{"id":13237,"date":"2018-08-07T10:08:49","date_gmt":"2018-08-07T09:08:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=13237"},"modified":"2018-08-07T10:08:49","modified_gmt":"2018-08-07T09:08:49","slug":"celtic-diary-tuesday-august-7-tough-at-the-top","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=13237","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Tuesday August 7: Tough At The top"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>UEFA sorted out the last crop of ties yesterday when they arranged the remaining clubs into the play off round of the Champions League qualifiers, and afterwards they added the consolation cup matches so that everyone sort of knows where they&#8217;re going this year.<\/p>\n<p>Celtic will face the winners of the Malmo -Videoton tie should they progress beyond AEK Athens.<\/p>\n<p>And it is an arrangement, this UEFA draw nonsense&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/etims.net\/?attachment_id=13238\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-13238\">UEFA cheating<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"content clearfix\">\n<div class=\"permalink-header\"><a class=\"account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Moravcik67_\" data-user-id=\"186106340\"><span class=\"FullNameGroup\"><span class=\"UserNameBreak\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"username u-dir u-textTruncate\" dir=\"ltr\" data-aria-label-part=\"\">@<b>Moravcik67_<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"follow-bar\">\n<div class=\"user-actions btn-group following not-muting including  \" data-user-id=\"186106340\" data-screen-name=\"Moravcik67_\" data-name=\"Moravcik67\" data-protected=\"false\"><span class=\"user-actions-follow-button js-follow-btn follow-button\"><button class=\"\n    EdgeButton\n    EdgeButton--primary\n\n    EdgeButton--medium \n    button-text\n    following-text\" type=\"button\">Following<span class=\"u-hiddenVisually\">Following\u00a0<span class=\"username u-dir u-textTruncate\" dir=\"ltr\">@<b>Moravcik67_<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ProfileTweet-action ProfileTweet-action--more js-more-ProfileTweet-actions\">\n<div class=\"dropdown\">\n<div class=\"IconContainer js-tooltip\" title=\"More\"><span class=\"u-hiddenVisually\">More<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"js-tweet-text-container\">\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\"><em>Just a reminder that 21 of the 26 teams who automatically enter the <a class=\"twitter-atreply pretty-link js-nav\" dir=\"ltr\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChampionsLeague\" data-mentioned-user-id=\"627673190\"><s>@<\/s><b>ChampionsLeague<\/b><\/a> group stage come from just 6 nations. The crooks at <a class=\"twitter-atreply pretty-link js-nav\" dir=\"ltr\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UEFA\" data-mentioned-user-id=\"2326857668\"><s>@<\/s><b>UEFA<\/b><\/a> have ensured that most of europe is sitting on the sidelines trying to catch scraps from the table. An absolutely abhorent system.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thankfully, our own SFA are beyond reproach in the matter of favouring any of their member clubs.<\/p>\n<p>Unimpeachable, in fact.<\/p>\n<p>It seems they do this arrangement ahead of the ties being scheduled in case there&#8217;s a shortage of planes for the fans. Of course, Celtic, who always put their supporters first, have an arrangement with a travel company to guard against any problems&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Oops&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article__kicker theme__copy-color\">FLIGHT FLOP<\/span><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"article__headline\">Celtic fans raging after official travel firm fail to secure chartered flight to Greece for crucial AEK Athens Champions League qualifier.<\/h1>\n<p><em>Celtic\u2019s travel social media account broke the news on Twitter earlier today, saying: \u201cAthens update: Unfortunately, due to the high cost of securing an aircraft to Greece at this time of year, an Official Fan Charter in partnership with Nirvana Europe is not a viable option for the fixture v AEK Athens.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Apparently, even the players have had to hire a mini bus.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, there&#8217;s one chap who is so disillusioned with the way things are going in his own little world, he&#8217;s open to offers to drive&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Dj12zH5XoAAD_td.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Olivier Ntcham looks like he&#8217;ll be fit and ready for the game, and in fact, we seem to be pretty much at full strength, as Dederyck Boyata looks set to abandon ship and become a cottager.<\/p>\n<p>No, he&#8217;s not taking up a job with the BBC, he&#8217;s probably going to Fulham, who are nicknamed the cottagers, presumably after some sort of scandal or other.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a39m for a guy in the last year of his contract is not to be sniffed at, unless, of course, he decides he wants to stay and turn down around \u00a350,000 a week and a sizable signing on fee.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/YorwDAH66ln3O\/giphy.gif\" alt=\"Image result for bye bye gif\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Talkshite Radio reports that Aston Villa, a place where careers go to die, are about to hijack Celtic&#8217;s move for John McGinn.<\/p>\n<p>They might, and he&#8217;ll fall apart down there, like everyone else who motored along the A38 looking for success has done, and we&#8217;ll get him for less than nothing next summer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__content article__content--intro\"><em>Celtic have reportedly been beaten to the signing of John McGinn.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Brendan Rodgers looked to be on the brink of landing the 23-year-old Hibernian midfielder, but Championship club Aston\u00a0Villa have made a dramatic last-ditch move for him, report\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/topic\/transfer-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SunSport<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Villa are ready to give the Scotland international a medical today ahead of a \u00a34million move, which\u00a0would represent a coup for manager Steve Bruce in his promotion push this season, which\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/football\/efl\/408200\/hull-aston-villa-ahmed-elmohamady-nets-opening-game-victory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">began with a 3-1 win at Hull<\/a>, live on talkSPORT 2.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Losing out on McGinn will infuriate Rodgers as he looked almost certain to land the highly-rated Glasgow-born star.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>But Bruce is now positive about the season ahead following the takeover. \u201cOver the last two weeks we\u2019ve breathed a bit of life back into Aston Villa,\u201d he said.