BBC’s Jim Spence reports this morning that Dundee United have rejected a £900k bid from Celtic for striker Nadir Ciftci (23), as Ronny Deila continues his quest to recreate the all-conquering (cough) Dundee United team of 2014.
While Ciftci is clearly talented, this is an unexpected move. He can hold the ball up and bring others into play but he never struck me as having Ronny Deila-type industry. Not that he would be the first convert to perpetual motion.
With John Guidetti away and Stefan Scepovic yet to stake a claim, we’ve space for a couple of strikers. It would be good to have at least one before the qualifiers.
Dukla Prague are one of those teams who my generation grew up hearing about. They were one of the finest teams in Europe, with one of the world’s top players, Josef Masopust, who sadly died yesterday. Masopust won the Ballon d’Or in 1962, after leading the great Czechoslovakia to the World Cup final that year, which they lost to Brazil.
He faced Celtic with Dukla in the semi-final of the European Cup in 1967, losing only once in the competition, at Celtic Park. Czech football retains the potential to create great teams, but, denied access to TV deals available in neighbouring parts of the EU, they have been robbed of the ability to achieve meritocratic progression.
The passing of Masopust is a chance to celebrate a great player and team, and to regret what appears forever lost because of television.
Enjoying Phil MacGiollaBhain’s work with the Belfast Telegraph, laid bare in his blog of yesterday. He includes scanned letters from the newspaper’s editor who regards it as “outrageous to suggest that I, or the Belfast Telegraph, would operate a blacklist of any form”, including one which includes Phil, despite how popular such a move would be in places.
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Around 19,000 fans have already renewed their season tickets ahead of Warburton’s first term in charge and details for the Ibrox friendly (against Burnley) will be announced shortly.
19,000……………..Think they’ll struggle to build much on that (if it’s true).
Gary67 – i still don’t believe Griffiths is the type of striker we need for Europe – too lightweight and not “lightning fast” enough to trouble good defender (not SPFL defenders).
Paul67,
Re Phil’s blog issue………we now have categoric confirmation that there is more than one glib and shameless liar tripping themselves up on the ‘marble staircase’ …….
Agent Green,
I sit doon corrected, Billybear fourth attempt :)
Billybear,
Good point, tell us howmany times we applied to compete in the Petrofac cup ?
And what would happen if we applied, oh that’s right we don’t qualify to apply do we, we’re a big team :)
Petrofac cup, yer havin a laugh
Petrofac cup, yer havin a laugh
PRAECEPTA
Does every player need to have a sell-on value? Why not the added value that quality provides?
I dunno,only asking.
I remember mibbe the last time we went for a ‘name’ wi no sell-on value. It was a disaster.
He had made his money,made his name. Had a three-year contract worth over £6m.
And was totally unmanageable,did what he liked.
But he was a success in one respect-Uncle Fester,a bigger waste of money than another heap of Scheidt.
Riskorrie,
Obviously you dont know Ciftci.He is far from overweight and not immobile..
MUSTBETHINKINGOFTHEWRANGGUY. CSC
Billybear
I will say this…sevconians do like to boo their team.
A bit like Rangers fans used to….when they were alive.
But they don’t count now….cause Rangers are deid.
Your no Rangers any more.
C,mon the Hoops.
Hail Hail, may St Patrick drive the demons from your souls….and think yourself lucky:)
Time to start saving the pennies…………………
Millennium Stadium Cardiff confirmed as 2017 CL Final Venue!
Billybear
12:20 on
30 June, 2015
Celtic have never won the Petrofact cup. FAC
========================================
And probably never have the opportunity………..Some things in life are just not to be………Happily :-)
If Celtic have bid for this less than inspiring striker it can’t be blamed on the scouting network. Ronny has seen Utd in the flesh almost as often as he has our own team.
billybear
12:20 on 30 June, 2015
….and neither have sevco……hahahahahahaha
To reinforce the point about how far our game has fallen here is the game in 67 when Scotland beat the World Champions 3-2. Some nice football played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSfA7xxBM3w
aff oot.
Strong rumours that The Rangers have put in a bid for the wardrobe…
Agent Green,
The Vietnamese Pot Belly Pig is the best pet fried by a mile
the green man
12:15 on 30 June, 2015
Hehe….I wish I was on the sevco bored……I’d show them the quick route to admin
Turkeybhoy,
Point taken.
However, in my defence, I was alluding for comparison purposes, to the type of player (for those that braved the public parks on a Sunday) who we’re all more used to playing against.
Still think the boy Ciftci’s more towards the Joey Harper side of svelte than most modern strikers, though.
FATFORWARDCSC
:-)
Good old Czech football eh. Have we signed Mikael Kadlec yet?
Gary67
12:22 on
30 June, 2015
Reading all of this morning’s comments, if you replace the name Ciftci with the name Griffiths and we have moved back in time by 18 months.
Most would now agree that that move has turned out quite well, certainly a lot better than the collection of £2m duds we have signed in recent years.
I totally agree.Some just cant get into their heads that our budget stretches to this type of player.He is young,scores in the SPL,is strong,can hold the ball up,and we have seen 1st hand how awkward he can be.Who knows what RD can get out of him?.
