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.
[calameo code=000390171ece27dd9e54e lang=en page=98 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,316 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- ...
- 35
- »
OK ,no problems.Scrap the “Diamond”system and keep humping the ball up towards Sammi from FF.Seems to have brought us all the great success we have had,why change it?.
Lookingforsomeentertainment,CSC.
HS
HAHA NEXT ITLL BE OVEN GLOVES EH!.
BIG SEAN
Forward / Coach .
Pippo Inzaghi is the hot tip for the AC Milan job when Allegri leaves.
Inzaghi is currently the coach of the AC Milan Under 17 team.Saw a wee clip of Pippo doing some work on the training pitch recently.-he was working on beating that pesky offside thing.
Big Chips UK
Thanks. I could make heavy use of that.
Alanis wants to know what the icon for irony is too.
Ole double diamond
Sometimes the SMSM get it right….just the odd time.
Hope there is substance in this rumour about Steven Fletcher.
A perfect answer to our striker problem,in my humble opinion.
Wouldl score a barrowload and maybe even better player than Gary Hooper was.
For all the negativity which is being displayed on here,most of us keep our good manners and humour.
The Celtic fan moaning about this that and the other generally disnae do so because they hate the club. It is done because we want the best for the club.
And what we are seeing disnae match those expectations.
Recently,SETTING FREE THE BEARS has taken it upon himself to debunk most of the criticism aimed at the board,while merely paying lip-service to the reasons behind that criticism.
By negating our negativity,point by point,you might be forgiven for thinking that as two negatives make a positive,he has played a blinder,and made us all realise the error of our ways.
That may be so for some,but for me,SFTB,every rebuttal you have offered has been based on the current MO.
And you are ignoring the point which most of us are making,which is that the MO is a busted flush.
SFTB-“to earn the right to be a coach you have to be a good deal more than a good player willing to help others.” Agree,they need the ability to pass on their ability/knowledge.As Lennybhoy was alluding to,the player needs to have the capacity to take info on board.Beckham ,Scholes etc,learned that Cantona worked extra sessions to improve himself even futrher.HH
Turkeybhoy
The point being made was not that the diamond formation was wrong (In fact, despite the 0:0 score, I thought we were playing well in the first half vs Hearts with it), just that it does not provide guarantees of free flowing, high scoring games.
As for dissing, lumping the ball forward, well it worked for MON.
Was at the thistle game,and thought imho they were the best fitba side we have faced in the league this season!.
big sean.
RYECATCHER
Plans for 22/2?
We cannae make any till you contact one of us to confirm.
Whomever’s job it is to scout strikers for the club should immediately be instructed not to be getting involved in that particular field anymore…either that or pay them off.
I loathe to be critical,however it has gotten beyond a joke.
The likes of Bangura,Balde and Pukki don’t even look like decent footballers in their YouTube videos.
One poster recently summed it up perfectly – These players were never prolific goalscorers at their previous clubs – So what made the scouts think the said players would automatically become prolific goalscorers as soon as they joined Celtic?
It doesn’t make sense.
Setting Free the Bears
From earlier…
What Beckham learned from Cantona was practice , practice , practice.
When the ‘class of 92’ were still in the reserves they noticed that Cantona always stayed behind (after the first team had all left to go to the bookies /pub.)
He was practicing free kicks,
they asked if they could watch,
They acted as ball boys for him,
then they copied him,
Beckham carried this attitude throughout his career.
Naka used to do the same when at Celtic.
Natural talent gets you in the door, application gets you into the team, attitude , practice, and wish to improve lifts you to another level.
I think that we see so many unfulfilled prospects disappear because too many kids arrive at Celtic and think they have achieved their goal at 17…. and become Timmybigtime.
The Onlooker
Playing football to a high level does not necessarily make you a good coach or manager. We could all list the managers who have done very well without a good career as a player, or the great players who have failed as managers.
There was talk a while ago about Clive Woodward, the rugby coach, having a go in football. It never came to anything which was a shame I think – it would have made for a very interesting experiment.
setting free the bears supports Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
15:48 on
3 January, 2014
Are we still seeing Johnny Russell as a success that got away?
On what basis?
