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G`day,fellow Tims.
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Sadly it seems the only way we are going to get Bobo off the wage bill is to pay him off.
It will be a shame if it ends acrimoniously as despite being sometimes a little erratic he has been generally good for us.
TNBC
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Go Bobo Go!!
(somewhere else )
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I can only remember being very relieved when he re-signed.Be careful what you wish for.
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Paul67
It would be interesting to learn if during your recent tete-a-tete
with our esteemed Chairmanm the subject of ole Bobo came up?
You're not going to tell us- are you??!!
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Spadetim, no, it didn’t.
Macjey, as was I happy when he re-signed, but I have concerns about his fitness and cannot see him getting a regular game in the future.
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Was Bobo not quoted around the time of the Sunderland link as saying 'I'm not ready to play football again'? Ah, the wads of cash in his back-pocket must be weighing him down, the wee soul. Trying and failing to rationalise his thoughts, I thought perhaps though his broken leg has given him a new perspective, but despite being a professional player, he seems simply to have lost his motivation and stagnated, the nearer he comes to the end. That is, unless Marseille come calling in January and a wage compromise can be found.
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Paul,
I don't think it necessarily correct to criticise Bobo - it was another classic case of mismanagement.
As an employee on a fixed term contract he is entitled to see his contract out to completion. Celtic have to evaluate whether the cost of having him around is more than the cost of not having him around (ie is he having a negative influence). They may however choose to hold onto him for emergencies???
I think that they should hold him and keep him fit until the next transfer window, and maybe a struggling premiership club will come along and take him. Beyond that, if they have no intention of playing him, and as a matter of principle (+ cash flow) Celtic should probably put him on paid leave.
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to be fair to Big Bobo
he wants to stay
whether we like that or not, he actually wants to stay and play at Celtic
take away the £30K a week and i am sure most people would wanna keep him
i can understand people sayin in terms of his career he shud prob move as he has hardly featured at all
If i was him i wud want to stay and fight for my place, so i dont understand why he shud be any different
he loves it at celtic
remember it was only a few seasons ago he was the fans player of the year.
always outstanding at home in europe, sure some away days he was a nightmare!
I want him to stay, purely as I think he still has something to offer. I think we have to forget the £30K rope that hangs around his neck as this was agreed ages ago when MON was here so we cant blame him for getting a cracking deal
OH BOBO BOBO BALDE
OH BOBO BOBO BALDE
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I still reckon that Bobo wins tackles in the tunnel. Strikers hate playing him coz he takes the ball the man everything. I think we will miss him against rangers where our centre halfs will be bullied by Boyd, McCulloch and Darcheville. I remeber last year when Sebo single handedly battered our centre halfs all across the back line.
A fit Bobo is still our best 'SPL' defender.
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Paul,
As always, we'll agree to differ on Bobo.
My view has not changed. I think he is still the best right sided central defender at the club. His wage deal is unfortunate but irrelevant to his defending ability.
Last time we debated this I think your view was that it was fine to let him go if he was replaced with a better player. Obviously that's not happened.
My hope - albeit forlorn - is still that he's given another chance. I find it ludicrous that he's behind Pressley in the pecking order.
On another note: Estadio - Your Big Jock article made for tremendous reading, and captured my feelings exactly. Well done.
If hating was an Olympic Event, they'd have gold medals every time.
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tully57:
"On another note: Estadio - Your Big Jock article made for tremendous reading, and captured my feelings exactly. Well done."
tully57, could you please point me in the direction of Estadio's article?
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Well Paul,
On a boring week of international football, throw in one Bobo Balde, his unwillingness to play elsewhere and a sprinkle of £30k a week and let the debate begin :)
Despite our mixed views on Bobo the player - personally loved him as a character but probably the worst footballer I've ever seen with a ball at his feet, it's the manager that counts again on this so let's make it a footballing decision. Gordon rates all the other centre halves at the club higher than Bobo, who clearly doesn't fit into the playing style he is attempting to build within the team. The fella must know where he stands and I don't buy this line that he is staying to play for the jersey. His boss has clearly intimated that it's time to move on (32 year olds go on loan cos they aren't wanted anymore) so there's nothing to fight for. Sad maybe but I would rather Gordon sticks with his philosophy than react to the fans' panic that we are going to be pulverised by the bottom potters hammer throwers - let's concentrate on the equation that says how will they focus on our free flowing football and threats from all over the park....
We used to laugh at TFOD when they got left with high rollers on the books in the same circumstances. We don't seem to be as ruthless in that regard (on the face of it). No room for sentiment, Bobo it is time to go.
Do you have any sense Paul what are current plan would be for the Baldes and Jirosiks of the world come the next window in anticipation of it ?
