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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Got the highland bbc channel on while doing a wee bit work
That new rangers are definitely a better stronger team than albion rovers .. they might do well in division two and I could see them going a long way in the ramsdens cup
BRT&H
Your usual analytical and very well presented post will be enough for many to pause and think.
However,in its entirety,it falls down on the following paragraph
“You may not like them, they may not be your team, you may hate the baggage that comes with their longstanding beliefs and so on — but can you ban them? Would you argue that they should never have a place in Scottish football even if they play by the rules?”
Do you honestly believe from witnessing what went on pre-liquidation,then post-liquidation,that they will EVER have any intentions of playing by the rules?
I don’t,but please feel free to point me in the direction of proof to the contrary.
ernie lynch @ 16 17 .
LNS played the issue of deliberate non disclosure with a straight bat but since he ‘d been bowled a Googly re unfair advantage he wisely left that alone.
BRTH, interesting as always, but I’d disagree a wee bit about ‘them’ returning. They can’t – they were liquidated! On the point about should they (I assume you mean the ‘new’ Rangers) ever be allowed back if they obey the rules the same as everyoine else, well of course they should. But, and it is a simple ‘but’, they have shown in their very short existence that they still have influence, favouritism, postive coverage; they still want to be ‘superior’, they are after all The People as their manager very publically espoused. So should they be welcomed back? No!
why are the huns still wearin 1872 on the strips? better game on bbc2,tuned into huns game for 2 mins I hope we get them in one of the cups we’ll pump them all over the place,must have heard fenian b about 10 times,wonder if bbc alba will mention it at half time?rant over,i love Glasgow celtic,petec love yer posts and yer tunes,god bless my brother in jesus and celtic,crowbhoy still flyin/laughin
Earnie– I at no time assured anyone that LNS played with a straight bat– what I said,I believe, was that I believed that he would play with a straight bat!
That was my belief.
I am not delighted to report that I am forced to question that belief– and question the process that he was engaged in and how the entire matter was presented!
That is a truly horrible and unsatisfactory state of affairs!
However– your post implies that because I opined in LNS what I said earlier today or at any other time should be ignored. You are entitled to your opinion but I beg to differ — if theCeltic support will not tolerate an alternative opinion then it is time to wrap up the club and move on to something else !
Mike in Toronto
I am not advocating that the PLC is the club and solely the club. Legally and Corporeally it is– but there is more than that ! The club in all it’s forms should not only do more for charity as per the original ethos — but there is also an argument that it should be more of a movement!
Is it really enough to do all sorts of things to raise money for child poverty etc or should there be equal effort made to actually change things rather than fill a void left by government!
In recent times the Celtic support has made huge effort to help those with Neuroblastoma– Oscar, Vanessa etc.
Perhaps more important than the individual donations is the fact that the support forced the club to recognise Neuroblastoma as a target charity– further the profile of the disease and the charity were hugely raised. In addition questions were asked of the NHS as to why the disease in remission could not be treated here? Research into drugs was given greater emphasis and there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is a real medical breakthrough on the horizon !
While all of this cannot be claimed as a Celtic related initiative the Vanessa and Oscar stories played a part.
Celtic -and it’s support- can play an active role relating to many social issues as well as raising funds for various charities. Many Celtic fans question whether we should be fundraising – and instead promote the notion that much more should be done to end the need for charity drives altogether.
I almost agree with that– but Celtic is a football club, a social club, a meeting place, a passion, and a pastime— it is not an arm of government or a political party — though could and should be a pressure group when the need and opportunity arises!
Neganon:
I remember a Question Time just after nine-eleven. The American ambassador to the UK was on it. He was getting a hard time, a really hard time from the questioning audience, so much so it drove him to public tears, my heart went out to him, but one of the questions from the audience was from a Muslim woman, her question to him was “have you ever asked yourself why are you hated?”
To this day that woman’s question haunts me.
young Calvin Miller gets player of the swiss tourney..final still to be played!well done our Young Hoops!!hh
are sevco still getting a grade one referee and fourth official every week – as they did last season
South Of Tunis
16:41 on
28 July, 2013
He also came up with the notion that a club could incorporate and the club would them become an asset of the corporate body.
Never really understood that.
sannabhoy
Bhoys and Ghirls ,
Begging bowl time – not for money but an hour of your time .
We’re looking for volunteers to help with a Bucket Collection before the first league game of the season on Saturday 3rd august against Ross county .