================================
On the basis that in the limited market we operate in he was available for under 1m and the alternatives that did arrive at Parkhead haven’t exactly set the heather on fire?
GORDON J
It did.
At Southampton.
It was a disaster,the club went bust and ended up in the third tier for a few years.
Probably not because of him,but football people were ignored in favour of his “ideas” and over-ruled by the financial eejits in charge.
Not my opinion,btw,but that of a good friend who was Sports Editor of The Southampton Echo at the time.
Once Kwaku has his processed nuggets, he takes them to gold buyers like Kojo Owusu, based in a house just south of the town of Dunkwa.
Making a show of counting large bricks of cash and brandishing two small gold ingots, Kojo says he should be more financially secure next year than many others.
But he does worry about the prospects for the miners, his customers.
“People are not willing to enter into the mining business. A lot of them are leaving because the price is down. They are not investing.”
He leans back on a table on his front porch and gestures to a digger standing idle across the road.
“The owner is a Ghanaian miner but because he went to take a loan from a bank and has not been able to repay, the bank has seized the machine.”
As another truck rumbles past, Kojo frowns as he thinks of the year ahead.
“At the beginning of this year it was very great, very wholesome, but for the past two months it’s been very bad. Very, very, very bad.”
The Onlooker
16:06 on 3 January, 2014
Spot on. Watt would appear to be a prime example by all accounts.
BMCUWP…..
Sorry to be pain in the ass mate….but not in a position to confirm that date yet as I might be in Hannover on business that week or the following week.It’s a big job and I need to dance to their tune rather than the other way around unfortunately.I just don’t know bud and would hate to cancel at short notice.
I can definitely fit something in late March or early April if you suggest some dates then I will work around your availability for a Hootaswally.
Gordon J
Playing football at a high level has also been a hindrance to many young managers when they started out in their career at the lower leagues. They struggled because they were asking players to do things that were outside their capability.
They had nothing to fall back on , the team goes down when the chairman thought they would improve ( because they expected a little gold dust to be sprinkled on to the team)
This initial failure ensures that they never get a second job offer
The Onlooke
BMCUW
“Recently,SETTING FREE THE BEARS has taken it upon himself to debunk most of the criticism aimed at the board,while merely paying lip-service to the reasons behind that criticism. ”
I have always, not just recently, attempted to debunk or oppose any point I thought was wrong, unfair, misguided, ill informed, presumptive, and just plain wrong. I put my opinion out there in the same spirit you do. I try to take on board other people’s views and perceptions as much as you do.
It has nothing to do with the Board, half the time. I am not pro-Board as much as “The Board don’t matter that much” because we waste so much time pointing at them and blaming them for the faults of the real world.
As usual, on the blog, we tend to notice the intemperate remarks directed at those whose positions you agree with, and ignore or dismiss as banter the barbs aimed at those who , to your and my mind, are in the wrong.
I do get tired of the pro-Board jibe because, if it was up to me, they’d all be paid less and half of them would lose their privileges as I cannot see what they provide.
I have never argued the “silent majority” argument. I do not believe that my views are, in any way, widespread. I like to think that mines are unique to me as yours are unique to you. I cannot think of a single poster whose views I constantly agree with nor one with whom I am in constant disagreement, at least about football points.
Your last post was guilty of playing the man and not the ball. It was not typical of you but you did it.
I am not looking for an apology, nor will I react in kind. It’s only a football blog on the internet, after all.
Dbbia
works wonders
The Onlooker @16.06 hrs
When I was reading your post a certain TW came to mind.
Beckham is a great example, his attitude, hard work and after hours practice is well documented and defined him not just as a footballer but as a person.
Not being the most naturally gifted player IMO it was sheer hard work and enthusiasm that made him what he is.
HH.
Celtic Underground @celticrumours 17m
And Rogic rumoured to be heading back to Oz.
Working in Manchester yesterday and today.
Everybody I have seen walking around must be that rare breed of Mancunian ManUre fans judging by the look on their faces.
You think we’ve got mineshafters on here?
You should see that lot in the last 2 days.
GerryBhoy
I often take a deep breath when I hear that a prospective target is a ‘lifelong Celtic supporter’
I know it is counterintuitive , but I think that someone who is ‘not from our natural catchment’ is more likely to put in the effort to prove to the fans that he is worthy of the Hoops.
