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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Big Joe
Think that is what Ronny is demanding and why some of them are railing against change.
Paul – hear hear
Livibhoy and TGBS from previous thread
Interesting that you raise again the issues of betting on football as discussed on other sites. I think that author raises valid points. However, he is at pains to highlight no illegality.
I mentioned last week that before the first leg I had toyed with the notion of laying Legia on Betfair (I know…). However that was before I knew the team Deila selected and how he sent them out. Thankfully I had no bet.
I’m careful what I’m saying here but we knew of many of the issues affecting Celtic over recent weeks and sensible punters factored that (or should have) into any financial involvement they had in the game.
I think however it is a huge and frankly dangerous leap to draw a connection between gambling activity on the first leg and the UEFA actions towards Legia.
The “football is fixed” article from Thursday 31/7/2014
Last night was an incredibly depressing defeat.
It was a humiliating and, most likely, an immensely costly loss.
But it wasn’t match fixing and it wasn’t corruption and it wasn’t illegal.
Anyone watching the match could see that things weren’t right – a woeful defence, some astonishingly poor performances, a total lack of fitness, a referee with a liking for our friends from Ajax, key players absolutely drained after World Cup exertions, Scott Brown’s absence, the negative impact of playing a meaningless friendly against St Pauli instead of resting up for a match that might define Celtic’s season…
These are not conspiracies or criminalities, they are real fundamental facts affecting the outcome of a football match.
An insider might choose to bet and profit from a combination of this public and private knowledge plus any extra nuggets he might possess.
This isn’t illegal.
It doesn’t even mean that the insider isn’t professionally focused on the club.
It simply means that he wishes to benefit financially from his privileged position.
And it does not mean the match is bent…
… but it does mean that the game is.
Some stuff…
Some English Premier League matches have global betting turnover in the billions of pounds. You can get millions of pounds accepted by brokers in Asia on such games without them even blinking. Referees earn less than £2K per week. Referees are a major feature in virtually all corruption episodes around the world. Match fixing results.
Players have lifelong allegiances to their agents that surpasses any club loyalty (with some honourable exceptions).Some agents also bet professionally. In some games, all of a defence will be represented by one or two agents or more than 50% of the players on the pitch will be represented by four agents, for example. Some agents work very closely together in a cartel fashion. Match fixing results.
The brands demand certain outcomes. Brazil winning the opening match of the World Cup, say, or the existence of certain referees past and present in the SPL, or UEFA wishing for G14 powerhouse Juventus to be eased past Celtic in the Champions League courtesy of Undiano Mallenco. This results in match fixing.
It would be easier to list the teams in the English Premier League and Championship that don’t have very active betting activities associated with them than those that are legitimate. Imagine the scenario where a team is playing an end of season match of no consequence and the owner of the club is a bookmaker who has significant (and ethically awkward) betting market liabilities on the game. For the bottom line of the club, the less ethical route is much more financially rewarding. This is match fixing and it isn’t illegal.
Bookmakers, brokers, market makers, dark pool traders, market professionals, regulators, the police, UEFA and FIFA all recognise that match fixing is massively widespread. But there is no global regulation against insider trading (whether match fixing or just taking profit from insider knowledge). Market platforms seek the trades of insiders as it improves their market knowledge and hence their financial returns. They actively trade this ‘knowledge’ elsewhere in the market. This isn’t illegal. It is just high stakes poker. No bookie wants to be left with the liability when the game kicks off.
In horseracing, there is no incentive to throw the Derby or the Grand National due to the kudos and cash that results. However, the 3:15 at Catterick on a Tuesday afternoon when a leading bookmaker has massive liabilities on the 4/7 favourite is a different affair. This is fixing in another sport but the structure is identical to modern football. Except that the rewards in football are far far greater.
In financial markets, insider trading used to be legal in Britain until around 50 years ago. A broker could have lunch with an executive and short sell the executive’s company based on private information from this encounter. This was market fixing and it wasn’t illegal. But it is now. Football needs global regulation to tackle match fixing, corruption, money laundering and the tax avoidance associated with these practices. FIFA should be taking on this role rather than awarding World Cups to countries who (allegedly) shoot down passenger planes and those who murder their immigrant workforce via medieval employment practices in tropical heat.
