I’ve heard a lot about Patrick Roberts. He’s burdened by enormous expectations, compared to the greats since shortly after his 17th birthday. Manchester City moved 2 starts and 17 substitute appearances into his Fulham career – £12m on the basis of 399 minutes football.
He’s here to force his way into the team between now and the end of the season, and be ready for the European challenges ahead. I think we’re going to enjoy watching this lad.
We saw around 80 minutes of Erik Sviatchenko on Sunday. As I said yesterday, he’s probably our best defender, not that that is taking enormous liberties. In Virgin van Dijk we managed to recruit a dependable defender who wasn’t scared of the ball, and was first to organise those around him. If Erik’s near that standard, he’ll do well.
Ryan Christie (20) is a No. 10. We need a No. 10. He’s 12 years younger than Kris Commons, the only comparable player in the first team squad. Kris has been our MVP for more seasons than anyone else currently on the books, but we’ve been far too dependent on him, which has become acutely evident recently, when he’s out injured.
There’s an argument that we could have done with another No. 10 during our European campaign but it’s far from clear Ryan would have got his chance. We’ll see a good bit of him before the end of the season.
Many of the things I could say about Colin Kazim-Richards I alluded about Carlton Cole when he signed. He’s a physical presence, not easily intimidated, should be an effective foil for Leigh Griffiths.
Colin joins with an actual rap sheet. Online comments yesterday recalled the reaction the day Griffiths signed. At the time I wrote that it’s important for Celtic to affirm positive values in Leigh’s life. The player hasn’t looked back, he’s every inch a positive role model. It’s now important the club and Colin work to ensure a similar result.
Aidan Nesbitt (18) is also a No. 10. He’s the player you’re most likely to hear development and youth coaches talk about. The next stage of his development required him to play against men. Four months in the Premiership playing for Partick will achieve this.
Farewall Nadir Ciftci, who is off to Turkey until the end of the season. I described Nadir as less like a Ronny Deila player than any other I’ve watched and known Celtic to be interested in. He has a touch and is a better player than we’ve seen, but he was built from different material than practically all other Deila signings.
Last month’s business will hopefully mean we have a settled and secure defence for the qualifiers, something missing at the beginning of this season, something missing on Sunday afternoon. The Kazim-Richards signing could go a number of different ways. The player will get his chance to live up to his own expectations.
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Mincey…,
I expect a player we could trust would be flogged off just as quick as a superstar, making money is the be all and end all of a Plc, the Celtic board room has become an alter to amon.
Weeminger,
Sorry can’t help thinking you are being a wee bit cheaty, those that left because they have better things to do are the same people that left because of the reduction in quality, just my expert opinion :)
Minceyheidman on 3rd February 2016 10:57 am
How about we forget about the champions league and just dominate domestically whilst looking for other avenues to make our millions?
================
What other avenues? £2-3M from an American or Australian tour isnt going to cut it. Top player sales with no CL exposure will be for 50% or less of the value of top player sales now.
HH
about The Great Oracle is he doesn’t realise that his preening obnoxious behaviour isn’t just making him unpopular,it’s doing the same for the opinions he h – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/january-transfer-window-2016/comment-page-19/#comment-2767752
I wonder who he’s talking about? I think he’s upset, not good.
traditionalist88
We seem to be very friendly with somebody at Man City,
They have their New York City FC venture, why can we not do something similar?
Huge North American supporters base.
Think long term not tours etc.
Mincey,
Interesting idea but I’d rather do the opposite to this comment
“Send out the young kids in the cups and concentrate on the league.”
I’d like to see more youngsters feature in the league as a slip up doesn’t mean the end.
Our nearest rivals have been quite decent in the league. But how much of that is due to them only really fighting on one front for any length of time?
In the last couple of seasons, Jordans breasticles last longer in the cups than the sheep.:)
HH
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on 3rd February 2016 11:03 am
I did say that each individual was a mix of all three. By better things to do I mean eg the guy I used to go with just got heavily into being out on his bike. He stopped way before you could say there was a real downturn in quality.
Bada ,
cheers mate!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
BMCUWP
Everyone well thanks!
Wee one is in the middle of her prelims, so studying hard.
Well that’s what she’s telling me!
Regards to everyone too!
Those connoisseurs of Agneau a la succulentes will be salivating over the prospect of a defeat for us at Pittodrie, musing on what size of Broken Crest they can convince the editor to place on the back page.
Leopards don’t change their spots.
That said, if we do go down, I think Ronnie should do the honorable thing and resign.
TRADITIONALIST88
Yep. But we best find another source of income pdq.
Because we’ve sure as hell screwed up the one that was handed to us on a plate-CL qualification-and all the money it entails.
