Fraser Forster had a daily routine which verged on OCD. He rose at 6:00, ate his first meal of the day, drove to Lennoxtown (while eating six pancakes, as it happens), then worked-out in the gym. He stopped for ‘breakfast’ with the rest of the team, his third intake of the day, before training started at 10:00.
After training the players take lunch, then head home. Fraser stayed, back to the gym, or some specialist work with goalkeeper coach Stevie Woods, before heading home at 16:30. He was first to arrive and last to leave, every day.
This was his routine, broken only something as rare as a dentist visit. Every biological and fitness measurement was documented with improvements targeted.
Years ago, he decided he was going to this year’s World Cup. The personal relationship, which took visits to London to maintain, was put on hold. The visits interrupted the work schedule for two days, which he couldn’t afford.
There is a reasonable chance that he put more work into his game than any player in Celtic history, the contrast with some would anger you. The results were remarkable. Fraser transformed from a rough stone into the only man in the England World Cup squad not to play in their feted league.
Much of this was as a result of the meeting of minds he had with Stevie Woods. Stevie completely changed Fraser’s game, set career targets with him and planned how to reach them. I could make a good case that Woods is one of the leading goalkeeping coaches in Europe. He created one of the greatest keepers in Britain and will do so again.
On a personal level, he is everything you would want a Celtic player to be, had time for kids, time for fans. He graduates from Celtic as a credit to our club. We want more like this.
While I’ll have genuine regret if he goes, the axiom of the ages remains true, we manage our assets, or we fail to manage our assets. If we have £10m to add to or deny the budget, it should not be tied up in a goalkeeper.
So good for Celtic, but it’s left me with a problem. I’ve a nine-year-old who eats, sleeps, talks and, most of all, dreams, Fraser Forster. Hero worship has never been so intense, so I’ll delay wishing the big guy well, just in case….
Just so you know, Maribor would put us out if we played them this week. Don’t go dreaming of Champions League football yet.
Still cannot believe what happened yesterday.
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WINGER
Maribor 1.1. 37mins.
joe filippis haircut
19:41 on 9 August, 2014
Gary67.What position does he play ? H.H.
Winger. We tried to sign him last summer but he chose Villa.
Gary67. Thanks. H.H.
Auldheid
18:55 on
9 August, 2014
Spot on.
We are 4 games into this season’s games.
It takes 5 or 6 competitive matches to get match fitness.
We have St Johnstone and Dundee Utd coming up.
These two games are more important than any european friendly we’ve paid this summer
We don’t even need to win them (though that would be a bonus).
We just need to play St J and Dundee Utd. Doing so will make us better against Maribor (or our Europa League opponents)..
Calm down guys!
Celtic are 4 games into their season.
It is an important and difficult part of the season but if we we want to “walk” this qualification then we need to give up on the end of the previous season. Win the league by March. Forget about the Scottish and League cups (any victories will be a bonus). Let players take a break from April to June. Get into serious games in June / July. Tough games. Make them financially important for the players (it is the only language the players understand).
I am confident that we will be ready for Maribor, because we will have played 6 important games befor meeting them.
It is all about timing. All about match fitness.
Emperors new clothes
@Joe Re… Gordon
Aye there wasn’t much mention on the blog about him that weekend.
H.H.
Jfh,
Winger. Pings a braw shot with both feet.
JoeFilippisHaircut:-
I think its fair enough to accept that we can`t compete at the top table of European football due to finances. But over a ten year period I would say we should have at least a 70% success rate in qualifying for Europe when competing against teams such as Sion, Karagandy etc.
For various reasons our club now has reached a state where Maribor are considered favourites to beat us in the gateway tie to the Champions League.
Maribor are not from one of the cash rich countries, they are a team from a city with a population of 110,000 people, in a league which has an average attendance of 4,500. The record attendance for a Slovenian league match sits at 14,000.
Maribor have a fraction of our resources. If they are genuinely favourites for a two legged tie with us then they are either doing something amazingly well or we are doing something dreadfully badly.
We need to stop putting European teams on a pedestal and stop looking for excuses to justify repeated failure.
the glorious balance sheet. I can see where you are coming from but my point is it is not just Celtic that have fallen behind but all the Scottish teams.I think we need to find out why this is and take steps to rectify it.It wont be easy and will take time.H.H.
