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Kuhn, CFG, Celtic’s football identity

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

As I walked out of Celtic Park after the Leipzig game it occurred to me that we are a totally different football team than we would be without our three Japanese players.  Kyogo, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda transformed Celtic three years ago and the trophies have flowed ever since.

Between them, the cost just shy of £7m, money that is almost within the reach of four clubs in Scotland.  We signed them, because Ange Postecoglou knew them from his time in Yokohama.  There is value in Japan, but since Ange, we have looked elsewhere.

Last week, it was difficult to avoid talking about Nicolas Kuhn, the breakthrough player across this season’s Champions League (so far).  Nicolas signed in January and was cursed in some places by being regarded as a ‘project’.  It took less than 6 months for his project to mature into a player we could struggle to hold onto.

There is a common thread between the players signed from Japan and Nicolas – City Football Group (CFG).  Yokohama are a CFG member club, who also developed Mark Lawwell for a decade before he reunited with Ange at Celtic as our head of recruitment.

Mark Lawwell’s term also saw Paulo Bernardo join (initially on loan) and Alistair Johnston.  He found Yang, Oh and Kwon, all three of whom are back in the South Korea national squad.

And, of course, Alexandro Bernabei, the left back currently ripping it up Brazil, and who we are set to make a packet on, as well as Tomoki Iwata, who is thriving at Birmingham.  His hit rate reflected his development with the elite recruiment resources at Manchester City.

Before Brendan arrived in 2016, we discussed how those in senior positions at Celtic had only ever worked at smaller clubs.  Brendan’s appointment broke the mould and Celtic’s football operation leapt forward.

The two we recruited from CFG elevated our operations further and were bang on where we needed to be as a club.  Our identity and mission was clear, we find talent with elite potential and transform them into winners and Champions League players.

We still have an elite manager in Brendan.  We have money in the bank and will continue to buy players.  Going forward, they are more likely to resemble Adam Idah (£9.5m, English second tier, will not appreciate in value), and Arne Engels (£11m, German top tier, smaller appreciation likely), than Kuhn or Hatate.

As a consequence, our identity now is less sharp than it was a year ago and our growth potential is inhibited.  The future lies in finding gold in places like Vienna, not the bench of an English Championship club.

The Ange Postecoglou – Mark Lawwell era demonstrated what you can find when an elite manager and head of recruitment work together.  Listen out, you’ll hear, “How are we going to hold onto these Mark Lawwell signings”, as I did from one CQN’er the walk out of Celtic Park last Tuesday night.  Still, those who want to spend money to stay ahead of the other lot, instead of operating at a genuinely elite level across the club, will be happy.

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  1. quadrophenian on

    I can’t claim any lineage of war association; tho my Da was with the REME and got a cool tattoo.

     

    I wouldn’t take a pop at anyone who wants to comply with the concept; I can take it or leave it on any day.

     

    But to me, this whole ‘minute’s silence’ has now become a concocted theatre-piece of self-conceit.

     

    What started as a sombre acknowledgement of genuine sadness has morphed into a big PR stunt.

     

    Latterly – and against a current backdrop of many nations’ armed forces helping other naughty countries commit blatant war atrocities (same as it ever was?) – it seems way too PR-like in its insistence that there’s some kind of deep honour in war and having fallen (I’m not sure the fallen would agree).

     

    The media tells us there’s a right way/group think to behave/observe when the horn is pa-pa-pa-paaaah’d.

     

    More, this bit of grief theatre looks to shame anyone who doesn’t see it that way, or go with the majority who find their own reasons to comply.

     

    Do compliers think themselves somehow better, for their flash of quiet decorum they are told says ‘respect’.

     

    Does it really bond us or make us feel better about those who killed – or were killed – in bloody skirmishes?

     

    But who hears and polices this performative silence?

     

    Not the dear departed for sure.

     

    So in that case it must be being done to somehow serve our own psycho-socio-emotional needs or – just as possibly – some strategy of the body politic.

  2. clunks on

    this bit of grief theatre looks to shame anyone who doesn’t see it that way, or go with the majority who find their own reasons to comply

     

     

    100% quadrophenian

     

     

    we are in the minority again

  3. Celtic Mac on

    quadrophenian

     

     

    No great fan of the Green Brigade, their display on October 7 last year was a serious misjudgement, but if you are going to protest against war crimes in Palestine and the hypocrisy of political leaders, then a fabricated commemoration on a plastic pitch in Kilmarnock is as good a place as any to carry that out.

