The recruitment drive for central midfield players continues unabated with the pursuit of Australian international, Riley McGree (23). The player made 8 starts for Birmingham City last season, where he was used largely in a supporting role for the Championship side. This season, he became first choice after making his first start of the season on 20 October. Since then, he made a total of 10 starts before his loan deal ended on 31 December.
In short, Birmingham have done the heavy lifting to develop Riley into a Championship first team player. He is a year older than David Turnbull, a full and regular Australia international player and, if he joined Celtic, would rank alongside the three recent Japanese signings as first team considerations.
What does this move tell us about Celtic’s objectives? Often enough in the past, when we were nip and tuck in a title race, we would spend January trying to recruit loan signings from the EPL. The likes of Roy Keane, Craig Bellamy and Robbie Keane raised our game but were inexplicably short-term and often, as with of these star performers, failed to achieve their objectives.
This time we are recruiting players who have never competed for a league title in Europe, untested in Uefa competitions, who are by any measure, a risk. Sitting 6 points off the pace, this is a sign of confidence from Celtic. Why?
Ange clearly has confidence that his core group of players are good enough to claw back the deficit. He is not looking for a Roy Keane-type to shore up any area of the team. When injury and illness reduced his options, performance levels dropped. Celtic went 10 though a 10 game series in November and December where they only managed to win by more than one goal once. With Jota, Kyogo, Forrest and Jullien (!) back, you would fancy us to get the better of any domestic opponent.
Despite the enormous weight of consequences resting on this season’s title, Celtic are busy this month planning for the medium to long term. At the moment, it feels like the right strategy, we will find out for sure soon enough.
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Don’t shoot the messenger, rumour is we are getting back to capacity but with increased checks,Apparently its 2 vaccines plus booster or 2 vaccines plus negative test.
Hibs knock back £2 million for Boyle from a Saudi team,surely that is his maximum value….
@SS Aye …and don’t phone me on old firm day……And he meant the whole family…
If i ever get to meet you i can tell you some story…….our family history is amazing
From a Wee place called Sligo you might have heard of it lol
H.H
@Bada where you seeing that??/ School saying i can’t put wee one in until the 19th??
oops ..and if only showing neg on 2 consec days jeez
Seems Totaljobs looking for Covid Passport Checkers,for Celtic Park…..starting on 17th January 😬
Dram- got a text,seems this guy has got Government stuff spot on re restrictions in stadiums
Scotland Today just reported online abuse aimed at Stenhousemuir Ladies players during their game with Rangers yesterday.
Stenny CEO Iain McMenemy described dozens of body-shaming messages on their live website.
Scum is as scum does.
BADA BING
Makes sense. If they’re going to check covid status to that level, I would assume they’ll have to use the hand scanners, which would explain big recruitment drive.
weffer
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/pa7
One for SS
https://thecelticstar.com/exclusive-a-phoenix-rising-a-house-of-steel-celtic-park-redevelopment-photographs/amp/
DRAMBOWIECELT on 10TH JANUARY 2022 6:12 PM
@SS Aye …and don’t phone me on old firm day……And he meant the whole family…
If i ever get to meet you i can tell you some story…….our family history is amazing
From a Wee place called Sligo you might have heard of it lol
H.H
————
I would like that actually, you know i love geneology and all out pasts. Jim told me a lot of stuff to be honest, long yaps on many a backshift. Celtic. Morton, the weans, Joys, Tenerife,
At the crematorian, me and The Raven , were last out and Young Jim who we had both worked with waitied on us. In fact I went to college with Jim and he dragged e through the techy electric bits, AND/OR/NAND/NOR ffs.
Anyways he said “I am glad you too are here, he would have respected that”
“any you stivs, he always had more time for you than me”
“aye Jim, but yir faither liked me”
he just laughed, and looked like his auld man.
————–
we have lost too many people from our early days, some of the greatest celtic supporters, but also brilliant men.
guidance teachers almost.
