The injury crisis in central defence had an interesting consequence for Celtic’s Champions League squad, announced yesterday. As things stand, we have only two fit central defenders who have played for the club, Liam Scales and Gustaf Lagerbielke. Nat Phillips is fit but has yet to make his debut.
As recently as a month ago, Liam could have expected to be at another club by now, but subsequent events, not least his performance at Ibrox, mean he was certain to be included as one of the 17 non-home-grown players in the 25-man squad.
Had Maik Nawrocki been fit, it is unlikely that Nat Phillips would be at the club, or that Liam made the cut (he would not have played at Ibrox), freeing up an extra place which would have been taken by Alexandro Bernabei.
Liam can also play left back, so our first reserve for that position missed out. Being Scottish, Scott Bain benefited as Benjamin Siegrist missed out. James Forrest, Mikey Johnston, Tony Ralston and Stephen Welsh, Greg Taylor and David Turnbull are the other Scottish-developed players in the squad. At the rate English and German clubs have picked off our teenage talent in recent years, it is no surprise the club work to keep fringe former-youth players on the books.
Clubs from small countries face many pressures, shoe-horning so much of our Champions League hopes into only 17 players raised outside our territory is one of them.
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Rab H
Welcome hame
RabHawe: Good to see you back on here.
Evan Ferguson…
Well there is a barber shop in Dublin called The Trinity Barber (in Trinity Street near the college).Anyhow I went there regularly over the years and was always intrigued by a large framed photograph of the Man Utd squad of 67/68 ..All the famous faces..Best Charlton Kidd etc etc..Also in the photograph was a young man who never made it to the lofty heights of fame as a professional footballer.An injury cut his career short not long after the photo was taken and now his lot in life was to cut my hair short..His name was (and is ) Damien Ferguson .Grand uncle of young Ewan…
Notta lotta people know that..
Evan….not Ewan !!!
Ray W…takes a man to say sorry…to err is human ..to forgive divine .
DENIABHOY
In the late ’60s and early ’70s we had a “Ponsonby” played on the left wing for us, at the National Savings Bank, Cowglen, in the Civil Service Saturday morning league. I can’t remember his first name.
Its the only time I come across the name as I left in 1974.
Kenny Dalglish’s wife, Marina, worked there at the same time.
CowglenCSC
McCoist and Alex Ferguson are two rats from the same cowp.
WG, ML2
Ghirls win 3-2
Winningemmell…succinctly put sir and 100% correct 🤔
From the same Masonic lair …
Thank’s all for the warmth of your welcome. This past week has been a happy time for us, as we savoured the aftermath of Ibrox.
Thanks to St. Stivs for the biography of my alter ego. I suddenly feel ravenously hungry for some reason!
Very welldone the Ladyhoops, coming from 2 down to win !
https://x.com/DalglishPaul/status/1701987195790217404?t=bgHTMDJaEY9HBCG9J8NeFA&s=08
Re earlier suggestion that Evan Ferguson could opt to play for England, he is Irish born and has already played in European Qualifiers for Ireland, I don’t think it’s possible at this stage for him to be eligible to change to England and I doubt very much that he would want to.
Corkcelt.
He can leave unless he has played more than 3 competitive games.
He has played 3 times….I believe one of those was a friendly, so he needs 2 more, before he is “handcuffed” to Ireland.
scullybhoy @ 8.03
My interpretation of the relevant Artlicle (9 Para. 2 of RGAS) (rules governing application of statutes) is that it refers to Official/Non Official Competitions (not Friendlies), to the Age of the Player ie U21, and to the number of (relevant) matches at A Level already played for current Assoc ie ‘no more than 3 matches’ and their eligibility to play (for England say) via birthplace of biological Mother/Father etc.
If i’m reading it right, and Evan does not play for the Republic again, he is and will be eligible to play for England. I might be wrong of course, but if right, it is all down to the next match for the Republic.
Corkcelt ,
We can breathe…( I think)
He has played 6 times , 3 competitive.
From Talksport…👇
“The confusion surrounding Ferguson comes from a misunderstanding of FIFA’s relaxed rules on changing nationality.
The forward has indeed only played in three competitive fixtures during his six international outings.
And being that he was under the 21-year-old threshold when he made those appearances false hope was given to England fans.
But the small print from the FIFA Commentary on the Rules Governing Eligibility to Play for Representative Teams released in January 2021 negates any distinction between friendly and competitive matches”
..and from the horses mouth, so to speak
When asked whether representing England was a possibility, Ferguson responded:
“That’s not gonna happen, no.
