Celtic made the first significant spend of the Ange Postecoglou and Dom McKay era yesterday by splashing £3.5m on Israeli winger, Liel Abada. The 19-year-old has made 48 career starts and 19 substitute appearances in senior football, all for Maccabi Petah Tikva.
After Liam Shaw (20) and Osaze Urhoghide (21 this month) joined from Sheffield Wednesday for training compensation fees, Abada’s signing is further indication that Celtic are intent on developing a team, rather than attempting to buy finished articles (like the definitely finished Shane Duffy). Two years from now, we should see the benefits of this approach, but as you know, there is a lot of football to be played before then.
What can you tell about a player who has played as few games as Liel, all of them in Israel? Israeli football is not a backwater, it is strong enough to test a teenage talent but the volume written about 48 starts will be a short book. With added travel restrictions, we can be sure he has not been watched often.
We are in familiar territory in signing players after so few appearances. Virgil van Dijk made 63 starts before signing for Celtic. Since then, the window before players with speculative potential reach eye-watering prices has shrunk. If we left Liel another year, we may find his progressed stalled, or that he has moved out our price range. We are going to kiss a lot of frogs when shopping in this sector, which is OK.
I had hoped Leigh Griffiths would remain at Celtic this season and was pleased when he signed a new one-year deal earlier this month – what feels like a long time ago. For me, yesterday’s news that he will not face criminal proceedings does not restore his position as a Celtic player. Better for all that he finds a new club as soon as possible.
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hehehehe gene
pic.twitter.com/hvDFdnYPEK
I will always regret that Celtic misused big Kris – a very talented midfielder – crap centre back.
Gene
+10?
That’s rough!
Let’s see where Brentford play him 🤷🏽♂️
Scullybhoy
If he goes to Brentford it will be interesting where they play him – maybe in a back 3
FB
Beat me to it
bournesouprecipe on 15th July 2021 4:21 pm
The man that smashed his penalty for the quadruple treble.
Correct, always remembered for that,and he never hid in a Celtic jersey ,I wish him well
I have watched the golf from 6-30 this morning.
A lazy day 🏌🏻
Bada-absolutely agree.Nothing but good wishes for the boy now 👍
Fairhill
To be honest, sir, that sounds like the perfect day!
Gene on 15th July 2021 8:13 pm
Scullybhoy
If he goes to Brentford it will be interesting where they play him – maybe in a back 3
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The extent of my soccer coaching is a Senior School Boy semi-final at Windsor Park, Belfast – we lost. Still, I think big Kris was a natural holding mid who could have protected the centre-halves.
Move over, Big Ange – they didn’t read my CV.
HH
BTW Saint Stivs – Albert Kidd paid for a nose job with the money 1986 brought him?
ST STIVS
The guess who is it big Ange ?
PARK ROAD 67 on 15TH JULY 2021 8:26 PM
ST STIVS
The guess who is it big Ange ?
———-
we have a winner, pick a prize, any prize, from the free transfer bucket
It’s a massive redflag when you’re biggest headline writer is LG. Rough waters ahead.
UNCLE JIMMY-on holiday this week. I did have to hang out/bring in a washing for the boss,and some house work to be honest.But a few cold ones made that easy.The golf has been brilliant
Didn’t someone say that our latest signing came via the Israeli agent who has served us so often in the past? If so, it doesn’t look as if the recruitment process has changed at all. We were told we would get a Director of Football, but this hasn’t happened. At least we seem to have a good coach/manager, but starting so late he’ll need to be a genius to beat the Midgies with the present youthful squad.
Saint Stivs on 15th July 2021 8:31 pm
PARK ROAD 67 on 15TH JULY 2021 8:26 PM
ST STIVS
The guess who is it big Ange?
———-
we have a winner, pick a prize, any prize, from the free transfer bucket
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
But!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can see where I was coming from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zynaPt5COmY
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0b2KRWGKbkD2gR2KjfZdCA
https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=Albert+Kidd&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimqtz26eXxAhUVgP0HHbf7B70QiR56BAgqEAI&biw=1920&bih=955#imgrc=Fln0z3sWTanVKM
79caps
I don’t think the club has actually said we’d definitely get a DOF. With Eddie H probably not sure now.
https://www.dailyadvent.com/news/5967bdcc7ab8ff7fa3a550c9aeace2a2-Spirit-of-86-Its-Albert-Kidd-Day–Enjoy-David-Franceys-Radio-Commentary-on-the-BBC
Good luck to big Ajer.
I’m sure his bank balance will enjoy Brentford.
Ambition???
Stepping stone maybe, I sincerely hope he finds the grass is greener.
He never spat the dummy out and gave 100%
Hail Hail big man
D :)
SAINTSTIVS @ 5:41.
Many’s a true word said in jest!😊
scullybhoy on 15th July 2021 11:49 am
Saint Stivs on 15th July 2021 11:03 am
who wants a game of GUESS WHO ?
Is it big Ange
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C75f36zVYAAKnn_?format=jpg&name=4096×4096
https://open.spotify.com/album/43Qk9aRz60yELdUokJbi59
I’ll never understand the English. They ripped a quality Italian open last Sunday and then caved in? slacked off? gave up? Fugged if I know what happened.
Anyway, I’ve soured the press and there hasn’t been a single column inch of criticism for Southgate. He almightily fugged up in the best chance a team will ever have to win. I live in a weird country.
DAVID66- absolutely spot on regarding ajer. I think it’s just a stepping stone.
I wish him well.
Enjoy yir day tomorrow with BIG JIMMY and pals🍻🥃
If we sell Ajer for £13.5 million then we’re looking at taking in north of £25 million in transfer fees since January.
We also had the equivalent of 20-30% of our annual turnover in cash reserves last January.
We need to get spending. No excuses.
FB – Thanks.
Be good to put some faces to monikers and see the big mhan again.
D :)
Had a quiet day today in preparation for the tea party stopped at 15 cans.
D :)
Yeah, this a real groundbreaking departure from the Lawwell years.
Ajer can leave with his head held high. I’ll stand and applaud him if/when he returns to Celtic Park as an opposing player, manager or for a testimonial.
Shop Window Christie, Nitcham and Edouard on the other hand……..the player I least want to see leave appears to be going. Get the other three hunted asap.
Last bought established players –
Barkas and Jullien?
Ok siri, how long does it take to change culture?
Would you rather we made him stay till end of season and get nothing PLB
Remember when we used to mourn the sales of our best players? Now we congratulate the club. We’ve been captured by the Flint-eyed capitalist world view. No,soul.
MH-and I don’t rate any of them either
Fairhill
Ir wasn’t a comment on Ajer. It was disdain for the notion the strategy P67 describes is anything other than a continuation of PLC strategy for the past 17 years. We’ve kissed a lot of frogs in that time.
I’m as bad as the next guy, celebrating ‘good business’. What have we become?
PLB-I don’t think we have become anything new.This is the business model we have used for as long as I can remember.We can’t start getting all surprised when it doesn’t work.The board aren’t gambling with European football.That’s their game plan every year.It’s not a gamble,it’s the way the do things.Strategic if you want 🍀
GB try outs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgD57y4Tkng&list=RDWgD57y4Tkng&start_radio=1