Brendan Rodgers brought five players to the club this transfer window: Moussa Dembele, Kolo Toure, Scott Sinclair, Dorus de Vries and Cristian Gamboa, two defenders, a wide midfielder, a striker and a goalkeeper. Moussa has been used sparingly so far, but there’s a decent chance four out of the five will be first choice for our key games this season. Kristoffer Ajer also arrived but was signed up by Ronny Deila earlier this year.
The leavers over the summer were mostly deadwood, with honourable mentions to Charlie Mulgrew and Stefan Johansen, both former Player of the Year winners. Our best wishes go with them. We also saw Saidy Janko escape on loan to Barnsley, Scott Allan head to Rotherham for the season, while Aidan Nesbitt will continue his apprenticeship at Morton until next summer.
You would be hard pressed to identify a better transfer window than this since the ‘Robbie Keane window’, which looked good at the time but was ultimately unproductive. Try naming one. Peter Lawwell’s adage about coming out of the window stronger than we went into it, was unequivocally achieved.
We also managed to achieve something you and I have debated here for years: spend early in the window in enhance your chances of reaching the Champions League. No one should be in any doubt that the reason we were able to achieve this, this season, was down to the personal pull of Brendan Rodgers.
Kolo, Scott and Moussa would not be here for any other manager, and without them, we’d not be in the Champions League. It wasn’t a decision to spend early this year that we didn’t want to do in earlier years, we’ve simply not had the drawing power to get the targets we wanted. That included Teemu Pukki, who wasn’t prepared to walk among us until we’d delivered Champions League football for him to enjoy. This is the reality, even for everyday-jobbers like Teemu.
Those of us who like the scientific approach to football won’t like this. Success shouldn’t be about reputations, it should be finding good managers or players who are undervalued, and giving them a platform to shine.
What the last two years demonstrated more than anything else, is that a football dressing room is an incredibly difficult place to get scientific. Brendan’s reputation as a top manager helps him deliver success, which we’re all happy about.
I spoke to someone last night who felt “cheated” by the window. “Why?” I asked. “Because we were promised a major spend. Dermot was raging at that other lot after the semi-final and we were promised a big spend. A week ago we were promised James McCarthy.”
Honestly, some journalist writes a complete fantasy and we’re jumping off cliffs after one of the best July and Augusts we’ve had in years. Don’t confuse media output with actual reality. It’s mostly nonsense. Dermot left the game in question before the penalties, there was no overreaction from the other lot.
And Celtic told anyone who asked that they had no intention of signing James McCarthy. If a fan told you otherwise, his taxi driver-source was misinformed. It happens. If a media outlet told to this, they either wanted to run the story without checking, or didn’t care.
Did we want more from the window? Yes. We all did and we all always do. That’s why Celtic were still on the hunt for a deal or two yesterday, but the manager’s primary bases were all covered. Celtic will continue to do what they always have done financially – spend all the money that comes in over any business period you care to mention.
Enjoy this season, I think it’s going to be a memorable one.
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Well spoken Paul67…I hope the children will now behave, or it’s off to bed with no bedtime story…
PAUL67 on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 5:18 PM
Tony, I misread a comment proporting to be from you, which I’ve deleted, and deleted my own.
Can we all behave, please?
Not a problem Paul , it’s easy done. And I totally agree with you some of the behaviour today in here has been very juvenile, why can’t Wee all get along.
Sandman
Now you’re talking!
Always wanted to go to Cardiff and take in a game!
Might as well be next May!
HH
I certainly don’t class myself as a mineshafter,but bitterly
disappointed we didn’t get a marquee signing.
Over 50k ST sold and CL money,starting to think the PLC
are taking the back’n’front.
WC,
That’s good news…..always welcome wen the blog descends ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
DAVIDOPOULOS on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 5:26 PM
NEUSTADT-BRAW
I have indeed – often buy sausage casings from them!
……….
Aye I thought you wid be a braw lad. !!!
The sheep casings are tip top…..and the Dick Messers are the biz….. Sausage seasonings are awfy braw…
Whit are we like?????
Big smiley link thing..
Nuremberger bhoy
Braw.
FAVOURITE UNCLE on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 5:27 PM
yous have all got td67 into trouble.the next time he meats PL he will get yous all banned from celtic park.he will tell pl they/ve all ganged up on me.no doubt his penpal from saturday mornings will be on shortly with a well constructed defense
Didn’t get me into trouble, scroll back, nice try, but as someone said, must try harder.
