Surprised? Well, yes. This was a no-contest early-on in Maribor last week. Even though Celtic didn’t come home with the win, the chances, balance of possession and play, were well in their favour. A defeat last night was never out of the question, but it was the nature of the defeat that was most concerning. We were second best in defence, midfield and attack.
Pre-match, Ronny told us he expected Maribor to sit in and counter-attack. They didn’t, forcing Celtic into disarray. We were fortunate to go in level at halftime; I was screaming out for a tactical change from 20 minutes in.
Kris Commons proved his value. From the moment he arrived, we had an out-ball for the first time in the night, but it was not enough.
Celtic tried to qualify for the Champions League without a target man, or a striker able to play the kind of football Ronny Deila requires to play his kind of football. Stokes, Griffiths, Pukki and Balde are not an appropriate Champions League strike force, by some distance.
We have plenty of midfielders who are happy to pass and run but no one with the composure to hold the ball. Brown, Forrest and Tonev were all missing, but none will occupy the holding roles given to Kayal and Mulgrew last night. Or to Wanyama two years ago.
The defensive collapse since last season is unfathomable. Virgil van Dijk was clearly a class above, whether in defence or attack, and Mikal Lustig was also assured – it is perhaps no coincidence that we lost the goal moments after he was replaced, but Efe Ambrose and Emilio Izaguirre have returned from the World Cup in alarmingly poor form.
This is where we are. We knew this at the end of last season, perhaps Neil Lennon did too. Ronny Deila has a significant rebuilding job on his hands.
Will we make a significant moves forward this week? This season? The Europa League isn’t the cash-cow of the premier tournament, and it carries none of the glamour, but it is a competition we need to be ready for. Perhaps more importantly, qualification planning for next season’s Champions League starts now.
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Quonno. Morning fella if the CEO came on CQN for a question and answer session unless the questions were given to Paul 67 to vet the previous day.I fear carnage would take place just my opinion. H.H.
My friends in Celtic,
It is always right to question, questioning and transparency are essential. However it is very easy to support during the good and glory days.
Adversity is where most questions will be answered.
How the words ” We are Celtic supporters, faithful through and through” ring very hollow.
HH.
proudbhoy- Simon Jordan, Be Careful What You Wish For, cracking book about him making his fortune in his early 30s and buying Crystal Palace.
Just logging in. Lawwell been sacked ?
Marti
I think the Club does talk with the fans on a semi regular basis.
Simple and Communications in the same sentence in the scoddish realm, really?
Hugh’s probably the best chance we get in a poor basket of options.
I won’t go into the merchandising email issue – that’s too high falutin’ for me.
( I presume the Club are satisfying some kind of market demand.)
The real point here is communication, my point is the Club do talk to the Support, via various means, clearly for some their argument is not convincing, thankfully we have this Dear Green Place and genuine supporters to air those points.
HH
greenpinata
09:44 on 28 August, 2014
My friends in Celtic,
It is always right to question, questioning and transparency are essential. However it is very easy to support during the good and glory days.
Adversity is where most questions will be answered.
How the words ” We are Celtic supporters, faithful through and through” ring very hollow.
———————————————————————-
I think the vast majority on here get that, it’s a moan amongst friends cause we’re hardly going to go into work and do it, no one talks about football in my office.!
Faithfull yes, through and through yes, back next home game yes, season ticket next year you bet
Ayrshire is Green and White
Johnnyclash. Fergus found 52000 season tickets holders
Peter Lawwell has lost a large no of them and they won’t be back
Anyone else know what Lawell will say?
The usual “we tried to get the player but we couldn’t agree personal terms. We have a wage budget and we won’t be held to ransom.”
Seems to be a line that get trotted out every now and then.
Good players cost more in transfers and wages. Lionel Messi will not be on the same wage as the rest of the Barcelona squad.
quonno Micktt etc
Obviously I am raging with PL … But taking a step back here is my honest assessment.
Has he been a failure since he joined Celtic? Most certainly not, in fact he must be credited with keeping us in great financial shape. He has also to a great degree penetrated the establishment and is influential at a national decision making level.
He has also overseen some mightily impressive commercial deals, be it players or sponsorship.
Has this performance been a year on year success? No
Has his performance waned in the last 3 years? I’d say so. He has delivered short term financial results but medium to long term the customer base has been decimated. Is this entirely PL’s fault? No. However he has squandered a major opportunity. This year’s burning of a £20m golden ticket is evidence of that but the diminished attendance and pale imitation of a Celtic a Manager and team we now field are concrete proof.
Peter Lawwell has big career behind him… We now need a CEO with his best days ahead of him. Peter Lawwell has lost the fans.Game over IMO.
Marti Sandino
09:38 on 28 August, 2014
bankiebhoy1
09:21
“perhaps the Club are trying to put the information we need into our own hands.”
Hi there, I was just thinking, instead of “trying” why don’t they just talk to the fans ? Would that not be the simplest way to communicate. The Club are not communicating with fans apart from trying to continually sell us stuff. I get 3 e-mails a day with crap offers about free postage on kits, overpriced “fashions” etc. What I would like to get instead is a staement from the club telling me what the strategy is going forward. Fans are in limbo at the minute and we need to hear from the club directly, not through the filter of the MSM. Just my thoughts.
