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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Lennybhoy
you are a gent sir
HH
Aye go on Eddie…..
Post it.
Delaneys Dunky
Hiya. palomine..
Delighted, tae read yer response…as evah.
Yes, You could be oan tae Somethin..there..
Anthony, has me guessin..
“Dae Ah like Him..or.. Dae Ah Detest Hm?”
Ach.. A must admit..
He leaves me oan the Horns of a Dilemma..
He is…Like the Fabled. Unreliable Water Heater..
He Sometimes kin run.. Awfy Hot..n.. well..at ither Times…he Kin run..awfy Cauld,
Ah jist Hate that,.. Don’t YOU?
But.. Ah sincerely believe ..
Gary Stevans wull be the Nemesis.. who may Bring…Stokesy Doon.
Unless, Stokesy kin find a Good Plumber..who kin solve his Inconsistency.
But, Ah am no ruling oot yer Opinion ..that Armstrong is Stokesy Possible Replacement
It is early doors.. N.. we Wull tak a wee while tae Get a Realistic Read oan how
eethur of the Newsome Twosome, wull Turn oot..
Wull they be .. Two Pluses.. A Plus n A Minus..or… Two Minuses..
Right noo…we ur …jist.. relishing the Fact that
Peter n Co..hiv..brought in.. well
Somebuddy..
Like awe Fans.. we Hope fur the best..
But.. like..the Poet shoulda Wrote..( but, Didnae..ed)
“The well Laid Plans of Mice…n..CELTIC..Gang aft Agley.. oan the Wey tae
the Theater.”
Nice Chattin’, Pal ..as alwiz.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas
To be fair Sky’s coverage of major sports events is great. It was inevitable that they would get The Open eventually. I enjoy watching it on the BBC but over the last few years the coverage has got bit tedious and in need of modernisation. The problem being that it’s the only big golf tournament they broadcast so they don’t really have the infrastructure or technology to match Sky. But of course it’s all about cash these days it’s the way of the world.
PEDROCARAVANACHIO67
Jee-zoh,that bad?
Thanks for the tip-off. I’ll remember not to accidentally get off at Howwood and go for a pint while I wait for the next train.
NATKNOW
To Kill a Mockingbird took about three years to rewrite and edit. I expect there was a lot of correspondence to draw on!
Good Celtic man Jim Plunkett was laid to rest out of St Patricks Coatbridge today.
Fr Sweeney spoke very highly of Jim who was a very active member of the parish till ill health took its grip 2 years ago.
Please remember Jim in your prayers.
Pedro
Nothing wrong with the wee pub, just stand near the door. Always good on a Sunday afternoon.
Hope to be at the curry and beer gig in March
Kojo
Lennie in Mice and Men, worried me as a glesga schoolbhoy reader.
Stuart Armstrong is the real deal amigo.
The timreaper, i agree sky were bound to get the open eventually but i wish some organisers would tell sky to get lost but it is highly unlikely due to the cash inducements they can offer.
RST Statement on Old Firm Violence
3rd February 2015
The Rangers Supporters Trust (RST) is extremely concerned at some of the incidents surrounding the Old Firm game at the weekend. We spoke last week about our fears that certain elements in the Celtic support were using the internet to raise sectarian tension ahead of the fixture. Sadly our concerns appear to have been well founded.
First of all, we would like an explanation of how the Green Brigade were once again allowed to bring an offensive, sectarian banner into the game? This group has previous for openly supporting Irish Republican terrorism, disrupting Remembrance Day, and overt sectarian behaviour. If a Rangers fan group consistently disgraced our club with offensive, sectarian banners, we would expect the club to take decisive action. Not only does Celtic Football Club tolerate the Green Brigade, they encourage them and facilitate their displays.
The use of the term “Hun” on the banner in question, despite some apologists in Scottish politics and the media playing down its significance, is clearly sectarian. Its origins in Northern Ireland are well known. All anti sectarian charities acknowledge that it is a sectarian term. We will not accept it as ‘banter’. Furthermore, the use of the term “monkeys” to describe Rangers fans on another Green Brigade banner has clear parallels with historic racist language.
The purpose of the terms used by the Green Brigade – “monkeys” and “huns” – is to dehumanise Rangers fans.
In addition to the Green Brigade, we highlighted the likes of Phil MacGiollabhain, Angela Haggerty and others using dehumanising language online ahead of the fixture. Rangers fans are described regularly as “the klan”, references are made to “Stalag Sevco” and “fascists”. Again the clear purpose is to characterise Rangers fans as less than human or liken them to the worst elements of humanity – in other words, fair game for the hard of thinking who the writers seek to, and in some cases successfully, influence.
The effect of this is clear. A ten year old Rangers fan bottled by Celtic fans who forced their way onto a Rangers supporters’ bus. Another Rangers fan assaulted outside a pub by Celtic fans and hospitalised with possible brain damage. Nacho Novo once again threatened online. Curiously, instead of accurate media reporting, we see some outlets refer to the perpetrators as “rival fans”.
It is quite clear that a minority of morons in the Celtic support are listening to, and acting on, the bile churned out by MacGiollabhain, Haggerty and the Green Brigade.
Instead of ineffective legislation which produces inconsistent and at times bizarre outcomes, the Scottish government should be educating the next generation of Old Firm fans on why sectarianism is not acceptable. In addition, they should be clamping down on the online hate campaign waged by certain individuals and dealing with the type of organised, premeditated sectarianism perpetrated by groups like the Green Brigade.
