Celtic v AZ Alkmaar game is OFF
No surprise there then
In an announcement that will come as a surprise to no one, the Celtic v AZ Alkmaar match, scheduled for Wednesday 21st of April, has been postponed. This is due to the disruption to travel caused by the ash clouds formed after the volcanic eruptions in Iceland.
Given this friendly was arranged to provide season book holders with their quota of games, Celtic have an issue to consider in how best to compensate the fans.
Some have suggested offering money off next year’s seasons book but not everyone plans to renew, so that’s not a fair solution. Would another friendly before the summer be welcomed?
Probably not…so additional vouchers for the club store may be a solution. There is not going to be a worthwhile solution for everyone but it’s hard to see what else the club can do.
Given the predicted low turn-out for this march, it is probably not the worst thing in the world that this has happened.
Celtic have a big test at Tannadice in Sunday, and this postponement should allow a focus to be given to that match.
The major European semi-finals have been given the green light by Uefa to go ahead this week but it is fair to say they are important matches and there is a greater push and desire to have these matches played. The will of the television companies alone was probably enough to encourage clubs to travel by alternative methods to flying.
Travelling for such a long distance by coach is not ideal but the coaches deployed by Barcelona, much like the footballing coaches, are of a much greater standard than the ones you see in Scottish football!
Cue Parks of Hamilton getting in touch to tell us that their coaches are the match for any major European bus company! Fair enough, it’s not as though a team will be travelling a distance on a small Dicksons bus is it?
Anyways, you can see why players are being encouraged to travel for these European games but to put the Alkmaar players through a lengthy journey for a friendly which not too many people are interested in would seem a bit pointless.
Things have been a bit shambolic at Celtic Park this season and whilst this call-off is not the fault of the club (although it would be great if someone managed to blame Celtic for being behind the volcanic ash clouds), its just another thing to add to the list.
For hoops fans, the summer can’t come quick enough.
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Indeed. I think we would have been lucky to reach 5 figures for this match.
I see most friendly matches as completely pointless, unless of course it’s for building up fitness pre-season.
This game was quite ill-advised. Even if they managed to procure some real ‘glamour’ opposition it still wouldn’t have registered in many people’s heads.
WKS, Roll on the summer and a change of personnel indeed. Do those season book renewals arrive before or after the next manager is appointed?!?
Season book renewal forms will be out any day now BSW….pretty sure of that.
Celtic season book deadlines have been the end of May in recent years so you would expect to see them soon.
With that in mind, wouldnt expect Celtic to have a new man in place before then.
However, there may well be some prime spin from the club just as the mailman comes to the door.
We’ve no insight into that, just going on previous years.
They are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Unless an inspired appopintment is made, sales will slide by (conservative estimate time) perhaps up to 50%. If an appointment like, say, Nigel Pearson or Alan Pardew is made after renewals then those folk who have renewed (like me, suckers for punishment!) will vent their spleen as soon as things show slight signs of going awry.
The only thing is we don’t have the funs for ‘inspired’ appointments and the budgets that would go with.
I want to be proved wrong. Put my gas at a peep Celtic!