As you know this is a 5:15 ko so it causes us (the fans) some issues but also gives us the chance to collect some well-needed funds to help us keep bringing kids along to Celtic Park.
So , if you’re interested AND can spare an hour or so pre-Match , can you drop me a line to contactus@thekanofoundation.com ?
Also, could someone do me a favour and re-post this every 4-6 hours or so if I don’t get to it myself ?
Hail Hail
Sanna
South of Tunis
LNS was indeed bowled a googly, but any judge worth their salt will quickly instruct a jury to ignore a witness’ evidence if it is obviously nonsense. That LNS was happy to accept that buying (I know) better players was no attempt to gain sporting advantage on the football field tells you everything you need to know, IMO of course.
its beyond me after all thats happened recently why people still by the raggs and watch the tribute act and then make complaints towards them..scratch scratch!?? hh
That wad good of them to have the womens football final kick off in the middle of the afternoon.
That means the players will be able to get home after it and get their man’s tea on.
SOUTH OF TUNIS
Unfair advantage wasn’t in his remit.
He wasn’t there to make that decision,he was there to decide on the legality of the registrations.
BMCUP
You are correct. If the same club is repeatedly caught breaking the rules they should be expelled!
You cannot expel a new club from the game because of the breaches of an old club or another club!
What’s more Scottish football does not have the guts to deal with either!
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000
16:44 on
28 July, 2013
Just to be clear, I meant that you said prior to the judgement that LNS played with a straight bat, I wasn’t intending to suggest that you offered that view after the judgement was pronounced.
That would have been too much to swallow, even by the rather subjective standards favoured by some on here.
At the end of the day there’s only one opinion that matters when it comes to Celtic, that of The Great Desmondo.
That’s the issue.
BRHT
I’ll make this brief as I have to get ready for work in a minute.
As always, your response was (i) fair and measured, and (ii) well grounded in the history of the club.
Your recognition that Celtic is, to borrow/bastardize a phrase from our famous ‘cousins’ ‘mas que un corporation’….. is to beg the questions that people like Neganon and Canamalar are asking.
As always, your knowledge and input add immeasurably to the debate, and are part of why I still spend (too much) time on CQN.
HH
On the last point … I, too, beating the huns…. but, do I think that they need to be gone for scotland to move on as a society? Yes. If so, no more such games is a very small price to pay indeed.
BMCUWP,
Thanks. The only way I will return to the fold is if a deal has been done to get us out of Scottish football. If that deal involves Old Firm rather than just us after what we have patently went through these last 80 years then its still a NO from me.
I support Celtic because they represent me not the Old Firm or has the world changed and I haven’t….is that a Smiths song.
HH
Just back from maybe the best holiday I ever had. Two weeks in Costa del Donegal. Been going there for 40 odd years and never had a better holiday. Amazing what some sunshine does for you.
I must admit to listening regularly to SSB and Shortbread. I wonder what Jim Delahunt, Gerry McCulloch or Kenny McIntyre will say if anyone mentions the subject of Charlotte. They will probably have a red button to hit immediately or they will say “sorry, we just lost that caller there, let’s talk more about the hard hitting issue of where we think Thistle will finish this season” or “how do you think your team Motherwell will get on this season Gordon”. I bet asking questions about Darrell King will be another no no.Even after saying all this I still listen to it for it’s comedy value but it can be infuriating at times.
Anyway here’s hoping for another good league campaign and another stint at the Champions League.
Hail Hail.
BURGHBHOY
Some Goals for you.
http://youtu.be/4bvHzkcyS8s
HH
Just a personal opinion / thought :
I cannot understand how/why any Celtic fan can actually sit and watch THEM playing. I’m not having a go, it is just that I honestly can’t understand why you would want to ever watch THEM.
The only time I have ever watched THEM was when we played THEM.
I remember sitting waiting on text messages from my friends when THEY played Zenit in that final in 2008. I was a nervous wreck.
Lets be honest, more often than not, THEY would win the majority of THEIR matches, so why would you want to watch THEIR players and fans celebrating ???
I hope we never play THEM again. As much as I loved beating THEM, the pain I felt when THEY did beat us was unbearable, and I will be ecstatic if I knew I would never feel that pain again.
Hail Hail……….I’m off to get my Roast Chicken dinner now !
AWE NAW
I know,mate. And I largely agree with you.
We took our eye off the ball-and the hose!-and are suffering accordingly.
But look on the bright side-when they die again,we can laugh twice as much!
