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. zbyszek, thanks for the insight. That score will do nicely and would guarantee European football in the new year irrespective of result in Portugal. Pressure off somewhat if that’s the case.

  2. SOAL

     

     

    Not even for free ?

     

     

    I knew few Huns who drank because of their Hun tie up….you wouldn’t drink it because you like I :-))

  3. I know Tennents are keen to renew a deal next season,but not so keen on Sevco,who might be offered terms on a much reduced deal.

  4. Big Nan

     

     

    12:19 on 16 November, 2012

     

     

    Bankier has all the warmth and charm of an undertaker.

     

     

    His comment that we have no say in who our sponsor is defy logic.

     

    _________________________________________________________

     

    A bored with no b###s !

     

    So, whats new ?

     

    Not one Celtic supporter on the bored. imo

     

    I know that they say they are but….nnnaaaahhhhh !

     

    Not for me I’m afraid.

  5. Are Celtic really saying that no company will sponsor us,unless they have the dead club as joint sponsors.If so we should have none on our strips

     

    Celtic should be told,joint sponsors,NO SALES.

  6. With season books down and likely to go down circa 30,000 next year dont think a price rise would be the best idea……price reduction or some other incentice to get bums on seats needed……would not be surprised if attendences rose once ‘they’ come back up…..and i’ve got a season ticket before anyone asks.

  7. saltires en sevilla on

    What about the Celtic support sponsoring the Hoops?

     

     

    How many English pounds do the current (sic) sponsors pay now!

     

     

    50,000 supporters pay 20 quid per annum -might be close enough?

     

     

    Green Brigade logo on the hoops?

  8. kdc

     

     

    12:19 on 16 November, 2012

     

     

    So not only has Ogilvie not resigned but he feels he has the credibility to be intimately involved in a new structure for scottish football, this despite being knee deep in the biggest (and potentially sometime soon the second biggest) club failure in all scottish football history!

     

     

    The guy has no shame

     

    ________________________

     

     

    Ogilvie has no intention of being part of the new structure.

     

    He has been confidently telling those close to him that he is lined up for greater things in Nyon.

  9. There is no reason for Celtic to be indentified in any way Sevco, they are a new club and anyone at Celtic who thinks it’s okay for us to be associated with Sevco in any way after the way they have started life hasn’t got a business brain in his head and would be as well as hitting the yellow brick road to see the Wizard of Oz..

     

     

    No to Sevco in any way shape or form..

     

     

    This chance may never come again nail the coffin shut and pronto..

  10. just making my christmas list and I think I’ll put Mackay-Stevens on it as a belated present.

     

     

    His trickery on one wing with mcgeoch or forrest (2 form three reallY) on the other could be the keys we need to these stoggy SPL defences!

  11. KevJungle12:28 on

     

    The huns broke away from us in the 1980′s/90′s re: Sponsorship.

     

    They went away with – McEwans

     

    We stayed with – CR Smith

     

     

    Kev,

     

    Not so much a break away … we were offered the same deal for McEwans as the FoD, we took the moral high ground that it was not appropriate to have kids walking about advertising alcohol.

     

     

    Unfortunately we left that high ground long ago … every man has his price….

     

    I was sorry our price was so low

     

     

    The Onlooker

  12. This KevJungle persona is boring.

     

     

    Bring back Declan: the thinking man’s hunposter. (thumbsup)

  13. “His trickery on one wing with mcgeoch or forrest (2 form three reallY) on the other could be the keys we need to these stoggy SPL defences!”

     

    =================================================

     

    Thats all we need two wingers getting in the way of 2 wing backs, wingers weaken our midfield, not enhance it. Two wingers means we only have 2 guys in midfield working.

  14. .

     

     

    VMhan..

     

     

    May Jack Martin Rest in Peace..

     

     

    Great Father and Son Memories of Celtic..Which you have Obviously passed on to Ryan and Johnny..

     

     

    Spoke to Ryan yesterday..Hopefully catch up with Him next week..

     

     

    I will text You over the Weekend..

     

     

    You are One of the Best on CQN.. We have Your Dad to thank for that..

     

     

    KTF..

     

     

    001

  15. ArranmoreBhoyLXV11 on

    Saint Vincent De Paul, Homeless Charities- etc on our shirts. It keeps as humble, grounded.

     

     

    Reminds us of our luck and good fortune to have food, health and homes ..

     

     

    Celtic founded on charitable traditions.

     

     

    Time to let the world know that since 1888 there has only been one decent team in Glasgow..

     

     

    HH

     

     

    is life not fantastic being a hoop?

     

     

    2 sleeps till Lisbon!!

     

     

    HH

  16. The Onlooker

     

     

    12:35 on 16 November, 2012

     

    ________________________________

     

    You see…that was in the days when we had Celtic men at the helm

     

    the despised – Kelly’s & White’s

     

    Now…the thing is…multi-millionaires/billionaires run our(lol) club.

     

    Financial sharks they may be but – Celtic men they are not.

     

    When will we ever know peace ?

  17. Greenwells Glory on

    Vmahn, Salve salve;-

     

    Sincere condolonces to you and your family on the loss of your father.

     

    May his soul and the souls of all the faithfull rest in peace.

     

     

    Paulis LXVII, Salve salve;-

     

    A nice article I remember that game vividly and whilst I have always thought that the praise showered upon young Dave was richly merited, I often think that there was an even better performance that night, colossal in fact. The performance I refer to was that of John Kennedy and it irks me to this day to think of brilliant carreer snuffed out by one of the most disgusting and cowardly tackles I have ever seen and this in a friendly playing for an association which has never really had Celtic to it’s heart. I hope his carreer as a coach is long and successful.

     

    Greenwells

     

    Optimum est pati quod emendare non possis

  18. The Onlooker – Not so much a break away … we were offered the same deal for McEwans as the FoD, we took the moral high ground that it was not appropriate to have kids walking about advertising alcohol.

     

     

    Unfortunately we left that high ground long ago … every man has his price….

     

     

    I don’t see what’s wrong with advertising booze. It’s a perfectly legal product that billions of people enjoy responsibly.

     

     

    Double glazing salesmen are far more sinister IMO.

     

     

    If you want to talk about unsavoury sponsors, I don’t think any football club should be advertising the services of Wonga or any “payday loans” company whose business model involves enticing the unsophisticated into further debt. (thumbsup)

  19. KevJungle – Yes, you must have “trolled” me with your chromosomally hilarious postings. (thumbsup)

  20. Disgraceful comment from our chairman about shirt sponsors and not having a say ,maybe he means as major shareholder DD decides

  21. vmhan

     

     

    Sincerest condolonces to you and yours on the sad passing of your father.

     

     

    YNWA.

     

     

    HH!!

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