Johansen and Denayer step up

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Congratulations to Scotland’s Player of the Year, Stefan Johansen, and Young Player of the Year, Jason Denayer.  It’s fair to say Stefan had an underwhelming first eight months in Scotland, but the turnaround since October has been stark.

It was during our home defeat to Hamilton Accies that month that I noticed a change in his game.  He took on more responsibility and pressed incessantly for the equaliser.  The next game, away to Ross County, was a Johansen virtuoso performance and he’s never looked back.

There was a similar ‘So what?’ reaction to Jason’s early season performances.  Performances were far more like Efe Ambrose than Virgil van Dijk, but he grew increasingly assured as the season progressed.  His international debut two months ago was merited.

Manchester City want him back for next season, where he’ll be second reserve for central defence.  On the upside, he’ll get six games, some of which will be in the cups against lower league opponents.  If City and the player want to map a route to the first team, this is a step in the process, but it’s not without its risks to the player.

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668 Comments

  1. Greenpinata on

    My friends in Celtic,

     

     

    Reading back: can’t understand why someone’s past occupation should be mentioned and seemingly cause some animosity, I mean it’s not as if he was a traffic warden or God forbid an estate agent.

     

     

    HH,

     

     

    Ps : loved the post @07.00hrs. Quality indeed.

  2. Texty-cliquey-pussynannyers….dont respond

     

     

    …or you’ll be black-balled.

     

     

    Ho ho ho ho…..clowns.

     

     

    The Celtic Board must be quaking in their boots….eh.

  3. Greenpinata 08.01

     

     

    As the Fifes best estate agent,I am cut to the bone by that remark.(:-)

     

     

    TT

  4. Canamaler @ 07:45,

     

     

    Thank you and the guys last night who commented on the post.

     

     

    Martin Hannan shows just how insidious they can be.

     

     

    That’s why I take my hat off to you guys pushing on with Res12. We can’t give them an inch.

     

     

    Have a Champion day.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  5. Good morning from a damp north staffs.

     

    Haven’t read the Hannah piece, don’t buy the rags down here never mind the Scottish ones.

     

    The motivation is simple to sell papers and keep their readership on side – take it for what it is – commercial decisions.

     

    Got to go

  6. Shuggiebhoy67 on

    Jist sitting here thinking tae maself;

     

    with 22 counts of Tax Evasion carrying a sentence of 17 years and a fine of $50,000,and being sentenced to 11 years in prison,when convicted on 5 counts.

     

    Does this make Al Capone a Fit and Proper Person better suited to be Chairman of the Board at Ipox,than say a GASL convicted of 44 counts of Tax Evasion carrying a 2 year jail sentence on each count,but plea bargained to a fine on each account,?

     

    On a scale of 1-10 who would be the SFA/SPFL`s preferred choice?

     

    only asking like!

     

    HH,

     

    SpinofacoinCFC

  7. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    Tinytim, I see you are on.

     

     

    My big pal called yesterday to ask me to thank you again for the tickets for him and his boy on Friday – very kind of you, and much appreciated!

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  8. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    Cananalar, thanks for reposting Chairbhoy’s excellent piece.

     

     

    Could someone c&p it over to TSFM, where it will be read and appreciated by fans of other clubs.

     

    PS

     

    I would do it myself, but struggling here with iPhone.

  9. ernie lynch on

    Looks like the press tried to subvert the media launch of the new strip and were given the Broonie treatment.

     

     

    “Hearts is a good place to go. It’s a great wee stadium and their fans are, well, different. They love us, which helps the atmosphere!

     

     

    “Am I bothered about the Old Firm? Not in the slightest. If it comes back it comes back, but if it doesn’t then it doesn’t.”

     

     

    http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/celtic/celtic-skipper-scott-brown-is-unfazed-by-potential-return-of-rangers-205561n.125085228

  10. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    SHUGGIEBHOY67

     

     

    Alphonse Capone? Sounds like a Timmy name to me,name chance.

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    ERNIE LYNCH

     

     

    Anyone would think that Broonie had been given the heads up on how to deal with SMSM rubbish. Well done,that man!

  12. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    It may be too early for some, but what the heck, I reckon Scott Vrown has deceloped into one of the great Celtic captains in my lifetime.

     

     

    I believe that off the field, he has eased the transition from one football philosophy to another and brought his team with him.

