Celtic, understandly enough, appear to have edited out the question in yesterday’s media conference on the anticipated reaction to any minute of silence that could be held in Warsaw this evening as Shaktar Donetsk play host to the Scottish Champions in the Polish capital.
There will be supporters at this game from Ukraine, Poland, Scotland, Ireland and many other countries and they will all make their own minds up how they react to this minute of silence should it go ahead. Maybe BT Sports will turn down the sound as they appeared to do last night at Anfield where Liverpool played Ajax.
Liverpool vs Ajax minutes silence pic.twitter.com/YKbibW37FL
— FPL Prem Tipster (@FPLPremTipster) September 13, 2022
The UEFA directive on this, following the death of the Queen, states: “The following will take place for matches involving UK teams as the away team during the pre-match ceremony Moment of silence/black armbands.”
The media question on this brought this answer from the Celtic manager. “I will abide by whatever regulations there are. I’m not the keeper of people’s obligations.
“We live in a society where people can express their own values in any way they want. I will be doing it my way and my club will do it our way, and everyone else can do what they like,” Ange Postecoglou said.
Those who want to hate Celtic will do so regardless of what happens this evening and even in the unlikely event that the silence was perfectly observed – unlike at Anfield – they wouldn’t find it in their hearts to offer any acknowledgement. They have been spreading lies about Celtic’s response as a football club from the evening of the Queen’s passing, using her death to fuel their on hatred of Celtic.
It wasn’t Celtic who turned this rivalry into a religious thing. Celtic has always been a club open to all, unlike the other lot. Anyway, now that’s been said let’s get back to the game this evening.
Here’s the rest of the media conference…
Tonight provides Celtic with the first of four matches to secure enough points to qualify to the Champions League knock-out stages. Despite a poor record in Champions League away matches, tonight is a real opportunity against a side Celtic should be expected to beat but who shocked RB Leipzig last week while Celtic were losing to Real Madrid.
Next up for Shaktar is a double header against Real Madrid, essentially two free hits where they are expected to get nothing. So they know that tonight is crucial and perhaps the outcome of this game this evening will be the crucial one when the group phase comes to a conclusion. It’s vital that Celtic don’t lose and fall six points behind the Ukrainian Champions because even after two games it would be a long way back.
“Every game in the Champions League will be tough and every opposition will give us different challenges and whatever is out there tomorrow we need to be ready,” the Celtic manager noted in his Media Conference. Looking back on last week’s visit from the Champions of Europe, there remains frustration in Ange’s message and if he is saying this publicly then you can be sure that the message will have been communicated loud and clear to the Celtic players.
“As I said after the Real Madrid game, I was a bit frustrated and disappointed because it’s not just playing our football for a certain amount of time.
“In the context of who we were playing against – one of, if not the best, in the world – for us to match them by playing our football was encouraging, but I didn’t see any reason why it couldn’t continue beyond the time it did.
“The disappointing thing was we conceded straight after the first goal and we had to stay in the game. We should have got back to it and kept playing our football and in the end you lose 3-0.
“We could have been more competitive for longer in that game but that’s the level we’re at and that’s what you’ve got to do. Sixty minutes is never enough. You have to see the game out and be resilient when you need to.”
🟢 Matchday Two in the @ChampionsLeague! ⚪
🆚 @FCShakhtar_eng
🏆 #UCL
🕗 5:45pm (6:45pm Local Time)
🏟️ Stadion Wojska Polskiego
📻 Live audio on @CelticTV Worldwide
📺 Live on @btsportfootballCome on you Bhoys in Green! 💚#ShakhtarCeltic | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/v0qTjSOoYN
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 14, 2022
Maybe the smart thing for broadcasters to do would be to mute the sound for the duration of the ‘minutes silence’, but they probably won’t as it’d deny press the opportunity to create headlines
What difference will make muting the sound? The tv folk can lower the volume of peoples voices at the stadium? Nobody will witness this “ event” live? I wish I was there to not observe this “ decree”. Media once again fail to get Ange to take the bait.
Celtic support like S F leadership should show respect.
Nothing to be gained otherwise.
Unlike theProtestant Rangers club as described by MrSouness, Celtic are a club for all.
Hail Hail.
Celtic supporters like S F leadership should show respect for the dead.
Nothing to be gained otherwise.
Unlike the Protestant Rangers club as described by Mr Souness, C Elric are a club for all.
Hail Hail.