Champions League sections are never easy so we are as well having one which is unequivocally difficult on paper. Despite finishing second from pot 4 in their group last season (a remarkable achievement), Celtic spent the vast majority of their time in the tournament under pressure. They had possession less than their opponents in all six group games, so although we were successful in the group stage, there should be no doubt as the the size of the challenge.
Conversely, we looked Juventus in the eye, which, in retrospect, could be regarded as over ambitious.
When Martin O’Neill’s Celtic drew Barcelona and Milan in the group section of the Champions League the manager was clearly exasperated at the apparently preposterous task. It was Martin’s last throw in the competition and he was anxious to break into the knockout stage for the first time.
The mood music seems different this time. Neil Lennon has been to the knockout stage already so the pressure to breakthrough is not there. Celtic can take one game at a time without the burden of having to prove themselves in this competition. They are now a part of this league, they might not win it, but they can compete with anyone.
We will be second favourites for each game, which is surely the way we would all prefer it to be. Despite what happened last year, even Barca will expect to comfortably overcome Celtic. Surely we can’t be as organised again?
Don’t bet against it.
STV painted an interest picture of the SFA this morning. The Association declined advice from Uefa to come into line with most of Europe (including England, crucially for many Scottish clubs) and extend the transfer window until the first business day of the week.
Doing so, however, would make a mockery of their suspension of Rangers International’s transfer embargo, which expires on 31 August. To accept Uefa’s advice would draw attention to their oversight in not noticing that August ends on a weekend.
We all know this to be the case, but the Association would rather ignore their mistake than help out member clubs and draw attention to it.
Even Jim Farry checked the calendar.
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weird article desertbhoy worth a read though.
KLV
KLV,
I definitely think the boy has it,but he has to be played as an out and out striker.Not as a winger.Maybe he’ll get that chance at Tannadice tomorrow.
http://www.onfieldsofgreen.com/the-twits/
Latest piece, on the Big Billy tweet and a few other matters.
Good to seen Biton brought in, and Pikku on the way.
One more day to go … as the SFA have, once again, made A Club Called Rangers the centre of the Scottish footballing universe.
hendrix67, was interesting reading, though I think written by someone Rangers-minded, despite his pretensions to even-handedness. Would be good to see a Celtic rebuttal, though. Has to be nonsense, surely?
BRTH
Sounds about right!
Some of you may recall that we had a young Australian over for a trial at Celtic and as he was here recommended by Willie Wallace, he has been staying with my family these past six weeks. He did very well at Celtic but was not offered a contract – he left today to go to Wolves. The boy enjoyed his time at Celtic and we took him along to all the recent games – he could not believe how good Wednesday was. He arrived as an Arsenal fan and left as a Celtic supporter – he plans to make it as a professional footballer and wants to play for Celtic.
suzony (18:59), me and the Mrs went in 2007 and we bought our tickets in one of the banks, believe it or not. I can’t remember which one it was, but you should be able to buy tickets from a reputable source at a reasonable price when you get over there.
You could do a lot worse than going for the stadium tour at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, and popping into the ticket office while you are there.
Regarding Celtic’s supposed £36m debt to the Co-op, I think it’s been a case of Chinese whispers on FF.
There was an article in a broadsheet discussing the fact that the bank offers low-interest lines of credit to companies like Celtic. Someone on FF highlighted it, spitting feathers, and it’s grown from there.
So I think the bottom line is the club have a credit facility (1.5% up to £36m), which is not the same thing at all as being £36m in debt.
If this is not the case, I am certain that Paul will find out some time before Hugh and the gang.
hendrix67
18:59 on
30 August, 2013
http://twohundredpercent.net/?p=24026
the article, or more importantly the interpretation that somehow Celtic in Financial peril, on a figure of outstanding debt , thats to be paid off over the next 6 years, has been getting serviced (and is secured against some asset, so what, thats whats normal) , just confirms how thick they all are.
They never understood one simple principle, YOU PAY BACK ANY DEBTS, as per the terms, and over time.
You can owe money in any cycle, and obviously be solvent.
In fact, if we wanted, and I know we dont want to, but we could sell another 4 players this weekend and clear the amounts owned.
In other words – STUPID ZOMBIES.
Electronic Tims @ETimsNet 13m
Final tweet. Pint required! Been told we’ll be pleasantly surprised by quality of further arrivals as players doing the chasing, not Celtic
Fassreifen
Re article posted by Hendrix 67. Whatever else the author is Rangers Minded is not it. No idea of the bona fides of the blog he apeared on but the link to the actual author himself’s twitter page suggests he is a Celt. Possibly wrong on Celtic’s financial situation but as with everything else I doubt we shall hear anything from anyone at Celtic about it.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Tricoloured Ribbon
Yeah, i think they are coaching him differently now, he seems to want to pull out to a wing now rather than being direct, which is his natural game. He looks disintrested now for me and his touch has been pretty bad of late, Think Dylan looks a prospect as well but if we don’t play them loan them out and let them toughen up,
Desertbhoy’s linked article is a good read as well, some interesting stuff there.
