Amid the noise ahead of our Champions League duties the most important news in European football went largely below radar. Angel Maria Villar Llona pulled out of the race to become Uefa president ahead of next week’s election. This leaves former Ajax chief, Michael van Praag and Slovenian FA president, Aleksander Ceferin, left in the race.
This is good news. The big Spanish clubs have been prime movers in clawing as much power for Europe’s richest leagues, their cause would have been boosted if Villar Llona was elected. By contrast, van Praag’s Ajax heritage reflects those marginalised by smaller TV deals, including Celtic.
We don’t want an inextricable slide towards a Champions League where meritocracy is replaced by the rich looking after themselves. This is the desire of rich clubs in Spain and Germany, who worry about the commercial drift towards the FA Premier League.
Instead, regionalisation of Europe’s leagues is a far better option, even for the Spanish, who if they want to earn commercial deals comparable to the English and Welsh league should team up with Portugal and France.
Every month I’m asked by an 11-year-old, “Will Celtic win the Champions League in my lifetime?” If we want to be champions of Europe again we need to end the national league structure which has disenfranchised more than half of the continent already, including many former powers in the game.
News that Leonel Messi has returned to light training after injury means he is almost certain to start against Celtic on Tuesday. His base fitness and lifestyle is such that a few days training is all that he’ll need to be match ready.
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I often go and watch my local team training, they are quite an eye opener, some of the stuff they do is way advanced from what I recall back in britland, first off they concentrate on ball control, one touch to control the ball another to pass to a team mate, this is the most important thing they do by far, they have small six foot circles they must stay in, they pass the ball to others in circles, two touches max, others are trying to intercept the ball, when they fail with the two touches or fail to make a pass, they change, I asked yer man what they do when movement is required cos staying in their circle didny contribute to much movement, watch he said, the circles are not that far apart, maybes 10-20 feet, so now when they passed the ball they had to move to the nearest circle to them in the hope they would get the ball the next phase of passes, it is amazing to watch when done at speed, they can’t pass or receive if they are not in a circle, their ball control would wipe the floor with 90% of what is on show in scotland and I include our players in that.
I suppose it’s an upgraded version of players running about with a tunic in their hands trying to get the ball.
Football is a simple game, pass to a team mate, when you make your pass move into space to receive a pass, pass and move, pass and move, Mr Stein was into it big time.
Torontony, just off phone to MiT, he will drop a note around shortly.
And Yes, probably Bramalea club Sat am for our next SPFL game on Saturday
Hail Hail
Parkheadcumsalford
I like Bitton but he has some deficiencies in his game. Personally, I think the biggest is his lack of movement when Celtic players are in possession. Often this happens when they’ve just received a pass from Nir. Pass and move is taught from primary level but frequently when he passes the ball he stands still, not creating an angle to receive the ball back. Invariably this puts pressure on the player in possession and all to often results in the ball going backwards.
MWD
There’s a certain taxi driver on here who might have been offended :-)
HT
:-))) Without question.
MWD
Just opened the supplement from that Mail I bought on Saturday
A travel Co, called – traveldepartment.co.uk, advertising a 7 night escorted break to Estoril and Lisbon from 23rd May at £599, ( 4* half board) and from Edinburgh
Visit includes Belem and Jeronimos monastery – no mention of the Stadium – yet :-))
BRTH time to get the finger ooot :-)
Hail Hail
Is the consultation paper submission available only to those who have voting rights in Scotland?
https://twitter.com/celticbible/status/773495045072809984
THOMTHETIM FOR OSCAR OK
I believe that you do not have to be domiciled in Scotland to submit a response but probably Hamiltontom or VFR800A8 will confirm ir deny.
The absolutely essential point is that however many or few questions anyone answers you must go the the “SUBMIT” button at the end.
VFR ‘s post at 12.08 pm today on the present article provides all the links etc. HH
ANGELGABRIEL on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 5:59 PM
Was just testing ye : )
HH
Thomthethim
No mate it’s open to anyone regardless of where you live.
