The Elephant in the Room

In the second qualifying round of the Champions League qualifiers, Celtic have been drawn against either Linfield (Northern Ireland) or S.P. La Fiorita (San Marino).

Linfield are favourites to come through against the San Marino league champions, and if they do UEFA have scheduled the game against Celtic to take place on the 11/12th July to be held at the home ground of the unseeded team (Linfield), with the corresponding fixture to be held at the seeded team (Celtic) on either the 18/19th July.

I have read a few articles regarding this potential game between Northern Ireland’s Linfield and Scotland’s Celtic and the underlying theme is that it couldn’t possibly be played on the 12th July. It was ruled out instantly by both clubs as soon as the draw was made. I am from the West of Scotland and I understand why the game couldn’t be played on that day but what of people looking in from the outside?

Where is the critical analysis of why ‘Celtic can’t possibly play in Belfast on the 12th July’?

Is it a Police resource issue? Is it the visiting team? All I have read is that it is going to be a ‘powderkeg’ or there are ‘safety concerns’. Shouldn’t we know the concerns rather than just accepting that there are some? All countries will have certain scenarios that mean sporting events can’t be held on a particular date, like large concerts, also taking place in a city. Is there a question to be asked as to why a team could be paired with Linfield which resulted in a scenario that meant the home team were unable to safely accommodate that team?

I understand the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will refuse permission for the game to take place on the 12th July due to the amount of Orange Order marches that are happening in the city on that date to celebrate ‘The Battle of the Boyne’. This is the culmination of the marching season in Northern Ireland (and also some parts of Scotland) to celebrate the victory of King William of Orange in 1690.

There has been suggestions that the game could be played on the 11th July but by all accounts that is also a date that PSNI are having issues with as many in Belfast and across Northern Ireland, light bonfires that evening. Would it be an issue if Linfield weren’t playing Celtic? On two occasions, Linfield have played home fixtures on the 11th July in European qualifiers against FC Torpedo Kutaisi (Georgia) in 2001 and again Gorica (Slovenia) in 2006. What is it specifically about Celtic that makes this game a ‘powderkeg’ and a ‘worst possible’ date to hold it?

Linfield it seems have also gone to the trouble of asking Celtic if they could play the home game on Thursday 13th July but looking at the stipulations dictated by UEFA then I am not sure that is a possibility as the UEFA guidelines state games must be held on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

There has also been discussions about whether Celtic should play the home leg first. I am not against this as I think it would be nice for Celtic to put the tie to bed but it also seems Linfield are keen to have the home leg in Belfast to extract as much of the ‘Green and White’ pound as they can. An interesting irony when you want to exploit a club to gain revenue but you can’t host them in your city due to particular religious expressions that are occupying minds around the time the fixture is meant to take place. In all of this though, UEFA could decide when the game was to be held. It is their competition after all but I imagine, Linfield would need to explain exactly why Celtic couldn’t be accommodated in the week that UEFA have decreed the game to take place.

One other aspect of this game, and it should be one that the Scottish media in particular to pay attention to is the way in which Linfield have been forced to apply the ban on any form of the Billy Boys being sung at their ground. If this song is given an airing against Celtic, in whatever guise, Linfield will be in trouble as the Irish Football Association (IFA) have been given directives by UEFA to stop the sectarian Billy Boys being sung at games.   Take note, regardless of whether words are changed or not the song is not allowed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27054281

In Northern Ireland, the IFA apply strict liability to their clubs. It is something I have argued should be applied in Scotland.

Last season, Celtic played an Israeli team, Hapoel Be’er Sheva. Some Celtic fans decided to hold aloft Palestinian flags in protest at the treatment of people caught up in the conflict in that region. Celtic were subjected to intense scrutiny as a result of the fans stance. There was critical analysis of why it was done and whether it was the right thing to do in terms of displaying unity with the Palestinians but there were also counter arguments relating to the antagonistic approach in relation to the visiting team. Celtic were duly fined by UEFA, under the strict liability rules they have, as they take a dim view on political expressions of supporters but the issue was spoken about in great depth.

In the current enlightened times where a light has been shone on some of the archaic views held by politicians of certain political parties in Northern Ireland, perhaps it is appropriate to ask why Celtic can’t be accommodated in Northern Ireland around the 12th July without ignoring the elephant in the room.