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Be Careful Tonight Bhoys & Ghirls

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Tonight our club plays a game in Turkey which is absolutely meaningless in terms of what the result can accomplish.

I think it’s a continuing credit to our supporters that any of them are willing to attend such a non-event, but many have travelled there regardless.

Be careful tonight, Bhoys.

Things in Turkey are tense, as they are across the continent at the moment, and it’s a country which is known for giving what we’ll characterise as a “difficult reception” to fans hailing from this sunny isle at the best of times.

Our supporters have a great reputation abroad, and some skirmishes with the Amsterdam police aren’t going to change that … but this is probably the worst time in years for any supporter from a UK club to be walking around Istanbul.

I have friends amongst the travelling faithful tonight, and my mind will be on them getting home safely to a far greater degree than it’ll be concentrated with what goes on out on the park.

I think this might be a really poor night for the team – completing a really poor tournament so far – and as such I’m tempering any expectations I have about the game.

Our European adventures this season have been disastrous; I can’t put it more plainly than that.

The tactics have been generally awful, the performances often lamentable, the results about as bad as we could have got.

We’re on course to finish with the lowest points tally of a Scottish club in the group stages of a European competition ever.

Not good enough, Celtic.

Not good enough by a long way.

So I’ll watch tonight with no great enthusiasm, and with interest only in seeing if the team can salvage a little pride.

I’m not hopeful.

Fenerbahce needs a result to give themselves a shot at qualification; I expect them to be fired up and ready to roll.

As I said earlier, my main concern is for my fellow fans, and that everyone gets home alright.

I have no doubts that they’ll behave with their customary good humour and decency, and I hope the home supporters behave in the same way.

For once my mind won’t be totally on the football, just on everyone returning in one piece and none the worse for the experience.

Enjoy yourselves out there, folks … and take care.

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  • schoosh71 says:

    I think that playing in Europe you need at least 8 players playing at the top of their game to compete. When you look through the squad I don’t think any of the players have been anywhere near their best form especially in Europe. Tonight they’ve another opportunity to prove they can cut it at this level. HH

  • swiss says:

    “The tactics have been generally awful, the performances often lamentable, the results about as bad as we could have got.”…….Yes James that sums it up perfectly.

    The main thing tonight is about the travelling fans getting home safely…..like you have said.
    On the football side I just wish our manager would keep his mouth shut…..”we would not lose eight against Real” etc etc…….have had enough of his” seeing progress” nonsense….”.getting ready for next years CL”. I don’t think it has been a case of our players being out of form, more of a case to say they should not be in the team OR at the club in the first place,
    managers tactics?…..I don’t wish to even go there.

    HH…………safely home guys.

  • Jimbo says:

    Our recent buys are simply not Euro class. Add to them a goalkeeper who does not know how to catch a football and its easy to see why we’ve been caught up in this European nightmare for the last year or two. This is the worst Celtic team in living memory – Lawell must release the funds to get in some proven Euro talent.

  • STELLBHOY says:

    GOOD LUCK BHOYS N GHIRLS

    KEEP SAFE AND LOOK AFTER ONE ANOTHER. Y N W A ~ HAIL ???? HAIL

  • swiss says:

    An improved performance tonight BUT how many times did Biton give the ball away with his stupid fancy dan turns…….Gordon just unlucky but did have a few nice saves other than that.
    10 Million for Biton?…….Celtic should bite any clubs hand off if they were daft enough to offer that….which they wont!
    HH

  • Ken beattie says:

    I’m on the instanbul trip with 6 mates, got to say we’ve had a brilliant time here and met nothing but good guys, willing to speak and have a laugh,usual great away trip, yeah we’ve heard of one “battle” outside a pub but what I’ve heard it was usual neddy wee shites that were at it…same as in our support throwing flares over the head of your own fans,what the fuk possesses them to do that!!!!!! Anyway home later on to give the liver a breather, HH

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