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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Lets get it right.
What kind of Celtic supporter hates the GB?
Does that make sense.
Not to me it doesnt.
So…..what is that all about?
HH
DD was present when Gilligan opened his big mouth…….allegedly, it happened after the game in a room reserved for directors of both clubs
GREENPINATA on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 2:32 PM
Gents,
TD 67 is an elderly Celtic supporter. Do any of you really think there was a sexual abuse context to his usage.?
———-
I do not believe there was a sexual abuse context in what he was saying. What I do believe is that he was categorising the Green Brigade’s flag display in the same bracket as paedophilia.
That is an opinion based on his repeated use of the term over the past 12 days or so
VFR800
It `upsets` Sevco fans to be so called. Should I stop using the term?
JJ
Heading to Livingston Saturday, I hope we’ll have Krostoffer Ajer available to help our youngsters. He doesn’t seem to be one of Norway’s world cup squad or their u21s this week.
An interesting player for me on Monday at Cappielow was No.6 Daniel Higgins. The club web-pages include him as a development squad defender but there’s no information to be read about him and he played a tidy quick-footed 90 minutes in midfield. I expect both Aiden Nesbitt and Joe Thomson to be ahead of him in the queue to start at the Tony Macaroni Arena but I wish our mystery man well for the rest of the season.
The window has been decent but no more.
Getting rid of a lot of players who were contributing nothing or their time had gone was important.
In terms of cutting down we have done well
I am happy with Simunovic not leaving. I think he has more to give and would be a MUCH better option or fallback than either Efe or Boyata. Both players won’t be there in June of next year.
Some of the midfielders remaining will fight for their place or also be moved on in the coming year. It keeps people on their toes.
In terms of who came in – I don’t see a failure there as yet.
Dembele boosts the attack.
Sinclair provides pace, penetration and goals
Toure is the experienced defender we have been crying out for and if Erik, Jozo and Eoghan learn from him then brilliant. Mikael Lustig can also fit in there when necessary
De Vries is a keeper the manager trusts
Gamboa is an experienced international player who hopefully is much better than Janko
We have cover in defence.
We still have too many midfielders but we have great attacking options and we should be too strong for the SPFL
Up front we have 3 strikers to do us to January with 3 wide players who all chip in with goals.
Another holding midfielder and a striker would have been good but we go with what we have.
The CL is only about making the money this year realistically.
The most important thing is winning 6 in a row and slapping down the upstarts.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 2:51 PM
VFR
No need for an apology to me.
Nothing you have ever said has offended me, not in the slightest.
Some of us have got thicker skins:)
Im just on to crack a few gags, and moan about the board, and call out the trolls:)
HH
____________________
Sometimes it’s nice to be nice!
KTF
Has there been any update on that levitating chihuahua in Rutherglen?
Just wondering.
HOT SMOKED on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 2:56 PM
VFR800
It `upsets` Sevco fans to be so called. Should I stop using the term?
JJ
___________________________________
If it’s your intention to upset them, no; if you feel you are a kindred spirit and have no intention of upsetting them, yes.
Regards
Dear Deirdre CSC
:>)
KTF
Has it been a good transfer window?
Well part of the transfer window for me was persuading a quality manager (and paying big bucks) in Brendan Rodgers to come to Celtic.
That truly gob smacked me, and after supporting Celtic for 50+ years, there is not much that really leaves me gobsmacked.
The board deserve enormous credit for that appointment.
His appointment and the acquisition of the players Paul67 mentions has indeed made the difference in qualifying for the CL.
There cannot be many Celtic fans in early May who would not have bitten your hand off for the managerial appointment and the signed players we have right now, along with CL qualification.
There is still a BUT though……
From a footballing balance perspective, it is clear that we have problems with a lack of bite in midfield that will seriously expose us in the CL. This has been apparent for some time now with plenty time to address this in the transfer window. The need for a defensive midfielder (IMO) was greater than that for another goalie or right back.
The amount of first & second balls in the midfield area we lose is frightening (we’re pretty good when we have the ball but getting it is the problem).
I am aware that there are lots of dynamics involved in securing a player and we may well have been let down for a prime target too late in the day, but the bottom line is that we’ve known about this for a long time and the window has closed without addressing this key issue. CL qualification and the associated £30m is brilliant but makes the inability to secure a DM even more annoying & ridiculous.
Ernie Lynch
Levitating Squirrel more like:)
HH
More than 15 hours since the transfer deadline passed and I am still checking Twitter every 5 mins. What has become of me???
And it’s bliddy international week!!!!
As I said earlier, if Kristoffer Ajer is good enough(BR can be the judge of that), he is old enough.
Can Karamoko Dembele play centre mid?!
HH
Good Afternoon.
Second blog of the day reveals the ‘truth’ about the Senderos transfer…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/09/01/the-senderos-negotiation/
GREENPINATA on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 2:19 PM
The new meaning of the word grooming has only come about in the last couple of decades. It’s primary use is still listed in all dictionary’s. It may not be the most advised terminology that TD has used, however IMO the only people to be offended is the people looking to be offended.
