48 hours ago, Celtic fans were in relative equilibrium. Defeat in the League Cup and an injury crisis in central defence put paid to that. Maik Nawrocki injured his hamstring at Rugby Park. He played until the end of the game, doubtlessly conflicted by the team’s predicament, but as Oh did earlier this month, almost certainly exacerbated the damage.
We are four weeks from our fist Champions League game, with only new signing Gustaf Lagerbielke and Liam Scales fit and able to play in central defence. Neither have been tested at that level, or played together, and they need to navigate another month without injury before being considered for action.
Cameron Carter-Vickers has a chance of returning for then but is by no means certain, and as you and I both know, rushing a player back from a hamstring is never a good idea. Yuki Kobayashi should be ready, in the fitness sense, however, reruns of his Ibrox performance from last season will give Brendan Rodgers plenty to consider. Stephen Welsh will be out until the turn of the year.
Reframe this fortune for what it is. Celtic are lucky; this happened during the transfer window when the club are in funds. It is no more than a normal football problem to be addressed. Brendan will have an idea on when Cameron and Maik can be expected return, he will sign others if necessary.
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I know it is months away, but do we have any forwards left during the weeks that players will be away for the Asia Cup? Yang, Oh, Kyogo, Tilio and Maeda could all be away, no? Hatate, Kwon and Iwata also possible absentees?
I appreciate that they will not all be selected but there must be a good chance that Oh, Maeda and Kyogo will be going. Also need to factor in that when they return they may not be ready to go straight back into action.
auriferous ?
Ye just slid in Denia – HH
DENIABHOY
The media will say diddly squat – it’s up to us to raise the issue – it’s also the way our support know that the club aren’t happy.
Anything that happens behind the scenes stays there.
Paul; nicely done; you have just fuelled another day or so’s debate about which CH we should sign.
Tho Iwata has apparently played (coughs) in central defence as well?
Makes me pine for big Mercedes Jenz it does.
And whatever happened to bringing yoof like Dane Murray or Osagie into the big team ?
what is Big Chris Julien doing.
and why did we let Carl leave so early ?
Automatic qualification next years title winners and we’re still no further forward with signings.
The Lawwells are doing what they do best, keeping the finances afloat.
The continuing silence of Michael Nicholson just encourages other referees to be as bold and brazen as Muir and Robertson were on Sunday #silentmike
https://celtic365.com/2023/08/three-kilmarnock-incidents-that-shame-the-silence-of-nicholson-and-the-celtic-board/
celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/honest-mistake…
A review of the big calls from a round of League Cup ties
So we have funds for another centre half, but not for a left back goalkeeper, defensive midfielder, centre forward and left winger.
I’m sure that Barrowfield will be great when it’s finished.
Innocent enough, playful comments.
But you had to do your normal bitchy snider didn’t you mister martyr!
Interesting take Pablo.
Yeah Mikey N has a chance to.make his name
We pay for the thing that’s cheating us
KLV
Time for Lawell Jnr to put the Bat signal SOS up to City Group. Man City must have a few reserves needing game time and CL experience? A season long loan should suffice. When needs must and all that.
Gene- agree re BR calling out the cheating.
so all we need is –
a new goalkeeper who can play football and is taller than joe hart.
a left back who is over six feet. because greg taylor is targeted by everybody as the celtic defense weakness FACT.
a right back as back up to AJ, but he must at the very least be 6 feet, becasue Ralston is not good enough.
2 x £10m centre halfs , over 6ft 3, and at least 14 stones, if they can run from the back that would be ok, maybe go for Ajer on loan.
A defensive mid in the mould of paul lambert, that one is easy, there are loads of them , surely £10m gets us onne of those, there is whats his name, em aye him.
someone to replace Callum McGregor who having hit 30 with the curse of a new contract is going backwards at a fast rate, his legs are gone and he is not “robust” enough.
Someone to replace Jota, but not paddy roberts. Another easy fit, loads of Jota type players around and will only cost 25 mill.
And another really physical centre forward, like GG, but no him, somebody else.
What does Mark Lawwell actually do ?
All that money in the bank , and no idea how to spend it.
The silence from Nicholson is deafening.
