Just had a look at the potential CL route next year.
R1
Celtic
PSV (currently 2nd in the Dutch League)
Besiktas (currently 2nd in the Turkish League)
Rapid Vienna (currently 2nd in the Austrian League)
FC Midtjyland (currently 2nd in the Danish League)
Sparta Prague (currently 2nd in the Czech)
Celtic will likely be seeded for this round. Three winners will progress to next round
R2
3 teams who progress from above
Braga (3rd in Portuguese league)
PSG* (currently 3rd in France)
CSKA (2nd in Russia)
Shakthar (2nd in Ukraine)
Antwerp (2nd in Belgium)
So 4 teams progress out of this round to a playoff round of 4 teams. Celtic will not be seeded here. I also highly doubt PSG will finish outside the top 2.
It’s tough but doable for Celtic. I’d be disappointed if we did not make it past the first round and I think every other team there bar PSG is beatable for Celtic and we have nothing to be overawed by.
I’d like to see Hendry given a chance next year if he comes back, seems to be doing very well over in Belgium and has a lot of interest from the Bundesliga and EPL according to reports.
Looking at things now - Duffy will probably go back to Brighton, Jullien is likely to miss the start of the season, it’s highly likely Ajer will be sold so we could be left with just Welsh and Bitton early doors next season.
Be interesting to see what the new manager will do with the likes of Bayo, Shved, Hendry and Bolingoli if they are all here next season for pre-season.
I’d imagine Bayo will probably join Toulouse. He seems to be a regular there and they look like they are in with a good shout of promotion to Ligue 1.
Never heard of this Fergal Harkin lad from Donegal. An ex pro and now “Football partnerships and pathways manager” at Man City which I can only assume is some money laundering role.
Think they have an option on buying Hendry and they will take it. I could understand him not wanting to come back too.
Bayo has been a bit part player. More often a sub than a starter. Good luck to him but a sub for a second division French side is probably not the standard we need. Again he’ll probably feel he won’t make an impression at Celtic and as you say would rather move than return if it’s an option for him.
Can’t remember the title but it’s recruitment something or other. The DoF role would be a bit wider and should be more involved in the youth structure too and presumably would take over from Lawwell in some of his role and McKay would be less involved in recruitment.
You’d imagine Oostende could not come near to offering Hendry what Celtic can in terms of money or size of club.
If our new manager was to tell Hendry he had chance at Celtic I reckon he’d be tempted.
Bayo seems to have played when he’s fit. Think he had 6 weeks out with a groin injury but has played a lot of football this year and seems to be rated by the management team.
For me Bayo is probably as good as if not better than Ajeti and Klimala. He was never given a chance at Celtic, neither has Klimala either. Ajeti has and looked utter shit.
I think Toulouse will probably buy Bayo outright though in any case.
I’d like to see how all 4 get on under a proper management set up and be given the pre season if none of them are signed up.
R2: (Celtic seeded so one of):
Rapid Wien
Galatasaray
Midtjylland
R3: (Celtic seeded if they go through)
Genk
PSV (or winner of their game in previous round)
Spartak Moscow
Sparta Prague (or winner of their game in previous round)
Playoff: (Celtic unseeded)
Benfica or team who beat them
Shakthar or team who beat them
Rapid Vienna, Genk and Shakthar is probably the best route there.
The Danish League actually concluded yesterday with Midtjylland finishing second so Celtic will be the seeded team for the first two rounds if they make it there.
Celtic cannot draw Monaco who I would probably say are the strongest team in the League Path. There’s no team there that Celtic should feel notably inferior to.