Reports from Australia that Aaron Mooy is considering retirement are not surprising. He has one year left on his Celtic contract and his absence through injury during the final months of the season were a big part of the story behind Celtic’s drop in form in that period. Aaron brings game intelligence to the team. He knows when to move the ball forward quickly, and when to slow things down – which you need to do sometimes if you want to retain possession.
We acknowledged the drop in team performance without him. His individual form when returning after an injury lay-off, as he worked towards full fitness, was also well below optimum levels. He will be 33 years old in September and is a player who needs to be at his peak to be effective.
This is not a reason to retire, but the nature of the knee injury that caused problems in recent months may be. Athletes get to a point when they face a trade-off: continue to compete and earn, or give your body a break. Many play through pain, which continues even when walking, or at rest.
Whatever Aaron decides, John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan are sure to advise Brendan Rodgers we need to sign a younger, fitter, Mooy. There are several areas of the squad that need bolstered, but that Aaron Mooy shaped hole central mid is the most pressing area in the starting 11.
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Brendan Rodgers . . .
. . . Here for 3-in-a-row
🟩⬜🟧
Is that a millstone roon yer neck noo Capitalists?
The Starry Plough
https://youtu.be/lLz6FdrwLxg
Most pressing area? Not sure about that. We need more athleticism, height and pace in the middle but still have MOR, Hatate & Callum as a fine middle 3. Holm my break through as a starter.
Be interesting to see if LB remain inverted or we go back to rolling our eyes at wee GT trying to be like KT.
We need pace and power at RW – a Jota clone.
And this could be the last chance for Kyogo to get that EPL move. Will BR do what he did last time when he replaced top scorer Griffiths with big MOussa.
He plays football from the back, so will Hart need replaced and will CS be sufficient to partner CCV in Europe (that’s what he must build for, not Ross County at home).
Will be interesting. Buckle up.
HH
Depends on the nature of Mooy’s injury . He won’t want to be walking with the aid of a stick by middle age , if he plays on . His own assessment plus medical advice will decide .
Another belter…..
Football Scotland ⚽️🏴 @Football_Scot
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37m
🚨 EXCLUSIVE! Michael Beale Rangers free transfer route is right market to shop in as manager told ‘do it again’
HH
Mooy doesn’t strike me as the type to cheat for money….he’ll Jack it if he’s not up to it …Will go down as a pat Stanton exceptional one year wonder….I’m hoping we get another year
Aye… the nights are fair draw’n in.
If he’s fit we should try and persuade him to stay.
Intelligent experienced players like him are essential for tricky games in the CL. We don’t have anyone who keeps the ball better under pressure, if you’re closing a game out these days that’s just as important than having a destroyer breaking up attacks.
We’ll not get 38 games in the SPL out of him, but I’d rather him at Ibrox than just about anyone else we have at present in that position
For the record, we’ve still not filled the Rogic-shaped-hole in the team.
HH
Agree with this Pablo …..
Athletes are human beings.
Cumulative injuries take their toll.
There can come a time when they say “sod this”
Am not saying this is the case specifically with Aaron but it might be?
I’m still mindful of something Welsh 400m runner Iwan Thomas said c.20 years ago.
“My body broke down. I basically broke my body trying to keep up with drug cheats”
(He would have been in his late 20s at the time)
PS – would obviously love to know which named individuals are being targeted to fill the “Mooy shaped hole”.
IMHO – Wilfred Ndidi does not have the ability to do it.
Priority for me is Goalkeeper. JH form tooka node dive as the season wore on. His performance at Ibrox was just unacceptable
In any event, no way Joe plays in a BR team.
Ndidi and Mooy are chalk and cheese. One an all-ction DM, the other a silky technician with an eye for a pass.
I think changes will be transitional – using wht we’ve got and being a bit more pragmatic but when it arises, there’ll be a focus on buying a more dynamic profile than we have. Certainly Holm fits that description.
HH
As we’ve seen in big Euro nights, a top GK is the difference between an epic skelping or just another defeat.
Like Dorus, playing out from the back but unble to save a bloody shot is not a great combo.
I don’t think any of our bench of GKs are worth keeping. Poor recruitment there over the years.
HH
BIG WAVY on 22ND JUNE 2023 12:50 PM
Not the Rogic in the two games against Bodo/Glimt in Conference League though.
