You would be forgiven if you didn’t know much about Kwon Hyeok-Kyu. He joined Celtic in the summer from his hometown club in the Korean second tier but, before Saturday, the last football he played was July.
Since then, the 22-year-old relocated to Scotland, with all the social, cultural, culinary and sporting challenges that involved. St Mirren have him on loan until the end of the season and on his debut on Saturday, he was awarded Man of the Match (by the BBC, not a sponsor, keen to boost a new arrival). That’s remarkable for a player out for so long.
Defensive mid is the role Callum McGregor plays, and Callum is the most available player on the planet, so swap-out options are rare. Tomoki Iwata awaits his chance there, while Matt O’Riley really impressed when asked to fill-in. It is no surprise we have yet to see Kwon.
He is an absolute unit: 6’ 3”, mahogany solid and fast. His impressive debut for St Mirren surprised no one at Lennoxtown, including his manager, who has hopes for the player.
He is a find; prepare for a reassessment ahead, along the lines of Bernardo, with Holm and Nawrocki to come. A loan move to St Mirren is a great next step. He will hopefully play until May as he becomes adjusted to life in Scotland. Celtic will watch all his games and he will return in the summer ready to press for a place in the team.
What happens to Kwon and the others is critical to how Celtic develop as a club. Make a success of signing players with talent and growth potential, or pick up expensive mid-career journeymen (like Newco). Best of luck to Kwon on Saturday.
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One swallow doesn’t make a summer but encouraging to hear good things about Kwon.
Having a few clubs who could take a couple of development players like St Mirren and possibly one abroad would be good for us to start to build a pipeline. Especially if the have a head coach / manager who is engaged with the process for the medium to long term. I am beginning to feel that we could be on the brink of this.
If BR doesn’t get the quality signings he asked for Peter Lawwell should be chased out of Celtic Park with his son and if he isn’t then those who criticise daily about the signing policy should hang their season books back and if they don’t I would suggest you shut your mouths and stop moaning and sook it up.
sutton1888
if Lawwell and son get chased, should those who dont criticise daily hand their season books back ? What about the ballboys, the women who sell the windfall tickets ?
Sutton1888
Good try.
Darwin
I don’t think there’s many if any Celtic supporters that don’t understand it’s not every penny in, every penny out. Especially not in the transfer market where we apparently still need a Left back not just for Greg Taylor maybe since Keiran Tierney’s replacement was Boli Bolingoli?
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 23RD JANUARY 2024 1:07 PM
Larsson was 26 years old and was heading back to Sweden after four underwhelming years in Holland. The sense was that his early promise hadn’t flowered. Feyenoord were delighted with the £650,000 we gave them, there was no queue at the door for Henrik.
*Correct, I used to watch Dutch football over here on one of the multicultural channels with an english commentator and actually rated Regi Blinker higher than him but I was well aware of who he was and the story when we got him was he was fed up playing out of position, didnae stop him putting in a shift though, so was heading back to Helsingborg.
Sutton was (remarkably) a laughing stock at Chelsea. One goal in 28 games led folk to think that his performances at Blackburn were the product of playing alongside the great Alan Shearer. In any event, being relegated with Blackburn and then bombing at Chelsea, at 27 years old his career had stalled.
*I must admit that I questioned that signing as I looked on his Blackburn career as a bit of a flash in the pan, thankfully MON didnae see it that way
John Hartson’s career had gone from the young prodigy at Arsenal aged 19 to a pay-per-play deal with Coventry City by age 25. He was considered an injury prone player with dodgy knees, moves to Spurs and (then) Rangers falling through on failed medicals.
*he NEVER had a medical at ayebroke he was just asked to run up and down the touchline, he was in an effect as Mr Zimmerman once said, “only a pawn in the game”, as bader only wanted de boer but if that fell through then Big Bad John was his next option, so when he was assured the w*nk was coming then John was told tae sling his hook nae wonder both he and his da hated them.
2-0 Palestine
now i know its not scotland or ireland and i’ve never been there – but i’m rooting for them anyway – and seein as i’m working from home, i can have it on in the background to cheer me up…
So let’s keep Mark Lawwell in place,meanwhile we watch a top class manager, walk out the door because he didn’t get the players he wanted? Way to go Celtic…..
That awkward moment when your loan star man gets injured
One more goal now for Palestine would make qualification for last 16 certain !
Spikeysauldman
What channel is it on ?
Bada Bing
Where is there any evidence our manager is leaving ?
We are all guilty of making quick decisions on a new signings ability…………….as we Kwon.
