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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From etims “Someone else touted for a move is Joe Ledley, whom the Mirror claims is to be the subject of a £3m bid from Cardiff, in what has to be the least imaginative bit of creative journalism in the history of football reporting.”
Well that’s that then.
Gerry
asonofdan,
It is actually the SFA, SPFL and Scottish football that received themost emphaticof knockbacks.
Players like to playon a level field and of course, we don’t have that.
Like Robert Tressell and Auldheid the one that concerns me is Joe Ledley I rate him as a player and he will get even better. Kelvin Wilson I agree we can probably afford to let him go and as has been said interesting times at Parkhead.My other concern is it is late in the day as far as the CL qualifyers are concerned to be bringing in new players mind you I think if we can get him Finnbogssan would be a good addition to the squad.H.H.
So we have now secured Derk Boerrigter….a quality footballer with pace by all accounts (out with his back injury) and there are two more in the offing…………
A quality midfield playmaker and we are good to go methinks.
I personally think NFL Team 2 is going to be bigger, faster, stronger and more successful than last years.
Its never over until that fat lady sings….people should wait until the deadlines arrive.
Just saying…….
Kelvin Wilson must be really unhappy if he is considering going back to a club and manager who treated him so shabbily and stalled his career.
It seems Kelvin’s family want to go back to Nottingham. I hope he at least stays for the CL qualifiers. I am amazed that so many supporters are not worried about losing him. I think he’s our most underrated and underappreciated player. He was outstanding in the CL last season.
Doc/Cowiebhoy/BT
Checked times for SAT and was surprised to see that bhoys kick off is 12:30 this is earliest kick off over the three days.
Game will be finished around 1:40 giving me plenty of time to get back to G74
before heading over to Celtic Park.
Friday/Sunday kick offs are later so maybe why I was confused.
Thanks for you help but on this occassion I dont think I will need a bus from Stirling.
ps would have texted but left phone in house this morning
Thanks Again
Any quotes from players or managers regarding those supposedly leaving?
Paper talk, when we seem to be about to bring in a couple of quality players, suddenly we are loosing more, according to the SMSM.
The SMSM, so reliable.
SydneyTim
08:07 on 29 July, 2013
Scully. Indeed. But my question is why are we finding this info on the eve of kick off
We knew and PL knew our only goalscorer was leaving months ago
Why oh why are we scrambling about at the last minute to find a goal scorer
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Simple answer, you are not being allowed to run the club! That horrible PL bullies poor wee NL, who would have thought it, and all he thinks about is the balance sheet. Rumour has it that it was once pinned up instead of the teamsheet!
Greedreamz,
Kayal might be able to shed some light but are we not sniffing around a midfielder form Maccabi Haifa to replace Victor Wanyama?
I hope we get one from Finnboggasson and Guidetti as the goalscorer. Raul Jimenez also a shout for me.
Missed out Jelle Vossen
Wilson was a very under-rated performer last season – I thought he was outstanding in the Champions League for us.
I’m pretty sure he said recently he was settled in Glasgow after initially having problems on that score when he first arrived.
If he does have family matters to contend with I think he is more likely to join Leicester than go back to his old club – although, I don’t care where any of them go once they go.
Hopefully, big Kelvin will stay though. I’m pretty certain Joe Ledley will stay with us … he loves playing for Celtic.
FWIW I don’t think Samaras will be going anywhere.He nailed his colours to the mast a couple of weeks ago,saying when he retires he will have made money but titles and medals is what he wants to look back on.A rarity in today’s game,a guy who took a 250k a year hit to sign for Celtic,and is getting more important by the season.He should be up with our highest earners when he is offered a new deal.A Prince amongst men.
I will be very mightily annoyed if Joe Ledley is allowed to leave.
I understand the point being made by BADA BING,but to get or to keep quality,we must be prepared to pay the rate.
I know he “gets” the club,and I doubt he will be difficult to deal with.
Same deal should do it,after all he is due another signing fee regardless of which club he signs for.
The article in the retard by JacksHUN, has Jack Irvines fingerprints all over it, they make my day it’s hack season start of the season stuff, more to follow, ah well not as if I am surprised.
Jc2.
I’ll pass info on to the bhoys.
It’s predictable that the basis of the Kelvin Wilson leaving stories comes from a highly parochial Nottingham based news portal, much in the same way as it’s local Cardiff news
has Joe Ledley coming ‘home’, Scottish MSM will zoom in later, Meanwhile, the Hamilton Advertiser have a regular McCarthy back to New Douglas Park.
Every Celtic player has a price especially one that is unsettled, wouldn’t lose sleep if Forrest raised their bid for Wilson, as we’ve a better defender in mind, as for Joe Ledley I reckon he would prefer to stay, but who knows, as Boeriggter is left sided?
The gamble on how to achieve CL football has been taken, and may not be a bad thing after losing two of your best, to have a rethink, and a revamped squad, as long as they keep arriving at CP, – I don’t mind.
If ‘anyone’ asks later Derk Boeriggter is somewhere between 6’2 and 6’4 but his wiki page has changed and been edited so many times it’s difficult to keep up. CQN’ers over fifty will no doubt refer to him as Dirk Bogarde, much in a Van Hessilink of Pierre Hoydink way.
