The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

[Milltown Row2]

I support Celtic and no other, they're my team and don't give a toss about any other soccer team. I've been at Parkhead from i'm 8 year old. Armagh is the only other team i follow (except club of course). If Armagh was in an All Ireland final and Celtic in a Champions league final at same time i honestly don't know what i'd do...

That's safe, never going to happen 

[southderryman]

Well,if the unthinkable happens (and I certainly wouldn't invest heavily in Celtic getting through) could Rodgers survive this? I doubt it.He could never win the fans over

Any sane individual and realistic Celtic supporter would be realistic to know that it's basically the same poor squad as last year. In fact this time last year the defence had van dijk holding it together. The man isn't a miracle worker. I don't expect us to get through. It will be a great achievement if we do. Next year's qualifiers is the time when Rodgers should be judged, once he's got a couple of transfer windows over him. He's still got a massive amount of deadwood eating up wages that he needs to get shot off first

[clarshack]

caught the last 20 mins, celtic looked ok.  no surprises forrest missed though- no bottle at all 

[T Fearon]

He is on a one year rolling contract.He may not be there next year.It is one of the core seasonal targets of the Celtic manager,regardless of who he is.Ronny was expected to get the team into the group stages a mere few weeks after his arrival.Rodgers on his record salary,and with time and funds to beef the squad up,as they progress through the qualifying rounds,will have this not unreasonable expectation as well.

[southderryman]

He is on a one year rolling contract.He may not be there next year.It is one of the core seasonal targets of the Celtic manager,regardless of who he is.Ronny was expected to get the team into the group stages a mere few weeks after his arrival.Rodgers on his record salary,and with time and funds to beef the squad up,as they progress through the qualifying rounds,will have this not unreasonable expectation as well.

Again, any sane individual would have known the first year was too soon for Ronnie. He was only in position a few weeks. Last year was what normal people judged him on.

I don't understand your beef with Rodgers.

He has let been able to significantly improve the squad yet. Astana were unbeaten at home in the group stages of the CL last year, including against the team who lost the final on penalties. Meanwhile we couldn't win a game in the Europa league. That shows you the difference in the teams and where we stand at the minute. This tie is going to be extremely tough. And if we don't get through the manager shouldn't be judged on it, it's too soon.

You say he's had time, it's only been a matter of weeks.  You're being entirely unrealistic.

And I'm quite aware of his contract situation, it's the same as every other manager we've had in the last 16 years. It's a safeguard that the club puts in place to protect themselves financially. No manager would come in with the view to being gone within a year. Things at Celtic need to be looked at long term, there's no quick fix as we don't have the financial resources to go down that road

[T Fearon]

CEO says it at every AGM,Champions League group qualification is not an objective but a necessity at least every third year to support the business model.Rodgers is the highest paid manager in Celtic's history,and was appointed in good time,with the requisite funding,to sort out the squad to fulfil this objective.It will be a massive failure if he doesn't.

It's the same with all big jobs,Marks and Spencer etc bring in new CEOs to achieve immediate improvements and results.There is no honeymoon period.

[southderryman]

CEO says it at every AGM,Champions League group qualification is not an objective but a necessity at least every third year to support the business model.Rodgers is the highest paid manager in Celtic's history,and was appointed in good time,with the requisite funding,to sort out the squad to fulfil this objective.It will be a massive failure if he doesn't.

It's the same with all big jobs,Marks and Spencer etc bring in new CEOs to achieve immediate improvements and results.There is no honeymoon period.

It's not Rodgers fault that we didn't qualify the previous 2 years.

You're still spouting nonsense about adequate time and money. You clearly have little understanding of football if that's the case. The players were in holiday when Rodgers was appointed. He's only had a matter of weeks to work with them. Under normal circumstances that very little time, but it's even more of a challenge when it's getting fellas back for preseason when he needs to get them back to fitness before being able to assess their full capability. 

I see you also completely ignored the facts about the opposition.  Do you not like dealing in facts Tony?

Another fact is he's spent next to no money. Compensation from dumbele and toure in a free who's only officially signing today

The squad wasn't good enough to win a game in the Europa league last year. It's barely changed yet you're expecting miracles. Wise up and stop letting whatever issue you have with Rodgers cloud your judgement

[T Fearon]

That is where he earns his £2m salary,by solving problems and meeting targets.The squad he inherited was too big but there is enough quality there with a few additions (for which he was given funds) to get into the group stages,providing of course they are properly managed.