MAESTRO NUMBER 8
Pretty much of the same opinion,though I did watch them v Dundee Utd,then later v Montrose.
Had to give it up,all that laughing was actually sore.
Sevcomedians enraged:
“BBC are *****
Scanning through the scores on the red button there, they’ve no even got Law down as the scorer of both goals.
All it says is “trialist” and the times he scored.”
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
16:02 on 28 July, 2013
Absolutely SPOT ON ………. I will NEVER attend ANY game sevco desicrate by their presence … why is this new club breaking the triallist rules with impunity, and shamelessly … and who gave them permission to wear 5 stars on their shits this season ….. ?
Roll on the day the institutional investors cash-in and they join zombies1 where they belong …. The SFA should hang their heads in shame….
I was thinking the 5 stars were for each of the cup games TFPLG managed not to lose last season, No?
BMCUW @ 16 53
“unfair advantage wasn’t in his remit”
Exactly .
Deliberately so . Nimmo Smith was a patsy with a wig . He was given no evidence re unfair advantage . He was left to pass judgement on the mechanics of disclosure .
The story on Fischer can’t be real? Would be great but he’s be £7-8m+
67Heaven:
Rangers will do what Rangers will do and they will get away with it, time and time again, because they have all the bases covered in the SFA and the media too.
They have to be faced down but it takes a brave man or woman to do that. And if Celtic in silence take no part in facing them down then Celtic in silence will resonate and their complicit silence bars them from having any future bleats accorded credence.
Mr. Turnbull is a brave and honest man.
I heard a rumour that there will be new (co) 5 way agreement for a sevco3 next April.
Is this true?
A Stor – it is important we question ourselves to ensure we do not become just like those who hate us as a reaction to their hatred.
However I actually think I am making the same point. We have over the years managed to extricate ourselves from being the other half of the same coin. In fact we have been so successful at that the Scottish government had to invent a new law to criminalise us in a effort to drag us back.
My point remains – DD wants to pander to the bigotry to get back the bigoted pound because its good for business. By and large the celtic fans have moved on and don’t want that. We don’t want to be like those who hate us.
And for those who seem to think confronting the corruption is akin to banning the huns. Of course we cant ban them. But they are pretending nothing happened and I am not going to let that happen without a fight.
ernie lynch @ 16 48 .
I don’t understand that either. .
I bet now that the next Celtic v Rangers game will be a sell out with non-auld-firm fans bursting their nuts trying to get spare tickets.
ok Let me get my West of Scotland drivel dictionary of the vernacular out for
CQN communication purposes……
Aye let there be nae bitchin fae awe you uppity non board believer tims.
Any deviation fae official turnover policy willny be tolerated.
So we got a wee packet fae Wanyama and hud ye awe believe it was dividend which ye awe fell fur as usual, however, the Hooper thing is gonnie involve a wee bit mare kidology so lets look at it logically and sys tim atically. Since the King of Kings we’ve had 22 strikers (same number of trophies the huns officially cheated oan hardy har har) but if you examine it and think aboot it like a true Tim awe he needed tae dae wiz score mare than Scott Mcdonald and he wish pish so come on.
Nae big deal. Move along. Nothing tae see here.
Very nervous about wednesday night… Hopefully we do it.
Where o where is our james connolly ..o where o where is that gallant man
BMCUWP,
Quite clearly they cannot die. They are Scottish football. The way we have been behaving would indicate that we are of that opinion also …especially the Souness invite recently. I found that highly disturbing. Considering his playing career in Scotland and what it represented and how it all ended up. Full circle and without shame.
If we are doing our three monkey approach to ensure the huns are back before we exit to allow Scottish football not to be percieved as a bigger backwater than it already is then the plcs behaviour is explainable and worthy. If it is to enable an Old Firm invite to a larger league then they missed the opportunity to represent us properly I feel. To be honest it did not look too bad last year , the football on offer. If though it does mean an inevitable decline in our games standards I would rather we went down that road. Yes we owe the rest of Scottish football nothing but maybe now we can truly see why there was such mistrust if there is no dirty deal to get us into a higher league. For Celtic to miss the opportunity to do the honourable thing. I.e to provide an honest sporting product for us then to me it is unacceptable.
Anyways I will not be back until next week.
Have a good one
HH
Wean wanted something scary to watch……zombies on alba or scooby doo?
Scooby won, she’s too wee for that lot.
She’s 23 next week