We seem to have a lot of forwards. Stokes, Pukki, Balde, new recruit Fridjonsson, and on-loan, Atajic and Watt, while Georgios may yet stay beyond the summer. That’s six under contract for the Champions League qualifiers, not counting Sweden’s ‘next Henrik Larsson’, who is likely to move on soon.
Quantity is one thing but cost is just as important, only Samaras and Pukki are likely to be on wages competitive with some of the richer leagues in Europe, so the actual spend on forwards is likely to be considerably less than on defence or midfield. The manager is likely to be operating within budget for this area of the team.
What we’re missing is an on-form striker who is capable of embarrassing St Johnstone and Inverness’s finest with their goals-to-games ratio, not to mention our own free-wheeling creative-mid. Gone are the days Celtic strikers stats are dismissed as a mere by-product of the sheer volume of chances they are presented with. Without a class act up front, the squad is unbalanced.
There was a note of disappointment in Neil Lennon’s voice when he spoke of missing a potential signing last week. I’m almost certain we’ll sign a striker this week but if he’s more of a hunch than a certified target we’re wasting our money. Hunch signings are fine but you can only give space to so many in any one season. We’ve made our low-cost gambles up front, and there is never a time for a high-cost uncertified gamble.
Celtic have a bit of money burning a hole in their pocket earning 15% interest from the Co-op Bank at the moment. The desire to spend it, from chief exec, to manager, to scouts and all other influencers will be practically unstoppable, which is why I’m so sure we’ll sign someone. Time will tell if we experience buyers regret.
Reminder to everyone who booked tickets for the CQteN St Patrick’s Day Dinner that they have to be paid by 31 January. Let me know if you can’t find details, celticquicknews@gmail.com
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geordie munro
11:20 on 28 January, 2014
Td 67
And what about the kick on poor wee eyal?
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Those things go on all the time at training, a wee love tap on the napper, nae big deal.
tonydonnelly67
10:50 on 28 January, 2014
Will you behave yourself……..hahahahahaha
Cheers Tone
HH
I can’t believe the uproar about Leigh Griffiths, Scott McDonald was welcomed with open arms and he gave us one of the worse days of our footballing lives, I can still picture the little (please insert your own euphemism/pleasantry) running away after scoring the second goal, with his arms touching the sky, massive euphoria on his face and running up towards Butcher…..it’s a funny old world being a Celtic fan
LG’s, 28 goals with Hibs. One thing is for sure, -1,-2,-3,-4. very much on in every SPFL match until the end of the season if he arrives. He scores good goals but also picks up scraps from no where.
http://youtu.be/mWt1BNHnRc4
Is Neil just sending the MSM a warbler ?……wouldn’t put it past him, or PL..hahahahaha
gerryguk7
11:24 on 28 January, 2014
Will Griffiths give us a significantly better chance of UCL qualification? No.
Is he significantly better than what we have? No.
Is he being signed at a sufficiently low financial outlay that he is low risk? No.
Is he going to increase in value and be sold on for profit? Highly unlikely.
With all that in mind, why bother signing him. Keep the powder dry for someone who ticks at least one of the boxes above. This is the signing we can make, rather than the one we need to make.
If he signes I will give him my full support, and would love to be proved wrong, but I’ve never been more downbeat about a possible Celtic signing than I am about this one.
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All of the questions above could have been asked regarding , McDonald, and Hooper, .
Lighten up, only time will tell, you don’t know, and neither does anyone else, HH
67heaven … i am neil lennon, supporting wee oscar..!!.. ibrox belongs to the creditors
11:27 on 28 January, 2014
tonydonnelly67
10:50 on 28 January, 2014
Will you behave yourself……..hahahahahaha
———————
Hehehe
If Griffiths does sign for Celtic he must avoid Edinburgh. He would be better moving out to Livingston where he started his career or somewhere near his team mates in Glasgow or the surounding area. The treatment he got from the jambos was disgusting. If you lived and worked with these people you would know what I mean. Absolutely obssessed by Griffiths or the thumb as they childishly call him. The boy is a superb player. No doubt about it. His baggage has been discussed at length. Are we naive enough to believe that in the past before the internet we have not had players with similar behavoiurs maybe even worse?
The modern footballer can be prone to these sorts of mistakes and he is a young lad and has made plenty. He has had to put up with a lot of provacation. I have covered these in an earlier post but the way they were reported in the press were not always the way they actually happened.
He has 4 kids to 3 women. Hardly ideal but he could have been honey trapped. Who knows? He has been slightly stupid.
There are a lot worse out there.
Ribery has recently been nominated for world player of the year and is awaiting the completion of a court case for hiring an under age hooker. Not sure many teams would not want to sign him if the money was right.
