Jozo Simunovic was sent to Harley St for a confirmatory look at his knee before Celtic signed him five years ago. An affirmative verdict came back but Jozo has missed the majority of games since due to injury or the need to protect his fragile joint.
When fit, he performed well and was more reliable than a clutch of central defenders we had in the years before he joined (with a couple of notable exceptions). Still only 26, others would consider their best years ahead of them, but it is difficult to see where Jozo will fit in. Countries in northern or eastern Europe, with a preponderance of artificial surfaces, are out. His best opportunity might be a pay-as-you-play deal for a crisis club.
We are going to miss Craig Levein; his gaunt look, his whiney analysis of every defeat and his legendary take on the ‘natural order’. He was rubbish, of course.
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Goodbye Jozo
Hail! Hail!
https://sempremilan.com/agent-confirms-split-from-celtic-star-amid-rumours-milan-are-trying-to-force-summer-move
Kris Ajer changes agent.
He obviously thinks he has a big contract to negotiate soon. But with who?
Ger57
I must say I haven’t come across anti Catholic sentiment in England and I’ve lived here for nearly 50 years. You will always get the odd exception but you’re never asked ‘ what school did you go to ?’
Good lucky Jozo.
We have lost a very good defender
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HWG TIAR
RON67 on 1ST JUNE 2020 11:57 AM
as long as he doesn’t come anywhere near us and find his level in the Scottish championship.
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Bit harsh on Hickey. 17 years of age playing for the poorest team in the league.
Still has the best passing out of all the LBs in the league. I say he’s worth a punt. It wouldn’t cost much to bring him here as we are due 30% of any fee agreed.
Jozo didn’t have it on the European stage. He often was suspect in important defeats: AEK Athens, Cluj, Valencia, RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg, Molde, Ajax & Zenit St Petersburg.
He wasn’t at the required level.
Timaloy29
We’re obsessed with punts…we have 2 of them at Left back currently waiting for them to come good.
Let’s use the opportunity that presents itself and see if there are better players available on the market, now we have a sooper dooper recruitment team and a pandemic fallout.
Our left hand side looks in need of some investment. I’m sure we will see some and I hope we get the best player within our reach globally.
Tim Malone
Re BT Sports and Now TV that will be my preferred option when my current deal finishes next Feb. I don’t have Sky Sports anyway, but I do have access to it via my son’s Sky Go – if I want (which is not often). I’m going to bin Sky altogether in Feb. BT Sports for European football, with a Now TV day pass when needs be for Celtic games (very grudgingly, but least bad option).
HH
So, it’s a fond farewell to our most reckless defender since Bobo Balde.
Had hoped he might come good with experience maybe improving his decision making, but, like Balde, he seemed to feel the need to win every ball, giving away needless fouls and picking up bookings.
A director of football would have moved him on a while back and got some money in for him.
Have to say, I also prefer the Motherwell CH, to McKenna at Aberdeen
May need both though if Big Chris Ajer goes ?
Still to early to be reconsidering Turnbull from Motherwell, he needs to prove he is back from his serious injury
Not sure on Hickey ??
Although I did make my mind up, like Lenny on Bolingoli
Now when does the season start 🏆
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 1ST JUNE 2020 12:57 PM
So, it’s a fond farewell to our most reckless defender since Bobo Balde.
Where you asleep during the Ambrose years?
I know it’s all about opinions but in an historic ‘everything to lose’ season how anyone can take a risk by filling the team full of plodders and dross like Gallagher, McKenna and Hickey?
It’s a world of pain that featured the likes of Hendry, Cifci, Mackay-Stevens and countless others…..
Let the recruitment team get value for money globally.
Aaaahhhhh…………………, the Ambrose years.
Legends CSC
Loovens? Who Misser muscled off the ball twice to score against us,a blouse…
GER57 on 1ST JUNE 2020 9:26 AM
‘There is institutionalised anti Catholicism embedded at every level of the British state. It’s rowdiest offspring is the Orange order, which poisons the culture of both Scotland and the North of Ireland…………….
In my view, Scotland’s institutions have a far better prospect of beneficial change when freed of the shackles of “Great” Britain.’
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I’m struggling to see the logic of this.
Anti Irish Catholic sentiment is more widespread and is more virulent in Scotland than in England, and that has been the case for centuries.
So how you think breaking ties with England would improve things in Scotland is a bit of a puzzle.
Said at weekend
In the 15 games Simonuvic did play last season
He had the best passing stats in the league at over 93% accuracy
Awe naw no effin Efe effin things up again!
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 1ST JUNE 2020 12:57 PM
‘So, it’s a fond farewell to our most reckless defender since Bobo Balde.’
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He was certainly reckless in his dealings with Peter Lawwell.
Or maybe it was just naivety.
Wasn’t the last to make that mistake.
Thank you, Jozo. Always thought you were a player. Pity about your knee. Hope you do find success somewhere to fulfil your talent.
