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Insights from strategically huge window

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Having rested nine players from Sunday, last night’s result and performance was inconceivably good.  There were several star performers but I thought Anthony Ralston and David Turnbull put in shifts that may go below radar, but were both outstanding.

Callum McGregor made the most of his freedom to move forward to catch the County defence sleeping at a corner kick.  The unlikely amount of space he had inside the box was punished with remarkable simplicity.

Giorgos Giakoumakis did what Giorgos Giakoumakis does.  He was a handful for the home defence throughout, taking some industrial treatment in the process, but got his goal and could have added more.

Sead Haksabanovicat hasn’t played in 12 weeks and only signed with Celtic a week ago.  I did not expect to see him until near the end of September and, during the game, was adamant his was on the subs bench only to help him integrate with the squad.

I am happy to put a caveat before what I’m going to suggest, specifically, this Celtic team could make you or I look good, but what an impressive 15 minutes we saw of him last night.  He is direct, can cross and shoot, and was always available.  He is a player.

You and I have been doing this stuff on deadline day for a long time.  Never have we been so chilled out.  Never has the Celtic squad looked so complete.  Never have the “just one more player would guarantee the league” brigade been so prosaic.  In that time, we have seen a lot of great Celtic teams, several sides that progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League and completed four trebles.

For years, Callum McGregor played more football than any other player on the planet.  He coped admirably, but this did his development and longevity in the game no favours.

Oliver Abildgaard is a defensive mid in the peak of his career who may become the third capture from our development club in the east.  Whether he arrives or not, you have never seen as comprehensive a Celtic squad.

One more thing, as Columbo used to say.  I am very familiar with the precarious finances across the city, which continue to underpin our second successive Generation of Domination.  But even I’m surprised at their lack of transfer spend so far this window.  Has financial realism finally reached Ibrox after 34 years of havoc?

Let’s not tempt provenance, there are hours left and all this strategic stuff will feel inappropriate if the result doesn’t go our way on Saturday (it will only feel that way), but despite A Europa final, Champions League group stage and all those player sales, this window indicates the depths of their problems.

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  1. DeniaBhoy on

    Rubin Kazan were willing to let Hazo go for the fee on offer but maybe think Abildgaard will be of more value next summer than he is presently? If he plays well and we want to buy him then the fee might be a lot higher than it would be currently? Also, as there is no first option to buy him for an agreed price, EPL clubs might come sniffing and drive the fee up.

     

     

    Lots of ifs, buts, maybes.

     

     

    Here’s hoping he does a great job for however long he is here.

  2. Stephbhoy67 on

    TICKET FRAUD SILENT TIMS on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2022 8:43 AM

     

     

    Very few celtic supporters pay 50 pound for a game vs. Sevco because we have season tickets. Only a small group of folk pay that amount. Should celtic charge sevco supporters 33 pounds for a game at celtic park while sevco charge celtic supporters 50 pounds for a game at their shitepit? Don’t think many celtic supporters would be happy with that and rightly so.

     

     

    There is a simple undeniable fact in companies house records that state sevco or the rangers game into being in 2012. In scotland once a club and company are incorporated they become one in the same hence no matter what anyone inside the football community says or thinks sevco are a new club, it’s not hard unless your hard of thinking.

     

     

    Anyway nothing is guaranteed but got to be happy with that transfer window, hopefully it translates into another succesful season.

     

     

    Hh

  3. Big Jimmy on

    FAO BELMONTBRIAN or anyone else who wishes to watch.

     

    I dont know if MY Link will work, maybe another GOOD Guy on here can Post the Link if mine doesnt work ?

     

     

    This is from 1983, and at that time I first saw a VIDEO JUKE BOX in a Pub in Glasgow city centre. When I discovered THIS MEL BROOKES Classic, I couldnt stop playing it in the Pub.

     

    BEWARE, THREE Scantily clad Beautiful Burds are in this Video, not for the faint hearted.

     

    Its MEL BROOKES….One of the funniest Guys EVER.

     

     

    To Be or Not To Be: Mel Brooks – Hitler Rap (1983)

  7. MadMitch on

    Never mind TR — what is JD doing at the moment?

     

    He has left Lyon but looks as if he is going spare at the moment.

     

     

    Big waste.

  9. Stephbhoy67 on

    DENIABHOY on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2022 10:38 AM

     

     

    It’s gonna be hard to negotiate a compulsory purchase or loan to buy when you don’t know if your gonna be able to get money to the club at that stage I.e russia may still be sanctioned.

