Just when I forgot football was unpredictable, Estonians, Kalju Nomme, won in Montenegro to progress to the Champions League second qualifying round, where they are expected to face Celtic (it’s not that unpredictable).
Last season Kalju Nomme were knocked out of the Europa League in the first qualifying round by Icelanders Stjarnan (whom we beat 6-1 on aggregate in 2015). A year earlier, Kalju Nomme beat Faroese Torshavn to reach the second qualifying round of the Europa before losing to Hungarians, Videoton.
They hit the heights on 2016 by beating Trakai of Lithuania, then eliminating Maccabi Haifa on penalties. They were eliminated in the Europa third qualifying round by Turks, Osmanlispor. If there is a shock for Celtic tonight, or in the next round, there will be some inquest!
Until last month, Newcastle were managed by former Real Madrid, Valencia and Liverpool manager, Champions League winner, Rafa Benitez. They are a business with £178 million turnover, operating in the most desired environment in the world, but today made Steve Bruce the happiest man in the land, by appointing him manager of one of the biggest clubs in England, reward for 20 years of meandering manager randomness.
No matter how badly you think some football clubs are run, Mike Ashley, the ultimate decision maker at Newcastle, did not make this appointment lightly. I am sure he wanted to keep Rafa, and then wanted someone with Rafa’s credentials, but he’s ended up with a guy previously sacked by rivals Sunderland.
What Newcastle have discovered, is that the market for managerial talent is unbearably tight.
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FRIESDORFER on 17TH JULY 2019 12:16 PM
Wee Bobby Collins
😂😂👍👍🍀🍀
Now to read the article!
;)
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))
I think Ashley is having a laugh with the Geordies. It is probably the worst Managerial appointment I have ever seen. Ashley is trolling them.
That appointment is the equivalent of us hiring Ally McCoist to the Geordies.
They are raging…
Feck them I say :)
Any signings incoming? Something lost in translation with big Ollie Ntcham ? He back with us or still expected to leave?
Absolutely loved Neil’s presser yesterday. Short, sharp, controlled and made excellent points with a calmness his face stroking gave away.
but has he perfected a Geordie twang yet pet?
:0
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Korb
Linked with this right back…..
DAVID17 on 17TH JULY 2019 12:18 PM
Yeah pretty sure they wanted big Sam back and he said no,
HH
Big Wavy – correct.
Thought Neil performed perfectly and batted everything with a straight bat.
Howzatt CSC
Bruce shamelessly walked out on Sheffield Wednesday after 6 months….
Don’t usually post, but the link below might be useful or at least amusing when checking out right backs we are linked with. I think our standard should be Lustig or better, hence the comparison. Now back to lurking.
https://www.futwiz.com/en/fifa18/compare/julian-korb/22405/mikael-lustig/24407
£178 – I turn over more than that on a quiet night out!
How did we miss out on Steve Bruce
Open the biscuit tin
David 17
If Ashley was trolling the Geordies he would have signed Slippy G and killed 3 birds with the one stone
2 birds! Bloody fat fingerd
let the 3 birds fly
HH
Its just a managerial roundabout in England.A collection of failures,lauded by the English media,like Allardyce,Hughes,etc,walk into jobs.Farcical.
Going back to Newsnow Celtic,I remember when I 1st started reading it,it was good.Now its SMSM,regurgitating rumours and nonsense stories,no matter what the actual truth is.Mostly to our cost.My biggest crib is the site,Hail Hail 67.Lucky if there is one positive Celtic story a week.I still read it,gives me something to do,but end up,raging.LOL.
Think we might see some transfer business between Thursday,and the Weekend.Hopefully,hopefully,Cifuentes.The RB,who knows.I think one will be signed,but not sure if its as desperate as 1st feared.I have a feeling Lenny will play 3 at the back,with Boli,rampaging up and down.Anyway,we will see.
Can anyone confirm if the game is on Celtic TV to all subscribers tonight or exludes UK and Ireland ?
Thanks in advance.
