Neil Lennon suggested Gary Hooper, unquestionably his favourite son, was Celtic’s best striker since Henrik Larsson. It’s an interesting question.
The list is long: Chris Sutton, John Hartson, Henri Camara, Craig Bellamy, Dion Dublin, Scott McDonald, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Chris Killen, Maciej Zurawski, Kenny Miller, Derek Riordan, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Georgios Samaras, Robbie Keane, Diomansy Kamara, Olivier Kapo, Anthony Stokes, Pawel Brozek, Moh Bangura, Daryl Murphy, Miku and Lassad.
Apologies if I’ve overlooked someone. That’s 22 strikers in nine years (it’s a bit soon to consider Amido Balde), some of whom were loans, but the list doesn’t include the many Celtic youth players who got their shot at first team football, or those, like Tony Watt, who were signed for low fees from lower league Scottish clubs.
Chris Sutton and John Hartson were already at the club when Henrik left, but it quickly became evident they were past their best. Robbie Keane and Craig Bellamy were quality but only played a dozen or so games, so can’t really be considered as competition to Hooper.
Maciej Zurawski arrived a year after Larsson left and had a phenomenal first season at the club. He made his debut after the 5-0 reversal to Artmedia but inspired Celtic to a 4-0 win six days later. Maciej was on fire when he joined and only failed to score in five league games before the league win in April but he never found anything close to that consistency again. Record: 22 goals in 55 games.
Scott McDonald’s YouTube clip of goals in the Champions League and against Rangers will have featured heavily in the portfolio as his agent looked for a new club this year. His goals got us into the Champions League, beat European champions, Milan, and regularly put our (then) nearest rivals to the sword. Record: 51 goals in 88 games.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink arrived in summer 2006 and immediately outshone Zurawski. His debut as a substitute against Hibs transformed Celtic and won the game. His signing was pivotal in Celtic winning the title in 2007. Record: 34 goals in 78 games.
Georgios Samaras arrived 18 months after Vennegoor of Hesselink and alongside Barry Robson pushed Celtic over the line for three in a row. 2008 was a fabulous year for Georgios but although he’s still a forward, he’s not really been a striker since. Record: 41 goals in 138 games.
With 63 goals, 95 games, Gary Hooper’s scoring record is better than anyone else’s, but the challenge to be best since Larsson was simple, just outperform Scott McDonald. With all those strikers as competition, that’s not as high as the bar could be.
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Canamalar
Yeah thanks, I follow you, but bostonbhoy suggested 2019? I can’t think of why it would be 6 years?
I would be disappointed, but not surprised if Joe Ledley left.
In Europe, I think he is a real asset, he works hard, doesn’t shirk a tackle, is good at keeping his position, and although he doesn’t score a lot of goals, they tend to be important goals.
Personally , I would offer him a new contract, and, if he signs ,great, and if he doesn’t keep him till Xmas
twists n turns
23:23 on
28 July, 2013
Lacrosse?
There might be a wee bit of a credibility gap there.
:-)
Macjay
Yeah, I should have added a bit of realism, darts and dominoes!
Oof!!!
PhilMacGiollaBhain says:
July 28, 2013 at 9:31 pm
61 3 Rate This
I wrote a piece for the Irish Post on the BBC /RobMcLean songs story in 2011.
Given that Rob McLean had said at half-time that Celtic supporters had been singing ‘sectarian songs’ we asked them to name them.
In the first half (I was at the final) there were three non football songs from the Celtic end.
Boys of the Old Brigade, Fields of Athenry and the Solider’s Song.
Which two of those three (or all three) we asked was deemed sectarian?
WE assumed that-within the BBC world view-TBOTOB was a given.
Then it came down to which one of the other two.
After this call from the Irish Post ‘songs’ became just ‘song’.
I knew that the BBC Scotland head of Sport had instructed Rob to make that statement at half-time.
I spoke to Rob at the time and I thought he was uncomfortable with the entire story.
twists n turns
23:35 on 28 July, 2013
Maybe he was just being Prophetic about the 3 years of liquidated Huns.
The The The Rangers would undoubtedly be steadf!st in their resolve to make the CL, who knows because of the doublespeak in the name Champions League. Celtic may even help them get there by our performances.
Tnt
Should not eat pizza this late at night… :)
CELTIC last night made a £3million swoop for Ajax frontman Derk Boerrigter.
The 26-year-old is expected to fly into Glasgow today to undergo a medical and hold talks with gaffer Neil Lennon about a three-year deal.
The Celtic boss moved for the attacker, who can play up front or on the wing, after giving up on Hamburg star Artjoms Rudnevs. The Hoops are desperate to land a striker before Wednesday’s Champions League qualifying showdown against Swedish side Elfsborg.
