With two days left of the transfer window, Celtic’s energies are targeted on defence, with Borussia Dortmund’s Jeremy Toljan (24) the prime target. This would almost certainly mark the end of Mikael Lustig’s seven year period as first choice for the position, before he leaves the club in the summer. It is also likely to be the last we see of Cristian Gamboa, with the currently injured Anthony Ralston acting as backup.
We will discuss Celtic’s use of the loan system later. Securing players for half a season is far from ideal. Nor is it cheap. Toljan will become the highest paid player at the club, while Borussia’s loan fee will be significant. But it was used effectively in securing Filip Benkovic, who was almost certainly better than whoever we were likely to purchase last summer.
Benkovic’s injury, which has yet to be fully diagnosed, may clear the decks for a move in central defence, which the club were resigned to postponing until the summer due to the form of Benkovic and Dedryck Boyata. Better for this to happen days before, as opposed to days after, the window closes, but no one at Lennoxtown will be happy at making any unplanned decision on a player.
St Johnstone travel to Glasgow tonight with the distinction of collecting more points away from home than any team in the league, having played the same of fewer than all others, and that’s despite losing at Tynecastle on Saturday.
Fortunately, Celtic are top of the ‘home league table’, having won all their 11 league games at Celtic Park (we are sixth in the ‘away table’). The only table that matters is the one Celtic will go six points clear at the top of with 15 games remaining, should they win tonight. A win would be ominous.
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That`s me off to cath the Emerald Express. I hope the old Charabanc is more positive than these two pages have been !
JJ
Richie .3.30pm . Don’t.
She’s been bombarding me with suggestive texts messages. Then again she’s only human .
Btw . St Johnstone ain’t playing their fast paced forward, Matthew Kennedy tonight. Resting him for Sunday apparently. Brendan might know this , as Matthew is friendly with wee James Forrest , who might have told his gaffer ?
Then again why would Brendan care when he’s for the “off” in the summer. Apparently.
Inside information CSC.
BHOYLOLO83
I live in Madrid so I can´t get over to Valencia and get you a ticket!! This is an indication of where Valencia are at the moment, Our first ever European football opponents are in financial straits due to not being able to move to their new stadium and their business model must be in crisis. On the form side they are getting results now are overcoming a crisis but last night there was a bloody battle against Getafe in the cup, Players all having a go at the final whistle. All Celtic supporters look after yourselves in Valencia and don´t get too noisy,,,,nobody is noisier than them and their deafening local fiestas “las fallas” are not long in getting underway
All this talk of BR leaving?
The MSM in Scotland will have a field day with headlines such as ‘Rodgers abandons Celtic’s 10-in-a-row bid because he can’t handle the pressure of the Gerrard revolution’ or ‘Rodgers – failed at Liverpool, failed at Celtic’
I didn’t realize that Stekelenburg, Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Eriksen all came through Ajax’s academy at Ajax, I thought they’d bought them after they’d played senior football elsewhere
We’re obviously doing our best to pick up talented younger players in Scotland and beyond but compared to Ajax, with the reputation of their academy and their proximity to Belgium and scandanavia we’re always going to be at a disadvantage
Unfortunately Brexit May mean that we can’t sign players from abroad at such an early age. Possibly explains the Shamrock Rovers runout
Comper, Hendry, Boayta,Jozo, Benk, Ajer and..Biton
6 potentially 7 CH#s on the books taking north of £100k a week.
Who the hells gonna sanction another £25k a week to join that group.
NOTTHEBUS on 30TH JANUARY 2019 4:02 PM
It’s not been a problem position for us this season either. Our defensive problems have come down the right flank, our main problem has been making and converting chances
Team sheet latest…………………………………..James Forrest
Body Language Experts Quick News
The last sentence of Paul67’s leader reads, “A win would be ominous.” In my humble opinion it should read, “A win would be marvelous, a loss would be ominous.”
IniquitousIV
Bain
Lustig
Izzy
Ajer
Jozo
Brown
Forrest
McGregor
Christie
Burke
Sinclair
via Bada Bing
Dual posters,have bodydouble’s on here- Fact
BSR .4.20pm
Don’t forget the mind readers.
They have feelings.
CELTIC40ME
Rep Of I will be in Europe !!
HH
Bain
Lustig
Izzy
Ajer
Jozo
Brown
Forrest
CMG
Christie
Burke
Sinclair
Good evening, friends.
Really looking forward to tonight’s game and pretty confident that we will then have a 6 point lead at the top.
I am just as equally confident that we won’t ‘extend’ our lead during February, making tonight all the more important. Here’s who the current top 4 face in the league next month
Celtic – St Johnstone (A), Hibs (H), Kilmarnock (A), Motherwell (H), Hearts (A) – 10 or 11 points?
