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Ajer can follow van Dijk to top

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Kristoffer Ajer made clear to Norwegian media his intentions to leave Celtic this summer. “With one year left of my contract, that would be the best solution for me and my club.  Something is going to happen this summer.”

Kris made it clear to the club two years ago he would not sign a new contract and has stuck to plan since.  For me, he was our stand-out Player of the Year last season and compares to the very best central defenders we have seen in the modern era.

At 23, Kris is one year older than Virgil van Dijk when he joined Celtic in 2013.  I would be hard pressed to pick a more impressive season between Kris’ last season or Virgil’s first.  Virgil was better in the air but I have never seen a Celtic central defender break through the lines as safely or effectively as Kris.  Virgil tried this but was not in the same class.

Just as we knew Virgil could do better than Southampton, Kris can do better than the apparently-keen Newcastle.  Liverpool could do worse than pair them up next season, he will play for a top EPL team eventually.  I hope we keep him for the European qualifiers.

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  1. !!Bada Bing!! on

    If you remember, Lennon said a couple of times last season, there was something major behind the scenes at CP that he couldn’t talk about,we still don’t know…….pish

  2. scullybhoy on

    Lambert – sadly I have to say I loved Paul in a Celtic shirt, but you – give it a rest.

  3. scullybhoy on

    Latchford whatever – even if you support Celtic – it doesn’t mean you can say what you want about other human beings

  7. Laxalt on

    Once again…

     

     

    In 2012…

     

     

    Did Celtic/PL/DD have the clout, power, wherewithal to put Sevco straight into the SPL? … 100% yes.

     

     

    Did Celtic have the clout etc to put Sevco in the Championship ( old 1st division)? …. 100% yes.

     

     

    Did Celtic have the power to put Ibrox FC out of football in Scotland for ever? …100% no.

     

     

    Lambert…. Did Lawwell know what was in the 5 way agreement?….. Don’t know…. Maybe.

     

     

    Was he an architect as you keep saying?… No

     

    Did he conspire to hurt Celtic? …. No…. Fek off with your dangerous anti-Celtic pishy patter.

  8. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on

    Rolling_Stone @ 2:32 pm

     

     

    I must admit that I think it is slightly disingenuous to only refer to Neil’s one season of CL glory when reminiscing of his first stint at the club.

     

    ———————————-

     

     

    I’ve been busy all day and just cught this.

     

     

    I don’t find it disengenuous at all to mention his major achievement. I was asking that his achievements be looked at in the round. So many of his critics just want to list the failures as if this was all there was.

     

     

    How did a dinosaur beat Barca and Lazio? Those who diminished the man have to answer that.

     

     

    I am happy to acknowledge both his successes and failures, the former will forever remain on his record.

  11. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Rahm has to retire from US golf tournament he is leading…..for positive C19 test……he tested positive before his round and still allowed to play…

  14. Spidey101 on

    Burnley 78,

     

     

    I accept there is a glass ceiling for us, especially in terms of TV revenue and the way the CL is effectively set up for the “super clubs”. A mini-Ajax would do me for the next 5-10 years, though to be honest anything that seems to be a strategy designed to bring success and grow us as a club would be helpful.

     

    We’ve dipped our toes in the water very occasionally over the past decade but haven’t done anything in a properly planned and structured way. “Buy low sell high” was a “strategy” for a while but we didn’t do it very well – over the ten treat period we only made a profit of a couple of million on player sales. Our youth system has been disappointing with only McGeady, Forrest, CalMac and Tierney really doing anything in that time. Given McGeady and Tierney brought in the guts of £40m between them, you’d think we’d want to do better there!

     

     

    In some ways it’s heartening that folk at the club like the RB model but it’s also a bit falling that we don’t seem to be doing anything about it. Surely there’s someone in that set-up (a deputy DoF or something) we could poach to get it up and running?

     

     

    As important I think is the club properly communicating what their vision and strategy is – not platitudes like #futureisourfocus or “come out of each window stronger” or nonsense like that. More a “this is what we will be doing over the next 5 years and why”…the media will (and are) making mischief filling the vacuum which is helping exacerbate the divide between fans/supporters and club!

  16. scullybhoy on

    Spidey101 on 5th June 2021 11:58 pm

     

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

     

     

    I like your analysis of things Celtic.

     

     

    HH

  20. Wishaw tim on

    AT, have heard that your mate Billy is a good guy from someone we both trust, will give you credit big guy, you name names when you call someone out. same as Fairhillbhoy! respect ✊ to you both, unlike the sea swimming gardener from clydebank, ))))))))))))) anyway peace big yin ! before this escalates

  38. AKBW1888 on

    Spidey101 @ 9pm On Saturday The 5th of June 2021.

     

    Burnley 78

     

    Tell me when Celtic has ever made you happy. Even just once in your life ?

     

    Seville; 6-2; Invincibles; Wim’s season; Tommy Burns’ second season; Naka’s free kick against Man Utd; Lubo trapping the ball with his backside; 3-2 v Juve; Strachan’s comeback title.

     

    Tell us your ideas for a manager?

     

    Someone who:

     

    Has experience building title-winning teams;

     

    Has demonstrated he can sustain success;

     

    Buys into “modern” football – analytics, fitness, nutrition;

     

    Has an eye for a player – importantly ones who fit his system/way of playing;

     

    Open to a pathway for young players; and

     

    Demonstrable experience of improving players.

     

    I’ve already mentioned a few who meet these criteria – Philip Clement of Brugge was my pick for the job. I think he’d be gettable – his profile is too low for English teams, which would change if he came here and turned us around. Salary ought to be affordable too.

     

    Give us your suggestions for a strategy that the club can develop to improve its long term status and chance of success ?

