Maik Nawrocki played his first league game of the season on Sunday. His only other appearances were home to Falkirk in the League Cup back in September , when he replaced Stephen Welsh for the final five minutes of the game, and against Raith Rovers in the Scottish, when he replaced Jeffrey Schlupp on 72 minutes. He was behind Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Stephen Welsh and Dane Murray in the central defensive pecking order.
With Stephen away, Liam injured, Auston unavailable for family reasons and Dane not enjoying being thrown into the deep end at Villa Park, the call eventually went out to a player who watched five others picked before him this season. It was a recipe for disaster, but reports of how well the lad has trained proved true. He is a player.
He was our only defender who did not put a foot wrong on Sunday and made a goal-saving intervention. For almost two years the player’s development has withered in Glasgow, seldom even on the bench, despite offers to take him out on loan and his willingness to go.
Unlike Maik, Gus Lagerbielke was allowed to leave for a season-long on loan as backup at Twente. That backup status has since been revised and he is now first choice in central defence in a more competitive league than he left behind. His performances have him with the Sweden squad this week (a country also seeded higher than Scotland).
Here is a prediction for you. Lagerbielke will leave Celtic at a profit, and three years from now, he and Nawrocki will be playing at a higher level of football than any other central defender currently at Celtic, other than Cameron Carter-Vickers. Just as long as they are allowed to leave for a club prepared to develop them.
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Harping back to Sunday, undoubtedly Calmac was sorely missed and Arne Engles understandably failed to slot into that midfield position at 21 years of age showing his lack of experience but will improve with game time trial.
Calmac is a brilliant midfield general like Johnny Giles was at leeds but when he was out with a long term injury in a past season Mat O’Riley slotted into the position successfully. But of course Mat was an exceptional player.
When the Hoops got their act together in the second half Jack Butland probably denied us of victory with some great goalkeeping. Some great goals in the game. The second half changes worked and Daizen’s leap forour first would do justice to an Olympic gymnast. He loves the spectacular.
We don’t have the players to compete with the big strong guys they have . We have the better quality players but they have the hammer throwers which is a leveller as our wee guys don’t like the rough stuff . Our midfield was non existent easily out muscled by raskan and the mighty Barron . Dear god . We haven’t replaced Broonie a huge loss to the celts , he would have cherished playing against raskan who was MOTM and Barron , BUT MORE TO THE POINT THEY WOULDNT HAVE . Kuhn didn’t cherish the attention ,same with mccowan and Engels , good players but no bottle . The defence also let us down big big time .kasper what was going on there , same question to Johnstone , ccv , had hi hopes for schlup maybe he just had a bad day him being new to facing them . But overall we had too many passengers . Kieran T will improve down the left .but we need to spend decent money on a no nonsense centre half . But for me the biggest want is a rebuild of the midfield , the engine room , god we have some talent in there but missing in the rough and tumble of thems games , we need the likes of a Broonie , a Roy Aitken , or even a Davy Hay type .we will get our reward in games v them when we have the personnel to match them in combat ,something we presently don’t have .
ERATIC
I always thought that johnny Cash was the change from a durex machine
Silly me
KINGLubO
‘prepared to develop them’ – is that dig?
Hankray.
Sensible and relevant honest post with no agenda ta for that clarity.
JIMTIM , you have been banging that drum for a few seasons now, I agree 100% ,far too lightweight all over , even Adam Idah is hardly putting himself about and is not great in the air which is a disappointment to me.
Kinglubo
Remember Jonny and Fanny 🤔🤪🤣
The Israelis and the BBC talk of war resuming.
To me this seems more like slaughter of many innocents than war.
How can anyone in power be at peace watching this and doing nothing ?
I include our UK leader in that.
JIMTIM on 18TH MARCH 2025 6:46 PM
But for me the biggest want is a rebuild of the midfield, the engine room, god we have some talent in there but missing in the rough and tumble of thems games , we need the likes of a Broonie , a Roy Aitken , or even a Davy Hay type .we will get our reward in games v them when we have the personnel to match them in combat ,something we presently don’t have .
