Bhoys are back in town

Celtic secure Champions League Group Stage Football for the second consecutive season
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Well, we've done it. For the second year in a row, the Hoops will be sitting at the top table of European football, rubbing shoulders with the very best and, no doubt, making another trip to the Nou Camp..

In all seriousness, despite a very nervous 25 minute period in the second half of tonight's game in Kazakhstan, Brendan Rodgers' men have done it in tremendous fashion this year. The first round against Linfield may have been a gimme but Rosenborg and Astana are definitely no mugs, and the promise of Champions League football and the riches which come with such a prize, means just as much to them as it does to us. The pressure of these game cannot be underestimated, so to come out of tonight with an 8-4 aggregate win is fantastic, regardless of a slightly below par performance in tonight's second leg.

Even then, if you look at the game on the whole, Celtic have still gone away from home, to a venue where the home side are unbeaten in 14 previous European games, and scored 3 goals, while also controlling it for the entirety of the 1st half (near enough). Throw in the fact we are technically playing in Asia at the same time, and the convincing win over two legs against the Kazakhs is even more impressive.

If any Celtic fan has any complaints tonight, they need only think back to this time approximately 2 years ago. Had this been the Hoops side from then, we'd once again be sitting cursing yet another failure at the final hurdle, looking 'forward' to the prospect of Europa League football. Don't get me wrong, the Europa is not a bad competition at all, and I believe it gets a lot of unfair stick. However, nothing beats the sound of that Champions League theme tune ringing around Celtic Park. Nothing.

We also all know the financial importance of the competition to a club in our position. Our status on the world football stage may be assured forever, but the fact is our domestic game seriously halts our ability to progress on the field, so the £40m or so all in from these 6 group games (potentially more if we manage the Last 16) will go a long way to helping Brendan Rodgers continually mould this Celtic side into one which can seriously compete year in year out.

Now all that remains is to tie up a few more signings to bolster the squad ahead of a tough campaign, with Rivaldo Coetzee and Patrick Roberts looking likely to join Rodgers' merry band within the next 48 hrs. Oh, and there is the small matter of the Group Stage draw this coming Thursday. With the Hoops looking likely to be in pot 4 once again, we can only sit back and hope for a favourable draw for once. It isn't going to be easy, and, knowing Celtic, there will be ups and downs, but we are certainly more prepared to compete on this stage than we were a year ago.

Go on...give it a listen..

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