HT,
Thanks and sort of guessed that would be the case – will just have to wait and see what happens next. Good luck!
MacIntyre, Jackson, English and Spiers on RS. Having a competition to see who can say “old firm” most often.
I’ll go for MacIntyre just ahead of Jackson.
2/3rds
Maybe Uncle Tom will say it’s a cross divide match
BADA Bing!! Thon twitter thing made me laugh that hard I think I’ve hurt masel! Spread the word bhoys, hun fun at its best.
HH
All bets off. MacIntyre can’t lose. Saying it every sentence!
2/3 rds
MacIntyre will win by a mile :-)
Quite sad
HH
MNCELT and BlantyreTim – e-mail me on vfr800a8@me.com
FAC the Act
KTF
FAN-A-TIC on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 5:23 PM
Watch the Hapoel game again and just watch Bitton. I criticised him heavily the day after the game; then re-watched it and realised how wrong I was.
FAC the Act
KTF
HT,
You’re right, of course. But at least Bitton does pass it to a Celtic player more often than not. Our captain can’t always say that.
SKY and STV have been in overdrive about Saturday’s game. Pathetic really. STV even ran an advert for the DR about it.
BADA
BELTER
HH
BLANTYRETIM.
I’m going to take Zbyszek into Stirling on Friday for a couple of hours before heading into Glasgow and the Blane Valley,I’ll take him to Wallace’s Monument, if there’s not too many stairs to climb then we’ll get the bus into Glasgow.
VFR800A8 on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 4:04 PM
He had more involvement in the game than any other midfield player completing 31 of 33 passes – an 82% passing success rate. He also received the ball 25 times
———-
How can you make 33 passes if you only receive the ball 25 times? Did he make multiple passes at the same time?
!!BADA BING!! on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:24 PM
Brilliant!
FAC the Act
KTF
SUPERSUTTON on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:59 PM
VFR800A8 on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 4:04 PM
How can you make 33 passes if you only receive the ball 25 times? Did he make multiple passes at the same time?
______________________________
Interceptions; throw in etc.
FAC the Act
KTF
i reckon rogic might pop up with a goal sat
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:55 PM
NewsNowCeltic has turned into NewsNowNewFirm.
Can’t find one disease free article
VFR800A8@6-53PM
I have Celtic tv so have watched game a few times.
His passing was sideways and backwards so stats as expected.
He took no responsibility and often gave ball to a team mate under more pressure than he was.
His positional sense is poor so he stretches the field giving opponents more space to exploit.
He offered no positives in that game.
English actually talking a lot of sense. Getting shot down in flames by the others.
Good evening friends.
http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/S/FootballActRepealBill/
A fair bit of talk about Bitton and his skills or lack of.
I know it’s like comparing apples and pears, but if you watch Kolo, his game awareness is top class, whereas the game awareness from Bitton is shocking in comparison, I used Kolo as he doesn’t seem to run about and waste energy, his brain does all the work, sadly, imo NB is severely lacking for the scottish football arena, maybes if he were playing in the likes of La Liga….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37295368
Check the video half way down the page when he pulls out a wad of £50’s, unreal.
COWIEBHOY on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 3:42 PM
Why oh why would anyone call a street in Mississauga – Loyalist drive – that’s the last walk we Riley gets heading in that direction :-)))
****
Assuming wee Riley is a dog, then what better place for him/her to do her business. And if you want to have a go as well, dont worry, I’ll defend you for free. :)
http://fansagainstcriminalisation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Crib-Sheet-for-the-Public-Consultation-Survey.pdf
A crib sheet to help you fill in the survey
TimHorton … Celtic is a broad church …. but a Stephen Harper fan!? That is pushing it a bit …. :)
Too bad you cant join us on Friday. It would have been nice to put a face to the blog name… another time, hopefully.
Lads, just trying to sort out where for Friday, but will sort something out shortly, and sent a note around to everyone.
FAN-A-TIC on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 7:04 PM
We can agree to differ!
FAC the Act
KTF