Great news that Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre have extended their contracts until 2017. Footballers’ careers flow on a few distinct tracks. Some are too hot for their clubs to retain, Victor Wanyama, who declined a contract renewal with almost 3 years of his initial deal remaining, fell into this category. Some, like Georgios Samaras, will represent diminishing value to their clubs, and attract only diminishing contracts.
I could make an argument that the players in the third category, who are highly valuable to their club, but are not so valuable that they are impossible to retain, are more important than the latter.
It’s important for Celtic to have outstanding achievers (especially up front) but clubs find it difficult to remain on-strategy if they have significant churn each season. Transfer income is great, and often needed, but ideally you would look at your squad around this time of the year and want to change no more than 3 players over the summer.
I reckon Celtic should be able to hold onto Lustig, Izaguirre, Matthews, Ambrose, Brown, Commons, Mulgrew, Stokes and Forrest until the club want to move them on. These players are the mainstay of our squad, hopefully Johansen will prove to be too. Forster and van Dijk fall into the same category as Wanyama and Hooper – they will have high paying options in England.
Forster and van Dijk will help get us into and compete in the Champions League, but two or three gems are useless if they are surrounded by players less polished bling.
The last 24 hours has been a salutary lesson on what will continue to happen until Celtic appoint a manager. The Daily Mail got the ball rolling when someone told them Roy Keane was leaving Dublin to speak to Celtic. This was good information, in as much as it was true, Celtic did meet Roy Keane, but the ‘paper put inappropriate weight upon it.
Soon everyone and their dog was reporting the deal was done. Which surprised Celtic.
Today’s news – there is no news.
‘News’ will continue to break and eventually one story will actually be the news we’re waiting for. There is value (reputation and advertising) in rushing out with a story before it’s confirmed or others are doing the same, and little consequence (zero damage to reputation and you get to keep the ad money) in getting it wrong, so stay tuned for the next instalment. Only this week, Pope Francis was talking about papal retirement, maybe he has another gig in mind.
London Calling
Let me know if you would like to attend the CQN Question and Answer evening at the Manor Club, Wimbledon, on 21 June, with a confirmed line-up of Lisbon Lion, John Hughes, and our own Brogan Rogan and Auldheid, celticquicknews@gmail.com
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.
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Dear me!
Just read by back last 2/3 hours.
Think this site needs a close season.
A long one!
Either that or delete the word ‘news’ and replace with….
Innuendo
Irreverence
Insult
Infantile
Idiocy
Etc
Etc
Etc
justafan
Want to throw Law Suit into that list ?
Some of you may find this useful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPd67CEL54E
Keane splits Irish opinion again with Celtic talks
Derek Miller
Saturday 31 May 2014
THE prospect of Roy Keane walking out on his role as assistant manager with the Republic of Ireland has provoked fierce criticism from a leading Irish supporters group.
Roy Keane at the Republic of Ireland’s training session yesterday
Roy Keane at the Republic of Ireland’s training session yesterday
The 42-year-old has been identified as a leading candidate to become the new Celtic manager after discussing the vacancy with the club’s majority shareholder, Dermot Desmond.
Returning to the club where he had a brief spell at the end of his playing career would force Keane to resign from his position with his national team, where he works alongside Martin O’Neill, the former Celtic manager. Keane was given permission to sidestep a prearranged media briefing ahead of Ireland’s friendly with Italy tonight, partly as a result of the speculation surrounding his future. Instead O’Neill confirmed the approach from Celtic and it is likely that he did so with the consent of Desmond.
Some Ireland supporters have been open, too, in condemning the idea of Keane electing to abandon his post with the national team. Sections of the Irish support still remember clearly when the former midfielder – who won 67 caps for his country – walked out on the squad prior to the 2002 World Cup finals, unwilling to accept what he perceived to be inadequate training facilities in Saipan and insufficient planning from the Football Association of Ireland.
It was an episode which caused divisions in the camp and right across Ireland, and one fans’ representative last night acknowledged that Keane’s proposed return to Celtic Park would reopen those wounds.
“It would be wrong. It’s Saipan Two – he’s only in and he’s out,” said Gerry Rochford, chairman of the Ireland Supporters Club in Dublin. “I was at Saipan. It was a political thing at the time and I think deep down a lot of people haven’t forgiven him.
