Two players arrived during this transfer window: Rami Gershon and Tom Rogic, with no first team players leaving the club. I don’t know what Neil has planned for Rami but his loan deal and stats at Standard Liege suggests he is here as cover. I expect to see as much of him as we saw of Pawel Brozek last season.
20-year-old Tom Rogic is different. He joins the club on the same runway as Victor Wanyama, Beram Kayal, Adam Matthews, Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre. I’ve refused to watch his YouTube clips but there is every reason to hope he will be as successful a recruit as our other recent acquisitions of a similar profile.
I’ve been banging on about Asset Management for years. The mantra being – they all have their price and if any club fails to grasp this reality they will underachieve. Against this backdrop, Gary Hooper will either sign a new contract in the coming weeks or there is a good chance he will leave for nothing when his contract expires in June 2014.
A fundamental problem prevented a deal being done for Gary last month. His value to Celtic, not necessarily in this season’s Champions League, but in the same tournament’s qualifiers in July and August, is far greater than his value to any suitor. In other words, his value as an asset is not measured by transfer fee alone. This squad should have enough to reach the Champions League group stages next season, worth the best part of £20m to Celtic. Any deals have to be measured against this target.
The kind of transfer decision Celtic made yesterday, a profitable club holding onto a player and at the risk of losing him leaving for free, is so much healthier than the scenario we previously faced, in an arms race with a rival who was prepared to spend money they could not afford in order to beat us. What a mistake that whole ‘Old Firm’ thing was. Glad to see the back of it.
The ‘big clubs’ in England didn’t come looking for Gary. Instead, a well-run club made several attempts to acquire a good player on a price appropriate for their income. No harm in that, you have to give Norwich the respect any yokel deserves trying to hook up with a beauty queen (nothing implied about people from Norwich, or Gary as a queen!).
There is no guarantee the same club will be playing top-flight football when he becomes available, or that a club with a greater income, or with a more flamboyant approach to spending, will move for him, so there is every chance that Gary and his new agent will figure out that an extra year on his Celtic contract for a hefty wage rise is a decent option.
There is an interesting side plot to the Hooper non-transfer. Victor Wanyama is sitting on an offer of a substantial wage increase to extend his contract from 2015 to 2016. Unless someone comes in with an offer greater than his value to Celtic in Champions League campaigns he’ll be here until 2015.
Chances of both players signing new contracts in the coming months has to be a wee bit higher today. All those meaningless scripts about Celtic being a selling club floating around various places will have to be shelved for another time. We are a selling club, but only at the right price and the right time, just as it should be.
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Oldtim
If your not logged in on mobile there should be a highlighted link at the bottom to log in.
Once you touch that it should access a log in page were you put your username and password in… Also tick the box that lets you stay logged in
Former Manchester United youngster Kenji Gorre is training with Celtic’s first-team squad.
The 18-year-old midfielder is the son of current Scotland under-17s coach Dean Gorre.
He joined the Old Trafford academy in 2002 and has played for United’s reserve sides.
Gorre was released by the Red Devils prior to the close of the transfer window, leaving him free to move to Celtic up until March 31.
“We have Kenji Gorre in just now,” manager Neil Lennon revealed on Friday.
“He’s been released by Manchester Utd so we’ve had him in for a week to have a look at him. He’s a winger.”
Youngster Gorre first came to the attention of Red Devils fans after scoring a wonder goal against Wolves.
Wee Oscar at Olympic boxer Paddy Barnes house
“Take that paddy Barnes”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVyxi7ypT4Y
Michael
13:07 on 1 February, 2013
Yes, my mistake and apologies for that. So we can’t meet Barca until the final. That would be one of the most fascinating Finals ever as we will undoubtedly be stronger by then.
The Boy Jinky.
There isn’t anything to press.
Googybhoy et al -Got a text saying DR has double page colour spread of the Thai Tims pavilion,built in Reamonn’s name and in Celtic colours.
Hi CQNers,
I just wanted to send you this quick note to say thanks to all of you
who sponsored me on my recent Volunteering trip to the Kibera slum, in
Nairobi, Kenya. I came back late last Friday night 2 weeks after one
of the most remarkable life experiences anyone could imagine. I was
able to witness how your donations to me for the Dublin Marathon were
being spent directly on the ground for the good of the poverty
stricken slum of Kibera. Your donations enabled me and others to help
refurbish two schools and two orphanages and also helped us to build a
toilet for a primary school. That’s your money helping to do all that!
Poverty, overcrowding, dirt, disease, danger, hope, happiness, hard
work are all words that could be more eloquently put into an article
about my, and the other volunteers, experiences by a better writer.
For my part I will maybe just furnish you with a few facts about where
we went and try and let the pictures in the YouTube slideshow at the
bottom of this mail do the real talking on our trip.
This article is taken from the web but is a great description of
Kibera and its people.
http://www.mojamoja.org/kibera.htm
Two facts it does not mention here but which I found out over there
,and which really shocked me ,are that the average age of the
population in Kibera. a population approaching 1 million people, is
just 12, and that life expectancy is 38! There are kids everywhere,
many of them orphans trying desperately to make their way in life.