About 3 VVDs a year,at current forecasts…
I’m not sure if this is supposed to be a joke, or not:
https://www.betfair.com/sport/new/#/current-affairs?competitionId=8476435&rhsComp=markets&marketId=924.41517043
HH.
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on 3rd February 2016 11:03 am
However, even if every single one of the lost 12k was primarily due to quality, I don’t think the £5M of their lost tickets if added to the squad budget would bring them all back, so it’d be a loss on the extra investment.
I just think as a club we’re in a horrible position.
Not at all aided by the incompetents that run the game in this country – I’m still reeling from discovering that Norwegian team get 3-4x more domestic tv revenue than we do.
Bobby
Succinctly put. I had not considered it that way, but you are correct. We were handed CL qualification on a golden plate. What did we do? The team ran away, the manager didn’t know what day it was, and still doesn’t.
If I hear another word out of Celtic park about systems I will go berko. Just points will do.
Wonder if the likes of Ted Bundy and Pol Pot were still with us, what price would they be in the betting?
HH.
Minceyheidman on 3rd February 2016 11:07 am
traditionalist88
We seem to be very friendly with somebody at Man City,
They have their New York City FC venture, why can we not do something similar?
Huge North American supporters base.
Think long term not tours etc.
==================
I want the best for Celtic, not a spin off new club venture. Would they be controlled from Glasgow for our benefit?! The only opportunity in the USA is the NASL which doesnt even have promotion to the MLS.
We need to boost football in Scotland and get fairer TV deals, lobby UEFA as part of the ECA for increased opportunites for bigger clubs in smaller nations, and legally challenge the EPL cartel.
HH
I think this is spot on and reflects on a lot of supposed Celtic supporters on all blogs
http://etims.net/?p=8583
MINCEYHEIDMAN on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 11:07 AM
traditionalist88
We seem to be very friendly with somebody at Man City,
They have their New York City FC venture, why can we not do something similar?
Huge North American supporters base.
Think long term not tours etc.
—-
It’s a good idea and the club are looking into it. Though it’s more likely to be the NASL than the MLS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34632349
Unfortunately there has been a lot of competition for places in the MLS. The main sticking point for clubs is usually getting an appropriate stadium.
Generally, the new club is expected to find a stadium thats specifically a soccer stadium and is in a city centre location. It was a major stumbling block for Beckhams Miami team.
New York City FC play out of the Yankee stadium. I have no idea why they were given special treatment in this regard.
The league has 20 teams. I believe that 32 is the max and there are 4 teams set to join (if Beckham can sort out a stadium)
Celtic should be looking to partner with an East coast sports franchise like the Eagles
As I’v been saying for the last few days, level 5 you are not in the same league as these guys, they are doing a sterling job without you.
http://readceltic.com/2016/02/03/cold-hard-truth-celtic/
SparTim
Thanks, good link. All that being said, Deila is pish. No hiding it.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 3rd February 2016 11:09 am
TRADITIONALIST88
Yep. But we best find another source of income pdq.
Because we’ve sure as hell screwed up the one that was handed to us on a plate-CL qualification-and all the money it entails.
About 3 VVDs a year,at current forecasts…
=====================
Easier said than done, unfortunately…
HH
traditionalist88
I also want the best for Celtic but realistically can never see that revenue coming from Scotland or an Atlantic League.
I agree with everything you say pal as including the NASL comment.
TV is the only way and it looks as though China will be the next big thing but our identity must remain.
People at Celtic Park get paid a lot of money to come up with ideas about taking our club forward and not just selling our best to survive.
Celtic are huge around the world and there has to be a way without Champions League money.
Not looking for an overnight investment to take our identity away but seems to have not done the English Clubs much harm that are regulars in the Champions League.
Maybe we should just be happy with what we are, the most successful team in Scotland right now.
Scotland is looked upon as a joke league anyway so I guess we stick to 10 in a row then.
Here’s hoping eh.
A win tonight will help.
Canamalar, Weeminget,
All views and opinions have to be accommodated and I agree that supporter intrest is governed by what is on the park.
I agree that supporters will always want to watch Celtic, however that is a big difference to actually making the effort to physically going to the game or paying for CTV.
HH.
GO TELL THE SPARTAN
I’v been reading that for a year, it’s just the splinter groups, the uni mob, and the socialists bumping there gums, not a word of that blog true, the D R prob. Has a better story with positive things about the club than these bullies, IMO.
Spartim
Agree the jackals are out to get Deila.
Having said that my own opinions have been formed by what I watch, not by some jaundiced hack promulgating polarised invective.
Celtic Team I’d like to see line up tonight:
Gordon
Lustig, Sviatchenko, Boyata, Teirney
Broon, Allan
Roberts, Kazim-Richards, Forrest
Griffiths
Team that will start – a million miles from that. For all Ronny Deila’s gum-bumping and theorizing he’s very conservative when it comes to playing new signings or introducing fresh blood.
