Celtic are two games into their preseason preparations and have another four friendlies before their first competitive game, Flag Day against Aberdeen on 31 July. That is six games to get an entire squad fit and ready for 90 minutes football. As you know, players are rotated during these games, with large numbers of substitutes used. An exerting 90 minutes will only happen after a gradual build-up.
On paper, this should be enough preparation to face Aberdeen, who are going through a transformational summer that will under Jim Goodwin that will hopefully see them compete more effectively next season.
Newco are a puzzle. They were unfortunate to have a game against Sunderland abandoned, that left them only three games before they travel to Livingston on league duty. Even if the Sunderland game had finished as planned, they booked only four preseason games before travelling to Livingston. This is more surprising when you consider that just days after facing Livi, they have a Champions League qualifier that could devastate their financial prospects.
There, they could face Monaco, who have already played three friendlies, Midtjylland, who also have three friendlies in the bag, Fenerbahce, who have played five, Sturm Graz, who have had an impressive seven outings this summer, or Belgian runners-up, Union Saint-Gilloise, who drew with Brighton in their fourth game in a fortnight.
By comparison, 45 minutes in the tank against Sunderland looks ill-prepared. You and I have been there recently. Celtic played four friendlies last summer before the visit of Midtjylland. There were mitigating circumstances; most notably the late arrival and then isolation of our new manager. This makes no sense. Newco’s lack of game-time makes no sense, it cannot surely be just an oversight?
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https://scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/assets/image-cache/media/images/heroes/hampden-1940s.3fb38c00.webp
The EPL is a graveyard of £xx Million Centre Backs even their successful one’s get panned in the the CL and at International level, see Stones and Maguire for instance . £ 4, 5, 6M is a lot of money in our budget but chicken feed elsewhere and paying double that, won’t guarantee success.
Carl Starfelt that finished the season is a much better player than the Chris Jullien that started this season, but as ever with these guys he is also the chief executive of Chris Jullien. Next moves are dependent on shifting Ajeti, Boli and Jullien, expect we’ll be active till deadline day.
Bosun Lawal might or might not the next best B team bet for getting into the CL squad, though bounce games are still about fitness. We are so far ahead in the race some people in second, think they’re winning.
Junior Soprano CSC
One of my oldest friends is a George. He was a good player too but was knocked back by his home club, Neilston Juniors, because of his religion.
thoriginalsadiesbhoy
Whoops! Then again I’m not the only one….
Didn’t the SFA forget about him an all….
MADMITCH @ 2:01 PM
Many strands to the chemical research angle of sporting fitness.
I would expect the TFOD2.1 to be looking at them all.
If you are “hungry” you get desperate.
————-
Agree with that Madmitch
… And why wouldn’t they?
Tax payments
FFP
Covid tests
Drug tests
The game’s overseers in Scotland aren’t doing any overseeing.
Carry on …
George Michael Jota
CONEYBHOY
Sorry to hear that. Some nice memories posted.
Inquitousiv
Don’t let them get to you.
Amazon (whisper it) Firestick 4k version is half price, £22.50,Wednesday and Thursday on their website….
Interesting chat re CCV’s value.
My tuppence
(4 ha’pennies might be more accurate)
Am comfortable with the £6m down rising to £10m.
What’s the old cliché?
Every transfer is a gamble, you just don’t know if the player will fit in.
Well, in this case we do.
Reserve players at top EPL clubs (or those with a handful of first team appearances) are now changing hands at £12m to £19m.
Some logic behind this I suppose as value of squads continues to grow?
“He’s being kept out of the team by a £50m player so must only be worth £20m”
IMHO, if CCV was sold to a Forest, Bournemouth or Crystal Palace …. his price tag would have been higher than the figure we paid.
There are probably more positive and neutral posts on here than there are negative posts but as our brains are hard-wired to emphasise negativity, it doesn`t feel like that.
As Scotland`s most accomplished team last season (and massively so over the past eleven seasons), I can only assume that the negativity comes from those who, even subliminally, are influenced by the MSSM`s manner on all things Celtic.
Have opinions if you want but try to support them with some evidence. For example, I seem to read quite a bit on here about our `poor defence` but the reality is that we conceded about 30% fewer goals than our nearest rivals.
I know that wasn`t the case in Europe but I feel there were reasons for that other than just simply saying that arguably the best defence is rubbish.
Damn! The best defence IN SCOTLAND is what I meant.
Coneybhoy
My condolences to you and your family on the death of your Dad, may he rest in peace.
Bada
Other tax dodging companies are available.
CELTIC MAC on 11TH JULY 2022 3:52 PM
thoriginalsadiesbhoy
Whoops! Then again I’m not the only one….
Didn’t the SFA forget about him an all….
……………….
🤣 They certainly gave it a good try.
Coneybhoy
Sincerest Condolences to you and yours.
RIP George.
Sorry to hear about your loss Coneybhoy…
RIP George
HH
Very funny
https://twitter.com/cellorusso/status/15463321905772826625?t=naQM6fadPGDk68laBPQ7Ow&s=07
CONEYBHOY;
Memories are yours to keep. Condolences to you and wider family.
Candle will be lit at Our Lady’s altar Clonard Monastery Belfast.