A, Helenvale street, the derelict stadium is still there, just looked at a map, backs onto the old bus garage on tollcross road, huge amount of space to develop
STARTS MONDAY 17TH JANUARY & 29TH JANUARY!!
One Recruitment are hiring for Covid Vaccine Passport Checkers for Parkhead, All shifts will be done at Parkhead (Celtic Park)
NORRIEM on 10TH JANUARY 2022 6:44 PM
A, Helenvale street, the derelict stadium is still there, just looked at a map, backs onto the old bus garage on tollcross road, huge amount of space to develop
thats a good spot, I am going to go scout it out next time I am up and report back for opportunities.
DrambowieCelt
Are you isolating?
Get lost…….in the Celtic wiki :-) it passes the iso ok🤣
Take it easy and get well.see you at end of season.
HH
==========================
Is that the singin Thomthethim?
Good to see you on Tom.
That was a good interview wi joe brolly I seen a connection of yours do? 👍
:-)
HH
NORRIEM on 10TH JANUARY 2022 6:44 PM
A, Helenvale street, the derelict stadium is still there, just looked at a map, backs onto the old bus garage on tollcross road, huge amount of space to develop
The pitch opp the Bellgrove5☆ Hotel is that not Helenvale?
You know just at end of forge car par??
Still there
HH
Norrie M
Helenvale St is one up from Springfield Rd, and there only new houses there now. Our bus drops off and picks up there. It is not near Tollcross.
HH
!!BADA BING!! on 10TH JANUARY 2022 6:36 PM
One for SS
https://thecelticstar.com/exclusive-a-phoenix-rising-a-house-of-steel-celtic-park-redevelopment-photographs/amp/
brilliant hadnt seen that before. ta much, a wee quivering lip.
i have loads of construction pictures an awe, i will get them online when i retire.
meanwhile, the celtic park fires.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTNGfNJF4Yc
Friesdorfer
There has been new flats build across the road from where the derelict stadium is.
Not on that side of road
The map I just looked at, has open space all way connecting to the old bus garage, on tollcross road
Celtic given green light to revamp Barrowfield training complex
Celtic have been given the green light to build a new changing room and gym at the club’s Barrowfield training complex.
Glasgow City Council has now approved an application to replace the facilities at the north end of the London Road training ground.
The club’s application claims the revamp will provide “better and greater changing facilities for all” and will encourage “further use of the development”.
It is expected to be used by the club’s women’s team, academy sides and by the men’s team during poor weather.
“The proposed new changing facilities and gym are to replace the existing facilities as they no longer meet the club’s requirements,” the plans stated.
“These new facilities will ensure modern fit for purpose facilities are available, meeting the requirements of Celtic FC and also importantly football governing bodies.”
When Celtic announced the plans in 2019, they said the redevelopment would “unveil another first class training facility, including one of the largest indoor football arenas in Scotland, featuring a FIFA approved top of the range full sized artificial surface”.
The club added a further phase of the revamp would include a grandstand for fans to watch games from.
The training ground, opened in the late 1950s, was used by Celtic’s European Cup winning team under Jock Stein and remained the base for first team players until they moved to Lennoxtown in 2007.
In the application, the club claimed the redevelopment would have “no significant detrimental impact on either existing residents, amenity or traffic”.
“Rather the proposal will enhance the facilities on offer at the training ground, improving health and well-being,” it added.
The new development will include changing facilities for six teams and officials, a reception area, office, medical room and accessible toilets.
The plans added: “The aesthetics of the facility will be in keeping with other facilities owned by Celtic FC, with a white base and horizontal green stripes intermittently.”
Helenvale st stadium has new housing being built facing onto Helenvale st
The changing facilities and the old stand was demolished years ago
Hope this works
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.8491047,-4.195041,17z?hl=en-gb
TMcL @ 3.50
Get with the programme — B team games at the B team stadium close to P/head.
Location to be decided.
However the idea of playing junior games after the first team game is interesting.
Main issue is to raise the profile of the Ladies team / U18’s / U20’s / B team.
