The Uhren Cup was a pre-season tournament played in Swtzerland before the start of season 2007/08.
The three way tournament also featured Basle and Young Boys of Berne and was used by the Hoops mainly to improve fitness levels and to bed in new players Scott McDonald, Scott Brown and Massimo Donati.in preparation for the season ahead.
Under Gordon Strachan Celtic’s pre-season results were usually less than impressive so it was a surprise when the Bhoys started off with a 1-0 win over old Champions League rivals Basle on Thursday July 5th. However, normal service was resumed in the next match two days later when Celtic collapsed to a 4-1 defeat to a Young Boys side who were not flattered by the commanding scoreline.
With the match tied at 1-1 at the break Celtic fielded an almost entirely different team for the second-half but the fresh legs looked rather sluggish and Young Boys took the cup with a resounding victory.
Celtic Games and Line-ups:
5/7/07 Bruhl Stadion, Gretchen, Switzerland; KO 15:00; Attendance: 8,612; Referee: ?
Celtic 1 – 0 FC Basle
Celtic:
1st half: Brown, Wilson, Pressley, Kennedy, Naylor, Bjarnasson, Donati, Gravesen, McGeady, Miller, Zurawski.
2nd half: Virgo, Balde, Pressley, McManus, Wilson, Jarosik, Brown, Riordan, Venegoor of Hesselink, McDonald.
Scorer: Miller (42)
FC Basle:
Costanzo, Morganella, Baumann, Marque, Hodel, Huggel (78 Frei), Burgmeier (78 Dos Santos Rodrigues), Cabral (46 Derdiyok, 66 Zanni), Ergic, Stocker (46 Chipperfield), Eduardo.
7/7/07 Bruhl Stadion, Gretchen, Switzerland; KO 15:00; Attendance: 7,688; Referee: Circhetta
Celtic 1 – 4 Young Boys Berne
Celtic:
McGovern, Bjarnasson, Balde (46 Pressley, 56 Sno, 70 Killen), McManus (46 Kennedy), Naylor, Jarosik (46 Virgo), Sno (46 Gravesen), Brown (46 Donati), Riordan (46 McGeady), Vennegor of Hesselink (46 Miller), McDonald (46 Zurawski).
Scorer: Jarosik (39)
Young Boys Berne:
Wölfli, Schwegler, Calvano, Portillo, Raimondi (60 Kallio), Varela (84 Madou), Mangane, Yapi, Regazzoni (86 Hochstrasser), João Paulo (75 H.Yakin), Schneuwly (64 Kavak).
Scorers: Tiago (25), Schneuwly (48), H.Yakin (88, 90)
Other Games in the Tournament:
FC Basle 3 – 1 Red Bull Salzburg
Young Boys Berne 0 – 1 Red Bull Salzburg
Final Table :
1. BSC Young-Boys 2 1 0 1 4-2 3
2. FC Basel 2 1 0 1 3-2 3
3. Red Bull Salzburg 2 1 0 1 2-3 3
4. Celtic Glasgow 2 1 0 1 2-4 3
Young Boys Berne won the Cup.