My mam is English, so that’s where the tie comes in.
But I’ve seen a few saying oh, will he? Will he?
But I can tell you now it’s a no.
I wouldn’t be allowed back by my dad.”
The Onlooker
Good evening all from Govanhill.
Rab
Welcome back.
the onlooker
Can you point me to any reference to “friendlies” in the RGAS?
That would be helpful
Hello again all you young rebels.
From a lovely sunny Melbourne, a wee run of hot spring days ahead
here and 24 degs expected.
Up early this fine morning, got a park to line, our season is finished
but the Aussie football fed. asked if we could host another finals
game on Sunday.
Apparently they were so impressed by the feedback from clubs and
supporters about the great ammenities and atmosphere shown at
our last games.
Wonder if the ST KILDA CELTS had any input in that 💚🇮🇪 😉
H H. Mick
Looking forward to us taking on Dundee this weekend. Will the Green Brigade pick up from where they left off and continue their jeering? I reckon the shameless will show up and support the team ….unless we drop points. Then, they’ll do what they do best, behave like huns and jeer. Faithful through and through my arse.
RAY WINSTONE’S BIG DISEMBODIED HEID on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2023 7:46 PM
….
….
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As I say, my apologies to all, apart from the permanently angry guy, for whom I have no time whatsoever.
———
There’s a couple of poss culprits – can you narrow it doon a bit ;))
Rab Hawe/ThomTheTim – are you a Hun now !
Mick – mind slip, slap, slop.
Morning Quadro
Do you think I’ll need my cowbhoy hat wi the corks dangling
Fae it ?
And of course a Celtic badge.
H H. Mick
Good to see the Glesga glutton back on 👍
H H. Mick
Melbourne Mick
Dancing the salsa with his corks dangling. 🤔
The mind boggles.
Minority of one maybe.
I cannot pin on Alex Ferguson a Hun bigot convenient badge.
That is lazy journalism.
His early years. Son of a Celtic supporters bus conveyor.
So what that he was a rangers supporter. He still married a Catholic.
Bigots don’t marry the other way.
His football style. Big . Scored a lot. Bullied the centre Half’s. Banging billy in the face he did it every week to everyone.
Big Wavy would suggest we should sign him for physicality.
Read his full life story.
He literally sat at jock steins table in that hotel on cathkin brae every Saturday for years.
He studied stein. His best graduate possibly even more than caeser
His fault maybe. He did step over anyone whoever went against him
Anyone that can go to Harvard and present on people performance management and be awarded degrees.
Well i think that makes him better qualified than the rest of thetimternet.
Next up
Ponsonby.
I am accused of this in my own networks. See you higgie you are always contrary and telling us how clever people know better just because……
Well. It is true. I like clever people.
In particular those grandchildren of people who could never be allowed to progress back then because of their religion and language and address and even their names beginning with an O or a MC.
Economic parity. Remember that.
Irish descendants reached parity in Boston in 1910. In Sydney in 1920.
In Glasgow in 1990 only because the Scots got poorer . Seriously.
Every time someone here tells us the success of their kids . I feel proud.
Ponsonby. A success story .
Like thousands of us
.
Keep it lit
Melbourne Mick
Have you found that Celtic founders resting place yet ?
PPS.
As long as our progress remains authentic to your roots and you remember where you came from and never turn your coat on to the back of the commentators chair.
Like a Neil DOCERTY MCCANN
STIVs
Well said.
Played in the Govan leagues with his brother who had an affection
for us.
Wee story, Celtic had an upcoming cup tie at Pittodrie which was
completely sold out, as me and my mhate were up in Aberdeen waiting
to go offshore we decided to try our luck and go to the park and try
and get tickets.
My mhate Pat knew Fergie well, so the doorman went in and told him
there were people outside waiting for him.
He appeared from the middle of a training session, sweat pouring from
him , and proceeded to get us tickets after a few sweaty words lol.
Hardly a hun I’d say.
H H. Mick
Sweary words ffs.
Not yet mhate
but as soon as we can all get a date to go together
It will be done 👍
H H. Mick
Mm
I have a similar story about McLean at tannadice but too tired too type it out.
Back then. The value of getting any support in was well more valuable than today is . We paid the wages for real.
Magic story btw. What cup tie was it? The replay in 81 ?
Good question, possibly 81, my memory is
like my body, struggling to keep up 🤣
H H. Mick
Mm.
A Saturday or midweek ?
I believe midweek.
H.H. Mick