{"id":5549,"date":"2014-08-19T10:06:07","date_gmt":"2014-08-19T09:06:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=5549"},"modified":"2014-08-19T10:06:07","modified_gmt":"2014-08-19T09:06:07","slug":"celtic-diary-tuesday-august-19-legia-appeal-to-the-united-nations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=5549","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Tuesday August 19: Legia Appeal to the United Nations"},"content":{"rendered":"

And probably the European Milk Marketing board, the Fisheries Forum and BBCs Watchdog, after the court of Abitration for Sport told them they were full of shite as well.<\/p>\n

That didn’t stop the BBC, Sky sports and anyone else with airtime to fill from giving the Polish sides co-owner Dariusz Mioduski , pictured above performing his new single “I Did it My Way “, a chance to waffle on about how its Celtics \u00a0fault that his club didn’t fill in the paperwork properly, and he didn’t disappoint them;<\/p>\n

“We expected this decision.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because it was the right one ?<\/p>\n

\n

We just felt we needed to file for provisional measures because this was our last chance to get reinstated.<\/em><\/p>\n

And to deflect attention away from our incompetence in case our nasty, horrible support put my windows in.<\/p>\n

“But the fact is, knowing that both UEFA and\u00a0Celtic\u00a0would be filing documents and arguing against us, we didn’t expect the courts would make a different decision at this point.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Especially as they were both right.<\/p>\n

“We know we will be playing in the Europa League. We accept that, but we will not give up on our pursuit on what we believe is justice for football.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Perhaps the word “justice ” translates into something else in Polish.<\/p>\n

Mioduski added: “The main thing for us is making sure the rule is changed and that UEFA actually considers that.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I don’t see it as us fighting against UEFA at this point. I see it as working more with UEFA to make sure a situation like this will never happen again.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0You can see it whatever way you want. You made an arse of it, and now you are off to Kazakhstan. If I could be so bold as to offer a little advice, don’t let the lass who did the paperwork organise the flights.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There was more disappointment for the Polish chief when it was announced the Scorsese \u00a0movie “The Wolf of Wall Street ” has broken the record for the use of the “f” word, which he set last week when he found out about the mistake.<\/p>\n

\u00a0All of this means that Celtic can officially concentrate on preparing for tomorrow nights first leg play off in Slovenia against Maribor.<\/p>\n

Wikipedia gives us a brief history;<\/p>\n

\n

Nogometni Klub Maribor<\/b>\u00a0(English: Maribor Football Club), commonly referred to as\u00a0NK Maribor<\/b>\u00a0or simply\u00a0Maribor<\/b>, is a professional\u00a0association football<\/a>\u00a0club based in the city of\u00a0Maribor<\/a>,\u00a0Slovenia<\/a>. Founded on 12 December 1960, Maribor is one of only three football clubs in the country who have never been relegated from Slovenian top flight\u00a01. SNL<\/a>\u00a0since its establishment in 1991.[1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0They are regarded as a symbol of\u00a0Slovenian football<\/a>, particularly in their home region of\u00a0Styria<\/a>\u00a0(Slovene<\/a>:\u00a0\u0160tajerska<\/span>) in the northeastern Slovenia.<\/em><\/p>\n

Maribor is the most successful club in the country, having won 12\u00a0Slovenian PrvaLiga<\/a>\u00a0titles, eight\u00a0Slovenian Cups<\/a>\u00a0and four\u00a0Slovenian Supercups<\/a>. The club’s most successful period was in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when they overwhelmingly dominated domestic football, winning seven successive league titles and three national cups. Following the\u00a02008\u201309 season<\/a>, Maribor became the dominant force in Slovenian football for the second time, having won four out of five championships since then.\u00a0Darko Milani\u010d<\/a>\u00a0has led the club to four league, three cup and two supercup titles between 2008 and 2013, becoming the first coach who has won all three domestic trophies. Prior to Slovenia’sindependence<\/a>\u00a0in 1991 Maribor played in the\u00a0Yugoslav<\/a>\u00a0football system. They are one of only three Slovenian teams who participated in the country’s highest division,\u00a0Yugoslav First League<\/a>, between the end of\u00a0World War II<\/a>\u00a0in 1945 and thebreakup of Yugoslavia<\/a>\u00a0in 1991. Apart from winning the Yugoslav\u00a0second division<\/a>\u00a0once and the\u00a0third division<\/a>\u00a0five times, the club had no major success during its Yugoslav period; the closest they came to winning a major trophy was in the 1967\u201368 season, when they reached the semi-finals of the\u00a0Yugoslav Cup<\/a>. In addition, they are the only Slovenian club and one of only four clubs from the former Yugoslavia who participated in group stage of the\u00a0UEFA Champions League<\/a>and the\u00a0UEFA Europa League<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

They maintain a fierce rivalry with\u00a0Olimpija<\/a>\u00a0from the capital\u00a0Ljubljana<\/a>, with whom they contest the\u00a0Eternal Derby<\/a>\u00a0(Ve\u010dni derbi<\/span>). Their other major rivalry is against\u00a0N\u0160 Mura<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0Murska Sobota<\/a>\u00a0and matches between the two are dubbed as the\u00a0Northeastern Derby<\/a>\u00a0(Severovzhodni derbi<\/span>). Maribor also have a loyal and passionate fan base and the club has the highest average all-time attendance in Slovenia.<\/em><\/p>\n

