certainly not a clear cut above, and for that reason, the tie remains alive. But despite being preseason, they defended impeccably.
They did their homework. Tom Rogic, who was immense on Saturday, was not given a yard. Celtic opened well with Callum McGregor the principle threat, most often when linking with Kieran Tierney. After those two crafted the opening goal, AEK man-marked McGregor out of the game.
James Forrest was effective when used; it was his change of direction which drew the second yellow card for Galanopoulos, but we were overtly left sided, reducing Forrest’s effectiveness. Olivier Ntcham was our creative fulcrum after McGregor was shut down, but the normally incisive balls into the box didn’t quite come off.
A few early mis-steps from Jack Hendry were not punished, but the resulting nervousness throughout the crowd was clear. Central defenders are crucial to how Celtic play. If you inhibit their willingness to step forward or show for a pass, you inhibit the entire team.
I’m not sure what Kris Ajer thought when he let a cross ball bounce inside the box a minute from the break. It was an inexplicable decision which brought AEK level and changed their game plan for the second half. Even tiring with 10 men, they defended their box flawlessly.
We regularly tried to find Odsonne Edouard with a ball over the top, but invariably found the striker dropping off to take a ball to feet. Nothing seemed to work for him.
A word on Scott Brown. Much of what Scott does is understated but I thought he raised the bar last night. He bossed all his personal challenges.
I called AEK favourites when the draw was made and they are more so now, but they are not Barcelona, circa 2010. We have been here before; no throwing of towels just yet.
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DD,
I think emotions have run high over the John McGinn ” signing” for one reason or another.
In fact I can’t remember any signing dividing the camp as much. ( Possibly Alfred Finnbogoson excepted, but he wasn’t a dyed in the wool Tim)
We move on, but I would love to know if NFL agreed with Petrie and didn’t want John McGinn lining up against Hibs in the SPFL.
As always, Celtic is an emotional rollercoaster, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Trust all is well apart from the footie.
HH.
Wee BGFC
The feeling is mutual. Love you wee man.
Follow your heart ya wee genius.
So proud of you G.
My prayers to Saint Jude for the 2 of us worked. :))
YNWA
I just popped on to say that I thought it was time people stopped kidding themselves on that Sevco are rubbish. They are not. I see , though, that quite a few have beaten me to it. In fact, I would say there have been more recognition on here of Sevco`s improvement than there has been praise of Celtic`s performance!
Goodnight all.
JJ
like a couple of others i watched(suffered) the huns tonight not a lot of quality
but loads of effort and commitment, will they beat us on a bad day maybe
but days of skelping them might bo over for a wee while!!
JAMES FORREST
“the bare minimum”
3 posts later…………
Chill James, its all fun
So lets look on the bright side.
The only good thing about qualifying for the CL is the money.The regular whippings are painful to watch and approached with fear and trepidation.
We dont spend the money and BR is crap in the transfer market anyway.
So whats all the fuss about
Greenpinata
All well here in Clydebank thanks. Many folk surprised that John McGinn is not a Celtic player today. Something no right here.
NorrieM
Part of the change in wages between 2016 and 2017
CEO package
2016
Basic Salary paid £575k
Bonus paid £407k
Benefits in KInd £17k
Total £999k
2017
Basic Salary paid £1150k
Long Term Incentive Plan Award* £890k
Benefits in KInd £17k
Total £2,057k
Delta £1,058k
*This is a bonus which is accrued in the accounts each year and payable in June 2020 assuming PL stays. An annual amount will be awarded each year over the next 3 years as well, based on Celtic qualifying for the group stages of the CL.
A whopping annual increase in both basic salary and bonus with only the latter amount based on taking part in the group stages of the CL and staying with us until 2020
http://cdn.celticfc.net/assets/downloads/Celtic_Annual_Report_2017_Web.pdf
HH
CRC
I was going to try a reasonable post, but its not really in my nature…. so, purely to satisfy the base lusts of my id, am hacked off at all of them.
