Celtic need a lager squad than any other club in football

212

At some point early tomorrow morning Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Scott Bain will arrive at Glasgow Airport and start their summer break.  14 hours ago, Kristoffer Ajer, left a field on the Faroe Islands and Nir Bitton did the same in Warsaw.

Within four weeks, they will have to complete their off-season rest, get back into training and compete in the Champions League qualifiers.

The problems thrown up by a season that extends into June are not unique to Celtic, but they are more acute here.  Celtic players are not midseason, like the Scandinavians, and unlike most others who are competing in international football this month and are in Uefa action in four weeks time, they carry expectation to win through the qualifiers.

Bodies need rest and one of the consequences of not getting rest is injury.  Celtic’s season is longer than most and as a consequence of reaching the last six domestic finals, involves more two-game weeks.

The injury count at Celtic last season left the club significantly short at various points in the season.  I know there are financial (and other) consequences of having a big squad, but Celtic probably need a larger squad than any other club in football if their players are to compete from July to June.

Lisbon Lion, John Fallon, send this message for those who took part on the CQN Last Man Standing competition:

On behalf of the Fallon Family, we would like to thank all that took part in this completion especially Marc and Jeff, who ran it, but must importantly the gift of £550 to Alzheimer Scotland, in memory of my wife Esther.  Thanks and god bless all who took part.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

212 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6

  1. In this lager squad……………..

     

     

    I hear Lenny’s come back older……

     

    Budweiser!

     

     

    :)))))))))))))

     

     

    Cheers CSC.

  2. This Lager squad’s first outing is a friendly against..

     

     

    Beer Sheva…..

     

     

    Obvs!

  3. we need basically a whole team! ML going.. and even if staying needs replaced. KT I would assume he won’t kick a ball next season. To rely on him would be foolish. get a first team LB in. Need 2 centre halfs loss of ML is another loss of a CH. Need someone to take over from SB. Kouassi shouls be given a shot or punted. A new LW SS will be sold before window closes after losing out on Boyata cash last year. 2 CFs by all account Bayo is far too far away from required grade (at moment) LG will possibly never play again. You have to plan with that in mind. Hopeull Chritie a FI TR will do in MF. I would liked to have seen Weah stay another year but seemd frozen out when NL came in.. which is why he didn’t want to stay for final..

  4. Yet strangely, and simultaneously predictably, Celtic do not have the largest squad in Scottish football.

     

     

    Another Glasgow club has 32 first team squad members.

     

     

    As they are going for 55 trophies, and favourably settled, that’s just dandy though.

  5. the 32 going for 55

     

     

    G

     

    Foderingham

     

    McGregor

     

    Firth

     

    Alnwick

     

    D

     

    McAuley

     

    Flanagan

     

    R. McCrorie

     

    Katic

     

    Goldson

     

    Barisic

     

    Tavernier

     

    M

     

    Holt

     

    Candeias

     

    Rossiter

     

    Jack

     

    Dorrans

     

    Halliday

     

    Grezda

     

    Docherty

     

    Polster

     

    Arfield

     

    Jones

     

    Middleton

     

    Hastie

     

    Kamara

     

    F

     

    Dodoo

     

    Defoe

     

    Hardie

     

    Herrera

     

    Murphy

     

    Lafferty

     

    Morelos

  6. The hands cant hit what the eyes cant see on

    Lustig posts farewell video. Good servant. I would have kept him as a back up and personality for the dressing room for the next two years but i guess we want to cut our wage bill. Will be missed.

  7. THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE;

     

     

    Saw that piece.

     

     

    The ground is being paved right in front of us.

     

     

    There’s a reason, as Big Wavy has intimated, why guys like Callum are exhausted.

     

     

    A small group of core players is being over-used because the squad players are nowhere near good enough to step in for them. Their removal weakens the team significantly. And some people think the answer is to sign more second rate squad fodder.

  8. Loved the big tache. Massive part of our success for the last 8 despite his often ‘scapegoated’ categorisation…

     

     

    I think we have a Celt for life there….

     

     

    New RB please…

     

     

    HH fella.

  9. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Would be very disappointed to let Lustig go,nobody better than him at the Club,a real leader off the park,great in the dressing room,and at Lennoxtown with the youngsters,a Hunskelper as well.Some of the criticism on here has been well over the top IMO,sure he had some bad games,too much football in last few years as well.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6