Winning to zero, far flung corners, Blue Pitching

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It’s been dreich in Glasgow all week, so I was hoping the miserableness continued for our guests from sunny climes tonight.  A cold blast of wind and rain would surely suit our northern European locals, but it’s as though the city knows there’s a big European game on.  The weather is perfect for football.

Like most I’ve been in two minds about who we should start with up front but the truth is how we defend is more important.  A narrow win to zero is a good first leg result in Europe, I’d take that right now.  And I’d have Leigh up front!

Qarabag are a team who travelled across Europe last season with some purpose, but they haven’t experienced Celtic Park yet.  I’m hoping for a night like we had against Shakhter Karagandy, where we pull together to get the job done.

I watched a documentary on homelessness in the London borough of Tower Hamlets recently.  It seemed to be a shakedown area for those who have spun off the planet.  Poverty, social-exclusion, anonymity and hopelessness on an industrial scale in one of the world’s great cities.

The Celtic Foundation have been working in the far flung corners of world for years, as well as in Scotland and Ireland, but working with London’s needy, in Tower Hamlets, as they now are, has a different feel to it.  There’s a tendency to think of London as one huge cash machine, which it is in many respects, but it’s also where a lot of our poor end up.  The social isolation is absolute.

Celtic Foundation’s objectives, to improve Health, promote Equality, encourage Learning and tackle Poverty (HELP) know no boundaries.  We can’t be the biggest club in the world right now, but we can aspire to be the most ethical.  We (that’s you and me) can set the highest standards.

Nothing would demonstrate this more than having 100 people doing the Great Scottish Run for the Foundation in October.  Get yourself and/or a friend registered.  You don’t need to be fast, you just need to get around Glasgow in your own time, and target raising £125 for the Foundation.

Thanks to everyone who donated to our Mary’s Meals school kitchen appeal, in connection with yesterday’s Magners ticket competition.  It amazes me that every time we run a ‘Who do Celtic play on Saturday?’ competition, people get the answer wrong.  The winner will be drawn this lunchtime, so watch your email.

Thanks also to Magners.  The people there get the point of what the club’s all about.  They could have put their mineral water brand on the jerseys in Iceland, where local laws don’t allow alcohol sponsorship, but they offered the space to the Foundation instead.

These guys at Newco love a drama.  They’ve blocked the rights of four shareholders, including memorable name Blue Pitch Holdings, who declined to answer questions on about the nature of their interests in the club.

The Companies Act provides for this as you have a right to know if your shareholders are, for example, amassing shares for a prospective takeover bid.  It’s unlikely Blue Pitch and the others are planning a coup of this nature.  A response along the lines of ‘Hoping for future dividends and capital growth’ would be sufficient.  It strikes me as a pointless exercise, playing to the gallery, although it’s consistent with their other shareholder charm offensives.

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294 Comments

  1. mickbhoy1888 on

    Weeminger

     

     

    Thanks so there is plenty availability then,I couldn’t imagine Police Scotland sanctioning a pay gate unless there were plenty of available seats. Health and safety would dictate that you wouldn’t want 4 or 5 thousand turning up for a couple of thousand seats

  2. bournesouprecipe on

    weeminger

     

     

    No, of course he isn’t but he’s got EPL experience!!!!!!!.

     

     

    I’ve posted it many times Celtic need to negotiate the price on talent and outwith the ‘wee

     

    diddy league’ label.

  3. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Cowiebhoy

     

     

    Im looking out my office window at celtic park bathed in sunshine

     

     

    I agree with your idea on e ticketing but remember our club progresses at snails pace

     

     

    See you later ;)

  4. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Cowiebhoy

     

     

    All the auld I.T numpties …maist on here would get arrested a few minutes before kick off. Every week that’s why. CQN was the test bed and we failed the test :-)

  5. travelbhoy

     

     

    14:08 on 29 July, 2015

     

    Hope this doesn’t transfer on to the pitch but when Celtic flew to Spain last week they did so in a 20 year old Fokker-100……

     

     

    ….when Qarabag arrived at 0011hrs yesterday they did so in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivered to Azerbaijan Airways 22/12/14.

     

     

    They have class in their travel!

     

     

    Hopefully not on the pitch.

     

     

    TB

     

     

    —————-

     

     

    As someone currently in Seattle where Boeing is situated, and aware of their recent glitches in production, I’d rather be in the tried and tested Fokker.

     

     

    Just saying.

  6. Gerryfaethebrig on

    winning captains

     

     

    16:56 on 29 July, 2015

     

     

    Delighted with that, hope the big man celebrates with a wee shut-out the night !

  7. Celtic TV says “LIVE Audio to ALL subscribers with a full match replay from 9pm UK Time.” Does that mean VIDEO of the whole match from 9pm? Whatdya think?

  8. i'vehadtochangemyname on

    Ditto gerryfaethebrig, Gordon’s one of our best signing’s recently

  9. Congratulations to Craig Gordon, lang may yer idleness on the Celtic end continue.

     

     

    That picture of him on the official site signing his papers shows the warmest smile I’ve ever seen from him. That in itself tells a story.

