Celtic curiously stretched in central defence

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Neil Lennon has been fluid with his team formations in recent weeks.  As a result, three central defenders, Efe Ambrose, Kelvin Wilson and Charlie Mulgew could each be regarded as first choice picks, although Ambrose and Mulgrew have also been deployed in midfield.  Ambrose has featured in all nine games since the beginning of December, while Wilson has featured in eight and Mulgrew in seven.

Add to the picture the fact that fourth-choice central defender, Thomas Rogne, has appeared in eight of those nine games, missing only the replay against Arbroath, and our central defenders look curiously stretched.  Much has been made of the proximity of Efe Ambrose potential involvement in the African Cup of Nations to Celtic’s Champions League tie with Juventus, but the numbers suggest a vacancy exists beyond this tie, hence the recruitment of Rami Gershon, who will join on a six month trial, pending a work permit, with a permanent transfer agreed in principle, pending performance between now and May.

Gershon, 24, has kicked around Standard Liege for three years without making a discernible impact, but he is an experienced international who fits the profile of a non-critical recruit, competing as fourth of fifth choice central defender.  His six-month objective will be to secure Thomas Rogne’s place in next season’s squad.  The try-before-you-buy strategy we discussed earlier this week will ensure Neil Lennon has a player keen to impress whenever he gets an opportunity. Sound squad management.

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1,067 Comments

  1. Keep re-posting Jabbas stuff on the huns before Challs gave him lamb leftovers,and hope the bhoys who infiltrate the vermin sites do the same.

     

    Traynor is Challs Green’s Jock Brown.

  2. gsu

     

     

    Just done a bit of research on him, he seems a bit handy. A supposed great prospect aged 20. Fits our bill.

     

     

    Weefra H)

  3. I believe ‘philvis’ to be, in actuality, Ian Duncan Smith.

     

    It’s the only explanation.

     

    >>>>

     

    And Jabba’s latest article/rant? Projection.

     

    Verging on the verbal equivalent of projectile vomiting.

     

    And he should know all about that.

  4. JimmyQuinnsBits on

    Wits,

     

     

    A criticism of the political outcomes of the revolution is not a criticism of how the people of Ireland manage to transcend it. Please do not reshape my words like this.

     

     

    As you know i stated, Ireland required independence

     

     

    However, even a cursory look at post war politics would show that Ireland did not get the leaders she deserved

     

     

    She got politicians who sucked her dry

  5. 12 18 12 split and have no points and go into 3 leagues of 8 ???

     

    Jeez… Talk about over complicating?

     

     

    How about this …

     

     

    Instead of a top league of 12

     

    With 1 going down

     

     

    And three lower divisions of 10

     

     

    Would it no be easier having 1 top league of 14

     

     

    1st division of 14

     

     

    And a

     

     

    2nd division of well er

  6. 12 18 12 split and have no points and go into 3 leagues of 8 ???

     

    Jeez… Talk about over complicating?

     

     

    How about this …

     

     

    Instead of a top league of 12

     

    With 1 going down

     

     

    And three lower divisions of 10

     

     

    Would it no be easier having 1 top league of 14

     

     

    1st division of 14

     

     

    And a

     

     

    2nd division of well er 14

     

     

     

    Every team in each division plays each other home and away = 26 games .

     

     

    Each division splits into a top 7 and a bottom 7 each playing each other home and away = 12 games

     

     

    Giving you a total of 36 games .

     

     

    The bottom 7 of each of the 3 divisions are fighting against relegation …

     

    As 3 automatically get relegated .

     

     

    The top 7 in the division below are fighting for 2 automatic promotion places .. The teams finishing 3rd 4th 5th and 6th go into a play off semi followed by a final for the last promotion place .

     

     

    The exact same applies to the division below .

     

     

     

    Meaningful games ALL season

     

     

    If a team gets relegated they have more chance of auto promotion with 3 places up for grabs.

     

     

    Less divisions to work up

     

     

    More derby games

     

     

    Bigger crowds

  7. Traynor’s mention of the semi literate was surelly a reference to is his ex BBC Colleague, Derek Ferguson

  8. There’s been a lot of verbosity on this site alone. A lot of colourful, evocative language depicting, commenting, and opining on our beloved Celtic and Scottish football in general.

     

     

    But the tweet re-posted on here tonight by Mince@ Celticminded contained the most breathtakingly accurate and pitch-perfect description of Jabba I’ve ever seen.

     

     

    Hemingway in its rawness, McCarthy in its succinct embodiment of the quintessence of the Jabba we know, yet had not the dancing fingers to capture completely in one short burst of inspiring text.

     

     

    Three short words, a million heads nodding in complete epiphany, ‘Exaclty, exactly…’

     

     

    Mince, I salute you:

     

     

    MinceCFC@CelticMindedcom

     

    “Word of advice gentlemen…” Stick your advice up your arse Jabba, you FAT HUN DICK. Rangers are deid.