Marti
———————————————————–
Nail on head. Thanks for posting that – I’ve been thinking exactly the same for a while but have lost interest in posting on here.
I still think the problem lies with our new management team we won the SPL last season at a canter.On Tuesday night the team looked as if they did not know each other.I am in the school of give Rony some money to buy players and the time to make all the changes he wants before we judge him.H.H.
Whether the Celtic Board or the majority of bloggers on here want Sevco back or not is really not an issue. Some things happen whether we want them to or not and when they do, we just have to deal with the consequences. Sevco can be compared to Cancer, nobody wants it but there are many who are visited with it and they have to deal with it. Within the next year or two it is probable that Sevco will be plying their trade in the same League as Celtic. OK Individual Celts can boycott the head to heads or boycott the entire League. However if we want our Club to prosper and do well, the majority of us will have to do as we have always done, and that is keep supporting Celtic. Its that simple. Handwringing and posturing and making macho statements are a great way of passing the time but at the end of the day, we all have to face our demons and get on with it.
Has anybody filled in their ‘Fan Survey’ e-mail yet?
I’m curious as to your suggestions for improvement.
SydneyTim
09:48 on
28 August, 2014
Just logging in. Lawwell been sacked ?
He’s been sacked, backed and cracked!! Mr. Smooth!!
Johnnyclash, If all those who are not attending anymore and are not missing it as much as they expected really are experiencing what you claim, I feel sad for them. There is nothing I can think of that would have me feel the same. Mind you, I have lived for most of my Celtic life with my team under the control of the Kellys and the Whites. Anything and I do mean anything is better than that. We are far far better run now than we were then.
I find it kinda weird the likes of Kev harking back to days pre-PLC with some kind of wistfull longing.
The mafia in charge of Celtic back then took the cash from the turnstyles home in suitcases, our players wages were a rotten joke whilst we stood in the open air on stairs with pish flowing down the terraces to the front.
The problem of these loan signings is that they are off next season.We have an option to buy but really,the only,and we have not seen him yet,possible would be Wakaso.Now if VVD goes,we are seriously lacking in a good CH.Denayer,we might get on loan again next year,maybe.
We are going to be in an even worse state for next seasons qualifiers.I have no faith in this board to spend big money on additions to the squad.If many think the quality of the squad is declining now,wait till next season,the irony being the CL money is significantly increased.
The future is gloomy.The future is PL.
corkcelt
What people seem to be missing is that the more the season tickets reduce, the more they dont turn up, the more the budget will reduce, giving PL less to work with and therefore less for the manager to work with.
There are so so many aspects to the CL exit on Wednesday that it is hard to identify where to begin. Others have eloquently explained the role of PL in our demise. Therefore, I concentrate on the management team – Deila and Collins. Firstly, I have no axe to grind with either and can fully understand why they accepted the challenge of leading Celtic.
However, Legia and Wednesday night demonstrate that they are not at the requisite level. The team selection, formation, tactics and substitutions of Wednesday night were not what you expect of a manager seeking to qualify for the CL group stages. That RD prepared for Maribo to “sit in” and had no strategy to accommodate a different Maribor game plan is both naive and verging on negligent. I appreciate his options in certain areas, ie striker, were limited, but the selection of Ambrose, Mulgrew as central midfielder, Stokes as lone striker and the absence of Commons to select the main ones were not just baffling – that is too kind. It reflects the limitations and failings of this management duo.
“Give Ronny time to build his own team” – I’m afraid that a combination of the Board’s reluctance to part with serious cash and the evidence of RD’s selections thus far and signings, mean that I now side with those who question the merit of continuing to follow the Deila/Collins philosophy.
Parkheadcumsalford
09:58 on
28 August, 2014
Johnnyclash, If all those who are not attending anymore and are not missing it as much as they expected really are experiencing what you claim, I feel sad for them. There is nothing I can think of that would have me feel the same. Mind you, I have lived for most of my Celtic life with my team under the control of the Kellys and the Whites. Anything and I do mean anything is better than that. We are far far better run now than we were then.
What,when we won the European Cup,you mean.When we terrorized every team in europe over a 5-6 year period.When we got to a European cup final again in Milan.When we won the 9 IAR.When the reputation of Celtic,that people bang on about on here was forged.
Yes I have to agree with you we are much better run now.
