If you were lucky enough, like me, to enjoy a long Christmas holiday, I hope you had a good one. I’m sure few of us are delighted to be back at it today but there’s an indisputable mood on the blog for bringing in the New. A fresh start is needed and fortunately we’re at the start of the transfer window.
For Celtic most attention will be directed towards recruiting a striker who is capable of doing the business in the Champions League, not to overlook the important point of doing the business in Champions League qualifiers. 20-year-old Icelandic striker, Holmbert Fridjobsson, finally joins the club this month but although we’ll hopefully see plenty of the player this month he is surely considered ‘one for the future’.
One prolific striker does not solve all of Celtic’s issues, however. The club remains acutely dependent on Kris Commons’ creativity (as well as goal scoring), which will become increasingly less-effective as opponents setup to inhibit him. He needs a foil.
Since the annihilation in Barcelona Celtic have offered greater protection from midfield but with both full backs encouraged to overlap the midfield anchor role, previously occupied by Wanyama, becomes crucially important. It also offers support to the strategy of allowing Commons a free role as an attacking midfielder.
Over the break, Archie MacPherson, Scotland’s greatest ever broadcaster, wrote an article for Celtic Quick News comparing two of Scotland’s greatest ever managers. These debates are, of course, subjective, but the article provides a few objective points for consideration. Archie has a totally unique range to deal with this question and is in no doubt as to who the master was. Look out for the article next week, you’ll enjoy it – no guessing now.
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Carlabarlowcsc
Sandman
17:31 on 3 January, 2014
Found time, finally, to peruse my CQN annual.
Congrats to all involved – a great product full of interest, although PAGE 75 has to be the finest in the book.
***************************************************************************************************
Sandman,
Ha, ha….I agree, great product but have to say page 29, just below my ticket, is the bees knees!
HH :)) Gerry
More likely that Mr barraclough will sign than Fletcher if the DR is the source of the story.
TET
Enjoy your opinions without each of us calling out H*n
Take care
HH
Kevin Doyle it is then
HH
Fixed odds time.
FA Cup…….maybe worth a wee perm or 2, given that Paul Lambert and others are hinting strongly that they will play weakened teams.
Villa are at home to Sheffield Wed. Under Nigel Clough, are undefeated in 6 and are 6s.
Yeovil have a poor home record v Leyton Orient who have lost 1 in 11 away and are 7/4.
In the league….
Conference
Wrexham host Aldershot who have no wins in 17 visits.Wrexham are 7 points and 7 places above them and are 11/10.
Gateshead 3/10. Home to Hyde who have 3 points from 25 games. Ally the paid eater in frame for next manager. In last 5 of these fixtures, Gateshead w4, drawn 1. They stand at 38 points.
This double in the conference returns 173 %.
Cheltenham v Chesterfield 11/8. Last 13 h and a, Chesterfield have won 9 and lost 1.
Hamilton, 8/11, have excellent home record v QOS, losing 1 in last 15 at home.
Ayr won 7 in last 9 visits to Stranraer.
Falkirk lost 1 in 7 visits to Livi.
Queens Park have good record v Clyde, bit their away form this season is dire.Ditto, Morton at Dumbarton.
And…..
Don’t forget Manure
Henhouse Manure
The best wee players in the land
If you forget Manure
Henhouse Manure ( tens)
Yourgonnahaveariotonyourhands.
HH
adi_dasler
You to
HH
What will the fans make of the suggestion that we can afford £6m fur a player …if we spend a fraction of that or bugger all
Very unguarded statement
Off to make the dinner
If I was looking for a striker I’d look at these two:
Vincent Aboubakar – FC Lorient – £2m – 11 goals in 19 games
Tim Väyrynen – Fc Honka – £350K – 17 goals in 24 games
Hail Hail
Tet,
You have said on many occasions that there is plenty of talented forward passing midfielders in the middle level Spanish leagues that wouldn’t bust our budget, could you forward their names to John Park. HH
Stephen Fletcher is a win win for us and Gordon Strachan… except…
… if a team at the foot of the EPL and are willing to sell one of their strikers… What does that say about their strikers?
u
Awe Naw
I was away feeding my face.
Now then:-
“That DD is not interested in Celtics loose change.”
As often happens on here, we have lost sight of the original argument. You are explaining to me that DD was interested in Celtic and spending bigger when there was a prospect of moving to the EPL or Championship and has downscaled spending and interest (not sure he had much ever) since that prospect disappeared. Once again, I not only agree with that analysis, I commend DD for this strategy. Why spend big when you cannot alter your stars by much? The time to authorise spending will be when we have to compete, with a chance of success, in a new market. At present our spending level wins us the league and CL entry, and no amount of rational spending will bridge the gap between our occasional last 16s and regular last 8s in the CL.
My original dispute with MadMitch was on the grounds of DD using Celtic as a cash cow to finance his other endeavours. That I found risible, and still do, but I can well see that, if we get into a more elite league, DD will make some money out of it, especially if he sells up (few football club owners make money in the long run). He will then be just the same as Fergus who made money out of Celtic and gave something back. It was mutually beneficial.
“Not only him but the entire board take only a passing notice that they are very well rewarded for.”
I have no way of measuring whether previous Board members were more or less interested in our sporting levels because I don’t mix in those circles. I don’t think you do either so we are both free to attribute any motives, attitudes and behaviour, short of libellous/slanderous ones, to them.
” The sermons and the preaching are unnecessary because they are nearly,always misplaced and coupled with business and political spin”
I assume you mean the sermons from Board members, as opposed to my posts. If so, I would say we have not heard a lot of communication from them, far less sermonising. I saw some condemnation of fans at Motherwell but most of us condemned some of what was done. What sermons do you believe you have heard?