*you just described the team of my youth, nice wee tanner baw players but no guile except for the likes of Paddy Crerand or big John McNamee who were forced out by our corinthian chairman and when they left it just got worse, then Jock arrived and along with his assistant hard mhan Sean changed NOT just the side but the attitude.
His first signing when he was still with the hibbees was wee ten thirty, another player forced out the door for having the gall to humph that thug shearer, ironically the assistant manger had done the same thing when the wee coward had dumped one of our most gentler players John Higgins on the running track, Sean ran right across the park and put him there.
Luggy and Chopper were nae mugs either, and he changed big Billy fae a nice guy footballer to having a wee bit of dig about him, of course his deputy big Cush was nae slouch either, then Brogie emerged along with the quiet assassin, I came in fae a European game one night only for Mrs TT telling me my mother was looking for me, so when I called she was livid at seeing on tele that night Davie walking right across an opposing player who was lying on the deck, he never took any prisoners and the likes of their greatest living thug and the ned doddie mcdonald were terrified of him.
That what’s missing in our side right now, not hammer throwers, but players who can put it about a bit.
That immortal line….
I hope all your doughnuts turn out like Fannys …🫣😂
CHAIRBHOY on 18TH MARCH 2025 12:26 PM
Your WITS is on fire!!
ONENIGHTINLISBON @ 12:08 PM,
Yang goes to prove the opposite of what you suggest.
He was certainly not setting the Heather a light when he came – yet BR&CO seen a bhoy with ability and attitude who was doing it in training.
It has taken him over a year and a half to develop into the player we are seeing now.
However had the moneyball magic wand who was waving it about when Wnayama and VvD were about…
—-
My dad knew John Park (and we got a bouquet from Celtic via PL when my dad passed as JP was upset and told him how much of a fan he was – I’ll never forget that ❤️) and he said Wanyama was the best player he ever scouted.
He reckoned that he could have made a great centre forward.
Which reminds me – P67* made a comment a few years after John Park left that suggested he wasn’t as good as some people thought he was, using Wanyama (i think) as his one hit.
It seemed to come from nowhere, as in i thought he was always deemed reasonably successful. Is there something we/I am missing in the recruitment side of out game.
*P67 – as ever thank you for this space to discuss Celtic 👍🏻
WHAT IS THE STARZ on 18TH MARCH 2025 12:04 PM
Don’t forget Kwon
—-/
Im sure it must have been said on here before but it’s Kwon for the money, Schlupp for the show.
B78,
You’ve made some mad comments about BR and Bazza in Europe – but i agree with you re this last loss and the previous games – it’s all on Rodgers.
We need to give fringe players more time generally. If not only to have them prepared if we need them surely it helps the sell on value.
I also reckon third and fourth choice centre halfs/halves (seems weird) should need V given more time as that’s probably the most important pairing on the pitch – and i know I’m being slightly kneejerk but if those 2 can’t read how each other are playing…
I really don`t understand how Celtic have managed to win so many games considering how poor and timid so many of our players are.
Raskin is not a giant, no bigger than Mcgregor or McCowan, Barron is even smaller and Diomande is built like a marathon runner, that was their midfield which we did not cope with, I suggest that the issue is one of attitude commitment and the courage to get tore in.
HOT SMOKED
Nothing like an International break straight after a Sevco defeat, by the time it’s over we’ll
be as well chucking it.
I would suggest that if we consistently fouled like they did we would not have seen out the game with 11 men on the pitch
And that is without the 2 tackles their subs put in later in the game, both which were red cards (maeda not training with japan due to a “muscle injury”)
This is why we must got for brain rather than brawn
Although I would like to see more steel
MAJESTIC HARTSON @ 7:47 PM,
Thoughtful gesture by John Park, through Peter Lawwell – lovely for your dad and family.
John Park was a great scout and brought some good players to the club.
Of course Wanyama was exceptional.