Big Wavy
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Hi
Would any of our american-based supporters know where I could watch the Celtic Rangers game in October on the tele? I'll be based in New Haven, Connecticut. Lucky enough to be away for over a fortnight and not miss any home games.
Also, I remember some mention on CQN a while back of the latest strip being available without the corporate 'Carling' nonsense emblazoned across the sacred hoops. Anyone got a link or details where I could check them out?
Many thanks
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May67
I'm not clever enough to insert links, but it is on the eTims website as main article.
Noel90 also posted a link to it in CQN last article.
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May67,
Estadio article
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Bobo is doing the right thing for himself and his family, he had other offers on the table when we valued him at 32k a week, who can honestly say they'd do any different, I wish someone would offer me a four year contract massively overpaying me...
Rather than focus on Bobo being overpaid lets rejoice in the fact that he is the exception rather than as was the case some years ago the rule. Berkovic and Rafael Sheidt alone must have cost us nearly £20million just between the two of them....
We made £2million on Kenny Miller, saved money on Scott Brown because he was playing for Hibs not for an English club...
You win You lose, over the years he's been at the club Bobo has put a great deal of commitment into the club, I doubt the decision not to move to Sunderland was financially motivated, Celtic would I am sure have made it financially attractive for him to move.
We love Celtic, is it that far fetched to believe that Big Bobo feels the same and simply wants to play his way back into the first team... I still think if he was given a chance he'd be as good as anything else we have to stand next to McManus...
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I don't remember writing that !?
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For what its worth, I don't think it is 100% WGS's decision to leave Bobo out of the team. I think he and the SSM have agreed that Bobo will/would be gone at the first opportunity to get his £30k out the door. With that in mind I think WGS decided that he needed to start forging a CH partnership that would take us forward and be established for years to come.
I am in no doubt that BB is the best stopper at Celtic Park, I just hope we don't rue having him in the stands when it comes to playing the bruisers from the SouthSide.
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It is probably not a new phenomemon,and Celtic are probably no better nor worse at it than anybody else,but it is clear that the departure of players who have contributed a lot to the Club[and have been well paid for doing so]is often badly handled.
The players who get a good send-off are very much in the minority.
Bodo Balde,if he is fit,is good enough to play in the SPL.It is likely that this years competition will be decided by the outcome of the 90-minute hates and for these games we will need to be able to match the physical approach which the bottom-potters will take.
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Let's do the timewarp again...
Bobo Balde hasn't been Celtic's best defender since he went to the African Nations Cup in 2004. He is no closer to being our best defender than Alan Thompson is our best left sided player.
His last season as an active player he was led through games by McManus, not the other way about.
He seems to have taken on a mythical presence akin to a dead rock star. When he was in the team you couldn't find a two Celtic fans who agreed on his ability and he was roundly and routinely blamed for Seville!
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As I understand it, Big Bobo was offered to 2 separate clubs in the premiership during the transfer window. Now, if they're EPL clubs, I'm pretty sure the financial package would be AT LEAST what we're offering. He turned them both down stating that he was not ready to play football yet or some other such nonsensical reason. If I said that to my employers, I'm sorry, contract or no, I'm out the door.
If he is, as some people say, the best or one of the best Centre Halfs at our club, then he would be playing. The fact that he was offered to other clubs suggests he is not.
Knowing this, or even realising this, has he no shame? Has he no pride in himself? The fact that he wants to stay at the club and 'fight for his place' frankly is a disgrace.
Like most people on this board, and I dare say most Celtic fans, I loved the big guy when he was part of the first team. I suggest he should go before he loses what dwindling respect he still has left.
There should be some sort of come-back for clubs as employers, whose employees refuse to do what they're 'contracted to do'. In my mind, that's a failure to meet the terms of his contract, and I'm afraid football is littered with people like that.
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Tully57 -
if Hating was an Olympic Sport El Hadji Diouf would be Mark Spitz !
Out Of The Picture - Robyn Hitchcock
Bobo, I mean, Bibo Ergo Sum
WG
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I never liked Alan Wells as he reminded me of the Mothers.
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WG,
I was away in Birmingham at a 5's tounament at the weekend. One of teh bhoys works behind the bar at the Teser!!
He refused to comment on the behaviour of the regulars..........
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I think that the African Nations cup is happening again this January so it`s unlikely that Bobo will move in the January transfer window. It may be an idea to have him ready to play, he may still be useful.
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When MON brought Bobo Balde to CP a few years ago for hee haw, we were getting a much needed physical presence at the back. At the time he was a big raw player who gave 100%. The idea was obviously to bring him on as a player, however the harsh reality is that Bobo is still that same raw player.
Bobo was obviously part of that special group of players who brought us joy in Europe & against the dark side. However for every big performance like his man marking job on John Carew (Valencia) in the Champion League, there was always a daft handball or erratic tackle lurking round the corner. Long term this was never going to do.
