Alright troops how we all doing? A week has flown past since I last blogged and It hasn't been a very eventful one truth be told. The upcoming Champions League qualifier  tomorrow night against Braga kicks off our competitive season and a chance to finally lay to rest our previous campaign. Although Europe is not our number one priority in the coming year it is, none the less, important to give everything to try and qualify for the money spinning group stages. I do fear it is a monstrous task with the way Platini has structured the competition since he took over the Presidency at UEFA but it thats the way it is and the “non champions” route is the path we must take. I miss the days of AC Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich coming to Celtic Park and the place shaking to its very foundations. Another season of the Europa League just doesn’t fill me with excitement and I’m sure many of us feel the same.

I am generally looking forward to the game as it will no doubt give me my first view of messers Ledley, Juarez, Du Ri, Murphy and possibly Hooper. I am unsure at this time whether we will see Aiden McGeady play against the Portuguese side as “Saint” Martin is still looking at him as a possible replacement for Milner if he decides to go to Moneybags City. Does anyone else fear that this one will run and run till the last week of the transfer window before Aiden finally says goodbye and leaves us with a gaping hole in the side that will have to wait until January to be filled? I hope not. Then again if he does turn out tomorrow will this scupper any move south or just reduce the asking price, as he will be cup tied for Villa’s own European campaign. If he stays then fine, if he goes I would prefer it was sooner rather than later and for the maximum amount we can receive. I know very little of Portugal’s runners up other than what I read in Krys’ Saturday/Sunday blog so I will be making no predictions but obviously an away goal or two would be nice to bring back to Glasgow for the return leg next week.

Yesterday Efrain Juarez was presented at Paradise and the Mexican was immediately on the charm offensive cracking jokes in his rather good English. STV seem to only be able to find the coverage of him picking up a yellow card at the World Cup because that is the footage they show over and over again when reporting on him. Gary Hooper also arrived for his medical and signing talks with the Hoops but David James a nowhere to be seen citing family reasons for canceling.... sorry... delaying talks with Neil Lennon over a possible move to the east end of Glasgow. These talks will now apparently take place in London at the weekend when we travel to the English capital to take on Olympique Lyonnais and Arsenal in the Emirates Cup. I am not pinning my hopes on James signing on the dotted line at Celtic if I’m honest. I was hearing that last season the Arsenal fans were none too chuffed when the Huns were invited to play in their preseason tournament  as many of them have a soft spot for the men in the green and white. Obviously Eduardo had no such feelings. Although I don’t think he’ll be caring too much in oil rich Donetsk. Also being reported is the possible signing of Biram Kayal a 22 year old Isreali international defensive midfielder from Maccabi Haifa.  Lets hope he’s not another Eyal Berkovic if the deal goes through.

So as the revolving door at Celtic Park continues to turn the Emergency Exit has been kicked open across the city. With Real Mallorca being omitted from European competition by UEFA, albeit they went into voluntary administration, and Sheffield Wednesday handed a winding up order by HMRC we may yet see a few more of them jump the sinking ship before the season starts. (Makes you think what really could have been eh?) Even if we do not reach the Champions League proper I look forward to seeing them take an absolute pounding again home & away in that competition over the coming months.

Right I think I will wind this up now as time is ticking on and since I am on a weeks holiday  there are many beers to be had. Note to Harper.... blog first, beer second. Well thats the party line anyway *hic*. It just remains for me to say good luck to the Bhoys tomorrow night and hopefully the new guys can gel quickly and put us in a good position to progress. Let the season commence!

Hail Hail

Charlie