Celtic made it through to tomorrows draw for the Champions League stages despite losing 4-3 to Astana in Khazakstan.
The Khazaks started the game five down, scored four,and finished it needing five more to qualify.
When the sides went in level at half time, thanks to Scott Sinclair equalising to offset Astan’s opener, there was only one thing the home side would do when they came out, and they did it quite well, scoring three more to give more than a few of us an excuse to add toilet roll to our weekly shopping lists.
Buckled and bent but ultimately unbroken, the Celts rallied around the inspirational Olivier Ntcham, who scored to ease our nerves, and by the time Leigh Griffiths found the net again, most of us figured we’d probably get at least a draw.
Olivier Ntcham…
Zidane said “if you watch a game you won’t see Ntcham, if you watch Ntcham you’ll see the whole game”
The record aggregate score for a play off tie of 8-4 is what will go down in the history books, but for about twenty minutes, the side had to show a steely character that perhaps will not be remembered for what it was.
UEFA Retweeted Champions League
A piece of European football history was made tonight 
Apart from that spell, Celtic performed well, and the battering they came back from as Astana threw everything they had at the players could have broken a lesser team.
But it didn’t.
And thats that.
In fact, had we lost the first leg 4-3 over there, and returned to Glasgow to win 5-0 we’d have been talking about one of the greatest nights and results of our clubs history.
The bhoys done good.
The manager was relieved…
“Welcome to the annual Be’er Sheva moment,”
“When the second goal went in, that was a good moment for us.
“We turned the momentum of the game then. The players were shocked with the goals we conceded but once we got the second goal the calmness came back into the team and that leads into the third goal and we defended much better then.
“But I think it is a yearly thing these moments.
“We have gone through this qualification phase really well but we had to withstand that and we have seen it before, teams maybe crumbling away and all of a sudden you have a shock result.
“But in the end we had 19 attempts at goal and the domination of possession but I still want want us and expect us to be better.
“I am very happy and pleased to come though the six qualification games, especially against a team like Astana who are a good side.”
He looked forward to the group stages, and possibly even beyond…
“Our aim was firstly to qualify, it’s big achievement with the route we have to take and the games we have to play. That was the first target.
“What we would like to do is progress this year and be in European football after Christmas.
“We are going to play against some fantastic players in the Champions League, the highest club level, and the players will improve and if we can be in European football after Christmas that will be another great step forward for us.
“We look forward to the draw. It is brilliant for the club and for Glasgow, the city.
“It is not just about the football, it is about the nation and what it does economically and commercially, what Champions League football brings to Glasgow. It is absolutely fantastic.”
I concur, and the Clydeside Expressway was used to show us how much the city appreciates it
All those cars going too fast to be captured by the cameras have occupants that may still be feeling a little blue about the whole thing..
Their support will never be on side, despite their cash strapped club earning around a quarter of a million pounds from Celtic’s progress, which is more than they earned from their match against Progres.
At least their gaffer has gone out of his way to say thanks.
Pickles on twitter celebrated by donning Khazak national dress and offering his commiserations..
Fuck you Borat! And fuck you Kazakhstan. Champions League here we come!
We are concerned that this image, which we believe was taken during last nights party at the Embassy over in the former Soviet state , is representative of the standrard of diplomat now being employed by the government, and demand an explanation.
Ah, wait, we’ve got one…
Fuck you Borat! And fuck you Kazakhstan. Champions League here we come!
Another who may have got himself into trouble with his tweet last night was Moussa Dembele, who couldn;t resist a dig at our friends from over the river…
Mind you, even the BBC were at it..
The state funded broadcaster did, however, draw the line at showing footage from the eclipse , which was visible all over Scotland and most of Europe yesterday…
Unless Liverpool are eliminated by Hoffenheim tonight, the Celts will be in Pot 4.
As it stands, the Reds are 2-1 ahead and are playing at home tonight, so its more than likely we’ll stay in Pot 4. that will make it difficult to progress, but we’re due a bit of luck and so maybe we’ll avoid the “glamour “ties until the knock out phase.
You can pick your own favoured group from this…
Spartak Moscow, Seville and Anderlecht would do me very well thank you.
We’ll wait until after Christmas for this years Nou Firm game, if you don’t mind.
There has been a little bit of movement on the transger front. Not as much as the collective bowel movements of last night, but movement all the same.
An agreement has been made with Ajax Cape Town to sign Rivaldo coetzee, the young centre half who has already played 22 times for his national side.
Brendan Rogers let us into the loop with an update..
“Well, I believe there’s been an agreement but obviously there’s medical and whatnot to go through,”
“He’s an outstanding young player that we think can help us but it’s not complete yet.”
He’s obviously in his pre-season as well but it’s not just for the now it’s for the longer term,”
“He’s a player that can come straight in.
“He’s a full international player and he’s got great qualities, good defensive qualities and if we can get that done then it’ll be a very good signing for us.
And Patrick Roberts ?
Is this why Pater Lawwell was at the Etihad the other night ?
It certainly wouldn’t have been for the entertainment on show.
There is talk of another player joining from the English based club, and indeed questions are being asked down there about how Celtic are getting so much more out of their cast offs than they could.
Well, perhaps they could look at the guy who was running that department, who has now moved over to Glasgow…
The other player mentioned could well be a defender.
Rumours grew in strength concerning Jozo Simunovic , who didn’t feature last night. And was found sitting by himself in a bar reading this..
Then there was the sighting of Erik Svaitchenko at Copenhagen airport, where he is expected to meet with officials from Copenhagen and then sign for them.
So, along with coetzee, could we see another central defender come in ?
From Manchester city ?
His career has gone backwards, and may well be thinking about what could have been…
Speaking of going backwards…
Things are coming to a head at Ibrox.
You can tell, as it seems even their PR and marketing has dropped down a notch…
Now, what on earth could possibly
make them think they are “all stupid ” ?
Though the scales are beginning to fall from their eyes…
Then theres the covering around the big glass windows at Ibrox…
If they had realised their club had vanished when it did, and not fell for this “it was the company nonsense, then they may well have been well on their way to establishing a powerful new rival in the spirit of the old club.
But instead, they pretended nothing was wrong, and gave all their money to a few shysters.
Haven’t any of them questioned why they are the odd one out in this picture.. ?
Has it not occured to them that there’s a reason why none of the others used a holding company and then pretended nothing had happened ?
Mind you, we have solved the mystery behind one “iconic ” image…
It seems we finally do know “what he was thinking “..
The diary yesterday was one I didn’t want to have to write, but the message is simple.
There will be no abuse tolerated any more .
When you type a reply, or an opinion, leave out the bit at the end where you give an opinion on the poster.
The rules on comments are fairly lax, its an open debating chamber, and thats the way we want it to stay, with no censorship.
However, and this is the last time I’ll say it, if you want to abuse each other, then do it somewhere else.
Because that is what will happen.
The caption from Monday…
Caption; just take the ferking picture….I’m not falling for….it’s behind you pish again!!!
Today, another from the same page..
