The challenge Efe Ambrose will face should he proposed move to Hibs go through will be considerably less taxing that what he faced in the Premiership, or in Europe, with Celtic. Efe will go down in folklore as another African Cup of Nations enigma.
He was part of the heroic story against Barcelona in November 2012, before heading to the African Cup of Nations two months later. That tournament would see the player achieve the peak of his continent’s football Kilimanjaro. He played right back for champions, Nigeria.
That was on the Sunday. By the Tuesday he had been flown across the globe and made the starting line-up for Celtic in their Champions League last 16 game against Juventus. Two minutes into the game Efe was caught underneath the ball and out of position, Juventus exploited the lapse to the full.
As far as Efe’s time at the top goes, that was that. Since then his form has been on a pronounced downwards trajectory. The thing is, he’s still only 28. There was a player of considerable value in there one. If someone can bring focus to him, there may be again.
A word on matters relating to illness and medical information of our heroes…………
Pretty much everyone knew of Billy McNeill’s condition for some time but thankfully, it wasn’t subject to online speculation. There are a few guidelines on health matters which are worth observing:
Health is a private matter and should not be discussed online unless and until the person or family decide otherwise.
While we feel close to our heroes and will naturally want to offer support at a time of need, serious illness is the most private of matters, it is wholly inappropriate for a former footballer to hear his condition is a matter of public knowledge.
A bereavement should only be ‘revealed’ online by someone acting on the explicit instructions of the family. The unofficial release of this type of news is a very regretful manifestation of the internet age.
In recent years, we have seen many occasions of older celebrities’ deaths being incorrectly reported, then retweeted and retold thousands of times before it is denied. For an ill person and their family this can be a horrific experience.
The world can do without our condolences for a couple of hours until the family concerned have been able to contact all members.
These guidelines are scrupulously followed by the mainstream media in Scotland, who will hear of a footballer’s bereavement but hold the news – and prepare their reaction – until the family are ready.
For former-Celtic players, the club will usually be in touch with the family and release the news at the appropriate time. If you want to express your condolences, prepare your thoughts but hold until an official announcement.
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So many potential Potys
But agree the captains been exceptional
So no one on CQN knows why we didn’t wear the hoops the night we played Vojvodina at Celtic Park in 67 I take it, seen as know one answered me, or is it my deodorant?
BhoyfromSky on 28th February 2017 12:38 pm
Typo; it’s vfr@girfuy.co.uk
KTF
Not sure if I believe Ambrose is only 28. Guy is likeable in his own way but will be pleased once he’s off the wage bill, he has the physical ability but the concentration and decision making just isn’t there for the level he needs to be at Celtic.
Tony a wiz only 7
It’s girfuy ;-)
Fioating
I am inthe BMWP clique
He is really good
Hail Hail
MALONE BHOY on 28TH FEBRUARY 2017 12:55 PM
Watch yersel, the he never hides gang will be on you.
Very well said re the health/death posts, Paul.
Can’t say I’m too upset about Ambrose going – so many faults in his game.
Never understood the calls for him to be used as a defensive midfielder – would have been even worse there in my view.
Hope he gets a break somewhere though – seems a decent type.
MILD MANNERED PEDRO
I was at the game, but Iv never gave it any attention till I saw that video, I’m sure there was an explanation, but a honestly don’t know? So a thought some of the smart a….s in here would know, someone will :))
Favourite uncle @ 9:49
I am also a mungo FP. Only there for 4 years. Too thick to stay for 6 :-)
67 till 71
I’m disappointed that Big Efe never fulfilled the potential he had with Celtic. He had a problem with confidence after the Juve game; like many others, I was astonished that he lined up in that game.
Apart from being tired and probably jet-lagged, he had no training time with the squad and virtually no time to go through tactics or game plans. Over and above that, he had been playing right back for the previous month and was switched straight into centre-half. Everything was set up to go wrong for him (and Celtic) and it did.
It was Neil Lennon’s fault; he showed a remarkable level of naiveté in picking Ambrose; IMHO, Big Efe never recovered from it and (again IMHO) we never got to see the best of him.
Best of luck to him in the future!