Game available for all CTV subscribers
Seems we were offered Sevco’s new Swedish CB, AKA the new Van Dijk, PC Lustig said not to touch him seemingly……..
Thanks BB.
Very funny last bit to this.Seems on Talksport,Gerry Collins has said Celtic asked Mikel Lustig his opinion on Hun signing Helander.He told Celtic “No,he would not be a good fit.He has no pace”.Celtic dropped their interest.Sevco News,raging at this,and dragged out a quote from a very impartial,Steve Davis,
“I think he is the next VVD”
Is he really,though,Steve.
TURKEYBHOY on 17TH JULY 2019 12:50 PM
I hope that wasnt the only reason we dropped our interest (if of course we had any interest…big if!).
The perfect CB is impossible to bring to Scotland unless he is young and on an upward trajectory (VVD). A lack of pace is not ideal of course but if the other CB has pace it is not the end of the world, as long as his other qualities (tackling, marking, heading, awareness, leadership etc) make up for it.
HH
I hope that if we are winning by a good margin tonight that the young guys
Can get a run out.
It would do they’re confidence good by no ends.
Just think of the boost they would get playing in the champions league, wao.
TRADITIONALIST88 on 17TH JULY 2019 12:57 PM
It appears on this occassion we broke our defensive transfer record and bought a guy with pace, height and a cracking left foot. We have the money to spend more and close the pace gap as a result. The Huns don’t. That’s exactly what we should be doing. That’s exactly all they can do.
Man U giving Leeds a torrid footballing lesson on their Aussie friendly tour. 52,000 crowd too.
Of the ManU yoofs getting a run out, two look like absolute superstars: Chong and Gomez.
Talking of LBs, the Scots lefty we were once linked with – Douglas – looks 100% – like a Leeds Utd defender :/ Boli’s immediately miles better. HH
BIG WAVY on 17TH JULY 2019 1:41 PM
He’ll be a cracking signing, but he’ll no be perfect, otherwise he wouldnt be in Scotland.
Just saying a defender not being reknowned for pace is not a deal breaker. Its not a deal breaker in any other position.
This is not to say, to use an analogy in Championship Manager stat terms, pace and acceleration = 1/20 is acceptable, of course.
But they dont have to be 16-20 either.
If you get me. Its not a black and white issue, either you’re a speed merchant or a slowcoach…if the guys a quality marker and not unacceptably slow the huns could have themselves a decent signing.
I’m sure Lustig knows all the deficiencies in his game and has advised us accordingly :)
HH
QUADROPHENIAN on 17TH JULY 2019 1:58 PM
Newcastle pumped 4-0 by Wolves as well. Must be odds on for the drop. Friendly I know.
HH
All the teams in the world and EPL clubs playing each other in friendlies ffs
Bada Bing
Julian Korb…. stats show he only managed to make 9 appearances last season.
Not sure if injuries curtailed his season, or maybe he just wasn’t 1st choice.
If its the latter, then I think we should be aiming higher.
TRAD
Why big Mike would appoint someone specialising in football attrition is a head scratcher…mibby to P67’s point, attracting the highest quality manager aint as easy as it would seem. And yes, NU playing LU next season. HH
When I first opened today’s article and read ‘ Unbearably Tight’ , I thought it was going to be an article on Peter Lawwell’s grip on the transfer funds! ;))
Julian Korb……Jeremy Toljan?
Jeremy Toljan …..Julian Korb?
Bada Bing 12.26
9 appearances last season ?
QUADROPHENIAN on 17TH JULY 2019 2:09 PM
Probably done Sheff Weds a favour!
HH
Lewis Morgan in starting 11 tonight according to Celtic Star.
HH
Hi
I am in Spain. Is Celtic TV my only option for tonight’s game?
website not letting me subscribe at the moment.
Any help greatly appreciated !!!
TRADITIONALIST88 on 17TH JULY 2019 2:26 PM
Lewis Morgan in starting 11 tonight according to Celtic Star.
—–
Deserves it. Looked pretty hungry so far.