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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BIG WAVY on 1ST JUNE 2020 2:24 PM
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.
Invest higher up the food chain, especially when we have that ability. Julien, Eddie, Ntcham, Sinclair etc are proof of concept for that…..
agree we have to invest a lot of money in individual players to buy experience and not projects for an extended euro campaign but that comes with the demand for the funny money wages to go with the price tag, we are dealing in a different market in the Scottish league, you will not get the quality to play here , our main focus this coming season imo is 10 and only 10
TEUCHTER ÁR LÁ on 1ST JUNE 2020 2:25 PM
Eamon Andrews, Efe Ambrose???🥴
Eamon Andrews was safer in his box.
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Ron67
We’ve done it with the players mentioned – we can afford a higher quality that doesn’t break the bank. Requires good scouting and good due diligence.
At LB, I would have preferred combining the cost of those 3 players to acquire someone of greater value as a first team starter. £5-7m spend
BIG WAVY on 1ST JUNE 2020 2:03 PM
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.
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This year has been a hard slog for Hickey. At 17 years playing in the poorest team in the division, he has been tested more than any of his peers at 17.
Has he looked out of place at that level? Not really. He’s the 3rd best LB in the league for passing which is interesting. He isn’t a hoof it up the pitch type.
In fact, if he does have a glaring weakness is it’s the ability to tackle. He’s 27th in the league in terms of winning tackles. Shouldn’t be a surprise considering he hasn’t grown into his frame yet.
It’s possible that he will never amount to being Celtic class and develop into a bog-standard SPFL player.
What I see is a promising young fullback available at a low fee. We are due 30% of any sell-on which amounts to a 30% discount. What’s 70% of Hickey’s value? I’d be shocked if it isn’t around £500k.
The upside of such a player is worth it.
Players like Jullien will be harder to get. The top leagues in Europe will take a hit to their income but the gap between them and us will widen.
TIMALOY29 on 1ST JUNE 2020 3:15 PM
you forgot to mention that young master hickey has no pace.
Timaloy29
It’s a buyers market this summer. Transfer fees will hit a 30% drop and teams will need to recoup money, especially with about £1.9bn in fees they still need to pay from previous windows. Cost-cutting, smaller squads, distressed teams, etc.
There’s value to be had out there.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 1ST JUNE 2020 12:57 PM
A director of football would have moved him on a while back and got some money in for him.
*we tried to a 4m euro move to Torino fell through after his medical as they wanted to tun it into a loan move, we allegedly rejected that.
BIG WAVY on 1ST JUNE 2020 3:28 PM
It’s a buyers market this summer. Transfer fees will hit a 30% drop and teams will need to recoup money, especially with about £1.9bn in fees they still need to pay from previous windows. Cost-cutting, smaller squads, distressed teams, etc.
There’s value to be had out there.
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Not in the top 5 leagues though. Teams in England, France, Germany etc. will be in a stronger position than Celtic.
Who relies more on gate money?
The German teams have managed to play out their seasons behind closed doors. England & Spain likely to do the same.
Celtic, on the other hand, will be sending fans refunds. Losing the income from advertising and tv money for the remaining games.
I think you are overstating the strength of Celtic’s hand here.
The only fertile ground I see available in the English Championship. Maybe.
On hickey.
Neighbours laddie is a jambo, says the only hearts asset!!!?,
Has calfs that are made o cheese!!!. (His words):
And that’s at 17!.
☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘🇮🇪.
sean thornton
pasteurised ?
TIMALOY29,
I agree about our financial “strength”. We must hope to get monies by the New Year; otherwise we are in soapy bubble, I fear.
SEAN THORNTON on 1ST JUNE 2020 4:03 PM
Hickey missed 8 games last year. 6 of them due to a knee injury. So obviously that’s something the club would need to have looked at.
Should be said, he managed to play 22 of the clubs 30 games (missing one game due to suspension)
He’s not obviously a crock but they would need to take a close look at him like David Turnbull.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52881671
Interesting story here. 3 Charlton players set to be released at the end of the season will not play the remaining games.
Players are concerned about picking up injuries and ruining their chance of getting a new club.
Bear in mind that the EFL has asked the Championship to restart on the 20th of June. 3 weeks after players returned to training having missed 3 months of football.
I hope Charlton aren’t paying guys who refuse to play for that reason.
Hayes was not value for money £1.3 million transfer fee, 300k signing on fee and £520,000 per year on wages, so over £3 million pounds invested and I cant think of a handful of games were I thought he had a very good game. I can think of countless games when he was awful. He lived the dream and you cant take that away from him.