BIG JIMMY I’ve got a spare for the main stand on Saturday, the only negative is it is beside me! Let me know and we can meet at the ground if you want it bud, por cierto
BIG JIMMY
PS.
Get my email address from PAUL67, if you want to make arrangements that way, cheers. por cierto
Big Jimmy
Sadly I won’t be able to use my 2 tickets for Saturday’s game and therefore I will be happy for you to use them if it helps.
They are at the back of lower tier in what the call Club Celtic in the north stand. There are lifts to get you up the stairs if needed.
Let me know if this is a help and we can sort getting them to you.
Big Jimmy
Just noticed another offer which may be more accessible than mine from Por C.
Big Jimmy, very kind offers from two fine Celtic men. Beware though, they make Philbhoy look like a model of restraint. 😂😂
Coneybhoy. Sorry to hear of the loss of your dad. You have good memories of his introducing you into the Celtic family. Prayers and thoughts with you and your family .
INIQUITOUSIV
I have enjoyed discussing our liking for World Football when we were younger and greatly appreciated your excellent running commentary of Australia’s WC play-offs.
I was later disappointed when you took exception to my challenging you on a point, the details of which escape me now. I was in no way offensive and did not personally abuse you. I merely disagreed and calmly stated my reasons. I was mystified as to why you got angry and took such exception.
I have since seen you react badly to another poster who disagreed with a point you made. Again there was no malice in that poster’s disagreement.
So now I am left wondering about your announcement that you are reconsidering your place on the blog due to what you call personal abuse. I don’t recall seeing such abuse aimed at you but then again I occasionally miss the blog for a few days and don’t usually read back more than the most recent couple of pages, so I could have missed it.
However, a little bit of me wonders if you might just have a problem accepting even the most calm and civil contradiction of your point of view, even when delivered with the best of intentions.
I’ll stand corrected if I’m wrong and either way, I sincerely hope you keep posting.
Good evening all from the Victoria Bar. Another fine day in downtown Govanhill.
MADMITCH
There are lifts in all upper stand sections at Celtic Park.
Thanks for the comments lhads, means a lot
Iniquitousiv, i hope you haven’t stop posting. You are in a small group here who have a deep understanding of footaball and other sports. Most of us are a fair bit behind.
You are faster than an internet engine in finding scores around the world; keep it up please
Iniquitousiv, what Coneybhoy said. 👍
I had thought to support Norn Ireland as it had been good enough for the greats Pat Jennings and Neil Lennon but they way some of them sang God save the Queen gave me the boak.
TMcL @ 5.41
I would suggest that you have never calmly stated anything.
You have huge hidden talent for causing a fight in an empty house.
Not alone in this but it does shine through.
Myself on the other hand …
Iniquitous, You bring a lot to the Blog, hope you hang in there. I could well be the type of Poster who would be at odds with some of your posts but remember it’s just a different point of view, if we met in a pub, we would be great pals, We are both Celtic Supporters and that is all that counts.
All Posters want Celtic to be as good and to have a team as good as we possibly can given our Financial Position and the League we play in.
I think we do need another Centre Half maybe 2 if Julien goes and we do need a hard man in midfield, I also believe we will get them before Aberdeen game.
I believe it is pointless having an in depth analysis on pre Season Friendlies.
In the first instance the squad are in heavy pre season training, you cannot expect them to be in top form when they play.
Secondly a lot of fringe players are getting game time which is as it should be.
If just one of them does enough to justify their place in the first team squad then it would have been worth it.
There were a few yourself included a bit worried about our defense 2nd half of last game,
Our defense was Bain, Urhoghide, Jullien. Lawal &Taylor, The strong likelihood is that none of them will be on our first choice team, so why worry about them,
If anyone on here can figure out what goes on in the head of a professional footballer at key moments in a game ….
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/62127436
… can they share with me?
GENUINELY beyond my limited comprehension.
TMcL @ 5.41 / 606
Apologies / apologies — we are playing nice now.
Old habits die hard.
CONEYBHOY
Condolences on the loss of your dad
May he rest in eternal peace
B2B @ 6.08
Greed — wanted the goal for himself.
Anything else is just too horrible to contemplate.
Just back on. Big Jimmy, FWIW, My mate done his leg tendons in a few years ago and was given an season pass for the lift up behind the Green Brigade at the London Road end.
Hope you get sorted. HH
As is my want, I was away looking at Everton supporter blogs to gauge reaction to going to the Sydney Cup.
One interesting thread is about Celtic connections in general, Bobby Collins getting several mentions as an Everton great allowed to leave to early, and Rapid Vienna game in the CWC and Celtic fans everywhere, so it was quite interesting.
As a total aside, and I am sure WEEBOBBYCOLLINS bat phone will go off, but let me ask ………
to my olders and wiser who seen Bobby, if he had stayed would he have been in the Lisbon team (sacralidge I hear you say). As English POTY 1965 was he at the peak of his powers, would he still have been good enough.
As an aside aside , would Paddy Crerard have got into the squad,
just chit chat, interested in your collective views..
https://www.evertonfc.com/formerplayers/992846/bobby-collins
https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/bobby-collins-10-memories-of-leeds-united-and-don-revies-vital-midfielder-2933832?page=2