     

    He gets us.

  13. I quite like the new strip. Does anyone know how long the sponsorship with Magners is? I thought it was 3 years and we are in the last year of it.

     

     

    The reason I ask is, the best strip we had recently was the last one with Tennents as the sponsor, the retro one for the 125th Anniversary. I still love it! Unfortunately we only had it for a single year, is this one likely to be the same? Might wait and see what the away strip will be like if that is the case.

     

     

    A bit tight I know but we are one salary family with two kids, on top of my season ticket, it is the only time I spend £60 on a sports top!

  14. lilys grandpa on

    Morning all,

     

    BMCUW,

     

     

    Must say almost fell off my seat yesterday, A Supercilious Prick!!!!

     

     

    Haha

     

    Lily’s

  15. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    KJAM

     

     

    Magnets are expected to renew,as far as I know.

     

     

    Play safe,go retro. I’ve got a cracker,plain white,Celtic Cross,green trim. Replica of our first ever strip. Ever so grateful to the fella wi exquisite taste and a heart of gold who bought me it.

  16. Morning folks…

     

     

    The new away strip, I just can’t get Owen Archdeacon out of my head with it..

     

     

    Ayrshire is Green and White

  17. bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers

     

     

    09:45 on 5 May, 2015

     

     

    KJAM

     

     

    Magnets are expected to renew,as far as I know.

     

     

    Play safe,go retro. I’ve got a cracker,plain white,Celtic Cross,green trim. Replica of our first ever strip. Ever so grateful to the fella wi exquisite taste and a heart of gold who bought me it.

     

    ₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩

     

    I never bought you it..

     

    Coupon joy again this weekend

     

     

    Ayrshire is Green and White

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    MICKTT

     

     

    The occasional pint from your good self is enough,bud.

  19. South Of Tunis on

    livi bhoy .

     

     

    Viviani Quick Rumours.

     

     

    Today’s story ————-

     

     

    Roma want to sign Palermo’s Dybala and are proposing a cash plus players deal. The players include Viviani who Roma value at 7 million Euros…

     

     

    Seems nonsense to me ———— Owner of Palermo FC has repeatedly stated that he wants at least 60 million euros for Dybala. .Watch Palermo’sTV channel and they show you suits from Barca / Real Madrid / PSG / Chelsea / Arsenal and Bayern sitting in the posh seats watching Dybala.. Owner of Palermo responded to rumors re a Juve bid for Dybala with this ——-” They can have Dybala if I can have Pogba and Pirlo “.

     

     

    Bare bones ——-Roma want to sell Viviani – they want 7 million euros for him.

  20. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    BEATBHOY

     

     

    I’ve got a fair few Celtic tops,but that’s my favourite. Real showstopper.

  21. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    LILY’S GRANDPA

     

     

    Just mailed you,mate.

  22. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    BEATBHOY

     

     

    Apologies. Aye,hope so. Especially as I’ve got an old green and white rugby top wi Magners emblazoned across the front.

     

     

    As I was gonna say-wi Magners on the front. But it’s usually Guinness,haha!

     

     

    Offski for a few of them now,in fact.

  23. Shuggiebhoy67 on

    there is an option of a Celtic top with out a sponsor`s logo.my preferred option.

     

    HH

  24. Suppose you can afford to spill some with the permanent ‘happy-hour’ prices you enjoy down there!

  25. lilys grandpa on

    Well as Kevj would say, got to fly, going to scrounge off the state (as seen through some eyes) ,then head for a league winning pint,

     

     

    Lily’s

     

     

    Ktf

  26. Eyes Wide Open on

    Is anyone in a position to answer a query I have regarding the new home top;

     

     

    I made a decision a number of years ago when 3 kits became the norm and the away ones began to be changed every year, that I wouldn’t accept being exploited as a Celtic customer and have boycotted all 1 year kits ever since.

     

     

    The home strip is being advertised as the 2015/16 home kit – does anyone know if this is going to be 1 year kit or if its just being marketed as next seasons home kit..

  27. South Of Tunis on

    Gordon J

     

     

    Al Capone ———

     

     

    He attended Public School Number 7 in Brooklyn . . Non denominational . His parents came from Napoli and wanted their lovely wee boy to have an education free of religious instruction . Al was expelled for beating shit out of a teacher .