On his third appearance back after injury, James Forrest pulled-up in the dying moments of Saturday’s game clutching his hamstring. The player will be devastated but the mood was no better among those walking away from the stadium minutes later. Just as James was back and planning for what looked like an important season in his Celtic career, fundamental questions were being asked about his fitness viability.
We’ve seen this before. Shaun Maloney was forever breaking down, sometimes minutes after returning from injury. Shaun was a different type of player from James, he had a speed on the turn which made him a valuable asset, but likely contributed to his fragility.
The other pace player in the squad at the moment, Derk Boerrigter, has similarly fragile muscles. I hear the same about Aleks Tonev, currently injured. One of England’s greatest hopes of the last 20 years, Michael Owen was another member of the Fast and Fragile club. There seems to be a link between speed and injury.
There’s good news for James, and Derk too. After leaving so many regrets on the Celtic treatment table, Shaun’s limbs matured and stabilised. Michael Owen can tell a similar story, both players found their bodies vastly more robust from the middle part of their careers onwards.
James has to stick with it, continue to work on strengthening his muscles, and try to find what’s causing the problems, which can often be obscure. After a run of inexplicable injuries, AC Milan discovered that poor teeth were afflicting their athletes. Apparently your bite affects your running gate. Owen eventually found that his choice of cars (more specifically, sports clutches), was putting enough regular strain on the wrong muscles to leave him exposed to tears.
James’ and Derk’s bodies will continue to mature, to the benefit of the second half of their careers.
Not that Ronny is short of cover for James, having signed wide players Jo Inge Berget and Aleks Tonev we now have Ghanian Walaso Mubarak going through a medical.
The squad is becoming wing-heavy. It remains striker-light.
Greatest Irony
Do you know what would produce the greatest irony in sporting history? If Efe Ambrose came on as a late substitute tomorrow night, and we later discovered a rule deep in Uefa’s Articles that forfeit matches don’t count for suspensions. Forfeit matches are so rare no one will be familiar with the rules concerning them. Should we check? Oh yes.
James Alexander Gordon
It was the way he told them. Every week the man would uniquely intone the football results, you knew the outcome of each game, home win, away win or draw, before he read second number.
Maestro Match
Really delighted Celtic FC Foundation have nominated Unicef and War Child as their beneficiaries from the Maestro match next month, where we will “assist in their humanitarian work in a number of current Middle East countries”.
Foundation cheif exec, Tony Hamilton, said, “From our living rooms we have all witnessed some of the terrible vivid horror of conflict in recent days and the particular effects that these events have had on children.
“The work of UNICEF and War Child takes no sides but simply cares for all the innocent victims of conflict on a humanitarian level. The match in September will bring together some great names in football who want to make a difference.
“We hope as many supporters as possible can join us to assist children and their families who so desperately need our help.”
I know Celtic fans will want to support this enormously important cause. Read more and book tickets here.
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HAIL HAIL
Bugger Bognor!
I really hope James can get sorted, he’s brilliant when fit.
Top 10?
KLV
1sttimer
First team
How you doing,BB?
When’s Londonbhoy due in Wiltshire?
I might be able to sort him suitable accommodation in Swindon. Youngish couple wi a spare room.
Not asked them yet,though!
Almost
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/90/Crosby,_Stills,_Nash_%26_Young_-_Deja_Vu.jpg
“For its a grand old team to have an option to play for’ – not ideal but makes sense in the current situation
Top 10??
Thats it I am taking up Dexter’s chant.
“What do we want?”
“Moderate investment!”
“When do we want it?”
“As soon as is reasonably practicable”
Wouldn’t it be great if we had taken Boerrighter, Rogic, Pukki and Balde on loan….
Paul67 – I am unsure if there are any exercises that can be done with somebody whose legs are clearly made of chocolate. Unless Mr W Wonka is on staff with a clutch of Oompa Loompa’s I think Jamesy better get used to languishing on the physio table. He should also be advised to stay away from direct heat sources as they will have a severe negative effect on his ability to permabulate
i see many on the blog are now praising our new strategy of only bringing in loan players……
Maybe Celtic should go the whole hog on this and adopt a strategy where you can pay to play for the club.
Its a winner for the club and a winner for those who pay.
Of course we wont win football games but that doesnt seem our objective in any case.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
it ‘s not londonbhoy88 (he’s my bhoy)
its the wife’s nephew
He seems to be sorted moving in 3 weeks more info when he settles we will be visiting the area will let you know when….
I’ll log off for 10 minutes whilst the kids fill up the 1st page with drivel.
BOGNORBHOY 1213
Indeed,bud.
Now,who sang ‘Here I Go Again’?
Also Graham Nash?
Spooky…
Soooooo how long is James out for?
In all honesty I’d look to cash in on Forrest , when fit we get a return of 1 IN 4 of a good game , not nearly good enough imo, Joe Miller springs to mind! !
BOGNORBHOY.
OOOOPS,got it wrong again!
Anyway,keep him well clear of me,bud.
I’ll only lead him astray. Gotta be disciplined in his job.
And if I was in his job,I would be disciplined quite regularly.
Here I Go Again was a massive Northern Soul hit for Archie Bell & The Drells.
Paul67
At 28 years of age I think Derk Boerrigter is already well into the second half of his career playing football.
It wouldn’t matter if Efe came on as a late substitute, by then its too late.
If he is included on the team sheet and he is suspended then we lose the tie 3 nil.
That’s what we have been saying for the last 10 days.
