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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Traditionalist88
There should certainly be some modification of current match -day chants once the standing section opens.
“Sit doon for the Champions” will hopefully be one of them.
What is the Stars 11.24
I told all that i knew that we would lose to Ross County.
I cannot see how we can be certain of a win at Pittodrie on Wednesday.
I would take a draw in a heartbeat.
The squad is full of light weight losers and crocks.
Managed by people who are clearly out of their depth.
I only have faith in my fellow Tims who will stand beside me at Pittodrie and shout them on.
TT
Corkcelt
Noticed you popped in last night.
Get yourself back on here on a regular basis. You have been missed.
We may never agree on everything, but that is the beauty of the blog provided it is done in a civilised manner.
Off oot.
Hail, hail to all this morning.
TinyTim on 2nd February 2016 11:23 am
Do you agree that we have better quality players than RIFC? Or should I ask which of their best 11 would you swap for our best 11?
On that basis who’s to blame if they get sell-out crowds and we don’t? The board or the fans?
btw do you really see us losing more than half our ST holders by next season?
TIMALOY29
The only set of circumstances where Aiden was coming on is if we were so far in front the game was over and we could give the boy a run out as part of bedding him in with the first team.
To exclude eg Cole for this unlikely scenario doesn’t make sense to me.
My question was to see if others could supply logic to the situation as I couldn’t see it.
Your response leaves me none the wiser I’m afraid,it still doesn’t make sense
I take it your comment about constant negativity is aimed at others….correct?
WITS
If there is no bread ( sliced or not ) then for Gods sake just eat cake. Simples.
Defoe off oot noo
Hail or wind that is the question.
Benjamin Lloyd Phillip “Ben” Hutchinson (born 27 November 1987) is an English footballer who last played for Basford United as a striker.
^This guy was the worst I have seen from our list of dud strikers. He’d make Nadir look like the new Batistuta.
HH
Afternoon Timland from a spring like hun free mountain valley.
Still baffled by the Cole signing, Richards is an upgrade on Cifcti imo, so we will see, I hope he does the biz, but he really better watch himself in scotland, the media and the cheats with the whistles will have it in for him from the get go.
So Ronny didn’t get the experience he wanted, there’s a surprise then.
I noticed a post from the Belfast Telegraph earlier saying we have had talks with MoN, I heard and read we made contact before Christmas, we will see.
Head over to the Celtic Wiki and check out the players that have went out on loan since 2010. I would venture a guess from that list, that loan deals out carry very little benefit to Celtics first team squad. If your good enough you won’t find yourself out on a loan deal only to be replaced by another passing you coming in as you are heading out
MWD 11.04
You are desperately trying to find a positive in a negative situation.
Christie is just a Wee Bhoys.
No better than ,Allan,Armstrong,GMS ,ETC.
He is not physically strong enough ,mature enough or big enough to help us achieve CL qualification.
We are signing these players out of desperation because our finances are blown and they are all that we can now afford.
TT
beatbhoy on 2nd February 2016 11:30 am
Traditionalist88
There should certainly be some modification of current match -day chants once the standing section opens.
“Sit doon for the Champions” will hopefully be one of them.
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Because 57000 seats won;t be enough eh;)
If only.
HH
Not too many loanees come back as regulars. I think that McGregor has had more game time than most. Hope this bucks the trend and Henderson and Nisbett get a chance when they return.
Worry that McLean is MIB on Wednesday. He is rotten
THE GREEN MAN on 2ND FEBRUARY 2016 11:23 AM
WILMACUFREE
All about opinions.
———————–
Dead on.
Available on a free.
Kranjcar, Samaras, De Jong, Damaio, Robinho, Ronaldinho, Ledesma
The Exiled Tim
I would give a lung for MON to take over this shambles.
I just can’t see it though.
TT
THE EXILED TIM
Wot,no Javier Saviola?
Not transfer related warning!!
Some might enjoy this from Danny Morrison:
http://www.dannymorrison.com/?p=3620
Árd Macha
Be fantastic if supporters were subject to loan deals………….I head along to Easter Road for the rest of the season and have them eating out of my hand by telling them my mammy made me. wear a Hibs Strip when my two Celtic strips were in the washing
Canny believe that Celtic fans are complaining players are too small
This is the club of Jinky Johnstone
TET
I’d have De Jong. The rest are probably too old to be worthwhile. With the exception of Ronaldinho, who I’d have for bums on seats value.
THE EXILED TIM on 2nd February 2016 11:44 am
Available on a free.
Kranjcar, Samaras, De Jong, Damaio, Robinho, Ronaldinho, Ledesma
==========
De Jong off to LA Galaxy apparently.
Ronaldinho – sad end bouncing around South American clubs but legs have gone. Still more of a football brain than Johansen will ever possess,
HH
The Exiled Tim
That Befast Telegraph article says we have approached Michael O’ Neill ,not Martin O’Neill.
As I thought MON would never be given free reign and therefore would never be approached by Celtic or indeed would accept such an impotent position in our current failing set up.
Welcome to the slow lane.
TT
We’re what, 5 years into the “Generation of Domination”?
I really thought we’d be out of sight by now. Having endured the 90’s, I was so looking forward to lording it over the Hun.
It certainly doesn’t feel like a G.O.D.
I fear TRFC in its current state would give us a game. They’d have fancied their chances against that shambles on Sunday.
Dwindling gates. Desperate signings. Discord.
What the hell has happened?
If the equivalent of Jimmy Johnstone, Paul McStay etc were in the development squad today, who would we loan them out to?