KTF
VFR8000,
V
After the game on Wednesday, we have 4 Sunday lunchtime kick-offs: at home to St Mirren and then Comedy Loans FC; we then visit Dens Park and Tynecastle. We should secure the title at Tynecastle with 8 (yes eight) unless the Dandies drop 3 or more points before we visit Dens Park. They have a potential banana skin at New Douglas Park this week and then the mini’s could give them a tough game at Pittodrie.
It would be nice to be Champions before the end of March!
KTF
vfr800,
Don’t know what happened there. I was going to say I agree with everything you say about Efe and the Juventus match. He shouldn’t have been on the field and was never the same after that game. Neil Lennon has to take responsibility for that.
If NL can now restore some confidence in Efe, then great.
Well the much awaited month of March is nearly upon us when we find out the verdict on the HMRC case,the outcome of the Ashley court case,which could tip the Monkeys over the edge,English court this time.The sacked trio could have a hearing to ring fence any monies owed to them,another wage bill to be met.
Amid all this,we have the talk of the Monkeys going for a DOF and a new manager.Now ,maybe its just me,but I am thinking that this would set the new club back a tidy sum in wages,probably around a couple of million a year.Am I living in a parallel universe here.Has the world gone mad?.I have not heard anyone ask where the money for these appointment will come from.Talk of the guy from Southampton and De Boer being thrown about .
Just as well they are a well run,affluent club with no worries at all it seems.
Good on Millburn (Garngad) CSC. They have started a GoFundMe page to help St Mary’s raise money to replace what was stolen and damaged in the recent breakin. https://www.gofundme.com/help-st-marys-chapel-calton?rcid=fba1448cbcca4df0988b354e4e04df83
£4000 target exceeded in 24 hours! Any surplus goes to Alzheimer’s Scotland, another great cause!
We are also running a Race Night for St Mary’s this Friday. Horses and Jockeys available for £10 with a chance to win £50. Mail me at vfr@gurfuy.co.uk if interested.
Races can also be sponsored for £25.
KTF
Pleased for Efe Ambrose that he has found another club his professionalism deserves, pity some current players didn’t possess his level of fitness . Good servant to the Celtic sieve, but he really did bring out the worst in our supporters.
Not everybody ends up the ideal Celtic centre back, see John Cushley, Roddy McDonald , Tom McAdam, Willie Garner, Frank Munro, Pierce O’Leary, Gary Gillespie, Glenn Loovens, Stephen McManus, Daniel Majstorovic, Darren O’Dea, Dedryk Boyata……….….oh wait.
Dedryk Boyata CSC
Parkheadcumsalford on 28th February 2017 1:28 pm
Yep, some footballers are fragile and rely very much on confidence; Efe is one of them.
I do hope he repairs his career!
KTF
Comment of the day from the seriously deluded. Obi Wan should never have hjoined the dark side, it’s frazzled his brain…
==========================================================
..Obi-Wan..
..Obi-Wan.. is online now _____* * * * *_____
Join Date 28-05-2010
Location GLASGOWPosts 3,319
Default Re: Whilst accepting we are skint, there are one or two things which don’t stack up
— Just a hunch, but I think theres money there.
And the optimist in me reckons we are going to be very pleasantly surprised in the next couple of months
=============================================================
Oh, dear God, who’s going to tell him…
Sorry,I cant accept the Efe thing was all Lennys fault.Players have been flying around the world to play games for a long time now.The modern game,its part and parcel.He had just played for a month in the African Cup,so training was not a problem,was on a massive high with winning.He would have been asked by Lenny if he felt OK to take part.The mistakes he made that night were,sadly,not that unusual for Efe.In fact,apart from them,he played as well as ever the rest of the game.As I said earlier,so many excuses for the guy.Granted,a very lovable character but a very error strewn footballer,bless him.
SANDMAN on 28TH FEBRUARY 2017 1:42 PM
Comment of the day from the seriously deluded. Obi Wan should never have hjoined the dark side, it’s frazzled his brain…
Very funny.I bet any of us would like to be the one to tell him.
There is no end to their stupidity,thank God.
Ok I’ll be the first to say it
Bazza for Motherwell
VFR800 @ 1:21
HH VFR!
Add to that he probably spent several hours negotiating through Murtala Muhammed International Airport……a very challenging exercise for anyone ! :))
TC45
Turkeybhoy @ 12:31
If the MOTM award went to the most influential player on the day, Scott Brown would have won it in nearly every game I have attended at Celtic Park this season…….and I have attended every one apart from the Sevco Rangers game.
