The No. 1 rule of the transfer window is: get your first choices, and there is no doubt that Ronny Deila wanted Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven. We’ve tracked them for months, Ronny will have watched both players many times, John Collins will have watched them more often, and the entire scouting team will have watched them dozens of times, so on that basis alone, I’m happy.
I spoke to someone at the club early last month and there was some concern that some of our key players would ‘Do a Kelvin’, and present as not in the right frame of mind to play, unless we agreed to a transfer. While we are still competing in four competitions this was a major worry, but those players who were wanted elsewhere were happy to get their heads down and work to the spirit as well as the letter of their contracts. Happy at this too.
Stuart Armstrong is every inch a Ronny Deila player. He can run all day, gets into the box to support – or go beyond – strikers, and closes space in front of the defence. He will allow us to play to plan a lot oftener.
Last summer’s window was characterised by the signing of wingers. Wakaso, Inge Berget and Tonev all arrived on loan, while Callum McGregor emerged as a first team contender on his return from loan, and during the early season outshone all of them. None of these players are now considered as first choice, nor is Derk Boerrigter, who was recruited from Ajax 18 months ago and has proven every adage that ever existed for oft-injured players.
So we’re not short of wingers, but we need good ones, and Gary Mackay-Steven is another known quantity. He is fast, skilful, and will lend a creative hand to Kris Commons, who had shouldered those duties alone for years.
I’ve no proper information on Michael Duffy, who joined the development squad from Derry City.
To paraphrase Neil Lennon, this is only the beginning. Of the 10 outfield players who started at Hampden on Sunday, only one was a Ronny Deila signing, the rest were recruited by one of his predecessors. The summer transfer window was overwhelmingly misconceived, as the regime change cast a shadow over processes. As well as the wasteful wingers, two strikers were signed, neither of whom could dislodge last January’s late stocking filler, Leigh Griffiths.
Mackay-Steven and Armstrong will both make an impact at Celtic, but it will take more than a couple of players to craft the squad into the image of Ronny. More work will be needed in the summer.
Hibs, Hearts, Queen of the South, Ross County, St Mirren, Motherwell, and the SFA will all be alarmed at the flagrant influence Mike Ashley exercised at newco Rangers yesterday, despite his written agreement not to get involved. While the SFA must react accordingly, I’m not sure five players whose appearances are measured in minutes, not games, are ready for a promotion fight. It can take good player months to settle into a new team, and the potential for disruption, especially if the ‘manager’ didn’t play an active role in the process, is considerable.
The upside for newco is that these players settle quickly, take a Premiership place off Hibs, Queens, Motherwell or St Mirren, and leave a lot of clubs wondering what the point of having rules in the first place is. The only appropriate sanction the SFA can levy is a player registration ban, which would be the club’s second in their short history. Clearly a one year ban is not long enough to teach them a lesson.
Whatever you think of Ashley, you have to admire him:
On the last day of the window, he has 5 unwanted Newcastle players he is unable to loan to anyone else.
Realising he had no takers, he sends them to Ibrox, easing the Newcastle payroll.
Newco pay the players with Ashley’s loan, which they still have to pay back. If his men are kicked out at an EGM, these loans mean the new regime have even more money to find. It’s almost as though he wants to burn through the entire £10m loan before the EGM, leaving a new regime with an empty bank account and crippling debt.
It is a thing of Machiavellian beauty. Hibs and the rest are right to be upset, and Stewart Regan will feel humiliated, but I find the whole episode hilarious.
Welcome to Celtic, Gary, Stuart and Michael.
Well done Celtic on a productive transfer window. As always, it’s too early to tell how well we’ve done, but the perennial adage of leaving the window stronger than we went into it seems assured. Well done Mike too, keep up the good work.
Start your League Cup final weekend at the CQN11 St Patrick’s Dinner, at the Kerrydale Suite, Celtic Park, on Friday 11 March. Email me for details, celticquicknews@gmail.com
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Exslaemuirbhoy….think Conor wickham played for 3 clubs.
.
.
Don’t think you can play for three in the one season
ExSlaemuirBhoy
Ben Arfa’s move to Nice from Newcastle got knocked back due to this by FIFA I think. I’m not sure if the SFA count U’21 games, that might be a loop-hole.
HH
thomthethim …
NEWcastle + sevCO = NEWCO
(but we all knew that already, didn’t we?)
I am hoping that bringing in 5 loan players from Newcastle to Ibrokes backfires on the Rangers.How do the players who are likely to lose there first team places to the loanees feel the dressing room could become a more troubled place.I think it could well work against the club but we will have to wait and see. H.H.
Regardless of any baiting or singing or shouting or gesturing that MAY have come from the bus.
.a 10yo boy sitting on the bus w hit by a bottle thrown into the bus …god..almighty….
ExSlaemuirBhoy.The Scottish football authorities have told the player that its ok in Scotland to play for 3 clubs.That is from the player on the STV News.Newco can do as they please. H.H.
Thanks guy’s , don’t think it will make any difference mind but how much help can that mob get, you could’ny embarrass thems
BGX
18:44 on
3 February, 2015
I could nt agree more
Joe Filippis Haircut
Correct. The team spirit must be at an all time low. Their manager doesn’t want to be there; they were actively trying to punt Shields, Law and Wallace and now 5 backpackers turn up from Geordie Land with their boots.
MagicinnitCSC
BGX
18:44 on 3 February, 2015
‘Regardless of any baiting or singing or shouting or gesturing that MAY have come from the bus.
.a 10yo boy sitting on the bus w hit by a bottle thrown into the bus …god..almighty….’