The club’s home ground is the\u00a0Ljudski vrt<\/a>\u00a0stadium, which has a capacity of 12,994.[3]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0It was originally built in 1952 and later underwent a series of major reconstructions in the 1990s and 2000s. The club’s Academy, which is hailed as the best in the country,[4]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0is responsible for youth development at the club and has enjoyed a fair amount of success in producing promising young players.[5]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0Maribor’s nicknames are\u00a0The\u00a0Purples<\/a>\u00a0(Vijoli\u010dasti<\/span>) and\u00a0The\u00a0Violets<\/a>\u00a0(Vijolice<\/span>), both referring to their primary colour purple. The club’s motto is\u00a0One club, one honour\u00a0(En klub, ena \u010dast<\/span>).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Thats nice. One club, one honour.<\/p>\n

\u00a0After the shambles that was Legia Warsaw and their petulant antics, it will be nice to entertain a club with honour.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Oh, hang on…<\/p>\n

At the end of 1980\u20131981 season Maribor were celebrating as the club managed to avoid relegation, when the “Ball<\/span>” (\u017doga<\/span>) bribery scandal emerged, and caused the club to be relegated from second tier to third by the decision of the\u00a0Football Association of Yugoslavia<\/a>\u00a0disciplinary committee.[12]<\/a><\/sup>[13]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0The club had a secret fund that was used for bribing officials and opponents.[14]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0Some club officials were keeping track of the bribery expenses in their\u00a0black book, which was later confiscated by the authorities.[14]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0From the book it is clear that Maribor had bribed a total of 31\u00a0people.[14]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0After the scandal and the subsequent relegation to third division, Maribor spent the following years bouncing between the second and third Yugoslav leagues until the independence of Slovenia in 1991.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Dodgy club waiting until independence to re-emerge ? Are we about to see this story happen again, closer to home ?<\/p>\n

\n

The\u00a02003\u201304 Slovenian Cup<\/a>\u00a0was the last trophy won by Maribor before the darkest era of the club began. Between 2004 and 2008, the club was plagued by financial difficulties, and Maribor even came close to being disbanded at one point.[25]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0However, the club did not follow their rivals\u00a0Olimpija Ljubljana<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Mura<\/a>\u00a0on that path.[25]<\/a><\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

Due to their large debts, which at one point amounted to 4\u00a0million\u00a0euros<\/a>, the club could not afford to buy new players. As a consequence, the first team at the time consisted mostly of youth players mixed with a couple of foreign players brought to the club on\u00a0free transfers<\/a>. In the autumn of 2006, the leadership of the club changed, with the debt still amounting to over 3\u00a0million euros, and it was not until January 2011 that the club announced that the debt had been paid in full.[<\/a>\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

Not exactly. They paid their debts.<\/p>\n

The ground looks, well, nice. with surroundings \u00a0a \u00a0bit like Inverness but warm and sunny.<\/p>\n

\"Ljudski<\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Ljudski vrt<\/a>\u00a0(English: People’s Garden,\u00a0<\/span>German<\/a>:\u00a0<\/span>Volksgarten<\/span>) stadium is the only stadium in Maribor that lies on the left bank of the river\u00a0<\/span>Drava<\/a>. The stadium is a natural, cultural, architectural and sports landmark of the city<\/span>[63]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0and is considered one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world.<\/span>[<\/a>\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

They don’t have much to brag about in Slovenia. Its a stadium, with some seats and a football pitch. Functional is probably how the estate agent would describe it.<\/p>\n

It holds around 13,000 , which might mean that the return game, in front of a packed Parkhead will put the heebie jeebies into them.<\/p>\n

Their dangerman appears to be Brazilian forward Marco Tavares, who has won the award for the clubs best player three years in a row.<\/p>\n

\"Maribor<\/p>\n

This award, incidentally is called the “Purple Warrior “, a reference to the clubs colours, and not in any way connected with sexual prowess.<\/p>\n

UEFA.com previewed the game;<\/p>\n

Previous meetings<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u2022 none<\/em><\/p>\n

Form guide<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u2022\u00a0Maribor<\/strong>\u00a0have played three previous two-legged ties against Scottish sides, with the overall record W3 D1 L2 (W2 D0 L1 at home\u00a0\u2013 W1 D1 L1 in Scotland).<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Having lost 6-1 over two legs to the same side in the 2001\/02 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, Maribor got the better of\u00a0Celtic<\/strong>‘s arch-rivals Rangers FC in the 2011\/12 UEFA Europa League play-offs.\u00a0Maribor<\/strong>\u00a0are now on a four-game unbeaten run (W3 D1) against Scottish clubs.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Celtic<\/strong>\u00a0are meeting Slovenian opponents for the first time.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Eliminated in the play-offs in both 2012\/13 (by GNK Dinamo Zagreb) and 2013\/14 (by FC Viktoria Plze\u0148),\u00a0Maribor<\/strong>‘s only previous UEFA Champions League group stage campaign was in 1999\/2000, when they had beaten Olympique Lyonnais in the third qualifying round;\u00a0Celtic<\/strong>\u00a0are veterans of eight group stage campaigns.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Celtic<\/strong>\u00a0have won their last two UEFA Champions League play-offs since going down to Arsenal FC in 2009\/10; they overcame Helsingborgs IF in 2012\/13 and FC Shakhtar Karagandy last season.<\/em><\/p>\n