I'll never fault the guy for his attitude in the hoops, but Strachans philosophy of having defenders who can attack the ball, adopt good positional sense & use the ball means that Bobo is surplus to requirements. McManus & O'Dea's performances in the 2 games against AC Milan is vindication of this.
On a personal level i felt that all the 'Bobo's gonnae get ye' stuff was quite backward. It was the type of terracing nonsense i thought belonged to the Jungle in the 1970's. Having watched numerous European opponents come to Parkhead & show proper sophisticated defending - aggressive in the tackle, but also capable of using the ball, it baffled me why a section of our support wouldn't aspire to have defenders of that mould in the hoops.
Anyway good luck to Bobo wherever & whenever he goes
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lefty -
the teservants could not work if their collective life depended on it
Deuchar's - £1.29 a whip
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TommyTommy,
Perhaps 'works' behind the bar was pushing it.
He has a contract of employment with the mighty Teser.....on significantly reduced terms compared to that of Dianbobo Baldé (just to keep this topical)
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tully57, richard81
Thanks. Great article.
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I've posted before about the power fottballers have compared with "regular" employees. Normally clubs can't be too hard with a player for fear that they lose an asset or are in the position of having an expensive player doing nothing productive.
Bobo may be a slightly different case right now.
His value to the club is not significant, and any fee we happened to get if he was sold would be a bonus. What he is at the moment is a drain on the club, getting big wages for nothing.
So what options do we have? Well, we could continue to do nothing until he feels like playing again. But even then he is unlikely to be near the first team. We've already tried to sell and/ or loan him out and he doesn't fancy it.
Why don't we force him into a corner? I would pick him for every reserve match from now on, assuming he is physically fit. Makes sense that he would train with the reserves too. And the moment he refuses to play, then he is in breach of contract so sack him.
I've been a fan of Bobo in the past, but any player who wants to pick up big money for doing nothing deserves no sympathy.
PS. What's happening with Mr Jarosec? I presume no bids came in for him?
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If we were trying to sell Bobo to one of the teams in the French league, I think this would have been a better fit for him.
Even though he is not the best with a football at his feet, he still one of the best in the air and at clearing his lines.
If fit, I for one would like to see him have a run out.
I feel he has been a good menber of the club during his time here.
BF
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'There are few players in the Scottish league, or indeed European football, who provide as considerable a presence in defence as Guinean internationalist, Bobo Balde.'
This is a quote from the profile on the feeshul website,which may have ben written by someone whose regular job is to write house descriptions for estate agents
Supposing Mcmanus and/or Caldavaro gets injured or suspended-is the Wookie up to the job?No,I don't think so either.
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Bobo is-in my opinion - all to often judged on his wage as much as his ability. no more proof of this is required than the amount of people who wanted him to leave yet not so many wanted pressley out.....pressley an inferior player but on a much smaller wage
Perhaps bobo is settled in glasgow and does not want to uproot himself and his family just for a 1 year loan?
i think next summer will see bobo paid off or offered a sweetner and he will return to france
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Antsman,
I think it's fairly well known that Bobo would prefer to move to Marseille and keep his high wage. Fair enough to him and he's looking after his and his family's interests. Nothing personal but I would like us to come to a solution that favoured the club. He's not in our plans, there are probably 5 centre halves in front of him and he refuses to do a Graveson. That all clearly limits our options and he's now holding us back (in the sense that he's a passenger) so let's cut our losses now and let him become a free agent.
Thanks for the memories but time to go.
Wavy
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Wavy,
In order for him to become a free agent, we would be duty-bound to pay him every penny outstanding on his contract.
If that's another 18 months at £28k per week, then it's an up-front payment of £2.2m to get rid of him.
Obviously, there would be room for negotiation, but he would still be in the driving seat with regards the final decision.
I would rather play him in a few league matches round about November/December time when the CL games are starting to take their toll. Perhaps with him in the shop window, we would have more interested parties, and he would at that point 'be ready to play first team football'
BTW: I still think out best back two would be Baldé and O'Dea. One to command, and one to sweep and actually look for a pass.
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I cant believe some of the comments on here about big Bobo this is the same man who's name was chanted every week a couple seasons back.I personaly hope he comes back fitter and better and forces his way back into the first team.
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Left Winger,
By way of devil's advocate, you'd add other employment costs and no negotiation by doing nothing for the next two years, and with the added pointlessness of his non-presence from a footballing side, loitering around the place getting older and fatter.
Feels gutting at that price but we look limited in our options now that Bobo has refused the loan option. Even paying part wages if he goes to Marseilles would be preferable.
Finally, regardless of the debate on here, our manager is clearly not rating bobo's contribution so as Paul alludes, there ain't no way back for him.