  9. Big Georges Fan Club on

    I think someone mentioned earlier that GDuffSmith slipped into the conversation the potential application of unspecified ‘criteria’ for determining invitations to the 2nd tier.

     

     

    Despite protestations to the contrary, it is a certainty that the old ‘minimum seating capacity’ argument for the Championship (is that what Division 2 will be called?) will be used in an attempt to give the Sevconians a leg up. I don’t think any such move would be successful now, though – everyone is wise to their sleekit maneuverings.

     

     

    What is really frustrating, however, is that no-one in any official capacity has made any attempt to justify or explain exactly how this proposed change in the status quo will actually improve the quality, attractiveness, competitiveness or economic viability of the game in Scotland.

     

     

    As in politics, the whole proposal has been made under the guise of the facile statement that “everyone wants ‘Change'”, as if ‘Change’ is some recognisable, well-defined, unique entity with clear, positive characteristics and associated benefits (this usage of ‘Change’ as a proper noun, particularly by politicians trying to justify crap new policies, really annoys me!!). ‘Change’ is only a means to an end, and it is not always the case that the end is any better than the current position – so where is the explanation about the intended impact of this proposal.

     

     

    The big announcement is essentially “We have thought of a new and innovative way to divide the big number 40 into three smaller, wee numbers – this will make everything better.”

     

     

    Intellectual giants and men of great vision they certainly are not.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    BGFC

     

     

    theyareabunchofpygmies(nooffencetopygmies)CSC

  10. cliftonville celt from belfast on

    Pauloantony

     

     

    Now that sounds more sensible and a lot easier for everyone to understand rather than the crap they have proposed

     

     

    Night all

  11. Hi all. Long time lurker and all that. Ex Greenockian now in Aus and not a hun. Watched Rogic over the past few years when he played in Canberra and he is a talented boy and a natural number 10. He comes to life when he gets the ball and he is a proper player. The only thing that might undo him is lack of workrate when he does not have the ball. He is a big lad, six foot plus, and has a very languid style of playing. He can play and I would love to see him cut it at the Hoops.

  12. I did not realise my first post was going to be so profound that it broke the blog. My apologies.

  13. I never thought I’d live to see a day where, in this UKplc, having experienced Thatcher, the whole upper tier of the rotting edifice calling itself ‘the establshment’ would vie to see which faction could most demean the poor, the disadvantaged, the vulnerable and the disabled in such a cold, calculated and smallminded manner. Totally shameful.

     

    Cruel Brittania in all its tarnished and hypocritical glory.

     

    I hope they all die screaming.

  14. On a roll now. Tom Rogic can beat players and see a pass so in a midfield with hardworkers he could well shine.

  15. Margaret McGill on

    I see the Celtic fascists and corporate apologists were out in force tonight on CQN.

     

     

    It amazes me that many people to this day educated or not still believe that Capitalism is an astonishing belief prevalent that the most selfish of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone and that poor peoples plight is their own fault.

     

     

    Its a globally meeja perpetrated lie gobbled up by most who watch TV. TV news is aimed at the youtube visually stunned 75% genitally obsessed “adolescent” majority which is all you need in a democracy. Same goes for the global football lie. All the old farts getting fat and obscene on young blood. FIFA, UEFA, SFA, SPL etc

     

     

     

    When Capitalism is motivated by producing goods that are needed instead of creating

     

    wastelands for profit then maybe it will be useful. Until then its like watching cancer

     

    and its inevitable toll on its host.

  16. Margaret McGill –

     

     

    I remember watching a documentary on the GFC and how it came about. One fat cat got all his friends and relatives to invest in his latest venture capital scheme, which as he expected, eventually hit the skids. All his friends and family investors lost everything, and in a couple of instances, their lives, long after the fat cat had cashed in his chips and walked into the sunset with billions of dollars in profit.

     

     

    Interviewer: Do you feel any guilt in walking away with a fortune while your friends and other investors have lost everything?

     

     

    Fat Cat: My wife and I discussed this one night and we knelt down and prayed together. We then quickly came to realise that God wanted us to have all this money, so no, I don’t feel at all guilty.

     

     

    So there you have your answer Mags . . . It’s God’s will.

     

     

    PS. To the usual suspects. The above is an attack on capitalism, not God or religion.

  17. coatbridge paper bhoy on

    Overthepage , welcome to the site, I’m also a newbee, and your the first I’ve welcomed. You know you’ll now be called a moonhowler ? . Hope your right about Tom Rogic. Gb

  18. Margaret McGill on

    Tom McLaughlin

     

     

    03:11 on 9 January, 2013

     

     

    Maybe if God took LSD he’d see people