It’s like the Willo Flood window all over again! Or not. Officially, Celtic secured the signings of nine players this window, however, they were obliged to make the loan of Daizen Maeda (24) permanent. At this stage, when we know little about several of the new arrivals, acquiring Jota (23) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (24) on permanent deals looks like the most important business.
Celtic had options to exercise for both players with Benfica and Tottenham, so one part of the job was done a year earlier. Neither player was prepared to hand over an option a year out, so personal negotiations had to be completed. Between purchase price and contract, I hear the Jota deal outweighed all other recent deals.
With Josip Juranovic playing half of last season at left back, we needed cover for Greg Taylor. A significant portion of the summer’s spend went to Argentina for the signature of Alexandro Bernabei (21).
Benjamin Siegrist (30) arrived on a free from Dundee United, who promptly collapsed in a flood of conceded goals. He performed heroics at Celtic Park in January in one of last season’s defining games and is ahead of Scott Bain as Joe Hart’s understudy.
Australian international, Aaron Mooy (31), also came in on a free. Ange knows the player from his time as Australian national team manager and Aaron needs some game time ahead of the World Cup.
Moritz Jenz (23) is an interesting one. He was targeted last year but we opted for Carl Starfelt instead. Then 22, with so much change in the squad, the decision was to go for the more experienced player. Moritz, though, was one they wanted.
Last summer he moved to Lorien in Ligue 1, where he played until illness kept him out. While he was out, Lorient changed from a four to a three at the back, which worked well, so our man didn’t get back in the starting line-up.
Celtic were alerted to this situation as soon as he was available for selection and sitting in the dugout and worked to get an inside line to Lorient. They were on the case between then and when he signed. The months on the bench and Lorient’s finances meant we signed him for less than Lausanne sold him for a year earlier.
Rubin Kazan! After acquiring Starfelt from Rubin a year ago, Celtic returned last week for Sead Haksabanovic (23), the Swedish-born Montenegrin international. Sead can play on either wing or as an attacking central mid (a bit like Ryan Christie). He defied my expectations of his fitness by making a good impression against a punch-drunk Ross County on Wednesday.
That left us looking for cover at defensive mid, which Aaron Mooy can do, but it’s not his primary position. Off to Kazan again for another Scandinavian. With no little theatre, Celtic announced a “season-long deal” to sign Oliver Abildgaard (26), minutes before the window closed.
A late bloomer, Oliver left Aalborg for €2m two years ago, before his reputation soared in Russia. At the peak of his career, I have no info on whether we have an option to buy, should the move prove successful. Rubin had a cataclysmic final few minutes of last season, which saw them relegated. If you think Lorient have financial problems…..
When was the last time you felt this good about a transfer window? It was January 2010. In came Morten Rasmussen, Thomas Rogne, Jos Hooiveld, Ki Sung-Yong, Diomansy Kamara and Robbie Keane! Surely with reinforcements like that, we must have won the league?
Nothing in football is certain, it is the ficklest endeavour. An adverse result tomorrow afternoon could see much of our positivity wane. That would not change the big picture, however. Celtic have the tools to get the job done this season. For the third successive window, they have delivered on the upside of expectations.
Remarkably, our title rivals signed no one after qualification for the Champions League group stage. There is a story in that for another day. Hopefully look ahead to tomorrow’s game later.
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HH
Wooft!
Onwards and upwards. Looking forward with balanced optimism to 0630 central time tomorrow ☘️
Shoots…
Well done Vale Bhoy. 👍
BIG JIMMY on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2022 12:04 PM
SFTB……
The GREAT Mel Brooks is still going…He was 96 YEARS OLD IN jUNE 2022.
A Comedy GENIUS.
HH Mate.
Who is the CHUMP that appears to have upset GENE ….Own up.
GENE, I hope that you are okay mate. You are missed on here.
HH Mate.
Just watched Brendan Rodgers interview on Sky Sports.
He said he was glad to see the window shut and admitted that has squad is now weaker.
When asked if he was considering his position he said no because he understood the financial position within the club. He went on to say, “I trust this board and when they tell me they don’t have the means to invest in players I believe them.”
I wonder if that was a wee dig at a previous employer.
Can’t say I know anything about our newest player but really pleased with this signing. The one obvious glaring gap in the squad. Seemed to go really quiet after we missed out on Souza and was a bit worried we wouldn’t be filling this role. If we are going to be playing front-foot football in the Champions League we will need somebody who can be a proper DM.
All in all a really good window (outs as well as ins). We are almost starting to look like a modern, professionally-run club (at least in some areas).
“our title rivals signed no one after qualification for the Champions League group stage. There is a story in that for another day”
————
Or perhaps another site!
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Must confess, I don’t see a weakness in our signings.
Good list, from An T, on prev thread showing the ins and outs.
In my opinion, we are stronger by some way. Squad value must have increased.
However, as PeteC is fond of saying, I know nothing
Tom McL
I think BR was covering his own ease in communicating with the Leicester support.