It’s funny that nobody talks about Wayne Rooney’s baggage. The guy has been a disaster off the pitch but Man Utd’s PR machine have kept the majority out the news. I believe what has come out about him with ageing women is only the tip of the iceberg.
The blue eyed boy at Man Utd – Ryan Giggs was also up to no good and again he has managed to all but erase it from the press as quickly as it surfaced. You can see the power certain clubs can weild in the media.
Hibernian didn’t have that luxury in Edinburgh. There were two establishment clubs in Scotland. One in the west of the central belt and one in the east. Hearts are the establishement club in Edinburgh. Look at the press for Riordan, O’Connor, Griffiths etc and then compare it with Hearts players.
Edinburgh is a village. People I know tell me all sorts about footballers in Edinburgh. There has been as much done on one side as there has the other. Hearts get a slightly easier ride from the press though. They always have. The first minister and a few other infulencial people are fans of the club. Hibs however are a peoples club and don’t get the leniency in the press.
We know all about the private life of Leigh Griffiths. It’s plastered all over the place. We know a lot about his football ability too. He can score goals. He can take a set piece. he has a will to win. The lad gets stuck in. He is decent in the air for his height. He is also a bit rough round the edges. He is not the finished article. The lad needs coaching on the pitch and guidance of it.
Is he a risk? Yes
They are all risks.
Is he capable fo scoring goals? Yes
We know he can score against every team in Scotland.
Will he score more than Samaras and Stokes? Maybe
The record of our two forwards this season has been poor.
He is not a foreign player who will take time to settle. He is in the Barry Robson mould. he will come in and hit the ground running. What does this mean for Pukki and Balde? I’m not sure but Samaras will probably go if Leigh comes in. I think Neil is resigned to him leaving.
I think Puki and balde will stay. I see Pukki as a midfield to forward player anyway. He may be able to play wide. An option considering Derk looks like being a constant in the treatment room.
Griffith’s is not to everyone’s taste but you must remember the mind set and the behaviour of the modern footballer. We can guide him and hope he calms down off the pitch. I believe he has recently but he is not that different to other footballers his age. he has got girls pregnant and taken reponsibility. There are many players who would not do the same.
The lad is not perfect but in the current football world who is? Depends on who their press man is what you get to hear about.
LB
If LG signs there’s going to be some fight to take the free kicks from 30 yards in. We’ve already got Mulgrew and Commons arguing over them, Stokes wanting a shot at them and now VVD smashing in as good a free kick as we’ve seen since Naka’s v Man U.
Kayal,
There should be no arguments over fk’s after what I witnessed on Sunday.
Well at least not the ones taken from that area if the field.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS ………FC not PLC
Yer phone is constantly engaged :))
isacsc
Hamiltontim. That is the first time that I can recall you saying you will support Leigh Griffiths if he signs for us. Now as I have said you are entitled to your point of view as much as I am to mine and I agree we should move on and wait and see what happens. H.H.
Gerryguk7. Better than anything we have???? We have zero goalscoring strikers None of our strikers had a history of scoring goals before they came. LG has a history of scoring goals
Keep our powder dry!! PL will not release funds to NL for that
It’s LG or nothing. Balance sheet comes 1st
GM
Working Leven, digs in Glenrothes.
Kayal
Thanks
SydneyTim
We could pay £6m+ and £40k a week plus for a guy who thinks it’s funny to spit on a man who is doing his job.
LG is not perfect but he is at least man enough to admit his mistakes and apologise for them.
LB
Griffiths not only scored his goals at Hibs but he had to retrieve the ball and make his own goals. At Celtic he will not need to do the hard work. I reckon he will score 30+ in domestic games.
DD,
I’m sure the lochgelly bus starts in glenrothes.
Depends on when you get finished though I spose.
Griffiths. I haven’t the foggiest idea what crime, or indiscretion the guy has committed,but I watched him a few times for Hibs last year and he was a player that I wished Celtic had on their books.
And I still think that.
And all the goody goodies on here need to get a grip,Celtic are a football team and strive to get the best into the club,Grriffiths will do for me,get him signed now.
JFH
I posted last night mate that if he signs I’ll give him the same level of support that anyone wearing the hoops deserves.
A good point has been made by a few people that maybe, just maybe, Celtic is the place to rehabilitate the boy. I sincerely hope that they’re correct but I’ll always be of the opinion that we shouldn’t have been near him.
HH mate
martim1980
11:30 on 28 January, 2014
The boy is a goalscorer
CultsBhoy
I don’t see the lad changing his game.
Henrik broke his leg tackling back in the full back area. That was his style.
If Griffiths is signed we should not try and change his style.
Just give the lad a jersey and let him play.
I’m not convinced he is the right fit for Celtic but I expect this deal to happen so we may as well look forwa to him coming to Paradise.