     

     

    We apparently paid off debt to other euro clubs to avoid said issue with the swede

     

     

    HH

  11. big wavy on

    MM,

     

     

    UEFA Youth League may tell us a bit about youths but I just wonder as the world opens up from a football talent perspective, does it naturally mean the club’s acadamies become less important than they were in the old parochial days.

     

     

    Young local talent for local teams? Look at the success of Scottish kids going abroad in recent years instead of being lost in the Celtic academy. Look at the talent we’ve brought in since Ange turned up – not a young Scots player amongst them.

     

     

    I’m not saying it’s not important but it is just different, more sentimental perhaps than anything, especially given the terrific back story of the Lions everybody in football knows.

     

     

    Just here thinking when I should be working :)

     

     

    HH

  13. big wavy on

    From the Celtic website :

     

     

    The Celtic Youth Academy give young players the support and developing the skills required to become professional footballers.

     

     

    SINCE 2000/01:

     

     

    51 players have made the first team

     

    1 in 3 have become professional footballers

     

    19 have played in the UEFA Champions League

     

    41 have become full internationals

     

     

    HH

  15. Stephbhoy67 on

    DENIABHOY on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2022 10:45 AM

     

     

    You set ticket prices based on demand, regardless of rangers dying and the new club coming into being, the simple fact is sevco is our closest and biggest challengers so can easily justify the price.

     

     

    HH

  16. MadMitch on

    BW @ 11.02

     

     

    Lies / Damned lies / Statistics — take you pick.

     

     

    21 years — big spread.

     

    Are we counting AR in this number?

     

     

    I fear that the figures don’t tell the complete story of the past 7 years.

     

    We have had purple patches from the youth system — now we have a desert of Sahara proportions.

  19. Tom McLaughlin on

    GLASGOW DERBY STORY

     

     

    Outside Ibrox Park 1977. I had just alighted from the Motherwell Railway Tavern CSC bus for the game v Rangers. My first priority was to take a leak after a few pints in the Tavern and a can or two on the journey.

     

     

    I saw a line of Tims peeing against the wall of a disused warehouse, so joined the end of the line and did the needful, only for a copper to grab me as I walked away. I was taken into the back of a police van where about half-a-dozen fellow miscreants were already ensconced.

     

     

    Bummer, I thought, I can handle a £5 hit but now I’ll miss the game. I was gutted. Soon the van was filled with more weak-bladdered Tims.

     

     

    Eventually a big sergeant opened the back doors and made an announcement.

     

     

    “Those of you in possession of proof of address will be released immediately. All others will be taken into police custody.”

     

     

    I took out my wallet and extracted my driving licence. Only problem – I had only days previously moved to a new address after having sold my flat and bought a house with my new wife. My licence bore my previous address. After weighing up my options for a second or two, I duly handed over my driving licence. The sergeant read out my name and address to a WPC who recorded the details in her notebook.

     

     

    Immmediately there was a plaintiff cry from another prisoner behind me.

     

     

    “That’s MY address!”

     

     

    I looked round and would you believe it? The guy I had sold my flat to was sitting there.

     

     

    Fortunately for me, the sergeant’s response was, “Shut it you!”

     

     

    I was saved by typical copper arrogance. He handed me my licence and let me go free.

     

     

    Result!!!

     

     

    Until 6:30 Sunday morning. Two Motherwell coppers at my door. I invited them in.

     

     

    “Did you get arrested at Ibrox yesterday?”

     

     

    “Yes.”

     

     

    “Did you give a false address?”

     

     

    “Er, no. ”

     

     

    “Govan want you taken there now.”

     

     

    “Why?”

     

     

    “They say you presented a false address.”

     

     

    “How did you get this address then?”

     

     

    “We went to the false address and they know you.”

     

     

    “What was the false address I gave?”

     

     

    He told me the address. I was thinking on my feet.

     

     

    “That’s my mate’s address,” I declared. “He got arrested with me yesterday.”

     

     

    “Yes he did say that.”

     

     

    The cop then radioed his sergeant at Motherwell.

     

     

    “Sounds like the Govan crew have mixed-up the addresses of two prisoners.”

     

     

    “Does Mr McLaughlin admit to being arrested?”

     

     

    “Yes.”

     

     

    “Very well then. Leave him be. I’ll speak to Govan.”

     

     

    Another result.

     

     

    I did eventually get fined a fiver.

