I’ve heard a lot about Patrick Roberts. He’s burdened by enormous expectations, compared to the greats since shortly after his 17th birthday. Manchester City moved 2 starts and 17 substitute appearances into his Fulham career – £12m on the basis of 399 minutes football.
He’s here to force his way into the team between now and the end of the season, and be ready for the European challenges ahead. I think we’re going to enjoy watching this lad.
We saw around 80 minutes of Erik Sviatchenko on Sunday. As I said yesterday, he’s probably our best defender, not that that is taking enormous liberties. In Virgin van Dijk we managed to recruit a dependable defender who wasn’t scared of the ball, and was first to organise those around him. If Erik’s near that standard, he’ll do well.
Ryan Christie (20) is a No. 10. We need a No. 10. He’s 12 years younger than Kris Commons, the only comparable player in the first team squad. Kris has been our MVP for more seasons than anyone else currently on the books, but we’ve been far too dependent on him, which has become acutely evident recently, when he’s out injured.
There’s an argument that we could have done with another No. 10 during our European campaign but it’s far from clear Ryan would have got his chance. We’ll see a good bit of him before the end of the season.
Many of the things I could say about Colin Kazim-Richards I alluded about Carlton Cole when he signed. He’s a physical presence, not easily intimidated, should be an effective foil for Leigh Griffiths.
Colin joins with an actual rap sheet. Online comments yesterday recalled the reaction the day Griffiths signed. At the time I wrote that it’s important for Celtic to affirm positive values in Leigh’s life. The player hasn’t looked back, he’s every inch a positive role model. It’s now important the club and Colin work to ensure a similar result.
Aidan Nesbitt (18) is also a No. 10. He’s the player you’re most likely to hear development and youth coaches talk about. The next stage of his development required him to play against men. Four months in the Premiership playing for Partick will achieve this.
Farewall Nadir Ciftci, who is off to Turkey until the end of the season. I described Nadir as less like a Ronny Deila player than any other I’ve watched and known Celtic to be interested in. He has a touch and is a better player than we’ve seen, but he was built from different material than practically all other Deila signings.
Last month’s business will hopefully mean we have a settled and secure defence for the qualifiers, something missing at the beginning of this season, something missing on Sunday afternoon. The Kazim-Richards signing could go a number of different ways. The player will get his chance to live up to his own expectations.
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BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 2ND FEBRUARY 2016 12:01 PM
There is some truth to that.
Though it didn’t stop wee Shaun Maloney winning titles and individual honours.
If they are good enough they are big enough
TONYDONNELLY67 on 2ND FEBRUARY 2016 10:12 AM
One of the best posts I’ve read on here for a while. Celtic fans not in the world I live in.
MWD
(:-)
TT
TIMALOY29
I’m in agreement wi big enough if good enough. Shaun was small,but not slight.
Shocking injury record though.
timaloy29
With any luck. Worryingly we had him in for a week to have a look and still signed him about 2 weeks later.
HH
TinyTim
I know, MoN was meant to be Michael O’Neil :-)
Still an improvement tho.
HH
……………………………….
Pity about De Jong, he would have been a quality addition, would have Sammi back, better out ball than we have presently and gets us,
HH
KEVJUNGLE
I see you are propagating the lie again, can’t help yourself eh?
“…or, the died huns will be back tae put yeez in the pikchur….”
Again I’ll ask you. Do you know something about them paying ALL their creditors and applying to come of liqiudation. Keep posting this guff and I’ll keep asking por cierto.
Paul,
An accurate summary of the incomings this window, but you say little about whether our real needs were addressed. If you have the time could you expand on your Cifcti comment re “different material”?
Rebus
tinytim
this squad of crocks and losers as you call them are sitting 6 points clear at the top of the table. They have scored more than anyone else. 63 compared to next highest scorers Hearts who are on 42. They have also got the best defensive stats in the league.
Maybe you deserve better
Kazim-Richards will provide interest.
Negatives: Disciplinary record on and off the pitch, labelled a troublemaker and difficult to handle.
Positives: Big, mobile, no shrinking violet, experience of playing in 2 very decent European leagues. May be one of those players in search of a cause to light him up; Celtic could provide that.
