Yeah winning the FA Cup, awful isn't it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lagom
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Yeah winning the FA Cup, awful isn't it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lagom
You know we haven't been knocked out at group stage since 1999 right? Get your facts right arsehole.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slare
To make an impact in Europe you would probably need £150-£200m, there is no way the Scottish tv deal will be able to finance that and gate receipts won't either. Great to complain about not smashing the top boys reguarly but its just not realistic to get European success whilst in SPL simple as that.
Celtic could spend £100m and may well not get out of their Champions League group. Alternatively they could take 20% off of their wagebill, win the league by 20 points and still not get out of their Champions League group. It is no surprise that Celtic want to play it safe.
There's no incentive for Celtic to have any ambition without a strong Rangers to compete against.
I wasn't referring to arsenal. I dont care or know what arsenal have done in the champions league and dont laud about like I do.Quote:
Originally Posted by NatureBoy
I'm not talking about making a MASSIVE IMPACT in Europe. One big result or getting to the last 16/last 8 would be all that the fans want. Fuck, getting INTO the group stages is seen as a good return. e're not deluded enough to think we can fucking win the thing, we just want to be in it, have those European nights back a couple of times a season and get those great moments like against Barca/AC Milan/Benfica/Man U to hark back on.
THAT is European success for us right now. The problem is that I don't (and Lennon by the looks of things doesnt either) think we even have a squad to get into the group stages right now and compete at a level with them.
I totally get that and know thats exactly what the board think but at the same time, without that ambition, attendances are falling at a silly rate and the seasons become very long and very boring.Quote:
Originally Posted by Beefy
Yeah. Made huge waves in Europe....Quote:
Originally Posted by NatureBoy
I think even the most deluded or Arsenal fans would admit that they would rather beat the team regarded as the greatest footballing side in the world 2-1 on thier home patch, watching an 18 year old champions league debutant scoring the winner and all but securing your side continued champions league football and progression to the next round
than
beating hull in the F.A. Cup final.
Regardless, its not a dick measuring contest. Two very different teams with different objectives and incentives.
You do know that we beat Barca on 2-1 at home 3 years ago right?Quote:
Originally Posted by Slare
Circumstances surrounding, size of achievement, ramifications, expectations etc. They put you out on the second leg. Again. Not having a dick measuring contest here. I'm just saying THAT is what making waves in Europe means to us. Not winning trophies but having those nights and we should be amitious enough to shoot for them.
Isn't that the point thought Slare - that the limit of your expectations can only ever amount to the occasional big night in Europe?
If Lennon was genuinely surprised or upset that Celtic's owners weren't willing to bung loads of money into the club in search of greater success in Europe, he's a fool...the weakness of your domestic league makes it impossible to expand to a point where European success means anything more than a good result every couple of years against one of the European giants.
Like Beefy said, you could plough money into a project but where are the established top players who are going to want to sign for a club in Scotland? And where is the business sense in spending an absolute shitload that you can't afford just on the off-chance that it might give you one or two great nights at Celtic Park every couple of years? It's all well and good saying that it's about the enjoyment of the game but you have to weigh up the financial aspect and it is just not realistic to demand or even hope that the club would spend tens of millions trying to improve your European standing when that improvement would almost certainly be marginal and definitely wouldn't recoup any of the outlay.
Until Celtic (and presumably Rangers if it ever happens) move to England, there is a limit to what they can ever achieve in Europe - the infrastructure in the Scottish league is such that right now even the top clubs can only ever be feeder clubs for the Premier League. Without a complete, long-term overhaul of the Scottish league, somehow making it a more competitive, more interesting and more marketable league with a better standard of football, there is a limit to what any Scottish club can expect to achieve.
Couple of points;Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon
- Our squad at the moment is the weakest it has been in quite a while. Lennon isn't asking to completely break the bank, he's looking for a few established players on the big stage/a bit of money to be spent to AT LEAST get us into the group stages of the Champions League. I severely doubt that the squad we have now will get us through three qualifying rounds. We're not talking hundreds of millions here, we are talking a proportion of the (I think) £20 odd million PROFIT that the club made in the last year.
- All we hear right now is how good of a financial position the team are in and how much money we have made. The fans, quite understandably, want to see that being plowed into the squad and into a bit of futher ambition. What is a club without ambition? What is the point if we don't want to do better and get further in the competition each year?
