In 1998, MSV Duisburg sold Celtic 33-year-old Lubomir Moravcik. Yesterday, Celtic returned the favour by selling Duisburg 34-year-old Marvin Compper. I think we did the better of the exchange. Marvellous Marvin, as he was never known at Celtic, goes into the annuals of Celtic history alongside the likes of Rafael Sheidt and Dmitri Kharine.
In the summer of 2017 Dedryck Boyata made it clear he would not sign a new contract, Celtic acknowledged this. No promises were made (they never are, of course), but Celtic intimated they would try to backfill.
The plan was to have a replacement at the club in January 2018, allowing Dedryck to be sold. Marvin was scouted, went through the approval process and was purchased. It took less than 83 minutes for Brendan Rodgers to decide the player was not suitable for Celtic. For all his brilliance, this episode is emblematic of the glaring weakness of Brendan Rodgers management: recruitment.
The consequences of this were significant. Dedryck did not get his move last summer. As a consequence, he went on strike, placing the first poison in the well that month. He missed the Champions League qualification defeat to AEK Athens, leaving Jack Hendry to fill the gap. Sentiment in the dressing room was not what it should have been during the most important weeks of the season.
Whatever tally you are keeping on the cost of Compper, you have to consider the liability of a central defender on strike when we go out of the Champions League to a cross ball-goal.
Neil Lennon seems keen on Rapid Vienna left back Boli Mbombo, who he hopes to sign within the next 24 hours. Before we get too carried away, remember, we lost both a left back and a right back this summer. I expect at least three full backs coming in, even if we don’t lose a further player.
218 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- »
COYBIG
Not long now
SID on 3RD JULY 2019 11:51 AM
Timaloy
We’re not disagreeing but the priority was the right back position, the fact Celtic are chasing 2 Right backs tells you what they think of Ralston.
Ralston isn’t good enough, imo and obviously NFL too.
____
We are looking at a few right backs. Matthews, O’Donnell & Stacey. Doesn’t mean we will sign more than one.
We need more than just Ralston. Maybe NFL wants him to compete with the new signing.
Point is, Ralston is in possession of the jersey (even if that’s by default) and will get the nod for the game against Sarajevo. If he keeps playing well he keeps the jersey.
Hi Paul67,
That Boyata thing is very interesting. Let’s assume despite what Boyata said on leaving, that this is correct.
If Compper was lined up as his replacement someone is way off. We’d be basically replacing a 27 y.o. Belgium International worth 10M, with a 33 y.o. How many years were we going to get out of Marvin.
Obviously things didn’t work out for MC, yet I could see a certain logic in bringing in an experiened old head alla Kolo – he was cheap enough right?
But as a long term replacement for Boyata!? It’s absolute raving madness, what was Brendan Rodgers thinking;))))
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 3RD JULY 2019 12:39 PM
Marvin was to be the immediate replacement. BR said as much himself.
The hope was that he would bridge the gap between Boyata, Ajer & Hendry.
BR didn’t fancy Ajer or Hendry clearly on the basis that he held onto Boyata for as long as he could and brought Benkovic in.
Paul67
Full back situation is dire especially RB, none of the names mentioned in SMSM are a patch on Mikael Lustig.
I don’t see the point in buying cheap and or in pairs either.
We should be looking at a RB to complement Chris Jullien and his price range.
Morning all – it is here – still,
Glad that we are clearing the ranks of uniform carriers.
It seems that the legacy of the previous regime was not just 2.33 trebles.
Have a happy day wherever you are.
HH
1965 SCF
https://twitter.com/i/status/1146321727598878720
HH
TIMALOY29 @ 12:43 PM,
Actually that is partially correct, yes, he didn’t think Hendry and Ajer were ready to replace Boyata. Yet what he DID say was this…
“He [Boyata] is clearly a player of value and, at this point in time for us, he is very important and the club rejected that.
“At this stage it would be pretty difficult for us to sell him because there is not a replacement there.”
Obviously even if in January Brendan Rodgers thought Compper could replace Boyata, he certainly didn’t in summer 2018. Add to that Compper had a longterm injury.
Benkovic came in as a loanee late in the window, even though Boyata was staying, so what does that suggest?
