Celtic Clinch League

[United Pumps]

Nakamura freekick in extra time makes Celtic Scottish Champions for 2006/07.

Congratulations and \o/

[camerondocherty]

CHAMPIONS AGAIN! we deserved it even if it did take a few games too long who caress.....does anyone know if we get right into the champions league group stages next year or do we have to qualify??

[United Pumps]

Group stages, I assume.

[HuntKop]

Well done, Bhoys!

Hail! Hail!

[Norn_Iron_Man]

The 1st Place SPL team goes into the Group Stage, The Second Place team goes in on the 2nd Qualifying Round.

[TCNJFan]

Congratulations on winning the league and good luck in the cup final.

I was looking at Annex 1a of the Regulations for the UEFA Champions League and I think Celtic's insertion into the group stages was a special circumstance for this season.

http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/19071.pdf

Apparently, the whole thing with Liverpool in 2004/05 caused UEFA to guarantee that the Champions League winner would be given a spot in the next competition's group stages. Since Barcelona had already qualified as champions of Spain, the extra group stage spot went to the 10th best league, Scotland.

Long story short: As long as Milan or Liverpool don't win the Champions League and finish out of the top four domestically (and Scotland's ranking doesn't fall), it looks like Celtic will be back in the group stages.

EDIT: I'm wrong. The title holder's group spot would be used even if the title holder qualified for the 2nd/3rd Qualifying Round through the domestic league. So, with Milan 13 points behind second place with 5 matches left and Liverpool out of contention for 2nd place, if either win the Champions League, they would use the title holder's spot and Celtic would be put in the 3rd Qualifying Round.

[Norn_Iron_Man]

Excellent Call Mate! I was going off how it worked Last Year and made a mistake. You are totally correct that officially the Champions of Scotland take a 3rd qualifying round spot, the special circumstances not withstanding.

[celtic76]

Well it was a bit of a stutter accross the line but all that matters is we got there first. Good to see John given a run on and hopefully he can get back to where he was prior to his knee injury. Did you know that this is only the third time Celtic have retained the championship in the last ninety years! Just a tidbit to digest. In refence to UEFA are league is the 10th best? I think outside the top five we could land anywhere really.

[Norn_Iron_Man]

Did you know that this is only the third time Celtic have retained the championship in the last ninety years! Just a tidbit to digest. .

I think maybe you are wrong on this fact if I am reading your post correctly.
Celtic won Nine in a Row (retaining it 8 times on this run alone) 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974. This doesn't include the block in this Century. 2001-2002 and 2006-2007.

[celtic76]

I think maybe you are wrong on this fact if I am reading your post correctly.
Celtic won Nine in a Row (retaining it 8 times on this run alone) 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974. This doesn't include the block in this Century. 2001-2002 and 2006-2007.

Point taken, I should probbaly have worded it differnently as the 9 in a row is a bit of an anomally and i was counting it as one segmant.

[celtic76]

Money to splash
http://www.randalstowncsc.co.uk/modules/news/article.php?storyid=273

[Norn_Iron_Man]

"10 best League" is not a correct interpretation of Country Ranking System which is determined by the a co-efficient of a combination of the National Teams performance in European Matches in conjunction with the associated Clubs performance in CL over a five year period. Here are the 2007 Country Rankings

1Spain
2England
3Italy
4France
5Germany
6Portugal
7Romania
8Netherlands
9Russia
10Scotland

You can't really argue with the Countries ahead of Scotland not producing a better product on either a National or League level. In order for this to change the National team needs to Qualify for Euro 2008 and both CL clubs from Scotland need to perform well, otherwise the numbers are the numbers, folks.

[HuntKop]

"10 best League" is not a correct interpretation of Country Ranking System which is determined by the a co-efficient of a combination of the National Teams performance in European Matches in conjunction with the associated Clubs performance in CL over a five year period. Here are the 2007 Country Rankings

1Spain
2England
3Italy
4France
5Germany
6Portugal
7Romania
8Netherlands
9Russia
10Scotland

You can't really argue with the Countries ahead of Scotland not producing a better product on either a National or League level. In order for this to change the National team needs to Qualify for Euro 2008 and both CL clubs from Scotland need to perform well, otherwise the numbers are the numbers, folks.

I need to be reminded of what Romania has done recently to boost that ranking!

[Norn_Iron_Man]

Just as a quickside note.

Scotland ranked ten is stuck the Bigsoccer.com "find me if you can" European broom cupboard.

Republic of Ireland, shortened to Ireland for some reason, Ranked 35 has its own Section???!!!

Granted the Republic of Ireland is one spot behind Moldova which of course has a Huge section on Bigsoccer.com and 2 spots in front of Liechtenstein an other Huge draw to the site.

Given this, I propose that Northern Ireland, currently ranked 46, one spot behind Borat's country Kazakhstan, should have a permenant spot on the home page at the very top.

[Norn_Iron_Man]

I need to be reminded of what Romania has done recently to boost that ranking!

Probably nothing recently, however this is over a 5 year period. An remember the Scottish National team hadn't been doing well for a long time.

I won't pretend to know about Romanian football by saying Steaua Bucuresti are the greatest thing since slice bread but didn't they just lose out to Boro last year in the Quarters or Semi's of the Uefa Cup down from the CL group stage? I think that is right.

[YankHibee]

Just as a quickside note.

Scotland ranked ten is stuck the Bigsoccer.com "find me if you can" European broom cupboard.

Republic of Ireland, shortened to Ireland for some reason, Ranked 35 has its own Section???!!!

Granted the Republic of Ireland is one spot behind Moldova which of course has a Huge section on Bigsoccer.com and 2 spots in front of Liechtenstein an other Huge draw to the site.

Given this, I propose that Northern Ireland, currently ranked 46, one spot behind Borat's country Kazakhstan, should have a permenant spot on the home page at the very top.


I've found this frustrating too. We used to have a better spot, but then our section was called Scotland, NI, and Wales. When they restructured the site, they split it up. I've tried to get them to change it back to no avail.

[Norn_Iron_Man]

I've found this frustrating too. We used to have a better spot, but then our section was called Scotland, NI, and Wales. When they restructured the site, they split it up. I've tried to get them to change it back to no avail.

No worries mate, just keeping up the auld Northern Ireland tradition of Slagging off the Authorites, just a wee bit of humor, I hope you don't take it as anything more.:)

[YankHibee]

No worries mate, just keeping up the auld Northern Ireland tradition of Slagging off the Authorites, just a wee bit of humor, I hope you don't take it as anything more.:)


None taken at all.

[celtic76]

I've found this frustrating too. We used to have a better spot, but then our section was called Scotland, NI, and Wales. When they restructured the site, they split it up. I've tried to get them to change it back to no avail.

In some way, shape or form believe the SFA is behind this. ;)

[Borussia]

YEAHHH, the Bhoys made it again! :)

What a PARTY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTX049S7L9Q&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecelticminded%2Ecom%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D315806)!! ;)


Unfortunately my personal joy gets clouded by Borussia's unexpected & very painful relegation...:(