The main point is that we DO have the money and we DO have the infrastructure to make some moves in the market. There are two types of 'big' player Celtic can lure. Young and extremely talented players who are looking to get in the premier league shop window, or previously established players (Bellamy, Keane etc) winding down but still looking to play at a decent level. But even those cost money that the board are seemingly not willing to spend.
This years European campaign was a bit of a washout, and the season was damp. Attendances were fucking shocking and the dozen or so games I went to were fairly crap. That, along with disputes between fan groups and the board made it a bit of a shit season really. We need a wee European run or one of those big results against a giant to keep people coming, to keep people buying tickets, to keep that Parkhead Atmosphere ticking over and to ensure there is at least some sort of draw to come to Celtic.
You lack ambition, all of that drops and the Scottish game becomes even more shit and boring. An astonishing prospect.
I couldnt agree with Simon more
You need to move leagues - until then this is the pinnacle of what Celtic can achieve, sorry to break it to you.
Uh huh, and the point im making is that we won't even be able to reach the point we have in the last 4/5 years with the current squad we have, hence the need to show ambition and spend money.
I'm not asking for MORE, we need this ambition/money to reach the group stages/last 16 and dream of last 8.
We lacked it this season and didnt have that. It showed. Lennon walked.
SLARE is right. We were lucky to qualify last season and ended up getting found out in the group stages after doing so well the year before. We were a noticeably weaker team because we sold our 2 best outfield players and never made any attempt to bring in replacements. We're not asking for the galacticos but we can afford to replace the players we sell. We're Celtic for fucksake, not some shitty wee club from London that's never even won a European cup.
So Owen Coyle lads. Anyone else as excited as me about that?
Which you won in the 60s. You are nowhere near as big a club as Arsenal.Quote:
Originally Posted by wardy
Get out our thread you English bastards.
Arsenal with their support all over the country ie north London and Andy (not really though cause he's a dirty hun just like me)
Sorry NatureBoy, no supporters of daft wee English teams allowed in here. Forrest, Villa, Man U, Liverpool and even Chelsea fans can post because they are true big clubs that have won the big one. Arsenal fans will have to wait.
13 Premier a League titles (a proper league), 11 fa cups, 2 league cups, 1 Uefa cup, 1 cup winners cup
Yeah you have the EC, but that's all you have, a few paddys in the US aside, have you got fans in Asia and Africa? Have you fuck.
You can only beat what's put in front of you NatureBoy so I'm not going to try and compare domestic success because obviously our achievements far outnumber yours. What we can be compared is European Cup success and we have more of them than you. In fact you don't have any.
That's all you have. Your league trophies are, in effect, worthless because it's been in a shite division, half these places don't even have running water probably.
Turnover? No. History? No. Global appeal? Not as much as ours. Current team? Nope
Quote:
Originally Posted by NatureBoy
they have, actually. Plenty more than Arsenal, I'd wager. You're deluded.
Nope.
unquestionably, now sling yer' 'ook
Celtic have a huge fan base in Asia. Some mong obviously hasn't heard of the Thai tims.
I think his mate maybe told him this fact, right, yeah?
Borrrrrrrrrrrrrrring
And lazy as well. Buck your ideas up.
Small time compared to our boys sonnyQuote:
Originally Posted by MikeHunt
Go back to unsatisfying your girlfriend. She's leaving you within the next 3 months btw.
Celtic are genuinely a far bigger club than Arsenal though. I mean, it's not even up for debate. Anyone arguing otherwise is a complete fool.
aka NatureBoy
yes aka Natureboy the maniac.
All kidding aside Natureboy, not having a go just a bit of banter all that stuff above, but Celtic are a much bigger club than Arsenal. Undoubtedly.
No kidding from me. He is an absolute stain.
i cant work out how he comes up this pish.
Don't think Darkoke realised he is in my ignore list yet, silly cunt.
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Originally Posted by Darkoke
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkoke
natureboyQuote:
Originally Posted by Darkoke
Ok reported then.
Haha. You're an actual bender.
Btw he's right and it's funny. Back to your overrated league thread.
No he's a cock and so are you.
Haha nature boy the other day is no doubt sitting there with his feathers all erect thinking yess here we go having an argument with slare let's get some fucking points on the board oh lol fitness thread etc. and you've taken a an absolute fucking battering in here.