The overwhelming majority of Old Firm fans, and indeed all Scottish football fans, are decent people who love their club. They are often targeted for disgraceful treatment and demonised whilst the real culprits are ignored. We thank the Celtic fan who started a collection for the young Rangers fan attacked at the weekend. We hope his club and the police will start to take the actions of online hate-mongers and the disgraceful, sectarian Green Brigade seriously and belatedly deal with them.
Haven’t been on here to comment on Sunday, so here goes.
I thought we were excellent, totally controlled the game and kept another clean sheet.
I have been a staunch critic of Ronny D, but I must praise him for recognising the most important thing on Sunday was to progress.
Sometimes it is important to get the job done, and flair comes afterwards.
If we had adopted that approach earlier, Imho, we would still be in CL
I also have to praise the players, particularly for their upper body strength, which will be vital against Milan. Anytime on Sunday that two guys of supposed similar builds went for the ball, our guy won & often it was upper body strength that won the duel.
One final one, Paul 67 makes a reference to players possibly ‘ doing a Kelvin’ .
I assume he was concerned about VVD, but text implies Paul was thinking of others.
I am discounting Kris C , Any ideas ?
eddieinkirkmichael
22:21 on 3 February, 2015
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I always skip by the offerings from the rangers sites. It’s a No from me.
Jim Plunkett RIP. Very sad.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
22:30 on
3 February, 2015
NATKNOW
To Kill a Mockingbird took about three years to rewrite and edit. I expect there was a lot of correspondence to draw on!
—————————————————
Indeed! Have you seen the Capote film? I fair enjoyed it. Might watch it again in fact…!
RST????
Eddie
I wish u hadnae posted that :-)
Sevco supporters trust
Any word re the scum who threw the bottle at that wee boy??
If Capote had penned it……….
his title……….?
“To Kill A Mocking Bird – In Cold Blood!”
Fanciful CSC.
NATKNOW
I haven’t,tbh. I’ll look out for it in the future though.
Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas
I take your point about Sky not investing in our game. I agree they could do more but when you think about the fact that the SPFL does not even have a sponsor you have to ask how well is the deal being negotiated, if at all. It might even be a case of holding out the begging bowl. If BT Sport can emerge as a force we might benefit with a better deal.
Catman
I know, I jest, the wee pubs fine, just no had opportunity to get in and going to be off the sauce for lent ( apart from 3 days…( 2 @ Cheltenham and the curry night ) so probably no be in for a while.
EDDIEINKIRKMICHAEL
At least they’ve removed PAUL67 and CQN from their hate list!
pedrocaravanachio67
22:25 on 3 February, 2015
Aye go on Eddie…..
Post it.
———————————————–
You goaded me into it ;)
Just opened my emails to find the following reply from Mr Fleming.
The field of play is the responsibility of Hampden Public Limited (HPL)
and therefore all questions should be addressed to them regarding the
field of play.
The Compliance officer has indeed been made aware of the tackle you
speak of.
In my opinion both Mr Mclean and Mr Thomson performed well in their
respective matches and I seldom judge Scottish referee or any referee
for that matter on comments made by football pundits.
Guess that means nothing to be done about it. Go to the back of the bus.
Petec,
I am happy travelling to Dundee without a ticket,
and will take my chances when I get there,
don’t want to take a ticket from you,
I was last to throw my hat into the ring
Jude
I hope he gets dealt with by Celtic supporters before the polis jail him. Scumbag coward.
Is thur Anywan..oot there..
Who..
has seen.. Michael Duffy ..Play fur his Team..in Derry..
there must be.. wan oot there, who has watched the Laddie,in the flesh.
Ah am told that he is a Real Solid Prospect..
Let’s Hear fae ye..
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
RIP Jim Plunkett..
thetimreaper
22:40 on 3 February, 2015
Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas
I take your point about Sky not investing in our game. I agree they could do more but when you think about the fact that the SPFL does not even have a sponsor you have to ask how well is the deal being negotiated, if at all. It might even be a case of holding out the begging bowl. If BT Sport can emerge as a force we might benefit with a better deal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is ridiculous that the SPFL doesn’t have a sponsor but the man Presiding over this disaster is not sacked.
Why, even with this ludicrous misconception, that Scottish Fitba needs A, B or C Rangers, was there not a Short term deal for the Clubs. And to think this piece of excrement earns a Kings ransom when Most Scottish fitba fans earn an absolute pittance in comparison.
Annoyed, isnae the feckin word.
Eddie
Oh aye it’s ma fault ;-)
Eddieinkirkmichael
Shameful article from RST
Disingenuous rabble rousing
Sorry ghuys I’m off the blog now. Please support any nation that will stand up to these barbaric bastards (sorry Paul) and put them to the sword. ISIS MUST be wiped off the face of the earth, or we all are threatened. The older posters on here, like me, will remember the Nazi threat, which wiznae really there. Well ma maw told me. Pay attention UK. These guys mean business, big time. STOP THEM NOW. KTF.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
gordybhoy64
22:43 on 3 February, 2015
Petec,
I am happy travelling to Dundee without a ticket,
and will take my chances when I get there,
don’t want to take a ticket from you,
I was last to throw my hat into the ring
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yer a Good Man, If there are only 2 tickets, it is best you and the G-Thang goes.
Hopefully there are 4.
;)
Jim Plunkett
R I P. Y N W A. You were a fine man!!!
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
—-
Barrach Obampot,
I hope the teacher on that front cover is a Tim :)
Jim plunkett RIP
cot time
GNGB