Ah well, there goes the Kenny Miller money :)
Wavy
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Anyone help with this question?
I had a bit of a debate yesterday with a fellow Tim, about the 1970 E/Cup final v Feyenoord. He says that Billy Mcneil wasnt captain for this game due to the bonus's argument, and says that BJ made Jim Brogan the captain. I cannot find any details of this anywhere and infact found team listings for this game with (C) beside Billy,s name. Can anyone clarify this? as i was far too young to remember any details of this game.
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Heywabbit,
I recall that our only Bobo chant regaled in his marvellous ability to take man and ball and look one of the most intimidating presences to grace a football pitch. I think Gordon (and a lot of celtic fans) are expecting more from team 3 and a return to footballing our way to victory.
Big Wavy
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The Left Winger - Balde to command?
Do you mean someone to go needlessly flying into tackles & headers, giving away free kicks on the edge of our own penalty box, being caught out of position & hitting the ball whichever way he's facing?
For commanding Centre backs see ' Paolo Maldini, Cannavaro, John Terry, Daniel Agger, Toure. All aggressive defenders who can use the ball & keep shape at the back.
For us to truly develop & compete against the best teams, we need 11 players who can use the ball.
It's all fine & well seeing someone like Bobo crunching into a 50/50 tackle against the Rangers & it momentarily makes you feel good because he's carrying the passion of the punters onto the park with him, but where's the sense in winning these tackles if we're immediately giving our opponents the ball straight back.
Bobo had some great moments in the hoops, but there was also the lack of concentraion in Seville & Lyon, defending 5 yards from goal on Black Sunday & the 5-0 Artmedia experience.
Let's just say thanks for the good times big man, but time's up
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Big Wavy
Heywabbit has a point. Bobo was voted the supporters player of the year (2002 I think) and we had Henrik at the time.
Anyway, I posted a few weeks back about the resentment Tommy G would face sitting in the stand because of his wages, nothing to do with ability. I could have applied exactly the same logic to Bobo. This has nothing to do with football ability and everything to do with money. Nobody's complaining about Pressley sitting on the bench so far this season (in fact plenty are glad!) and Bobo is without a shadow of a doubt a better defender than Elvis.
But that's modern football and modern Celtic. Modern wages have put a clear divide between punter and player.
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Bigjock67 @ 15:18
Billy was definitely our captain in the 1970 European Cup Final.
22 years ago today Big Jock passed away.
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Thanks Gordon,
Good enough for me.
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Could someone please settle an argument between me and my brother? Before he emigrated to Australia, his last Celtic game was on August 19th, 1997 against St Johnstone. One of us thinks it's the game that Larsson scored his first goal in a league game, the other thinks that Peter Grant scored the only goal in a league cup tie.
I could write to The Sunday Post or Sunday Mail for the answer but I wouldn't give either of them the money to find the answer.
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Garry...
......Who?????? P0)
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bobo's knees are shot.
martin oniell insisted on a quite ludicrous contract for him (in the hope of avoiding a black sunday scenario-- which happened anyway)
oniell's judgement was poor and the board were weak.
silly to blame a big fella from france for not uprooting his family to the north of england for 1 season -- for no financial gain.
its not bobo's fault.
it was martin oniell's fault that we will shell out the guts of £5m for no return.
martin oniell's tenure was - Seville aside- a limited success.
--3 leagues out of 5 = 60% success rate
--no qualification from champ league.
I enjoyed his time here but my goodness he didnt do it on the cheap.
I cant really forgive the ''loyalty'' contracts martin handed out at our expense to his in crowd-- when they were already past their best.
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Any minute now and we'' have to invoke Harald's first rule of blogging-when the number of posts reach a certain length the following phrase will be used:
'Some folk have short memories'
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Blantyrekev 15.38
I couldn't agree more.
Paul67
Bobo's gonna get ye!
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Gordon,
22 years since the big man departed.
I suddenly feel very, very old
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Garry,
after having googled this found that the tie was a coca cola cup tie, Simon Donnelly was the scorer with a penalty in the last minute of the first half of extra time.
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Garry,
Just realised it's your brother himself that you're talking about. Apologies.
Here's the match report...
St Johnstone 0 Celtic 1 and it was a Coca-Cola Cup third round game at McDiarmid Park, where Simon Donnelly scored a winning penalty in extra time after St Johnstone were reduced to 9 men.
Obviously Henrik had still to make his mark, because it contains the prophetic line "...the dangerous Larsson met Jackson's cross well..."
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McGrory - i think you have rather simplistically summed up Martin O'Neill's tenure, which although statistically correct does not really sum up what else he achieved, namely,
Restoration of our reputation in Europe, including a European final (which you at least acknowledge). This has also directly contributed to the current team gaining automatic qualification and higher seeding than he had the benefit of enjoying.
