Whatever doubts existed about the first team squad, we all knew there was no chance of Callum McGregor leaving. This morning, Celtic announced the captain has signed a five-year contract which will keep him at the club until he turns 35. It is likely to be his last in the game and will be structured to see him adopt coaching responsibilities towards the latter end of the deal.
We have spoken recently about the value of increasing the velocity of churn in the squad. Two years was more than enough time to enjoy the delights of Jota, before turning him into a pile of cash we can go shopping with. But there is a problem with a revolving door strategy. You need people who can educate new arrivals in what is expected from them and how to deal with life in a new city.
In times when even the manager moves on after a couple of years, Callum McGregor fulfils that role for Celtic. His is fundamental to the success of the club. Although James Forrest seldom plays, his presence at Lennoxtown is also invaluable.
We have seen a few great central midfielders over the last couple of decades: Lambert, Lennon, Keane, Brown, to name a few. They all lose their effectiveness on the park while still at the peak of their powers in the dressing room. I don’t recall any of them being truly great approaching 35-years-old. Callum, however, is a unique football player. He is the fittest who has ever played for the club.
There are 15 domestic trophies to compete for before this contract ends. I don’t doubt he can collect winners medals for the majority of them.
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Good evening all from Paddy Neesons. Is there no end to this folly?🤔
Another Greek gone – Tsitsipas out !!!
When I saw this article, I immediately thought of two of our finer posters – Petec and Gene.
Vindication, gents!
Thoughts with all CQNers who are in Ill health or have friends or family who are.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN @ 2:31 PM,
With all due respect the official Celtic press release doesn’t say the same thing as the article and while it wouldn’t be a surprise if Calmac does end up as a Celtic coach one day we have to be wary.
Firstly, I always take CQN leads with a pinch of salt these days, how long ago was it suggested Brendan Rodgers wasn’t coming back as Manager and Brendan Rodgers wasn’t fit to manage Celtic.
Secondly it was said that Roy Keane would end the twilight of his career playing and then coaching Celtic, WGS had different ideas, it was said that Scott Brown would finish his Celtic days as a player/coach.
Hail Hail
Clean sheets against Copenhagen, Benfica Man United and Milan twice in one CL campaign
Not bad while carrying a has been
dearie me,
sense of humour bypass.
The personal pension retirement age, for professional footballers in the UK, used to be 35. No idea what current rules are.
By comparison, golfers and snooker players were 40.
Lubo signed for Celtic aged 33.
Just saying like….
HH
UNCLE JIMMY on 10TH JULY 2023 4:54 PM
Did that mean retired footballers could get a State Pension aged 35?
I think I must be reading that wrongly :-))
SFtBs @ 16:26 PM,
Yes, it was harsh on Lenny, Stephen McManus and Artur – yet they all played their part in the regular time cleansheet.
Still, he is a very underrated player Kaka, when you’re up against world class opposition and given your all then it kinda is what it is…
Hail Hail
Ahh Chairbhoy and SFTB are back in business. Gentlemen, start your engines. 👍
interested that Calum McGregor praised Nicolson and Lawwell snr. However, Calum also praised Mark Lawwell in his role as Head of Recruitment. Now what dealings has Calum had with Mark Lawwell.
Rangers boss Michael Beale has been told he needs to ‘offload’ three big name players from his squad to help fund the rest of his summer rebuild, according to a report.
“The Ibrox gaffer has snapped up six players already with around £8m spent on transfer fees. Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers are the two players who have cost money”while Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling and Jack Butland were signed under freedom of contract and Abdallah Sima joined on loan from Brighton.
I like that line “Sam Lammers & Cyril Dessers are the guys who have cost money”. Strange how they have a figure of £8m but no individual player fee.
Great news on McGregors new contract. Although, he is the 1 player I would never be concerned about peeking at the neighbours new lawn. He is a real bhoy!
What would delight me would be the name Hatate & bumper new contract emblazoned on the headlines
AURORABOREALIS79 on 10TH JULY 2023 5:30 PM
Look how little we’ve spent! (Ignores wages and signing on fees)
Look how much “lucky” Brendan Rodgers has spent!
And look how there’s no gap between the teams!
Beale is a genius.
Wait until the first game at Ibrox for even more
“snapped up”
Lovely jubbly.
Wait until the *Rangers rebuild is complete for a fraction of what it cost lucky Ange.
BIG WAVY on 10TH JULY 2023 3:34 PM
SAINT STIVS on 10TH JULY 2023 3:31 PM
F off Troll.
HH
Very unlike you.I could easily tell you who is trolling here.
I quite like your play station patter(still awaiting Moresca to be named +35 or so new signings from the weekly windae hinging society) we can read it on tinternet,cqn lazy lazy journalism
Alan is sound and is always varying his range of stochastic devices.at least most times aligning it with a human value,as it is human beings with human frailties we are measuring
Still can’t get data for
Heart
Fight
Grit.
Determination
Empathy in team mate.
Experience
To name a few
Remember don’t go to “cynic” on your interpretation
Hahaha Stivs a troll,that is funny.
If your ever up at a game he’ll take yi for a pint and you can go over your maw-doh.ps he pays in 10bob notes
Be good.