Personally I think the blog would be a whole lot worse if TD, Matts Niloc, Mackey etc were to give up.
Most of the time I don’t agree with them, but life is richer with their input
WINNING CAPTAINS…
Thnaks for TG update.Glad to hear he’s on the up.
Innit just ridifookindiculous that a football club stating the truth about another football club should be so newsworthy.
Wonder when the poor guy/gal responsible will get sacked?
Or will his/her identity be protected and the line held for once?
Well done, anyway. Hope it catches on over the next 10 days.
Right! I’m off to have a go at my Kodi box, the guy was just grooming me there on how it works, what to do, and what not to do, best channels for sports, movies, tv box sets, I may not be back for a few days, to my friends adue,, to the others…yer gonny miss me Int Yi :))
HH
BEATBHOY
Spot on
HH
NEUSTADT-BRAW
Aye, they are very good. Another good supplier is Tongmaster (based in Lanarkshire) – good for seasonings!
Gute Besserung Mr Tommy Gemmell…..
Big shots rule OK
Braw
My own thoughts of strengthening further was all around the “fail to plan , plan to fail nugget”. I was hoping we had learned our lesson, apparently not. Unless the Winter transfer window proves fruitful, together with its further inflated prices, CL qualification is not a given 17/18.
Strengthening the team was not about this season IMO, we already won our cup final when the ref blew the whistle in Israel. Since, however, it seems myopia has set in and we are in for another emotionally wrenching CL qualification next year.
Anyhow, I am still delighted with the biggest signing in many a year- Brendan Rogers, and will enjoy the CL nights.
The fans deserve that, the question is does Peter Lawell and the board?
Tongmaster????
Hahahahahahahahha
Grasshoppernobeleivegreekcelt CSC
Braw
Ghuys,
Looking for a favour, need a ticket for sevco game for a good Mhate CM67, if anyone can help please e-mail at lennybhoycfc@gmail.com
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
NEUSTADT-BRAW
P.s. Love Nurembergers…still looking for a butcher here that does them/a version. Think I’ll just have to do my own and write a blog ;)
Selbstgemacht Ist besser!!
http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/sausage-making-ingredients/sausage-seasoning-packs/continental-sausages/bratwurst-nuremburg.html
I tried there spice mix…sheep casings…. There were scrumptious….
Let a sausage rest…….smiley thing…
Hoopy linking !!
Braw
Tongmaster…..
The leader of a Glasgow gang has got a sausage named after them…..wow ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Lennybhoy….
What end ?????
Big smiley thing
Braw
DallasDallas Macjay
A wee history of St.Al’s
http://www.jesuit.org.uk/blog/archives-150-years-st-aloysius-college-glasgow
HH
Tommy Gemmell
YNWA Ya Legend Ye!
Just in (the train) after a long day.
Is it worth reading back from the start.
If not, from which page should I start?
:-)
HH jamesgang
Below you will see a complete listing of players whose contracts are up in 2017, across Europe.
Have a look yourselves, it can be broken down into different positions via the drop down box.
Put together your own side or have a look at who’s nearing the end of their contract:)
http://www.transfermarkt.com/transfers/endendevertraege/statistik/2017/plus/1?spielerposition_id=6&yt0=Show
I may be the only one on here , but Sevco will battle on the 10th . Have we the men to overcome their hammer throwers , unfortunately I’m not so sure . We undoubtedly have the class ,but will we be allowed to play .
Best window in six years, hard to disagree with that. However, I am one of the greedy ones. Arguably one of key positions in midfield has not been strengthened. Midfield is key to supporting the wide, front and defenders. I personally don’t think we have a midfielder that assist the other midfielders on the books and in turn the front to back players.
When we play I always fancy us against anyone but of late that faith has faltered due to the quality of our midfield and in other areas. The other areas have been strengthened and my faith to an extent restored. It has been said by Paul we need to prepare a year in advance for our assault on the UCL, we have made a good start for the 2017/2018 assault. In January we need to get closer and not wait until 1st July 2017 , which will be within days of the qualifying rounds.
To finish off on a positive. Happy with what I have seen of the acquisitions thus far, happy with the fast flowing football Brendan has instilled, something I for one have longed for a while.
Why did we not get the midfielder over the line, who knows but a predictable end to the final day of the transfer window.
In Brendan we trust.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
jamesgang
the next one :0
THELURKINTIM on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 5:54 PM
Tongmaster…..
