There was a bit of surprise in England yesterday that Moussa Dembele, subject to a £6m bid from Tottenham in January, chose to move to Glasgow, instead of remaining in London, or picking up another option in the south. Perhaps it surprised a few here too.
Why choose Celtic? We’re an exciting place to play football, again, which as Moussa made clear, has a lot to do with Brendan Rodgers. Celtic’s aspirations have always been to qualify for the Champions League, but that ambition is a lot easier to see now than it has been since Martin O’Neill’s time.
Two of the four managers we’ve had since Martin outperformed him in the Champions League, but that’s hard fact that is often needed to overcome perceptions of a more golden era. Martin sparkled, but Gordon and Neil got results at the top table.
When rating a player I avoid YouTube at all costs, those who watch him every week provide far more reliable verdicts. On that front, Fulham fans are full of praise.
I suspect this signing marks a breakout from the previous range of agents and contacts (which appeared increasingly limited to someone in Manchester and an Israeli agent). One of the things Ronny was unable to bring with him was links into a Champions League-ready talent pool. Irrespective of his coaching abilities, Brendan is already ahead on that front.
On paper, signing a guy who scored 23 in 39 for Sporting Gijon was a result, but Stefan Scepovic is a name we’ll forget soon enough. He competed (loose use of the term) with John Guidetti and (then down the pecking order) Leigh Griffiths for the striker role but the feeling around Celtic was that we weren’t seeing the best of him.
He’s now off to newly-relegated Getafe, who clearly saw more in him on loan last season than we ever did.
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Bada,
That’s interesting.
I’m sure Europa league is on the Thursday prior.
HH
Paul67
Did Martin O’Neill do something to your kettle?
HH
67ECW- hearing from top sources on how thoroughly meticulous Brendan is, I hope he briefs DD on what he inherited as far as the dud signings go. Not wanting to be a doom merchant,but Lawwell,Park and whoever else must be held accountable to the huge waste of money in last few seasons.
!!BADA BING!! on 29TH JUNE 2016 1:39 PM
Ciftci to Antalya Beach Club-fee undisclosed
Carlton Cole to Saltcoats Beach- fee 2 ginger boattles.
GM- I’m back here in Algarve for Sevco game in September ,due to travel home on Sunday lunchtime,which is when I would expect game to be,but if we get to CL,and have a Tuesday night game,the Huns game would need to be on the Saturday HH
67ECW
I agree, it’s refreshing to hear a coach talk like that.
HH
Bada,
I’ve got my dates confused.
The game has been moved to the Sunday. Doh
At least we know yer holiday plans now though so not all bad :)
HH
Beware false prophets.
They are as transparent as a Level 5 Press release
BADA BING!!
I posted last night on here that for the first time in a few years I was optimistic about signing a proper player (by proper I mean not a work in progress or a potential player or an unknown) Dembele has played 47 games in the championship – we have a reasonable idea what we are getting
I would think Brendan had a positive opinion on getting a player that had a bit of proven ability – as opposed to a potential project presented by Park
Having said all that after watching the clip you attached I feel that Brendan would be open to experimenting with a Park project
67ECW
Still think we are a bit light in defence.
I quite like the Belgian right back who came in after their first game – Meunier. Plays for Bruges so wouldn’t be out of our budget.
Also the Albanian defender Ajeti. Only 22 but plays with a lot more maturity. Think he is with a Serie B club, so again shouldn’t cost too much.
246 dots left. Dots appear as well as disappear. Someone suggested that it’s possibly Finance Company rejecting would be purchasers, that is creating the new dots, Alternatively Celtic are holding dots back so as not to flood the market. Either way the dots have fairly stuck at circa the 250 mark for a couple of weeks at this stage, Thought Dembele might have cleared a few dots but not so far.
Alternatively, there has to be some ex-QPR has-beens who we could “over-invest” in :-)
67 cup winners,
47 games is probably the lowest total of all the players we have signed in recent years.
Imo, Dembele is more of a gamble/project than many of us would like to think, but the odds are possibly stacked more in our favour this time.
HH
I have never heard of anyone being knocked back by Zebra finance for a season book. This is a pretty reliable source of credit profit for these companies and I doubt their checks a very strict within the guidelines of the FCA of course.
MWD
Hunderbirds
I’ll happily take Cloughie’s judgement of MO’N over our host’s. Great quote!
I’m sure you’re aware that he had already taken Derby from 17th in the old second division to the semi-final of the European Cup in 6 years, where they lost under controversial circumstances to Juventus, who had taken their lead from the Magi in their dealings with the German referee.
He repeated the trick with Forest, only even more successfully. Twice, as you say.
He and other British managers owe Big Jock so much for demolishing whatever barrier was stopping any but clubs from the Latin countries winning the Big Cup.
And it didn’t take our immortal genius as long to win it either!
Moonbeams,
Putting the words ‘refused by zebra finance’ pulls up many results.
It seems they do the finance on hunners of other clubs season books.
I’m not saying you are wrong but it seems many fans of other clubs have been refused at some time.
HH
Into Google.
Obvs.
HH
Good Read from James Forrest. 2 More signings in hopefully. These are the type of players we should be signing.
Domestically we have plenty with a good manager in place and getting them playing again.
But who to move on is a trickier job. So many MD players. Only ones I would keep is Paddy, Calum, Broony, Armstrong, Christie, Tom. Not saw enough of Allan (though I think Brendan will like him) Bitton and jo drop out of games too much same with GMS and no from me for Forrest (had long enough) I hope Brendan and James prove me wrong. KC after last season can go as much as it guts me. Ajer looks promising as well.