With £5m in the bank from the sale of Gary Hooper to Norwich and the £12m the club raked in for Victor Wanyama, Lennon has been free to splash cash.
And he sees Boerrigter, who has scored 12 goals in 45 games since joining Ajax from RKC Waalwijk, as the ideal man to fill Englishman Hooper’s boots in attack.
The 6ft 2ins star began his career at Ajax but didn’t make the grade there initially so moved on to Haarlem on loan before being snapped up eventually by Zwolle.
He was able to fulfil his potential with them before winning his move to Waalwijk and then back to the capital once again.
But he’s been unable to command a regular place in the starting line-up under ex-Rangers star Frank De Boer so the Dutch side have decided to allow him his move to Glasgow.
And if the deal to bring Boerrigter to Celtic goes through in the next 24 hours, the Dutchman could make his debut against Elfsborg.
23:13 on 28 July, 2013
Auldheid 21:07
The earliest Rangers will be CL competitors will be 2016.
——————————————
Huns cannot compete in CL until season 2019/20 at the earliest. And of course, they’ll by then probably go bust again! So, the Hun hordes will have to get used watch us strutting out to the CL tune for many more seasons.Happy daze! HH
————————————————————————————————————————
Bostonbhoy, don’t doubt your info but why 2019? I thought it was a 3 year ban from the point they were liquidated? I’m pleased to hear it though!
————————————————
My calculation has nothing to do with the euro ban (actually forgot about that), but based on how soon they can get back to the top flight and win the league (no sniggering at the back)
and appear in the CL the following season (2019).HH
BT@TBJ
Behave you two. We must meet for a tour of the Strathaven Brewery one day. An experience, I believe although never experienced, is a treat for ale purists. Just a thought. :))
Weefra HH
HE was the boss who handed him his debut for Scotland Under-21s as a young kid.
But when Rainer Bonhof looks at Scott Brown now, he sees a MAN.
Former Scotland babes boss Bonhof has swapped the dug-out for the boardroom at Moenchengladbach as their vice-president.
Bonhof, who first picked Brown for the Under-21s when he was still at Hibs back in September 2004, insists Brown can lead Celtic back to the Champions League group stages.
After watching Gladbach ease to a friendly win over Celts, Bonhof said: “Scotty? I had a chat with him before the match, a very short one.
“The way his career is going looks very good for him.
“He is the captain of Celtic, which means he has done a good job in the past few years because it should be an honour to be captain of Celtic.
“From what I saw today, his mentality on the field hasn’t changed too much — but off the field it looks better.
“I see the same player as I had with the Under-21s all those years ago.
“He is a little bit older, a little bit more relaxed, maybe.
“Scott is 28 now. He’s playing at a good level for his club and his country. But I am convinced he can go to a higher level.
“I would also say that he can lead Celtic back into the group stages of the Champions League — but he can’t do it alone.
“He needs support from his colleagues because no match is ever won by a single person, especially at that level.
“Sometimes it takes all 18 of a squad to be strong to get a result in Europe, not just the starting 11.
“You need a strong squad in European football.
“Scotty can be a Champions League player, but there is always space for him to get better.
“That’s what I found out with him right at the start — he has talent, but there is always what we call in Germany ‘A bit of air’, which means there is room to improve.
“But if he has players around him who are able to understand his style of play that would help him get better as well.”
Brown played the first half of what was a real pre-season non-event.
Bonhof watched what action there was from the calm of the directors box, and left the ground clutching an ornately boxed gift from Celtic as a memento of his return to Scotland.
Neil Lennon and Johan Mjallby were away watching Champions League foes Elfsborg in action.
Their absence contributed to the half-baked air of proceedings on a day when free entry through fans’ Parkhead season tickets swelled the crowd to more than the game merited.
Celtic, leaving out most of their European performers, were comprehensively outpassed and outplayed by vastly superior and sharper Bundesliga opponents.
Yet Gladbach had been humbled 5-1 by European champions Bayern Munich in their last pre-season friendly.
Goals from Granit Xhaka and Branimir Hrgota put Borussia in cruise control, before Anthony Stokes’ sweetly-struck free kick gave the Hoops fans their one moment to savour.
Bonhof added: “Scotty tried to make the match exciting in the first half, but later on, with all the youngsters coming on, it was not the Celtic first team or the Borussia one either.
“We had only six players from our recognised first-team playing.
“There are good things in Scottish football, but I still think it is living off tradition a lot.
“Now the most important thing in football is to have a vision and make things better.
We had the time to make things better when I was working here but then it stopped.
“I have not followed the game in Scotland closely for a couple of years, only the results in the paper.
“But it’s not so important to see matches like Celtic playing Kilmarnock.
“If you want to judge the game in Scotland, it is better to see a game between Motherwell and Kilmarnock.