Sevco – St Mirren (H), Aberdeen (A), St Johnstone (H), Hamilton (A), Dundee (H) – 12 or 13 points?
Kilmarnock – Hearts (H), Dundee (A), Celtic (H), Livingston (A), Motherwell (H) – 11 or 13 points?
Aberdeen – Hibs (A), Sevco (H), St Mirren (H), St Johnstone (A), Hamilton (H) – anywhere between 6 and 13 points?
And of course we also have our 2 Valencia games.
So, yes, tonight is an ominous game right enough….
5gamesatatimeCSC
Other news just in….
JOINT STATEMENT: HIBERNIAN FC AND NEIL LENNON/GARRY PARKER
The management team of Neil Lennon and Garry Parker has left the club by mutual consent.
They have not been dismissed and have not resigned.
The suspension, put in place to allow an internal review, was lifted by the club as part of this agreement. Despite widespread speculation, the club confirms that neither Neil nor Garry has been guilty of any misconduct or wrongdoing and no disciplinary process has been commenced.
However, Neil, Garry and the club now consider that it would be in the best interests of all parties to part amicably.
The club would like to place on notice its thanks to both Neil and Garry for their hard work and the success they have brought the club. Their period in charge has seen the club:
– restored to the top flight,
– reach the top 4 with a record points total,
– qualify for Europe,
– have their record season ticket sales since 1958
Neil and Garry would like to thank the club for having faith in them when they were appointed in 2016 and for their support over two and a half years. They would like to thank their players for their hard work and dedication and finally, the fans for their loyalty and support over their tenure.
Rod Petrie, Chairman said: “We are grateful to Neil and Garry for all their efforts and in particular for leading the club back to the top flight of Scottish football. We wish nothing but the best for Neil and Garry and their families for the future.”
Neil Lennon said: “I would like to thank the board, the coaching staff, the players and all the fans for making the last two and a half years so enjoyable. It has been my privilege to serve the club and I wish it every success in the future.”
Iniquitous1v. Ominous has come in general usage to mean evil foreboding but that wasn’the always the case.. Paul used it correctly based on original meaning .Ominous derived from Omen, or sign of the future.
HJ, yes indeed, a good discussion on loans on Saturday. If only the authorities had your clarity. En route from the frozen North with JJHS. Here’s hoping for a good result tonight. HH
ADI_DASSLER on 30TH JANUARY 2019 4:39 PM
CELTIC40ME
Rep Of I will be in Europe !!
I’m not sure where runout came from! I meant us taking a stakeholding in them
So two out of Ajer, Hendry, Compper, Biton and Jozo for Champions League qualifiers?
Sin City Bhoy.
We do need to win the league first. And personally, I’ve enjoyed our Europa League games far more than I’ve enjoyed getting battered in the Champions League these past few years! So I’m honestly not that bothered about the Champions League.
But I AM bothered about tonight – teams out in 155 minutes… ;-)
The next 30 and a bit hours should be interesting in terms of results on and off the pitch . The latches are off and the windae is sliding down!
All good luck to the Celts tonight. Hoping for a freeze free walk up to the ground.
Eight trophies on the bounce? 8IAR! and on we go? One hundred and eighty thousand in eleven days say, why not us?
Our tedious and slow side to side passing will yield another 4 goals tonight. We may concede one.
4-1 it is then.
BIG WAVY on 30TH JANUARY 2019 2:34 PM
Anybody know any good body reading courses I could go on ?
I’m feeling a bit ill-equipped to post these days given this shortfall.
———
Lesson 1
????????☺️?
Assignment 1
Pick the ‘brendan’s leaving’ coupon from the coupons above.
HH jg
My first trip to CP of 2019 is tonight.
So my coupon is ???
get castagne if we have ambition. pay the extra 1-2 million. This bonus money we got from ongoing sales of wanyama and van d.
If we don’t have ambition – penny pinch and get the dortmund player in – BTW she looks awful and clumsy on every vid I’ve watched of him. reminds me of that dutch left back we bought – he was hopeless.
its about time we invested decent money on defensive minded players.
If the board decide to be cautious – thats their call and I understand the financial situ – however, if we lose the league this year due to lack of investment in decent defenders – I’m not sure the fans will forgive them. Get the business done Celtic!
How many players do we need for a first team squad, when you have a Reserve squad. Tournaments are limited to 23, Brendan has mentioned 25, I think, 3 goalies and 23 outfield total 26.
Currently our Website list 36 and we are looking to add to it.
The 22 players not playing each match will require over £10 million in wages. This is not good business and I think Brendan putting his foot down and moaning to the press has scared the Board.