Firmly establishing Celtic as the TOP team in Scotland over his 5 year period in charge.
OK, we all remember black sunday, but we quickly forget the positive contributions of many of those players over the previous 5 years.
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garry, henriks first goal was on 23/08/97 in a 2 nil victory at mcdiarmid in the league having lost the previous 2 league games (to hibs and dunfermline)
however we won cup game on August 19th, St. Johnstone 0-1 Celtic, League Cup. Can't find the details of this to find scorer but will get back to you. it wasnt henrik though.
The peter grant away goal i remember in the cup was away to ayr united, not sure the scorer for this league cup game, it might well be him, maybe others with better memories can help, i was at the game but the details escape me.
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BlantyreKev,
I think there is both a financial and playing aspect to this. Bobo, our manager has decided, is surplus to requirements, being choice number 6 of our centre halves. He also eats up a small fortune in wages and in a climate of cost management that also should have an impact on our thinking. Money is a very important commodity in the running of our club and this is wasted cash. I'd like to see us free it up and put it in our January slush fund for a top class striker.
The above could also be placed at Elvis's door and at choice number 5 is highly unlikely to feature regularly this season but adds more value I suspect in leadership on the field and around the club and of course is cheaper. By the way, not a fan but think there is a slight difference in situations.
Upgrading the team in terms of ability and managing the costs will continue to be our challenge in SP Hell. Big Bobo, and the ending of his celtic days, offers nothing on the pitch and a huge burden in cash we can't afford of we want to upgrade elsewhere. Elvis, I suspect, doesn't to anywhere near the same extent.
No ill-will to the fella but I'd just like to see him move on.
Wavy
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The Martin O'Neill era cannot be defined by the legacy of Bobo Balde and the (paltry) haul of 7 domestic trophies in 5 years (3 in the first year and an average of 1 a year afterwards).We won the absolute least we could have, Rangers won everything they even had a sniff of.
However, O'Neill gave us so much more than that and that's not how his tenure will be thought of. He gave us the foundation that we are building on (and surpassing) now.
Bobo was a good player for us but I struggle to remember this 'dominating bully'. For me, he never used his physique enough and did not have the intelligence to use it correctly - was always a bit of a gentle giant I thought.
McManus is already a better player and there's much more to come.
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Garry
bigjock67 is correct.You are confusing this game with a league game played against St Johnstone on Sat 16 August 1997 at Macdiarmid Park where Larsson scored the first goal in 2-0 victory.Peter Grant did not play in this game but he did play as a sub in the 19 Aug game which must have been one of his final games for Celtic as I think he departed in Sept 1997
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We were both wrong then but him less than me. Bugger. He got the score and competition right but the scorer wrong.
I must have went to the following game as well. I'm sure Larsson and maybe Darren Jackson scored in a 2-0 win.
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Ian Wright, on talkSPORT, has just described Rangers fans as "bitter & twisted", but he loves Celtic fans because "they take the positive out of everything".
The context being that "Rangers fans won't like it because I was wearing green. That's because they're bitter & twisted! Celtic fans are different because they take the positive out of everything!"
Will that put him on the Follow Follow Banned List???
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Sorry, meant to add thanks to all those that helped with info.
Cheers
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Vargasshampoo
Bobo was a not at fault in Seville and especially not in Lyon.
Lyon was a very soft penalty.The ball was hit at him from close range and he could not get out of the way.He could do nothing about it.
In Seville he gets the ball for one of his bookings.Infact there may not have been a Seville if not for his performance against Boavista.He and Henke made major contributions on that memorable night.
You are correct to question his ability to give away fouls and possession.
He is a much much better CH than SP.
He is not being played for financial reasons,as much as anything else.
Someone want's to sicken him and force him to go.
He is not staying for money,he could get just as much if not more in the EPL.
He is being humiliated into going.
He has decided that he won't be treated in such a manner.
Fair play to him.
Rab Douglas was far more culpable in Seville.
In a playing sense,Bobo has not been given a fair crack of the whip by Mr Strachan.
Ask Kris Boyd who he would rather face,out of all or central defenders.I don't think that it would be Bojo.
This is obviously an opinion not not a known fact.
The man strikes fear into opponents.
He has faced some of Europes best forwards and done very well.
Barcelona springs to mind.
He was consistently one of best players in old firm games.
This is all about getting him of the wage bill.
He has pace ,strength and wins everything in the air.
His passing is suspect ,as is his composure,but has should be able to get into our back four.
I repeat he is being forced out because of his wages.He is much much better than SP.
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Garry...
That was 4 days later.
St Johnstone 0 Celtic 2
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Paul67
Being 32 doesn't mean Bobo is finished.
The size of his salary may though.