On the eve of a critical game, BR giving the MSM the scent they’ve been waiting for.
PL, for letting things get this far.
They either don’t talk – which I don’t believe – or somebody isn’t listening. Get your shit together behind closed doors Celtic. Giving this to the MSM is like throwing some blood in the sea, then your kids, and expecting the sharks to look after them.
Been some poor reading the last few days… unfortunately, this seems to be the direction in which CQN is heading ….
As I have said, I didn’t rate young McGinn as highly as a lot of you, but I must say that I thought some of the comments about young McGinn signing for AV were bang out of order … …. if a kid decides to go somewhere else to better himself, that’s life; it doen’st make him a bad kid … and, as we all know, DD obviously is close to the family, so, if for not other reason than out of respect for our friend DD, I think the comments about the kid’s character should not have been on here …
And some of the comments directed towards James Forrest today … again, bang out of order. I have never met JF… but always found him to be a good blogger and a nice sort ….
I hope DD and JF realize that the comments over the last two days do not reflect the feelings of a good many of us on here.
Hot Smoked
Knock Knock
Who’s There
Aura
Aura Who?
Aura Rangers are shite!
MIT
Thank you big yin.
Get to Paradise soon ya mad bhoycotter ye. :-))))
Mike in Toronto,
Fabulous post.
Transfer window — phase 1 is now finished.
The phoney war is over.
Phase 2 is now in play.
The TK Maxx strategy is now in play.
The Remnant Rack Rummage.
Here wee go.
It has been bigged up — will it deliver.
Still hope for next week if the full team turns up.
One worrying sign was the lack of team spirit last night.
Very flat and little support — JF up against two opponents tight on the corner flag.
Nobody made any attempt to help him.
Greenpinta- I think the issue is not getting a player in who Brendan wanted, and wirhin our perceived budget, Player A or B or C, disnae matter IMO mate HH
MIT, DD, Bobby, James Forrest, love and best wishes.
There is no doubt that confidence and arrogance among the hun hordes is growing
Officials will be scared to cross them as decisions will be overruled and they will find themselves demoted
It will feel all the better when we put them back in their box. Will that golden feeling be worth £49.?
HH..
Have to admit that the huns are no as bad as they are made out to be, they blew Maribor away tonight, the thin tiny man is building a siege mentality at the bigot dome.
On our game we will blow them away, am struggling to recall that many times in the past year when we were really on our game, allow for the cheats with the whistles I reckon we will have them breathing down our necks this season, I pray I am wrong.
……………….
James Forrest
Intrigued at what the four letter word is.
I could hazard a guess right enough :-)
HH
CRC
Can you tell me any other business where the CEO is Not the highest earner in the business
In your role, you will know this ???
And Monaghan.
Mike in Toronto,
Good of you to summarise what ‘a good many of us’ think. The problem is that neither you nor I know that. James chose earlier on tonight to highlight the ‘I will keep that private’ part of BR’s interview as some sort of cataclysmic event. However he failed to position that statement in context with BR’s other remark about the esteem in which he holds the stewards of Celtic.
NORRIEM
Happens right across the entertainment industry,mate. Think actors,rock stars,etc.
JTT53
Love to U2.
YNWA
!BADA BING!! on 9TH AUGUST 2018 10:36 PM
Agreed, the issue has moved on from just signing a potentially decent player.
Let’s hope there is no collateral damage.
HH.
NORRIEM on 9TH AUGUST 2018 10:41 PM
CRC
Can you tell me any other business where the CEO is Not the highest earner in the business
=======
I have seen the Chairman being paid more than the CEO in normal business. Well you did ask!
This however is football and I would suggest that most CEOs are not the highest earners and neither are the managers. I could be wrong on this though.
Including the bonus ( LTIP thingy), we are paying approx £38,5k a week for a CEO. I hope it is money well spent
HH
CRC
The Hands That @ 10.00pm
Of course they are opinions I’m sorry if they appear dressed as factual.
Me : The biscuit tin myth was busted a long time ago
You ; Was it?