I can’t see Ledley going anywhere and if we can get our mitts on Finnbogason then that will be a quality signing, there is also the Dutch signing this week and who knows (certainly not the msm) there may be another one on the way in before too long.
Have faith, the future is bright and shining
HH
79caps
10:47 on 29 July, 2013It seems Kelvin’s family want to go back to Nottingham. I hope he at least stays for the CL qualifiers. I am amazed that so many supporters are not worried about losing him. I think he’s our most underrated and underappreciated player. He was outstanding in the CL last season.
Wilson was “quoted” in some papers of how lonely he was in Glasgow, back to his home and looking at four walls…! Has he got family up here now, or is it just yet again negative spin.
Why do some continue to read this rubbish, wait till it happens, if it happens…
HH
See that ole ‘performance artist’ Michael Stone has lost his appeal and has to serve a full 30-year stretch.
Disappointing they did not add 10 years on to the sentence for his multiple haircuts.
Vidal Sassoon CSC
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers-how you doing old bhoy? I agree we might have to raise our salary thresholds a bit but the money on offer down south gets more ridiculous by the season.Guys can treble their money,which as i just posted makes Samaras even more unique in today’s world.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
10:13 on
29 July, 2013
I knew that,mate.
:-)
I see we had a trialist playing for the youngsters yesterday. What length of contract is he on? I think we should know.
Kayal,
Things starting to heat up with Finnboggasson
Wilson improved greatly last season but IMO is very weak when up against a physical CF and doesn’t punch his weight for the size of him.
Finnbogasson #7
The new king of kings.
Inheriting his heroes number. Please let this be true.
MickTT
We are told that Kelvin’s family want to go back to Nottingham. I have no idea whether this is true. What worries me is that Neil said the Nottingham Forest bid for him was not enough, but he did not dismiss the possibility of Kelvin leaving.
The main point I wanted to make is that Kelvin is under-rated by many on the blog. I hope he stays. I will always remember his great penalty-box tackle on Messi at Celtic Park.
WGS
Not sure. The Dutch twitter sources just seem like they are feeding of each other and working themselves into a tizzy.
It’s either true .. or it isn’t .. little to go on for now.
MACJAY
Ya swine,ye!
Made me feel guilty-if you have to explain a gag,it wisnae worth telling,etc.
Mind,twas ever thus!
Having said that,it got a few of us thinking fond thoughts of classic cars long gone,so all’s well….
79caps
11:08 on 29 July, 2013MickTTWe are told that Kelvin’s family want to go back to Nottingham. I have no idea whether this is true. What worries me is that Neil said the Nottingham Forest bid for him was not enough, but he did not dismiss the possibility of Kelvin leaving.The main point I wanted to make is that Kelvin is under-rated by many on the blog. I hope he stays. I will always remember his great penalty-box tackle on Messi at Celtic Park.
Like all the players at the club they have their price. I like Wilson too, but I don’t think he would be a great loss.
HH
WGS
I also think Finbogason would be excellent signing. Boerrighter seems a big gamble to me. The Dutch refer to him as a walking sick note.
Think Kelvin Wilson has been brilliant. Just needed a reliable partner like Van Dijk.
Saying that i expect Lustig and Van Dijk to be centre halve this year.
Think big Lustig is a belter of player. Mathhews back in at right back.
Must be great to live in a world where if you get homesick you can get a move. If told my boss I was homesick I would be told to forget it or leave with no other employer offering me a joining fee.
petec
04:50 on 29 July, 2013
Thank you for that link .
I am only now starting to learn how to let go :))
—————–
79caps,
So was Harston supposedly. Sick not with Borrengiter not true if you check his stats.
Borreingter got a touch off the overmars for me with his pace and running style. Could be an excellent signing.
WGS
Think this puts all the CFC are a “selling club” to bed I think……we buy and sell continuously just like everyone else.
We cant do it on the scale of Chealski et al because we don’t have the same TV revenues and we play in a country of 5M which advertisers aren’t really interested in.
Until we have an expanded CL format, Atlantic League etc we are stuck with what we have and just need to work around the construct.
Nobody likes it when you are as big in attendance and stadia as just about anyone in the world but receiving 98% less TV revenue than the likes of Wigan, Cardiff, Hull…..on and on.
If we can nail the last 16 CL for 2-3 further seasons we may have enough in the bank to offer our key players more money and keep them for say 5 years……this would allow maximum development and we would see their full potential.
Hooper will never see the CL again……Wanyama might if he gets a move out of Southampton.
I’m happy going forward.
MickTT
I do think he would be a big loss. Just as Wanyama is. I thought last season’s CL showed that we have a young team with huge potential. I hoped that we would be able to keep that team together and bring in a couple more players to strenghen it.
Wilson together with Ambrose or Mulgrew was an effective pairing. When you have good central defenders, you should try to keep them IMO.
HH
!BADA BING!
Doing fine,bud-and you?
Just had my nephew down for a visit,he might need a holiday after it!
Looking forward to my wee trip to sunny Scotland in September.
On the lookout for suggestions for a dayoooot,any ideas?
Btw,I noticed Gordon was down at the Wickerman Festival-did you join him,or did you reckon it was a fire hazard?