BIG WAVY on 1ST JUNE 2020 1:18 PM
I know it’s all about opinions but in an historic ‘everything to lose’ season how anyone can take a risk by filling the team full of plodders and dross like Gallagher, McKenna and Hickey?
It’s a world of pain that featured the likes of Hendry, Cifci, Mackay-Stevens and countless others…..
Let the recruitment team get value for money globally.
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Hickey isn’t a similar proposition to the other two. He’s 17 while they are 23 & 29.
He’s well ahead in his career development. Celtic might be too big a step up and he may have to go out on loan for experience for another year. We’ll see.
I don’t see how somebody who has some of the best technical stats for his position (dribbling, passing etc.) can be considered a plodder.
For every Ciftci & Hendry there is a John McGinn, Robert Snodgrass, James McCarthy or Andy Robertson we miss out on.
Bada
Big Jozo, has the best tackle seen in FtSPFL, on that same Misser guy
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🍀2
With 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 on its way
Timaloy
Which one is 29 ?
I do not believe any of the 3 are the answer, but May ?? Be the market we looked at ??
BIG WAVY on 1ST JUNE 2020 12:35 PM
We’re obsessed with punts…we have 2 of them at Left back currently waiting for them to come good.
Let’s use the opportunity that presents itself and see if there are better players available on the market, now we have a sooper dooper recruitment team and a pandemic fallout.
Our left hand side looks in need of some investment. I’m sure we will see some and I hope we get the best player within our reach globally.
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I personally don’t see how the pandemic is going to help us sign guys who aren’t risks
The bigger leagues like France, Germany, England etc. will be far better insulated from the effects than Celtic. Southampton will be better off playing in Empty stadiums than us.
It maybe presents opportunity to bring players in from cash strapped leagues. But we are talking about the SPFL, English Championship, Poland etc.
Also, not sure how Boli counts as a punt. He’s a 24-year-old who has played in the Austrian & Belgian League and had European experience. We paid millions for him. It hasn’t worked out but he isn’t a punt like Hickey.
Hickey is more comparable to Frimpong, O’Connor etc. in terms of fees and wages.
Friesdorfer – thanks for the response.
NORRIEM on 1ST JUNE 2020 1:51 PM
Which one is 29 ?
I do not believe any of the 3 are the answer, but May ?? Be the market we looked at ??
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Declan Gallagher is 29
2 players I would sign from Motherwell Declan Gallagher( centre back) and Allan Campbell ( midfielder in the broonie mould) , 3 million and they would bite your hand off this day and age.
Timaloy29
There is a massive dose of bias kicking in with Hickey, focussed around his age playing.
In a crap Hearts team where I’ve not seen anything to go with the hype apart from the reminder of his age. We buy him as we buy into the hype. For next season I want full focus on a first team LB who isn’t a punt or learnign his trade hoping he becomes the elusive Andy Robertson. Buy him and loan him back but it’s a distraction to the issue at hand – getting a LB-ready of greater pedigree for the 10IAR.
You know what to do!
https://spfl.co.uk/news/ladbrokes-premiership-team-of-the-season-goalkee
On the left back issue.
For £1.3m, we got excellent value from Jonny Hayes, a great squad player. Apart from the size of his heart, his great asset was pace.
My biggest problem with our current 2 LBs is the complete absence of pace. Both Taylor & Bolingoli have made half hearted attempts to outrun an opposing full back and failed every time. They typically now do not try this, and prefer to keep possession and passing to a team mate. (with Boli, far too often passing badly).
When either of them do hit the byline and get a cross over it is because a good inside pass has been made so they have the run on the defender.
I doubt (and I hope) that NFL is sold on either of these guys, and with allowing Hayes to leave, my hope is that there is a recognition that a strong, pacy left back is high on the agenda.
Declan Gallagher arrived at Motherwell for the 2019/20 campaign
In his maiden top flight season at Livingston, he topped the entire league for aerial duels contested in 2018/19 and was second only to Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie for defensive duels competed in.
Commanding, assured and a big character, the former Celtic youth product is a key figure at Fir Park.
Efe was a long throw specialist, not a lot of folk know that!😱
Ron67
Taking big fellas who have spent their careers surviving long balls only is not a recipe for a Celtic player. That’s the problem with that equation. Domestically he will be used to start attacks, link play and be quick enough to repel the counter attacks we are open to. Spend the money on more than that.
We’ve spent about £4.5m on Taylor / Boli and add the £1.3m for Hayes could be thrown in there too. We recieved £25m from KT before that.
Invest higher up the food chain, especially when we have that ability. Julien, Eddie, Ntcham, Sinclair etc are proof of concept for that…..
The Efe Andrews years. 👍
https://youtu.be/-orpZjETzFY
Eamon Andrews, Efe Ambrose???🥴
Could never understand why Lenny picked Efe against Juventus after he had literally just got off the plane from the CAN. He had an nightmare and gave 2 goals away.
The fact that juve got away with the most blatant fouling at corners only added to the disappointed that night.
Alas poor Jozo
I knew him well