There is no chance arsenal is a bigger club than Celtic. One of the biggest supported, best renowned, most successful football team in world historyyyyyyyy.
I actually dunno if I agree with us being better supported around the world, it's quite hard to prove.
Surely though, there's a big support in the Far East, a decent following in Australia, a good following in America and I think some people like us in Ireland too.
Celtic are far more supported than fucking Arsenal, get a Christing grip wardy for cunt sake
AhahahahaQuote:
Originally Posted by Slare
Get back to your treadmill you fat bastard :lol:
Fuck off Natureboy.
I'll allow this Pete
Hibs are a fucking bollocks football team. Is ict the most success butcher has had as a coach. Seems a shite tactician
It terrifies me that Ryan McGivern plays for my national side. He's a bomb scare of a player. Maybe one day he'll calm down but now he never seems relaxed. Foot through everything dives into every tackle.
That's actually us pal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slare
Glad Hibs got relegated today. They are an awful football team.
they are. So are Hearts, fuck them both. And fuck you as well you Hun bastard (lol kid-on)
Thought hearts young team at least showed a bit of something towards end of the seasonQuote:
Originally Posted by Fanny
but I hate them mate
Yeah as a club they are a fucking mess. I can't see how this ends without them being liquidated
Some games to actually look forward to. If we still exist.
They've just been taken over haven't they? They should be ok. The Championship is going to be the best league in Scotland next season which is madness. Gutted Dunfermline were so awful last weekend and blew their chance to be in it.
Well it will be the most competitive for sure.
I've seen a few people say it'll be the "best" league in Scotland next season, how the fuck do you work that one out? Obviously Hearts and Rangers have ended up there for non footballing reasons but Hibs are dire and so are the rest of the teams in the Championship. Obviously it'll be more competitive than the SPL, but it always is.
Competitition and excitement wise. In terms of fanbase Hibs and Hearts are right behind Rangers and Celtic, now three of them are in the second tier with a load of other well supported teams.
Hearts and Hibs are not RIGHT behind Celtic and Rangers in terms of fanbase, they are miles behind. They're both behind Aberdeen as well.
It's always been a more competitive league. If anything next season will be less competitive cause we know Rangers will win with the other 2 finishing second and third. It will probably be the most interesting league in Scotland next year but the standard is still way below that of the top tier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
you are a fucking insane person Andy
Well right behind as in number 3 and 4. Maybe Aberdeen would have something to say about that but you know what I mean. Attendances in that division are going to be much higher than the SPL.
They did. If it wasn't for their points deduction they would have finished above Hibs. That has more to do with Hibs' capitulation than anything else though.Quote:
Originally Posted by son_of_foley
I thought so too, it seemed inevitable but by all accounts they will be fine now.Quote:
Originally Posted by son_of_foley
The crazy thing is at least one of them and Hibs will have at least 2 seasons in The Championship.
I could end up being completely wrong but I don't see Rangers walking this league.
They won't, that is such a fallacy
I have always thought of Aberdeen and Dundee United as the 3rd and 4th biggest teams in scotland. Might just be me remembering their european adventures growing up and seeing them actually win the scottish league in the 80's.
i almost hope we dont go up so we can get rid of sally.
i think people around the ages of wardy and myself would be inclined to see hearts as the 3rd force in scotland due to their success' while we've been growing up.
fan base wise aberdeen are undoubtedly third behind rangers and celtic.
i'm interested to see the old firms season ticket numbers for next season. i already have spoken to several season ticket holders at parkhead who will be chucking their tickets for next season if coyle is appointed and well rangers season ticket issues are being pretty well documented.
I think Jackie McNamara would be a decent shout for next Celtic manager. Better choice then Coyle anyway.
If Coyle is appointed manager I'm chucking my fucking TV out the window.
can't see them going for jackie.
larsson would be mad to take it, if it goes wrong it could tarnish his legend status.
moyes will want cash a plenty.
lambert isn't going anywhere.
coyle is cheap and a massive tim. the finger really points towards him.
im still stunned steve clarke hasn't been linked at all. i think he would do an amazing job for yous.
You will end up being completely wrong. Rangers will stroll to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
MacNamara would be too underwhelming a choice for Celtic fans. I really don't know who it will be but stuck a fiver on Darren Ferguson at 33/1.
