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.
[calameo code=000390171873c910154bd lang=en page=106 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,164 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- »
My Glasgow jungle garden is in full triffid mode, and the young guy I get to fight mine, is round with the chainsaw. I was speaking with him about his young family whilst him and his mate make light work of the weeds. He has a young son who is unable to walk or talk and suffers from a rare syndrome called Angelman’s. Some doctors would even require to look it up,his son is on strict medication that keeps him alive and prevents siezure’s which occur and could kill him at any time. The gardener doesn’t complain, his son’s only emotion is to be able to smile.
leftclicktic We are all Neil Lennon
12:58 on
31 May, 2014
voguepunter
12:39 on 31 May, 2014
LOVE :))
Back to the grind, thats what I get for making the schoolbhoy error of telling she who has to be obeyed “I’m feeling alot better today”
————————————–
Lefty…you’re forgiven.it’s been a long time since you were a schoolbhoy :O) TC HH
teuchter ár lá
I was in the pub in that wee town years ago
Sure always good to talk here to one of the bhoys
thunder road
13:08 on31 May, 2014
I like his stance regarding Scottish football. I pretty much agree with him but I am not going to take being abused for hours for trying to act as peacemaker …no matter how much BMCUWP might not read the blog and consider that I should accept his stuff.
I am moving on mate.
The more you step in shoite the further it spreads
HH
I think Sami might end up with ‘Arry and Rosie the Dug at QPR,’Arry was raving about the big Bubble and Squeak during the last Euro’s
Anthony Stokes was signed by Roy Keane at Sunderland a few years ago … Roy’s first managerial role
Now he is under him at ROI in his latest managerial role as assistant to MON
Anthony’s opinion on RK would be interesting
Anthony might be bricking it,RK hunted him at Sunderland.
Emdae been watching Fargo? God its hard work!!
Stokes is an old firmist.
An idiot whose opinion is irrelevant
HH
Googybhoy
If it’s Paul McCue from Maryhill, I know him too. Great ghuy, from a lovely family.
Hello, if you’re lurking, Paul. I hope you’re in rude health.
Stick up a post or two, and give us the benefit of all those years you’ve supported Celtic!
Okay lads I have to go shopping.
Any games on later ?
HH
bhoylo83
13:07 on 31 May, 2014
Such a shame he has left the club,
Was Samaras ever offered a new contract?
cv
Bhoylo83
Many wd disagree with Samaras being a legend but I dont!!
Stokes now going to the High Court for trial.
Jude2005
I think the series is living up to the high standards set by the film, but obviously with more time to develop the plot and the characters. Some great acting, and dark humour.
Aye Jude2005 , loving it mate, Great tone and dark humor.
KLV
Jude- Stokes and Forrest in court soon,possibly some big decisions ahead for the Club,innocent til proven guilty of course.
Sydneytim, Googybhoy, Delaney’s Dunky,
Re: Glasgow Uni Bus
This morning’s discussion brought back some fond memories alright! I was a member from 1977 – 1982, and travelled all over the country with them. Seem to remember buses only went to away games, and home European Games?
Remember Gerry Dunbar, Gerry White, George Shanks, Stevie O’Neill, Ally McLeod among others, and a big crowd of ex Notre Dame bhoys from the south side, and ex Our Lady’s bhoys from Lanarkshire, oh and ‘The Teuchter’ from Dingwall!
Big crowd of us stood together in The Jungle, our preferred spot being on the top section, half way between the middle walkway and the back, and level with 18 yard line at the east terracing – always a great craic!
Remember going to Sammy Nelson Testimonial v Arsenal (when windscreen on the bus got smashed as we were leaving London). Also, Alan Hunter Testimonial v Ipswich (half time power cut, and start of a famous hand-clap to accompany the band).
Only went abroad once, I was a poor student after all, and that was to the 2nd Feyenoord pre-season tournament, which I think was a joint venture with the Lisbon Lions CSC. What a weekend that was!