Me: Information overload?
Me “The CL qualifiers wasn’t and never has given the club time to sign enough Euro players, the window ending in England and Scotland prevents signings till near their end.”
You; I’m sorry, but this is just wrong. Look at Brendan’s big summer signings: Dembele, Ntcham and Edouard were all early in the window. Scott Sinclair signed before and played in the 3rd qualifying round of the CL in Brendan’s first year. All other signings were early as well, aside (as far as I can see), Gamboa and Paddy’s loan
Me: It’s not wrong some players are signed early in the window some are not, its never enough time in summer that’s why the window opens again in January. Dembele was early because we tried to sign him under Ronny Deila the year before, he wasn’t getting renewed at Fulham so we bought him early in the window.
Ntcham was signed early because he was for sale, Peter Lawwell son works for Man City and we have a relationship with the club that has done us no harm,
Edouard was signed early in the window because we had an option to buy from the outset of his loan, and so we did, and broke our record from yonks ago.
Not all targets are available early in the window as might be shown by the players we sign in the rest of this month.
Aston Villa bought John McGinn on deadline day ( how late is that? )
Me: Celtic supporters are spoiled by our success.”
You; We are spoiled by Brendan. We were not spoiled by Ronny. Our startling success of late is intrinsically linked to Brendan; and dare I say, our continuing success in the future is also linked to him.
Me; Easily the best manager since Jock Stein or since Martin O’Neil take your pick?
This board has served us very well mistakes all clubs make in appointing personnel apart, but in plans to unfold Celtic Park surrounding area, Lennoxtown, financially, and playing squad wise, we are in rude health.
As ever CSC
MIT, could you send a picture of our fav. wee dog?
Anyway, if we play like we did in the first half against AEK before they scored, I think we will have a chance on Tuesday
OpTIMisticCSC
HH
CRC
Haven’t really got a clue wether John McGinn will realise his potential with Aston Villa in the English Championship or not. He certainly shone in a league where there aren’t many shining lights. However if he was to become a roaring success he has certainly put himself in a bigger shop window than that offered by the scottish premiership. Petrie and probably McGinn and his agent realise that any resale value, should he move from the championship to a premiership club,is going to be vastly superior to any transfer fee commanded by a scottish club and their respective cuts will rise accordingly. It may all back fire on Petrie McGinn and his agent but it seems that someone at Celtic Park wasn’t too sure about his future potential and resale value and didn’t want to gamble on the initial outlay demanded.
Says it all recently when Huddersfield have forked out nearly 47 million Euros on improving their squad in the hope of just remaining in the premiership.
CRC
I think we will beat AEK in Athens. They are no that good. Strong defence though.
Anyone else out there think our manager might just have been tapped up and is maybe ‘working his ticket’ ?
Or are we all still happier to blame the board and not accept anyone might want to leave Celtic for a greater challenge and a lot more money ?
JIMTHETIM53
Philvis-style Thumbs-up!
BURNLEY78
Aye,right.
BURNLEY78 on 9TH AUGUST 2018 10:58 PM
Anyone else out there think our manager might just have been tapped up and is maybe ‘working his ticket’ ?
———
Nonsense. Tapped up by who, there are no open vacancies? Anyway you have questioned his integrity which is poor.
Duty calls!
CRC
Glad you didn’t say the FD ???
Now I am no fan, but let’s respect the role he does play
You know I am not in finance, (manage a significant budget though)
But
The salary quoted is a accumulation of bonus’s to be paid 2020, as you have stated, so thats not a true salary you have quoted.
And I do not believe he is the biggest earner at our club
So
Why only quote that ?
To deal with the player we have missed on, I am a huge fan of John McGinn, I do not see a lot wrong with how we tried to do a deal for John- Peter was only trying his best for Celtic, yes we have money, but until Tues, we had the only bid on the table
The conspiracy theories surrounding the McGinn transfer make the ” Moonlandings” seem like chickenfeed.
HH.
Burnley78
Naw. Just you