Celtic have four central defenders in the first team squad, although Jozo Simunovic’s injury record and Jack Hendry’s complete absence from match day squads effectively reduces that figure to two. When required, Neil Lennon has used Nir Bitton as his third central defensive option.
This has worked well for player and club, but Nir was out of contract in the summer, so there is a risk for the Champions League qualifiers. We need four options in central defence in July and August, two to play and two to cover injuries (on top of Jozo’s perennial state), suspensions and the possibility that we have another central defender pull a Dedryck Boyata/Kelvin Wilson move.
I expect we will still try to add two central defenders to the first team squad between now and then, but the consequences of not getting the player you want, or that player turning in training performances like Marvin Compper, are great.
2020 could be a breakthrough year for 19-year-old Lee O’Connor, but the prospect of a Champions League playoff game is a lot to burden a player who has yet to make a senior debut at club level (he represented Ireland against New Zealand last month).
This is the primary motivation to award Nir a new contract. He is a player the manager knows and trusts to do a job when required.
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Happy Wednesday eve from a snow dusted Kentucky.
1 more day to 5 points clear.
HH!
Silver?
Bronze?
Macjay,
Military dictatorship you say, in Venezuela?
Where as already pointed out over 67% voted. The incumbents won that election.
Since then, the US and their proxies have tried everything including military coup to remove the incumbents, murdered over 40000 using economic warfare that denies medical supplies being sent to the country, an illegal strategy they confirm is a war.
I’ve never seen a military dictatorship allow its opposition so much freedom of movement and
platform to spread their lies.
Unlike your preferred democratically elected government in Bolivia who are currently refusing opposition parties access to to parliament to vote on new laws being made up on the hoof, slaughtering anyone of the population who oppose them, oh wait they were not democratically elected were they but still it’s the kind of democracy you support. Which is very different from how democracy is meant to work.
Cuba, oh aye when they had a civil war, unlike the bloodless civil wars of the USA and England.
Everyone in Cuba votes for their representatives in Havana, they know the govt are limited on what can be provided during an economic war with the US. Even in those conditions there is no one who goes without food on the table, education and medical care, the best in the world.
Meanwhile your mandarins of democracy and freedom are run by bankers and arms dealers.
Run their countries to suit their agenda regardless of who is elected. Torture journalists and open concentration camps.
Where increasing numbers of children live below the absolute poverty line.
Aye your definition of freedom and democracy is a long way from what you claim it to be.
MTH
I am a fan of Bitton. So, I’m quite happy he has been signed up for a longer spell in the Hoops.Long may grace Celtic Park.
Thought Bitton played very well on Sunday, sufficiently so to give him one of my three CQN MoTM votes.
Centre half is a crucial position, one that takes around 100 senior matches to get to grips with. Dunno how many matches Nir has played at the back, but he’s a long way off 100 starts there.
Relatedly, Hatem Elhamed has played most of his career at centre half.
Cana
Do you really would trust ” democracy ” in Latin America ?
And attempt to compare it to Western democracies.
Look.
This mornings news.
Post Boris victory , 60 plus illegals have ” arrived ” on the South Coast of England.
Why would they risk their lives to come to Boris`s Tory racist fascist country ?
And leave Macron`s socialist French Nirvana ?
Cause they`re not stupid enough to fall for the delusion of socialism.
They`ve possibly suffered under it. That`s why .
Will the penny ever drop for you , Cana ?
Ever ?
It has for them.
O.K.
Fitba`now.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50822926
Kilmarnock manager bagged….
Killie sack Alessandro
https://t.co/hMZxxmTIoa?amp=1
HH
Kilmarnock sack Alessio
Macjay,
are we off on another tangent because you can’t address the response to the issues you raised?
I think you’ll find the vast majority of those migrants are coming from capitalist countries that have tellys telling them how good everything is in the west, but no food on the table there’s your reason for their migration. You’ve also got the other reason, that the west has bomber their countries into sub third world status. Those same countries that were saved from themselves.
HRVATSKI JIM on 17TH DECEMBER 2019 1:19 PM
Kilmarnock sack Alessio
____
Getting beat 3-0 from Livi was pretty bad.
Can’t believe I have to clarify this but, Emmanuel Macron is not a socialist. It’s true that he was a member of the socialist party in the past, but he has chose a different path.
He left the party, created his own party, ran against the socialist party and identifies as a centrist liberal. He has made his position clear.
Fourstonecoppi
Can you please reconsider the add-on to your blog name, really a poor choice.
Good article Pablo and well timed too.
Nir B is a known quantity at an affordable price contributing a decent level of capability.
If we are serious about Champions League qualification (and avoiding mistakes of the past), then, IMHO, we should, if possible, buy a central defender and a striker in January – both need to be genuine first 11 candidates.
Maybe a pre-contract or two if we are lucky.
