From David Marshall to Tony Watt

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Just days after The Beating of Barca in 2004 the youthful Celtic chief executive, Peter Lawwell presented teenage sensation, David Marshall, with a new contract, reward for his incredible goalkeeping performances against the Catalans.  Having made only a single first team appearance, in a cup game against (then) lower league opponents, David played the second half of the first leg against Ronaldinho & Co, then all of the second leg, without conceding a goal.

It Camp Nou performance was the most remarkable I’ve seen from a keeper.  After years looking for a solid performer to make the position his own, it looked like we had a new star.

A year later David had, if anything, regressed.  He remained first choice until after the start of season 2005-06 but Artur Boruc, for a while the genuine article, soon replaced him.  David was shipped out to Norwich before eventually settling at Cardiff City, where he has built a solid career, but his star never shone as brightly as we expected it to.  His Scottish contemporaries, Allan McGregor and Craig Gordon, both overtook him.

It is incredibly hard for a youth player to break into a team like Celtic in a position like goalkeeper, or striker, the pressure to deliver – every time – is so high, we are a whole lot more likely to introduce wingers.  The parallels between David Marshall and Tony Watt are remarkable, so far.

From the outside it’s hard to guess what went wrong for David at Celtic.  He lost his place at Celtic when he was just 20 and the trajectory of his career was never the same but 20 is still remarkably young for a keeper working at Champions League level.  Tony Watt is two years younger than David and he is in the considerably better position of being able to come on as substitute for sections of games, or to drop away for a few weeks, if necessary.

We should expect more fantastic splurges of form from the player but there will be frustrations and dips in form too.  He has the skill, speed and strength to make it.  With hard work and patience he stands an excellent chance.

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  1. Nuclear Bovril and a Half Munched Pie on

    A Hockle of Sevconians

     

     

    A Haund of Sevconians

     

     

    A Honk of Sevconians

     

     

    A Handshake of Sevconians

     

     

    A Hairy of Sevconians

     

     

    A Who? of Sevconians

  2. English papers starting to react to Chuckles. Running the angle, Green says rangers bigger than Arsenal and pashing themselves laughing.

  3. Just dropped in to say….

     

     

    sipsini

     

     

    18:47 on 16 November, 2012

     

     

    Keevings just stated on snyde chealsea paid 2 million for feruz.

     

    My understanding was it was 250,000. Anyone clear that up for me.

     

    __________________________________________________________

     

    Perhaps this is the reason why Hugh Keevins was banned ?

     

    I mean….I don’t think PL would take to kindly to all of these

     

    cats being released from the bag….?

     

    Off oot again….

     

    laters

  4. they are well paid and as long as they win the league, some times finishing second was ok when old co were alive they will be comfortable and very well paid, and as long as money rolls in

     

    dual sponsorhip is fine,

  5. I was going to say “fools seldom differ”but I knew that was not right.Dun Na nGall Gods own country.Slan

  6. 21-5-79

     

     

    18:49 on 16 November, 2012

     

     

    PL said at the road shows last season that they travelled the world telling the Celtic story looking for sponsorship and the best they could get was the joint Tennents deal.

     

    That tells me that either we are not very good at telling the story or we are not the global brand we like to think we are.

     

    Do the right thing Celtic, lose the link to the zombie.

  7. KevJungle – Murdo 78/87 – 97/98 = Cheerio 10 in a row :o)

     

     

    19:05 on 16 November, 2012

     

     

    Just dropped in to say….

     

     

    sipsini

     

     

    18:47 on 16 November, 2012

     

     

    Keevings just stated on snyde chealsea paid 2 million for feruz.

     

    My understanding was it was 250,000. Anyone clear that up for me.

     

    __________________________________________________________

     

    Perhaps this is the reason why Hugh Keevins was banned ?

     

    I mean….I don’t think PL would take to kindly to all of these

     

    cats being released from the bag….?

     

    Off oot again….

     

    laters

     

    ____________________________________________________________

     

     

    Excellent!!!

     

     

    Reverse Kev Jungle is a lot more positive.

     

     

    soon you will be stayin in………

  8. fanadpatriot

     

     

    19:06 on 16 November, 2012

     

    That last post was meant for Fourgreenfields

     

     

    Cheers mate , hope Jim McGuiness does for Celtic what he done for Donegal .

     

    All Ireland Champions.

  9. matt mcglone @MattMcGlone9 42m

     

    David Low met Fergus McCann in Boston y/day, he signed an AV and David’s book. We are auctioning them for @Wee_Oscar pic.twitter.com/mRLNsYal

     

    View photo ·

  10. Get into the last 16 of the Champions League,win the SPL for entry next year ,if the club cannot get a decent sponsor, then there is something far wrong with the marketing dept.,

  11. Don’t get the time to post much on here these days, due to other commitments.

     

     

    For the collective noun debate, what about fouler, growler or howler(monkey) ?

     

     

    HH

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