For our part, we were provided with an armed Police guard and local
protection going into the slum everyday. We stayed at a hostel about
15 minutes drive from the slum but on another planet as far as living
conditions were concerned. Each morning as we journeyed to our work we
passed the Nairobi Polo Club and the East Africa Kennel Club. It was
bizarre to see animals being cared for, and staying in, accommodation
so much better than human beings a few hundred yards down the road.
One sickening thing I found out was that some holiday companies offer
tours of the slum to Westerners. These tourists are not there to
help but simply to “rubberneck” at others suffering and hardship and
we did witness these “tours” taking place. From that point of view I
was able to understand any hostility locals may have shown to
outsiders with cameras. Once locals became aware that our Celtic group
were there to work and help in their area however, their welcome was
overwhelming .
Our group of Celtic Charity Fund Volunteers worked in co-operation
with a local football team called Kibera Celtic. This team, has close
ties to Glasgow Celtic and tries to follow its charitable roots by
giving something back to their own community.
I hope the photos and music you will see and hear in this ten minute slideshow compiled by one of the volunteers give you a feel for what I saw, did and felt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmF3YwOTpoU&feature=youtu.beStuck
For more on Kibera Celtic perhaps have a look at this link and videos within :
http://dev.oconnorwebdesign.co.uk/kiberacelticfc/facts_about_kibera.html
Thanks again!
Marti
as i thought / The Token Tim.
Maybe ——- some polis /security will do as instructed . / others will play it by ear . .
Alcohol ban —-
Theoretically -yes . A defined area of the city centre / vicinity of the stadium . The reality might well be different . Some people will be wanting to make money .. The riot polis will be on the streets.
The Chelsea support complained re being made very unwelcome / herded like sheep/ etc .
ESPN in talks to sell their sports rights to another brodcaster and quit the UK altogether.
No more Craig Burley.
Good news re. the wee mhan, Oscar. May the road rise with him.
Awrra best, wee mhan!
YNWA.
“If he’s not good enough for Man Utd, he’s not good enough for us” (loads of curmudgeons)
LCT @ 13:10 – thanks for putting that up. Great news!
T4
Lest we forget…
“Side-letters were used for periodic payments during the employment, in effect payment of a wage. They were used also for payment of bonuses and appearance money, and even for termination payments
“Side-letters, of course, had not been registered with the football authorities, the SFA and SPL. The spirit of their rules was that the whole contract terms should be registered. Suspiciously, no evidence was led as to who decided that the benefits in terms of the side-letters should not be registered.
“Non-registration of side-letters was incompatible with both authorities’ policing and disciplinary powers. For example any fines imposed on players would customarily reflect the disclosed wage. Non-disclosure would thwart the authorities’ powers.
“On any view, Mr Thomson argued, Rangers could have sought a ruling from the SFA or SPL about disclosure of side-letters but, clearly, they had chosen not to do so. There was a conscious decision to conceal their existence, and that extended even to the Club’s auditors.”
Fraser Forster + James Forrest fit for Sunday.
Izzy + Sammi out. Of the 2 Izzy is the more likely to be ok for Juventus.
Celtic Football Club @celticfc
NL: Samaras suffered a small tear but we’re going to be aggressive with his rehab. The medical staff are hopeful he’ll make Juventus. (LB)
‘The side-letters,while not disclosed to the SFA, were in reality part of the player’s contract with the Club. The players expected to receive the monies paid into trust. Mr Violet believed that the purpose of the Trust was to suit Rangers. So far as he was concerned, his lawyer had reassured him that the arrangement was legal. However, according to Mr Thomson, given that the burden of proof rested on the Appellants, it had not been shown that the side-letter benefits were other than part of the contract of employment of the players’……from the FTT….and
‘He’ (Thornhill) ‘conceded that where it
derived from a (footballer’s) side-letter it was contractual, but not in the cases of
bonuses paid to employees of other Murray Group companies.’
Two years has passed so soon. Condolences to Reamonn’s family.
It was the calm before the storm as Dundee United boss Jackie McNamara formally met his new charges for the first time on Thursday.
The 39-year-old spoke to the media before he and assistant Simon Donnelly introduced themselves to the players inside the club’s St Andrews training base.
Apart from the roar from a passing jet or two from RAF Leuchars, it was a gentle introduction to the job for McNamara.
However, having succeeded Peter Houston as boss at Tannadice, he is fully aware he is set for a red-hot baptism of fire in his first match in charge — Saturday’s contentious William Hill Scottish Cup tie against Rangers.
McNamara, who was formally unveiled on Wednesday after leaving Partick Thistle, is also under no illusions that despite Ally McCoist’s side currently playing in the Third Division, his players are set for a stern test.
He said: “I will be going to speak to the players and I am really looking forward to meeting them. All the apprehension from Wednesday is over and I cannot wait to start working with the lads and preparing for a big game on Saturday.
“I have been looking at matches involving both teams and was having a sleepless night thinking about it all,” he smiled. “But it is an exciting and big challenge that I am looking forward to.
“I have seen a few games involving Rangers this season. They still have a lot of quality in their squad and we know it is going to be a hard game but, if we do the right things, we should be OK.