####
Incidents like this are part and parcel of the whole Old Firm experience.
At least no one died this time.
Maybe next time.
BGX @ 18.35 &18.44 hrs,
Totally agree,
HH.
JFH … the real issue is, I think, how much of their wages are being paid by Sevco, and how much is paid by Newcastle. But, regardless, I am seriously starting to question whether they are good enough (or care enough, more accurately) to win promotion this year (which, previously, I had thought was a certainty).
Ernie lynch..meaning?
Interesting article in the DR today about 16 men in court for offences related to Sunday’s game.
Seems sevco thrashed celtic in terms of keeping plod busy.
Unless you’re able to read between the lines of these things you’d never know that though….
No surprise that SA and GMS were asked negative questions by BBC Scotland. They were signing for Celtic after all.
Stuart Armstrong dealt with it well.
Robertressell,
Can’t disagree with you, i hope they find this thug and maybe the truth will prevail, my point is the half story,
poor journalism, for the sake of bad press for Celtic supporters. .
BGX
18:51 on 3 February, 2015
‘Ernie lynch..meaning?’
###
However appalled and disgusted people might be by this, no one is surprised. Not if they’re honest.
There have been much worse things happen at Old Firm games in the past and I suspect there will be much worse in the future.
It’s what makes the fixture special.
With all these loan signings for Sevco perhaps they are just finding their correct level, Newcastle reserves!
Hx2
JFH 18:43
Spot on. Those guys have spent 2.5 years going to all the far-flung corners of the country playing in front of two men and a hedge. No way they’ll be happy at losing their place to this bunch.
Don’t think I have heard a Celtic player say “transpired” during a presser before. Looks to me that SA is too intelligent for our team:-)
sunny calmachie
In 2007 after a game against the huns at Parkhead I’d gone for a drink in Lynn’s Bar, which is now the chip shop on the Gallowgate just up from Barrowfield, to meet a couple of folk who were over for the game.
About 10pm I left and tried to get a taxi back to Bar67. I stood outside for about 15 minutes but with no luck I decided to walk.
Up ahead I noticed a crowd of boisterous youngsters so diverted down onto Crownpoint Rd to avoid any sort of confrontation.
Just past Crownpoint Sports Centre I could hear someone singing a well known Irish rebel song and then saw a youngish guy in a Celtic top approach me on the opp
Ernie Lynch. Why should decent law abiding supporters have to accept this is part and parcel of the Old Firm Experience? My first point is there is no Old Firm secondly if the decent fans shop these idiots on both sides and they are dealt with by the courts it can be stopped. This code of honour that we wont shop a fellow fan is pure nonsense as it allows the nutters to do as they wish and drives decent fans away. H.H.
sunny calmachie
18:20 on 3 February, 2015
Don’t know what to make of it. Throwing a bottle indiscriminately into a crowded bus is a cowardly act. I remember coming home from a game against them. We had stopped to refuel and let some of the boys stretch their legs. As we were driving off a rangers fan opened the back door and attempted to throw a bottle in. Fortunately he missed and hit the door frame, and only succeeded in getting glass shards in his eyes.
The more worrying story was regarding the fan getting beat up and hospitalised. The victim’s wife was accusing Celtic fans for the attack. The article goes on to say her husband was not wearing any colours and neither were the attackers, but she is convinced they were Celtic fans? Just as well she’s not making unfounded accusations eh?
The rule is you can sign for 3 clubs in a season but can only play for 2.
That delahunt doesn’t even TRY to conceal his loathing of CELTIC ….bless him …hahahahaha
Sunny- agree mate. They don’t need much encouragement to denounce us. See my last post….
professor green
18:58 on 3 February, 2015
sunny calmachie
18:20 on 3 February, 2015
That’s ridiculous, but typical of our meeja…
Just watched GMS & Stuart Armstrong interviews with the press.
They actually talk and look like Celtic players.
No big headedness, brash claims, just a sense of genuine excitement at signing for us.
Seem like a couple of genuine laddies , keen to do well.
All good stuff
Joe Filippis Haircut
18:58 on 3 February, 2015
‘Ernie Lynch. Why should decent law abiding supporters have to accept this is part and parcel of the Old Firm Experience? My first point is there is no Old Firm secondly if the decent fans shop these idiots on both sides and they are dealt with by the courts it can be stopped. This code of honour that we wont shop a fellow fan is pure nonsense as it allows the nutters to do as they wish and drives decent fans away. H.H.’
###
Meanwhile, back in the real world.
Honestly …this site….no wonder the Huns call us the Offended…You know what, if you have a wife or a girlfriend and you go through her phone or email, chances are you will find something you dont like…thats what this place is like sometimes…enough things happen without going looking for them….does my head in…
Geordie munro@18:58
Let’s hope one has played for two already meaning one man on the books you can’t play haha
What’s transpireing ?
hamiltontim
18:57 on 3 February, 2015
Come on HT, what happened next!
Don’t leave a cliffhanging ending!O:-)
Both STV sport and BBC sport lead with a negative slant on the SA and GMS signings.
Transparent, and pathetic.
Prestonpans,
I don’t think the guy Streete has unfortunately.
I say unfortunately, I don’t really give a flying funk about them at the moment
HH
anyone know what happended to HT after that big cliff hanger ………….
and in the eastenders as well …………..
dun dun dun dun dun
DUN DUN
dun dun dun dun dun
dun dun
ernie lynch. In your real world things can never change we must accept people being injured and even murdered for supporting a particular football team.I just happen to beleive there are many more decent fans on both sides of the divide and if they decide not to hide the nutters things can be improved. H.H.