29 Aug 2025 14:07:49
Fairly happy with the draw, if we get our act together there is more than enough points there to see us through.
Really excited to be in Europa League for a change, seeing us listed among the top10 favs to actually win it at around 20s. Nobody in the competition we should be scared of, they consistently get to the latter stages of it so we should expect the same.
And the prospect of a Glasgow derby in the play-off round is very real which would be epic!
29 Aug 2025 14:24:18
The last thing I want is for us to be drawn against the young Govan team . I certainly see no benefit in having us involved with a club who in the last 25 years cheated to the extend they were liquidated and died and with assistance from SFA and SPL conned their way into existence. There should be many clubs like ourselves honest and decent and deserving of a play off place.
29 Aug 2025 14:26:13
It is a competition not one Celtic fan wanted to be in! Personally couldn't care less about it. The League is the priority now. The secondary cup competitions should be used as an opportunity to develop our own talent?.
29 Aug 2025 15:18:46
Why would any Celtic fan (or fan of any team really) not want to be in it?
There are 2 competitions, these are the options;
Competition A - Best case scenario, we avoid getting hammered on multiple occasions, ride our luck and make it to the last 16 where we put up a fight but ultimately lose out in a glorious defeat.
Competition B - Best case scenario, we win it!
Please explain why anyone would rather be in Competition A over Competition B? (unless you are a bean counter and hoping for a large dividend)
{Ed007's Note - We've got as much chance of winning the EL this season as we have the CL so I'd rather we concentrate on winning the 3 domestic trophies than win the "we had a good EL run" cup. I'd use the EL to get some youngsters into the team.
Playing in the CL doesn't just pay more money, it raises the profile of the Club & it allows us to attract better players who want to play at that level, it also allows us to ask higher for fees for our own players who play well in the CL and it helps attract better and more lucrative sponsorship deals.
If you're going to get pumped for beans you're as well getting as much beans as possible out the deal.}
29 Aug 2025 15:41:21
I would take 9th to 16th place before a ball is kicked.
Celtic would then be at home in the 2nd leg of the knockout round.
According to our Coefficient points we should be finishing just outside in 17th place.
29 Aug 2025 15:50:34
I'm not expecting us to win it, but fact remains it is possible, they got to the final a few years ago, literally no one in the competition we couldn't beat if things go our way. CL is impossible for a club like us to win.
Raises the profile is nonsense - will anyone think any more of Kairat, Qarabag, Pafos or the like just because they are in the CL? No they won't, same goes for us. That's all propaganda, spin, call it what you want. The CL is a closed shop, a ba'hair away from the ESL. They don't want us in it, I don't want to be in it, the money is irrelevant - we don't spend it, our budget is set on EL group stage, always has been always will be.
{Ed007's Note - Well everyone's talking about Kairat & Qarabag this week so I guess that's raised their profile, before they played Celtic how many people had even heard of Kairat and how many have now? Is that not raising their profile?
The EL is a joke competition, a diddy tournament so to speak, I'd rather not have the hassle of Thursday/Sunday games, and I'm sure the fans that travel from all over to Celtic Park would say the same, there's another plus to playing in the CL, there is no fixture disruption affecting thousands of supporters.}
29 Aug 2025 15:55:55
The prestige, club profile and reputation is always enhanced by the CL - even though iy is fixed, manipulated and totally misnamed.
Yes, we got several hammerings from the mega-rich teams but the team held it's own in last seasons new format and the club made millions.
The EL is probably our current level, but that could be deflected onto the Board for not investing some of those £m's in the team.
The bottom line is we are in the EL and will make the most of it, despite the increase in Sunday and irregular Ko times ahead.
29 Aug 2025 15:55:59
Totally agree. It benefits us in many ways to be at the top table, financially in prize money, financially in player sales and financially in sponsorship. Bet Adidas are delighted we are in EL.
Win our own 3 trophies, build a stronger team to get through the 20 qualifying rounds next year and blood our younger players in EL.
It eould be great to do well in it, but our priority is and must be progression in CL.
Bodo and Brugge are showing us the way, we have the finances to do it and our current Manager has been beating that drum since he came back.
The message just needs to get through to the board, to strengthen early and strengthen appropriately, so we can become regular participants in the latter stages of the CL.
Sadly I cannot see our current Manager being here to push us forward but whoever does arrive, they should get the support to get us to where we should be.
29 Aug 2025 16:02:51
I would love to know what's changed from Tuesday to now we're going to go deep in Europa, I'm sorry but nothings going to change this season, maybe next season new manager new tactics + players but forget Europe this season.
29 Aug 2025 16:08:45
I keep hearing about progression in the CL too, where does that end? What are people expecting or hoping to achieve and whatever that is would you honestly prefer it over winning a European trophy?
In 30 years time is anyone going to look back fondly recalling the decade we spent establishing ourselves as a “Champions League club”, as opposed to an alternative reality in which we win the Europa League.
I know I’m in the minority, I’ve said my piece!
Onwards to Sunday and hopefully retire Russell Martin!
{Ed007's Note - You can't seriously think Celtic have a chance of winning the EL this season, Gerry?}
29 Aug 2025 16:26:17
Honestly, yes I do believe we have a chance - to equate it to domestic football, probably about the same chance as Motherwell winning the Scottish Cup, unlikely but not impossible.
Last season I would have fancied us to give it a good go, and in future years we may well be better equipped, my point is not necessarily about this season, just in general, I'd rather win the Europa League than raise our profile and make money from Champions League.
{Ed007's Note - And we'd get automatic entry to the CL if we do win the EL.}
29 Aug 2025 17:28:31
Gerry surely an explanation is not required as to why we'd rather be in the CL than the EL?
29 Aug 2025 18:06:12
Brendan doesn't want to push Celtic forward, he just wants to push his reputation forward.