SAINT STIVS on 22ND AUGUST 2023 12:19 PM
so all we need is –
a new goalkeeper who can play football and is taller than joe hart.
a left back who is over six feet. because greg taylor is targeted by everybody as the celtic defense weakness FACT.
a right back as back up to AJ, but he must at the very least be 6 feet, becasue Ralston is not good enough.
2 x £10m centre halfs , over 6ft 3, and at least 14 stones, if they can run from the back that would be ok, maybe go for Ajer on loan.
A defensive mid in the mould of paul lambert, that one is easy, there are loads of them , surely £10m gets us onne of those, there is whats his name, em aye him.
someone to replace Callum McGregor who having hit 30 with the curse of a new contract is going backwards at a fast rate, his legs are gone and he is not “robust” enough.
Someone to replace Jota, but not paddy roberts. Another easy fit, loads of Jota type players around and will only cost 25 mill.
And another really physical centre forward, like GG, but no him, somebody else.
What does Mark Lawwell actually do ?
All that money in the bank , and no idea how to spend it.
The silence from Nicholson is deafening.
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So don’t spend the money we have in the bank, at last accounts it was £60 million, then, to improve the tea?
Genuine question Stivs, do you peddle this incessant bull because you are at the wind up?
Or are you genuinely clueless?
Because if you are serious and believe all this then id advise you not to tell anyone of a Celtic persuasion or they will think you have a screw loose.
team not tea
Corkcelt @ ages ago
Agree, quite chilled despite the three talking points of the Killie defeat in a game where Celtic didn’t play well enough. The assault on Taylor led to the goal, which I believe was offside anyway, the Haksabanovic contact was a penalty for any other team, bar Celtic.
Let it go for sure, the priority is the league title and progress in Europe usually begins and ends in getting there, and sometimes beating the Pot 3 side. If we do that this year it’s progress from AP whose one tactic of high press never stopping was doomed in Europe, when he gave his opening interviews.
Personally thought the team was ‘stale’ long before the anti climatic Cup final inevitable lower league side win, probably from when the dressing room got wind that AP had done his bit and he was exiting stage left.
The team continued to look stale in pre season suffering at least one dire defeat and Brendan Rodgers was firmly somewhere between a rock and a hard place with what to do?
Every manager inherits another managers players BR inherited a treble winning side albeit one that was creaking at the seams. He hasn’t initiated a personal single transfer target since he arrived, they were all previously scouted by Celtic from Tilio to Lagerbielke.
His so called ‘punts’ and more fringey type players in general haven’t set the heather on fire, and the commendable decision to keep the majority of AP’s stars and get them on new contracts will be under scrutiny this season for sure.
That’s the way he works whether it’s Swansea, Liverpool, Leicester or twice at Celtic. He’s a top class coach, but not a top class scout, he’s happy to run the rule over players and have the final call on signings.
As has been pointed out on here major signings happen when players have considered all their options. Some of thise options are better than the Scottish league with Celtic, especially when we move up to the £8M – £10M bracket. Jota and CCV waited and signed late with us.
Celtic supporter expectancy in transfer windows were torturous when we had no money, now they’re even more torturous when we’re loaded the time to judge will be September 1st round midnight.
Where we wil likely be top of the league.
Hail Hail
Brendan Rodgers (Jun 2023 – present)
04 Gustaf Lagerbielke, £3m from Elfsborg, Aug 2023 [BBC]
17 Maik Nawrocki, £4.3m from Legia Warsaw, Jul 2023 [BBC]
22 Kwon Hyeok-kyu, £1m from Busan I-Park, Jul 2023 [BBC]
13 Yang Hyun-jun, £2m from Gangwon FC, Jul 2023 [BBC]
24 Tomoki Iwata, £1m from Yokohama Marinos, Jun 2023 [BBC]
23 Marco Tilio, £1.5m from Melbourne City, Jun 2023 [BBC]
15 Odin Thiago Holm, £2.6m from Valerenga, Jun 2023 [BBC]
KEVINLASVEGAS on 22ND AUGUST 2023 12:14 PM
Furthermore because we are the champions we pay the most, remember its a sliding scale down the league 🎢
I dont drink tea.
2 young project centre halfs bought versus Starfelt & CCV
The project approach of Lawwell snr to Lawwell jnr is a recipe for disaster.
Both need to be removed from the club asap.