Lionsroars
Barrowfield would be a preferred option, comments earlier there was not enough space for a small stand to accomodate fans ? And facilities for training pitches
NORRIEM on 10TH JANUARY 2022 7:21 PM
The old velodrome ground along with the existing space behind the Celtic club is quite substantial to accommodate the plans the club have as the article says
The club added a further phase of the revamp would include a grandstand for fans to watch games from.
Stand corrected Norrie and lions am getting ma helenvale and crownpoint mixed up.my nav is poor in city.:-)
HH
LIONROARS67 on 10TH JANUARY 2022 7:25 PM
NORRIEM on 10TH JANUARY 2022 7:21 PM
The old velodrome ground along with the existing space behind the Celtic club is quite substantial to accommodate the plans the club have as the article says
The club added a further phase of the revamp would include a grandstand for fans to watch games from.
———————-
based on the plans submitted and approved, there is no current space to build a stand on, unless they reduce the size of the outside ptiches,
DrambowieCelt
Hope the Sligo thread remains strong and unbroken with young Sligo winger Kenny.hope he makes it
HH
!!BADA BING!! on 10TH JANUARY 2022 5:59 PM
Don’t shoot the messenger, rumour is we are getting back to capacity but with increased checks,Apparently its 2 vaccines plus booster or 2 vaccines plus negative test.
Don’t know how this will work just checked my vaccination status on the Scotland NHS website and booster is not shown and I got mine early November.
Hail Hail.
My booster was added 48 hours after I got it to
the NHS Scotland website
It still only shows 2 QR CODES but they are the codes
for Jag 2 an Jag 3
Jag 1 isnt show anymore
Phone app also updated and shows all 3 jags
Stx2 aka Yeti @ 4.11
I say Yeti because you are the Abominable No-man of CQN.
Nothing positive to say regarding our much needed growth agenda.
Crownpoint is probably the quickest / easiest way forward if we offer Glesga Life some hard cash / investment. The running track would not be too big an issue as you would only need seats along the pitch side.
Orr Street has its challenges — the grass pitch site lacks width.
While the astro pitch needs enlarged and the tennis courts would have to be replaced.
Regarding the potential of the stadium site you have the issue that the current masterplan is a dog that would look bad in Lego. The detailing of the hotel is shocking — clunky / expensive / lacking presence — so a design refresh would be a bonus all round.
The hotel and museum should focus on the corner of the site at London Rd / ERR dual carriageway and act as a landmark for the stadium that is set back from the road.
That would free up space for a multi storey car park / extra facilities behind the JS Stand which could have a pitch on top if we wanted the B team pitch directly adjacent to the stadium.
Then you have the site in front of the Emirates which has had a chequered past to say the least. Consequently it is currently a breeding ground for litter and scrubby trees — worth a few questions.
Finally there is Barrowfield itself which is big enough to hold 5 full sized pitches — there are 3 in use at the moment plus two have been taken out of use in preparation for the big tent containing the indoor pitch.
Not sure the scale of the building — 80m approx wide would appear to be the current plan.
Rubb — who do similar structures for the EPL — advertise that they can do 100m wide and this would allow seats to be placed on the sidelines for a 4K capacity.
Interesting all the Helenvale chat — going strong up into the 90’s with a plastic pitch good enough for the NFL.
It lost half its area — eastern half — to an expansion of the now closed bus garage.
Housebuilding seems to be in progress and if the pitch goes that way the bus garage must be in their sights as well.
The club needs to play more football.
It provides content for CTV and it offers more publicity and scrutiny for the players coming through.
The B team has been a success this season.
However there is much more potential to come from this team and others.
CELTICFOREVER on 10TH JANUARY 2022 7:42 PM
Thanks for the info I had not looked at the QR codes only the front status again thank you.
Hail Hail.
Tonight Matthew I’m going to be a Manchester United supporter.
STPATRICKSBHOY
If you update the App you will find that your booster is added to your covid status.
at first glance I though my booster wasnt added too
Luckily it was
MM: and what about a fans’ café?
Tiocfaidh ár gCafé.
Great to see ThomtheTim on earlier. Welcome back.