Hail Hail
Really can’t see us buying 2 RB’s…….Ralston is a decent back up to 1 good RB,hope it’s the boy from Luton, O’Donnell has never impressed me.
BSR
Agreed on right back. Stockpiling never works and feels a waste of a budget.
We had 4 RBs 8 weeks ago – Lustig, Toljan, Gamboa and Ralston.
Go after one with pedigree and spend the cash we clearly have and use the young uns to back them up. O’Donnell feels like 1 of those lazy decisions we made when we had a Hibs fetish and then a Dundee United one….
Shows again our recruitment machine was broken. Let’s crowdsource round the table – any names folks ?
Traditionist88 first choice between Stacey and O’donnell, let’s get them signed first then let’s see how the perform. I’d imagine the one who shows up best in training or in games would be first choice. Do you have any info on them you would like to share? H H Hebcelt
I appreciate the need for a cull as we have too many average or below average players however i dont see the point of restockiing with players like O’Donnell, tbh i couldnt think of one scottish player that could improve our team and thats with Ralston and Hayes playing fullback.
We offered £8m for a right back in January. Castagne from Atalanta. That’s the market we should be looking in
“Cove Rangers’ ambition attracted Hartley to the job.”
Aye, right ye are Paul…
CHAIRBHOY on 3RD JULY 2019 12:59 PM
The value that Brendan Rodgers placed on Boyata was illustrative of his lack of faith in alternatives.
First of all he decided Charlie Mulgrew wasn’t worth keeping around and we allowed him to leave under freedom of contract. We replaced him with Kolo Toure. I don’t think that was the right decision.
Brendan lost faith in Kolo halfway through that season after he self-destructed against “some German team”
We still had Erik Sviatchenko and Jozo Simunovic available. They actually were the two CB’s who made the biggest contribution to the Invincibles season. Still, BR decided to get rid of Erik.
He then signs Compper who gets injured and written off. He plays Hendry out of necessity but clearly signed Compper because he didn’t think Hendry was ready.
Then, by keeping on Boyata & signing Benkovic late in the window (subsequently playing them as his first choice pairing) he admitted he didn’t fancy Jozo, Ajer, Compper & Hendry as first choice.
Rodgers inherited a decent situation at CB with Ajer, Simunovic, Mulgrew, Boyata & Sviatchenko. You have to wonder if he was better just sticking with that!
He blundered his way through it.
An Tearman @ 12.58
I was in in that Celtic end at that game. Magic!
HEBCELT on 3RD JULY 2019 1:20 PM
Traditionist88 first choice between Stacey and O’donnell, let’s get them signed first then let’s see how the perform. I’d imagine the one who shows up best in training or in games would be first choice. Do you have any info on them you would like to share? H H Hebcelt
=========================
No, hence why I was asking the question, as someone earlier had said that they saw Stacey play in Lutons playoff final and he was excellent, then again does a Scotland international full back come to us to sit on the bench?
I am sure the manager will have a first choice in mind and if anyone else has anything to add we might be able to work it out and add another piece to the starting 11 jigsaw
HH
Confirmation bias 101
And what about the lassies getting upset because another lassie pretended to drink a cup of tea?…
almost as bad as the laddies…
I love the English but it the same old story with them…”…they need to be honest with themselves.” and “…they need to learn to be truthful with one another…”
?????
ST TAMS on 3RD JULY 2019 1:40 PM
We offered £8m for a right back in January. Castagne from Atalanta. That’s the market we should be looking in
============
Well, clearly, we did! Then Atalanta moved the goalposts. The player didnt have his heart set on a move anyway and now has an extended holiday knowing his team are straight into the CL next season whilst we face 4 qualifying rounds.
Of course, any more names, feel free to throw them out there?
HH
Pleased to say Joe Ledley is going to Holland and not Parkhead.
All the best Joe!
It seems Joe Ledleys flight has finally landed a week later and he is set to sign for Eredivisie side Fortuna Sittard, despite interest from Aberdeen and some linking him with us.
HH
Looking forward to seein Griff back banging in the goals this season
God forbid he scores against the huns and sips an imaginary cup of tea
If we sign 2 RBs ,we would be stuck with an unhappy player from the ooffand we won’t be able to shift him as his basic will be too high for other clubs to take him,can’t see it happening, Ralston is a decent back up IMO
The debate about potential fullbacks makes me think of the Andy Robertson situation.