HH
TERRYMAC@3:05PM
“It seems that the bold Cantona also had eyes for and championed the lovely Leslie and Chapman told Kendall that either he or Cantona had to go (alledgedly). Within weeks Cantona was sold, as you say, for a pittance to Manure.”
______________________________
I read that it all started with Leeds enquiring about the availability of Dennis Irwin, who had been at Leeds as a youngster, and almost jokingly were told “No way, but we’ll take Cantona off your hands if you like”.
Much prefer your version, actually.
Think you may have your Howards mixed up though, as Wilkinson was Leeds manager at the time, of course, Kendall the Everton boss.
Still, given that decision to sell a player like big Eric to their rivals, it could’ve been Frankie Howerd that was the manager!
Beale swooped
Dujon Sterling already has a calf injury thats kept him at home for the preseason tour. Nasty recurring injuries calf injuries
Nothing a bit of peding can’t sort
BIGBHOY on 10TH JULY 2023 5:23 PM
interested that Calum McGregor praised Nicolson and Lawwell snr. However, Calum also praised Mark Lawwell in his role as Head of Recruitment. Now what dealings has Calum had with Mark Lawwell.
I would interpret that as a thank you to all BigBhoy
We are recruiting a player(via extended contract) Calmac,I would say the whole extension is under his(Mark lawells) say.so now we know how much we have left to play with re this seasons budget.
HH
Cantona’s wife was a teacher at Leeds Uni when I was there. My mate said someone was talking about Cantona having an affair when she walked into the tutorial group and she walked out crying
However my mate was a huge bullshitter and while she was a teacher at the uni he was probably making it up.
For fun yesterday while doing the grass I listened again to the Superscoreboard phone ins after our draw at ibrox and the two wins at hampden.
HILARIOUSLY FUNNY
SERIOUSLY FUNNY
there is one wee fella who tells them it correctly, we are years behind celtic, we will never catch up, sure we will win something now and again, but that will be because celtic took their eye off the ball, and btw, Beale is a dud, beating motherwell and kilmarnock, big deal, he had one decent result knocking out PSV, every other big game that mattered he lost, by record embarrasing margins, better not to be in the champions league than face humilitation like that.
ps, he says I already bought my season ticket, hahahahaha
No onto last week, callers, Beale is out spending thems, he is team building early, getting his own players in, that daft fascination of he goes and looks them in the eyes, utter bumph, we showed in the last game at ibrox we can be them, and in fact we were the better team in the last 4 games (aye ok billy), put up a show in europe, get 30 million, win the league and we go to the world club championships with another 50 million, and then we win back to bacl leagues, that is the cycle turning over.
they are just stupid, i mean really really dumb,
I would imagine that the salary bein paid to the captain
Impacts upon salary paid to other players.
Paying the captain a higher salary raise the bar for salaries we can pay others without causing problems
David17
I don’t think It may have been Calmac per say(ah mean who doesn’t get on here)
But
Maybe it was your use of words in ‘Quintessential” I got pelters for that too lol
Hope your good,anyway Calmac today is a different animal as to Ronnie’s day.
HH
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 10TH JULY 2023 5:56 PM
Or we pay him the same we’d pay him for three years over five and keep the top earning salary lower.
Scottish Transfer Style Guide,
( 24) Celtic will snidely lure players who are unattached and out of contract
(25) Rainjurz will sensationally snare multi million pound rated strikers via the staunch Bosman rule.
Hot Smoked
Apologies for lack of clarity earlier.
Professional sports people can access personal pensions ahead of state retirement age.
Footballers used to have qualifying age of 35. Long since out of that game, so no idea what current rules are.
I’m not suggesting 35 year old footballers could be described as pensioners! However, they are.
Maybe anyone still in the financial advice game could update
Cantona stories –
Roy Keane said that Cantona could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, strll in late, wear his own gear, eat what he wanted, and was nevr challenged by Sir Alex, who basically said, he will win us the league.
As an aside I have though Roy has been very good on that Overlap programme, if you can get past Jamei carragher talking shite.
Same old celtic -they dont transfer people in, they kidnap them from the streets.
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING @ 5:56 PM,
Exactly, that was my thoughts.
At one time “Brownie” certainly had a clause that he’d always be the highest paid player at Celtic.
Not sure that Callum has the same but if the rumours are right that we are looking at 35k, 40k and 45k a week salaries for quality players.
The Captain would be expecting to get a nice little contract too… only fair after what he has given the club.
Hail Hail
SFTB……….Enjoyed a lookback at that Milan game in the San Siro and the commentator in the day when we had a World class goalie in Arthur Boric.
Paolo Maldini, if memory serves me correctly, got away with a blatant handball in the first half in that game?
For awareness, models, trapeze artists and divers (saturation, deep sea and free swimming) may also have younger qualifying age for personal and private pensions.
I suppose its tough to do those jobs effectively, into your 60s
All the way to Captain
BSR
He must have got the tattoo really young
Gene
👍
Still waiting to celebrate our 3rd 4th and 5th signings. Brendan Rodgers,yer a bad Antrim man. 😉