Example in point was Kenny Miller.
Despite the agenda in the press trying to prove otherwise he was immediately accepted by us because he put in a shift every time he stepped on to the pitch.
He may not have been the goals scorer we hoped for but he could never be faulted for effort.
The Onlooker
notthebus-Rogic needs to play with the World Cup in a few months,can see him going on loan.
traditionalist
“On the basis that in the limited market we operate in he was available for under 1m and the alternatives that did arrive at Parkhead haven’t exactly set the heather on fire?”
If he had come to us and was our 4th top scorer(as he is at Derby) he would be seen as the equivalent of Forrest. Ledley, Mulgrew, Pukki, and Van Dijk. Did Balde cost more or less than Russell would have cost us? Has russell done any better than Blackman. Porter, Goodwillie, Sutton, Clarkson, Sammon,Blackman etc; all the SPL scorers who went South and mostly disappeared.
ryecatcher,
I take it you are working at Manchester airport for your comment
“Everybody I have seen walking around must be that rare breed of Mancunian ManUre fans judging by the look on their faces”
HH.
long shot – anyone got any spares for sunday’s game ?
South of Tunis
Buon anno!
The word I am hearing is that the next Milan coach could be Clarence Seedorf.
Allegedly of course!
No coaching experience whatsoever – but whenever has that been a problem?!
Silvio had no political experience, but it did not stop him forming his own party!
BUNGA BUNGA!!
HH!!
Bobby Murdoch,
I hear you , some people have their view and cannot believe that every other Celtic supporter does not live in a green tinted wonderland. They seem oblivious to the summer signing fiasco, no recognised striker , turgid fitba and Lawwells ongoing agenda against some of our supporters.
The club is in a mess. The fans on the internet are voicing their disapproval even on this hallowed site which is traditionally the most pro board of all sites/blogs. This discontent has been created by Lawwell and to a degree Lenny. Even with the players we have available we could at least see some decent attacking football instead of the one dimensional , sideway passing , put you to sleep dross we have had to witness.
Lawwell in particular had a chance to strengthen the club in the summer ; he failed spectacularly. Middle to front is one of the most ordinary Celtic Teams in the last 30 years.
setting free the bears supports Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
16:27 on
3 January, 2014
To be fair to Russell, he missed a lot of the autumn with a hairline fracture.
SSN say Fletcher probably to Celtic (with a surprised voice). Luverly peiple indeed.
Not sure if that makes it true though.
peepul :))
setting free the bears supports res. 12 & oscar knox
16:27 on 3 January, 2014
To be fair to Russell, who I personally am not one to think what could have been has been plagued by injuries since he moved South. He broke his leg and now since he has got himself fit again, now has a fractured jaw, underwent an operation yesterday for the latter.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Can’t understand why sunderland want to sell fletcher given their league position -unless they have someone else lined up -maybe a straight swap for sammi
Here’s the thing about Steven Fletcher. Peter Lawell slipped up badly, in my opinion, by not signing him in 2009 when JVOH and Skippy couldn’t buy a goal between them and we proceeded to squander a 7 point lead and ultimately concede the Championship to Sir Walter of No Surname. I moaned long and hard on here about that transfer window – the Willo Window and only got round to forgiving PL last season for his role in it which led to Thems winning three titles in a row.
However, now, in my opinion, it would be totally wrong for Celtic to sign Fletcher for £6 million. He has a serious shoulder injury and, I believe, an ankle injury. These have curtailed his progress at Sunderland and he is now finding difficulty in getting into Poyet’s starting Xl. Why do we think that crossing the Scottish border will cure him of his ailments? The reported transfer fee of £6m plus the necessary salary increase is far too much to speculate on someone with injury troubles. Look at Derk Boa Constrictor. He had a label as being injury prone and he has lived up to it 100% since we bought him. Why would be want to repeat this insanity. Pay £5 million for Alfie Finboggasson and get the real deal as far as being uninjured
is concerned. Dismiss stories of Heerenveen demanding £8m for him. They didn’t get it in the summer because they overplayed their hand and they won’t get it now, in January. If they need the money, they will play ball.