Overarching Thoughts: Deila is not the man-management type; CKR looks the sort of player who requires the MON arm-around-shoulder approach to get the best. Deila will either engage or alienate very quickly.
——
Roberts will provide excitement.
Negatives: Wee, very young, on loan from the biggest club in England, may need to adjust his head and ego to our environemnt. will be afforded ZERO protection from those obsequious Hun apologists with whistles.
Positives; ‘The English Messi’. Labels like that don’t come without proven ability, nor do 12 million quid transfers at 18. There’s obviously some absolute top-level ability bubbling there so I hope we play him and protect him, and let him rip the Scottish cloggers a new one.
Overarching Thoughts: We may have a sensation on our hands, genuine world-class talent but I hope Broony and co are primed to protect, protect, protect from the word go. And I hope Deila actually lets the kid play.
Sviatchenko will provide much-needed steel.
Negatives; Not a great introduction to circumstances beyond his control on Sunday. Nothing worse for a new bhoy to be thrown amongst struggling impostors barely able to fit the jerseys. Or to be afforded no midfield protection from a manager intent on playing with two stretched wingers at ten men. Also has a beautiful burd; may be knackered a lot.
Positives: Has a beautiful burd. Looks comfortable on the ball and no-nonsense; we desperately need a general at the back who does not suffer fools. International prospect, youthful, and won’t hide when the going is against us – Sunday being the fine example of his willingness to fight for the cause; looked a guy we can rely on for 100%.
Overarching Thoughts: Maybe a worthy replacement for VVD and someone to form a formidable defensive partnership with big Jozo. Will keep others on their toes – got the feeling he will be pretty vocal and demanding when he settles in. has a beautiful burd.
Transfer Windae:
Negatives – Didn’t spend a lot, acquired 3 players never on any radars apart from ours, mostly unknown to fans apart from negative press. Manager still in position, still trying to fly his kite in the storm time and time again.
Positives – Didn’t spend a lot, Ronny Deila didn’t get to burst the bank in his pursuit of runaround athletes with no ability, picked up three very different players who may compliment a squad badly in need of some fire, skill and drive. IF they get the required game-time. Scott Allan anyone?
Interesting to read on here earlier some guff about fearing the Warbmeister as he knows how to build a team. A St Johnstone level team if we are honest. This is a guy who with the second biggest budget in Scotland is fewer points ahead in their poorer quality league than the tic, managed by an apparent incompetent, are in ours. Lucky for the rest of Scotland our manager is so poor then, eh?
Intaethesheep CSC
It’s a plane boss……welcome to Fantasy Island. Everything is just great at our club
Somebody knows there fitba Ronny just named manager of the month.Well done Ronny your the mhan. H.H.
What a miserable lot.
We made 4 signings this window. Erik is a well regarded, up and coming International centre half. On paper a very good addition. Also fits the bill as someone who can bring leadership and experience.
Ryan Christie was probably the pick of all Scotland Under 21’s. Therefore another good addition in keeping with our strategy.
Pat Roberts is one of THE prospects down south. Very well regarded and we have him for 18 months. He’ll take his time to find his feet but is the sort of player who would be out of our reach as a purchase yet could make the difference in the CL qualifiers.
Kazim Richards is very. very experienced. World Cups, Champs Lge and some massive clubs on his CV. He is also a big, strong, fearless boy. People will be surprised by him. however, he does have some baggage but hopefully we can help him to focus on the pitch. I fail too understand why people are writing him off as useless. He was training and playing with some of the best players in the world when he was 22 / 23. I really doubt he’ll find the SPL too much for him.
As i said earlier, we are now a miserable bunch. We are self absorbed, spoiled and have been since Rangers went under.
They
I suspect the board for the time being at least will remain convinced of the principles which saw Ronny’s appointment, but would bet that they like us, don’t even know what happens next.
I agree I would bet as you suggest
Lawwell’s thinking relation to direction of the team will carry a high degree of uncertainty. Conversely his thinking on his wage and bonus over the coming year will carry 100% certainty that he can take £20k/ week out of our club….