My @rse
To be honest anyone that was not sure that Huns are in this web site must know for sure now, the slating, slagging, bad mouthing,of my club in hear is out of control, and the SMSM have picked up on it too, it’s Disscusting and you lurking Huns can GIRFUYs along with the SMSM, and the joy of so called Celtic supporters in here that Celtic exited the champions league on Tuesday night is astounding, some of you really should take a wee step back and have a look at yourosts,…..if fact you know what don’t bother you are what you are, you post all your anti board, anti peter Lawwell, anti manager, anti player stuff is far to late for you the Hun has convinced you, you have been conned by guys in here with nick names telling you that they are Tims, trust me they are not, it’s like they say in the social chat lines, the 25 year old x model is prob a 230 lb biker from Motherwell called buba, we lost a game we didn’t have any luck, apart from a bad bit of administration in the last round which was none of our doing and out of our hands, but yet YES Peter Lawwell and the board got the blame of that, luck is what it is, some get some don’t, Arsenal where hailed last night for for making it into the group stages of the CL for the 17 th year in a row, oh and my god did they have Lady Luck with them last night, and many other nights too previously, that’s life that’s football, Peter Lawwell, the Board, RD, are going no where, those of you who booed the players off at half time ( that I couldent get my head round as we where ahead in the tie on an away goal) and made a complete arse of your selves and the end as well, who are now not, renewing your Celtic TV, where holding back on your season ticket UNTILL after the CL game, are on strike with the GB, or cause big Sammy wasent signed, or because of our signing policy, or because of the living wage, or because one of the board was made a lord, or because……..yi know wut? I could be here awe day Ffs, jist stay away and be on here wi yer Hun pals, Celtic supporters MY ARSE.
Can any of you Bhoys say that going to SPL games where teams face each other four times excites you ? .constantly seeing teams park the bus in the goal mouth against us.If your selling anything and your product is dire you wont have many customers.I believe that is exactly what is killing Celtic Scottish football is poor and also skewed in favour of one team and that team is not Celtic.I dont know the answer to the problem but I dont see how sacking our CEO would help.H.H.
Derek Adams sacked by Ross County
Athletico Bilbao 3–Napoli 1 ( aggregate 4-2 ) .
Shocking defending by Napoli at Bilbao.s second and third . The look on the owner of Napolis face was the look of a man watching 20 million plus euros disappearing from his grasp..
Post match ,he said this ———-
” Players are given performance incentives .Their second goal gave me reason to consider financial disincentives re giving the opposition gifts: Idiotic mistakes have denied the Club big money ——–not only money but prestige and publicity . . The Europa League is nothing in comparison .
. Monday / Thursday football awaits .Our public have other things to do on a Monday night , our public doesnt seem to be attracted to the Europa League. Our priority is Serie A and an automatic CL place.”
Scorchio-way down south
Joe fillipis haircut
It’s not exactly the same team as won the league last year. No Samaras, arguably our best performer in Europe and he hasn’t been replaced. Whose fault is that?
Our star man, little as that means nowadays, Commons, getting the same “don’t call us, we will call you” treatment as his former team mates Ledley and Samaras got re a new contract. How does that help with individual and team morale?
And no Brown or Forrest due to injury and no cover arranged to compensate for this.
I’m not saying the new management haven’t made mistakes. But you can see surely that other parties share in the responsibility?
Joe fillipi
Do you think retaining PL is going to help ?
JFH
We seem to be polar opposites generally with all things Celtic, but nail on head regards VVD.
Auld Bertie, you probably didnt read it, percieving i was a hun troll, but if you did, I apologise profously.
Why does anyone actually get surprised at the SMSM actions, especially BBC Scotland, every game they cover its like we are the away European Team. Hugh MacDonalds article was penned by PL, so many holes in the article and poorly researched which isnt a surprise.
IF KC and VVD are sold, despite the possible signing of a striker (Quality to be determined) then this will be the last hurrah.
Hearing Scepovic has agreed terms….
Tonydonnelly67
Some of us want what’s best for the club… Not blind submission
the glorious balance sheet. Fella you make many good points in your post.I am not happy at getting knocked out the CL some others may be but it is not the end of the world.We must make the best of where we are and what we have Rony and John need time and I am all for giving them time. H.H.
TonyDonnelly67
… I might add. ‘Blind submission’ and not holding their Board to account is what cost Huns their club…
John Collins needs booted. He will never succeed as a coach
CultsBhoy. Do you mean in the same way you never say anything positive about Celtic ? H.H.
the amount of wages that sammi, foster, n watt were on could bring in in two good players wage wise.why do the club refuse to buy from the league theyr in and yet english teams sign them no problem,they would start on lowish wages and be desperate and hungry to do well.
If PL is supplying the targets of the coach and scouts he’s done his job ,
If PL is the guy who targets them and provides the coach with them to make a team out of them , he needs to go…
Also if Rangers ( add what name you like ) had been in our league and where going for 4in a row would the guys defending our Ceo & board feel the same way ?, why do we need Rangers to shake us from this mediocrity , show more ambition Celtic we deserve it
http://metro.co.uk/2014/08/28/how-ronny-delia-has-already-proved-he-is-out-of-his-depth-at-celtic-4846978/ :
This could have been written by many on here! Sort of shit that being banded about. I suppose Van Gaal is needing the boot as well, some start he’s had!
Bada
Who for PSV
Tony Donnelly67
Over the four Legia and Maribor games I’d say we got miles more good luck than bad. We didn’t narrowly come up short. We flunked it big time and Maribor could easily have scored 3 or 4 at Celtic Park. On our own patch they dominated us.
Legia would have won the home leg by 6-1 had they scored the penalties.
The players clearly are not good enough. No amount of GIRUYs will change that, nor will waving your cyber Hun detector about.
Huns are irrelevant to us and our current situation.