In that game with Man U that they lost last night his bench was :-
Söyüncü
11Albrighton
14Iheanacho
17Pérez
20Daka
26Praet
27Castagne
31Iversen
34Brunt
All were signed by Brendan except Albrighton, Iheanacho and the goalie Iversen. He has spent a fair bit of money and the Leicester fans are not impressed with his record. He has got players like Castagne that he wanted for Celtic but they are not quite good enough to be used last night. he bought Data for big bucks to replace the ageing Vardy but he has not been good enough.
BR is a good coach but his transfer record is poor
The boy from uncle at 8.15 am.
Very clever – Ernie would have liked it.
Oh no , not our Ernie, heaven forbid
Wat he’d the Leicester game last night.Terrible game.If Castagne is not better than the guy who replaced him,then he must have had a leg amputated in the Summer.Well over 100 million on the bench.Leicester fans not stupid.
Have to say to me yesterday was both obvious and surprising in equal measure – hopefully without scudding us – I think we are adequately covered in forwards and wingers (as a few players are position flexible) – we are more than adequately covered in attacking/ central midfield, binfact I’m a little surprised Mccarthy /ide aren’t on the loaned out list – I think we all agree that there have been times against better teams when the lack of a proper dm has cost us goals – in the 2nd 6 yrd box – and I understand this was in a previous regime, but I thought the twilight years dm/cb…. U know what I’m giving up trying to post an extended post on here using an android phone – the pop up ads are desperate and make seeing the comments box impossible….
I too watched Leicester v Man U last night. 2 poor teams and a dull, dire and dreadful game of football.
“My main strength is as a holding midfielder, due to my physique I’m very strong, I will win my duels. I’m able to be the link between the defenders and the attacking players.
– Big Olly.
That’ll do for me.
HH
Hope the Shipwreck Society have a great afternoon out under the guidance of BRRB 🍺🍺🍀
McCarthy’s game time just got less and I’m sure he was told that. Could have moved for more playing time but has decided to stay and play his (smaller) part.
More importantly, wtf does Scott Robertson do with his weekends ?
HH
Feel really happy that not one of the good players we have were picked up by the money to give away clubs down south. We appear to have done well in the few signings that have been brought in these last hours.
Wonder just how many tickets we could have sold for Real Madrid at home ?
How much money left on the table for the ‘not now but when’ strategy ?
Ange wants us competing in the ECL, so how many of these will pass us by until that mythical moment we’ll decide something needs done on the stadium ?
Be good to be aligned with Ange’s narrative, no ?
HH
BELFASTBHOY0
U know what I’m giving up trying to post an extended post on here using an android phone – the pop up ads are desperate and make seeing the comments box impossible….
Paul67 won’t appreciate me telling you this, but try using the OPERA internet browser as it automatically employs an ad blocker and you will see no more pop-up ads. Just a blank space where the ads should be.
Tom, is it transparent or blank? It’s not the content it’s the fact that shortly after the keyboard pops up various flash ads of various sizes can pop up + had one of like a Japanese house earlier and couldn’t see a thing I was typing
TEXASTIM on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2022 12:04 PM
Wooft!
Onwards and upwards. Looking forward with balanced optimism to 0630 central time tomorrow ☘️
——————————————————–
We will have to take it easy on the bottle tonight TEXASTIM. An hour ahead of you of course but 730am always a fine time to skelp them. Have a nice Sazerac Rye at home and a cheeky wee Laphroaig as well.
HH!
I’m just surprised that we same to crave flexibility in wings / attack – yet we have 4 cb’s who can only play cb, 4 wb’s who can only play there, for example I’m a little surprised ralston wasn’t trained (in those years were he was out of favour, as a cb, or a dm /box to box mid – some of his most important early contributions under ange were in AM area of pitch….
I hope our bhoys have learned from the cup semi…..do not dwell on the ball. control , touch and go .
Hetate was targeted by a few of the hun players taking turn to ( robustly) challenge him .
Juranovic was also done by wreck it Ralph lunstroms repeated rough house tactics.
So much to look forward too , lets kick it off by pumping the huns.
I’m not saying put square pegs in round holes in euro games but might be needed in the games before or after them
Big Jimmy and any others who like to contribute to bookmakers pension account.
I have been told that the (aptly named for the weekend that’s in it) Approaching Bear is fancied to win the 5.40 at Down Royal
Unfortunately Jimmy its not a 66/1 shot but is 2/1 favourite.
However just thought I would pass it on
Park Road 67 at 12.42
Let’s hope they aren’t “holed below the water line” LOL
BRRB, count me in for the Coatbridge swally.
