It will not have escaped your attention that Scott Bain is the only senior goalkeeper under contract at Celtic. Fraser Forster is floating around while we wait and see if we can afford to meet Southampton’s terms (assume nothing here), while Craig Gordon rejected a “vastly reduced” offer to stay.
I know how important Fraser was last season, so if at all possible, I would have him back, but as a general position, I would be reluctant to pay comparable rates to anyone not in the ‘absolutely critical’ category. Football clubs everywhere cannot afford the contracts they paid last year. Like Celtic, many have to pay expensive long-term deals, but there can scarcely be a club in the world that would not be happy to offload players to generate enough cash to keep them in grass seed.
With so much trauma in the market, the clubs who shed expensive contracts and take advantage of newfound value from places they could not afford to buy from a year ago, will make the biggest gains this year.
The challenge for Celtic is to find a keeper who can mount a genuine challenge as first choice on the “vastly reduced” offer we made to Craig. The same is true for other positions we are looking to fill. Having missed Champions League football for two seasons, we have to be frank and admit that despite closing in on a fourth consecutive treble and nine-in-a-row, there are better players across Europe than some in our squad. 2020 will be the year of the trader, let’s roll the dice!
I’m not against reconstruction on principle, but like everyone else in the country, the first thing I think of is, “What’s in it for my club?” A 14 team top flight has two fewer games against bottom 6 (or 8) clubs. These games do nothing for Celtic beyond cluttering up our calendar, so I’m happy with that.
Since Hearts have moved on from both the football-competency and arrogant-belligerence approaches to avoiding relegation, their latest proposal, for a 14-10-10-10 setup hit the “What’s in it for me?” question. For most clubs the answer is nothing, beyond putting your name to a motion that helps a club that participated in an outrageous charade against the league in recent months. Aesop could have told the tale of Hearts actions this year.
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Very limited coverage of the huns disturbances in city centre on STV,and BBC Scotland…..strange that…
I dont mind listening to Barnes now. He is quite powerful in his arguments, and has matured and developted, I dont have any malice about him from his time at celtic.
Remember, we were flying till Henke broke his leg, scoring lots of goals, and mostly the fans were willing him on.
He got backed with big money, Berkovik, Sheidt,
His interview with Shortbreat (and Paul Elliots) yesterday were very good.
So anyways, have a read and reflect.
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Barnes%2C+John
And as for Petta – the jury is still out :) Though for playing the 6-2 game alone I’ll give him pass marks.
—-
and for the game in amsterdam in 2001
up there with one of the most pished ive ever been at a game 🤣
i asked about who jack and victor might support the other day.
And as if like magic, a photie appears showing middle aged jack , front left, at largs coaching course, look at the pipe technique , its got to be him right ?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaYBmCAWsAAx_yL?format=jpg&name=small
Philboy,
I’m not saying I disagree with you re getting rid of him but it is not strong management from the board either if they are not getting behind him.
Re his time with us – he had won all his league games with us up until Larsson broke his leg. And losing Henke would be a major blow for any manager.
god works in mysterious ways –
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaNy9hNXgAAW4MC?format=jpg&name=small
Saint stivs
Pity there’s 8 in the picture ☹️
Not the time for jokes, but this made me laugh.
Guy goes for an interview.
Interviewer asks, do you have any weaknesses.
Candidate says, yeah , honesty.
Interviewer says I don’t think that is a weakness.
Candidate says, I don’t give a fuck what you think.
Funny
KINGLuBO
MAJESTIC HARTSON
Agree, if Henke had not broken his leg things could have been different.
However, Barnes did next to nothing in his managerial career thereafter.
And Dalglish had said we missed a trick and Barnes would go on to be a managerial success.
I have no issues with Barnes apart from I think/thought he was not any good as a manager of Celtic.
His record with us will support my view.
He was a wonderful, skillful, graceful, effective footballer, a joy to watch.
And I’m sure he’s a nice man.
