Celtic's assult on Europe

[Laurence]

I suppose with Rangers out of the picture

Celtic now can prepare a 5 year programme before Rangers can be a significant force again in the SPL

Given sensible planning good management and a favourable draw at group stage , I feel within 6 years Celtic can really make an impact for Scotland in Europe.

I know all the usual suspects will make it hard , the City's United's Chelsea's Barcelona's and what have you. But if Porto can do it againt the odds, maybe Celtic with good planning and knowing they have a clear Scottish route to Europe, with good financial planning who knows?

The next 5 years may be good for Scotish football in Europe

[Renegade]

Celtic only got into Europe last season by default and even then fell at the first hurdle. I can't see them do any better any time soon.

[bauhaus]

Cant see them doing very well and with no real competition in the league will lose players and get weaker, in my opinion. Rather the opposite can see Scottish football falling down the rankings. When Scottish football was having its better days in Europe, our clubs had little money, as did the rest of Europe, but now most other leagues will be stronger than ours and results will show I expect

[Yngwie]

Over the next few years I wouldn't expect Celtic or any other Scottish team to make any sort of impact on Europe.

[+DoofersDad]

I can't see any reason for Celtic to get stronger. They have had a clear road into Europe for years and the demise of Rangers doesn't change that. What the demise of Rangers will mean is that they will have no real challenger for the domestic title and this, if anything will weaken them. It might lead to a strengthening of some other teams as their chances of playing in Europe improve. There may be a little narrowing of the gap domestically but I can't see anyone making an impact on Europe.

[Laurence]

The point I was trying to make, was that Celtic can now bank on having time to build a European squad in the knowledge that they can budget fully knowing that they will enter Europe for many years to come,given that their main rivals for the Scottish league championship are no longer in the running.

As we see in England the panic which big clubs experience towards the end of the season when they see Europe slipping from their grasp is there for all to see. The reason is they have budgeted for Europe and they may not get there

I take a more positive view than the contributers above , because with good buying of young talented players with potential, surely with a long term plan they can improve enough to win a few matches at that highest level. Maybe not straight away but in two or three years. Alex Fergusion took many years to build his first formidable United team.

Anyway lets be optimistic, doom and gloom is not my scene.

I wonder if the manager is up to it though?

[The Mantis]

I would rename the thread 'Europe's assault on Celtic'

[Laurence]

Inter will remember the Lions that is for sure