I would also bet that TD being the age he is uses the term Wireless to describe a Radio.
HH.
—————
Had a chortle at that, not so long ago TD said he was taping a programme and I asked if it was Betamax or VHS he still uses…he took it in the manner it was suggested…fun.
I’ve been in Tony D’s company and though I know his young brother more, the whole family are Celtic.
Like a lot that post on here he can be stubborn and not back down, even when he knows he’s made a faux pas.
Anyways, catch up soon when I’m on the road again. HH
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 2:02 PM
MacJay
See, we want the same thing….a better team.
But…thats what we always have wanted, that what fans want, nothing more.
Its not fair, that Bobby Lennox cant play against the sevco mob:)….Get him in the team.
It be fine if it wasnt for all these Trotskyists:)
*****
You are right … you cant trust them TrotskiyISTS … splitters! Us TrotskyITES are the real and only true followers of our great leader!
HH
Ernie
I’d say that Brendan Rodgers is a 4 year project, probably 5 if he gets a hankering for “Ten”. If he goes in the interim, we start again from scratch, and recalibrate expectations accordingly.
Someone, at some time and for some reason, changed the meaning of a word. Some people went along with the changed meaning and some did not. Are the latter to be abhorred because they continue to use the word as it was originally intended?
JJ
TBB
As you are usually a precise sort of fellow, is your four or five years based on something other than that four years or so is seen, by some, as the `normal`life expectancy of a Football Manager?
JJ
JJ,
In a similar vein, people who think the cheeky wee half/short/nip of spirit is the chaser do my nut in :)
HH
JJ
Nope.
TBB
0:-)))
Prisoner: ‘ As God is my judge, I am innocent.”
Judge, noted for his brevity: ” He`s not, I am , you`re not. Six months.”
JJ
ERNIE
So you believe in ghosts as well.
I changed my own dog walking route so that I wouldn’t have to be near the poltergeist, just in case like. The poor long suffering wee chihuahua like everyone else in this sorry tale, appear to be victims of a spoof by the teenage son aka Paul Daniels
Would kind of update were you expecting?
Geordie Munro
Chasers?
Like a pint of bitter with a Bailey’s and gin and tonic chaser?
Sipsini
“IMO the only people to be offended is the people looking to be offended.”
Really?
So using the phrase he used in reference to a section of the Celtic support, in the way he did, is acceptable to you and should cause no one else to question him.
Is this because you have met him, know him and know his family? Is that why it is acceptable.
I’m not offended by it. It is exactly the tactic and behaviour I expect of a Hun. Much like hitting and running. Traits associated with TD67. Oh yes and lying. Lying about his backing of Res12 when he thought the PLC was backing it.
He is a coward and a cretin.
I hope never to meet him in person. I feel for you having done so.
MWD
Moonbeams
Dry yer eyes ya drama queen.
https://youtu.be/rtd2w3wtSAA
VFR
“Internationally renowned dictionary”?
Hisnae even got the word ‘Englis’ in it.
Great typo!
Bring back grammer school’s!
Sipsini
I apologies That post was meant for Greenpinta.
And I retract the mention of you having met TD67 Greenpinta as that was a reference by Sipsini.
Doh!
MWD
TD67
Away ye go…ya cabbage:)
Man up
Awe moonbeams your getting personal now, that’s not nice.
TD67
thank you kindly.
Now man up.
MWD
Try not to take things too seriously my fellow Celtic supporter.
OR
Dry yer eyes ya drama queen.
Which style has the better chance of improving matters on a discordant blog?
0:-))
MOONBEAMSWD ‘STAND UP ON 15 FOR THE GB’ on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 3:35 PM
Sipsini
I apologies That post was meant for Greenpinta.
And I retract the mention of you having met TD67 Greenpinta as that was a reference by Sipsini.
Doh!
MWD
Lol, he’s getting awe air United noo, ez awe gone, poor guy, he’s in a right snit, lol.
MWD @ 3:36
0:-)))
Which style has the better chance of improving matters on a discordant blog?
It all in the delivery :))
Disgusted that we couldn’t push the boat out enough to reunite the brothers Toure.
I mean, how much does it cost to put on a decent birthday bash?
Paul,
the window was a good one but not a great one.
Celtic are stronger no doubt. However the reason that Dermott was raging was that Peter Lawwell did not put sufficient distance between Celtic and Sevco while they came through the divisions. During this window we had an incredible opportunity financially to leave the rest of Scotland so far behind that we would be over the horizon.
Unfortunately we did not take this opportunity.
Celtic are 3 players short of doing that.
We have only 1 starting striker and a prospect – a good prospect.
We are short of a creative midfielder and the thought of Brown and Bitton in the Champions League is scary.
2 out of 3 of those would have made it a great window,
Peter Lawwell deserves credit for holding onto his job.
He took an age to sign Toure with us ending up with us playing O’Connell and Ambrose against Astana, and again has put cash flow before ambition.
It was a good one but we need to hold our execs to task where they under perform, otherwise we are like the Govanites bowing to King.
Seville67