JJ
Turkeybhoy
I don’t think he should have played in that game. He had been away for a month playing for a different team in a different position in another continent. More to the point he hadn’t been involved in any of the preparation.
He was never going to say “no boss – I don’t fancy it”. I think Lenny should have taken the decision out of his hands and left him out.
But I agree that that was irrelevant to the rest of his time with us. To say he was brilliant before that game and dreadful after it is fantasy.
Too many faults and simply not good enough for Celtic.
Turkeybhoy
As I remember Juventus had a player at the African Nations for nearly a month,they said there was no way he would play in the game as he hadn`t been around for their preparations.I also read that Juventus had the referee watched a couple of times to see what they could get away in the game at corners etc.
Efe, nice guy but made too many basic errors.
Turkeybhoy on 28th February 2017 1:44 pm
IMHO, whatever way you cut it, Lennon was at fault. His man-management of the situation was poor.
If I had taken a month out of work and came back to a business critical project and arrived straight from the airport, didn’t have any meetings with colleagues, only spent 30 seconds with my boss to see what the strategy was, didn’t get any updates and went into a meeting to make mission critical decisions then 2 things would be evident:
1: I couldn’t possibly be prepared to undertake the meeting
2: my boss is a fool for letting me do it.
It wouldn’t matter if my boss asked if I was up for it; anyone who knew what they were doing wouldn’t even consider it!
Would Brendan Rodgers consider fielding a player in such circumstances?
KTF
Deep depression hitting Turkey.News of Summer Harl leaving Celtic TV,just too much bad news to take.
Sack that board.
“The mistakes he made that night were,sadly,not that unusual for Efe”
Turkeybhoy,
But that night they were very unusual for Efe. Efe was a rock for us until that night.
Efe was certainly not the best ch in our history but seemed to be blamed for everything until brexit came along and stole his escapedgoat title ;)
HH
Thecelt45 on 28th February 2017 1:49 pm
Aye, a trip through Lagos and then negotiating the airport usually leave you needing a couple of days rest in itself!
The only place I have really ever felt was set up to aid the traveler was Hong Kong; on the day of my 23:15 flight I checked my luggage in at 10:00 at the train station in the city centre.
I then had a very relaxing day with just a small cabin bag, went to the airport for 21:30 and sat with a couple of beers till I boarded. The most relaxing flight I’ve ever taken!
KTF
Turkeybhoy on 28th February 2017 2:01 pm
Deep depression hitting Turkey.News of Summer Harl leaving Celtic TV,just too much bad news to take.
Sack that board.
____________________________________________________
Yes, they’ve hired a new Nigerian presenter; she arrives from Lagos on Sunday at 11:45am, meets the staff briefly and is on-air at mid-day.
I wonder how she’ll do?
KTF
TOMMIE20 on 28TH FEBRUARY 2017 12:59 PM
Fioating
I am inthe BMWP clique
————-
BMWP? Not a curled-up one?
Was he fouled (nudge in the back) by the Juventus player?
Efe was often the top defender in the team. Very quick ,good ball-control and passer. A classy operator when on his game. Even this season he came in away to Hearts and played great.
But ok…..prone concentration lapses couldnt head the ball and couldnt do crossing when played as an attacking wing back. But he could throw the ball a long distance. Loads of caps with Nigeria and a winner of the African nations Cup so he had talent but once sections of the crowd turned on him sadly his days were numbered.
THECELT45 @ 1.49… one of the most chaotic airports in the world I’m sure. Never been so glad to get off the ground and out of there…
Soukous
Remember that night. I think it more likely they ,the men in black had been paid their money’s from the old lady and juve new they could do just about anything they wanted at corners
Been having my brain frazzled by the Carphone Warehouse upgrade guy…
I have an iPhone 6 Plus which strangely enough has survived my abuse in an as new condition.
Can’t get excited by the iPhone 7 plus.
Anyone got one, is the camera / screen noticeably better?
Their Customer Value guy is calling me at 3pm to offer me a deal I can’t refuse apparently.
What to do…..
The other thing frazzling my brain is a season ticket for next year.
As it’s likely to be my last year in the U.K. My good wife is thinking of treating me.
Trying to work out the cost and convenience/ease of use of flights and hotels from my base near Heathrow.
Anyone from Londonshire got it Sussex?
Floatin’