:no: Poor show mate. On both accounts.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeHunt
haha! slightly over the top tbf.Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidUK
honestly david do you think that sally has performed to even a mediocre level in both the transfer market and on the park?
considering "quality" of the players he has bought, i would of expected us to be playing at least mildly attractive football considering the opposition.
Personally i think that McCoist should of left when we were relegated. Someone else who was experienced in managing at those levels should of been brought in, I would of liked Allan Moore. In fact i would still like Allan Moore to become our manager.
Aberdeen are definitely the third biggest team in Scotland. I'll refrain from saying force because they're obviously nothing but also rans but*they definitely have an impressive history and have had some quality teams over the yearsQuote:
Originally Posted by Gary J
Aberdeen are definitely 3rd in my eyes due to their past history. I've always thought breaking up the old firm monopoly was Alex Ferguson's most impressive managerial achievement.
I reckon Rangers will win it quite comfortably in the end, maybe by about 7-10 points. I just think their squad is too good for the division, regardless of who's in charge.
MikeHunt, I'm thinking Steve Clarke or Malky Mackay. Clarke's into 5th favourite in the betting now.
Yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeHunt
We played 36 league matches this season, won 33 and drawn 3, a total of 102 points and 106 goals scored. What more do you want? He took us to the Scottish Cup semi-final where, for the most part, we out played a Dundee Utd.
Us not playing attractive football is a poor argument - we simply don't have the players for it, and it would never be the most effective way of getting through the leagues we have been playing in the last few seasons. He has done exactly as required; won both leagues at a canter, banging in goals along the way and with a great defensive record to boot. I don't see how Ally can be criticised for anything - especially considering how he has stood by us and carried himself over the last few years. The attitude from a lot of Rangers fans towards Ally recently, you included it would seem, has been appaling.
Any chance of Martin O'Neill going back to Celtic?
I'd go along with what you say there except I would be surprised if it was anything less than a margin of 15-20 points.Quote:
Originally Posted by wardy
This is all of course if nothing drastic happens behind the scenes at Ibrox in the summer. If we go in with much the same squad as we have now then I can't see anything other than us winning the league comfortably.
Owen Coyle would be an abysmal appointment for Celtic.
Michael Laudrup apparently. Lol
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Originally Posted by Peter Griffin
Thats bloody heart-warming that is. Feel horrible for the guy.
really? good appointment if so.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slare
in fact was weighorst not his assistant at Swansea?
Aye thats true actually. Talksport and twitter saying we've opened talks with him so who knows. What an appointment that would be.
that would be serious business.
Poor Fernando, what a fucking cruel disease.
I bloody loved Ricksen he was an absolute beast for us, especially against you lot. as fanny says its such a horrible disease, the deterioration is so so quick.
Ricksen was of that special breed in that special era when there was actually banter and camaraderie between us lot. There were a great bunch of Rangers players from then that I loved to hate, but didn't actually hate, if you know what I mean. They made the Old Firm. Really grateful to guys like Ricksen for that sort of memory and feeling growing up.
the feeling is mutual here. the early 2000's were my favorite times to watch the old firm. i mean i loved watching the likes of larsson, lubo, lambert, petrov ect. the only player from round that time i genuinely hated was sutton, fucking english bastard.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fanny
:heart: Fernando. I bloody loved him when he was at Rangers.
The middle pic gets me, pure emotion on his face.
I had never actually thought about that but youre completely right. I think there were maybe players there who had been around the block and weren't getting as wound up as everyone else, like your Hartsons, Suttons, Thompsons and the like. The games were cracking games of football and you knew the guys were mates off pitch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fanny
Put that up agasint the likes of the 'shame game' and you see how much the rise of ultras, sally and lennon soured things.
When did Charlie Mulgrew become a good player? I always remembered him as an average left back with a good free kick on him at Aberdeen but he's always seemed class for Celtic and Scotland. Great goal there.
Should have won that game. Still a draw with Nigeria isn't a bad result by any means.
mulgrews finish was absolutely outstanding. disappointed to lose a goal so late but still a decent result. we look confident and comfortable when in possession and i can't ever remember a scotland team being like that.
This is the best I've ever seen scotland play pover a prolonged period of time. Some of the passing moves last night were glorious