I just think he talks shite.
lowlight of the lockdown
i do have to go get supplies, and a couple of weeks ago in the local co, i had a wee mini confrontation.
i am in the at risk category, i feel great and fine and dandy, but i am super cautious, so anyways,
young couple, boy is tall, she is small, they are self obssed, ignorant, dont follow a direction or any distancing meandering round the shop , back tracking,
the lassie walks back past me, like one foot away, i raised my hands up, in a wtf gesture, now words spoken, so the guy, walks past as well, then turns and says “you alright mate, is there a problem ?”
old me would have decked him. i gave him the stare and kept myself calm, deep breath, “aye”
flip flop wearing twat.
i did sit in the car park waiting on him , see what he is driving,
card marked for a future equaliser.
not that i hold a grudge.
ha
Sometimes.
Mother-in-law came for dinner tonight – apparently she’s now in our bubble.
The 8th nun is hidden, if she exists, you can just see a glimpse of a habit, need to to VAR-P
VALIDATE ACTUAL RELIGIOUS PERSONS
Saint stubs
The camera behind the goal shows the other sister so definitely on-side
Stubs – stivs
Kinglubo
Au contraire ,- it’s more important nowadays to have a laugh.
Sevco tweeting teasers,of their new Castore training gear.
Maybe just me, but their appears to be more than a passing resemblance in Castore’s emblem to a Para’s badge.
Really ?
It’s on twitter on the “Rangers Football Club” account. Can’t do the link thing here.
St Stivs – agreed re the interviews. Horrific to hear that Defoe won’t do his badges due to not thinking he would get a job somewhere!
Let’s all do the huddle – was it definitely just the bevvy? :)
Let’s all do the huddle – was it definitely just the bevvy? :)
—
well…
🤣
Haha!
A friend of mine missed half the game as he for some reason turned white and started feeling sick… What a game to miss!!
If true that foster has option of going to chelsea or arsenal, we need to go sign another gk asap. Happy for bain and hazard to back up to a no. 1st We are crying out for a left sided centreback and a need a left midfielder. Would also need to replace any first picks that left I.e ajer, ntcham, eduard etc.
Hope we focus on 3 quality additions and forget the numbers game. We are well stocked up with squad and young players who can step in if and when needed.
HH
Happy to have bitton, elhammed, welsh and and deas deputies centreback
Stephbhoy,
Someone was on here saying Forster won’t be first choice elsewhere and he has stated he wants to be playing? Let’s hope that is the case. He’s a massive player for us – in a couple of ways :)
Stephbhoy
accurate assessment. Fraser is No1 target but we might get outbid so we need another keeper.
We need a LH sided CB as you say, is McKenna left footed. Lee O’Connor deserves a chance as CH.
Left Winger/Mid is also needed Hayes and Elynoussi have gone. We might get Ely back but with only Mickey Johnston we do need another option. Meling of Rosenberg went to Nimes for E1.2. Missed that.
Any of our squad needs replaced if sold. After Loanees return and contracts ended I make it 1st Team squad of 28 remain and a Reserve squad of 25.
10 in a row is a priority and we must plan accordingly erring on the overspend rather than Budget minded
dddd
Good morning CQN from a grey skied Garngad
The videos of the idiot Huns running about George square are embarrassing for strathclydes finest. They should be embarrassed at the way they handled these morons. Then again if they would have been heavy handed they would have got thrown out the Ludge.
HH
D. :)
The kettling technique, must have been expunged from the polis training manual.
EMBRAMIKE on 14TH JUNE 2020 1:04 PM
SUPERSUTTON on 14TH JUNE 2020 10:36 AM
(Why did we need to end our SPFL season early? We could have been back playing the completion of the league fixtures starting Wednesday.)
Not possible because the govt isn’t allowing football until Aug 1 at the earliest.
To then play out the current season would cause real problems with the new Sky contract and possible substantial financial penalties.