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thismancraig
agree with o neil comments but mcmanus is not better than bobo was. mcmanus also is not great positionally and bobo has better pace and aerial ability or di a couple of years ago. its not a stretch to say every flaw bobo has mcmanus also has
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thanks to those for minding, it all comes back now, a truly awful game, but sid had big cahones to step up for that one.
thinking back i remember the delight and elation at final whistle and being happy with the spirit in team.
ten years on and we win against same team in semi final at hampden, and the criticism is deafening.
funny how times and expectations change.
comment on bobo, many on here decrying his ability and that we dont want a clogger we want a commanding presence who can play the ball about.
For a start those types of players start at 10m.
he is no more a clogger than mcmanus (whom i rate) but bobo is clearly more commanding. Caldwell is neither commanding or a ball player (no matter how much some on here proclaim it).
those with short memories pull up the games bobo has made mistakes (not exactly a huge list compared to the amount of games he played). Compare this to the mistakes caldwell has racked up in a season and a bit, but he's not on 30k, hardly bobos fault and i dont remember too many on here complaining at the time, we were desparate to keep him as he was integral, hindsight is a wonderful thing, something our board does not possess,shame on them, easy to criticise years on, at the time where was the dissention?
Think back to every old firm game (and european game for that)and think particularly in OF game bobo putting a foot wrong, rangers could barely score against us at that time never mind wrestle a point.
bobos wage is a millstone round his neck for him, I for one do not blame him refusing to go to sunderland, not exactly a scenic place, with a poor squad that will be playing championship football next year, why should he be forced there cos it suits us, just as we moaned about players like petrov how they had signed a contract they should honour it, bobo signed a contract in good faith and he and us all believed he would be a rock in our defence for years to come, why should we no longer honour it because it no longer suits us.
PAul tells us often about our forward thinking board who cost things out (which i believe, best board in my lifetime).
surely then when the contract was signed that money was taken care of over next number of years and therefore has no bearing on the money available to the manager.
some people have short memories, i for one remember bobo taking pain killing injections and refusing surgery until the league was won, he put his body on the line and has received just reward for it, ironically he prob has not been fully fit since then but a contract needs to be honoured.
unless someone can tell me bobo held a gun at the contract negotiations, what is his crime? Turning down sunderland? i think we would all do that given the choice.
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TMC
The issue for me is the right side of central defence, not left - I would leave McManus where he is.
On the right side, I believe a fully fit Bobo Balde is still our best option.
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TinyTim,
Can't see the logic in comparing BB with SP. Both are not first picks and both on the periphery of the team, with Bobo being so far out he's being 'encouraged' to go. For his own sake and that of the club who no longer need him. Sounds harsh but that's the reality.
Our manager doesn't see him fitting the bill as far as our style goes and is way behind Mick, Caldwell, O'Dea and Kennedy for a start in the side. Pressley remains cos I suspect we agreed an 18 month deal at the time but unless tragedy after tragedy hits us then he'll remain peripheral. he's cheaper and I can live with him as emergency cover. Bobo, like you and me when we take a hike in salary at work, should be prepared to give something back in return. He has not developed one bit in the last few years and actually since the infamous African Nations Cup has gone backwards.
And as for bringing the spectre of the mighty Boydchenko into the equation, that did make me snigger. I think we have more than enough in our armoury at the back to deal with that threat (??)
Big Wavy
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tully57
I don't think McManus and Balde are a viable partnership. Whilst not thinking Caldwell is individually the next best defender to McManus, I am totally convinced that they are the best partnership at the club.
I don't think Bobo has played consistently well since 2004, it's as if the intervening years haven't happened when his name is mentioned.
Also, pre-2004 I was just about his biggest fan - he was the best defender in Britain in our Seville run (where he was blameless in my view). The he strikes fear into the opposition stuff is long, long gone.
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Its all about opinions. Personally I don't think McManus could lace Bobo's boots but there you go.
There are those who would blame Bobo alone for Seville, Lyon, Black Sunday and Artmedia.I actually thought Jackie Mac was more culpable in the first three of these matches and quite frankly blame could easily be laid at the feet of some others as well.
Interesting too that Bobo is generally linked with a 32K salary when in reality reversing these numbers is nearer the truth.Agreed it's a fair wad mind you.
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Lubos Michel
There I said it, he's to blame for Seville. Not saying we'd have won if he hadn't been the ref but he was rotten. How did Alan Thomson stay on the park and Bobo walk? Thommo must have comitted about 85 fouls that night.
