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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Before I head out to walk the dog. I’m still looking for copies of newspaper articles like this one
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/AvP2OC-CIAA9Gxb.jpg
HH
MURDOCHAULDANDHAY
Good news,anything which helps get rid of zero-hour contracts is a winner in my book.
pedrocaravanachio67
21:45 on
3 February, 2015
murdochauldandhay & wee oscar
Awe right auld yin :-)
Don’t know if u seen my post last week? BMCUWP’s is up in march and we’ve arranged for a wee curry n beer night in oor toon. March 19th.
No firm arrangements yet, but was hopin yourself, Catman and Saltires could join us also ( and anyone else in the vicinity ).
BMCUWP’s will probably bring some Ayrshire hauners :-)
—————————————————————————————————-
Yip pedro seen your post, be definitely up for that in ooor wee toon
i’l bring some hauners fae howwood rd :)
Yip seen your post definitely be up for that in our wee toon
Kojo
Howdy pardner!
I think that Stuart Armstrong’s arrival spells the end for Anthony Stokes as a first pick.
In Ronny Dee I Trust.
Catman
Not been in ( well once ), prefer ma beer withoot the smell of pee in ma nose :-)
When’s the hotel openin?
Naw, I got them thru Jimmynotpaul’s bhoy ( Cumbernauld bus ), got 1 more today for ACGR, but I think that well is dry noo…….sorry.
Whit aboot the curry n beer night?
DELANEYS DUNKY
Who will take the corners then?
BGX 2152-
That’s true I suppose. Its annoying though. It must be murder being a footballer or famous person nowadays, can`t move for folk wanting selfies etc with you everywhere you go or filming you without your knowledge/ permission.
PEDROCARAVANACHIO67
My,yer gey picky. I take it the bothies in Kilbirnie didn’t see much of you?
BMCUW
Craig Gordon.
TGBS….totally agree mate..must do peoples head …
Hope Ashley loses his zero contract case not because it’s him,anyone who tries to implement these contracts should be hung out to dry…..
Pedro
Not sure if I am home that week, If I am I will be up for it. Not sure about hanging about with Howwood Rd bhoys. :-))
Maybe Saint Stivs could look out his Bishy passport and join the fun
HH
Harper Lee Wallace – ” To Kill A Promising Football Career”.
I have the Sun from 12th Feb in my drawer at work.
Forgot I had it but my kid found it when in dong work experience
He Thought it a hoot.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Barrach Obampot
21:53 on
3 February, 2015
Before I head out to walk the dog. I’m still looking for copies of newspaper articles like this one
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/AvP2OC-CIAA9Gxb.jpg
HH
12th ??? was it the 14th Feb 2012
FrannyB
Are these 5 Tyneclyde starlets on zero hours contracts at Doomdome???
DELANEYSDUNKY
No,mate. Zero honours contract for them.
Have to agree regarding the bbc Absolute shower. Send 2 emails regarding the sectarian singing. The 2nd email was Monday morning. Still a bit drunk. Chose words carefully but finished with zombies and hail hail. Made me feel better anyway.
the glorious balance sheet- a bad symptom of modern life i suppose,the recent bin lorry crash had people filming on their phone,rather than going to help.
Paul67,
A good article.
I like when we sign our priority targets.
Ronny and Johnny obviously wanted these young lads, and it looks like they are over the Moon to join.
Very Good days are ahead for Celtic, IMHO. The best thing is, they are unlikely to want to leave, if they develop into good Champions League level players.
Needs must and all that but it is a real shame seeing such incredible players we have had, sold on.
Delaneys D,
If theres not enough tickets going for the 4, then you and Gordybhoy grab them and jump on a Supporters Bus. The wee chap can be in with the rebels at a later date. ;))
Ronny Deila done a treble treble Sunday.
winners.CSC
Totally sickened with the news of the poor Jordanian pilot being burned to death by ISIS. The world must surely wipe this mob of butchers out, if not, we are wasting our taxes on paying for our “wonderful” protection of the free world. No one is kidding me that the high heed yins don’t know where they are. Fkn do them, finito. Sickenedcsc.
Cot time for me with a heavy heart. So sad.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Twitter saying the coppers have got the bottle that hit the kid ..fingerprints?..
BMCUW
Haha. The best play with words are always the true ones.
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
21:44 on 3 February, 2015
Mah 21.33
Get into him!!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“The Parable of the Tenants – “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in.”
Superb.
Truman Capote wrote “To kill a mocking ” allegedly
Italian media stating that these have been added to Inter’ s Europa League Squad-
Shaqiri
Santon
Puscas.
Some surprise that it’ s Shaqiri and not Podolski but some pundits have opined that Podolski’ s dire performance v Sassuolo was the clincher.
Puscas is an interesting selection. 18 yr old Romanian No 9.Good scoring record for the Under 21s.Lumbered with a ” Romanian Benzema ” tag.
Truman Capote wrote “To kill a mocking Bird ” allegedly
Auldheid
If you are lurking…
Saw your comment from last night later today.
Found the reference on TSFM so thanks, and I also noticed that some others made the same type of point.
Hit & run posting is what I resort to when reading back amounts to many pages. :o)
HH
jc2@22:05
brilliant. can you pas it on to leftclicktic, Lennybhoy or CRC and they can send it on to me. If that’s a hassle, I’ll give you my details via Paul67
anybody got the Daily Record or Herald the day the ranjurs died?
HH
Just catching up with today’s blog
Charlie nick saying pedestrian but meaning pedantic is my favourite charlieism. However, merson makes nicholas sound like the all time mastermind champion.
Terrible news thay sky will be showing the open championship from 2017. They will ruin that like they have done with english football and ripping scots sports fans off by not investing in our football.
Petec
I am keeping faith for 4. ☺
BMCUWP’s
The wee pub in howwood makes the Glendale look ( and smell ) like the ritz :-)
Delaneys Dunky
22:17 on 3 February, 2015
Petec
I am keeping faith for 4. ☺
________________________
The Lord has a great sense of Humour, Minty for sure my last comment, taken way out of context of course. ;))
ΑΩ.csc
Catman
Would be good to meet the legned that is saint stivs…….although he’s no got a good word to say aboot the place, we’d need tae smuggle him in and oot.
I wont post a link but the latest rablings from the RST just released tonight is actually scary. They are so deluded it’s not even funny anymore.
barrach obampot
22:16 on 3 February, 2015
jc2:
You can get me at lennybhoycfc@gmail.com
Keep the Faith!
Hail hail!
eddie
Please post. :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
MurdochauldandHay & Wee Oscar
22:15 on
3 February, 2015
Truman Capote wrote “To kill a mocking Bird ” allegedly
—————————————–
Alleged by Capote’s biological father well after his son’s death. Refuted by Harper Lee’s editor at the publisher who produced various correspondence between themselves and Lee over the course of the book’s being written. Sounds like someone trying to make a claim for money to me..