  7. Saint Stivs on

    logged in for a read back.

     

     

    what a waste of time and money that was in the old burns howff.

     

     

    will come back after the international break.

     

     

    meanwhile i hope sumbuddy can post a few dozen music links that no one ever clicks on ……….

  8. Stephbhoy67 on

    Celtic Mac on 12th November 2024 8:40 pm

     

     

    Well done you have google! You understood full well what i was saying but just want to be padantic. Just to clarify I would argue that the threat of German’s to Britain represented an extensentil threat not sure the same could be said for other conflicts up until 1963 and thereafter. My point stands those that had no choice cannot be put into the same category as those who join for a wage. Signing up comes with the risk of death. Killing folk for.

     

     

    Going to another country under as an unidentifiable soilder where you kill with impunity does not a hero make. Politicians and rich pricks sending poor folk to die in wars for them. The worst type of poverty is that of thought and it is very prevalent. Wave a wee stupid flag, sign rule britiania and call those that join up hero’s and away they go.

  9. clunks on

    mon the seats!!

     

     

    you can always scroll by, just like you tell everyone on your seat rants

     

     

    However

     

     

    you choose to be outraged lol

  11. clunks on

    hearing your kids/wife etc are raging at the toilet paper issue

     

     

    3 sheets to the wind, unless its just a gust, then you need to swap one on to the next person!

  13. Stephbhoy67 on

    Celtic Mac on 12th November 2024 8:40 pm

     

     

    The GB have had flags long before 7th October and the issues has been ongoing for over 70 years. Israel has killed and displaced over a million Palestines in this land grab following Britain’s great giveaway. Folk have been contained in an open air prison and treated like 3rd class people who can be killed at will, put in their shoes would you simply accept or would you resist? War is ugly, the resisting forces did not have to look to far to see how to fight dirty.

  14. Celtic Mac on

    stephbhoy

     

     

    Basic historical facts, most of us have antecedents who were drafted into the armed forces, and some who absent other prospects signed up before they got conscripted, which they would have been. Either way they were not in control of their destiny once they were in uniform and under orders. Main point being if you are going to advance your own interpretation of historical events get the basics right, you do not need Google for that.

  15. Celtic Mac on

    stephbhoy

     

     

    In fact the Israel Armed Forces have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, 70% of whom are women and children, and displaced over a million Palestinians in the last twelve months, a modern day Nakba before our very eyes, facilitated and supported by a USA led by President Joe Biden. Support for which has cost the Democratic Party dear. October 7 was the catalyst for that. For the Green Brigade to celebrate and to glorify the actions of Hamas, and others, on the very same day, betrays not only their lack of judgement, but their complete absence of any kind of rational understanding of the complexities of the region as a whole far less than the part the situation in Gaza plays within that complexity. Virtue signalling in extremis.

  20. Darwin on

    HOT SMOKED on 12TH NOVEMBER 2024 8:29 PM

     

    “Darwin on 12th November 2024 2:18 pm

     

     

     

    We have now reached, God help us, a situation whereby a few hundred fellow travellers are now serving up a narrative on Celtic to the world. ”

     

     

     

    Really? I would have thought that the reporting of said narrative reaches a much bigger audience than the chanting of a relatively small number of supporters,

     

    ———-

     

     

    I think a man of your intelligence knows that we(Celtic) are being portrayed as Hamas supporting, Israel hating, IRA worshiping and a British hating bunch of pyromaniacs who are doing their level best to get us banned from European competition through constant transgressions.

     

     

    Our rivals at Ibrox would be hard-pushed to write a script that would better undermine our standing in football circles, or, the world in general. I care how Celtic is perceived and received, everyone that loves Celtic cares. These hangers-on don’t care – they use and abuse the club for their own selfish ends.

     

     

    Brendan said when addressing the team-leaking situation: “anyone who hurts Celtic is not a Celtic supporter”. This GB led cabal hurt Celtic – they are not Celtic supporters.HH

  25. Big Jimmy on

    As I Posted yesterday I had only ONE Bet on the Horses yesterday which was a ” LUCKY 15″ and ALL Four Horses Won at odds of 9/1, 7/2, 7/4 and 5/4.

