Celtic Diary Tuesday November 25: Why Aren’t The Austrians Worried ?

Theres a couple of things worrying me about the rest of the Europa campaign.

For the first time in a million years, give or take an hour or so, a team is coming to Celtic Park on European business, a team that the hoops already gained a draw with in the away match, and I’m not confident of a win. A win, of course, is necessary to avoid the scenario of a trip to Zagreb needing a point.

Victory over Red Bull Salzburg, the visitors on Thursday, would normally be a given, but Celtics tendency to slacken off late in games, whether due to tiredness or complacency, isn’t so much worrying as alarming, and the game against Astra in romania is testament to this. The qualifying campaign should have been settled there and then, indeed it did seem that it was mission accomplished, but we managed to make an arse of it, and now we have to do it the hard way.

Yet it shouldn’t be “the hard way ” at all. Anyone coming to Celtic Park, least of all a side such as Red Bull, who are not one of the continents big names, should be there for the taking. Take away this season, and perhaps last, and fortress Parkhead was one of the most difficult places for opponents to get anything.

Thats changed, which may be due to complacency, it may be due to bad luck, or , more likely, it may be the fact that its in Europe where the downsizing policy becomes more evident.

Whilst the atmosphere at Celtic Park can be intimidating and loud, its not exactly hostile. Remember when supporters applauded an opponent off in the Barcelona game last year ? All very nice, and all very buddy bonding, but the downside is that teams like coming to Glasgow, when they should need to be coaxed off the plane when they arrive at the airport.

Take Kevin Kampl, the Salzburgs Slovenian midfielder;

 “This game at Celtic was always going to be the highlight for every player in our team.

“When the draw was made, it was the game we all wanted to play in.

“Of course, we are going to Glasgow to try and get the win. 

 He’s looking forward to it when he should be dreading it. And he’s talking of winning the game.

Some of us can remember Bayern Munich doing a lap of honour because they got out with a draw.

Some of can remember Carlos Puyol running around the pitch during the game calming down his Barcelona team mates.

 Some of us can remember Suduva players gazing in awe at the surroundings while the Celts kept scoring against them.

 The latter was enjoyable, but thats what the crowd are supposed to do. Knock the other players out of their stride.

 We don’t do that anymore.

Former player Willie McStay has the right idea. Red Bull are from Austria, and that gives him a chance to at least partially blame Red Bull for Rapid Viennas antics thirty years ago this month.

“Everybody saw the bottle coming on from the crowd and the Rapid player go down – despite the fact it landed nowhere near him. 

(I was in the jungle tht night, and waited patiently for UEFA to call me as a witness. The bottle landed at least a days march from the Austrian, and he did go down with more enthusiasm than a , I’d better skip the punchline. )

“Rapid just wanted to create mayhem and I remember after the game having a funny feeling and knowing that something was not right, it wasn’t over.

“That proved to be the case. The game in Manchester took place in a toxic atmosphere and it is hardly surprising Celtic lost as there was so much grievance in the air.

“Of all the matches I played for Celtic this remains the most vivid and I felt robbed.”  

 Other heinous crimes commited by Austrians include;

This family, responsible for my ears bleeding every christmas since i was just five years of age !

And I don’t think much of their airports either.

And remember Falco, with his pop rock classic “Rock me Amadeus ” ?  

 Actually, based on that there should be a UN sponsored internment  of Austrian music teachers, who are the real criminals here. 

 Austria hasn’t offered much to the world of acting either, with such luminaries as Arnold Schwarzenegger and the positively “call the police theres a weirdo in the street ” Peter Lorre 

 So at the game, don’t applaud them. Make them suffer as countless kids who have endured Julie bloody Andrews and her favourite sodding things have also suffered. We hear that so frequently are Austrians forced to sing the theme tune that they actually break down at the sound of the sound of music. 

Worth a shot, if you ask me.

 Scott Brown will return to the side for the game, but one yellow card, which is probably more likely than not, will put him out of the Zagreb game, and whilst one player does not make a team, he can certainly make a difference.

 All of the little mens and portents are coming together, and its making me nervous. Its not at all like Celtic to cock things up.

Paraphrasing  Billy McNeill after the Feyenoord defeat in 1970

 “We had climbed the mountain ( by beating Leeds ) , but we fell over the molehill at the top. “

 Or it could just be the usual pre match nerves. Red Bull went six points clear at the top of the Austrian league with a win over Sturm Graz at the weekend, and they will be confident.

 Celtic need a big game from their big players. And a bit more hostility from the crowd.