Be good if the Board shared their strategy with the fans and helped us to understand the current position in relation to it. How did this transfer window support the direction of travel?
Are we now a correctional institute for wayward players? If so bring back Stokes. If not why have we signed Kazim Richards?
Our plan has and continues to be hit n hope downsizing.
Previous post to Bournesouprecipe
Fighting Talk From Ronny – see CQN Atricle
Our managers quoted as saying ‘I am confident they can also see the much bigger picture of what we are trying to achieve here. They are clever people and they understand that’.
This my problem, Ronny is very good an management speak, he talks a very well about the game, he analyses games perfectly, the problem is he has failed to demonstrate the ability to do anything about it. How many times have we been weak/scared now ??
The above statement is designed to try and make you think only clever people see what he is trying to do, meaning if you do agree with him then you are not clever, good old mind games, management speak.
Ronny we want to see progress, tactical know how, addressing our defensive frailties, hope for UCL qualification, hope that teams like Molde, Malmo, Maribor won’t wipe the floor with us.
Michael O’Halloran is no longer a middling half-decent pro who has shown occasional promise, from a mid-range SPL club scrabbling around mid-table.
Michael O’Halloran is an uncut GEM, unearthed by a GENIUS.
Clinko 12.39
Compared to the shite in the SPFL.
We had the 43rd worst defensive record in the EL group sections.
I and the Celtic support do deserve better.
We have been in a state of declining standards for years.
TT
Let me try and break the blog here, as the majority in here for the last 48 hrs. Have said nothing nice about Celtic , the board,, our new signings, our manager, Griffiths was rotten, the teams to Wee, the teams no bottle, it’s not the refs. Fault (that one baffled me) I saw this coming, I new this would happen, sack the scouts, Gordon is a pansy, this players rotten that players rotten, on an on an on anon, anyway I like this guy, Richards ?, time will tell, like everyone he deserves his chance, although some of the trumpets oh here will tell you different, #nutsackscsc
Oops, and here’s thy guy.
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/worst-debut-ever-erik/
Karyn McCluskey appointed to FFin’ SPFL board
“Why on earth has this women been appointed to a position of authority in Scottish football that was denied to [Sevco] and Hearts.
Who authorised this and why?”
——
“McCluskey grew up in the former pit village of Redding, near Polmont, the eldest of three sisters, all of whom have become high achievers – ‘a good Catholic family’ living in a council house.”
——
“The term seems to be either ‘A Devout Catholic ‘ or ‘A Staunch Protestant’ their words not ours but all those ‘Devout’ people seem to be filling the top jobs in this so called Protestant Country I’m afraid . ”
——
“What school did she go to?”
——
“Methinks this will be another RC put into a position of power and her remit will to be to focus on the [Sevco] support.”
——
“It is ripping out of her, all she need is the hang glider around the neck.”
——
“this has a whiff about it”
——
“Ther’ll be something underhand and shifty about this appointment, thats for sure”
——
“I expect her to help spearhead renewed attacks on [Sevco] fans whilst helping to skillfully deflect any unwanted negative attention from her co-religionists.”
——
“This is a sinister move by the SPFL and I fully expect ourselves to be the central focus of whatever suggestions she makes.”
——
“the clue is in the name are we really that daft”
——
“As soon as they get the Ryan into Karen then the names a boggie its the same as they get ira
into kearan”
——
“Scotland is finished. It’s a complete farce now.”
——
“She follows Pontifex on Twitter – case closed.”
——
“Let’s be honest, this is nothing more than yet another sinister appointment designed to attack our club.”
——
“Another place-woman by opus dei.”
——
“I actually admire them in a way…it’s just so brazen now.”
Cults
Ah, but Stokes is different, he is Irish and has a circle of aquaintences that are persona no grata in scotland.
HH
Michael O’Halloran is a Hun now, never forget it, and like McCann the worst kind.
Shooie
He is a Jam tomorrow manager.
TT
Sandman on 2nd February 2016 12:49 pm
Michael O’Halloran is no longer a middling half-decent pro who has shown occasional promise, from a mid-range SPL club scrabbling around mid-table.
Michael O’Halloran is an uncut GEM, unearthed by a GENIUS.