When he was playing for Queens Park then for Dundee United did anyone on here or elsewhere in Celticland rate him as a fullback?
He played his first game for the Strollers in season 12/13, got transferred to United in June 2013. One year later Hull paid 2.85 milliom quid for him. In 2 years, he’d gone from playing for Queens Park reserves to playing in the EPL. This, a player that Celtic had let go because no one saw this potential, or at least appreciated it.
Performances in one team are only a partial guide to future performances in another team.
Playing with better players can liberate the “Robertson” inside you or it can show you up as a journeyman who got a lucky transfer.
Celtic got lucky with Henke, Lubo, Chris Sutton & John Hartson – but I suspect that they think they got lucky too. All four of them were underperforming at their then clubs & seemed to be heading for the football skids. We gambled & they gambled & we wondered.
HH
FOOL TIME WHISTLE on 3RD JULY 2019 2:15 PM
The debate about potential fullbacks makes me think of the Andy Robertson situation.
When he was playing for Queens Park then for Dundee United did anyone on here or elsewhere in Celticland rate him as a fullback?
===========
He was released, apparently, because he was too small.
HH
Craig Gordon said in commentary last night we are basically going to be playing weekend and midweek matches non-stop from now until December
We are going to need two right backs and at least one leftback (even assuming KT stays)
Fool Time Whistle…
I see what you did there…
O’Donnell was released by us, spent 4 plain years at Partick Thistle, ran down his contract then 2 years at Luton when he was released at the end of it and then joined Killie in 2017 on a free.
He’s 27.
Robertson was still 21 when he went for 2.85m to Hull and 23 when he went for 8m to Liverpool.
Chances are O’Donnell isn’t going to do a Robertson.
Bizarre signing.
If Celtic sign O’Donnell it will be as 2nd choice. He has a year left on his deal and would cost buttons.
It will mean that Lennon didn’t fancy Ralston and preferred O’Donnell to Matthews. To me, O’Donnell would be a last day of the window panic Mulumbu-type signing.
Big Wavy bizarre signing? Where did this news come from? please not the MSSM or Owen Coyle’s granny. Do you have a reputable source?
I believe Robertson was a MF at Queens Park…
Ruben Aguilar
Sergey Petrov
are two for a start
https://www.transfermarkt.com/transfers/endendevertraege/statistik?plus=0&jahr=2020&ausrichtung=Abwehr&spielerposition_id=5&altersklasse=u23&land_id=0&yt0=Show
youll find right backs there, its easy if you just look, for those that cant be bothered to look and just follow the party line
If we’re spending 3 million on a back up left back then that’s a real statement of intent from us – absolutely brilliant.
However, the cynic in me says KT is for the off. Hayes will be our back up left back.
Chief Football Writer at the Bolton News, Marc Iles, says Celtic have won a watch with the signing of Luca Connell.
Marc said: “Luca was commanding midfield in the Championship and he improved. He’ll improve and develop further around good players.
“It’s obviously going to be more difficult to break into a team with big established players already there but he’s not shy and he believes hand-on-heart that he can challenge for a place.
“Neil Lennon will give kids chances and take gambles so don’t be surprised if he’s there at the beginning of the season.
“He’s all-action and I think he’s a Neil Lennon-type player.”
Think someone at Herald has got confused with what Glasgow club LUCA has signed for and called
up the wrong contact
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17745394.scottish-transfer-news-live-chief-football-writer-bolton-tells-celtic-fans-expect-luca-connell/
The footage I have seen of Luca Connell playing for Bolton, he was playing out on the left hand side. I am sure Neil Lennon is conscious of his versatility and capability to play left back if needed. I’m sure he can be considered as a possible back-up left-back, if needed.
I’d be lying if I said I have seen much if any footage of Boli Bolongola . Likewise I haven’t seen much of Romain Perraud either. However if game stats are anything to go by, I think my preference was towards the French lad.
He registered 5 goals and 9 assists from left back last season.
But anyway, if he joins… welcome on board Boli Bolongola… here for 10 i.a.r !
the killie and scotland right back is ‘murder’ and not any better than AR.