I’m still in contact with some of the bhoys, but as happens, I’ve lost touch with most of them, although my wife now works beside Gerry Dunbar! Small world eh?
Favourite story about Gerry (or it may just be an urban myth) –
Gerry had a German mate called Stefan Fissel who used to come over for a couple of games a season, as he obviously loved Celtic, and Glasgow. Anyway, the story goes that he got married, had a son, and called him …………….Patrick!
Thanks for the shared memories guys
HH
Just saw the sammi video, man is a legend.
Anybody ken if the ireland v italy is oan telly.
Sean.
Sean- had a look for Republic game on TV, couldn’t find anything.
Did Keane sneak Stokes out of C P at H T to sign him?
Zbyszek @1158
Thanks for that.
I think it was you who first told us Petrescu had been offered a salary of 2.5m Euro.
I remember thinking that there is no way Celtic could go anywhere near that.
However, it isn’t always about the money although, in football, it often is!
Roy Keane is intelligent, articulate and he possesses one of the finest in-built BS detectors in the business. But he has failed – and failed badly – whenever asked to manage professional football clubs. There is no evidence to suggest that he would be any more successful at Celtic than he has been with previous clubs.
Try VIP BOX for the ROI V I game.
Jude
Imo he is a legend..
Shame he and celtic cudnt work somethin out
And iv been watchin Fargo
I think its a great show
It’s oan premier sports, how much does that cost.
Canny handle these tic free weekends!!!.
Sean
Sean,the ROI game is on Premier Sports tonight.
also had a good tip for this one on the GG´s,
3.50 Haydock Aeolus @ 4/1
don´t shoot the messenger lol.
My friends in Celtic,
It has to be acknowledged that we have a high calibre of manager applications. For our current environment any one of them will win the league. No doubt in that statement.
I do believe we have a glass ceiling as far as Eureopean football and player signings are concerned. So what are we offering, apart from the salaly.?
I wonder if the opportunity to manage a massive club in an environment more befitting of our status and ambitions forms part of the discussions ?
Here’s hoping sooner rather than later !
HH.
Roy Keane’s signings:
Ex-team mates – 9 players
Former signings – 4 players
English leagues – 19 players (not inc above)
Scotland – 2 players (not inc above)
Celtic’s signings since 2010:
Portugal
Holland x 3
Israel x 2
Germany
Norway x 2
England x 6
Spain x 2
Australia
Wales x 2
Belgium
Sweden
Mexico x 2
Greece
USA
Scotland
Roy Keane may not have had the benefit of a scouting system equivalent to Celtic’s global network, but he has never had the experience of it either.
Keane signs players he knows, who have played for him, with him, or against him.
Celtic sign players the manager knows nothing about until the scouting report hits his inbox.
Keane’s and Celtic’s approaches to signing players are mutually exclusive.
In my view.
IMHO
If RK gets the job it’s an indication of at least two things
The club will have some European ambition and release the funds Roy demands
And
As I think RK will have more run ins with the refs … Lunny and the Sfa .. The club would be making a stand that they didn’t take with NFL (often)
Good afternoon friends.
Live Fitbaw
Celtic champions
Huns deid
Barbeque lit
Beers ready
Guests arriving soon
Roi match followed by froch v groves
If carsberg did saturdays…
B-)
My friends in Celtic,
While I was thinking to myself that some of our moonhowling bhoys displayed a lack of vocabulary last night, it would also seem I should have applied myself during English Lessons.
salaly = salary.
HH.
Maybe Roy (or new manager) will talk Sammi round eh??
TBB
Are you preparing some Celtic fans for the club choosing someone other than Roy Keane?
Been reading back what is it with petec??
TBB 14.01
You put facts to back my concerns. Celtic have a system in place. It may not be perfect as we learn to navigate the summer trough that too many departures caused last summer but that is not a reason to dump it.
So is Keane a sign we are dumping the system or is he willing to work with it?
What will tell us if he is the real deal will be qualifying for the CL. What will he bring to the party in that respect and what if he fails?