{"id":7440,"date":"2015-07-10T11:04:54","date_gmt":"2015-07-10T10:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=7440"},"modified":"2015-07-10T11:04:54","modified_gmt":"2015-07-10T10:04:54","slug":"celtic-diary-friday-july-10-celts-back-in-action-tonight-woo-hoo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=7440","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Friday July 10: Celts Back In Action Tonight ! Woo hoo !"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celtic face Real Sociedad tonight, which if the weather holds out, and the berr gardens are open, could be a pleasant way to spend a summer evening.<\/p>\n

Even in Paisley.<\/p>\n

The club will debut the all new green away kit, which gives them plenty of time to order new ones ready for the competitive games \u00a0after it falls apart in the wash afterwards.<\/p>\n

Sure it looks great, but we need a wee bit more than that for our money.<\/p>\n

Nadir Ciftci signed a four year deal with the club yesterday, and many expect Ronny and johnny to work their magic on him and tame his wilder urges, but one wonders what the point would be in signing someone because you like the way he plays, and then changing it ?<\/p>\n

Nah, now we’ve got him, let’s allow him to annoy the opposition the way he annoyed us, and if it doesn’t work out then we could try a different approach.<\/p>\n

For those who question his desire to play for Celtic, it’s worth noting that within an hour of signing, he was out on the training pitch…<\/p>\n

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Ronny has said he will introduce different systems, and although it will usually revolve around the number ten playing behind the striker, the temptation to see what these two can do together must be overwhelming.<\/p>\n

Brown , Bitton Armstrong behind Johansen and these two up front ?<\/p>\n

Could be productive.<\/p>\n

But that’s football. We all see the game differently.<\/p>\n

Cifci has been handed the “coveted ” number seven shirt, following in the footsteps of a couple of legends.<\/p>\n

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This , as you see, \u00a0matters little in reality. In actual fact, although one or two legends have worn it, so have a lot of diddies, and as far as i’m concerned as long as he doesn’t make \u00a0an arse of it on his debut like the last big number seven did, I’m happy enough.<\/p>\n

Ciftci is happy enough as well;<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my favourite number and I\u2019ve worn it everywhere else.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI know what this number means to this club and the players that have worn it before so it\u2019s an honour and pleasure for me to wear it here as well and I know what it is all about.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be nice to have the pressure. You\u2019ll always be remembered here especially if you do well and I\u2019m here to do well and be remembered and do the best. It\u2019s a pressure that\u2019s put on me and I\u2019ll just work for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

He played down any suggestions of problems between him and Scott Brown;<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all professionals here and when you are on the pitch you do your job for the team you play for. Scott Brown is a very good professional as well and everybody would love to have him in their team and I have him in my team just now.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

He does seem to have the right attitude, and hopefully will carry it on to the ptich. Celtic need someone who will put themselves about a bit. He might just fit the bill.<\/p>\n

After all, he’s our pain in the arse now, and must be supported as such.<\/p>\n

Broony may have given us an iconic image when he celebrated scoring against Rangers,<\/p>\n

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whereas Ciftci didn’t even wait until he’d scored.<\/p>\n

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Meanwhile , Celtic need to be aware the Real game is probably the toughest ahead of the European clash next week, and it gets even tougher after that, should Celtic get past the men from Iceland.<\/p>\n

Next Friday will see the draw for the third qualifying round, and the seeding don’t make for easy reading.<\/p>\n

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It’s time to start taking it seriously, there can be no repeat of the lackadaisical approach that allowed Dukla to score five. Against Real, we need to see progress. We need to see sharpness, and we need to see the beginnings of a settled side.<\/p>\n

The transfer business has been done early, the players who have gone have been replaced. Ronny deserves enormous credit for not hanging about, and now it’s time to bed them in.<\/p>\n

There were stories that Celtic have spoken with both Swansea and Sothampton about a move for Virgil van Dijk. One source described them as “positive “, but didn’t say who for.<\/p>\n

Ronny has repeatedly stated that van Dijk will play in the qualifiers, and unles a move to a big club comes along, he will be here for the group stages, should we progress.<\/p>\n

There’s no reason to think that the situation has changed.<\/p>\n

One thing \u00a0has changed though.<\/p>\n

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You’ll become more accustomed to using this during the season. It’s the new access control system at Celtic Park, which may explain the need to use Paisley for the friendlies.<\/p>\n

The official website gives instructions on how to use it, as it will be used against Stjarnan next week.<\/p>\n

Your Season Ticket contains an embedded microchip that communicates with the ticket reader at the turnstile. Please take care of your card and do not bend it or you may break the chip and your Season Ticket will not work.<\/em><\/p>\n

To gain access to the stadium, go to one of the turnstiles printed on your Season Ticket. When you reach the turnstile, you will see a green Fortress ticket reader.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Introducing new technology-they are aware it’s a card these days, and not a ticket-aren’t they ?<\/p>\n

Place your Season Ticket into the ticket reader \u00a0which looks as shown.\u00a0 You will see one of the following lights:<\/em><\/p>\n