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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Id also strongly suggest.
The blues according to lightning hopkins, you can catch it on you tube for free.
You love the blues…listen to that old dude play.
Genius
HH
Two things please.
1 Is it just me getting an Ibiza mag in P67s bit instead of CQN mag?
2 Now that the parasites at SKY have created SKY 5 and put all the euro stuff there, my BT subscription is devalued. This isnt coincidental. So what do I have to do to see max no of Celtic matches at home ans Euro plus EPL stuff? I have BT broadband and tv plus Sky 1 and 2. Advice appreciated. Thanks.
In Ronny we trust.
Greenpinta
I reckon we should bring in 7 loaned wingers and play them all, that will confuse and the opposition (and us).
:-)
HH
CRC
neil young. powderfinger…..big johns been drinking since the river took emy lou. hard to beat
We sure love “four strong winds” here in Alberta. Ian Tyson does it well too. He sang it at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Alberta.
TBM
Every Time You Go Away – you take a piece of meat with you?
Jamesgang
2 best songs of the 90s for me: Lucky (Radiohead)
Now My Heart Is Full (Morrissey)
In Bloom (Nirvana)
3 best songs of the 90s for me . . . . . . . .
NY best. Country Girl Medley from Deja Vu.
What’s the hold up with the signing of Wakaso. Has Sandy Bryson phoned in and taken a “duvet day”?
It’s like deja vu everytime somebody mentions Neil Young.
TheBarcaMole
Very apt and funny.
:o)
‘Four strong winds’ was written by fellow Canadian Ian Tyson and influenced NY in the early 60s.
It was the best song he had ever heard, which he later recorded.
HH!!
davidopoulos
16:38 on19 August, 2014
Tallybhoy
My favourite song in the CSN/CSN&Y catalogue is Southern Cross (i.e. withoutYoung) butagree overall as an “ensemble”Youngtook them to another level.
Favourite Neil Young songs anyone?
Ihave an hour left at work to kill…
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Helpless, Old Man, Alabama, Southern Man. So many to choose from.
Forrest may be 5’9″ but when he starts to run he hunches his shoulders down and becomes smaller and rigid in his top half…watch him.
I have layman’s interest in this and it must be obvious that “something” is being transmitted down through the shoulders to the lower back and thence onto where the upper thigh muscles are anchored?
I occasionally happen to work with two brothers who played something like 100 first team games at Newcastle in the Sol Campbell era. They tell me that hamstring injuries occur when the individuals body is operating at >95% of its capacity……..CFC would have this knowledge I’m sure.
So if this is true then certain people will have the skill levels required but their bodies just cannot take the physical strain?
Liam Miller was never off the treatment table….nor Shaun Maloney etc so it comes down to cost benefit analysis……
How much does Forrest get paid per week against how many big games he plays and influences in a season?
From a purely business perspective I would put him on the lowest tolerable basic weekly wage acceptable and offer serious bonuses for influencing big games……sans Karagandy.
Just an opinion…….
Dontbrattbakkinanger
17:25 on
19 August, 2014
Wasn’t putting Like a Hurricane on Hawks and Doves, was giving a good track and a good album:)
Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way.
“I reckon we should bring in 7 loaned wingers and play them all, that will confuse and the opposition (and us).”
—————————————-
Touché.
Keeping at least one of them fit though will be as difficult as finding a rich Icelandic Bank Robber.
HH
Has the blog changed its name to CSN? …………and Y?
I’ve got my original vinyl of After the Gold Rush – I remember listening and reading the lyrics and being in awe of the patches on Neil Young’s jeans – just Googled it, released in 1970
Thanks, just feel a lot older!!
Neil Young chat.
No mention of ‘On the beach’ which is his best. Most of the rest of his output is whiny dross.
My, I wish our new Ghana player well. What a life.
timgreen
17:31 on
19 August, 2014
Two things please.
1 Is it just me getting an Ibiza mag in P67s bit instead of CQN mag?
2 Now that the parasites at SKY have created SKY 5 and put all the euro stuff there, my BT subscription is devalued. This isnt coincidental. So what do I have to do to see max no of Celtic matches at home ans Euro plus EPL stuff? I have BT broadband and tv plus Sky 1 and 2. Advice appreciated. Thanks.
In Ronny we trust.