—————–
He also choose Sevco over Celtic don’t you know.
Shooie
Deila has hindsight when discussing gAmes. Unfortunately he shows little insight and zero foresight.
Any half wit can recount key moments in a game at the end of the match.
We need a manager who can make changes in match in response to changing circumstances.
We also need foresight to build a team for up coming games (SPFL)and challenges ( Europe).
This guy is bang average
shooie on 2nd February 2016 12:48 pm
That’s exactly what I thought when I read the bit about the ‘clever people’, a touch of the ’emperors new clothes ‘ about it.
Although it might just have been Ronny’s command of English, and not meant to suggest that.
Hearts new striker:
2006–2007 Sölvesborgs GoIF 25 (23)
2008–2012 Kalmar FF 129 (28)
2013–2014 Red Star Belgrade 31 (15)
2014– Vitesse 23 (9)
Scoring goals seems to be a pre-requisite for the wee huns(or is that the big huns).
It’ll never catch on.
Hope hes mince anyway,
HH
Cultsbjoy/Tinytim
We are on the same page.
I actually feel insulted by his comment and I think he is clever enough to try and play mind games.
As a long time lurker who has resisted posting up until now I’ve decided, after reading all the negativity of the last few days, to share what supporting this great club of ours means to me as it’s clearly at odds with what it means to many other posters.
I’m in my fifties and have followed the club through the good and bad the last half century has thrown up at us. I’ve been a season ticket holder for many years and attend the vast majority of games. I was also there on Sunday. The best night of my Celtic supporting life was the 4-2 10 Men Won the League humping of thems in 1979. There have been a lot of bad days of course and Sunday was one of them.
But Sunday, along with all those other bad days, does not dilute by one drop my love for Celtic and my commitment to supporting them through thick and thin. I’m pleased to say that, despite my two sons growing up in what has been a fairly successful time for the club, they share this sentiment and came away from the game disappointed but pragmatic, positive and constructive.
We lost on Sunday because we were reduced to 10 men 15 minutes into the game. Simple as. Had we kept 11 men on the pitch we would have, I’m sure, won the game. That’s football. Sometimes the underdog wins…….we’ve done it often enough.
Supporting Celtic means we do have high expectations of the team but it doesn’t mean we have a God given right to win every game. Yes, we should win the league most years and the fact is we do. Yes, we should win our fair share of cups and the fact is we do. We should be able to progress in Europe and, on balance, we’ve probably punched above our weight over the years but, yes, we do need to do better.
The biggest problem that Celtic have is that we play in a financially bereft league and need to cut our cloth accordingly. The Board, whether people on here like it or not, have done, and do, a good job keeping the club solvent. As far as I’m aware most are lifelong Celtic supporters so why would they not want to do the best for the club. They, I’m sure, share exactly the same disappointment and frustration we feel when games are lost or new signings turn out to be duds etc…. Most of us know what a bad Celtic (or for that matter RIFC) Board looks like and it’s not this one. They are in a no win situation and will be damned for what they do as well as what they don’t do. As such, it’s understandable that they will come in for criticism (and there is no shortage of that from many posts) but to suggest that these Celtic men don’t have the best interests of the Club at heart is naive and/or plain stupid.
That’s probably enough for now as I’m sure a numbers of feathers will have been ruffled. Celtic are a great club, a great institution and mean far, far more to me than winning every game or every cup that comes along.
Faithful through and through.
tinytim
compared to the shite in the SPFL.
Just who should we be compared to. In case you never noticed we play in Scotland have always played in Scotland and for the foreseeably future will play in Scotland.
You can compare us to Man U Barca Boca Juniors or Shamrock Rovers for all the use it will do you but they dont play in Scotland.
Our only comparisions are our peers
OVER AND OVER. Fella a good post and I share your views you should post more often. H.H.
I’ll tell ya Ronny, if it wasent for bad luck, you wouldent have any at all.
#Celtic Jozo Simunovic will be out for 4-6 weeks with knee ligament injury
Over and Over –
Hope that your first post isn’t your last.
Over and Over
Good post mate
HH
Over and Over………..
Good on ye matey.
HH
Over and Over – I wish you posted more often.