Champions League – It’s going to be tough, but we are there because we earned it

It’s going to be tough, but we are there because we earned the right…

Today is Champions League draw day or if you’re a supporter of theRangers, it’s Thursday.

Celtic is of course in pot four and face a daunting draw either way. There’s been discussions of all the different scenarios, ie the hardest group or the easiest group we could get handed, but it doesn’t matter because every single side in this tournament will be a tough opponent. It’s the elite of Europe football after all.

Most supporters will be hiding behind the couch while the groups are being drawn. That’s only natural as the calibre of side is frightening. Teams with much bigger resources and better players than us and  In all honesty a third place finish will be seen as respectable for us.

Indeed the target should be European football after Christmas and if we achieve that then it will be a successful campaign. We really should have managed it last season and hopefully the players who played in that campaign will be all the better for it this time around.

The quality of opposition we will face doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy participating and competing in the Champions League. We are there because we deserve to be there. It was our prize for winning Scottish Premiership title title, we earned the right to be there and of course winning the league meant we didn’t have to worry about the summer qualifying rounds.

We could worry too much about the opposition and think we’re beaten before we turn up, but that’s not good for anyone and it’s never been the Celtic way.  Instead we must be optimistic and fearless, whether it’s the manager, the support or the players.  We’ve got to think positively.

You have to have belief, we might not have the ability or the resources the other sides possess, but belief can get you a long way in life. There’s no other way. We either just have the attitude of thinking we’re beaten before we turn up or we give it a go, just like earlier Celtic sides under Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon have done in the Champions League. Now it’s the turn of Brendan Rodgers and his current crop of Celtic players.

They have earned the right to be with the big guns of European football . Let’s go out and prove it and take some scalps along the way!

Just an Ordinary Bhoy