=========================================
BT unlimited broadband and phone line is 40 per month…….you get the CL etc for free next year plus whatever footie you get on the free view box?
If that helps….
Canajunbhoy
My nephew lives in Alberta , Peace River ;)
Timgreen
Click on the mag image and it takes you to CQN Mag from end last season. New one out in early September. We are working on it at the moment.
TD,
Calgary for me.
Captain Beefheart
(Upon the) My oh My!
Just putting it out there fill yer boots.
http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/orange-march-for-no-vote-is-given-the-go-ahead-1-3484879
City Bhoy ;)
Alberta I mean, lol.
Celtic have averted a potential administrative blunder after leaving Efe Ambrose in Glasgow after believing he was banned for their Champions League match with Maribor.
The Nigerian international was sent off in the first leg of the third qualifying round tie with Legia Warsaw, incurring a one-match suspension as a result.
Ambrose subsequently sat out the second leg but the original result was declared a forfeit in Celtic’s favour after their opponents fielded a banned player.
Celtic manager Ronny Deila confirmed at his pre-match news conference in Slovenia on Tuesday that the player had been left behind because he believed Ambrose was suspended for the play-off round first leg.
But it has since transpired that, after seeking confirmation from UEFA, Ambrose’s ban has been served and he will link up with the squad in Slovenia on Wednesday.
UEFA confirmed that the player incurred only a one-match ban as a result of his red card, with a spokesperson telling STV: “He [Ambrose] served this suspension during the match against Legia on August 6, 2014.”
UEFA disciplinary regulations state that a match suspension is “regarded as no longer pending” if a match is “retroactively declared forfeit”.
Ambrose therefore is eligible to play against Maribor but did not travel with the squad to Slovenia on Tuesday morning.
The 25-year-old was arguably not likely to start the match with Jason Denayer and Virgil van Dijk set to start at centre back.
Ambrose deputised for Adam Matthews at right back after the Welshman suffered an injury in the warm-up before the 6-1 win over Dundee United at the weekend but Mikael Lustig is the probable first choice to play in the Champions League fixture.
timgreen
17:31 on 19 August, 2014
All SS5 seems to be is a vessel in which to pap all non EPL fitba
Celtic were on last wed at SJ
I don’t think that sky have taken any fitba from BT apart from Dutch
They have swapped English for French rugby
The interesting thing will be next season with how sky fill the void when CL goes to BT
Neil Young announces imminent release of his 99th LP.
Working title – “Whinny dross.”
Produced by Captain Beefheart.
HH!!!
Greendreamz
Think you will find that all BT packages go up next season to pay for CL rights
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/celtic/288953-celtic-avert-champions-league-admin-blunder-as-efe-ambrose-left-at-home/
Even this headline is negative, and is based on something that Celtic had never dreamt of doing. Celtic averted a blunder that was never even remotely possible because they left the player at home. Cheers STV.
Prescient article from you though Paul.
HH
City boy? Gotta go and round up the cattle before lunch, LOL
Cheers
sheik yerbouti
16:11 on 19 August, 2014,
Looks like interesting times ahead with Wakaso, I’m sure our referees will play by the book!
I managed to see Neil young glastonbury a few years ago. He was simply brilliant.
Quonno I fear you misunderstood me earlier. I wasn’t suggesting celtic pay the player to play rather that celtic should offer places in the team for people to pay celtic to play.
It’s revolutionary but it’s the direction we are going in?
kevinlasvegas
17:23 on 19 August, 2014
Neil Young is Awesome, First got into him at Reading 1994 when i was 17, He played in the evening back to the crowd playing the Piano and the red sun set going down, It was amazing, He played Harvest moon. Never looked back since. Talented man.
————–
I was there too. Funnily enough I was just listening to the ‘Mirrorball’ last week for the first time in quite a few years – I’d forgotten how good an album it is. Neil and Pearl Jam were a good fit
TBB/SFTB debate or SFTB/TBB debate, brilliant stuff lhads.
Two of our premier posters, IMO, articulating differing viewpoints, without the hint of any lack of mutual respect.
It will never catch on.
EC67
WhoelselookeduplegerdemainCSC
Ronny states the Mubarek deal unlikely to be signed off by 11pom tonight….
Hearts player sited for headbutt, hibs players for stamping…
golum never say it, even with eyes in the back of his head.