Links and trivia<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u2022 Celtic forward Leigh Griffiths celebrates his 24th birthday on the day of the first leg against Maribor. He has yet to score in four UEFA club matches.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Scotland’s record in three encounters with Slovenia at senior international level is W1 D2 L0; in UEFA age-group competitions, Scotland’s record against Slovenia is W7 D1 L3.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 The colour of\u00a0Celtic<\/strong>‘s shirts may provide an extra spur for\u00a0Maribor<\/strong>, whose traditional main rivals in Slovenia, NK Olimpija Ljubljana, also wear green.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Maribor<\/strong>‘s naturalised Brazilian captain Tavares recently became one of just six players to reach 300 appearances for the team.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The only real worry is that tomorrow nights referee is Pavel Kralovec, who was in charge for the first Karagandy game last season.<\/p>\n

Maybe he’ll feel sorry for us.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Preparation these days, especially if manager Ronny Deilas attention to detail is on a level with his attention to diet should involve a little more than advising the players to keep it tight and don’t take any chances.<\/div>\n
\u00a0Its more likely that Virgil van Dijk, for instance, will have been given a video of Marco Tavares, which will show which foot he prefers, which way he turns when confronted by a defender, when he begins to tire, if he prefers ball to feet or to his body, which will allow the defender to prevent goal scoring opportuniteis to arise.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Equally, Celtics players will know who takes the free kicks, who is usually on the end of them and the same with corners.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Times have changed, and hopefully all our players will be up to speed on their opponents tomorrow, and supporters will be able to watch a European away game from in front of the couch with a beer and a smile, instead of cowering behind it with a razor and a scream.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Elsewhere, Derk Boerrigter has apparently admitted to diving and accepted a two match ban for his supposed antics against St. Johnstone. He didn’t contest the charge made by the SFA, so he’s assumed guilt. Most of us will still maintain it was a foul, but if Boerrigter admits to a dive, then so be it and \u00a0if we are after people who go down with minimal contact, then \u00a0maybe the next signing will be \u00a0boxer Audley Harrison.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
All we can ask is for consistency throughout the season and an even hand applied to all.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Celtic are involved in a race against time to get Wakaso Mubarak registered in time for tomorrows game. The Rubin Kazan winger could be in the squad if we can get the paperwork done, and since he’s already played a few league games in Russia, he will be match fit.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Frankly, perhaps it would be wiser to take our time here. Theres no need to repeat the mistake of throwing a new boy straight into the side…<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Lets take it seriously this time. We got a second chance that we didn’t deserve. \u00a0Lets take full advantage and do it right.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Elsewhere in Scotland, \u00a0Celtics romp on Saturday was matched ( sort of ) by new club Second Rangers , who disposed of Clyde 8-1 in the Ptrofac Training Cup. Not the first time a training cup has had contained some boobies. The match was watched by a massive 11,190, setting another world record for a match between played at Ibrox on a Monday in august 2014. Remarkably, there were probably still more in the ground than watched it on BBC Alba, although we hear that Matthew Lindsay, the reporter with a slight affection for the new club has recorded the game so he can watch it when his mum goes out.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0With a box of tissues and the curtains drawn.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Barry Ferguson, the former captain of the former Rangers, stood on the sidelines helpless as his team were overrun by the youngest team in Scottish senior football as they spelt out their determination to reach the top.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Tell, you what, the managers discussion about the game would have been a cracker as the thickie twins McCoist and Ferguson expounded on their tactics for the match. Anyway, at least Captain Baz has proved he has the credentials for the big job at the big hoose.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Yesterday , we showed a picture of Celtic restored by Barry McGonigle and asked when it was from. None of us are sure, but there is reason to believe, as that is the League Cup in front of the players, that its either the team who beat Partick in 55-56, or the , to quote one reply yesterday, the greatest hunskelpers of all from 56-57.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0I like to think its the latter.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Heres a tricky one today. Can anyone name the three players in this picture. If you look closely you will see that there are three players in it.<\/div>\n
\"Embedded<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Oh, theres the lads at the door with my refreshments for tomorrow night, got to go.<\/div>\n
\"Embedded<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0By the way, did anyone see that Manchester Utd player -Ashley Young -who had a little birdie do its droppings-straight into his mouth.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Incredible. Someone from Old Trafford with shite going into<\/em> their mouth.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And probably the European Milk Marketing board, the Fisheries Forum and BBCs Watchdog, after the court of Abitration for Sport told them they were full…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":5550,"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\/2014\/08\/Dariusz-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2J7If-1rv","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5549"}],"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=5549"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5551,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5549\/revisions\/5551"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}