KLV
The debt article was in the Sunday Times…
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/business/Finance/article1304380.ece
Taken fromTSFM, a blog that should be compulsive reading for all who want the game sorted.
theoldshed says:
August 30, 2013 at 6:54 pm
15 0 Rate This
I recently pledged to the Foundation of Hearts. Having read this blog for the past 18 months my decision came after a lot of soul searching, particularly after the recent re-election of the SFA president. What swayed it for me was partly a deep rooted sense of loyalty to a club that has had a strong emotional hold on me for the last 40 or so years, which has provided me with ultimate highs as well as desperate lows, and which I can’t stand idly by and watch die, despite the fact that the environment it operates in is rotten to the core. The only hope I have (having decided I am not yet ready to give up completely on Scottish football) is that the clubs have the bottle to demand a clear out at the top, and at the very least insist on an official and widespread acknowledgement that “Rangers” were formed in 2012. Realistically i don’t think this will happen so I think my only option will be to never attend a game involving Rangers, and would hope that at some point this blog finally manages to reach a much wider audience and convince supporters of all other clubs to boycott all their games too. Wouldn’t it be great if their triumphalism was denied a “live” audience at every game they played.
auldheid
18:41 on 30 August, 2013
Same hear…..when they dawn the hoops, they become my heroes, as you are …. Hahahahaha
Kevj…..ye cannae even spell……away off oot moo, an gie us awe peace……hahahahahahaha
St stivs.. Have no interest in what zombies make of it… All I’m inquiring into is what the article implies that there is a debt.. Secured against assets of course.
Queen of the South on the list:
“2011/12 was a complete contrast to the season to follow under the management of Allan Johnston and Sandy Clark. Early season omens were good including a 2-0 League Cup win against Hibs. En route to a fourth Challenge Cup Final, Queens became the first team to beat newly formed The Rangers. 2-2 after extra time at Ibrox, Lee Robinson`s save separated the sides 4-3 on penalties with Ryan McGuffie scoring the decider.” [QoS website]
——
“The only way to ram these f[ellow]s’ words down their throat is to defeat them convincingly.
We are hated because we are the best.”
——
“I wish we could take one of these teams to court but it’s understandable that we don’t.” [Because you’d lose?]
——
“What they said is not true, but I doubt if it is libellous.”
—–
“We are not in England. It would be defamation. And what is the loss?”
——
“What does being in England have to do with anything?”
JimmyQuinnsBits
18:31 on
30 August, 2013
NatKnow, Apricale,
cheers…. I know the problem is that, as ever, we don’t hear whats going on in the background. That’s the the only game for the fan though; conjecture. I know stats can mislead, but they’re mighty impressive, albeit for lesser know teams (we wouldn’t be looking otherwise)
Fair point mate – we all like to speculate on who will be signed etc. I don’t understand the “We must sign him for £5M” thing. The price is immaterial as many previous signings have shown (good and bad!). Sure, as a general rule in life you get what you pay for. But it’s not like there’s any guarantee. As far as I’m aware it’s the job of the Celtic scouting network to identify players and then assess their worth.
Etims post sounds promising, I remember when they used to make up stuff on a weekly basis with piss stained reporters coming up with innuendo and whispers. Miss the laugh at it.
KLV
Friday night so who’s up furra chuckle….game of worst song lyrics of all time…..I’ll go first, Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak…..””tonight there’s gonna be a jailbreak, somewhere in this town””…..
jimbo67, thanks for the clarification. The author is clearly too subtle for me! Is it so simple a mistake as to confuse a debt facility with a debt? That would be a bit embarrassing on the part of the original FF poster himself.
Bigchipsuk. Thanks for the info. We are going a couple of days before the game so will enquire when I get there. Cheers.
FF taking Celtic’s success well..a balanced debate on our managers abilities to follow (follow)
_______________________________
Re: The luckiest manager going?
The mhanks getting to the last 16 of the champions league had f*** all to do with TLRB (Lennon) anyway, they managed it by fluke because of a system that’s been there since O’Neill. They play exactly the same long ball to tall fat players now as they did then, said tall fat players then barge defenders/keepers off the ball and toe-b it into the net.
Likewise their scouting system has been in place since then where Lemmon is basically told who to sign/go for.
____________________________________
They are a very lucky team. Would like to know the stats of them scoring in the last 5 mins of a match to win an all-important game.
They thought that they wouldn’t be impacted by removing the worlds most successful club out of sight. Last year they won a tainted league and beat Barcelona.
This year they will be lucky to not concede less that 20 goals in the CL and they are a selling club now.
