Uefa’s incredible playable pitches, diversionary bans

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Having seen European football played on what could easily be mistaken for a swimming pool, I would be surprised if Uefa postponed Wednesday’s game Quarabag-Celtic game. Champions League and Europa League football takes place on pitches which are unplayable every season.

The combination of clubs travelling thousands of miles, crammed fixture schedules, competitors from hundreds of towns, many of which are not in natural grass growing regions, forces match supervisors to turn a blind eye. If the pitch in Baku is truly in a bad shape, the best Celtic can achieve is to have the game moved to an alternative venue., but even that would take an unlikely alignment of stars.

To some or other extent, everyone wants to control what the media reports about them. This is not in itself bad, but there are limits to the extent a football club, or any other group, should take this desire to control. Often for the reason that it will simply not work.

If some numpty reports that Ronny Deila said something off about Neil Lennon, and Ronny said no such thing, the numpty in question would find (found) himself banned from Celtic Park for using falsehoods to cause the club trouble. His newspaper would have to suck it up, as they were in the wrong.

When it comes to journalists reporting an unwelcome fact the rules are completely different. BBC’s Chris McLaughlin, who was banned from Ibrox days after reporting police arrested fans at the Hibs – Newco game for sectarian offenses has been publicly backed by the BBC.

The Corporation eventually backed Jim Spence after he was subject to significant intimidation for using the phrase “some people will tell you, the club that died” in connection to Rangers, but from the outside they appeared to be on the back foot early on.

In his excellent interview with Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, published today, Spence talks about this, saying “It has been and still is a blatant attempt to coerce and ultimately take journalists livelihoods away from them”.

Banning journos work in some circumstances: when they are factually wrong and doing you harm, but if they are factually correct, you’re handing the perceived enemy the initiative, and the high moral ground. A comment about a small number of arrests for sectarian offenses, which few people read, has now been magnified beyond comprehension. It’s a complete PR disaster of their own making, Newco should buy-in some expertise in this area.

Incredibly, when Craig Whyte made himself busy banning journos who reported what he was up to, those who should have been most alarmed were so lustfully delighted at the bans and invitations to demonstrate, they didn’t stop to consider Whyte was diverting their attention.

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  1. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked

     

     

    You would prefer a junior with two first team games under his belt to a seasoned professional who has given his all to this club in a major European game??

     

     

    Mon Jim be serious:))

  2. The Battered Bunnet on

    JJ

     

     

    Yip, the team pretty much picks itself, subject to fitness, with the only variables being the two wide positions and point man. I doubt Ronny will be inclined to change the shape, although he may modify certain functions.

     

     

    Two from GMS, SA, and JF and one from LG and NC. The other positions are natural selections.

     

     

    I wouldn’t burden young Tierney at left back in such a critical match. Nice for him to get the start on Saturday, but Celtic Left Back is a long apprenticeship for the successful candidate, and a crushingly short interview for most who apply for the job.

  3. Delaneys Dunky on

    JJHS

     

     

    I would have Izzy at left back before young Kieran Tierney. Other than that, I agree with your line up for tomorrow.

     

    Hail Hail

  4. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    OK, who is suppressing the HMRC appeal..? …..and….who has instructed BDO not to proceed to closure of the oldco liquidation ? ……..

  5. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked

     

     

    Well Virgil surely must be valued at more than the 6-8 million being quoted .He has a touch of the Rio Ferdinand about him.

     

    Time celtic stopped giving away players to the cash-rich EPL.

  6. I can’t see any surprises in the line up. Izzy and Lustig will return if fit, Bitton into midfield and probably CIftci up front. I think Forrest will miss out with GMS and Armstrong starting.

  7. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    It’s more likely that the poor state of the pitch will impact who plays more than how we play. Michael Lustig was replaced as soon as the tie in Iceland was safe.

     

     

    I’d like Charlie to be at left-back for this one as Qarabag would have to factor his goal and assist from Iceland into their thoughts but doubt he’ll be risked.

     

     

    Can the pitch be worse than Hampden versus Sevco last season? Qarabag will try to run us. Stay strong Celts.

  8. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    67HEAVEN

     

     

    BDO may not be able to conclude while HMRC case is ongoing. I don’t think that’s being suppressed,btw. I think the judges are finalising their opinions.

     

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    Could be wrong,of course-on both points!

  9. CelticFC SLO ‏@CelticFCSLO

     

    Met with Embassy Security in Baku today, anyone has any problems please advise and I will provide contact info

  10. Azerbaijan Football ‏@azfutbolu

     

    27.000 tickets sold for #Qarabag v #Celtic. About 3,000 tickets remain for Wednesday’s match. #UCL #championsleague

     

    Champions League, Qarabağ FK, Celtic Football Club and 7 others

  11. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    Let me confess that I had to miss the game on Saturday so did not even see young Tierney play ! I based my `selection` of him on the positive reports of him on here and on Izzi not looking too great at the moment. I am a fan of Izzy`s but his strength is in his attacking play ( and I think defending is the more important factor in this game). He combined well with Stokes but does not have that bond with Armstrong.

     

    The above is the basis for my thinking and I plead guilty to adopting the method of many Scottish Sports` Journalists. Izzy it is.

     

     

    JJ

     

     

    PS The Christiano Ronaldo thing was superb.

  12. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    Anyone know why this “see more >>>>>>>” script is appearing on my iPad message / post

  13. We need to keep 11 men on the park – discipline is key.

     

     

    On the BBC news clip at the airport I thought that Leigh was limping slightly – hope he is ok – he could be the main man in this match

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    67HEAVEN

     

     

    Your concerns are certainly justified,if experience is anything to go by.

     

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    Nothing seems to stick to them,they just wilfully go on their merry way ignoring every and any law,precedent or even decency they wish.

     

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    Aided and abetted on all sides,why wouldn’t they?

     

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    PS-the add-on to your post happens when you c&p now. Not sure it happens on every operating system though.

  15. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    GALLAGHER

     

     

    Disnae seem quite in control,does he?

     

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    Very strange indeed. And a good spot.

  16. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TONYDONNELLY67

     

    .

     

    He didn’t think twice about pissing away £1bn of our money,so unlikely that a few quid up his nose is gonna bother him…

  17. Glasstwothirdsfull

     

     

    Thank you for your interest, but the website you are trying to visit is no longer being supported.

     

    We would like to take this opportunity to thank our bloggers, visitors, and advertisers who have supported our sites.

  18. Young Tierney is a terrific prospect but must not be risked in such a crucial game as tomorrow’s with a dodgy pitch. Give the boy a chance to progress not all the pressure that tomorrow night will bring.

     

     

    Izzi all the way, and they are a small team so height is not an issue.

  19. Just logged on and only read back a few pages.

     

     

    Lionsroar @ 9:07, I think it’s actually worse than that! I understand the closing price last was 30pm BUT the bar steward sold the shares to the business community at a discounted price and they were hoovered up for something like 260 or 280p. Nice eh?

  20. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    So, Park gets the bus contract signed up, then leaves loyalty hahahahahahaha

  21. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    ITSABOUTTIM

     

     

    .

     

     

    The National Audit Office should be rooting about the tender documents on this one.

     

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    IMO the main reason RBS wasn’t wholly nationalised was to prevent privatisation on the cheap. If there was an existing market for shares,they would have to be sold at market value.

     

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    Tories can’t help being tories though. Help the well-off and welly the helpless.

  22. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    The sevco situation must be getting desperate for park to be taking this decision to walk away. It’s the last thing he would do unless he sees the writing on the wall …… I think he has also sussed out ming’s ‘zero cash input’ agenda ……..TICK TOCK

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