“The country didn’t come before him, he came before the country, and this could maybe be something like that. The aim was to get us to [the European Championships in] 2016 and to walk out the door so quickly, I don’t think fans will forgive him for that. For him to walk out now, he’s not coming back if he saw Ireland as a stepping stone just to get a job.”
Desmond may be unlikely to have made an approach only to offer the job of Celtic manager to somebody else, although the club made an effort last night to insist that their one-time midfielder was but one name on a list of between five and 10.
“We are going through a process,” said Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive who also confirmed that his club has re-signed defenders Emilio Izaguirre and Mikael Lustig on three-year contracts.
“Hopefully it won’t take too long but I’m sure you’ll understand there’s not much more we can say when we are midway through that process. There is no point in getting it done quickly and getting it wrong.”
While there is voluble opposition to his appointment in his homeland, there was last night a differing view from within Scottish football. Paul Hartley, the former Hearts midfielder, faced Keane in league competition and acknowledged that the Irishman has the personality necessary to handle the pressure of the role. “Celtic need a strong character just like Neil Lennon and Keane fits that bill,” said the Dundee manager.
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The case against: Little to suggest Keane is up to the task of managing again
Graham Spiers
Sports Columnist
.
Saturday 31 May 2014
Ordinarily, you could widely tip Roy Keane for the Celtic manager’s job for any number of dubious reasons.
Keane has served as O’Neill’s assistant but few have thought this was a job he was prepared to accept for long. Picture: PA
Keane has served as O’Neill’s assistant but few have thought this was a job he was prepared to accept for long. Picture: PA
Firstly, the hard man with a wealth of football experience. Secondly, the big name. Thirdly, the “Irish narrative”, for want of a better phrase. Fourthly, the implacable (if complicated) disciplinarian.
Keane is all of these and more. The only thing missing from the arguments to make him the next manager of Celtic is his record in this particular line of work. At best, it is erratic. At worst, it is unimpressive.
The 42-year-old is hanging around in a distinctly bit-part role as assistant to Martin O’Neill, the Republic of Ireland manager. This is not a job many believe Keane wants to have for any length of time. What he craves – whether it be at Celtic or elsewhere – is another crack at being a No.1.
So there seems a happy coming together of circumstances here, what with Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s majority shareholder, said to be keen to appoint him, and Keane himself also in a mood to be a manager once more.
Whether Peter Lawwell, the Celtic ceo, sees it all quite in this light is a moot point. Lawwell cannot possibly buy all the guff about Keane “putting bums on seats” at Parkhead merely through being Roy Keane – it will require a lot more than that. Lawwell may also take a more forensic look at Keane’s record as a football manager and reach a different conclusion about his readiness for Celtic.
Keane’s record as a manager is a peculiar mix of stellar success and abysmal failure – with the emphasis more weighted to the latter. In his five seasons in English football he inspired Sunderland and Ipswich to the following positions: one title and a series of relegation battles.
Were Keane anyone else, given this rate of regress, he wouldn’t even be mentioned today for a major job in football.
So it must be other stuff that makes Roy Keane’s name a contender for such positions as the Celtic manager. His reputation as a footballer, despite hanging up his boots seven years ago, appears to remain a factor. Then there is his reputation as the icy assassin of TV punditry. In truth, Keane appears to thrive on aspects that give him a fame or an infamy, but which seem way down the list of criteria by which you would judge a prospective new manager. Specifically, in this context, he has been found wanting.
The key here, naturally, is his relationship with Desmond. The businessman can call on Keane at any point, and recognises his force of personality, and appears very keen to bring him to Celtic. In a sense this may be all that matters. What Desmond wants – right or wrong – he normally gets.
Football remains a random, unpredictable business. If he does become the next Celtic manager, there is the possibility that Keane could make a success of it. Unless he proves utterly incompetent, he should certainly stockpile some domestic trophies. The real test, given this, is what nous Keane could bring to Celtic in two further spheres. First, in terms of building a new team. Second, in terms of his ability in the Champions League.
Mention of European football and Roy Keane raises another weird aspect – which is that, as a manager, he has no experience of it whatsoever. Again, this might not mean much: perhaps he could prove himself masterful in that environment. But the simple fact is, as a coach, Keane has never been there before, to breathe his ire over the occasion.