     

    Develop and embed a proper “Celtic way” – whether that’s possession-based, high pressing, etc – and ensure we have the right coaching team in place to support that. Changes of manager/head coach should reflect our system – no more Strachan to Mowbray or Rodgers to Lennon.

     

    That system should be embedded among the Academy players so they can step up. The Colts need to have games at a higher level than the Lowland League, so copy Brentford’s B team strategy for them to run in parallel.

     

    We should have a professional high quality back room team underpinning that – no more part-time doctor’s or interns. We know the system so requirements on fitness, scouting, etc is calibrated to that.

     

    We bring in players who fit our system – no more Bayo’s who can only score with his head when we don’t have wingers (apart from Forrest) or Brattbacks/Klimala who play better in a counter-attacking side.

     

    Get better at moving on our sellable assets at the right time – don’t keep them too long! In parallel, get into the habit of buying next year’s team this year – we knew Ajer would leave this summer so should have brought in a proper replacement last year. Give them a season to adjust and be integrated without the pressure of being expected to deliver straight away.

     

    Communicate this with the fans – set out that this is our plan and it may be bumpy but for x reasons we think it’s the best approach to deliver sustained success domestically and improve in Europe. The last time we had a properly set out plan was when Fergus arrived – he said in 5 years he’s rebuild the stadium and win the title, which he delivered. I can’t remember any other time we set out a strategic plan like that. Do that, demonstrate the club is putting everything into that, and we can all buy into it. We may have the odd year we don’t win the title, but we’d know what we really doing over the longer-term.

     

    None of this is new – it’s effectively what Ajax have done for decades, what the Red Bull teams do now, what Brentford do, etc. But it would be truly revolutionary for us.

     

     

    Spidey101 9pm The 5th of June 2021

     

    Superb post, & a very sensible analysis, in which direction our Club should be heading down, asap, & in the

     

    near future. It totally makes sense, no more Ronny-D, with no plan ‘B’ the PLC Board please, that is another

     

    recipe for a disaster, box clever, & no more old friends act, yeah their in the clique approach, appoint the

     

    relevant & correct people, who are going to take us forward, not back the way. What happened in the past,

     

    should remain in the past, & not brought forward into the future. We are looking @ sound business acumen

     

    here, always being pro-active, & not being inactive, & don’t sit back on ones laurels, & take the credit when

     

    things are going well, gloating on about it, & then baton down the hatches when things are going pear shaped,

     

    which they will from time to time, which is inevitable, & as the 9-5 Dolly Patton song says, we can’t always

     

    have sunshine, without a little bit of rain, & the PLC Board needs to have, better interpersonal communication

     

    skills, not a wall of silence, that matter also needs to be addressed, asap.

     

     

    Spidey101 9pm The 5th of June 2021

     

    Superb post, & a very sensible analysis, in which direction our Club should be heading down, asap, & in the

     

    near future. It totally makes sense, no more Ronny-D, with no plan ‘B’ the PLC Board please, that is another

     

    recipe for a disaster, box clever, & no more old friends act, yeah their in the clique approach, appoint the

     

    relevant & correct people, who are going to take us forward, not back the way. What happened in the past,

     

    should remain in the past, & not brought forward into the future. We are looking @ sound business acumen

     

    here, always being pro-active, & not being inactive, & don’t sit back on ones laurels, & take the credit when

     

    things are going well, gloating on about it, & then baton down the hatches when things are going pear shaped,

     

    which they will from time to time, which is inevitable, & as the 9-5 Dolly Patton song says, we can’t always

     

    have sunshine, without a little bit of rain, & the PLC Board needs to have, better interpersonal communication

     

    skills, not a wall of silence, that matter also needs to be addressed, asap.

  40. Greenpinata on

    Obersavations reading back.:-

     

     

    If AP comes as manager, it is a huge gamble. An unnecessary gamble in my opinion.

     

     

    There is definitely a different ” breed” of fan to the Seville era. I never thought I would see the day when our fans chased team busses.

     

    Ask yourself, would this motivate or demotivate the players and manager. Would it encourage players and managers to come to Parkhead.?

     

     

    Yes it’s really noticeable how some posters appear at election time then disappear like snow off a dyke.

     

     

    HH to all.

  41. SydneyTim on

    Got to laugh at Paul 67. Ayer and vvd

     

    A bit like saying boli boli will be new KT

     

    I don’t think we will miss a CH who can’t jump and can’t mark

     

    As for jack Hendry. Streets ahead of Stephen ( mark McNally) welsh , but not good enough for us

     

     

    Neil oh neil. You have become very bitter

     

    Fans have always rebelled when they have seen tosh on the park , you were a manger out of his depth when it stopped being a one horse race

     

    You put 10 in a row in jeopardy when you said yes yes yes to Peter , you backed your boss when you knew that you were not being backed

  42. Big Jimmy on

    WISHAW TIM on 5TH JUNE 2021 9:36 PM

     

    ahh !! big jimmy hope you had a great day in your local! well overdue

     

    ………..

     

    Cheers mate, I did enjoy it but because Ive more or less been in the Hoose for 8 Months, I could hardly walk the 20 yards or so to my local Pub, as my Back and legs have almost ” Gone” ……I STILL managed to pick up 9 or 10 Pints okay.

     

    LOL

     

    It was a wee 5 hour Session, and I went back home to watch the derby and have some dinner. NO Hangover at all, just a wee bit thirsty/drouth…I MAY go back out today and other days this week for more, ….Just to get Myself ” BEER Fit” for the BEER FEST this this Friday with DAVID66 and hopefully some others in my local.

     

    you are of course welcome to join us around 2pm THIS Friday 11th June.

     

    HH mate.

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