For me the recruitment strategy wasn’t wrong then, it was the way it was implemented.
You have got to think what a legend he would have been and what a career he would have had, had Wanyama spent a couple of contracts at Celtic.
Yet, it was business first – and players like he are money in the bank.
John Park was obviously wedded to the moneyball approach and loyal to Peter – his approach didn’t suit Brendan and he was replaced by Lee Congerton.
Of course, Peter Lawwell never supported Lee’s approach, so few of his players were signed…
A damaging stalemate.
It seems to me we are getting close to the right approach now, what a latter day John Park could bring to the party now…
Hail Hail
I thought Nawrocki played okay on Sunday but no better than you would expect from a player in our first team squad.
He can’t pass with his left foot and so often took longer to shape a pass as he needed to get the ball onto his right foot.
I also think his performance looked better than it was ( although of course we still lost) because 2 of our better players , not just defenders, happened to each put in arguably their shakiest performances yet for us. C’est la vie.
It’s also harsh , in my view , to expect anyone to step into Calmac’s shoes. Someone ready to do that would cost a lot more than even Engels did.
He was poor in the first half, no doubt ( as they all were ) but I thought he was far better in the second half.
Also, I saw someone on here criticising him ( yesterday?) for trying to get the crowd going. I don’t see the problem in that at all.
Engels in his first season with us is head and shoulders above what Oreilly was….. he will be twice the player that Matt was when he leaves
Rocki’s biggest flaw was what trusty does well
Run on the diagonal to that left corner flag to give kasper an out ball
Also took trusty a month to let that ball run on to his left foot and play it wide – that was his bombscare month, until he got used to our system and flow fro defence (took scales a few months longer)
I wish barnardo had been fit – he was as big a loss as Calmac
When we win the league this season we will have to strengthen the squad.
I would go for a goalkeeper,1/2 centre half’s ,a strong midfielder and an up and at them centre forward.HH
Burnley78 on 18th March 2025 1:15 pm
Lots of good points made in that one.
I don’t agree BR is so spooked itd cause him to quit us, but it’s puzzling how he cant get this team ‘up’ to the aggression/competitiveness levels needed to match an allegedly Busted Flush 11 like the currants.
I also hate giving them an ounce of oxygen. HH
Nonsense being spouted by so many.Barron,Diomande,Raskin,bullied us,shoved us about,if that’s the case,Brendan does have a problem.Shlupp probably weighs more than the 3 put together,FFS.We missed Calmac !!!.That would be the same Calmac that had a nightmare at Ibrox in a worse defeat.I remember when Edouarde humped the ball from KO right out the park at their corner flag,put them on the back foot.Somebody,maybe Ferguson remembered that.Clever then,clever on Sunday.
Of course we had to play Jota and Kuhn,anyone saying different,is talking bollox.
Brendan did make mistakes in the game.Keeping AJ on terrible decision.He was dire.We were well on top when took Jota off.Did not work.Taylor on,Schlupp to midfield in place of a struggling Luke ,
looked like a good option
Mistakes made,players having terrible games,it happens.Does not half bring out some nonsense on here.
yo mamma!
Sory from a facebook page called – Arsenal Fanaticss
There hasn’t been a single story about Tierney sulking or causing problems about staying an extra six months to support Arsenal during the injury crisis. He’s a true professional—keeps his head down and gives his all every time he’s called upon, even when playing out of position at left wing. We often overlook qualities like these.
————
Roll on August
Whoa ,,,,
John Park as I recall went from Motherwell to Hibernian with Alex Mcleish .
Hibernian at that time had probably the best youth set up in Scotland .