Tom Molach 1946:-
You`re spot on about sending the first team into a close season once the league has been won and bringing them back early for the European games. I`ve been saying this for the last ten days on CQN.
Not only does it get the first team sharp and fresh in time for qualifiers it gives us a chance to see in a safe no-risk environment at the end of the previous season whether development and fringe players are good enough.
Tonev. Looks like a chance to sign a player who hasn’t made it at current club and who no-one else wants.
Think Boerrigter, Pukki etc.
Great.
Can’t believe my expectations have sunk this low, but frankly I’d rather have signed the boy May from St Johnstone. Or even better, Johnny Russell.
Would it be too much to suggest that Fraser,s move to Southampton can be put on hold until after qualify for the Champs Lge group stage and get more cash into the coffers.
I read somewhere that big Frasers dad is one of the top legal judges in Newcastle.
Someone said earlier that Russel would score goals in Europe, how on earth can you think that?
Ger57 18.35
True – players would have to buy into it, but most likely the ones with self-confidence and a good attitude would probably do so.
If we can’t get £6m players because they would want £35k a week, then give them £25k and they’d get it “back” when they move eg 10-15% of £10m.
First leg of Celtic v Maribor live on Sky Sports 5, return leg on ITV.
Massive 72,000 crowd in Croke Park to.day watching a lot of seriously fit players in action
Caught the train!
Had to get a taxi for the last mile cos my mate is an even bigger idiot than me.
I do enjoy his company…..
It would be nice to be linked with a player we whom we actually want to sign, not loan!
How many loan signings have been good ?
Bellamy, Vega, Robbie Keane?
Any others?
Evening all.
Does anyone know what the dates are for the two legs of the Maribor tie there’s nothing on the official site?
hankray
20:01 on 9 August, 2014
Massive 72,000 crowd in Croke Park to.day watching a lot of seriously fit players in action
———–
ManCrushCSC!!!
;-)
HH jamesgang
Burghbhoy:-
I`d add Samaras and Forster to the list of good loan signings.
But its a hefty list of wasted loan signings:- Henchoz, Henri Camara, Brozek, Miku, El Khaddouri, Braafheid, Gershon, Diomanzy Kamara all come to mind, I`m sure there will be more. We`re operating at an average of one waste of space loan signing per year over the last 10 years.
Burghbhoy
20:05 on
9 August, 2014
Samaras?
Forster?
DRAMBOWIECELT 1917
Canny whack it. And the good thing about it is that it rattles through the pipes.
At that price,of course it does.
Just think if Rory had stayed with his true love he’d never be on this hot winning streak, some lesson there, dont know what though :o)
Hamiltontim:-
Away tie is on Wed 20th Aug and home tie is Tues 26th Aug according to uefa.com
HT
20 and 26 aug according to UEFA website mhate.
HH jamesgang
the glorious balance sheet
Thank you. That ain’t what I wanted to hear though :-(
Jamesgang
Cheers buddy hope you’re well!
Loan signings are still signings.
Some good some bad. Celtic no different to any other team on the planet in this regard.
the_huddle
20:11 on 9 August, 2014
Just think if Rory had stayed with his true love he’d never be on this hot winning streak, some lesson there, dont know what though :o)
——–
Women weaken legs….
RockyBilboaCSC
HH jamesgang
HT
Welcome pal.
Grand form thanks. You guys too I trust.
HH jamesgang
Tom Molach/The glorious balance sheet
How could I forget those 2 ?
Can’t think of any other successes, loads of failures, so what’s the point in them?
Jamesgang
Aye all is grand mate thanks.
Right off to watch a film.
Burghbhoy,
The answer is in your question.
Lads,
not sure who asked earlier… but for all the prospective punters, the CQN Naps competition will start again next week (Aug 16th).
Cheers, fleagle1888
bournesouprecipe
20:01 on 9 August, 2014
First leg of Celtic v Maribor live on Sky Sports 5, return leg on ITV.
BSR
At home first ?.
Celtiv Maribor
20 Aug – 19:45 Celtic visiting Maribor at The People’s Garden,
26 aug – 19:45 Celtic hosting Maribor at Celtic Park