     

     

    If you ever lie to the cops, be aware of who is within earshot.

     

     

    PS. Celtic lost 2-3.

  22. big wavy on

    MM,

     

     

    I thought that too but last season’s squad still had Ralston, Forrest, Welsh, Murray, Johnston, McGregor, Dembele, Moffat, Doak, Henderson & Montgomery. All Academy.

     

     

    I think more needs done but we prioritise the first squad and we can see there are active plans in place – McManus to help.

     

     

    I think there’s something in the shifting sands of global football that has changed the importance of the local academy though. Numbers through the funnel will just get smaller at the first team in my opinion.

     

     

    HH

  23. scullybhoy on

    Tom McLaughlin on 2nd September 2022 11:14 am

     

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

     

     

    I didn’t know that you have a criminal record, Tom. Reminds me of the old joke (2 Ronnies maybe?) about having a criminal record = a record by Cliff Richard.

     

     

    HH (Enjoy the Wedding)

  24. marspapa on

    I havnt attended one of the “BIG JIMMY JAMBOREES” as yet !!…..when i get an opportunity to and go , i will then claim admittance to said group of “GOOD GUYS” 🍻😎👍.

  25. DeniaBhoy on

    Stephbhoy67 – correct. As you say, almost all of our ticket allocation is season ticket holders and anything that is not can easily be sold at a premium due to massive demand against our only rival for the title.

     

     

    There is a poster(s) who has been banging on about 49 pound tickets ad naseum as a slight on Celtic fans who go to these games.

  34. lionroars67 on

    49 quid a ticket……………….250

     

     

    cmcoles94@cmcoles94

     

    2 Leipzig at home tickets wanted travelling up from south of the border, train and hotel sorted but tickets on other sites at £250 each is a scandal 🙃 help a fellow Celt out if poss 🙏🏻

     

    @SparesCeltic

     

     

    @HoopsSpares111

  35. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on

    Big Jimmy

     

     

    Won’t make the gathering today- Fridays are a problem day for now with commitments.

     

     

    Your link to the Mel Brooks film “To be or not to be” reminded me of the only time I’ve seen a cinema audience in Glasgow applauding a film half way through.

     

     

    You might remember the scene- when they were all escaping the plane but the wee dug- a terrier I think- got left behind as the plane leaves. The plane gathers speed as it goes down the runway for take off; the wee dug runs after it and the escapees at the door of the plane shout encouragement to it.

     

     

    Anyway, the plane gathers more and more speed. The wee terrier’s legs can’t keep up and the distance between them grows- until the wee terrier makes a leap from 100 yards away and- in a feat of cinematic chutzpah- Mel Brooks shows the wee dug landing at the door of the plane to make his getaway.

     

     

    There was a spontaneous burst of applause from the people in the cinema for the sheer audacity and absurdity of the scene.

     

     

    Brooks did something similar in High Anxiety- when he felt through a staircase but was clinging on by two hands, then one fell away, then each finger of the remaining hand fell away till he was hanging on by one wee pinkie.

     

     

    Equally ludicrous and funny but it did not get a round of applause from an audience- I’ve only ever witnessed that once and that was with To Be or Not to Be

     

     

    Wonderful films.

  36. Maradominic on

    Good window apart from fact we only have 2 centre forwards at the club now and none even from reserve/youth squad. In fact not one player from youths looks ready to move into first team squad. So if no injuries to front two then all is fine.

  38. Big Jimmy on

    BELMONTBRIAN on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2022 11:48 AM

     

    BIG JIMMY

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Just seen the Mel Brooks video.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Is the blonde girl in the video Esther from Coatbridge? :)

     

    ……………..

     

    Mibbees aye…mibbees naw ?

     

    LOL

     

    HH

  40. Big Jimmy on

    SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2022 11:44 AM

     

    …………………….

     

    Sorry you cant make it mate. It was BRRB who organised this Bevvy up, so I cant be blamed for it being on a Friday.

     

    LOL.

     

    HIGH ANXIETY FILM was yet another MEL BROOKS Classic.

     

    Sadly, MOST of Mels Regular actors are all dead now, but I think Mel is still going strong…I will need to check ?

     

    His Wife for many years was the very beautiful Ann Bancroft who died a few years ago…She was ” Mrs ROBINSON” who seduced a very young Dustin Hoffman in ” The Graduate”.

     

    She was a special lady, and she also had a great sense of humour.

     

    HH Mate.

  41. Tom McLaughlin on

    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.

     

     

    🤔

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