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AEK Athens v Celtic
#11
I actually thought they played OK going forward, but basic defensive errors cost them. Not tracking the runner for the first, almost laughable ball watching for the 2nd.

Rodgers needs to get himself at least one top quality defender this window, and yes a mcginn 'style' player. too.
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#12
The goal they lost in Glesca was very similar - certain defenders just ball-watching and severely punished. IMO Hendry is not of a Celtic standard and Simunovic is questionable at this level too.
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#13
Again lots of "They should have strengthened and bought players"

Again i`ll refer to Roy Hodgson "Clubs have academies to develop players for the first team" , throwing millions at the wall isn't sustainable even for Celtic these days

Sure McGinn would have been an excellent perfect signing but you cannot put all the eggs in one basket and keep raiding the competitors to keep them weaker because nowadays those English clubs can pay higher wages and bigger transfer fees if they want a player

When Tierney leaves he`ll be the most expensive Scots player by far, you know that he cost nothing, there is a lesson there
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#14
I must say Celtic have the "pick of the crop" and they have had reasonable success when one looks at Forrest, Tierney and Magregor "coming through the ranks" but it could be better. However, there has to be enough quality youth players progressing from an early age. The indicators are that the percentage of the total is still fairly low down the years with few players hitting Tierney's level.
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#15
Just picked this one up on F365, thought it may be of interest

" Scottish fans and supporters of Scottish teams bear with me. This is no knuckle dragging jingoism or patronising query. This is a genuine enquiry. I’m watching AEK v Celtic as I type and the hosts have just scored their second goal. Once again, as an Englishman completely ignorant of Scottish football affairs, I’m forced to ask:"

1. What is the point of Celtic entering the CL?

2. More importantly, what can be done to improve the Scottish leagues?

https://www.football365.com/news/mails-t...on-is-back

For me

1/ Same as FK Kaunas, Flora Talinn, Akranes, Molde and even previous winners like Red Star Belgrade, to support your country and do the very best, to get to the very money sided CL which is unequally sided towards the bigger more financial spending clubs rather than the Champions of each country
It may be a long time ago but Celtic were the first British club to hold the European cup, 35 years ago Aberdeen were the highest rated team in Europe which included victories over Bayern Munich and Real Madrid now we are losing players to Salford FC (!)
Sadly money does talk , the country that brought us Boban, Prosinecki, Pancev, Boksic, Savecevic with those great Partizan and Red star sides has no chance under current regs to get in the CL either
In 1986 Stauea Bucharest beat Barcelona in the European cup final, a communist country behind the iron curtain without great finances that wouldn't happen today

2/ We live in a World sadly where its not just your average Dingwall football fan will support either Rangers or Celtic (This does happen en masse) rather than Inverness Caley but will maybe even probably support Barca or Real let alone a EPL side.
I have an awful lot of respect for managers in the Scots leagues as i`m sure you are quite aware there is not much money from TV and transfer money is limited really to a few clubs, even wages as you've seen from Adam Rooney can be outdone by non-league sides.
There does seem a lot of ex pros who have played in the EPL who have returned to the Scots game to develop their skills this is from the obvious McInnes and Lennon to Neil McCann, Barry Ferguson, Paul Hartley, Robbie Neilsen and Steve Pressley etc
Development of academies and selling those players at a profit to better the academies has to be the way forward, it works for Ajax, it works for many of the Dutch teams who remain competitive for this reason on the European stage
Big money in the SPL wouldn't be good in some ways, I dont want to see Rangers like in the past when Maurice Ross/Barry Ferguson was the only Scots player, I`m not keen on Celtic`s current league of nations
Tommy Docherty said many years ago that Scotland is second only to Brazil for producing quality players and whilst that may seem daft now for a small country that has won little he did have a point, picking an all star XI isn't an easy task! Even the quality of player Ferguson didn't pick for WC 86 is startling

There for me has to be a ruling of players under 23 going under freedom of contract for peanuts to English clubs, I believe academies are getting better but it`s a 10 year plan before changes really improve and during that time money elsewhere will keep Scots Football down somewhat
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#16
I think it is already a "footie marathon" for champion footie clubs like Celtic before they even reach the CL group stage - grossly unfair and do remember AEK Athens have still not qualified either. Also re developing youth players and establishing soccer academies one must highlight the fierce competition from English footie clubs to attract the best young Scottish players - an issue that has been mentioned to me down the years by certain scouting contacts and indeed Neil Lennon himself.
Note a post match quote by Brendan Rodgers: "It's not rocket science to realise that not strengthening the Celtic player squad was a key factor in this disappointing situation arising". I agree and I reckon the inclusion of a signed up John McGinn would've helped and poss stopped this failure in it's tracks and the results v AEK would've been positive.
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#17
AEK "in the driving seat" by winning 1-2 in Hungary tonight in their CL play off v Vidi! To the victor, the spoils - almost there and to Celtic's detriment!
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#18
I thought AEK were a decent outfit, I cant see them taking too many doings in the group stages. They know how to close a game out.

As for the tims, its definitely a sore one but they have to try and put that result behind them.
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