But Hey Ho,just slaughter the guy.I have no opinion one way or another,but if RD wants him,thats enough for me.
Rioskorrie,
Was only joking mate,but he can be a right handful.As I said,I have faith in RD.If he thinks he can do a job for him,thats OK by me.
We will see how the story unfolds.
67Heaven
The worst fans in the world….don’t need a board, they need liquidised, pronto
Put them out of their misery, because they will be raging when they slowly realise how stupid they are.
Again:)
HH
Billybear
12:20 on
30 June, 2015
Celtic have never won the Petrofact cup. FAC
~~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~
Very clever wee play on words there,bud. Respect!
Btw,keep your posts in a similar vein-please!- and you will be a welcome addition to the site,IMO,as EDWARD URSUS was before you.
I like the fac that you support your team,I like the fac that you’re prepared to raise your head above the parapet. But like many of my mates in Kilwinning,you just refuse to believe what is happening to your club.
Don’t blame you,btw. Reality sucks. Dreamland of the 90s was much better.
Ole Joe Harper made ‘fat’ Pat McCluskey look like wee Joe Miller.
HH!!
I actually think Ciftci could be a decent addition. Strong, decent pace, skill, can play up front on his own and hold the ball up. Also has a good understanding with GMS.
The only question mark would be his temperament. But for that sort of money it’s pretty low risk. If Ronny could develop him further there could be a really good player there.
Sevco signing up the best players no money can buy!
TALLYBHOY
Harper scored a hat-trick in a cup-final against us. Great striker,though I reckon Billy got a toe on his third.
Still got gubbed 6-3 that day,mind.
And Dixie Deans wisnae a natural athlete either!!!!
the bhoys will win the ole petrofac cup before sevco ever do. and yes i do mean the bhoys, not the first team but the development team when they are allowed into the lower leagues
Kevin…,
Don’t see the development team ever being allowed to leapfrog teams trying to get promoted from the lower echelons of Scottish football, oh wait there’s a precedent now innit.
I put forward Cifti a couple of days ago, glad we are interested.
He affords a different approach when the Scottish teams are ‘in our face’.
Cifti, Griffiths, Scepovic(hopefully), Commons, Johansen, GMS, Armstrong, Forrest and VVD – all these nine will score goals in Scotland – whether good enough for Europe, that’s the conundrum.
Cifti is NOT a risk, or, a prospect – he is proven in Scotland……and he WILL play first-team football.
If we really want him, we will get him – big Pierre will see to it.
Gillete
Ally McCoist
Club Legend
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Posted Today, 09:50 AM
jcb, on 30 Jun 2015 – 1:40 PM, said:
To all those who are complaining about the lack of friendlies “down south”. It’s not about you, it’s about preparing the team in the best way the manager sees fit and if that means games played behind closed doors then so be it.
I disagree
Rangers more than any club know how important it is this the fans to get a trip away down south.
Our show of support is a sight to behold and a strength of how big our club is
Ask Wednesday fans etc
We won a lot of support over the years through friendlies in England
Always been that way for as long as I’ve been following
“We won a lot of support over the years through friendlies in England ”
Eh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Though there maybe a chance that applying for that competition could bear fruit.
BMCUW
The problem is we are probably close to exhausting our current income streams (wrung the last drips out the socks) and player re-sale will be the norm for quite a few years.
Me? I’d love to see another; Charlie Gallacher, Lubo, Naka type player in the Hoops – regrettably it’s a luxury we can’t really afford these days.
Unless UEFA come up with some form of Pan-European midweek league divisions to supersede the current CL format – we are going to be a buy/develop/sell Club for quite a few years to come.
I’m now resigned to enjoying them (VvD etc) while they’re here – wish them all the best when they move on and hope that we continue to unearth a ‘gem’ every other season (or produce a few from the Academy).
I live in hope!
Tim Malone Will Tell
12:31 on
30 June, 2015
Strong rumours that The Rangers have put in a bid for the wardrobe…
_________________________
In which case the wardrobe will be made of hand picked wood from the tallest tree in the forest and possibly the world.
At the Cup Replay, my bhoy and I never got our own seats so had to settle for seats down the front of the North Stand, halfway between the centre spot and the corner flag. I thought this would be a good chance to watch the player that Jackie Mac described as “the best in Scotland…..when he’s on his game”.
The guy was an imposter! He hid out on the left touchline and didn’t want the ball. I actually saw him tell teammates not to pass to him as they broke down his side of the pitch. No thanks!
Starryhope
Turkeybhoy.
Agree. An interesting one. Certainly interestin to see who the next incoming striker will be.
Other one that interests me is who’s going to fill Zaluska’s place on the bench. Has Leo fasan earned his bench pilot’s goalkeeping wings, or will we import?
Turkeybhoy
They are absolutely barking mad.
Their stupidity is awesome, what a tonic:)
Crazed Lunatics.
H
http://youtu.be/e7ON3mMMFSs
You have to admit though that Ciftci does like to get his teeth into a game!
Proven SPL goalscorer?..Adam Rooney for me.HH
[age may be against him though at 27]
praecepta
Completely agree
Also no to Aiden/Hooper from me.
Cifcti
On the face of it a volatile undisciplined player but maybe worth a punt.
HH