LB
OldTim67
I think I preferred it when your computer wiznae working ya oul tart :-)
LiviBhoy –
that was a good insight last night, very well put.
I loved this line though,
“We are in the business of football not the training of saints”
keep it lit.
oldtim67
11:44 on 28 January, 2014Griffiths. I haven’t the foggiest idea what crime, or indiscretion the guy has committed,but I watched him a few times for Hibs last year and he was a player that I wished Celtic had on their books.And I still think that.And all the goody goodies on here need to get a grip,Celtic are a football team and strive to get the best into the club,Grriffiths will do for me,get him signed now.
Correct, my sentiments exactly
HH
I know, I hope I am wrong. I had been hoping for something a bit more exciting. We’ve made an absolute fortune from UCL and particularly Wanyama sale.
I appreciate finding a quality player for a wee bit more money within our wage structure is very difficult, but if it’s not possible why bother with Griffiths like signings, why not just persevere with Fridjohnssen, Atajic et al and keep the money. Leigh Griffiths, even when he played well against us, always struck me as a good HIbs player. I reckon it’s another Riordan, hope I’m wrong.
You never really know with players. I remember way back being happy with the signing of John Hewitt and he didn`t do much. Kenny Miller caused a fuss on CQN when he signed and now it`s Griffiths. If Neil wants him…..
GM
Thanks, but will finish 7 at the earliest. Might drive through if not on TV.
Saint Stivs
I’m not sure if you liked that line or not. I have a tendency to ramble and rant at times. I don’t usually post in the evening but felt I had to with some of the comments on LG.
I was actually waiting for someone to start a chant of crucify him!
I think we have to get used to the fact he is coming to Celtic. You can be negative or you can be positive but I would put a hefty wedge on him being in a Celtic shirt before the window closes.
LB
Livibhoy
Great post, also reminds me of another wee welsh lad that played with us, he also had the to much baggage tag too, was world class for us, left, and still speaks of the love he has for this club and how they turned his whole game round, Bellamy was that young mans name, and the only stain in his character up here was when he fell to his knees, and clasped his hands together, after scoring a wonder goal against thems, and that is why the SMSM don’t want Grithiffs with us, he has the potential make no mistake about that, think about this? Imagine thems want to sign Grithiffs , I rest my case, lurking MSM AND HUNS,GIRUYs.
We need more Scots in the team that came up through the youth ranks of a Scottish club.
gerryguk7
11:24 on 28 January, 2014
‘Is he going to increase in value and be sold on for profit? Highly unlikely.’
###
The fact that we are being linked to Griffith, and also perhaps Snodgrass, two players we could have got for modest amounts before they left Scotland, suggests something has gone badly wrong with our forward planning, or there has been a major rethink in our approach to the transfer market.
gerryguk7
There was no guarantee Wanyama would be a success. He could have been another N’Guemo. If we can get LG for less than £1m every team in Scotland will be gutted to see him return. That tells you all you need to know about his ability.
His off the field antics can be managed and he will get guidance. Our captain should be the ideal candidate for that. He is no saint himself.
LB
weeminger
11:52 on 28 January, 2014
‘We need more Scots in the team that came up through the youth ranks of a Scottish club.’
###
Why?
DD,
No probs.
I’m pretty sure it’s not on the box. I’ll be making the drive.
My friends in Celtic,
Depressing to read of the intolerance and lack of forgiveness from some on here.
Do we really have such short memories that we can be so judgemental?. We now have a proud anti racism ethos, but as stated last night it was not always so.
We have evolved and yes in general we have forgiven ourselves,learned from our shameful behaviour and taken appropriate action :-
“The formation of TÁL and Celtic Fans Against Fascism was really the culmination of our reaction against the racism of our own supporters towards Rangers’ signing of the Black English player Mark Walters in the late 1980s. In the first game that Walters played for Rangers at Celtic Park, many of our fans made monkey chants and threw bananas on to the trackside. That day was one of the most depressing for the militant anti-fascists and republicans among our support.
Let us condemn LG on football matters or on-going baggage, not on the basis of an unacceptable tweet of which he has admitted his unacceptable act and apologised for it.
To move forward we must remember our past. Not selectively but inclusively.
HH.
hypocrisyisrifecsc
JoeFilippishaircut/ Anyone else,
“you are entitled to your point of view as much as I am to mine”
Would you care to tell me why `everyone` is entitled to their view?
JJ
Hamiltontim.
Do you know that Celtic were interested in signing Lionel Messi,but the discussion in the board room last night was that they couldn’t go for Messi now because he’s embroiled in a tax avoidance case nd that astute Celtic supporter called Hammie Tim would moan and moan and groan about us signing a tax dodger,it’s not worth the hassle.