Some would argue, that all that money in the bank is because of the success in turning over punts, and projects, and making X times fees on them, then baking in sell on fees for their future transfers.
I hear often we should be like Ajax and Benfica. We are already, in a smaller less attractive market (the league), which is to most players and agents a stepping stone to a bigger league.
We will get pumped in european competitions no matter who we spend money on.
We could spend all the £60m , on 2-3 established top level players, and we might get enough points to drop to europa.
Or the 3 players could get injured because of the training regime at lennoxtown (i always find that one funny)
Now am i being stupid or am i at the wind up, I wish someone on here, a qualified medical person, or a top level Executive could let me know.
I don’t understand the way our club is run. Financial success depends on success on the playing field. If we lose the league this season, and I think it is too close to call, then we are handing sevco a barrowload of cash. every spare penny we have, and we have tens of millions in the bank, should be spent on the team.
A few years ago when it was Brendan versus Pedro our turnover was £104m and theirs was £27m. This was an enormous financial advantage and it was almost all down to champions league money. Take our £30m plus and hand it to sevco and £74m plays £57m. We now have a different ballgame altogether.
We are gambling again.
We never learn.
SAINT STIVS on 22ND AUGUST 2023 12:29 PM
Brendan Rodgers (Jun 2023 – present)
04 Gustaf Lagerbielke, £3m from Elfsborg, Aug 2023 [BBC]
17 Maik Nawrocki, £4.3m from Legia Warsaw, Jul 2023 [BBC]
22 Kwon Hyeok-kyu, £1m from Busan I-Park, Jul 2023 [BBC]
13 Yang Hyun-jun, £2m from Gangwon FC, Jul 2023 [BBC]
24 Tomoki Iwata, £1m from Yokohama Marinos, Jun 2023 [BBC]
23 Marco Tilio, £1.5m from Melbourne City, Jun 2023 [BBC]
15 Odin Thiago Holm, £2.6m from Valerenga, Jun 2023 [BBC]
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O those 7, how many will be automatic starters?
Who is the Jota replacement, our main creator?
We already knew we needed minimum of 4 to come in as automatic starters to try to compete in Europe, that’s without the players we lost.
Left back, pacey and strong midfielder, winger and keeper.
Jota and Mooy away, so add 2 more.
The players you mentioned haven’t replaced anyone from our main eleven of last season except Starfelt.
Its very noticable that you never mentioned that.
WESTCRAIGS on 22ND AUGUST 2023 12:40 PM
are you seriously scared of Rangers ?
I have faith that the organisation at Celtic PLC will do the right thing.
As they have done in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
In the qualifying game under ange did we not have a 21 and 18 year old central defensive pairing?
and all because we lost a league cup tie at rugby park.
not quite panic stations yet but not far off. From this starting point, what represents progress in the CL?
have we signed our 4 quality first team starters yet.
Westcraigs
I don’t understand the way our club is run.
Therein lies the problem, right there.
Yes, the window is still open. Yes, we’ve got the funds. I still don’t share your confidence we’ll be taking proactive action P67.
At least it’s clear to all that we are in a rebuilding phase.
SAINT STIVS on 22ND AUGUST 2023 12:47 PM
and all because we lost a league cup tie at rugby park.
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I used to think the huns were the most gullible fans on the planet.
But on second thoughts….
You only want 4 first team starters, why not a better 11 ?
Can you let us know who the four should be, where are they coming from ? what attract the first team starters to the scottish league ?
everybody that comes to celtic does so because they are affordable to us, but with ambitions of their own to go to a mega wage somewhere else.
that is the bit i struggle with, why is there a collective view that we just ask and they will come “because it is celtic”
utter guff, and that is the part that is delusional.
steel yourselfes for another of our better players attracting bids in the coming days and leaving.
Bring back KT on season long loan and play him alongside Lagerbielke and Johnson as a back 3 as the Zombie Dome!
Added to a midfield 5 with GT as an inverted winger.
Easy 👍😄
RC on 22ND AUGUST 2023 12:48 PM
have we signed our 4 quality first team starters yet.
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No, but everything will be ok because Stivs has named the 7 signings including Kwon who looked like he had never played football before against Bilbao.
Sept 1st at Lennoxtown:
KT – S’appening lager man 😄
anyone believe we would have made the champions league group stage if we had to play in the qualifiers