“I know from my time here we had situations regarding training facilities and stadiums, so the game needs a lift in other ways to make it better.
“But there will always be circumstances when things go well.
“If the club is pushing you and the crowd at grounds like this one is behind you, then you get a lift as a player.
“You fight and you scrap and you do everything to have a good result.
“We saw that when Celtic beat Barcelona last year.
“A wonderful result, sure. But maybe Barcelona were not as good as they thought they were.
“Bayern Munich. later in last season’s Champions League, took seven goals off Barca over two games in the semi-final.
“There is a big difference between the teams in the last 16 of the Champions League and the ones that go to the last four.”
oops! Wrong! Sorry it is actually season 2017.But who cares?Ain’t going to happen! :-) night night all. HH
twists n turns
23:21 on
28 July, 2013
bostonbhoy2000-2001
23:13 on 28 July, 2013
Auldheid 21:07
The earliest Rangers will be CL competitors will be 2016.
——————————————
Huns cannot compete in CL until season 2019/20 at the earliest. And of course, they’ll by then probably go bust again! So, the Hun hordes will have to get used watch us strutting out to the CL tune for many more seasons.Happy daze! HH
————————————————————————————————————————
Bostonbhoy, don’t doubt your info but why 2019? I thought it was a 3 year ban from the point they were liquidated? I’m pleased to hear it though!
————————
The three years starts from the point they were given membership to the SFA sometime at start of August 2012. Yup UEFA (Article 12 FFP) do not see them as a continuance of Rangers but as a new club because of a change of structure aka liquidation (you cannot get any more changed than that.) So
2012/13 Yr 1 SFL3
2013/14 Yr 2 SPFL Div 2
2014/15 Yr 3 SPFL Div 1
2015/16 SPFL
So at start of season 2015/2016 they are in SPFL1 (assumimg honest mistakes for each season) and if the come into a top spot the qualify for a UEFA competition. Most probably Europa not CL, it will be season 2016/17.
This assumes that by then they will have had an AGM with ratified accounts up to 31 December 2015 and of course no outstanding tax or unapaid bills to other clubs at end of 2015. In effect in spring 2016 the SFA will request that data in order to grant a club licence that acts as a pass to UEFA competitions aka a UEFA licence.
Boston bhoy
Ach I see…then you’re miles out. We’ll be on 10 in a row before they get a sniff of the title again.
Ireallydohopeso csc
Right guys, off to bed. #1
001 bhoy. I really mean it. :))) Night night Timland. BT, speak the mo.
Weefra )>
Wee Fra
Sleep well buddy
The excellent Kitalba knows how GOOD Scott is for Celtic.
They call me Mr Finn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziVtVHXKdME
canamalar1
23:31 on
28 July, 2013
twisty..,
I’m sure Auldheid said it had more to do with the audited accounts, three years required, and they’ve still no produced any, so with the qualifiers already under way I expect its now four years :o)
Know what I mean, they had to issue accounts this year to qualify fot 2016, they never got the accounts in before the qualifiers so they’ll need to wait till 2017 now.
———————-
Are you trying to wind me up :)
Its nowt to do with 3 years accounts, it is three years membership of a national association. Of course this enables 3 years accounts to accumulate but at the point of qualifying a club only has to submit the relevanmt ratified accounts for the previous year as defined in the UEFA Article on submission of financial evidence. Three years is not mentioned.
50 lines
Three years smembership, NOT three years accounts.
Starry, I like the look of Mr Finn.
Going to ask the time old question ……
I am in Golf Del Sur in Tenerife and
I am looking for a bar for the game
On Wedenseday, so Gents in your
Own time send me your answers :)
Hail Hail
Brnobhoy
Guys a quick question. Who writes scotzine and why does he/ she have uch a big thing about the Green Brigade?
Please read the comments section.
http://tinyurl.com/pjqr7gg
Oh and my last post, it hasn’t been moderated yet.
No Green Brigade member taken to court has been found guilty. If the proof is as damning as you allege how is this possible? What do Sheriffs/ Magistrates know that you don’t? Oh yeah it’s called the law.
Also please take my name down off the net. You haven’t asked my permission to do this and if you had the courtesy to ask the answer would have been no. Does your web server not have rules about releasing personal info? Rule breaker.
I’m not rabble rousing. Please produce some evidence to back up your claims. That’s all I have asked. If there is youtube evidence that shows Green Brigade members breaking the law then link it. I’m like Thomas if I see it I’ll believe it. If you can prove it print it. It’s not exactly rocket surgery or brain science.
However, I find it difficult to believe that this over-whelming evidence has never been presented in Court. All those police men with button cameras. The amount of video must be huge. Why isn’t there any footage of Green Brigade members breaking the law? Why have none been convicted? You are just a gossip merchant and not even a very good one.