Some flawed comparisons have been made between Keane and Neil Lennon, usually from those who are promoting Keane’s case for Celtic. The crux of their case is that Lennon was an untried manager when appointed in 2010, who also represented a “risk” to Celtic.
This isn’t quite true. Firstly, Lennon did some coaching at both Nottingham Forest and Wycombe Wanderers in 2007. He then returned to Celtic in 2008 to become Gordon Strachan’s first-team coach. For nine months Lennon then became the manager of what was, in effect, Celtic’s reserve side.
In March 2010, following Tony Mowbray’s sacking, Lennon was put on trial as Celtic caretaker manager, and given eight league games in which to prove himself – and won all of them. Throughout this period Lennon as a coach suffered none of the medium-term failures which Keane unfortunately stockpiled for himself following his first successful season with Sunderland in 2006-07.
In this whole debate about Keane and Celtic, there is no doubting who would love the appointment the most – the Scottish media. Unless Keane has suddenly mellowed and softened with age – which I doubt – you could almost start writing the headlines now in advance. The dramas, rows and rumpuses would be guaranteed. Keane at Celtic would be tremendous fayre for the newspaper business.
More wary Celtic supporters will be less concerned with this than with Keane’s track-record for getting the job done. It is, in short, an uninspiring citation.
As much as Sunderland fans still adore Keane for what he gave them back in 2007, many more fans across Britain have watched Keane’s unsuccessful sabre-rattling in the game since then. Little wonder that Sir Alex Ferguson quickly backed off from his original notion that Keane would be a success in the dugout.
I don’t know if Keane could be a successful Celtic manager or not – perhaps he could be. But, on the available evidence, he will be lucky to get the chance
Good Morning Timland.
Much madness on cqn last night ( nostalgia ain’t what
it used to be)……I much prefer TD, Kevj, type controversy,
away oot to enjoy the day,have a great one.
Is this Australias secret shame ?
Hostility to John Pilger’s film a denial of nation’s brutal past
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/hostility-to-john-pilgers-film-a-denial-of-nations-brutal-past-20140302-33ttx.html#ixzz33GwW9RnB
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/hostility-to-john-pilgers-film-a-denial-of-nations-brutal-past-20140302-33ttx.html
Alex O’Henley @OHenleyAlex · 2m
Further meeting scheduled between Dermott Desmond and Roy Keane this weekend. We should know his intentions re: @celticfc job after that.
Spiers = hurtinhun …..bless his wee cotton soaks
Maggie, if yur still up, go to bed…..some of your posts are ‘not the full shilling’ :)
Keane will be fine for me, but preference still Henrik
How do I amend my moniker, please..?
Morning,all.
Dayooooooot in Cheltenham planned. DELANEYS DUNKY and some friends plus me and some friends equals mayhem,missed trains,magic memories.
Ffs,who am I kidding? Betcha I canny remember a thing in the morning!
Anyway,here’s something to get BILLYBHOY05-who’s a smashing fella,btw-choking on his cornflakes.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/fall-in-violent-crime-not-down-to-stop-and-search-1-3427812
Maybe it’s all been down to unleaded petrol,who knows!
67Heaven …I am Neil Lennon
Why not just keep it ? Unless, like kojo, you think NFLs let us down. I personally dont think he has. Hopefully youll not be changing it to I am Owen …….. lol
HH
67 HEAVEN
Send me your password and I’ll do it for you!
Alternatively,use the desktop site,then go to the top of the page. LHS,click on your moniker. This will open your profile page.
Amend accordingly,click to bottom of page and update profile.
21579
NFL certainly didn’t let us down,but he may feel others let him down.
Who knows,I doubt we’ll ever find out.
I hope he finds success for the rest of his life,wherever it takes him.
More than anything though,I wish him contentment and inner peace.
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
07:51 on 31 May, 2014
Not changing ” I am Neil Lennon” because ‘zI am Neil Lennon’……… wee oscar has been in my thoughts a lot lately …. Can’t pinpoint why, but want to change my Wee Oscar ‘message
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
07:54 on 31 May, 2014
Good man, I’ll do that…silly ipad …….just got one thing to say Neil ….Chuckie…!!!!!!!!
