Gers not a priority.. isChampsLeague Fifaneeds changeto endwhiffof corruption
You would also have to say that in the Europa League Celtic did not too badly either.
But getting through the qualifiers is a different thing altogether.
In many ways this is harder, I think, than winning the Premiership.
There are so many things that can work against you – the timing of the games, the fact your squad is not sorted and settled and the quality of opposition that you could find yourself up against.
You have to win the league to get yourself into this position but the prize for qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League is difficult to downplay.
It is not just the financial rewards that are on offer, but also the prestige of being in the competition that adds a layer of glamour to the season.
And, of course, the financial aspect of qualification would give Celtic further scope to strengthen the squad and maintain their stranglehold domestically. IT LOOKS as though the time has finally come when the corruption at Fifa could be exposed.
There have always been suggestions about murky dealings with the game’s governing body, but nailing down concrete evidence and bringing it to the fore has proved elusive over the years.
However, the FBI investigation into a number of officials has resulted in the events of this week and you have to say it’s not before time that people were called to account for what has gone on behind closed doors.
In any other business Sepp Blatter would have gone long ago. It is incredible how long he lasted at the helm.
In any other walk of life his position would have been rendered untenable many years ago, but he has always managed to cling on. Even yesterday he was refusing Uefa calls for him to stand down.
There is no doubt Fifa needs to undergo drastic change – even if it is just to regain the trust of the football public.
The vote takes place tomorrow and I would hope that we don’t see Blatter at the helm again.
To be honest, I am not sure how he could claim his position his tenable after the allegations that have been made this week and it seems that his time is finally up.
We need to see change and transparency from within Fifa.