Brendan explained how the scouting, coaching and commercial department interact for incoming transfers. Does anyone know who is involved in the players released? My guess would be that Brendan decides who stays and is given a new contract but who handles moving surplus players on. I don’t think there’s any one doing this job hence 21 players sitting in the stand each game.
We need to be more business like
BBC Radio Scotland
Tonights Football
Full coverage of Cowenbeath v Sevco
mentioned Celtic v St Johnstone
and Liverpool can go 6 points clear at the top of the EPL
BLATANT B CSC
Looking forward to seeing the new player(s) introduced at HT ?
Heading down for the ole Midland #57 bus to ferry me up to the club.
Temperatures are -30 degrees with the wind chill at night here but my heart is warmed when I think of them poor wee sevconians throwing kitchen sinks around in an attempt at the ole 55…bless em – NOT.
I will bite yer hand off for a 1-0 win tonight.
HH
Just listened to Kelvin Wilson interview with Si Ferry.
A,really enjoyable hour.
Kelvin was very complementary about Celtic and wished he ( could have ) stayed longer.
Best player at the the club, in his opinion, James Forrest.
Hail Hail
JIMMYNOT
James Forrest ?
Paul67 et al
Let us make it
a January worth remembering with a win tonight!
TAL
Get a kebab to chew on instead, ya Caution that you are…..
???
It’s in their DNA
A thug who spat on a priest as an orange walk marched past a church was caught by his DNA, a court heard.
Bradley Wallace, 24, assaulted Father Thomas White when he was unable to get back inside St Alphonsus Church on London Road, when hundreds of parishioners were leaving.
Police took the vestment worn by Father White at the time for forensic analysis.
Weeks later a DNA ‘hit’ matching Wallace was found with the saliva found on the back of his vestment.
Officers then found Wallace’s Facebook page with pictures of him holding up an England flat with a union jack flag in the corner, with the words “Bridgeton Loyal” emblazoned on the front.
Wallace, from Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting Father White on July 7, last year.
Sheriff Andrew Cubie told him “I want you to be under no illusion at all, spitting is disgusting and cowardly and this was done in the context of a sectarian atmosphere which is an embarrassment to the West of Scotland.
“You should be under no illusion all options are open to the court.”
Procurator fiscal depute Chris Farrell said on July 7, last year, was the annual Boyne Parade in Glasgow which had around 4,000 participants and attracted an equal amount of spectators.
Around 5pm the parade was on its return route having “splintered off into different factions” who took different routes through the city.
He said: “At this time one of the factions was walking along London Road towards its junction with Kent Street.
“They were flanked by a number of police officers who took position outside of St Alphonsus Chrch, due to it being a Catholic congregation.”
The court was told Father White had finished his Sunday mass and as is customary, was at the front entrance to say goodbye to his parishioners.
There were around 250 of them and while he stood on the pavement he could see the parade coming towards the church and tried to get back inside.
Mr Farrell added: “Due to the number of parishioners creating a bottleneck at the door he was unable to get back into the church.
“At this time the members of the public associating themselves with the parade began to sing sectarian songs and shout words Father White and the parishioners.
“This included terms such as ‘Fenian b***’, ‘Fenian scum’, ‘beast’ and ‘paedophile’.”
A large scale disturbance broke out at the junction between the two streets which took police away from the church.
With no officers there, members of the public who had been associating themselves with the parade became more volatile towards the congregation.
It was heard that “a number of this group began to spit towards them” and Wallace, who was amongst the group, spat on Father White’s back.
A man holding a twirling baton began “prodding” this in the direction of Father White but did not touch him.
Police then returned and were told of what had happened. Father White did not want to divert resources away from the parade and said he would give a statement later.
He later gave one and police took the vestments he wore that day which were sent away for forensic analysis.
Mr Farrell said on July 9, 2018 Shettleston Criminal investigation department were tasked with progressing enquiries including CCTV trawls and online enquiries.
He added “On July 23, they were informed of a DNA hit matching Wallace’s profile held on the police DNA database.
“The saliva was found on the back of Father White’s vestments.
“The police continued to carry out open source checks and identified a Facebook page belonging to Wallace.
“This depicted images of him holding up an England flag with a Union Jack flag in the corner with he words ‘Bridgeton Loyal’ emblazoned on the front, alongside other images pertaining to the ‘Bridgeton Loyal Band’.”
He was contacted by police and agreed to go to London Road in the following days where he made no reply to caution and charge.
Wallace, represented by John Coogan, had his bail continued by the sheriff and will be sentenced later this month
Its cold nights like these that one gets the benefit of ones heated driveway.
Little bit of luxury CSC