  10. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Paul67,

     

     

    Not a peep about in whose name the current Sevco chairmans shares in the dead club was ?

     

     

    Was his Auntie ever asked her intentions ? Is she due something from BDO ?

     

     

    HH

  11. charles kickham 16:40 on 29 July, 2015 says:

     

     

    We can’t be the biggest club in the world right now, but we can aspire to be the most ethical.

     

     

    Let’s start with the living wage for employees of Celtic FC

     

     

    ——————————–

     

     

    Totally agree CK – should be a priority for our board.

  12. Right so I have plied MrsDC with cocktails, she says I can go and watch the game and she can do some shopping (that’s gone to cost me) and now you say the pub will not have the game on!!! Not even on a dodgy feed !!

     

    Wish I was in not so sunny Glasgow enjoy the game those that can Make it

  13. antipodean red on

    san diego bhoy,

     

     

    Be careful that Fokker’s no a Mescherschmidt!

     

     

    AR

  14. Good evening friends. Still pretty bright here in ole EK, 9 miles from the centre spot ;-)

  15. bournesouprecipe

     

     

    17:07 on 29 July, 2015

     

    dena

     

     

    I’ll try and do a few on the ole Celtic WIFI

     

     

    ——

     

     

    Thanks that would be greatly appreciated.

  16. Paul67 et al

     

     

    Which poster on here in a discussion partly related to homelessness in the East End of London, (and on the same day our Football Club is playing in the East End of Glasgow) referred to; “these people”?.

  17. charles kickham/Timgreen

     

     

    Don’t want to go into it on the night of a game but our board’s sneaky movements on the LW issue will mean once again it will be have to be addressed by the Trust at the AGM.

  18. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    It would be good if we get a good result tonight to add to the feel good factor with craig signing a new contract.

  19. Gerryfaethebrig on

    i’vehadtochangemyname

     

     

    17:43 on 29 July, 2015

     

     

    A £9m goalie for heehaw, was gutted when Boruc left, then gutted when Fraser left (I was brought up not knowing what a good goalie was) so over the moon with Craighy Bhoy, try and enjoy the game fellow Celtic fans

     

    Still quietly confident but getting a bit nervy !

  20. Hunderbirds are Gone on

    Spent the first 5 minutes of the Stjarnan away tie chanting to myself: ‘just don’t lose an early goal……..just don’t lose an early goal……just don’t lose an early goal”

     

     

    Gonna try ‘don’t score 5 goals tonight…..’ :)))

     

     

    Hail Hail

  21. I’m watching sport now for a helluva long time but the aura of mystery and intrigue surrounding this Quarabag outfit is unequalled in my experience and has been growing by the hour. This is a big test for new man Boyata and how he will perform in the cauldron that will be Celtic Park. Interesting to see there was only one home win in last night’s games and Celtic can become the second to record a victory tonight.

  22. Day started well, on winning team in Seniors Golf Comp. 42 points on my own card. Hopefully the good luck will continue this evening. I take it there is no break through on TV coverage so sausages will be off the menu. It looks like a combo of radio, Celtic Twitter & CQN then.

  23. On a wee family break in Avimore so won’t be at the game.

     

    Can I say that this is torture.

     

    Depending on CQN for updates.

     

    Will just need to get slaughtered to help wi the nerves.

     

    Please God , a comfortable Celtic victory

     

     

    HH

  24. Dj67The OldFirmWasEhBusinessPartnershipThereforeJustLikeRangersTheOldFirmIsDeadGetOverItZombies on

    Can anyone tell me if the match is on television tonight?

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  25. “Celtic v Qarabag

     

    LIVE Audio to ALL subscribers with a full match replay from 9pm UK Time.”

     

     

    From Celtic TV site.

     

     

    Lets hope there is an incentive to watch it by then.

     

     

    COYBIG

  26. skyisalandfill on

    In the real maccoy for a guiness at a remarkably dry and sunny Celtic Park.

     

     

    2-0 to the good ghuys.

     

     

    HH

  27. Captain Beefheart on

    Usual bloody hassle with Radio Scotland.

     

     

    Celtic should defeat this mob. If not, serious questions must be asked.

  28. Dj67The OldFirmWasEhBusinessPartnershipThereforeJustLikeRangersTheOldFirmIsDeadGetOverItZombies on

    “A narrow win to zero is a good first leg result in Europe, I’d take that right now. And I’d have Leigh up front!”

     

     

    Seriously, has expectations really fallen so far that we’re now being encouraged to be happy with a 1-0 victory at home against a team of (no disrespect our opponents here) nobodies who hail from the middle of nowhere?

     

     

    If that is what were to expect against such dire opposition, why do we even bother trying to qualify for the Champions League, for surely, if that is whats to be expected against Qarabag then what is the expectancy level in the Group stages, are we meant to go home proud with a 4-1, 5-1 reversal or even be happy with 1-0 home defeats?

     

     

    ConfusedCSC