Signing journeyman does my head in, is not needed, is too costly and reduces the possibility of enhancing the squad by spreading what little income we have on too many players.
Celtic teams should consist of 1st pick players purchased for starting 11 because they are capable of stepping in straight away such as Sinclair, younger players of high potential like dembele, eduard and frompong and the best boys from the academy such as johnston, KT.
I have no doubt that welsh, deas, Robertson or henderson etc. will have the potential to reach a good enough standard to beef up our squad with game time. Those 4 would cost less than £3 million and one might actually excel, unlike a 26 year old journeyman
HH
If sky have the rights to the spfl next season surely it will be for a number of games. If it’s closed doors football there must be an opportunity to broadcast the other games.
Stephbhoy 67 at 4.42pm
Very precise figures for signing on fee and wages – what is the source of this information?
I think Jonny Hayes was good value, and would have given good back up for another year. Maybe his choice to move on for playing time – who knows for sure.
HH
STEPHBHOY67
Finally found someone who agrees with me re. Hayes. Not good enough and never a full back
I based my estimation on wages and signing on fee I know of from other players who have come to our club for similar transfer fees and ages. it is not exact figure but illustrates the complete waste of money, money supporters put into the club and by the way the fact the club are cutting these guys off is telling.
We all laugh at the epl and how the teams spunk money up against the wall for bang average players. Them we go and do the same bloody thing.
You can be sure, the philanthropist Budge has brought to the party, will want reconstruction, and not to relegate Hearts
Agree ☝️,we need better value for money than the outlay for Hayes.
ST TAMS on 1ST JUNE 2020 5:57 PM
As a person I am sure he is grand but he, like so many other journeyman players, seem to spend a lot of time doing very little to justify the money to bring them in. They tend stifle youth development and often get shoehorning into positions at the expense of kids. All i can say is thank fuck he was not about when KT was breaking through.
If we are gonna spend money let’s go for quality over quantity and make use of the you g players and academy players we have.
HH
Personally, I think we don’t have the kind of money that will attract players who will walk into the first team.
20 years ago today, Martin O’Neill appointed Celtic manager 😳
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 1ST JUNE 2020 6:32 PM
Personally, I think we don’t have the kind of money that will attract players who will walk into the first team.
definitely not for the quality what some are wanting.
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PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 1ST JUNE 2020 6:32 PM
Personally, I think we don’t have the kind of money that will attract players who will walk into the first team.
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I think we will do well to pick up a couple of guys. Elyounoussi and Forster are the obvious candidates. If we can’t bring them back we will have to prioritise replacements.
But aye, we aren’t signing 4 or 5 Chris Jullien type players permanently.
!!BADA BING!! on 1ST JUNE 2020 6:08 PM
Just what I was thinking . There could be certain ‘conditions’ attached to the offer.
Budgie should have tapped this guy earlier for a sub to pay off Levein , then she might not be in this position.
Harsh on Hayes imo. Celtic do not have a history of bringing young players through, sadly ( I wish sincerely it were otherwise). KT got into the team because of injury to Emilio Izaguirre.
H H
Glen D- Doncaster better get on the blower asap,before the huns empty his pockets
Never thought I would say say this, but the shenanigans we have seen re the EPL, EFL league 1 and 2 and now the Championship and re-starting the season ( June 20) have shown that SPFL called it right at the time. Now whether we can find a new way forward that takes account of the new reality is another thing. Still until then as Morrisey used to sing, every day is like Sunday…..
FRIESDORFER on 1ST JUNE 2020 7:16 PM
Harsh on Hayes imo. Celtic do not have a history of bringing young players through, sadly ( I wish sincerely it were otherwise). KT got into the team because of injury to Emilio Izaguirre.
…………..
That is a good example of why we should look the other way when it comes to journeyman players, not just hayes but plenty before him. It’s up to celtic as a club to be smarter with the money.
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 1ST JUNE 2020 6:32 PM
Personally, I think we don’t have the kind of money that will attract players who will walk into the first team.
…………………
I reckon we could easily get first team starter if we up the wages of the few and reduced outlay on journeyman players. Even if it gets us up the ladder for the best young players we would at least see someone with the potential to make a real impact.
FRIESDORFER
I’ve got to agree with you regards us not bringing through enough players of our own.
Maybe it’s partly to do with the coaching staff. I actually thought that we would have seen more of Dembele this season past. Quite surprising that we’ve not.
how many feckin times has El Budgo been on the beeb website – countless lately –
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52881608
philanthropic my arse
Watching panorama – covid 19 in New York – tragic
We’re so lucky to have the NHS 🌈