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Stato67,
That's a fair defence of Bobo and his contractual stance - he got us good and proper and now we'll just have to keep forking it out. My philosophy in this would be more about what is best for the club and finding a cost-effective solution in the interests of celtic would be my driver. The manager doesn't play him cos he believes he has better at his disposal and we have actively tried to loan him out. He refused this. We must keep trying and if we cut our losses then we must hope to reduce the bill as much as possible as there will be a link to our ability to fund an incoming (who may be better than Bobo, Mick and all the rest). He has shown he isn't going to develop his game so that approach is also redundant.
Big Wavy
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Miketw10-in the match report it mentions games at home against Tirol in the UEFA Cup[when HK scored his first goal at CP!]and a Monday night game against the botom-potters.
Is this the 90 minute hate that was subsequently postponed after the death of a young divorcee in a Parisian tunnel?
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dbbia
Henrik's first goal at Celtic Park (against Tirol) is a trick question is it not?
Also, the monday night game (which we would surely have lost) was postponed as we were all grief stricken (even though Premiership games took place on the Sunday). We drew 1-1 in the rearranged fixture (November and my first old firm game).
The little known role that events in Paris played in us stopping the 10!
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Caldwell and MacManus make a brilliant partnership and I think they will develop into something special. Failing that we have O'dea and Kennedy pushing them all the way. Pressely is no longer part of the team and will probably move into a management job before the end of the season once the sackings start, but for now I'm happy with him as back up for those four and he is pretty much an extra coach as well which can only be a good thing. Bobo is so far down the pecking order that it's frustrating that we still have him on such high wage and it wont be long until Cuthbert moves ahead of his as well. He also doesn't have the leadership capabilities of Pressely or a Lambert to make him a worthwhile guy to have about in training. I like Bobo, he seems a nice big guy and he was a good player. But he is no longer that player. Strachan started with him and Varga as his first team partnership and they both were quickly dropped for the likes of Macmanus, a player who wasn't even considered a first team squad player when Gordon took over. He didn't lose his place because of his wage (although that is the main reasons why we're so desperate for him to leave), he lost his place because he wasn't even able to do the basic things on a football anymore.
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agreed wavy, my point is that its unfair to criticise him on 2 points.
1. his wages, whatever they are, personally think £32k is wide of the mark, but was he supposed to say only give me £20k.
we offered him a contract and he signed it, hard to criticise him for it.
2. not going when it suits us and not him. I just think why should he be forced to go to sunderland as it suits us. Again back to the contract, he is doing nothing wrong. When i see players settle for signing for the likes of sunderland im glad to see bakc of them as players with that mentality at that type of club prove they dont have what it takes at celtic, to me it is a positive that he wont accept somewhere like that.
If bobos wages had not become part of public debate, then opinions would be vastly different on here.
Granted he has no future it would appear at celtic but i respect his choice to sort out the best for hsi career and family, the contract we have given him entitles him to this, although i would say the service he has given us also entitles this.
These days there seems no room for sentiment and everybody is a fan and hard nosed businessman.
bobo is not daft, as his contract proves.
Be interesting to see bobos goals ratio and compare it to kenny "terrific workrate" miller.
Funny how celtic nbumber 9 bought to score goals is exempt for criticism as he tries hard.
When has bobo done anything other than try hard and have work rate, he put his body on the line for us time and again, but due to his recent contract he is not given the same courtesy as a posing, self serving wannabe who had no class on or off the park, bad mouthed celtic at his first opportunity. life is unfair sometimes.
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Tinytim - It's well documented that Bobo was a big player for us & as you rightly said he was one of the major reasons we got to Seville at all.
I just think that he hasn't really improved his game & we have more disciplined options in defence now.
The parralel with Steven Pressley is a non starter. Pressley gave us valuable experience when we were depleted. I don't rate him, but i do think he had a positive effect on McManus/Caldwell & O'Dea
The crux of my point is that if you played a fully fit Bobo Balde on Saturday, you would be apprehensive about what kind of performance you would get & whether he would do something daft in the penalty box. That's bnot a great environment for the younger players to learn their trade. Very similar infact to how edgy the support feel with Gravesen in the team. There's no questioning their desire & fight, but both players lack discipline & as we found out at Old Trafford, that can be costly
Anyway i don't bear any grudges towards him as he was pivotal in us putting Rangers to the sword
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TMC-there was a feature in'not the View'about that season[the name of the REALLY crucial signing we made that year escapes me;~>]anyways postponing that game did TGFITW a big favour,can you imagine what the minute's'silence'would have been like,and the opprobium the support would have had to take from all over the world?
1-1,is that the Stubbs equaliser in injury time?
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DBBIA & TMC
I remember listening to that game on the radio. The relief when Stubbsy got that goal near the end could be heard through the airwaves.
It was 5 days after they beat us 1-0, after Mahe got sent off.
