Before I start, this is not a dig at Celtic.
Celtic, I’m 100% sure, will want to play the European fixture next week and if the club has a say in it, they will do that without hesitation.
But if the SPFL gets a concession from UEFA that the game should be off, and that’s the decision that is taken, then the Ukrainians at Shakhtar will be fully entitled to ask to be awarded the win.
I’ve read some ridiculous stuff in the last 24 hours, and I have no doubt that it will get even more ridiculous as what is bound to be a long, ghastly and surreal week goes on, but the idea that British clubs should have some right to cast all of European football into chaos by demanding and getting postponements is one of the dumbest.
I know why Ibrox is keen on this; as their game with Aberdeen has been called off, they are facing the third straight rout in a row if their game with Napoli goes ahead, and they and others will absolutely moan and groan and bitch at having to play during a “national mourning period”.
Tough though.
UEFA should take a hard line on this.
If they don’t, if they leave it up to the national associations, and the national associations decide that our clubs won’t take part in these fixtures then Hell should be paid and the opponents of all the UK clubs should be raising the roof over it.
Whilst this island will indulge itself in fantasy for the next 10 days the rest of the world will not, and I think the idea of postponing the fixtures for British clubs would be especially grotesque and offensive to those whose country is presently fighting a war.
If their clubs are capable of playing football, then so are ours.
British clubs who want to be excused from their games should have the right not to turn up for them, but their opponents should be awarded the matches.
Bad enough that our governing bodies inflict this on us, but we have no right whatsoever to force other countries and clubs in those countries to swallow this too.
Telling a club whose nation is fighting for its very survival that our teams shouldn’t have to play because some ancient national figure has popped her clogs would be a shocker, and if they responded to that with outrage, we should not be in the least bit surprised.
The SPFL is actually talking about suspending next weekend’s games as well.
Quite where they intend to find the space for two re-scheduled league games I do not know, but I do know that there is no room whatsoever for re-scheduled Champions League games.
Their Group stages have to be over by the time the World Cup comes around.
They are not going to indulge this nonsense, and I am convinced of that.
But I do know that some of our political class and some in football will stamp their feet and make the demand nonetheless. I can see it being left up to clubs in the ultimate cop-out.
If Ibrox wants to postpone, well I call that running scared.
But I would be astonished if we did the same.
Warsaw beckons, and we will be on that plane.
Those who are asking for the UEFA games to be postponed – including Europa and Conference League – need to do one thing before the request is taken seriously: they need to find an acceptable date on the calendar for when these matches will be made up without compromising the calendar for all of Europe. UEFA can’t and won’t agree to a postponement until that’s been addressed.
Believe it or not, I don’t think the European games getting postponed is outwith the bounds of possibility. UEFA made a rod for their own back with things like this 20 years ago when they cancelled a set of fixtures following the 11th September attacks…. an incident on another continent. Then as now, I couldn’t see the World Series or the SuperBowl being cancelled in the wake of a similar event on European soil.
Another load of nonsense. The games will only be postponed with UEFA and the club’s agreement.
There will be no awarding of points. The games will simply be replayed at a later date. Sometimes you feel you have to write stuff just to keep your ego placated.
Tony, what later date is available during the small time frame we have wherein the CL Group games are to be played? Do we postpone domestic games to accommodate it and do you really think that our International opponents would buy into these changes. Get real!
What do you think the reaction would be if the Ukranians sought a postponement to mark the number of war dead in their country? If the President or PM of Italy were to die suddenly would sevco be happy to accept a postponement? (Setting aside their current lack of form) In both of these scenarios, the response would be. “Sorry. But you have to get on with it. If you want to play in the tournament, you have to fulfill your fixtures.”
It is hard to argue against that position. The blazers need an injection of reality.
I agree with the principal point in your article that European games should not be cancelled but your comments regarding the passing of our Queen are abhorrent and I hope don’t reflect the views of Celtic supporters
She might have been YOUR queen Peter, but she is certainly not mine.
Shite
Not mine either Peter, let’s get on with it, people die everyday, the Ukrainian war is more important than this old lady dying
I think you’re on the wrong site with thé ‘I hope don’t reflect the views of Celtic supporters’.
It’s obvious from this phraseology that you’re not one as in if you were one you would not need to ask.
While it’s true that not all Celtic fans share the Irish and or Catholic heritage it is by far and away the most common denominator and I would be extremely surprised even disappointed if any on them was a Royalist.
She was not my Queen nor will Charles ever be my King.
I am no one’s Subject.
Even omitting my Irish Catholic heritage from the argument the fact is that in the 21st Century no one should have their status as an individual person be proscribed in law as a ‘Subject’. That is just another word for Slave.
Monarchy is not just an anachronism in the modern age it is an affront to the population as a whole and inconsistent with the true meaning of Democracy.
Whether we have a true Democracy at all is another argument in itself.
You stay subservient to a monarchy that watches it’s people starve or freeze to death not my Queen and certainly not my King
Shaktar, having convincingly won their first game, will highly fancy their chances of beating us and accumulating 6 points, hence having a great chance of capturing the 2nd place in the group. There is no way that they will willingly agree to a postponement and quite rightly so, they want to play us as soon as possible and assert themselves before they have to face Real Madrid. We of course intend to spoil that notion and also want to get the game over with as soon as possible. In my opinion the game will go ahead.
If CL games are forfeited Celtic will have to give 60,000 people £43 back. sevco will have to give 50,000 people £60 back. Won’t happen. HH
My bad. Celts faraway from home next week. HH
I read it and didn’t even notice, thinking to myself good point Finbar LOL
would the huns settle for a cancelled game and get a 0-3 awarded to Napoli? might be a better result.
Well and truly said, the whole thing is Nonsense. At the very least a minutes silence (optional) but this world is ruined by the same people who are making these ridiculous rules
Suburb piece of writing, as pointed out the team that we are playing there county is at war and if our powers at be decided that our clubs should not commit to playing I find it disgraceful
No games should be cancelled, especially European ones.
She was never my queen just as her son will never reign over me. That she was among us speech by the labour party leader was vomit inducing i wonder if he really believes that or said it just to save face because in reality it is a lie.
This over the top reaction to the death of the best paid Public Sector worker in the country is embarrassing. Elizabeth had a long and what looked like a very happy life with plenty of perks. The reaction of a section of the people of the UK is verging on hysterical and would rival North Korea in orchestrated stupidity.
To cancel sport and entertainment during this period by a bunch of Axxe licking Idiots is par for the course.
I’m pretty sure the game in Warsaw will go ahead and Celtic should be actively telling UEFA that this is what they want, any UK team who refuse to play should forfeit the game.
God forbid either you want a laugh watching the telly,that is verbotten.the whole situation is farcical even the finest satirists couldn’t write this any better
Thank you for stating so clearly in print the thoughts that are rattling around inside my head.
And what about the rugger and cwicet back on for the knobs and toffs but us low class rubbish denied the fitba and hurses you couldnae make it up come the revolution fill every lamppost in the land with them
We all know where the SPFL stand on this, they are all loyalist and Royalists at Heart, so don’t expect any favours. Today, 10/09/22 Cricket game went on, England v South Africa, what is that all about, the Gentleman’s and Blue Bloods favourite pastime
It’s funny to me that her favourite sport horse racing wasn’t cancelled can anybody please enlighten me as to why that is for life of me I can not think of reason why the football is cancelled yet the horse racing isn’t can sumbody please explain the reasoning to why that is new king in place no not dodgy dave Charlie the bag man it’s Charles the 3d