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u201cI\u2019ve said that whether I\u2019m here or someone else, the owners obviously have deep pockets which you need in football these days and if you are a club like Aston Villa.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u201cThey\u2019ve been nothing but supportive in the last 10 or 12 days.\u201d<\/em><br \/>\n<em>Bruce is also in for Bristol City full-back Joe Bryan and says: \u201cwe\u2019re in talks with the club but there is no deal reached yet\u201d.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Odd, that, you&#8217;d have thought Bruce would have said something about McGinn&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Speaking of Talkshite, piss poor pundit Andy Walker suddenly regained a bit of credibility on the station, though as it was Talkshite, no one would have heard him&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>I didn&#8217;t, but Celtic Da ( presumably the Da means he&#8217;s a legal man ) did&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"content clearfix\">\n<div class=\"permalink-header\"><a class=\"account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CelticDa\" data-user-id=\"889874211388477440\"><span class=\"FullNameGroup\"><strong class=\"fullname show-popup-with-id u-textTruncate \" data-aria-label-part=\"\">Celtic Da<\/strong>\u200f<span class=\"UserNameBreak\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"username u-dir u-textTruncate\" dir=\"ltr\" data-aria-label-part=\"\">@<b>CelticDa<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"follow-bar\">\n<div class=\"user-actions btn-group following not-muting can-dm including  \" data-user-id=\"889874211388477440\" data-screen-name=\"CelticDa\" data-name=\"Celtic Da\" data-protected=\"false\"><span class=\"user-actions-follow-button js-follow-btn follow-button\"><button class=\"\n    EdgeButton\n    EdgeButton--primary\n\n    EdgeButton--medium \n    button-text\n    following-text\" type=\"button\">Following<span class=\"u-hiddenVisually\">Following\u00a0<span class=\"username u-dir u-textTruncate\" dir=\"ltr\">@<b>CelticDa<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ProfileTweet-action ProfileTweet-action--more js-more-ProfileTweet-actions\">\n<div class=\"dropdown\">\n<div class=\"IconContainer js-tooltip\" title=\"More\"><span class=\"u-hiddenVisually\">More<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"js-tweet-text-container\">\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\"><em>In defence of Andy Walker, when interviewed on Talk sport tonight by a hun friendly reporter, who said rangers had been unfairly treated by being demoted; Walker&#8217;s reply was, I can&#8217;t let you get away with that, rangers were liquidated, and owe a lot of money to the creditors&#8221;!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/hkMXte9dBJFfO\/giphy.gif\" alt=\"Image result for shocked face gif\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">We&#8217;re just one game into the season, and it&#8217;s all getting a bit strange.<\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">Despite the arrival of Stevie Gerrard at ibrox, the bookies, who are rarely wrong, have made their minds up on his staunch challenge..<\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">Well, Paddy Power at least..<\/p>\n<div class=\"text-with-bg text-with-bg-lg\">\n<h1 class=\"blog-post-title h2\"><span class=\"indent\"><span class=\"heading\">CELTIC CROWNED CHAMPIONS AGAIN AS WE PAY OUT AFTER JUST ONE GAME<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-with-bg narrow\">\n<p><em><span class=\"indent\"><span class=\"heading\">After seeing Rangers and Aberdeen play out an uninspiring 1-1 draw, we\u2019ve already had enough and we\u2019ve paid out on Celtic winning the league again\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Oh, that reminds me&#8230;this book was handed in at Pittodrie on Sunday, and we&#8217;ve been asked to help locate the owner..<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Dj51UiTXsAAGgYp.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Gerrard is finding it tough up here, and with only two wins in five games, there&#8217;s no sign of it getting any easier.<\/p>\n<p>One of his players found out for himself that opponents are no longer prepared to roll over to the Ibrox club&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Dj8ncGvW0AIdix3.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Dj33UN7XsAAc0Pw.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">The times they are indeed a changing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">Of course, all of this is down to a conspiracy. Gerrard reckons that his new club have long since been the victims of poor decisions and bias, which presumably he concluded after an in depth analysis of the Scottish game before he took the Kings shilling and moved his talents north.<\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">We have decided to help, and later\u00a0 this week, we&#8217;ll feature fifty honest mistakes that may have helped him come to this conclusion&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">Yesterday, we showed you this&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Dj2VmeYX0AAA_W8.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"comment-meta\"><span class=\"comment-author vcard\"><cite class=\"fn\">puggy67<\/cite><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"published\"><abbr class=\"comment-date\" title=\"Monday, August 6th, 2018, 10:26 am\">August 6, 2018<\/abbr>\u00a0at\u00a0<abbr class=\"comment-time\" title=\"Monday, August 6th, 2018, 10:26 am\">10:26 am<\/abbr><\/span>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<a class=\"comment-edit-link\" title=\"Edit comment\" href=\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-admin\/comment.php?action=editcomment&amp;c=930797\"><span class=\"edit\">Edit<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<a class=\"comment-reply-link\" href=\"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=13234&amp;replytocom=930797#respond\" rel=\"nofollow\">Reply<\/a>\u00a0\u2192<\/div>\n<div class=\"comment-content comment-text\">\n<p><em>Caption: An early life-lesson for Teresa May in coping with a lunatic fringe.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Today.. a blast from our past..<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/DjrDlLEW4AEYELv.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"TweetTextSize TweetTextSize--jumbo js-tweet-text tweet-text\" lang=\"en\" data-aria-label-part=\"0\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UEFA sorted out the last crop of ties yesterday when they arranged the remaining clubs into the play off round of the Champions League qualifiers,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":13239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/1653803-Joe-Harvey-Quote-Those-who-tell-you-it-s-tough-at-the-top-have.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2J7If-3rv","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13237"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13237"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13241,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13237\/revisions\/13241"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}