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stato67,
I'm afraid I have a nose which is as hard as the hammers of hell, and my sentiment indicator has been totally eroded since my missionary work to England commenced many many years ago :)
Bobo - thanks for the memories. Your goal is to look after yourself and your family in this precarious industry of football and fair play to you. But that isn't in the interests of celtic football club anymore and I would hope that we could part amicably, release your freed up cash to strengthen elsewhere and allow you to move on gracefully.
here's hoping csc
Wavy
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Dubaibhoy, I was careful NOT to criticise Bobo.
Big Wavy, I think Jiri has a good chance of moving in the next window, but I think Bobo may have kicked his last ball in earnest. The offer from Sunderland was a good one for both player and club, however, I am not sure Bobo’s confidence is where it used to be.
Tinytim, :-)
On the salary: this is irrelevant and is ironically only ever brought up by people who want to see him in the team, not by people who think he should go. He is not a first choice player and not even a close reserve; therefore he should be made available.
Miketw10, I am pleased to hear that from Ian Wright. I had one of his guys on asking me to link to his podcast, but I decided against it as I was unsure of his sentiment.
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dbb / mike
Yeah, stubbs equaliser in the 93rd minute after Gascoigne had been sent off and Mark Black had exposed Johnny Gould at the nearpost.
Postponing the game suited us down to the ground as we were not ready for the game in August. Mainly becuase we hadn't signed Mark Reiper (that's who you meant right?).
Larsson scored his first goal FOR Tirol if I remember that one right.
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Wim and Dr Jo between them,with very little money really,have a signing record that would bear comparison with any Celtic manager.
Rieper's early retirement was areal blow to the club.
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Good on you Ian Wright.
Even though he was "Chicken Tonite" when he played for us,he was a Celtic fan long before he came up to Glasgow.
Once a Tim,always a Tim. (o.k. certain exceptions to that last bit)
Hail Hail
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Paul, I was speaking to Michael Jnr the other day during the England game and had to admit to a reverse way of thinking regarding Ian Wright.
I resented Mr Wright for the way he treated us when playing for Celtic. (I.E. Doing his TV show then flying up to Scotland for games etc. In other words, where is the dedication?)
But at half time, Gary Lineker made an off-the-cuff remark about repairing the studio after Shaun Wright-Phillips' goal, and you can just tell the pride that Ian Wright had for his son scoring for his country.
It got me to thinking just how infectuous his enthusiasm is, and you just can't fault that. Also, I've never heard him say a bad thing about his time with Celtic.
I remember when he did eventually score, running back celebrating and kissing the badge. He genuinely meant that, being so pleased to have scored. And it looked more for us than for himself.
Apart from anything else, he talks a lot of sense on talkSPORT, with a passion and love for the game he used to play. And regularly puts Adrian Durham in his place too, so that can't be bad!
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Why don’t you like………………….
Alan Wells………………………..
Is it because he is Scottish……………
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CaptnBigJoewhoThinksTheANTIscottishbrigadedArejustTrying2beSmart
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paul67
have to disagree about bobo's salary being irrelavant
the club must surely want him out with this as big a factor if not bigger than him being a reserve.
Many people who want bobo out specfically site the fact it would free up alot of money as the reason
that can not be classed as irrelevant.
Bobo's confidence must of gone when the manager makes it clear pressley for example is well ahead of you and your not even getting on the bench most peoples confidence would go i suspect.
Surely the question is when bobo is a better player-at least i think so- than say pressley and o dea (for now), why are we not trying to get him fit??
It looks very much as tho we are trying to freeze players out into leaving. I note the Gerry McNee commented he believes there is a degree of truth in the PL pushing kenny miller out claims. Tho i don't consider mcNee credible he is i feel anti-celtic
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Dontbrattbackinanger
I agree about Dr Jo in particular.
He was brought in too late after the 98 World Cup to strengthen the side, so we got off to a poor start.
He signed Lubo in the autumn and he had an instant impact against Dundee just before the 5-1 game.
I guess Viduka going awol may have cost us the league. We had a great run after he eventually arrived until injuries caught up with us. The Larsson/ Viduka pairing was great, especially with Lubo as well.
Around Easter agreement was reported for Dt Jo to stay on, but then the regime changed and MacDonald decided to go for Barnes and the really disastrous chucking of the biscuit tin out of the window.
I sometimes wonder if Dr Jo was really badly treated by Celtic (so far as I know he's never complained in public), and what would have happened had he stayed...
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It is a shame that Bobo has not come on as a player. He is missing a great opportunity with Roy Keane at Sunderland. He has nearly as good a contract as Raul Gonzalez.
Elvis Costello did not sing "I don´t want to go to Donetsk" but Joe Strummer and the Mescaleroes had a number called "Shaktar Donetsk"
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Dr Jo also signed HoopsLegend Johan Mjallby.
Just think if Marc Rieper had stayed fit-that would have been an excellent pair of centre halves.
