I watched Hull batter Leicester City on TV last night without putting the ball in the net. The sheer volume and quality of chances entitled Hull fans to some consolation in the valid football adage, ‘these days happen’. Those absent from Celtic Park on Saturday are likely to assume we similarly battered Ross County, but they would be wrong. County defended throughout but were never under anything close to intense pressure.
This is one of the right times of the season to have a performance like that, they are of little use in the first week in February, when the transfer window is closed. Clues abound as to where we need to strengthen, most pointing to the forward line. John Guidetti’s drop in form over the last month has dropped like a stone, but he’s still comfortably holding onto the striker position. Neither Stokes, Griffiths nor Scepovic are putting pressure on a young off-form player.
There is also the playmaker position, which appears to be on the bench. Kris Commons has been dropped before in his Celtic career, often for important games in Europe, where more industrious, but less talented, players were chosen. I spent most of Saturday’s game waiting on Kris coming on, but if his general level of fitness counts against him for a starting position, his lack of 90 minute outings since his injury earlier in the season means that his late-game cameos look even less industrious.
As I’ve been saying since July, we only have one playmaker and if he’s not playing or off form, we’ll struggle. With a match-fit Commons on from the start yesterday, we would have won comfortably. I’m happy to accept we need a playmaker who’ll cover 15k in 90 minutes, so sign one, but if we’re going to let Commons go, or wither on the bench, sign two, before we end up dependent on one man again.
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TV has changed football in recent years And the main beneficiaries are the players, with wages going through the roof. Is the game any better as a result? It’s doubtful.
Back in the dim and distant past, football on tv was Sportscene on BBC and Scotsport on ITV. Both lasted an hour or so and showed highlights of one match and I think the BBC also had a brief section on Match Of The Day’s English games. The only live matches shown regularly were the Scottish Cup final, the European Cup final and Scotland v England.
Sky changed it all. The equations was simple: put on a lot of live games and charge a monthly fee. And it worked. For fans who go to games it means regular Sunday kick offs and matches changed at short notice. But armchair sports loves can now watch up to 20 live games every week at least.
Football highlight of 2014.
Date: 26 Mar, 2014
Kick-off: 19:45
Scottish Premiership
Partick Thistle 1 Celtic (Champions) 5
The Glorious Balance Sheet –
you make some good points, not least – “much of their success has been built on identifying good upcoming young players in their home and neighbouring countries”
Surely that is what we are trying to do, however it is not easy persuading players to come to Scotland.
In order to entice young players to come to Celtic Park, I contend that we must cite the likes of Victor and Fraser and to a lesser extent Hooper, whereby, if you do the business with us, there is a likelihood of moving on to the riches of the EPL.
We must also pay above average wages for these incomers – our current wage bill is north of £30 million/season. If we could guarantee CL groups every season, the pressure to sell would be eased and our product more attractive.
I believe Ronny is now looking at the Scottish and Scandinavian markets and this is where your point about home, or, neighbouring countries, rings true.
We are a big club, stuck in a small league, with a support that demands the glories of yesteryear – it is an conundrum, not easily solved.
However if we run a professional and prudent operation, I am sure there will be an opportunity, in the not too distant future, to move to a more suitable format – maybe one foot in our own country and another in a some kind of all year round European competition.
The Battered Bunnet
12:04 on
31 December, 2014
Natknow
Scouting has to be aligned to the football strategy, otherwise it’s simply a card collecting exercise.
Lenny had been in and around the first team for 3 years before he got the job. He knew what he had, and he knew what he wanted. His first transfer window was remarkably successful principally because he had the scouts focussed on the type of players he knew he needed, and they’d been working to order since March.
“I want a ‘Wayne Rooney’ type” was the instruction that delivered Gary Hooper. Ledley, Kayal, Izaguirre and umpteen others arrived that summer, all to Lenny’s new brief.
Perhaps more instructive is the long list of players sold that summer. While McGeady’s sale provided the bank roll for the players bought, there were a further 8 first team players Lenny let go. My view is he didn’t see them fitting into his plan. Ronny did not have that luxury, his was a make do and mend introduction.
Of course it took Lenny a full 2 years to equip and train the team the way he wanted it, with the likes of Wilson, Wanayama Matthews and Lustig signed in his second season.