Be afraid Bhoys, be very afraid according to Bill McMurdo, SEVCO are back!
http://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/
When I was a kid and I’d get hurt while out playing, I’d run home crying and when I got back my mum would give me into trouble for getting hurt. Do you think it’s the same every time wee James gets hurt, does the manager shout at him for stupidly running about?
No?
So it was just me? Terrible, terrible childhood…
benjybhoy mul
12:22 on
19 August, 2014
Here I Go Again was a massive Northern Soul hit for Archie Bell & The Drells.
Here i go again also by Whitesnake …
prefer the the northern soul myself
PAUL67
Someone recently mentioned JF’s running style,which I think has also been mentioned before.
He runs like a shoplifter wi a frozen chicken doon his jooks.
Also his susceptibility to sciatica which I suggested is due to sitting on his wallet while driving-not a joke,btw.
Another point you mention is clutches. Now,a lot of our players may well be driving automatics but I’m of the opinion that the long and winding road to Lennoxtown is not helpful to our players.
I know how knackered I feel driving round some of the more rural areas where I live. And I don’t have to play football at full throttle afterwards.
PFayr,
It really is a circuitous argument.
We are in a relatively healthy financial situation, relative to our place in the football firmament.
The circuitous part is, what level of spending would have any material effect on the quality of player that we could attract and who would be willing to play in Scotland?
We don’t have the financial top up that exists down south, via television money.
However, we all know the situation and until the situation changes, we have to continue to cut our cloth.
It is too easy to back a spurious case with a throwaway, catch all phrase , like DD is not a football man.
He is not at Celtic to make money.
I think that what ails the support is anger.
Anger at what has been done to our game by the Huns and the organs of the State to facilitate them.
Many of us turn that anger towards our own club,being impotent to get at the SFA.
We can boycott the MSM and radio progs, but still buy tickets for SFA cup ties and Internationals.
Doesn’t make sense to me.
I see the rain’s off, so back to the Ol’ lawnmower.
Greenpinta
Building a team for the future is a thing of the past.
Depending on how good a player is the future is one year if really good, 2 years if becoming really good.
After that we depend on those guys who are not really good although capable of being so in the odd game to see out their contract and, for reasons of continuity we either keep him or if his performance level is starting to fade we sell or let go.
Players of potential are hoovered up by clubs with no money worries ( I mean clubs who do not worry about money as opposed to clubs with money).
So you get a scarcity, but if you cannot afford the inflated price a club with no money worries paid then taking on those players in an affordable fashion makes sense IF.
Now the IF is a biggie and that is you have a playing system in place which new players can quickly dovetail into. Like sharks teeth, one falls our and another takes its place.
In signing RD Celtic seem to be trying to install that kind of responsive to reality set up.
I say “seem” because that narrative fits what we are seeing, but I do wish Celtic could take a bit of time to set out their thinking so that we all knew the story.
We might not like it but at least we would know the story.
Only bring Efe on if we’re losing 4-0 or more, and forfeit the leg 3-0. Then win 4-0 at home. Easy.
KevinBhoy.
CQN Championship Fantasy Football
Week 1 Table (top 25 teams)
1. Champions Again – 81pts
2. BayernBruInterYerMaw – 79pts
3. Real osobad – 74pts
=3 CelticUnited – 74pts
5. Bridie Bhoys – 70pts
6. JustAnotherTimFc – 67pts
7. Supreme Mid-Tablares – 66pts
=7. Deila’s Lottery Pick – 66pts
=7. MELCHESTER ROVERS- 66pts
10. shuggles – 65pts
11. legia worseoff – 64pts
=11 JonnyRambo67 – 64pts
13. Catman’s Celts – 63pts
=13 Robbriquez Allstars – 63pts
=13 fed up winning – 63pts
=13 Left Wing Celts – 63pts
17. BrixtonBhoys – 62pts
=17 FC Galatico – 62pts
19. Lime FC – 61pts
=19 China Bhoys – 61pts
=19 Mal City – 61pts
=19 Sexual Chocolate – 61pts
=19 johnbhoy – 61pts
=19 Big Al’s All Stars – 61st
25 BocaBhoys – 60pts
For a full rundown of all 193 teams check out the full league table
http://fantasy.premierleague.com/my-leagues/123206/standings/?ls-page=1
Paul67
In regards to Efe being eligible, I was just thinking the same thing with the new loan signing that we are trying to rush in. It would be a great Irony if the Head of Registrations at the SFA (remember him) made a honest mistake with the paper-work then the new bhoy became ineligible to play and the error did not come to light until after the second leg !
THOMTHETHIM
Educational video for those who think we should continue to cut our cloth,as you suggest.
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8691414_make-tarzan-loin-cloth.html
BMCUW
re James’ running style – Lol lol lol
My own Sciatica was caused, in no small part, to keeping my wallet in my back pocket
I was also quite quick over 80m when is younger
I feel for the lad
Good idea re Efe…
Losing 0-3 away is about our average!
LOL…but not really. :-(
JAMES ALEXANDER GORDON RIP.
Back in the 90s ,I had an arrangement with a York City supporter who lived in Baltimore . I never met the guy but the arrangement was I made him cassette tapes of Studio One 45s and in exchange ,he made me tapes of C and Western 45s . Every tape he made me started and ended with a recording of James Alexander Gordon announcing –
York City 1-Arsenal 0.
An FA Cup thing.
Berget isn’t a winger in the traditional sense and Boerrigter and Forrest don’t even count as a full winger between them with the injuries they accumulate.
By my reckoning we will have 2 – Tonev and Wakaso with Derk and Forrest ther to supplement them if they can ever stay fit enough.
I’ve a good feeling about Tonev and Wakaso – they both have real genuine pace.