Neil Lennon’s comments that he will need to sell at Bolton Wanderers before making a bid for Kris Commons, or anyone else, are welcome. Celtic have four important games in the four weeks after this transfer window closes: home and away to Inter Milan, Aberdeen in the league, and a League Cup semi-final against newco Rangers. Commons will be vital for some, if not all of these games.
Inter will play on the front foot and Aberdeen have the players to take the game to us, as they did in the Scottish Cup at Celtic Park last season, but I expect newco to defend their 18 yard line in numbers, a bit like Ross County did last week, a scenario which will require someone with Commons’ craft.
Neil Warnock’s sacking at Crystal Palace was good news, as he wanted Commons, had money to spend and could offer the allure of top-flight football. Neil Lennon would be able to offer Commons familiarity, but with Bolton spending a total of £300k in the summer, their chances of being able to afford a bid for Commons that would raise Celtic’s interest are limited.
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Cracking, entertaining Edinburgh Derby. 1-1 about right and good for me as I sit with a wee band of Hibees in the mostly Jambo Roseburn Bar !
Off to see The Spartans – Aoooo, Aoooo, Aoooo !
SuperSutton,
I didn’t say he claimed we were top of the league.
In my view if we were the best team we would be top of the league.
Sadly we are not, and I am not totally convinced we will be at the end of the season.
BSR
As you say, maybe he did mean to antagonise them – I don’t know.
It does however strike me that there have been several occasions, in his short career at CP, when ‘no comment’ would be the best answer.
Commons in my opinion is our cleverest footballer, a real lock-picker but it does look as if his time with us is nearing its end. A real pity as I’d hope Ronny would have found a place for him.
Do they get on? I don’t know or care really; you don’t have to like your manager to play well for him and I suspect that PL will snap up any fair offer.
HH
Kitalba:
Denayer & Guidetti were two he knew of from his contacts and relationship with Man City. Berget was another but he worked out quickly enough he wasn’t upto it. The rest? I’m not sure they were his choices.
I’d hate to think that Stefan Scepovic was being ostracised, banished to football’s equivalent of Coventry. For hubris and for ever until he departs.
Jonny the Tim
and what was your reply :) ??
chrisvancoupon:
Do you know that for fact or perhaps did Celtic not have a good relationship with Manchester City before Ronny arrived?
Kitalba:
Deila said it himself when denayer signed.
Massive crowd expected at ibrox.
At least 15000
Jonny the Tim:
This is on my mothers grave…
The night after the election I was in the Dolphin before going up the Byres Road for a meal with a mate.
After the meal we phone a taxi to take us home.
Taxi turns up before I’m half way down my smoke.
We get in.
Taxi driver to us:
“Did you hear about those hun B******d’s up in the George Square”
Me to taxi driver:
“Naw, but how do you know I’m not one of those hun B******d’s?”
Taxi driver:
“Feck off, you’re not ugly”.
True story.
I suspect every game is an important game for us until the end of the season.
In terms of the Inter Milan game , our chances of going through are very slim at best, James Forrest is our only hope , Kris I’m afraid looks to be going through the motions and from the rare appearances his touch and willingness to find space have gone.
Aberdeen and Sevco will approach the game with us , as traditionally they always do. We will be allowed a lot of possession and crosses into their box ( on the basis that very rarely does one of our forwards or midfielders get on the end of a cross) , the route to goal via the centre forward (Guidetti’) will be blocked , making him look like a chump most of the time. We will over elaborate on the ball , push on , and once the game opens up after 60 minutes (if it is still goalless) then they the opposition push on fancying their chances to score.
Having said that , we need to man up and carry the fight to the opposition rather than some of the half hearted stuff we have seen of late ………… seems to me that there is a lot of passing the buck going on rather than making things happen.
We are too open with the full backs too wide and too often out of position , so we need to be careful that we do not get pasted off Inter Milan , a more cautious hit on the break approach is our only hope.
In terms of the league , it is unlikely that the Sheep will keep it going , similarly who is to say what we are capable / not capable of over the next few months, I’d suggest that an injury to Guidetti, and we are in a spot of bother.
Now I have no issue with Wullie McStay returning to the Club
But
What do you expect him to deliver ?
Can’t remember many coming through our youths when he was there before ?
chrisvancoupon:
So Delia built the Celtic/Man City relationship all by himself? (after a one week training visit)
kitalba
Does it matter, he obviously knows the players and made an approach?
EKbhoy
I agree with nos of what you say. There’s definitely a lack of conviction with several in the Celtic ranks.
Guidetti getting injured maybe a problem but I think the injury to denayer has been a bigger one. It’s got to the stage where Ambrose is backup but he cannot be relied on.
*most of
Kitalba:
You clearly are trying to start a fight in an empty room.
Read what he’s said about it. It’s also well known in Norway.
I’ll leave it at that:
It’s quite obvious that we need to offload a few players who contribute very little to our cause. There’s a lot of money being spent on wages for players who are rarely making the bench, never mind the pitch.
Do we then go out and replace them with players from Europe or buy Scottish ? What about utilising our youth development squad ! Surely some of these bhoys must be good enough to step up to the plate. If they are not deemed good enough then what’s the point in them being there. They should be released so that they can try and further their career, what’s the point in keeping them at the club.
kitalba
sounds like voguepunter… :)
HH
Robert88:
I don’t have a clue who approached Man City for a 19 year old central defender, who could not get near their first team but who walked straight into our first team at the expense of our own home growns and who’ll no doubt shortly be leaving us.
And you ask me does it matter? Let me ask you the same question.