He in my opinion had no input in the young players signed at that time
Alex Millar was the manager who set up the youth system at that time,
Millar ,Riordan ,Thompson,Whittaker OConnor,etc.,etc., HH
Burnley78
Israel’s weakness is that it does not have fully Internationally recognised borders of it’s own. Neither does Palestine. Ireland to its’ credit along with Norway and Spain have recognised Palestine, and they, alongside many, support the two state solution. Problem is, nobody can tell us what Palestine would look like as a State. It cannot possibly look like a combination of an occupied West Bank, plus a completely destroyed Gaza, with no contiguous border. No. We must go back to November 1947, UN Resolution 181 which shows a map of both Palestine and Israel, (check it out) and take it from there. Now, the Arab world did not, understandably, accept this map, based as it was on the British Mandate of WW1, minus Jordan, and from which we had war in 1948, 1967, 1973 and since, intifadas, terrorism, and an ongoing war. Let us make UN 181 as the starting point not the end result. The events of today, with 300-400 more civilians killed in Gaza by Israel, tells us that that this Isaeli government has no interest in a lasting peace, ceasefires or a two state solution. Time now for those Arab states, Jordan, Egypt etc who have unilaterally conducted treaties with Israel, to suspend or abrogate them, and time now for the UK, and the EU and others, to fully recognise a Palestinian State, with recognised borders by the UN.
A wee surprise this morning…
As I Posted yesterday I had Four winners plus one Non Runner with my Horse Bets yesterday…I woke this morning to see that I also had the Correct Score last night in the ” Rotherham v Wycombe ” match that finished 3 – 2 to Wycombe at odds of 25/1 with Ladbrokes. It was my ONLY Fitba Bet yesterday.
I had intended to watch that game, but I didnt see any of it as I fell asleep watching a Movie.
Not too shabby Bhoys.
LOL
HH.
“Here is a prediction for you. Lagerbielke will leave Celtic at a profit, and three years from now, he and Nawrocki will be playing at a higher level of football than any other central defender currently at Celtic, other than Cameron Carter-Vickers”
You may be correct Paul.
But will that level be Celtic’s level?
BTW – Gustaf leaving for a profit?
Good. I hope so. Just like Jack Hendry then?
An old poker adage springs to mind.
(Before it was televised of course)
The size of your pile of chips at the end of the night depends on two things.
How much you win when you win the hand.
How much you don’t lose when you don’t.
Celtic are becoming much better at the second.
Big Jimmy- it was 1-1 after 88 minutes
Hoople 19 Mar 2025: 4/6
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https://www.celticnewsnow.com/hoople/
#hoople #celtic #celticfc
!!Bada Bing!! on 19th March 2025 7:58 am
Big Jimmy- it was 1-1 after 88 minutes
………..
I watched about Three minutes of Highlights this morning, with NO commentary, however I did also see a Headline that stated 3 Goals in 5 minutes !
I had no idea that the game was won so late on.
Cheers Mate.
HH.
MH
Got it in three (smiley face box thing)!
Celtic Mac on 18th March 2025 11:29 pm
Nothing is straightforward in the Middle East.
You are aware of the massive walled structures between Egypt and Gaza. In fact Egypt is ongoing with additional concrete barriers as we speak.
The Muslim Brotherhood which is now Hamas makes relationship very complex. The failed assassination of the Egyptian President decades ago remains in their focus.
There is also the economic factor to contemplate.
I cannot envisage a lasting solution coming any time soon, but I sincerely hope i am wrong. Humanity demands one.
A good pal says,there’s games for dinner suits,and games for boilersuits, always boilersuits when we play against them and their ‘style’ of protected play.We try to play too much football at times,when we need to get the ball up the park quicker,and yes we need to get a couple of more physical guys in the team
Listened to the excellent Alan Morrison this morning on the huddle breakdown. I know Alan posts on here so keep up the good work, Alan.
Alan described Nawrocki as a bottleneck for us in our attempts to play out – so everything went down the right side for almost all the first half.
In effect we halved the pitch for ourselves and starved Jota.
Brendan Rodger’s really needs to change his tactics,this playing from the back is to slow which allows the opposition to make sure there our midfield don’t progress,also hopefully there will be big changes especially in defence,also another winger and striker are added to ,but Brendan and the Celtic board need to be willing to add quality,