Point being, when Lenny took over from Mowbray, the scouting brief changed simultaneously. With Ronny taking over from Lenny, the same change has occurred but the timing was all wrong.
Scouting reacts to the new circumstances. Ronny came into the club mid June without having the benefit of Lenny’s knowledge of the squad or a recruitment plan. Beyond a pretty comprehensive database and video library, Ronny had zip to work with.
My view is that the transition was badly managed by the club. With the entire first team coaching staff skying the par at once, there was no one on the ground floor to offer reliable advice.
The result is what we see today. I expect that the scouting brief has been changed markedly in the past 6 months, and we should see the impact of that come September, hopefully with a few examples of what to expect lobbed in during January.
We’ll see.
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I agree that the transition (can we call it that – it happened so quickly?!) was poorly managed. Fail to prepare etc..
I hope you are right re: the scouting remit. Over the past few years we’ve kissed a lorra lorra frogs. I’m hoping for a better conversion rate.
As always, I’m happy to give those that have the responsibility the time to deliver. Others seems a bit more jittery…!
HH
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
12:19 on 31 December, 2014
KevJungle
Good……….why you still here then ?
______________________________
To get right up yer nose – good at, aint ah?
Can I add
I think our player scouting or choices, have been very very poor, with the odd exceptions
Whoever it was that identified Amido Balde as a player, should never ever be involved in our player choices again
I believe he was delivered to Celtic, as a better option than Johnie Russell at the time – wow
Hail Hail
TinyTim 11:34 on 31 December, 2014
The standards of the other Scottish sides are not rising .
Celtics standards are falling through the floor.
We should be upping our game , not watching it’s demise.
TT
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Perspective also hse to be applied to our own achievements over the past few seasons. Yes the record books show that we were champions for the last three seasons but other than the first there has been no competition. TIAR is the regarded as the numero uno target by a sizeable proportion of our fans and if we do it the record books will show we were the first scottish club to achieve this. If you think the standard of scottish football is poor now, what will be like in another six seasons assuming we make it four in a row this season. If we are to be condemned to spend the rest of our future in scottsih football then something radical has to happen. We have to accept that the current massive gap that exists between us and the best of the rest cannot be sustained in the medium to long term. I would prefer that gap was closed by other teams improving and there are some signs of that happening but the pace is far too slow. Equally, I don’t want us to continue to drop our standards to artificially generate more competition and interest.
Sadly, I don’t know how this can be achieved but we may have to consider the system like they use in Rugby League where the top sides go into a play-off at the end of their championship and the play-off winners are declared champions. To some extent we have already partly accepted that principle with the relegation/promotion play-offs and these are generally thought to have generated more meaningful matches and interest in the game.
It’s not just the purchase of these shares its the timing.
Stock exchange closed tomorrow? Maybe Friday.
Phil is saying it’s someone close to Ashley or Ashley himself. Keef Jackson saying it’s the 3 bears.
For once I think keef might be right.
16% plus a few other bits and pieces already owned might be enough to get them control.
Now for those onerous contracts. Have they got a deal in place to rent Hamden yet?
Cheers bhoys
Started one here .. bbc docu about 6 day war between israel syria jordan eygpt .
Probably should have watched something more light hearted such as the ajax one.
Jotted down all ones recommened.
Tim malone will tell if Paul67’s prediction regarding Ashley going offshore is right. I reckon Paul67 is right. If so then its a drubbing for the SFA.
HH
KevJungle – MURDO MacLEOD’s Title Winning Boots 4-2 LEGEND
12:11 on
31 December, 2014
Philbhoy
12:07 on 31 December, 2014
________________________
Oh, another sucker!
Who’da funk it?
====================================
Philbhoy is a sucker huh ?
Tell me who is on CQN attacking a football club and it’s supporters at 5:AM-noon, most days yet doesn’t support said club.
And Philbhoy is a “sucker” ho-ho-ho ………….
Stringer Bell
10:09 on
31 December, 2014
Ref Partick tickets.
I believe tickets for Home end still available,Twitter yesterday I think said Ticket Office open till 15:30. Look up Partick Website and call,one of the least threatening ” Wrong ends” to be in based on my experience.
