So, we thought it would be a dull season. Well, we’ve got all the excitement we need tonight as Celtic look to advance in the Champions League , despite being 4-1 down to Legia Warsaw after a disastrous showing in Poland last week.

The stage is set for a glorious night, and the season hasn’t even started yet. Whilst we always see ourselves as the good guys, the Poles don’t seem to need much help in taking on the role of the guy in the black hat.

Celtic were easier than St Patrick’s Athletic,

claims cocky Legia Warsaw midfielder Ondrej Duda

And the midfield dynamo has confessed that discussions have taken place among the squad about possible opponents in the next round.

Duda said: “St Patrick’s were a lot tougher for us than Celtic. People had counted we would have a big victory against St Patrick’s at home and it did not go that way.

“Fortunately, we were composed for the return match and now we are on the right track. We have not qualified yet but I know everyone is looking at potential opponents. There have been these discussions.

“Personally, I would like BATE Borisov. It seems to me we would have a really good chance against them.”

Duda, however, has insisted he is not being disrespectful to Celtic.

He said: “Celtic are a great club with amazing support from the fans. Of course our advantage is big and we can play quietly, so I am hopeful.

“Considering the opponent, the whole team played so well.”  

 Well, thats taken care of Ronny Deilas pre match team talk for him.

  Scott Brown has already said that the players are sore from the celebrating that took place among the Legia side last week, and points out that his team mates can’t wait to get stuck in.

Henning Berg, the Legia manager, from his time with the now defunct Rangers, knows exactly what his charges will face at Murrayfield, and moved to play down the triumphalism his men displayed in Warsaw;

“We were just happy to win the game and play well, also with scoring two late goals. It was a big win for us and it was the players’ joy.

“They know we have another game to go and nothing is settled yet. We’ll have to work hard to go through.

“We were good at home and maybe Celtic were not at their best, so we know we’ll have to perform well. I’m sure Celtic will be better than last week.

“We expect them to come out looking for goals but these are games we want to do well in if we want to play at Champions League level.” 

It will need a superhuman effort from the hoops tonight, and everyone will have to pull his weight. Deila hasn’t given up, but is aware of the work required to progress;

“We have everything to win,” 

“I haven’t given up. It’s possible.

“If we turn this around it will be a massive night and maybe the best night of my life.

“That is what we are wanting, dreaming of but behind that it needs a good performance.

“Thursday was a hard day but I have had many days like that in my career.

“That gets you reflecting and you have to use your experience to turn it around and bounce back.

“I can’t go off and think of disaster, I have to think of what we are going to do and how we will improve.

“The boys have been working well this week, we have been talking a lot and now we are looking forward to the game.” 

 Thats the key. Communication. When it comes down to it, he’s the boss, but management is about listening as well as talking. God gave us two ears and one mouth, and its important to use them in proportion.

We might just do this, you know.  We might just do this.

“I have been thinking a lot and it is important that we get a lot of energy into the game because that was the most disappointing thing last week.

“At the end of the game were passive and lacking confidence.” 

“That’s what I want to see tomorrow: commitment and desire to win; desire to fight for each other and to be a team. “But two things we need to improve, the defending and (possession) we can’t lose the ball in dangerous areas, like we did last week.

“We go out to attack every time at home and we will do that tomorrow but we need to do that with defending as well. It is important to be patient.

“But first of all, I am looking for revenge for what we saw last week.” 

Anyone else hear the Rocky Theme ?

 As ever, the papers and the rest of the mainstream media are right behind the club. With qualification for the group stages of this years tournament a little less than certain at this stage, they have all been doing their best to replace the money earned at that level by touting our players all over the world. Well, England.

 Fraser Forster, according to the Mirror, will join Southampton should Celtic exit tonight. £7m-or £8m -the reported fee. Virgil van Dijk may well follow him, and tomorrow I’m going to apply for the job of Southampton Chief Scout.

 All I need to do is turn up for the interview with a match programme from any Celtic game last season and tell him I’ve a list of targets already in mind.

 Kris Commons is reportedly the subject of a £7m bid from West Brom, which could just be agent talk with Commons apparently not getting the deal he wants from Peter Lawwell, who is not noted for trying to keep any players, especially if he has to pay them.

 Then theres Adam Matthews, wanted by Swansea, Amido Balde by Lokeren-although there is a chance that a defender will move to Celtic as part of a swap deal for the big striker. I can’t remember the name of the defender, and can’t be bothered looking. If he is as good a defender as Balde is a forward then perhaps we should leave him where he is.

 An interesting story in the Scotsman claims that, subject to UEFA approval, Celtics under 21s will be playing in a sixteen team elite tournament along with English, German, dutch and Portuguese sides. A great idea, and one way of developing our own players, which seems to be the plan for the next few years.

 But thats not going to help us tonight.

 What will help us tonight is allowing the team to do what they did last year. The players are more than capable of turning this around. If they are allowed to play to their strengths in a system they are familiar with, alongside players they are familiar with. 

 James Forrest could be on the bench. His pace and directness could be the key. As could Kris Commons behind Anthony Stokes and Leigh Griffiths. Whatever else you might say about Bonnie and Clyde, they will never stop trying.

 Charlie Mulgrew will have to slot in beside Virgil van Dijk, with Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguerre either side of them, proving a bit of width. That leaves Adam Matthews, Nir Bitton and Stefan Johansen to provide cover and support the forwards from midfield. That allows for Teemu Pukki and James Forrest to join the fray with a half hour left to harass what will hopefully be a tired and under siege Legia defence.

 Thats how I’d do it, and I would imagine most of us wouldn’t differ too much from that line up.

 Don’t take my word for it. Battling midfielder Stefan Johansen seems to agree;

“I don’t think so much about Legia’s weak areas, I think about our strengths. We didn’t play the best game in Warsaw.

“But, if we play our football tonight, everyone will see their weaknesses. We have the quality and team to score three goals.

“We need to step up our game a bit more compared to last week, but I think we can go through.

“The manager has made it clear what we need to do. It’s up to us to go out and do it and score the goals we need to get through.

“As a team we want to go to the Champions League. We know it means a lot to the fans and to the club. So, we will do everything we can to get there.” 

“We should not have conceded the last two goals,” he admitted. “They also missed two penalties, so it could have been more.

“But, that game is done. Now we can only focus on tonight’s game. We know we still have a chance.

“We need to take this chance and try to put as much energy as we can into the game.” 

Actually, I don’t want the players to tell us what they are going to do. I want them just to go out there and do it.

Barry McGonigle, who restores black and white photos, has come up with another cracker;

Which should be pinned up on the dressing room wall tonight alongside the comments of the Legia midfielder.

 Although its not too late for my own plan….

For those of us who grew up playing on red ash pitches, and learned the game the hard way, perhaps we should play the game at Celtic Park tonight after all, it would certainly put the Poles on the back foot. Especially if it rains;

Well, if Moscow can play on their artificial pitch, why can’t we ? Probably have to borrow a couple of jackets for the goalposts , mind.

Meanwhile, we can exclusively reveal the new away kit for next season, as Celtic prepare for the possibility of playing at Ibrox Stadium for the first time in a number of years..

 I made a little bit of a mistake with yesterdays quiz, and didn’t spot it in time. I meant to ask who the Sporting Lisbon manager was when Celtic beat them 5-0 back in 1983. So, without looking, who was it ?