Doc is Neil Lennon
Did you read the comments, Werder and Villa fans seem to think they’re in with a shout…
Auldheid,
Heads burstin, that’s why I’ve had to ask you to clear up a load of things for me, memorys shot :o)
Got quite a few new supporters tonight, pitty KDS are such a funny lot.
Do you know anyone who posts on celtic minded, might be worth someone trying to get a thread going on there.
hoys
23:34 on
28 July, 2013
From TSFM….
Tif Finn says:
July 28, 2013 at 8:02 pm
51 1 Rate This
My take on the two cup finals being discussed is this.
The CIS Cup
I heard Rangers fans sing sectarian, banned throughout an entire game of football. Not a minority, the majority. Not once or twice, throughout the game. The full songbook as I recall, “Billy Boys”, “Famine Song” etc. heard it with my own ears, and had it confirmed by two Rangers fans who were in the crowd and who absolutely loved it. They said in advance they were going to do it and they did. It happened, it’s as simple as that.
The Reaction
Media during the game – Nothing, no comment that I can recall (maybe I am wrong in that).
Justice Minister (Who brought in the law banning the behaviour) – Praised the fans
Assistant Chief Constable (Responsible for enforcing the law0 – Praised the fans.
Scottish Cup Final
I watched that game as well and heard nothing sectarian or banned. I have heard or read no evidence supporting the suggestion that either set of fans was singing or chanting sectarian or banned songs. Again I could be wrong, but I can only speak about the evidence I have seen or heard.
Reaction
Media during the game – Decried the Celtic fans, live on television, in front of millions based on hearsay, in contravention of the national broadcasters own stated customs and practices. As far as i am aware the source has not been identified.
Justice Minister (Who brought in the law banning the behaviour) – Nothing that I am aware of.
Assistant Chief Constable (Responsible for enforcing the law0 – Nothing that I am aware of.
I can guarantee you this, If I made the above comments to the likes of Hugh Keevins on their radio hone in I would be cut off, then mocked for my typical Celtic fan paranoia. Thankfully I have never phoned one of their shows and rarely if ever listen to them now. If I do it’s by accident in the car home and I listen for a few minutes before switching over.
So, call me paranoid if you wish. However I have now seen enough evidence in relation to referees cheating, media manipulation, financial irregularities, football authorities bending and breaking their own rules etc to confirm absolutely and without any shadow of doubt that there was no paranoia involved. In fact the accusations of paranoia and phrases like “biscuit tin mentality” were really only part of the same agenda.
Edit
I meant to say, by the time you include the Government, the Police, the media, the banking system, the legal system and the football authorities you pretty much have “the establishment”.
Who was their club again.
___________________
Bould bhoys
I
Brnobhoy,
sorry I canny remember its name,but there is an irish bar just up the road from the
Santa Barbara golf and ocean club,i watched the famous 3 all game against Kilmarnock in it,also a guy does his bookie in it if you like a bet
Starry, no, didn’t read the comments, I’m sure there will be competition, trust Lenny and TSSM
Brnobhoy,
I had a quick look on google,am sure its the Wild Geese pub I am talking about
Doc is Neil Lennon
I do mate, off tae bed, big day the morra..
Hail Hail Worldwide Tims..
Auldheid
23:53 on 28 July, 2013 ______________________________
I’ve Nevadah seen you IRatE, well not since the last TIME in Kentuky.
You do know you can nooo be a MOONHOWLER, we wid attach the extraordinaire without a shadow of a doubt.
No music for this introduction. This is a Joey Tribbiani Beltram mix, it is sensationalLinked from a Full Stop?
Just seen what could be the worlds worst Elvis tribute show tonight…
Anyway reading back on the blog I seen a lot of who was the best Celts ect
I would say as a young boy of 43 the most NATURAL goal scorer I have seen
Was Jorge Cadete, not the best player but for 18 months the Guy was lethal
Hail hail
Brnobhoy
HH, Starry.
Thebhoywithmcgraininhisside ,
Its run by a guy called Andy muirhead
Sanna
Look the Huns don’t exist…..
Spivco are in the last year of their lives….struggling to get into the next round of the Ramsdens…
We re in the C L on Wednesday ……support the bhoys…..
Wee bit pashed the night…negativity no more….support the team on the biggest game of the season……HH
Kikinthenakas
Boys and ghirls . Looking for some technical advice .
Suggestions for satellite options while away from home . I currently have a digital tv , receiving freeview channels . I’d like to get some of the sky options as well .
Any ideas ?
Sanna
Sannabhoy
Cheers for the info. Why does andy have such an obsession with all things Green Brigade?
Well I fXXXXd up the last part. Castlemaine it?
Apologies.
I should leave the clever Clough to the Real Genius type people.
We need mair Cloughie jiobber Jaobber!!!!