It’s here already. Season 2014-15. Proper football is back after the World Cup, and it begins in Iceland for Celtic, with a game against their champions, KR Reykjavik.

The weak link in the side could be the two short arses on the right of the picture, who could be vulnerable at crosses.

Wikipedia tells us;

KR is the oldest and most successful club in Icelandic football, having won the Úrvalsdeild championship 26 times, including the first season in 1912. It is also the most successful club in the Icelandic Cup, with 13 titles including the first in 1960 and most recent in 2012. In 1964, KR was also the first Icelandic representative in the European Cup. KR is also the most successful club in Icelandic basketball. 

Presumably , they don’t like to talk about it.

And heres something else you probably didn’t know;

KR was established on 16 February 1899 by Scottish engineer Frank McGregor, making it the oldest football club inIceland. It was founded as Fótboltafélag Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík Football Club), before changing to Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, also meaning Reykjavík Football Club, the change due to “knattspyrna” being considered a more elegant word (“Fótbolti” is literally translated as “football” while “knattspyrna”, while translating as “football”, is literally “ballkicking”). KR modelled their kit on the black-and-white stripes of Newcastle United, a strong club during KR’s early years. KR was the onlyfootball club in Reykjavík for a decade, but as soon as other clubs were established there were plans for competitions. KR won the inaugural championship in 1912 after a play-off with Fram. 

No doubt Pat Nevin, who is likely to be the BBCs expert summariser this evening-the game is on BBC Scotland, kicking off at 8pm, or thereabouts, depending on who you believe- has already done his research, and his pen is ready to twiddle.

Their current squad has one name you will be familiar with, and surprisingly no-one in the press has asked his opinion on the game;

Current squad[edit]

Source:^[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Stefán Logi Magnússon 2 DF Grétar Sigfinnur Sigurðsson 3 DF Haukur Heiðar Hauksson 4 DF Gonzalo Balbi Lorenzo 5 MF Egill Jónsson 6 DF Gunnar Þor Gunnarsson 7 FW Gary Martin 8 FW Baldur Sigurðsson 9 FW Thorsteinn Már Ragnarsson 10 FW Kjartan Henry Finnbogason 11 MF Óskar Örn Hauksson 12 GK Sindri Snær Jensson

No. Position Player 14 FW Almar Ormarsson 15 FW Emil Atlason 16 MF Jónas Guðni Sævarsson 17 MF Torfi Karl Ólafsson 18 DF Aron Bjarki Jósepsson 21 DF Guðmundur Reynir Gunnarsson 23 MF Atli Sigurjónsson 24 MF Farid Zato 28 DF Ivar Erlien Furu (on loan from Molde) 40 MF Gunnar Birgisson FW Björn Þorláksson FW Kristófer Eggertsson

Kjartan Finnbogasson was once of Celtic, one of innumerable projects who came, who saw, and left again without really making an impression.

As long as he doesn’t start trying to impress anyone tonight we should be okay. After all, he did score 28 goals in 20 reserve games in one of his two seasons in Glasgow, yet never got a shot in the first team. Hopefully, he’s not the type to hold a grudge.

KR  have come up against Scottish sides before, losing 14-1 over the piece to Aberdeen in 67-68 , and 2-1 ( they won the home leg ) to Kilmarnock as recently as 99-00. A couple of years ago they were hammered by HJK Helsinki before Celtic put them out, but other than that not a great deal has happened on the big stage to give us any cause for concern.

Although perhaps of interest is the fact that French side Nantes put them out of the European Cup in the first round back in 1966-67, before they were disposed of by the all conquering Celtic side of that era.

Every days a school day, as they say.

Ronny Deila has come out swinging on the subject of having to play three qualifiers to get into the money stages of the tournament;

“That’s a problem in every small country. We maybe have one good team but the others are dragging them down in the coefficient.

“When you have a big club like Celtic that has done so well they should have a shot at the group stages right away.

“Some countries have three or four teams going in and I think that’s not right.” 

 We are led to believe he said this at a pre-match press conference, but it was actually when he and John Collins bumped into Michel Platini at the bar in Reykjavik Airport.

Assistant boss  Collins calmed him down.

” Leave it , Ronny, it’s not worth it “

 Deila gathered himself, put down his pint and added;

“We want to get a good result, that’s what we’re fighting for, but if it’s tight then we have an advantage of playing at Murrayfield in the second match. I feel that we’re ready.” 

 Speaking of that Murray field game, Celtic have asked supporters to sort out any ticket issues they have well in advance of the game. Like today.

 John Paul Taylor, the supporters liason officer, said;

” We will have limited facilities at Murray field to deal with problems and it could lead to significant delays if we encounter a significant number. There are a number of contingencies in place to ensure fans who are split up can get seats together, but the key message is don’t leave it until the noght of the match , but where possible deal directly with the Celtic Ticket Office who will aim to resolve as swiftly as possible. “

 So don’t say you haven’t been told. There are more details of transport arrangements and so on, but we’ll leave them until the end of the week, because if we tell you now you’ll only forget.

Though I could do with someone reminding me at the weekend, because I’ll only forget.

Back to tonights game, and Charlie Mulgrew will step up to take on the captains duties in the absence of Scott Brown, which means he’ll run around a lot, stare at people and get sent off midway through he second half.

 Deila was short and to the point;

“Charlie will be the captain, he is a natural leader,” 

Lets hope that someone else is in charge of getting everyone off the bus and into the ground….