The leader of a Glasgow gang has got a sausage named after them…..wow ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
…………….
Aye that surprised a few on here!!……smiley thing
None the wiser ….but better informed!(Lee Wallace) etc etc
The Tongs pal…
Smiley thing
Braw
Scotlands Game* 9pm beebtrust2
* he cheated.it happened but we believe as a broafcaster the criminality and fraud is continious.
HH
Tontine Tim,
As always a great post.
What is it about all you old fellas, that you can recall, in great detail, events over the last 50 or so years?
Lisbon was the pinnacle of being a Celtic supporter. An era which, as you say, ended with the assassins from A.Madrid.
Milan was a major disappointment, doubly soured by the attitude of the players before the game.
Seville was a victory for good fan behaviour, but another loss in a final.
A belated PS on the Hapoel game.
Since BR came in, including the early pre-season games and the Imps debacle , no team displayed such a lack of energy than we produced that night.
No Celtic player could raise a gallop. Why?
Was it just the heat and humidity, or, as has been mentioned, there was a stomach bug in the camp?
The drop in form was just too dramatic for merely to be a totally collective off night.
Jamesgang …woohoo..
You are renowned for your sausage ,so look at least that far back…!!!!
Braw.
Ming
;-)
I need some kind of podcast!
HH jamesgang
NEUSTADT-BRAW on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 5:56 PM
I’ll crack the jokes…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
” I’ve been to Paradise…..but I’ve never been to Beith……..”
NEUSTADT-BRAW
Dude I just lol’d and blushed on a train!
MultitaskingCSC
HH jamesgang
FIXTURE FARCE MAKES Celtic EVEN BIGGER OLD FIRM FAVOURITES
By Lou S Karl
As if it weren’t enough of an advantage not to have been forced to fight their way back from the bottom to the top tier of the Scottish game, European also-rans-to-be Celtic will enjoy the advantage of fresh players in the first Old Firm league match since Rangers’ return to the Premiership.
Having won 54 league titles in 4 years, poor ‘Gers have played over 2050 league games in that time period. At an average of over 510 games per season, and with 10% of their league fixtures for 2016-17 already completed, this means worn-out Rangers will have over 50 games under their belts as they face a team with only 3 completed in the upcoming match.
Surely it’s time there was a level playing field for this exhausted Rangers team, if the term sporting integrity is to mean anything in the Scottish football arena.
Top of the evening boyos, it’s your favourite majority shareholder here.
I see some chatter on this site earlier about whether I was still at Hampton Park at full time when we played rangers (great club, great fans, great history, great bigot pounds).
I can exclusively reveal that I was so angry I left early and regrettably took my anger out on my Persian cat, Edson (named after my favourite big Peter signing).
I know what you boyos are thinking…..terrible to take your anger at a football result out on a poor defenceless animal.
Well I can assure you that wasn’t the case…..I wasn’t angry at the football, just that I had passed up the opportunity to play golf with Mark Calvecchia in la manga to go to Hampton Park instead to watch the Celtics.
Anyhow now that’s cleared up, let’s get on to business.
This deadline day stuff….just been in a conference call with Big Peter. Seemingly Barry Rodgers is raging that we didn’t sign this John McCarthy chap. Big Peter said it was too much of a risk, a lot of money to pay out and that the English football market has gone crazy.
I couldn’t agree more. I mean since when was a guy most famous for being chained to a radiator next to terry Waite in the mid-1980s worth 70 grand a week?
There’s way too much money in sport nowadays.
Did I tell you about the time I paid 400k for a round of golf with jack Nicklaus?
Anyhow I hope you ungrateful malcontents are looking forward to the Rangers match. Big Peter tells me the 49 quid tickets are selling fast.
I may make it over and if we win tip off my friend phil, dear reader, that apropos the full time score line, I did seek out the chairman of the loss making business without a credit line and shout “GIRUY” before wandering over to big Peter and instructing him to sign Alexander Iniesta for Barry Rodgers in the transfer window.
I’ll tell phil to end his report with a cheeky “this is not a heated driveways production” to get all you ingrates all looking forward to the January transfer window.
Which of course will bring nothing but tumbleweed and a free transfer for Eddie Ambrose.
You folks don’t know how lucky you are to have great custodians like us.
Remember – we are the best run club in Europe, if not the world.
And if anyone asks – Barry Rodgers is delighted and Edson the cat has made a full recovery.
Off to the golf course now. Toodleloo.
Hey hey the Celtics are here.