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Wright within rights, Ciftci running upstairs caveat

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

I was disappointed for St Johnstone at their exit from the Europa League last night but not for Scottish football, or our coefficient points.  Saints are a provincial club in a very rural part of Scotland.  You only have to travel through the hills to Perth to realise that pocket of Scotland, with its tractors, knitwear and wellie boot shops, has no God given right to beat a team from any municipality anywhere.

They have done very well for the last couple of seasons, from a tiny catchment area, but managed to reach Europe by pipping Dundee United, who ironically were good enough to have key players poached midseason.

St Johnstone don’t have potential superstars, they are also the oldest team in the league, which gets you through a long campaign but they are never going to sparkle.  Or earn Scottish football a hatful of coefficient points.

Dundee United were decimated by the loss of those two players midseason, and were done no favours with the shadow of uncertainty which enveloped backroom and boardroom for months, but they, Aberdeen and Celtic are the only Scottish clubs capable of getting their act together to the extent required to reach European group stages.  For everyone else, Europe is strictly a July pursuit, so don’t stress about it, and Tommy Wright is well within his rights to talk up his own club.

If Scottish football wants to get all introspective about last night, we should concern ourselves with concentrating resources on clubs who are independently financially viable: Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hearts, Celtic, Hibs and maybe Dundee.  If more of our sponsorship and TV money went to Aberdeen and United and less to the thirty-or-so hangers on, they would be better placed to consolidate their development work and compete in Europe.

Celtic are five days away from their opening competitive game of the season, so I would think tonight’s friendly against Davie Moyes’ Real Sociedad will be the last strenuous exercise the players go through after what will have been a taxing first few weeks of preseason.  After this workout it should all be about recovery before the visit of Stjarnan on Wednesday.  The usual caveats apply to Nadir Ciftci, if he looks like he couldn’t run upstairs, he’s about where I’d expect him to be right now.

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  1. Almore on

    Dee yeev a karde

     

     

    Ulster Scots interpetration of native Erse speaker.

     

     

    Been away for a few days with the Canadian branch of the clan. Hope all is well in Timdom.

     

     

    Kum on the Hoopse:)

  7. fan-a-tic on

    Bournesouprecipe

     

    Im to old and thick to understand internet parlais.:):)

     

    Hail Hail

  21. clogher celt on

    Almore,

     

     

    I thought you were away for the weekend. I will contact our the club over the weekend, with a view to paying the deposit early next week if that is ok.

     

     

    Clogher

  23. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Just back from Paisley, enjoyable game.

     

     

    NIr Bitton’s style of play should hopefully helpour possession of the ball in European games. Real were niggly tonight but it was good preparation for the Stjarnan game.

     

     

    Some of our support have valid reasons for not liking pre-season games but tonight was worthwhile with regard to our preparation for our first competitive game next week.

     

     

    Madden and the linesman at the east stand side were incompetent tonight. Our refs need to improve and i agree with the exiled tim, get the refs sorted and improvetheir competency , this will help our football improve.

     

     

    Madden looked at the linesman ,who in turn looked at Madden to make a decision then Madden made, a lot of the time , the incorrect one.

  27. calibhoy on

    bournesouprecipe,

     

     

    Thank you for the clarification, but is this new this year? Or has that format

     

    been done in the past and I just missed it?

     

     

    CaliBhoy

  30. kikinthenakas on

    Just in from the game. First half hour we were sluggish and Real passed and moved and kept control of the ball well without making enough chances. Last 15 minutes saw us go up a gear. 2nd half Ronny Rocket to the players saw us close down and move the ball quicker. Griffiths great bit of skill n turn smacked off the post. Ciftci great half hour.GMS attacked well on the right and Izzy on the left. Good passing from the back from Boyata. Biting sublime in the middle driven on by Broony. Johansen had a poor game. Goal created by Ciftci dispatched well by GMS All in all a 7/10 performance and great atmosphere from an almost sell out crowd.

     

     

    Kikinthenakas

  33. Farfar Celtic on

    Ciiftci is Gona be a massive hit with us. I hope we keep Ronny for a few years at least got a good feeling about this. Hail hail!

  34. bournesouprecipe on

    Dallas

     

     

    I like the ( I was there posts).Good summary, ( what kept you from Paisley -;) – I agree with your comments on the standard of refereeing, we face. Bobby Madden is incompetent at best.

     

     

    Interested to know if you reckon Celtic fitted these games nicely into St Mirren Park, given that the CP pitch is being relaid, and the venue choice was kind of, necessary.

     

     

    They looked good on CTV.

     

     

    HH

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