I wrote in May that Jota (23) was more important to retain than Cameron Carter-Vickers on a permanent contract. At that point, the profile of both players was high after a successful term in Glasgow, we would not have been the only potential destination. It is a huge credit to chief exec Michael Nicolson and the club that they have delivered both.
Cameron was our best defender, a potential Celtic captain, but still, I wanted Jota more. Opponents fear him. He can take a ball when marked tightly and the defender will not lunge in to attempt a steal, knowing Jota has the ability to move ball and body before they have formulated a thought.
If an opposition team leave him one-on-one, they better not lose possession. He is Celtic’s most effective out-ball; left with only one defender to beat, he can turn defence into an opportunity to score faster than Usain Bolt could track back.
When Aiden McGeady signed for Hibs this week, my thoughts went back to so many great memories. Prominent among them, was watching him as an 18-year-old, bring his instant control to a 2004 Celtic-Milan Champions League game. No one else in the Celtic team had that ball control.
Jota has the same effortless control.
So what about the Magic Window, where Celtic have seen enough of the player to make their move, before wealthier clubs get involved?
Incredibly, Jota had only played an entire 90 minutes of a game only twice before joining Celtic, both cup games for Benfica against lower league opposition. The season before arriving in Glasgow was mostly spent on the bench, watching his Real Valladolid side fail to ward off relegation. He made 8 starts there and was hooked each time, adding 10 appearances from the bench.
Across his career, before joining Celtic on loan last year, he made 9 starts and 29 sub appearances in senior football. Magic window? More a magic letterbox. He had hardly put studs on grass.
Valladolid was clearly a wrong move. As we have discussed previously about Patrick Roberts, he is a creative talent and needs to be with a team that spends lots of time attacking, sides fighting relegation would be unable to get the ball to him enough to see the benefit of giving him a shirt. It was the classic square peg/round hole problem – one we should be on the lookout for again.
To know the value of the player, Celtic would have to uncover knowledge only visible at Portuguese and Spanish reserve level games. The resources required to cover this much ground is unfathomable through traditional means. You are looking at the result of very effective analytics.
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Censorship is a difficult line.
Torbett is a painful jibe relevant to our fanbase but Trump, Trumpets or Trumper is no term of endearment either. Easy to wash off though if you do not value the opinion of the man issuing the jibe.
The membership scheme has long been proposed and detailed by Auldheid and , I think, One Member One Vote, on Sentinel Celts as a less share oriented way of offering what Celtic Trust and Supporters Association may not.
They are very common in the multi-sports clubs of the Continent as a way of tying fans more closely to the club rather than just their sport. I see few downsides to it but it may need a very specific and limited set of aims to persuade people to part with money for it. Access to unused CBs on a seat exchange purchase may be the best feature it could have.
SFTB
True, but given that the suits sole aim is to make money, shirly automatic qualification for the CL is preferable to stumbling and faffing about like we did under Pedro, Ange has done wonders, back him, winning the league this season from where we were was I would wager beyond us by I reckon the majority of the support would have said at the start of the season, the next few years have automatic entry to the riches so winning the league MUST be our no 1 priority, building from a position of strength is the answer, I have been saying so for manys a year, finally we are starting to do things the sensible way and not the bean counting way.
Oh well, missed out on season ticket. Always next year.
SFTB @ 3.57 / 4.03
Interesting comments — struggling to see how one generates the other but thanks anyway for the response / second comment.
Parting with money = discount somewhere along the line?
Or as you say allows the member to access certain types of tickets.
There is also the ownership / financial engagement — democracy vs capitalism angle.
Not sure what the various share issues have raised for the club — £50mill / £60mill?
At current levels of revenue the support are spending £50mill / £60mill every year to follow the club.
One form of expenditure gets a vote / say in running the club — the other doesn’t.
Note sure that this the best way forward / supports our hopefully progressive ideals.
Think there is a bit of smoke and mirrors regarding season book sales, I sit in the Jock Stein upper and there are six seats to my right which are mostly empty when the diddy teams come to town. When Hibs,aberdung,wee huns and the old firm show up the seats are taken but by different bums.
celtic win one horse race to sign jota
hmmmm
TET @ 4.08
Please never confuse good bean counting with PL’s lazy / second rate property level bean counting.
Bean counters who deal with growth / business development / new products and services would run a mile from PL’s amateur hour efforts to develop the team and the squad.
That is part of the reason for some of my trenchant criticism of his efforts and also the efforts of DD to take the club forward.
PL just phoned it in and pined for a version of TFOD to exist as that made his job easier.