———–
He’s not a good manager. He’ll stay at Stade Nonce for years to come because he wont get found out until we’re back there on a sound financial footing with a capable manager – and f*ck knows how long that’ll take.
In the mean time a lack of competition and a compliant media who fawn all over him will mean that the odd good result in Europe will mean his reputation will continue to grow artificially.
———————————–
He was one kick of the ball away from being binned when the Kilmarnock player missed a great chance for 4-0 that day.
Since then, it’s been one good break after another.
I mean, have you ever seen defending in European football, such as that by the Shakter players at goals two and three the other night?
———————————-
8 in a row….18 in a row………under the present circumstances they can rack up as many tainted titles as they like.
I’m still hyper from Wednesday night ………. Whit am a like…………but it’s a great feeling
istanbulcelt oscar’s green & white army
17:50 on 30 August, 2013
If you are still about, the ex pat killed, was a very good friend of mine, we had worked together and played football for same team in SA, I posted at the time
RIP Kenny, a real gem of a guy, with feelings for us, although followed Raith Rovers after his marriage
Without going into detail, the way he died was not what has been reported.
Will be interesting to see how portrayed
My family still in touch with the family in SA
Take care & Hail Hail
Kevjungle
Tut tut, rest assured as long as the sunshines and all that.
St Stivs
Great news re the Donegal connection — I think I know of the solicitor concerned as I am working on a wee story goig back to Celtic’s founding with links to Donegal.
It is a work of faction which will hopefully appear in a charity publication.
Re the finance article — this has been discussed on TSFM —- and I should add
(again) that it had come to my ears that someone was about to try and make public mischief re the Celtic finances. This is something I e-mailed Paul67 about in the early part of the week and he was able to put me straight on an apparently stated problem immediately.
The accountants among us, and those who study the clubs cashflow in detail can explain it better than me but there is no question of Celtic not being solvent.
Have e-Tims come out with one of their “rumours” again?
Back in again…
_____________
Now, I know that I’ll probably be kicked up n doon the blog here but…nothing new there :)
Anyway…I’ve been hearing – but – I canny say from whom – that, the guy oan the TV just now at the Super Cup Final – Gus Poyet – has been sounded out as a potential ‘future’ Celtic manager ?!?!?
Only saying….if I find out more…I’ll come back on and tell yeez.
Till then – awe the best
Hail Hail – Off oot.
Are Celtic fans the biggest bunch of greetin bassas going. Never feckin happy! Get a grip. Never had it so good CSC! Mon the Hoops!
So without reading back and diving in at the deep end – are we a happy little form of CELTIC Supporters or are the slide tackles flying in?
well done Morrissey,top bhoy,i love celtic,petec wee prayer offered my celtic brother,have a good weekend everyone ;-)
Celtic have a debt facility with their bank?!
What a shock.
I thought EVERY feckin football club in the world had one?
Well except one.
HH!!
Noticed on Etims site that Celtic have the only group consisting of previous winners and Champions.
Also, that newspaper in Milan called it the ” Nobility Group”, – very cool. As it is the only group consisting of previous champions of Europe, therefore by inference it is ” Simply the Best” group. Think I will point this out to Rod, maybe he might do a dual with Tina.
If you have an Iphone, download 1forCeltic.
C’mon the Hoops!
Martin
Cowiebhoy in support of Fearless Oscar & Family
!!!!!!!!!
H H Buddy,
The lad i’m talking about was called Paul and was from Liverpool. He was a basically a go between between the Algerian military and the sites a liaison if you like. He didn’t always work at that site. His job position would do the bus run for a wee bit extra time I believe. ( that’s what his liaison work counterpart told me.) They are ex forces guys, mainly French Foreign legion, due to their command of French. So he was in the bus that got attacked initially.
Was that the same as your friend Kenneth, or was he at the site?
According to the e-tims twitter feed things are hectic at Celtic Park with NL and PL astounded at the number of approaches that they have had from absolute top quality players WANTING to join Celtic!!
As of an hour ago, they are saying to expect at least THREE more signings to come in some of whom are absolute gamechangers!
Included in the feed is the allegation that the Alfie deal is very much alive as Lennon wants him and Pukki.
Interestingly– someone else tweeted today that there was a pleasant surprise coming for Celtic fans as a so far un-named and previously unmentioned player of quality was about to join the club.
No idea if any of this is true but apparently the feed has been constant for the last hour!!
Quite right, big Mike. Still elated after a great team performance on Wednesday.All played a part and the timing of the goals was perfect. Bring on the big guns ! Mon the Hoops!
Celtic Graves will be in Frosses, Co. Donegal, on Sept.7th.
They apparently want a piece of turf from the same site as the one brought to CP in 1995.
Back in again….
Petec – I didny know about yer fella.
So sorry to hear that my friend.
I certainly hope you’ve got the strength
that ye comforted me with – when I was
going through a very dark time just over
a year ago.
Thoughts n Prayers said my Friend
YNWA