Ideal number of summer signings to help qualify for the CL group stage?
ZERO.
Hail hail
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 17TH DECEMBER 2019 2:39 PM
The best players are rarely available in January.
Generally, the guys who move in January are ones who are surplus to requirements (ie. Scott Sinclair)
ERNIE
How do you no Rod has said or done nothing to change views he expressed in a press article nearly 50 years ago?
You’re talkin’ shite again.
With respect.
Tea break over, away back to my painting.
We’ve had 5 January transfer windows since January 2015 and in those of all the players we’ve signed only Stuart Armstrong, Paddy Roberts and Erik Sviatchenko have been first team regulars
Please show proper respect to the British Establishment. Don’t refer to him as Rod. He insists on being called SirRod.
GENE on 17TH DECEMBER 2019 2:03 PM
Fourstonecoppi
Can you please reconsider the add-on to your blog name, really a poor choice.
what part…than vermin or lower?
My friends in Celtic,
Sitting in a one room and kitchen with the privilege of an inside toilet , my family were dismayed that Robert Kelly had received a knighthood. It should have been Jock Stein they declared.
HH To all Celtic supporters, regardless of race , creed , nationality , colour , gender, political affiliation or whatever.
Paul67 et al
After last Thursday’s General Election,the Green Brigade has decreed that 14,000,000 voters are no longer welcome at Celtic Park, (or certainly not welcome to support Celtic football club) as a result of their voting Tory. Not the original Tories it has to be said. On this Mahe, once of this parish, but now of Sentinelcelts, states that “This site stands with the Green Brigade…F… off and take your Tories with you please.” It is not clear whether Mahe has actually joined the Brigado and being based overseas he may not meet the crucial blood and soil criteria required. Tant Pis. But why stop with the Tories, 650,000 voted Brexit, they’re out, and nearly quarter of a million voted DUP, but they were never in in the first place. A special plenum will be organised to decide which other voters are to be excluded, with both the LDP and the SDLP circumspect in refusing to include the phrase “Armed Insurrection” in their Manifestos. Snowflakes the lot of them. No decision has yet been made as to the fate of our Glorious Leader, Dermot Desmond, once rehabilitated after donating £50,000 to the Tory Party, but now likely to end up in the dustbin of history. If he is lucky that is.
When we look at the Full back positions we have 3 for each position and all 6 have had at least several games. Perhaps 4 Centre Backs are not enough.
Ajer and Julien have been fit mostly and have played. Simunovic has a poor injury record and in my opinion cannot be sold because of this. Hendry looks to be surplus to requirements and is also unsaleable. Biton is currently at least No4. O’Connor is in development and is back up
In terms of midfield then Biton can also play there.
Therefore depending on the contract salary, then Biton is a good option as we know what we are getting and there is no transfer fee.
`….Biton is a good option as we know what we are getting and there is no transfer fee.`
Whilst the above is true, my main reason for being happy that Nir has signed a new contract is that he is a very, very good player. I know many supporters equals many opinions but I find I can love the combatism of Broonie as well as appreciate the silky skills of Nir Bitton.
Let me add that Broonie is not short in the skills department and the same can be said of Nir in the getting stuck in department.
Forster;
Frimpong,
Elhamed;
Jullien,
Ajer,
Taylor,
Bitton,
Forrest,
Brown,
McGregor,
Rogic,
Christie,
Ntcham,
Johnston,
Elyounoussi,
Hayes,
Edouard,
Griffiths.
Quite impressive and I have no doubt there are others I have omitted !
Morgan and Bolingoli for starters ! Well, maybe not ` starters` but you know what I mean !
So if you are a GB fan, hate the Tories and don’t want to see Rod Stewart back at Celtic Park, then you’re good to go, you’re in the Cool Gang,
However, if you think the GB are acting likes spoiled brats, have an open mind on politics and still quite like Rod Stewart then I’m afraid no Cool Gang for you m’lad, you’re banished to the Nerd Gang, the outside the fence looking in gang, the gang that its cool to point and laugh at,
Hai Hail
Time to pickup the weans !
CELTIC’S Premiership fixture against Kilmarnock, which was due at Parkhead on Saturday, February 22, has been put back 24 hours.
I’m a kind of cool nerdy happyshafter sort of bloke, or maybe I’m a mineclapper 😃
🍀⚽️
Fourstonecoppi
Thanks for considering my request
RTB
I agree ( I think !),
I get the feeling that most people who go to the games feel that the GB add to the atmosphere .
They have produced some cracking stuff and some which is not so well received.
I think their Rod banner was stupid and their Four Horsemen superb.
Some things in life are good, some are not so good. Perspective is key.
Gene
:-)))
GENE on 17TH DECEMBER 2019 4:46 PM
Fourstonecoppi
Thanks for considering my request
your welcome!