Breaking news
Celtics new manager is…….
……….
………
……..still to be announced!
67 – follow BMCUW’s advice on how to change moniker. Give it a try while everyone still in bed. Reminds me of the time that everyone was learning how to type on here in bold etc…
Lots of frustration and angst until it ‘clicked’.
I’ve forgotten how to do it (type in bold).
BMCUW- When’s your Cheltenanny?
67, you need to be on a PC or similar, don’t think you can from a tablet/phone et al, then click on your username in the top left corner of the page. Take it from there…
BMCUW
Totally agree, hope you all have a great day down there, been there once for the racing and had a ball, ended up skint but had a ball
67 Heaven
I didnt think for a minute you were having a go at NL and I apologise if it came across like that, totally understand what youre saying.
Ive got kids myself and have thought about the wee mans plight, and his family’s, and it’s really heartbreaking. Dont know if I could have handled the same situation.
ART OF WAR
First stop in Swindon,930.
Meeting DD around 1230.
Take it from there. See how long I last. Just off nightshift,so this may be fun.
21579
Went to the Gold Cup this year,great day but….
No phone signal!
So what,you might say.
Well,TOMMYTWISTSTOMMYTURNS sent me the winner of the big race but I only received it in the morning as the battery had gone due to searching for a signal all day.
Pyoooooor ragin’ ,I wiz.
And borassic!
BMCUW- haha ya nutter.
Sounds like it will be a blast. Hope the weather is as good as it is in the Wood of Knights, pure scorchio here!
DD must be snoozing on the ole train as he would normally let everyone know he is on his way.
Good luck with the nags buddy.
Ps. Any tips?
BMCUP
At least theres no racing down there today, its bloody frustrating when things like that happen. What have you’s got planned ?
Art of War
To make text bold you put the word strong inside of before the text you want to bold, then to turn off the bold text you put /strong inside at the end of what you wish to appear bolded. You can do this for a letter, a word, a sentence, a paragraph, if you choose to. For italics you put em inside of and again you turn them off by /em inside of . For a wee ☺ you just hold down the alt key and press 1 (one).
There are quite a few sites that show you how to do these things.
But don’t forget to turn of the bold and the italics.
Art of War:
apologies, somehow my wee chevrons (the arrowheads that point west and east respectively) were filtered out from that last post.
21579
Bevvying,and lots of it!
One of my mates fancies himself as a pool player. I might set him up,from what I hear DD will cream him…
ART OF WAR
I think he drove down,the madman!
Hitting Rye House,335 Newmarket. Hopefully pay for the dayooooooooooot!
Good morning friends from a lovely dry, bright and sun kissed EK.
Art of War:
If you go to this page – html switches – and scroll down a wee bit you’ll get examples of what I was doing my best to explain earlier. Not all the switches you’ll see will work in ‘WordPress’ but the strong and the em will.
BMCUP
Nothing like a bit of hussling. Sounds like a great day ahead, hope you’s enjoy.
Im off for an hours kip then back to the painting.
Know where I’d rather be..
Can you put a tenner on DD to beat your mate for me ?
HH
jobo baldie
08:44 on 31 May, 2014
It is a beautiful morning in ML5 here as well. Thought I would have a chill out day…that was until Mrs. LB said we are going in to Town…cursing there being no footy…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
21579
Not intending to take any cash off him,just a wee bit of casual humiliation!
Enjoy yer painting,bud. Once you’ve finished,you can start with The Forth Road Bridge.
Which sounds easier,nae women tae please!
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
08:10 on 31 May, 2014
Nothing AT ALL to apologise for, my friend….. Still gutted that Neil is gone…. :)
LENNYBHOY
I’m betting that every time yer missus disappears into a changing room,you disappear into a pub or bookies!
malc
08:09 on 31 May, 2014
Away to try it now….Ta, to you and BMCUP …. If it doesn’t work, oil be back……hahahahaha
BMCUW
Bloody nightmare mate,two bedroom tenement and place still carpeted. not fun.
Im off to the Forth Road Bridge.
Enjoy your day bhoys,
HH
Just thinking, Neil didn’t give the Board much notice, unlike WGS etc … Puts a bIt of pressure on choosing a replacement with the CL fast approaching..!?