Ciftci’s industry, the great Czechoslovakia

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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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775 Comments

  1. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar…… Ipox belongs to the creditors

     

     

    I believe Wigan have bid £1m. They have not signed the player.

     

     

    LB

  2. I’ve said it before but I will say it again:

     

     

    THE NEW THIRD KIT IS A HIDEOUS MONSTROSITY!

     

     

    HH!!

  3. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    livibhoy

     

     

    12:02 on 1 July, 2015

     

     

    Oh, right ?…they were saying Utd accepted latest offer

  4. The Green Man on

    BMCUWP

     

     

    When I swan down Maryhill Rd wearing the new away top and shorts.

     

    I will most likely pass by loads of similarly attired gentlemen.

     

    With no zombies in sight….they would be too dazzled by the Green to show their faces.

     

    As for needles….that’s so nineties don’t you know, I mean even the elephant and bugle is getting a bourgeois makeover, much hilarity will ensue on that one.

     

    Maryhill is changing.

     

     

     

    HH

  5. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar…… Ipox belongs to the creditors

     

     

    Yep the club have accepted the offer but the player has agreed nothing. The player holds all the aces here. If he doesn;t want to go he doesn;t have to.

     

     

    LB

  6. johann murdoch on

    Fiesdorfer

     

    There are very few pubs/places to eat near the stadium.You could try the LORD LOUNDSDALE [sizzling pub] good car park and eat there-[pub grub ,steaks etc] 15 -20 min walk down to the stadium.

     

    Or Paisley town centre -KOH i NOOR indian 5mins from the train station.Cardosis restaurant near the museum is very good Italian-Chinese in Moss Street-Franky and Bennys at Arkelston turn off.

     

    HH

  7. In the Burgh of Clydebank Havin a mojito . . If Yer passin Dumbarton Rd the auld Whisky Joes toot toot Yer horn

     

     

    God Bless the sunshine

  8. KevJ Re 10:01- He’d need to get shot of his No2 before he got anywhere near paradise!!! I’m quite sure that wouldn’t be a problem tho :-)…….

     

     

    He’s as big a tim as i am so would love for him to get the gig eventually HH

     

     

    Is tonight’s game on tv??