New Footy Season 2017/18 ..How's your team doing?

[struth]

yup, great volley

[Marco]

Quality, wasn't it? I think he's going to become a big player for Scotland in future

In fact, there are a lot of quality young players now coming through the ranks for Scotland, so hopefully it'll soon be time for us to come out from the doldrums and start qualifying for tournaments again. It's been too long since we were last at the Euros or World Cup!

Marco.

[struth]

He's good enough Just needs to get consistency

[Marco]

Was just watching this video on Celtic TV, of the Celtic team and management staff taking an open-bus tour around the east end of Glasgow, parading the three trophies they've won this season... Check out the number of fans, apparently there were more than 25,000 of them lining the streets:



Wow... Now *that* is what you call a passionate and dedicated support!!

Marco.

[struth]

a bit ott, but such is the passions of footy it seems... Decent crowd, although it would have been nice to see some scottish flags

[Marco]

Oh I know (and agree), but as you also know, if it had been your lot, it'd have been Union Jacks!

For me though, the celebrations aren't OTT; it's not often you get to win a double treble [never been done before in the history of Scottish football], so why not celebrate it? That's why the tour happened. It was an historic event. There was none of that last year when we had 'just' won the treble

Treble-treble next year...and we'll be going down the Clyde in a cruise ship!

Marco.

[struth]

well if they had won something where there was competition i would be all for it, but they have coasted to it due to very poor opposition.. would have preferred them winning the europa cup.
but as i say, if they are happy, im not going to argue. i might add if it were gers at top in same circumstance i would feel the same.(not that that is likely alas)

on another note, congrats to little livingston for making it to the spl against the odds. shame we will have yet another 3g pitch tho, as this does put off top players coming to scotland.

[Marco]

well if they had won something where there was competition i would be all for it, but they have coasted to it due to very poor opposition.. would have preferred them winning the europa cup.

I would disagree, as first of all you can only beat who's in front of you, and regardless of that, the level of consistency Celtic have shown, playing at a high standard in more games than anyone else has played, is still remarkable, especially coming back from extremely difficult International and Champions League games, and still managing to win, often away from home at difficult grounds.

Plus, although the competition may not be of the highest technical standard, players are extremely committed, and you have to fight very hard to win, often against 10 men behind the ball, as every time the other teams play us, it's like a cup final to them!

So I can assure you it's not as easy as you think for Celtic to have achieved what they have, and also this time by losing and drawing more games than last season's 'invincible' one, and winning the league by much less points. Therefore, I'd disagree with your comment about "coasting" it.

In the cup final at the weekend, Motherwell made it difficult for us, especially in the second half, and of course have drawn against us twice in the league, ditto Kilmarnock, including a win at Rugby Park. Hibs have also beat us and drawn twice against us, and of course there was that 4-0 thumping from Hearts at Tynecastle...

So no, "coasted to it". I don't think so

Next season will be even harder, as no doubt Gerrard will improve Rangers, and this time we've got to play FOUR CL qualifiers, not long after the players get back from their summer holidays, and as I've mentioned already, quite a few of them will also have been at the World Cup, so it's going to a testing time for us next season, which will be far from easy, but bring it on!

Marco.

[rmcin626]

Unfortunately all the European ties come early which makes it hard to qualify, I thought Celtic only had a couple of players who have been selected for the World Cup.

[Marco]

Nope... All the ones I listed earlier (seven) are in the squads of their respective countries, and some are in the first teams. And yes, next time it'll be harder than ever for Celtic to qualify for the Champions League group stages.

However, every year when the bar is raised, the team rise to meet the challenge, and with no doubt some quality additions to the squad in the summer, I expect them to do it again. Let's hope that Rangers emulate them, in that respect, and have a decent run in the Europa League!

Marco.