DD just sat there and waited for his EPL moment to appear and if a version of TFOD was required to make it happen then that version of TFOD would be aided and abetted towards survival by any means necessary.
AP — by hook or by crook / accident rather than design — seems to be implementing a growth agenda at the moment and more power to his elbow to deliver on these efforts.
Consequently we are swimming towards the light and hopefully good times are ahead.
In any endeavour momentum makes a difference and we are moving in the right direction.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
“Jota says wake me up before you Kyogo.”
———————————
Brilliant! 🤣😂😅
ICTM @ 4.25
Ticket office shenanigans — by all accounts there is a lot of it about.
Seemingly games are in play with a few of the Free Pie Seats.
Seems to be a version of the old Provident scam.
The agent took out a big loan and passed it on in smaller parcels at higher rates.
Now it is a season ticket and high demand games.
Today’s training ground footage — HK would look to be the new voice.
Compared to other clubs we still look to be a bit light on coaching talent.
Would not complain if another new face appeared.
Loving hiw we are being reported whilst quietly strengthening our position, to how sevconuts are given the comfort stories.
We could very well end up being miles ahead this season 😁🍀
We still have to perform to our best in EVERY game, nothing is a gimme in this land of North Lanarkshire Referees, absolutely nothing. If we let them in with the slightest gap in our performances, others will ensure that the gap widens very quickly. We have a very good 1st team squad, and, Ange will make sure that effort is given in every game, #weneverstop por cierto.
Martim1980
I think Sevco are in s sword of damocles situation where they would love the money which selling Bassey, Aribo, Morelos would give them but very aware that their team would implode
BSR 👏👏👏
Coneybhoy 5.23.
I just wish that they and their rancid support would die a horrible death. Kind regards BRRB, aka the grim reaper.
And the Guinness in the Laurieston is first class as usual. Join me for a pint, gentlemen. Oh aye and f@#k the huns. 😜
ITSCALLEDTHEMALVINAS on 1ST JULY 2022 4:25 PM
Could be a CSC holding the tickets.
2 Italian guys hold the STs for the seats in front of me and use them about 3/4 times a year!!! por cierto
CONEYBHOY on 1ST JULY 2022 5:23 PM
Martim1980
I think Sevco are in s sword of damocles situation where they would love the money which selling Bassey, Aribo, Morelos would give them but very aware that their team would implode
——
Distinctly possible and the sheer volume of sevco pr tells us so😂🤣
No false start for us, then the pressure is on 😁
Yeah, yeah, yeah, very happy Jota has signed., just Amazing.
Last Christmas I thought he may not sign permanently and was using Celtic as a shop window but I kept Faith and have been Waiting for That Day when he put pen to paper, fearing a Careless Whisper could scupper the deal.
Other clubs were Praying for Time, but It was probably a straight forward decision for him: why go anywhere else When You Have Been Loved and see your manager as a Father Figure?
Signing for the best Club in the world beats Club Tropicana hands down.
Drone footage of world class Lennpxtown facility.
for those that moan about something they know little about, here is what it looks like.
https://youtu.be/IJ7wGHmbRZU
MM
I have never trusted Pedro, I still don’t, my posts over the years have made than plain for all to see.
Maybes Nicholson sees things differently, so far so good, and I applaud him for that, I hope the ambition is not just to keep ahead of the OF, but the light is still a ways off Europe wise.
I agree with the rest of you post.
Relieved to have CCV & Jota deals tied down. I know we held options but we needed the players consent and after last year’s heroics both of them would have had plenty of suitors.
Think Siegrist was a good move as well, looks a better option than Bain if Hart get’s injured or loses form.
Bernabei looks ideally suited to the way Ange wants us to play, with all new signings you can never be certain,
It is a huge move for the lad, fingers crossed that he settles well at the Club and is a rip roaring success,
A CH & a Defensive Mid and this Tim will be well satisfied.
My big hope is one or two of last years B team, make a big break through this year, nothing is better than seeing one of our own coming through.
There is still a bit of work to do with the squad but already I’m buzzing for the year ahead.
PAUL67 on 1ST JULY 2022 3:24 PM
An Tearmann, I deleted your comments with that reference. The man’s victims have written here before about what they went through and how it feels when an equivalence between that abuse and things which are petty by comparison.
Whatever you think of others here, there is no equivalence between what they write and that man’s crimes. CQN has to be a safe and welcoming place for his victims. Any mention of his name better have very tight context or it will be pulled.
The mods have to deal with people with personality issues streaming out of them, who will find ways to circumnavigate whatever rules exist to spread their toxins. Please support them. This is not negotiable.
=======================.
Paul 67.