TONTINE TIM
Watched highlights of Dutch League on TSN……….went to the Celtic Club to watch us play Partick Henrik was a sub and when he came on i said to my friend ….”.saw this guy on TSN a few times he is a very good player”
First pass to Charnley ball in the back of our net………..if looks could kill…….but as they say the rest is history.
b78 now 3-0
https://www.viprow.nu/afc-asian-cup/hong-kong-vs-palestine-online-stream-1
TIMHORTON on 23RD JANUARY 2024 4:26 PM
TONTINE TIM
Watched highlights of Dutch League on TSN……….went to the Celtic Club to watch us play Partick Henrik was a sub and when he came on i said to my friend ….”.saw this guy on TSN a few times he is a very good player”
First pass to Charnley ball in the back of our net………..if looks could kill…….but as they say the rest is history
_____
I think you mean the hibs game that we lost 2-1. Might have been the first game of the season (not sure). I was at it and right in line when Henrik played the pass short. Didn’t do too badly though, thereafter.
Amazing result. It means they are definitely through in 2nd place as Iran are 2-0 up on UAE.
Palestine must have been watching the Tic, 3-0 up and still chasing the next goal.
should have been 4 !
Spikeysauldman
Incredible given the respective size and wealth of countries like China India UAE and others that tiny, war devastated, Palestine can get to the last 16 when the first 2 of these almost certainly won’t and even UAE are relying on other results.
UAE score in 93rd minute to deny Palestine definite qualification. That said Japan beating or drawing with Indonesia tomorrow will make it certain.
Did Hong Kong score their penalty, my stream has died
BURNLEY78 on 23RD JANUARY 2024 4:22 PM
Bada Bing
Where is there any evidence our manager is leaving ?
Very obvious when Brendan went through the summer signings, Tilio only got a place on the bench because there was nobody else left,didn’t rate Lagerbielke or Nawrocki etc.He said after last game before break we would be getting players in early…..where are they? If we don’t back the guy with his players in the summer, I think he will walk.Looks like he’s been led up the garden path up till now,why should he carry the can,for incompetent, under qualified staff? But with your blind loyalty, the Lawwells will survive.
Prestonpansbhoy
No they missed.
13 minutes of injury time in both games.
UAE sneaked automatic qualification by one goal.
Palestine will make it though unless Indonesia beat Japan and even then if Bahrain lose or Oman fail to win their last game then they will still make it.
Bada Bing
Weird negative perspective which contradicts a lot of what the manager actually said.
Still it’s the way you want to see it I suppose.
Last I saw we had signed a guy viewed as a good addition in a position we needed strengthening.
Last I heard the manager said it was never easy in this window to get the right players.
Last I saw most folk were raving about the performances of Narwocki and Bernardo now that they have been given a chance / been for enough to play, including the manager.
You prefer a glass half empty and I guess mine tends to be more half full. Probably neither of us are actually always right though.
I do find it funny that whenever our rivals sign anyone then our fans seem to get more worried.
I also think it funny that Narwocki and Bernardo will soon be someone else’s successes rather than Mark Lawwell’s failures. We would never hear of them as Mark Lawwell’s successes. Weird. By the way I have never met Mark. I do know he recommended Ange though which to me earns him a few points as the past 2 years were the most enjoyable, week in week out, ever for me at CP.
!!BADA BING!! on 23RD JANUARY 2024 5:05 PM
BURNLEY78 on 23RD JANUARY 2024 4:22 PM
Looks like he’s been led up the garden path
*aye just like he led us when he told us he was here for the 10
Just checked back and Palestine are through.
They are above Syria in terms of goals scored and so will claim one of the best 3rd place slots regardless of other scores.
b78
thanks for the info
was away from pc for past 50 mins
as you said, incredible achievement
🇵🇸
B78- typically cherry picking, you know fine well when BR went through the signings and said if they were training well and good enough, they would be in the squad, Nawrocki only getting game time as CCV injured, you keep saying Ange recommended Mark Lawwell, where’s the proof of that,and apart from working at The City Group at totally opposite ends of the company, where did their paths cross in a football sense before both came to CP?
And whoever the huns sign,doesn’t bother me
I dont think the threat of Brendan walking carries the same weight it did last time round
The world didnt stop turning and we’ve done ok since. There will be other Celtic managers
All the talk of young Vata is surprising. If Rodgers thinks he is a talent but needs development and the boy wants to play – why dont we send him out on loan. I like his physicality, confidence and desire anytime I’ve seen him in the hoops – get him game time and see how he does/develops.
Celtic so far reaking of complacency – Ragers are improving and will be a serious threat if they add a penalty box striker. The have pace and can deliver into the box. When you consider the expected VAR influence for the second half of the season – we better bulk up.
We need a player who scores with the head – Striker, Midfielder to get on the end of crosses from Palma and Kuhn – so many times we miss those chances bcoz our Japanese players are awful in the air and o’relily and Bernardo are not strong despite their height.
We will rely on last minute headers – see Giakomakis of late!
Huns have a penalty box striker.
Tavernier.
Good evening all from the Lord Edward, Christchurch.
Rocco Vata won’t sign the Celtic contract that’s on the table, if he did we’d happily lend him out.