Brendan got lots to do. Hopefully he will get to see who is who in Slovenia.
KLV
MOONBEAMSWD on 29TH JUNE 2016 3:46 PM
I have never heard of anyone being knocked back by Zebra finance for a season book. This is a pretty reliable source of credit profit for these companies and I doubt their checks a very strict within the guidelines of the FCA of course.
MWD
####$###$$
Was talking to a mate today,says his 2 sons got a knock back from finance and both are working.
Someone asked me earlier why I post the Dobs stuff on here, this is why, because if you ignore it people will start believing it, I for one won’t, this is taken from sky, a mean ffs? Gimme a break.
Rangers’ first match on their return to the top flight of Scottish football will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Mark Warburton’s side, who were demoted to League Two following financial irregularities in 2012, host Hamilton Academical at Ibrox on Saturday, August 6 (12.30pm
Oh well. Maybees Zebra are bit more picky than I imagined.
Wonder how I got through their hoops?
MWD
And here was me thinking the Huns won promotion to the 3rd Division after irregularities by every other club in Scotland.
How can they promote the Huns in this manner?
The more they say it the more I believe them to. Doh!
MWD
!!BADA BING!! on 29TH JUNE 2016 3:17 PM
67ECW- hearing from top sources on how thoroughly meticulous Brendan is, I hope he briefs DD on what he inherited as far as the dud signings go. Not wanting to be a doom merchant,but Lawwell,Park and whoever else must be held accountable to the huge waste
:)) I read that twice, funny, .
Moonbeams,
Zebra Finance have a complex system.
It’s not simply black and white.
HH
MOONBEAMSWD on 29TH JUNE 2016 4:13 PM
Oh well. Maybees Zebra are bit more picky than I imagined.
Wonder how I got through their hoops?
MWD
#######
Aye it seems everything is not all black and white with Zebra these days.
Hat and coat already on:-)
Beat me 2 it GEORDIE:-)
This one finger typing is 2 slow.
Geordie Munro on 29th June 2016 4:20 pm
Moonbeams,
Zebra Finance have a complex system.
It’s not simply black and white
———-
They have to be seen to be crossing all the t’s……..
Zebra is a finance company of a different stripe.
One that discourages a herd mentality.
BEATBHOY
I stopped and thought about it for quite a while before posting my musings on Clough’s place in the Managers hall of fame, and thought I might need the ole tin hat. If Jocks team had, as they should have, beaten Feyenoord, then I would have had Clough second behind the big man, but to first of all win it with a club like Forest, and then repeat that achievement, means Cloughie just edges it for me. Being just a nipper in 1967 (7), I have a stronger memory of Cloughies many great TV Pundit cameos in the 70’s, which were always worth a look.
I was at the Nottingham Forest game, when they beat us at Parkhead, after the draw at the City Ground. We were well out thought, and psychologically beaten up in a classic rope-a-dope game. It was a game that illustrated Cloughies talents perfectly.
HH
iT IS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU SPEW.
EARLIER TODAY ON TV, LABOUR MP, ONE OF THE ELITISTS WHO HAVE BEEN STABBING CORBYN IN THE BACK SINCE DAY ONE, PONTIFICATING ABOUT JEREMY DOING THE HONOURABLE (NO SNIGGERING AT THE BACK) THING AND STEP DOWN.
NOT AN OUNCE OF SHAME AMONGST THEM
TONYDONNELLY67 @ 4:11 PM,
I remember Dragnet and many American “true story” type programmes used the tagline…
“This story is true, only the names have changed to protect the innocent.”
This was satirised by a British programme, can’t remember which that stated…
“This story is true, only the facts have changed to protect the guilty.”
You know how many times I hear or see a report on Rangers or Seacombe and those words pop into my head…
It’s like an ever repeating mantra…
Hope you’re enjoying Canada…
BTW: Saw Airdrie play Cloughie’s Derby County @ Broomfield in the Texaco Cup. Airdrie were playing the better Football and lost because they were kicked off the park by Cloughie’s boys.
Scottish Football sure has dropped a long way.
Hail Hail
The Parliamentary Labour Party is full of self-serving, middle-class, glory-hunters……..
………and other hyphenated expressions like Feck-Wits.
And shamefully the biggest careerist amongst them is Hilary Benn, who’s father (RIP) must be spinning in his grave
Viva The Corbynistas.
Seacombe is Sevco for some reason…
And later at seven, Harry Sevco presents Songs of Praise :)))
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3665800/Amazing-footage-emerges-commentator-Gummi-Ben-s-celebrations-Iceland-famously-beat-England-Euro-2016-Martin-Keown-forced-listen-all.html
This is brilliant. Watch the video.
Hunderbirds are gone
Yeah, fantastic achievement by Clough.
But remember, Jock also reached 2 semi-finals outwith ’67 and ’70, one lost on pens, the other lost to cheats, who should have been thrown out after their assaults on Celtic players in the first leg.
And, while Clough’s Forest will always be remembered for their great achievements, Jock’s team will be remembered for the outstanding attacking football they played in their winning of the Big Cup, one of the most memorable finals ever against giants of the game. Clough’s Malmö final, not so much.
I was at the Forest second leg tie too that you mention.
Great example of game management, and ruthless punishing of a mistake when it arose. Never felt we were going to win that night.
Would’ve with Big Jock in his day, right enough!
BEATBHOY
Fair point, well made, more style.