As I say there is no hiding place or honeymoons at this level.Season ticket sales etc have all taken place on the realistic expectation that Champions League group qualification will be achieved.Major setback if this target is not achieved.Of course there are no easy opponents,from here on in.That does not excuse failure

[Main Street]

Tony, I was sure you only had one Celtic share  to get you in the door at AGM, to hobnob a bit.

Unrealistic expectations,. Ronny's team performed much better in his first year than in his 2nd season in Europe.
The squad Ronnie left behind  may have potential to be good enough to qualify but wasn't when he left and not much has changed. Rodgers would need a season to build it up. If Rodgers does manage to get Celtic into the CLgroup stages with this squad, then it will be one of his greatest managerial achievements so far.

The expectations from realistic fans are, credible performance in the EL group stages but most importantly win the spl. title and  beat Rangers.

[southderryman]

That is where he earns his £2m salary,by solving problems and meeting targets.The squad he inherited was too big but there is enough quality there with a few additions (for which he was given funds) to get into the group stages,providing of course they are properly managed.

As I say there is no hiding place or honeymoons at this level.Season ticket sales etc have all taken place on the realistic expectation that Champions League group qualification will be achieved.Major setback if this target is not achieved.Of course there are no easy opponents,from here on in.That does not excuse failure

Tell me more about these funds he was given? I must have missed that

There is a distinct lack of quality in the squad. We need a centre half. We have a ridiculous amount of midfielders and the majority are woeful....we have likes of biton who is gutless and brown who is done. The fact we look better when we these 2 dont play and mcgregor plays in the centre speaks volumea. Griffiths has done well domestically but doesn't cut it in Europe.  Dumbele is just a young lad and needs time to develop

Again you're sitting him up for a fall. If you honestly believe that squad is good enough to qualify for the CL then you're not worth debating with

Season ticket sales have primarily been based on those who abandoned us when the going got tough returning as they thought the board was showing ambition, which they haven't yet backed up with transfer funds. I've spoken with hundreds of Celtic supporters since Rodgers was appointed, very few expect CL qualification based on the current. They still bought their season tickets because they support the club not on a conditional basis of what they think should be achieved

[southderryman]

Tony, I was sure you only had one Celtic share  to get you in the door at AGM, to hobnob a bit.

Unrealistic expectations,. Ronny's team performed much better in his first year than in his 2nd season in Europe.
The squad Ronnie left behind  may have potential to be good enough to qualify but wasn't when he left and not much has changed. Rodgers would need a season to build it up. If Rodgers does manage to get Celtic into the CLgroup stages with this squad, then it will be one of his greatest managerial achievements so far.

The expectations from realistic fans are, credible performance in the EL group stages but most importantly win the spl. title and  beat Rangers.

Some sanity 

[T Fearon]

Ronny achieved all of that,it wasn't good enough.Rodgers is not being paid millions to achieve mediocrity.Champions League group qualification should be and is a realistic attainment in return for such a huge salary.After all it's not as if you have to beat the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona to qualify.

[southderryman]

Ronny achieved all of that,it wasn't good enough.Rodgers is not being paid millions to achieve mediocrity.Champions League group qualification should be and is a realistic attainment in return for such a huge salary.After all it's not as if you have to beat the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona to qualify.

Do you go out of your way to ignore the obvious? The man said that was achieved in the first year under deila.

It was plainly obvious we were going backwards in his second season. We didn't win any of our 10 last European games under Ronny. The semi final and the cowardly way he set the team up was the straw that broke the camels back.

And again, you mention the opposition.  Take a look at Astanas results at home last season. Compare that with ours.

If we manage to get through that, it gets even more difficult in the next round. Stop looking at names and face facts, we're miles off champions league standard. As main Street says, qualification would be a fanatic achievement

[T Fearon]

Why are we paying the manager a huge,record salary? To repeat winning the SPL? A team of Celtic's  stature and budget (in comparison to most others in the qualification rounds),and seeding, should realistically expect to qualify for the Champions League every year.This is not an unrealistic expectation.Astana's budget is no where near Celtic's.This will be a massive failure,for which there will be no excuse.You pay a manager a big salary and you expect him to deliver big results

[Il Bomber Destro]

Because the huns are back and Deila wouldn't cut the mustard.