     

     

    Quite tasty…LOL.

     

     

    I ALSO had ONE Fitba Bet on, which I placed because it was on BBC ALBA LIVE…EAST KILBRIDE V AYR UTD Cup Tie.

     

     

    I had the Correct Score of 3 – 2 for East Kilbride at odds of …28/1.

     

     

    Not too Shabby Betting Day all round…

     

    LOL.

     

     

    HH.

  27. Big Jimmy on

    I can remember before 2012, that there were WHITE POPPIES for sale outside Celtic Park at this time of year.

     

    I came back from a Celtic game wearing one and in my local Pub at the time, a couple of Huns ” Questioned” me about as they were obviously unhappy that my Poppy wasnt red.

     

     

    I advised them that a ” WHITE POPPY” was worn to remember ALL Victims of ALL Sides in War. It was meant to signify PEACE.

     

     

    That shut em up !

     

     

    I dont know IF WHITE POPPIES are still on sale at Celtic games, or anywhere else for that matter ?

     

     

    HH.

  29. Chairbhoy on

    Good Morning fholks – Grand Day To Be A Tim

     

     

    HOT SMOKED @ 11:12 AM

     

     

     

    67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS @ 11:55 AM

     

     

     

    GLENDALYSTONSILS @ 11:59 AM,

     

     

    Thanks for the comments yesterday – was otherwise engaged in the afternoon/evening

     

     

    A few golden oldies being debated on CQN

     

     

    SFtBs C&P’d JoBo’s POTY t’uther day – worth looking at the standings and seeing which players are contributing to an excellent season, where we have smashed through Europe’s glass ceiling…

     

     

    And the overall positions after 18 games played are –

     

     

    36 points – Kuhn

     

    28 points – Scales

     

    27 points – Hatate

     

    25 points – McGregor

     

    24 points – Maeda

     

    20 points – Bernardo

     

    18 points – Engels

     

    17 points – Johnston A

     

    14 points – Schmeichel

     

    13 points – Valle

     

    12 points – Trusty

     

    9 points – McCowan

     

    8 points – Kyogo

     

    7 points – O’Riley

     

    5 points – Taylor

     

    4 points – Carter-Vickers

     

    3 points – Forrest and Idah

     

    1 point – Yang

     

    0 points – Holm, Johnston M., Nawrocki, Palma, Ralston, Turley, Welsh

     

     

    Aff oot

     

     

    Hail Hail

  30. spikeysauldman on

    67 european Cup Winners

     

     

    What next, slagging folk who run for cancer charities but ignore kidney transplant charities ?

     

     

    And btw, why is Ukraine allowed to be discussed in schools but not Palestine ?

     

     

    I think we’ll need to agree to differ on probably most aspects of life itself.

  31. bigrailroadblues on

    Good morning all from old Glasgow Town. Train to Ayr for the races and a good day oot.

     

    Braw.

  32. Taurangabhoy on

    STEPHBHOY67 This is where I have a problem with couch warriors. In 1947 there were 20,000 people who you would now associate with Palestinians in Gaza and a few thousand Jewish locals. Now 2 million Palestinians and no Jews. 1 million Jews were displaced by Arab countries but you won’t hear that from the peoples front. Maybe if Hamas release any living children and women hostages, maybe all of them, it would give Trump less reason to support Netanyahu. How about both sides of the story.

  34. spikeysauldman on

    Taurangabhoy

     

     

    couch warriors ? tell that to the folk on the demos in Glasgow and the rest of Scotland every week since Oct 7 – maybe not warriors but defo not couch. Anything else happen in 1947 ? as for “Maybe Hamas release any living children and women hostages, maybe all of them, it would give Trump less reason to support Netanyahu” – my feckin arse. The west is bought and paid for. Netanyahu doesnt even want the hostages released. How about the right side of the story/history.

  37. Celtic Mac on

    bigrailroadblues

     

     

    A Day at the Races? One of my favourite movies.

     

    By the way I notice there are only three runners in the first race, the 12.45….

     

    Maybe a good time to go each way…

     

    Keep it quiet though, don’t let Big Jimmy in on it….

     

     

    DrHugoZHackenbushCSC

  41. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Big Jimmy @ 5:07 am.

     

     

    Congrats on your winnings. 👍

     

     

    Visibly smiling as I read your post.

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