“I… have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare….”
Nicolas Kuhn, who turned 24 earlier this month, signed a contract until summer 2029 yesterday and is likely to make his debut against Buckie Thistle on Sunday. There is a lot to consider regarding this one.
As an undergrad at Leipzig, Ajax paid €2m for him six years to the day before he signed for Celtic. Two years later Bayern Munich loaned him before signing a permanent contract with the player in July 2020. He then spent a year on loan in the German second tier with Ergebirge Aue before Rapid Vienna paid €500k for him 18 months ago.
The Leipzig, Ajax and Bayern youth setups are legendary, comparable with the scale of those at Chelsea and Manchester City in England. Each of these club rinse through dozens of players but you seldom see anyone who has spent time at three clubs so invested in youth. [I’m not saying they are all productive, but they certainly invest].
His first season at Rapid was wrecked by injury: in six months he made only four substitute appearances, but he finished the season as first choice on the right wing and he has remained fit and Rapid’s fulcrum ever since.
He has made less 28 topflight starts in his career, so Celtic have moved fast. In this respect, he resembles Dedryck Boyata, who arrived on loan from Manchester City, also as a 24-year-old, having just 19 topflight starts behind him.
You don’t get signed by Leipzig, Ajax and Bayern unless you have a “particular set of skills”, in the case of Nicolas, this appears to be speed, crossing and chance creation. His combination of these attributes gets scouts excited.
Rapid and not the club you remember so fondly. They are riddled with financial problems and have a squad unworthy of a green and white strip – think Hibs. The scenario with Nicolas reminds me of Patrick Roberts at Sunderland, no winger could make a silk purse from that squad. [In related news, Netflix are back for a third season of their Sunderland fly-on-the-wall documentary, the earlier series’ are a strong recommend].
We have a well-established Japanese contingent and a three-man group from Korea (one now on loan locally). Nicolas joins Maik Nawrocki as our second player born-and-bred in northwest Germany. There has been some market investment in that area, it’s a new Celtic geo-hotspot.
Welcome to Celtic, Nicolas.
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Liam Miller at Man Utd, was before dembele???
RIP Liam
Gone to soon,,,,
Heading back to the colder climes now via Istanbul.
Fascinating trip to the Gulf and broader Middle East. Learning loads as I went.
The passion for football at all levels is really clear and not fake. Little Oman so unlucky v Saudi on Tuesday. UAE buzzing after their win in the Opening round. Qatar far from a perfect host but what country is when we see what we are sanctioning, the US is doing, the Chinese do and so
many others. Yemen is a disaster on so many levels. So hard to process. How being born 10 miles away can determine life opportunity so clearly. Clearly too football is not really of consequence to the people there. Incredible then to see Palestine actually competing at the Asian Cup. A point, any point would be a huge celebration in the circumstance. The irony that Israel are not competing in the Asian cup but are in Europe is not lost on many.
Back to Sunday and 4 or 5 layers on to see Buckie do their best as we set off in pursuit of another Scottish Cup win.
Tragic to see the young Serb assistant coach at Golden State taken so young. Dejan had so much to offer. At 46 years old he leaves a legacy for sure but also a young family. When will proper research be done into the incredible spate of young fit people having critical heart attacks this past 3 years ? Something is not right.
FAO SETTING FREE THE BEARS…
A belated Happy, Hoopy Birthday Mate.
HH.
BELMONT BRIAN…
R.I.P. TERRY McGOWAN.
Sorry for your loss Brian Bhoy.
YNWA.
CALLING MELBOURNE MICK….
I hope that you and the Family are all okay ?
You are missed on here.
HH MICK Mate.
Good morning all from a -6 Garngad. Looks Baltic outside.
MM – What Big Jimmy said.
Right shower time ya shower, sorry BRRB stole your patter.
D. :)
BURNLEY 78
Unless your using the airline lounge be prepared to pay around 15 quid for a pint in the airport bars. Ripoff
:-(((
Burnley78 maybe you should include Israel to get a balanced view.
How safe do you think Israeli players and fans would be in an Asian cup.
I’ll give you a pointer
Almost a million Jews forced to move from Arab countries
1948 v 2023
Egypt 63,550 v 3
Syria 40,000 v 0
Iran 100,000 v 8,500
Iraq 150,000 v 4
Lebanon 20,000 v 29
Morocco 265,000 v 2,100
Yemen 55,000 v 1
Algeria 140,000 v 200
Libya 38,000 v 0
Tunisia 105,000 v 1,000
Gaza 7,949 v 0
Arabs population 1948 v 2023
Israel 156,000 v 2,100,000
Gaza 80,000 v 2,000,000
Yes the irony , wonder why they won’t play football together.
BELMONTBRIAN
Sorry to read of the passing of your uncle Terry!
May he rest in peace.
BELMONTBRIAN May your uncle Terry rest in peace. Remember the good times. Take care.
Belmont Brian
Sorry to hear of your uncle Terry
May he rest in peace.
💚
HH
Tauranga bhoy 7.34
Do you have a source for your stats please?
How many of those ancient jewish communities were displaced after 1948?
Strange how you omit the 6,000,000+ slaughtered as a result of European racism and the many as a result of Russian racism.
A brutality no Arab state took part in unless overseen by their racist european invaders.
I do feel you apologize to much for the wilful destuction of men,woman and children in Gaza,human life being a sub life if you are not of the chosen people.
Any comment on this ethnic cleansing goin on today on the west bank as show here👇
https://twitter.com/DrLoupis/status/1747550333381882067?s=19
HH
Belmont Brian, sorry to hear about your Uncle Terry – his name rings a bell as we were frequent visitors to Luton CSC in the 90’s and early 2000’s with The Rutherglen Vogue CSC. May he rest in peace
Belmont Brian
Sorry for the loss of your uncle.
RIP Terry McGowan
Syria v Australia now on FITE
Morning all.
I would like to thank everyone for their kind words on the passing of my uncle, Terry McGowan.
I have made aware the lovely comments to his immediate and extended family.
Again, many thanks.
Brian
Tilio on the bench
Riley McGree on the bench too .
Remember him 🤪
RIP Terry .
Brian , was he related to old Harry McGowan who used to run St Augustine’s boys guild ?
FRED COLON on 18TH JANUARY 2024 11:50 AM
RIP Terry .
Brian , was he related to old Harry McGowan who used to run St Augustine’s boys guild ?
==================================================
I don’t think so
new article posted.
Fess
You are not wrong. £15 a pint and some.
Stuck here in Istanbul due to flight delays.
Worse could be happening I guess.
I keep hearing midnight express music though.
An Tearmann I am not an apologist for war. No I didn’t mention the 6 million murdered in the holocaust, Israel has played n European football without any serious trouble which was my point. Those stats are from 1948 ancient populations of Jews forced out of all Arab league countries. I was responding to Burnley comments on irony and felt the need to provide some balance nit an apology. Easy to get excited about one side of a story. Hail Hail