Thanks.Paul for your answer,
I understand Paul and I am in fully aware of my use of English.
I don’t hinder mods,all I ask is time of post,email if deleted if needing questioned and generally I don’t bother doin that.
But if you remember,the only time in all the years at cqn I I ever was in touch with bout the same poster MadMitch,when talking incorrectly about my background.so it’s not a first.
There are many on here with spiralling issues, i agree,
I asked yesterday bout two posts to be removed,12.45 and 12.59.
Remove them please.and in my eyes the incident is over.otherwise its.enabling abuse.i am now asking for something like the 12th time
After that let’s see how repetitious abuser hides behind its anonymity,2 years minimum of repetitious abusive.
Don’t enable in any way shape or form at any level
Then it will be truly non negotiable my friend
HH
BRRB
i tried to punt my ST to you near the end of the season but we missed each other on the blog
Ask p67 for my email and i can send you my card fir the 2 pre season games.
God knows, i know where to find you to get it back for 31 July😎
Burnley confirm Harwood-Bellis on loan
Coneybhoy 6.21 I remember your very kind offer previously. Thanks again for your offer for the matches. You will be able to find me easier than Jota, who was trying to steal my crown. Boys nowadays. 🙄
TET @ 608
Thanks or the positive chat — makes a change to recent events on here.
I think AP has worked out that he is working in a business vacuum and has offered opportunities for growth where few existed before and pushed for them to be taken as he has managed the squad well and brought in some extra cash.
He is 56 but is still desperate to learn and make his mark.
This is first go at the CL and he seems to be approaching it as if it might be his last.
New bloke / CEO will have his targets and his financial constraints but the sell out crowds last season will have generated some cash to move things along at pace plus AP has been both energetic and focused improving the squad — all good.
The huge change from BR2 is that we bring in new players and AP plays them.
Which would suggest that these are the players he wants / the players he has scouted.
No more agent friendly deals / projects / punts /loan deals for pals — which was peak PL
We have more to do — starting CB / starting DM — but AP looks up for the challenge.
Things may not happen / they may fall through but at least we have focus and desire.
Hope things go well / hope AP’s efforts continue.
Embdy know P67 email address? Thanks.
BRB
celticquicknews@gmail.com
its greenock fair saturday tomorrow.
if your around glasgow and want to escape the horrible anti-catholic marches why not leave the city for the daand head down inverclyde,
two massive crusie ships will be in port at the sametime,
justsoma bit different,
forecast is heavy showers for the shower of bastards in glasgow,
come dowon to sunny greenock
https://www.inverclydenow.com/greenock-hosting-two-cruise-ships-on-same-day/
Stx2 @ 6.05
The L/town facility might be many things but it is not world class or even close.
The indoor training area is 40M x 30M — not even quarter pitch sized.
Then you have all the chat that the floor covering was on its last legs.
No wonder that when it comes to corners we don’t attack the far post from out wide in the box.
We don’t have enough space to practice them indoors when the weather turns bad.
Then there is the issue that we don’t have a grass park with floodlights.
Big fail given that we play on grass and the nights do fair draw in.
Five pitches is a bit on the small side — same number as my egg chasing buddies.
That would be a junior side who had to give up space to a cricket club.
L/town was a great advance on what we had before — great for a starter for 10.
However the world has moved in the last 15 years and we have not kept up.
Hopefully the Ange tornado will push things along.
Full sized indoor pitch at both L/town and B/field.
Plus more indoor facilities / medical rooms.
We look poverty spec to EPL complexes.
The proposed gym at B/field with its Portakabin design vibe is peak PL.
Link to the main suppliers of indoor training areas in the UK.
Shows what can be done if the drive and imagination is there.
Might even serve as a prototype bond offering for new investment.
Sunderland with its 82M span is what we need to be looking at.
https://www.rubbuk.com/projects/sunderland-afc-training-facility/
Cheers Mod1888. 👍
CONEYBHOY on 1ST JULY 2022 5:23 PM
I think Sevco are in s sword of damocles situation where they would love the money which selling Bassey, Aribo, Morelos would give them but very aware that their team would implode
—-
They need to have actual offers on the table before they have a decision to make and that seems to be their problem.
Lhads……………….
Genuine lhads………………ignore the repetitive loquacious troll nugget. Don’t engage. Deny oxygen and it will struggle. Recognition gives it relevance.
Also, if we police our own behaviour it denies the garrulous sleekit an opportunity to reach out with further apparently benign pontifications.
Let’s screw the nut.
It’s Good To Be a Tim.
JotaCSC
HH
Log in again and post – why?
Jota signs , and Paolo releases a new CD , it is a good Friday 😜