Does it matter?
Personally… I think it does.
kitalba
14:45 on 3 January, 2015
———-
Just told the weans that one – gaun the Taxi driver :-)))))
HH
BGFC
chrisvancoupon:
When did Celtic emigrate to Norway?
Possilbhoy
That’ll come, Balde (remember him), Pukki, Holmbert, Derk. they are off in the Summer I suspect, along with the usual releases off youths who dont make it.
Saintstivs,
Lennoxtown and the bhoys at St NInians isn’t working. We have bought several players from Hamilton Accies.
PL/ J Parks know the ROI is not there. On top of that the Chris MCCart experiment has failed ( even had his own son plus other ex hoops favourites sons on the books ). Currently as one poster suggested ( Kojo ? ) we would be better taking tha Hamilton Development Staff. From what I hear the boys have reviews and constructive feedback is given.
I see mcStay as the replacement for McCart.
Either Lennoxtown / St Ninians delivers players or we close it. The Celtic first team shows its not working.
We have a £25M football budget and Lennons
Paul67 et al
If Neil Lennon has to sell players to be able to make a £300,000 bid for Kris then Bolton are in bad shape indeed. £150 million in debt with the EPL parachute money running out over the next season or so Neil has his work cut out. Even so, with both Heskey, and Gudjohnson past their mid 30s, signing Kris would give the impression that Neil is going for youth.
Neil, I’ll give you a piece of advice, you’ll never win anything with kids!
kitalba
No youth player will ever get through the Man City youth system as it stands today, doesn’t mean he isn’t necessarily good enough.
They want instant success through purchases not a gradual improvement and nurturing.
Why does it matter, he’s ours until the summer at least and he’s decent.
Kitalba:
Again with the unnecessary aggression. Your comment is facetious but I’ll reply anyway.
It’s well known in Norway that Deila had a working relationship with Man City when he was at his previous club.
Cowiebhoy
Our youth policy hasn’t be great for years especially when you contrast with Hamilton and Dundee Utd. Willie has added to his CV since leaving and I really hope he brings some new thinking to the party. It’s very much needed.
HH
chrisvancoupon
He also worked at Dortmund with Klopp
kittalbhah come on it’s Deila not Delia if you can’t get that right what else are you getting wrong?? Pedantic I know but do keep up H H Hebcelt
Out:
Beram (could have been a contender but came across Elbows and mibbery)
Zaluska (time for a change and let Fasan take responsibility)
Berget ( one good game, thanks but no thanks)
Derk (complete waste of jersey and money. Lovely girlfriend not a good enough excuse to keep him)
Tonev (he has got something when he stops shooting from ridiculous angles. Treated unfairly by SFA and best probably looking for pastures new)
Wakaso (stop gap and not shown enough glimpses of talent to pursue)
IN
Anya (pace, keen, assists, goals, yeah)
Allan (why not? we need creativity in midfield)
Power (can’t be worse than what we have bar Brown)
Wonder if the Sevco fans will have a minute’s applause in the 41st minute – as support for the glib and shameless one…?
chrisvancoupon
I don’t believe Effe is the problem. He deals well with the crosses from the right which young Matthews allows the opposition to almost “cross at will” and also he at least can sense danger and gets a leg in, unlike VVD who too often just switches off …….. I would keep Effe and play him at right back , and get Matthews and Lustig off the wage bill due to incompetence and injury record respectively.
HH
Big Georges Fan Club:
I swear that it a true story. I was a wee bit taken aback by how bold the driver was.
And this too is a true story.
A few weeks later we caught another taxi to the same destination and this time the taxi driver was a hun, seemed a decent enough guy to me though.
I’d driven up from London for the game.
Game over, back to Glasgow, out for a meal, into the taxi home. The driver was a hum and was lamenting, bleating, bleeding, lyrical.
I was soberish, but knackered, and couldn’t be too bothered with the conversation or the excuses, and they were excuses, after excuses, after excuses, for the demise of the huns.
It was raining as we drove home. I was quite content sitting in the back looking out the window and watching the rain, and the world, fall. This was at four in the morning.
One excuse after another, after another. The driver was a true blue and a huge man. I would not have fancied my chances against him in a square go. But as I sat there watching the rain, all that was going through my head was that this guy was a gentle sheep. But he kept up the excuses for their demise and he did so by monotonous and deceitful mantra.
After about half an hour of listening to his excuses I lent forward and said “you are fecked, I know you are fecked, you know you are fecked…. what do you intend to do about it as a Rangers supporter?”
And with instant tears in his eyes, and he was a big man, he replied:
“I don’t know what can I do?”
I liked that guy.
chrisvancoupon:
Are you trying to tell me Celtic never had a working relationship with Man City prior to Ronnie’s arrival?
ekbhoy,
Agree on Efe if Lustig cannot regain fitness and a run of games.
On Commons its over at Celtic for him. He wants a 2 year contract. Lawwell has no intention of giving him one. In Europe he is a yard of the pace and even now in SPFL looks slow which probably reflects his lack of appetite for the way he perceives he has been treated.
If we need Commons to unlock Sevcos iron curtain rearguard that Hibs and Alloa have breached easily this season then we are in a wors pe state than I thought.
I would agree that the pressing game is not suited to SPFL teams who sit in at Celtic Park. However playing 2 strikers instead of one might help.
1 nil Dumbarton
hebcelt:
If I misspell somebodies name it is not done with malice or disrespect, it it just a wee mistake. Oh! and between you an me, I’m dyslexic, have been since I was born, but I do try as hard as a I can not to let it show.