“If we are a family. If we are special. If we are truly a global sporting phenomenon. Then we need more involvement from them all.”
We are global in the modern world but we would be ranked by few neutrals in Europe, South or North America, Africa or Asia, in a list of the world’s top 40 clubs. Neither would other well supported traditional teams like Anderlecht, Legia, Sparta Prague or Ferencvaros. So our importance can be over-stated.
We are a family AND a business- the primary aim of Celtic is to win football matches, not to be political or to be a charity fund raising mechanism. These are additional and, to some, incidental aspects to our business. I like that we emphasise and maintain our charitable roots but there would be no vote for us to be purely a fund raising vehicle. The Board do what they do because they believe that operating any other way will lead to even greater unrest and criticism. There are bad aspects to these times- it is not good to be stuck outside looking at the fat clubs stuffing their faces at the big events but it is not PL’s fault that Celtic are not doing what Ajax can’t do or Benfica can’t do or Anderlecht can’t do and that is buck the TV steroid money distortion that means big debtor clubs in big debtor leagues have the Big trophies sown up until they go bust or circumstances change. Meanwhile, we stay alive and do what we can.
“If they dont then I expect an emotional stale mate for many Celtic fans.”
We are already there. Let’s see if there is any recovery from the disruption with the Green Brigade. Let’s see if a SC run can alleviate the natural let down that is a title procession. Let’s see if a better transfer window now or in the summer can rectify some of the midfield and forward failings.
We are not at 1994 levels. There are no spontaneous demonstrations and there are no organised fan groups coalescing around any single idea, whether that be “fight the SFA corruption” or “buy a more expensive striker to prove you love me”. There is a lot of free floating moaning but no organised movement.
I can thole the football but if CP remains a morgue where only grumping is tolerated then we will have become less than a club.
Time will soon tell.
TET- publishing?
Am sure Winning Captains is yer mhan, or BRTH if they are looking in.
If it’s Pubbing you meant then I’m sure BMCUW will be oh help! ;-)
How you doin anyway buddy?
Tet.
Winning captains would probably be able to help re publications. .
Uly
A struggling team selling their striker …..sumhin dodgy aboot that …no ??
Aow.
Wasn’t looking over your shoulder. Honest.
BT :-D Great minds…..
TET
Looking forward to 18th supporting team
HH
….you cut back on the ole painkillers yet? (while watching the Hoops:-(
Need more when watching. Them and alcohol…
Just had a “text” – bloke on Eastenders with a Tiocfaidh Ar La hoodie on.
TET
Has your wife looked at LULU publishing. You work with them to publish your own books.
Did ballantynes Airdrie not play diedco roundabout this time last year……seems a wee kind gesture from sfa for arranging fixture at this time…..or on the otherhand coincidental in helping jim”boy” out like a good gate for his “loyal” services…….canny expect tae play them every week jim….but weel dae oor best tae make it neerday bash….
Fletcher is a distraction for the other teams piggy backing onto our scouting system…
I expect a better signing at fraction of cost
That last one for BT, not TET!
Ps. BT see the new Mandatory Reconsiderations……pain in the erchie
Crap sideshow to take heat of the Appeals people NOT doing their job.
Had a laugh though when one of the older birds in work I overheard telling a customer that they had to have a ‘Mandatory Reconciliation’.
Cue much laughter around her and mucho confusion for the customer..
Pps. Only Civil Servants will laugh at that…
A better signing at a fraction of the cost
Portents aren’t very good for that one
TET
Best of luck for Mrs
Aow.
Back Monday after two week break.
Should be interesting. ..
sipsini
I often go and watch the local team playing, they would be about div 128, anyways, they had a young fella 14 I think he was, I mailed Celtic about him a couple of years ago, didn;t get a reply, not that I was expecting one, he signed for Sevilla.
If JP was doing his job, he would be all over the lower leagues here, he maybes doesn’t think they are good enough.
As I said earlier, players who are footballers will struggle in scotland, maybe that is why we don’t look here.
I would have thought it would be easier to sort the referees, then we could sign proper footballers.
………………………………………………….
AOW-BT
Thanks bhoys, never thought of WC.
Good thanks, holiday weekend here, very much looking forward to it.
HH
TeT
Epiphany ?
pauloantony
20:14 on
3 January, 2014
Fletcher is a distraction for the other teams piggy backing onto our scouting system…
I expect a better signing at fraction of cost
Given our track record on strikers, i imagine we will manage the ‘fraction of the cost’ bit, but I,m not so sure about the ‘better signing’ bit.
Still, I hope you’re right.
Topkat
Ballantynes drivel tells you all you need to know about Airdrie
Tomtheleedstim and Sipsini
Me too….sprayed out a moothful of beer…..that’ll be the huns caving in the windows at Granada.
timbhoy2
19:50 on 3 January, 2014
You see my reply to your earlier post, if not e-mail me at lennybhoycfc@gmail.com
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
the exiled tim-free the dam 5
19:32 on 3 January, 2014
You may want to contact Winning Captains
I will drop you a note
Hail Hail
Oribe peralta… Santos…
20 goals In 17 matches….
Our tie up…. Would we risk a Mexican again ?
TET
Good luck to your missus. I tried to get stuff published for much of the last decade and gave up in despair trying to get agents and or publishers to bite. And even if they accept a submission for further scrutiny they give no feedback. I had one publisher that I sent three lots of stuff to and got feck all idea of what I could do better.
Mind you I’d trust your wife has a higher degree of literacy than I.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
What about Piotr Parzyszek as a Striker?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!