“It is up to other people to decide whether we are favourites or not. We will give them every respect but it is up to our players to concentrate on their own performances.”
Of course, Rangers will be without their usual substantial backing for the game following a much-publicised boycott by the majority of their fans.
McNamara admitted that should make for a strange atmosphere but he also sees it as a chance for the home support to turn out in big numbers.
He said: “It would be great for the club if the fans pack out Tannadice. It will be a strange one as well with little away support for Rangers.
“But hopefully, we will have a big support cheering the team on to victory.”
With so many sub-plots surrounding the game, it would be easy for the players to become distracted by off-field matters but McNamara is confident that will not happen.
He said: “The players are professionals and they won’t be caught up in that or at least we will tell them not to get caught up in it.”
There are a few players inside the United dressing-room, such as Jon Daly, Sean Dillon and Keith Watson, who know what it takes to win a Scottish Cup.
However, their new manager and former Celtic skipper can still teach them a thing or two about how to be a success in the competition.
He added: “I won the cup three times and managed to score in one, a sclaff against Hibs.
“That’s probably my favourite memory from the cup, to score in a final and to win it is always special.”
“No more Craig Burley.”
>>>>>>
Good. He may find hs soul-mate in Jabba. A marriage made in hell.
: > )
Just started reading back and I see victor meldrew has been on,does PL only sign the cheques for players that don’t work out,wonder who is responsible for all the good deals we do,
Auldheid
“The Rangers reach the SPL as is in 2015 at earliest and that is by no means certain the UK football landscape will not be what it is now.”
Unlike you to fling a comment like that, “out there” por cierto.
You have to wonder about the mindset of the supposed Celtic supporters who insist that we are somehow diminished by no longer having to suffer the exchange of insults & hatred that accompanied EVERY confrontation with our deceased neighbours.
They would seem to be a classic example of Stockholm Syndrome sufferers.
(The SSS CSC ). They have come to empathise with the people who for so long abused them. They NEED them.
Most of us are delighted to never again have to spend time in the same space as people that we would not associate with in any other situation. I have a lot of people that I would regard as close friends who are Rangers men. For each one of these guys there were hundreds of hate-filled psychopaths screaming out their bilious mantras.
These events were ALWAYS hatefests irrespective of the result
Scottish football is already a healthier place without them.
Relief is what i’m feeling today, not only about Hooper but that my fears re big Fraser proved unfounded, maybe Lenny has just been keeping him out of the shop window for the last month, i could be wrong it really could just be a stiff neck.
On the subject of ‘keepers did we not sign one same time as we got Lassad, Miku?
I do not think it would be an insurmountable loss if Sammi was not available for the home tie with Juve in February.
He would be missed more if he was unavailable for the away leg in March.
The Battered Bunnet
Cheers.
For me players were given money that the SFA were not told about. The money was given to them in the modern day equivalent of a brown envelope aka an ebt.
That that money may/should have gone to HMRC as tax due (the Appeal may decide) is irrelevant. It was money players received that was not declared to the SFA and it induced them to sign.
End of.
Marti Sandino
Thanks for posting that. Well done to all you wonderful volunteers.
Ten Men Won The League
13:22 on
1 February, 2013
ESPN in talks to sell their sports rights to another brodcaster and quit the UK altogether.
No more Craig Burley.
—————-
A good day, just got that wee bit better.
Till later, Asda with the boss :((
yesdearcsc
Ten men-Re Burley , you find once these clowns are on the media gravy train they can’t get off.He will crop up on whoever buys out ESPN.Can only hope ESPN look at the number of complaints about Burley,and reasons why guys cancelled subscriptions.
hopeimwrongcsc
Marti Sandino
Thank you for link, and well done
We CAN make a difference to someones life no matter how small our good deed seems at the time.
Oldtim
If your not logged in there’s no box for comments at the bottom of an article. There should be a statesment there about needing to log in if you want to comment.
Part of that statement should be highlighted in a different colour text or underlined.
If you touch that highlighted writing with your finger it should take you to the log in page
Auldheid
It was money players received that was not declared to the SFA and it induced them to sign.
End of.
——–
NAIL HEAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!
——–
Coming dear :))
Ten Men Won The League 13:22
Who will show all the Sevco games now? :0)
Burley is a regular on Radio5 unfortunately…
Bada
When i watch epl when on holiday.. Its often burley commenting
hen1rik 12:07 on 1 February, 2013
Chris Graham and Gri64 discredit him everyday yet Chris Graham tweets him a document about H&M and then Alex ?’s their motives.
Might be more worthwhile looking for any possible links between James Mure who represented Oldco and Kenneth Mure who gave them a “not guilty” on the BTC. Maybe it’s just a common name in legal circles……
I look forward to The Rangers’ return to the SPL.
I look forward to a generation of domination.
I look forward to pumping them four times a season.
I look forward to ten in a row.
5/6 DU v Sevco ,fill yer boots bhoys.5/2 – 1goal
I hear there may be some interesting news coming out about the Great Undead, after 3.00 this afternoon.
Where are those lifeboats again …