If young Roberts is trutly deserving of ‘the English Messi’ label, then unleash him on the Sheep with Broon looking after his back. Let him energize us again.
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 11:21 AM
And the longer that Deila is in place, there is more chance of a succesful Celtic emerging, and they are terrified of that.
===================================================================
Strange sentence.
If he means ” the greater the chance of a successful Celtic emerging ” ,why does`t he just say it ?
Hedging his bets?
Top of the league, Manager of the month facing a must win domestic game or faces the sack.
That sounds a very Hunnish statement.
HH.
I hope that the figures and analysis provided by the most savvy poster on the blog, Auldheid, will finally put an end to all the ill informed clap-trap on money-matters at Celtic Football Club.
I beseech all fans, especially the Lawwell/Board-Haters, to read and digest these figures, or, get someone to explain them to you.
No doubt some will jump on the slight criticism of Peter Lawwells salary – however as it amounts to a small increase in his bonus of an ex-gratia amount of £85,000 (probably equating to a 10% commission on the New Balance deal negotiated by him) it is completely negligible in the overall picture.
A Chief Executive, with his duties and record, earning in total around 1.5% of overall turnover, is a great deal for the club – quite a few individual players have taken home more.
We have get all the ratios and figures right – e.g. wages to turnover ratio – the only problem is that we have a restricted turnover.
Yes we should be doing more than we have done over the past two years in Europe. We passed up the chance to qualify two years running against Maribor and Malmo, from WINNING positions, on BOTH occasions – that’s a football performance and management matter NOT a boardroom matter. Had we performed as we should have, at home to Maribor and home and away to Malmo, we would be over £40 million better off. It is hard to envisage ever having easier qualification paths to the CL, than those over the past two years – we were failed in the FOOTBALL department, on the night, NOT in the boardroom.
There is no hoarding of cash reserves and no ‘secret’ cash-mountain – we live within our means.
God help us if those who want fan ownership ever get their way – the thought of a bunch of amateurs spending money on ‘marquee’ signings is mind-boggling – it would never happen of course, banks and sponsors would ‘run a mile’ and the club would ‘hit the buffers’
If I had a wish-list, it would be that we could qualify for the CL in two out of every four years and, of course, that we might see an end to our dead-end existence in a Scottish set-up that no one is interested investing any real money in.
Finally, we must get ‘more bang for our buck’ from the football department – if Ronny & Co cannot deliver, then we must find a new management team that will.
Minceyheidman
I know where you’re coming from and the Atlantic League is a non starter for me too.
Whilst we’re here we have to challenge the perception of our league a bit more. We have way more viewers than rugby league yet a fraction of the TV money. But peoples inherent bias sees our league discarded – sure even when it was 10th in Europe on the old coefficient people said the same things! What can you do? Sell it a bit more aggressively – we have a reasonable product which they are happy to use to fill slots from Friday-Sunday where they can.
Honestly, if domestic competition can be increased from the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts(who knows what is to come from Sevco and Hibs), and Lawwells comment that he is more confident than ever of structural change in football benefiting the likes of ourselves, we may not be as far away as we currently feel from returning CP to the good times.
We are all impatient but then we have watched for 10-15 years as slowly we have become unable to compete with some English Premiership sides to being unable to compete with most Championship sides, and clubs like Bournemouth, who were holding bucket collections a few years ago, are able to pay a number of times our transfer record for a player which we haven’t broken in about 13/14 years.
Sky have skewed the game in ways we could never imagine but when is it last resort time…a legal challenge?
HH
HH
Sandman,
I agree with ye.Far too many players in the comfort zone.There should be at least three changes from Sunday’s team.
Don’t think there will be though.
Sandman
I don’t fancy Forrest for tonight’s game.
We need as much guts and fight on the park as we can get.
Agree we should play the new guys, they all sound like they are up for it!
Hope your wee girl has made a full recovery!
Take care.
What a beautiful sunny day in North Lanarkshire……never usually watch Celtic on the box…..but gonna tune in tonite…….yes get the new guys on the park and none of this bull shit about not fit and getting adjusted……the big man says football is a simple game
CKR or Roberts in the squad?
HH
16 roads,
Something not right with that list..
Kev j’s no oan it…he’s my pick..;-)
TRADITIONALIST,
Pretty sure Ronny said they were available.
Whether they play or not is another matter..
Prediction:
Aberdeen 2 – 3 Celtic
Ronny roar makes a return
HH
After the display on Sunday, the team must be set up primarily not to lose this game, and of course win it if we can.
Remember we are playing our nearest rivals away and a draw is good for us, bad for them.
If we ‘screw the nut’ and use this approach, then we must just rinse out the ‘bad taste’ from Sunday