Celtic’s opening game of the English Premier League International Cup kicks off against Everton at Goodison tonight at 7pm, with tickets priced at £5 for adults and £3 for concessions. A pay-at-the-gate system will be in operation. 

 Thats from the official website, and any fans in the north west might be curious enough to pop along to the game. I’m not going, because in Liverpool you get your pockets picked.

 However.the tournament, which replaces the Next Gen series, cancelled when UEFA realised that it wasn’t making the right clubs enough money, looks interesting. Celtic will play Sunderland and Villareal later on, and if nothing else the group offers some very good away trips for the travelling supporter.

 David Unsworth is in charge of the Everton side, and he said;

“It’s a prestigious competition and it’s a great chance for our Under-21s to get more match action under their belts,” he said.

“There are never enough fixtures to give all of our Under-21 squad the action they deserve so an opportunity like this is welcomed.

“We’ve heard that a couple of coach loads of Celtic fans are coming down for the match, too, so it should be a great experience for the lads, and no, Stubbsy, I haven’t touched  your bloody phone. “

 According to the Daily Express, John Guidetti is keeping his options open, as he will be a free agent come the summer. Which has to go down as the sporting scoop of the year. Of course he will. We just have to make sure we are his best option.

 The report says Celtic have made a £2m offer, which conflicts with stories a £3m fee had been agreed, and mentions that Guidetti is also wanted by Hull, Ajax and Marseille. Which is probably the only time you will read those three teams in the same sentence.

Ola  John, a winger, Loris Benito, a left back and striker Derley are the three Benfica fringe players supposedly being watched in the frequent recent visits to Benficas Stadium of Light, which, if true, means the end of the road for Berget, boerrigter, Tonev and Wakaso. And it doesn’t harbour well for Griffiths, Pukki and Balde.

 Theres been a wee bit of confusion over the cash raised by an “Old Firm ” legends game, with  a mystery surrounding exactly which charities will benefit. The game took place at Forthbank on Sunday, and the Observer newspaper claimed it was having difficulty founding out who was getting what;

Flyers for the game were distributed to homes across Stirling. They state that the match is “Supporting local children’s football in Stirling and Edinburgh.”

Tickets are advertised at £7 for adults and £4 for concessions, with fans being offered the chance to play in the game and take advantage of mascot packages for children.

Those staging the game were contacted by the Observer. One of them, Old Firm Legends Director, John Clifford, yesterday (Thursday) insisted money from the Forthbank game would go to grassroots football in Stirling . However, what percentage of the gate receipts would be channeled in that direction remains a mystery.

Old Firm Legends have previously organised similar games in and around Glasgow but faced claims from some charities that they were never paid by the company.

NSPCC Scotland are one of the charities who were due to benefit from a match advertised by Old Firm Legends, but this week said they had no record of receiving any money from the company.

The same match was also advertised as supporting Alzheimer Scotland. Fundraising bosses at the charity launched a probe after failing to receive a donation.

And Old Firm Legends Ltd were also at the centre of claims that they organised a match for the Clutha Appeal Fund but there are claims no money was handed over.

Earlier this year, Ibrox heroes including Andy Goram and Artur Numan and former Hoops stars such as Frank McAvennie and Bobby Petta played the match at Saracen Park, Glasgow, which was advertised as raising money for the fund, in support of victims of the Clutha helicopter disaster.

But fund bosses have claimed that they never received any cash from the company or its director, John Clifford.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council, who administer the fund, said: “We can find no trace of any donation from Mr Clifford or Old Firm Legends – nor do we have any record of the specific amounts he described being paid in at a bank counter under any other name at any time.”

Oops. Maybe someone can clear that up. I’d hate to think they were sullying the good name of the Old Firm brand.

Over at Ibrox, Andy Goram -not sure if it was one or two of him-has/have comeout in support of his /their buddy Ally Mccoist.

“Remain calm — and remember, remember the 5th of November three years ago that Rangers went 15 points clear of Celtic”  

Ally McCoist was in charge then, and he blew it. Perhaps age has confused the former keeper/keepers.

“That’s why I refuse to get too worried about Hearts opening up a nine-point gap over Rangers in the Championship” 

McCoist isn’t worried either. Although interestingly, his pal Hugh Keevins was calling for his sacking on Radio Clyde last night, which would save the chubby funster from having to walk away from the job.

And his severance package.

Henrik Larssons son, Jordan, was pictured in the Diary yesterday. The youngster is a target for a number of clubs across Europe, and persinally, i hope he will stay away from Celtic. Certainly this early in is career. The pressure and expectation on him would be immense, and possibly career damaging.

Anyone remember this game ? Where is it, and who are the opponents ?