Good afternoon from a sunny North Berwick, found a pub with Edinburgh prices 🙃
Ndidi is a defensive mid. No goals no assists in 30 games last season
In a team who were relegated
76 grand a week
We can do better for the money he’d cost us in transfer fees and wages
Shirley Tommy Iwata can do all the Mooy manoeuvres?
I think Joe has rediscovered some of his mojo with us and learned to play with the ball at his feet.
Still think we’re a soft touch in midfield against brawnier mobs, including the Huns.
The issue is still an Abildgaard shaped orifice in midfield, which Ange tried to plug with Abildgaard only to find Oliver wasnt up to plugging ermmmm… his own hole. If you catch my drift.
We chased Vini Souza, the Brazilian version, last summer, but he didn’t want to come to Scotland.
Have a look at his profile. I think that’s still what we are after there.
HH
Bring back Armstrong and his song
Capitalists being hung out to dry at 5%. Bank of Englander raking it in.
CONEYBHOY on 22ND JUNE 2023 1:37 PM
Bring back Armstrong and his song
……and his hair.
HH
BW
too right
is he or isn’t he?
No problems for me with Carl and CCV.I like Taylor,but a leftt sided clone of AJ,would be great.I am sure in the coming weeks we will see the changes required.Too much blethering from Celtic fans about Kyoto,Jota, leaving.FFS,leave that guff to the SMSM.
Some of the tripe coming out from them about the transfer dealings of the other mob are getting more comical by the day.Don’t do their work for them.
I will say that no way on this earth has Brendan come back to us to fail.We are in for some time of it.
I hope Mooij stays. I would want him to be in the team at away games in the CL and at Ibrox. Still, it has to be up to him; he has to look after himself.
Has Odin Thiago Holm signed for us yet? Did he have a medical in London earlier in the eeek as reported? Why are we not hearing anything?
Can anyone supply answers?
Tottenham and Empoli are prepared to complete Guglielmo Vicario deal as the official bid is expected to be accepted in the next hours 🚨⚪️⌛️ #THFC
€19m official proposal incoming — and personal terms agreed yesterday on five year deal for Vicario, until June 2028.
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I thought he’d come back for Scott Bain, given how much he valued him at Celtic…..
HH
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 22nd June 2023 2:56 pm
Has Odin Thiago Holm signed for us yet? Did he have a medical in London earlier in the eeek as reported? Why are we not hearing anything?
Can anyone supply answers?
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According to Stephen McGowan in The Scottish Daily Mail, Celtic have agreed to pay Valerenga £2.5m and have also agreed to a 15% sell-on clause should he move on in the future.
Holm is one of Norway’s most highly-rated prospects and it seems like Celtic are looking to do business in their usual early fashion.
BIG WAVY on 22ND JUNE 2023 2:58 PM
Tottenham and Empoli are prepared to complete Guglielmo Vicario deal as the official bid is expected to be accepted in the next hours 🚨⚪️⌛️ #THFC
€19m official proposal incoming — and personal terms agreed yesterday on five year deal for Vicario, until June 2028.
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I thought he’d come back for Scott Bain, given how much he valued him at Celtic…..
HH
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I assume this is not Ange’s signing? Does Lawwell’s influence lead all the way to London, will he never stop?!
TURKEYBHOY on 22ND JUNE 2023 2:49 PM
” Too much blethering from Celtic fans about Kyoto,Jota, leaving.FFS,leave that guff to the SMSM.”
I agree.
ANY reference to `articles` from the MSSM is `too much` as far as I am concerned.
Good afternoon all from the Laurieston Bar. A lovely day in old Glasgow Town. ☺️
Rangers have a huge pie shaped hole to fill up front
and a good afternoon to you an awe
Norwegian Love Ghod signing incoming…..
Celtic teaser up…
HH
Celtic Football Club
@CelticFC
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1m
🏡🍀 #WelcomeHolm!
We are delighted to announce the signing of Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm from Vålerenga on a five-year deal, subject to international clearance 🇳🇴🆕
Welcome to the Champions, Odin 🙌💚
Heard Mooy has a serious degenerative spine problem. He has been told he could end up in a wheelchair if he continues to play.
When they sneak the swearies in……………no matter the chosen “monker”………….
they gie thumsels away…….
Cannae help thumsels.
When they sneak the swearies in……………no matter the chosen “monker”………….
they gie thumsels away…….
Cannae help thumsels…………..
Always the same…………
When they sneak the swearies in…….
……..no matter the chosen “monker”………….
they gie thumsels away…….
Cannae help thumsels…………..
way too obvious.