Remember sandles and headband when picking up tickets.
I was just looking out the window at a dreary news eve when a certain name came to mind, Sean South !
First ever rebel song I knew.
Go on whistle it now,it will have you marching around the house.
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
12:24 on 31 December, 2014
________________________
Well ye see, its like this….
Phil gets his money sucked oot his poackit by, Lawwell and his merry men….whereas, I dont.
Dae ye get it noo?
itscalledthemalvinas
I often do.
Jesus Christ how fekin more depressing can it get in here?
I need to get out of here this negativity is doin MA nut in.
I won’t be back till next year.
C YA.
It’s a blue do when the Brig’ton Loyal have parked the bus.
KEVJ
So name names. You accuse others of grassing to PAUL67 but not having the chutzpah to do so openly.
Your shout,mate. Wouldn’t want you accused of back-door grassing,after all.
Man up. Be all you can be!
kevster
Well ye see, its like this….
Phil gets his money sucked oot his poackit by, Lawwell and his merry men….whereas, I dont.
Dae ye get it noo?
======================
No not really……………why would that interest you. Why would someperson, devote hours to repeating a hostile mantra day-after-day ?
A simple, why ?
Anyone find offence on pages 25 & 26 ?
mild mannered Pedro delgado
Just over 13m shares sold for 20p each; same amount as Laxey hold.
HH
Will Peter Liewwell say that we’ll come out the transfer window – stronger than we went into it – this time?
He’s getting called Liewwell coz, hes a flukin liar!
Lennon had more control over scouting in the early days but this was soon handed or removed from him. The scouting policy of late has been our undoing. The lack of real youth prospects coming through our ranks is also a problem. Dundee United seem to have the whip hand on rearing again. Why is that when our youth teams are so dominant? Are we stifling our own?
Ronny has a real challenge in getting his thoughts on his targets heard.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
12:30 on 31 December, 2014
________________________
I’m not a grass in ‘any’ context but – you dont reckon with that.
Kevster:
The thing that confused you earlier was when you indicated Celtic would end in the scrappy like Cardihun’s dead club ? I asked how a solvent (not the stuff in crisp pokes ) would suffer such a fate ?
Tony Donnelly 67
It only takes one or two to turn the milk sour on here.
Attention seeking nonsense.
Cowieboy
Quite right. Scouting needs an overhaul. Russell a class player Amido Balde a novice.
Arabs a banker tomorrow at 4-6 .
KevJungle – MURDO MacLEOD’s Title Winning Boots 4-2 LEGEND
12:33 on
31 December, 2014
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
12:30 on 31 December, 2014
________________________
I’m not a grass in ‘any’ context but – you dont reckon with that.
==================================
What are you then ?
5-8 hours daily, penning hostile nonsense on a club you don’t support. Why, what’s the reason, the motivation ?
Roy croppie
Ta Roy
You,re a good Celtic man
You can always tell
‘Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ on ITVBe for the next few hours if anyone is interested
If only that Sevco joint venture had got up and running…. are these the kind of weemin we would be seeing in Govan?
B-)
Nothing against Daryll Murphy,a big honest tradesman,but he really did nothing before we signed him,and nothing when he played for us,apart from his wonderful solo goal at Celtic Park.I think the big guy is just having a purple patch,but good luck to him.
So the original Billy Boys have chucked it- they’ve surrendered and died!
HH
C’mon Kevster………….I’ll be off oot in a minute
BCW
your worse than James Forrest. If you wre a fish the smell of batter fat salt and vinegar would be overwhelming.
Move on the board is polluted enough.
HH
Kev j
He’s getting called Liewwell coz, hes a flukin liar!
Dear oh dear……
Is your own brother, who’s tickets you’ve sponged from a sucker also?
Kev, if I where you, I’d quit while yer behind.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B6LjbJkCIAIlEyH.jpg:large
HedgefundgoneCSC
Bada Bing – It may be a different animal, but this documentary, “Dreaming of Ajax”, came out in 1995. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfO6j42OLaQ
A very young Gary Lineker presented. The above link is only to the preview, not the full programme.
Remembered.
http://youtu.be/pAQfJ5AZRyk