Also the final SPFL payments would be held up until the league was completed which is why 81% voted to terminate the season now and receive the funds needed to keep head above water.
The Thompson money is a grant of £50k. Celtic have already bought a Covid-19 kit but other clubs in lower leagues don’t even know if or when they will play again and need money to keep the facilities open (not to play players wages).
————————
Thanks for the reply.
Your points are predicated on the fact the government preventing football until the 1st August.
This is not a political swipe, the Scottish government have been doing a great job so far.
However, I disagree with their stance on football restarting. Italy, Spain, England, Germany are all ok with restating earlier. Why not us?
Advance SPFL payments could have been made on the basis of the minimum position each team could achieve.
Negotiate a proper pay-per-view for all games to allow fans of all clubs to watch their team.
https://twitter.com/ionatan32/status/1272153633044549632?s=12
Churchill….
Don’t forget Hendry and Ralson still have 2 years on contract. In this unusual market, do we sell at a loss, let them go and negotiate buy out of terms or do we hold them and stunt their career?
Good Morning Britain travel reporter was live from Gatwick departure lounge and on plane to Glasgow, saying the 2 metre rule was non existent, was then compared to bars/restaurants…….absolute joke
SUPERSUTTON on 15TH JUNE 2020 7:59 AM
Advance SPFL payments could have been made on the basis of the minimum position each team could achieve.
____
First off, that had pretty much happened before football shut down. There was a small release of money to Celtic, Motherwell, and Sevco as they were the only ones guaranteed to finish top 6.
Not to be flippant but the TV deal in Scotland isn’t the same as England. Playing games in empty stadiums and extending player contracts for a couple months on top of that never made any financial sense to clubs like Kilmarnock.
Leaving clubs in a dormant state with the furloughed staff was the best option for now.
!!BADA BING!! on 15TH JUNE 2020 8:52 AM
Good morning to you and all fellow Celts
The present UK government is a joke, but not a funny one, IMO.
HH
CONEYBHOY on 15TH JUNE 2020 8:39 AM
Don’t forget Hendry and Ralson still have 2 years on contract. In this unusual market, do we sell at a loss, let them go and negotiate buy out of terms or do we hold them and stunt their career?
___
You see what you can get for them. If anything.
!!BADA BING!! on 15TH JUNE 2020 8:17 AM
Thanks for the link. It should be taught in schools.
Timaloy29
Hendry and Ralston are good enough for a certain level of football. Read this morning some outfit keen on the former and I’d expect a mid-table SPFL team to take Ralston on loan until his contract runs down.
I’m guessing fixtures should be out soon?
Barnes’ tea was out when, on the Saturday prior to the Caley debacle, Celtic lost a home game to Hearts from the position of holding a two goal lead.
Making matters worse, many of us watching could see it coming.
BIG WAVY on 15TH JUNE 2020 9:56 AM
But did we still pick up some of their full wage?
I understand Hull were keen on Hendry last summer but Celtic overplayed their hand when asking for more money.
Fair play to Ralston, he managed to establish himself at St Johnston and play 90 minutes every week.
We will see what happens in the upcoming window. Seems eerily quiet right now.
QUONNO on 15TH JUNE 2020 11:09 AM
Barnes’ tea was out when, on the Saturday prior to the Caley debacle, Celtic lost a home game to Hearts from the position of holding a two goal lead.
Making matters worse, many of us watching could see it coming.
_____
I hear what you are saying. Nobody, even Barnes, argues about the sacking.
His point generally was, Tony Mowbray was given more time. Personally, I felt Mowbray had to go before the January window. Give the caretaker or new coach a window to make some needed changes.
I was there at Rugby Park when we were beaten. He should have went then.
Then when we drew 4-4 up at Pittodrie. He should have went then.
Mowbray held on until that St Mirren defeat on the 24th of March. I’d have had him gone before the 1st of January.
There may have been another reason. Maybe the board had fallen into a sunk cost fallacy after we paid a big compensation fee to West Brom.