Tim Alloy 11.49
Jinky is my all time hero.
He is the reason that I am a Celtic supporter.
But he was surrounded by a team of players who had skill,pace ,strength,height and fight.
A well balanced team.
Managed by a quality football manager.
We have too many lightweights ,in heart ,spirit ,physicality ,stature ,and personality.
TT
MEDTIM on 2ND FEBRUARY 2016 11:34 AM
TIMALOY29
“The only set of circumstances where Aiden was coming on is if we were so far in front the game was over and we could give the boy a run out as part of bedding him in with the first team.”
Might have been. He might have brought him on if the game was tight.
“To exclude eg Cole for this unlikely scenario doesn’t make sense to me.”
He had cover for Griff in Ciftci. He only had Forrest and Nesbitt to cover the 3 spots behind the striker.
“My question was to see if others could supply logic to the situation as I couldn’t see it.
Your response leaves me none the wiser I’m afraid,it still doesn’t make sense”
He put Aiden on the bench with the intention to use him if needed. Unfortunately he had to make a change at CB and remove a winger because we were down to 10.
We’ve now signed two players who can play out wide and Aiden is off to play some football at Thistle. The situation has changed since Sunday.
Paul 67
Now that the dust hasn’t settled on Sundays flop?
Unlike Celtic’s management team and having only seen Aiden Nesbitt in his brief Hoops debut I can still see why another Liam Henderson decision was made.
Looking forward to what the EPL prospect can bring to the ‘immediate needs’ of our team on the way to another tilt at a double and our next Euro campaign hope Patrick plays very soon given he appears to have easily overtaken so much mediocrity in the chain.
Sviatchenko looked comfortable on the ball but I suspect has some way to go in fitness levels, before we can judge him (see Jozo Simunovic) who is injured for the umpteenth time, and has had a less than inspiring beginning to his Celtic stay.
It didn’t take Celtic long try and recover from another ‘mistake’ giving Nadir Ciftci a homeland rest back in Turkey , whilst we take another ‘bad boy’ permanently. CKR is not however just ‘a striker’, at least on his stats
– we hope not.
The January window slammed shut at a bad time for Celtic fans to judge it’s merits, and only time will tell whether it was a continuation of Ronny Deilas long term plan, but the dire cup exit at the hands of Ross County poses questions of who we’ve already signed, and the window was only dressing.
I suspect the board for the time being at least will remain convinced of the principles which saw Ronny’s appointment, but would bet that they like us, don’t even know what happens next.
themaestro72 on 2nd February 2016 11:57 am
We had a proper reserve league in those days. A chance for the youths to mix with and play against 1st team players.
It would be a good idea to bring that back I think.
TRADITIONALIST88 @ 11:28 AM,
Well that’s true, we haven’t a great track record of loanees coming back and making the team. Was my worry when Henderson went out again, although Calum McGregor seems to have come good.
With regards Nesbit I think Celtic hold him in high regard and he’s a specially case – think that’s why he was on the bench on Sunday, he was taken on the European trips. We are trying to give him as much all round experience as possible.
He often plays on the right in the Development squad so hopefully one day we will see Christie and Nesbit in the same team.
Hail Hail
THEMAESTRO72 on 2ND FEBRUARY 2016 11:57 AM
Mercurial talents like those would get their chance at Celtic
Tierney did. McGeady and Maloney did. Christ even Stephen McManus got his chance.
If they get sent out on loan, they might still become a good player, but they probably aren’t the next Paul McStay.
TIMALOY29
It’s not the era of Jimmy Johnstone. Jimmy certainly came up against some hammer throwers,but generally refs allowed him and his team-mates some retaliation for it.
Not now. We get kicked,so what? We complain,we get booked. We kick back,we get red-carded.
I’ve said it for years,as have others. We are reffed differently,and apart from it being against football laws,it’s against Health and Safety laws.
I read on one of the slightly more reliable Celtic twitter feeds that we have option to review/cancel Coles contract in the summer, presumably for an agreed payoff.
Anyone else heard this? Absolutely bizarre signing again given that he readily admitted he wasnt fit.
HH
TinyTim
I actually do think both Christie and Alan have what it takes for the thought managed level we are at. However you will not do agree 100% with pretty much all your commentary this last year or so.
MWD
Farewall Nadir Ciftci, – 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.
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Aye, kebabs.
Chairbhoy
yes, I suppose the thinking was opportunites will be limited at the business end of the season for him at CP – Christie has come in and is up to speed as well. We can keep a close eye on him at Thistle and hopefully he gets plenty game time,
HH
TRADITIONALIST88 on 2ND FEBRUARY 2016 12:02 PM
I read on one of the slightly more reliable Celtic twitter feeds that we have option to review/cancel Coles contract in the summer, presumably for an agreed payoff.
Anyone else heard this? Absolutely bizarre signing again given that he readily admitted he wasnt fit.
———————–
He is probably on a basic pay deal with incentives to play. It’s up to him to get his fitness together for the rest of the season.
We had a similar deal with Stan Varga. Big Stan got himself fit and got himself a better contract.
On the other hand we cut ties with Oliver Kapo quite quickly.
Good Afternoon.
The Clumpany has issued a statement:
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/02/02/a-clumpany-statement-on-a-recent-statement-2/
IMP we can afford to play only one from Christie, Allan, GMS, Forrest along with Armstrong. All good enough but to lightweight against cynical hammer throwers with MIBS looking the other way. Don’t know if Roberts is more robust.