Maybe it’s just Welsh pulling up last time, but I suddenly got images in my head of Stan varga – I think at the henrik testimonial – waving his hands at the bench wondering what’s going on as he was left the only cb on the pitch…
Big Wavy,
Every week we have a discussion on here about the stadium.There are only a handful with a bigger capacity than ours.One being built for the Olympics.3 CLgames,2 Derby games,maybe the odd Derby Cup game,could we really get more than 60,000 outwit these games?.I agree,we need a refurb,and the old stand enlarged,but at the moment,in the present economic climate,it’s probably too expensive.Who knows where the inflation rate will peak.We all saw how the initial price of Spurs doubled.And that was in a more stable financial climate.
BELFASTBHOY0
You get blank spaces, not transparent, plus there are no pop-ups other than the occasional one asking you to disable the ad-blocker.
I think that maybe after the New Year Derby,unless we get a LC game,that after it,Big Ollie will be wearing Lundstroms bollox,as earrings.
Turkey, you saying he should get the sack already….
BW @ 12.43
Bit harsh on SR — bad injury when out on loan.
Not sure how many months he was out for.
He has a strange history — out on loan at 19 and getting good game time.
Rinse and repeat three times — well thought of by all 3 teams.
Nothing happening when up the road.
Hopefully he is involved with the first team.
Get him on the park so that we can see how good he is.
Big issue is the non progress from the youths this season.
Hopefully things will improve — D ream style.
You read my post paul, transfer business good but now up to players and coaching staff to translate that into a succesful season.
We do have a playing style and strategy that ties into recruitment profile which can only help us now and in the future. It clearly reduces the risk of purchasing good players who fail because we try to play to their strengths rather than having players who play to the teams strengths. Best for player and club.
Hopefully all the guys who have left permanently fine new homes where they can play well and hopefully all the boys out on loan can also find a permanent home. Expect micky j who we appear to still have some hope for. He must be doing something right if Ange wants to keep him.
Here’s a section of recent Leicester fan comments on what BR said last night. They seem to think he’s imminently for the off:-
“Surely if he (BR) handed his resignation, the club would have announced it by now, unless legally they cannot”
“No doubt he will, he’ll get at least a month to turn it around imo, based on Top’s comments
If that’s the case then we deserve to go down. ”
“It’s true – Marcelo is taking over at three
Lets hope his English has improved.. we do need another grandad as a manager, Cambiasso as his number two? ”
“Who ’embargoes’ it? The club? The interviewee? Is it an informal agreement with the press, a kind of quid-pro-quo for being able to attend?
If it’s sensitive material, someone speaking too soon or out of turn, or maybe without full knowledge of the facts, then I could understand. But for it to be not ok one day but ok the next kinda baffles me.
The embargoed bit has been misinterpreted a little
there are parts of press conferences/interviews which are often embargoed so that the newspapers have stuff at 11pm which hasn’t already been publicised
in this case, he has done the brighton presser after last nights game
this is due to be released at 13:30 today
but he has obviously said a few more things in this part of last nights post match stuff – and we can’t hear about it until 13:30 ”
“Your 1st paragraph.
Yes we have played these teams, but the the ‘awful period’ you are referring too isn’t just theses games alone, and many on here who want shot of the bloke are taking the last 18 Months of boring football style, the poor performances , sh*t tactics, and teams selections, the freezing out of players, adding also the blame shifting “BS” posts match interviews, all into account
2nd paragraph. Really??
If we leave it that late then 17th position could be out of reach as I’m struggling to see where our next points are coming from. I fear the new manager would have an insurmountable mountain to climb at this point to make up the points to catch 17th then keep going to give us daylight. Also to do that, whoever was occupying 17th would also have to loose every time we won or the math wouldn’t work..
Sorry he needs to go now, he tried hard enough yesterday to get his pay off with his post match comments.
Please Top, grant the parasitic leach his wish, so that the healing process can begin whilst we are only 2 points behind Everton (who happen to have a Merseyside Derby next match)
” thought Brendan’s comments about us not being as strong as were 2 years ago was really interesting, so, because I’m sad, I’ve done a comparison from the 2020/21 squad to this seasons squad (for anyone who had a squad number)
21 out of 28 players from 2020/21 season are the same players.
The 7 changes are below:
Kasper out, Iversen in
Wes Morgan out, Wout Faes in (was Fof)
Benkovic out, Vestegaard in
Matty James out, Soumaré in
Demarai Gray out, Daka in
Fuchs out, Bertrand in
Jakupovic out, Smithies in
The above paints an interesting picture for me, 4 changes border on insignicant, in the sense that from the 20/21 squad those players were not regulars.
However, regards the 3 ageing, more experienced leaders, we have replaced them with sub-standard players and zero leadership skills. This for me, is glaringly obvious in this “new” group of players, we lack leadership, know how, people driving standards and experience. This is a huge oversight on Brendan’s/the clubs part and is coming home to roost.”
After Wednesday’s performance and nine changes not bothered about the starting line up tomorrow, as the players who came in were all good enough but think AP will go,
Hart
CCV
Starfelt
Juranovic
Taylor
O’Riley
McGregor
Hatate
Jota
Kyogo
Maeda
Only variable would be Abada for Maeda on the right Jota switching to the left.