We form part of a global cellular grouping of individuals from all areas of the game who are not satisfied with the manner in which money people are taking over the game.
We have developed proprietary software for monitoring and analysing financial and betting markets.
We explore the dark net for underground and dark pool operations.
We are frequently appalled by what we find but, historically, there have been few global bodies willing to stand up to the rampant corruption.
We also undertake consultancies – last season I worked for a German team and I’m now working with a body monitoring match fixing in football.
We do nothing illegal.
We just try to undermine corruption in football. ………
——–
But remember.
Nobody did anything illegal prior to the defeat in Warszawa.
Nothing to see there…
… apart from an inept performance, poorly planned, strategically stunted, financially disastrous and interestingly refereed.
———
Gary67 and Bigjoe
True on both. I don’t think we will get him either. Shame as he would be perfect. Looking at some of the other transfer prices in that league he will be too much.
HH
the glorious balance sheet
12:21
I don’t see why that is the case. There’s 3 main keepers in the squad. I don’t see any good reason why there wouldn’t be a specialist striker coach or two between the 4 or 5 strikers at the club.
The team should be all training together a lot of the time but each individual or small group should be going away to do work with specialist coaches.
Paul67
Do you expect us to spend significantly during this window? otherwise Frasers 10m figure don’t matter as it’s just a figure if it’s not put to good use
Well said Paul67.
Of course I’m trying desperately to bite my lip against some of our posters (some on here today) who spent hours telling us what a poor hire Fraser was at the time.
They are now rallying against the club for letting him go after 4 years with a large profit.
You’d think they have an agendA..
Good Morning Paul67 “feted league” I like that. ;)
KLV
Manage your assets, in other words we’re now just a business and no longer a football club, if they desperately want him they would’ve waited till after the next tie, it’s not difficult to negotiate, he’d miss 1 game, yes 1 game. PL gambling with OUR money and our club. They’ll be handing out season books free if you graduate with a B Acc, it’s the only demographic that’ll be interested
No way in a million years we will spend £5-6m and wages on Wigan player.
Their chairman Whelan is a financially robust type Victorian mill-owner who, if there were any chimneys left, would still be sending orphans up them.
He will not be seduced by the smooth and ready patter of the SSM and his offer of £1m and ‘hauf a dozen gingies’
“WE TRIED OUR BEST……..”
Big wavy. I was shouting from the rooftops to bring in a goalie when boruc left any goalie as Zaluska was a nightmare
Move on to now and here we go again , just before a CL qualifier
Great tribute Paul to a man who put hard work at the top of his list of things to do to improve his talent as a football player, the two together made him one of the very best goalkeepers I have seen at Celtic, sad to see you go Big Chap and may yer star rise down South and the England jersey become yours, you deserve it Son..
Squire
Whelan falls out with a player he is a goner. Celtic would not bid unless there was a chance of this happening.
LB
celticeoin
12:30 on 9 August, 2014
I do not know what you mean by significantly but I believe we will bring in 4/5.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Higdon scores for Sheffield United, another one we let slip through the net ;o)
Paul67
Nice tribute to Fraser Forster, whom I thank and wish well.
He was a Celtic keeper all right, but it remains inevitable that Englishmen will return to England, and Southampton is a world away from Glasgow, in so many ways.
He saw what his Newcastle management team couldn’t see in Celtic, and he grasped his chance with both hands.
We made him.
MaloneBhoy-
I think we should have dedicated strikers, midfielders, defenders coaches at the club. But I don`t know if we have.
Even if we don`t have dedicated positional coaches I think it`d be a good idea to bring in world class former players to Lennoxtown for a week during the season to spend some time with our players just passing on some tips and the benefit of their experience. Imagine someone like del Piero coming in for a week to work with the likes of Commons and the other attacking players.
——————————————————————————————————————–
I was dead against the signing of Fraser Forster in 2010. I believed that the position of goalkeeper at Celtic was too important to be filled by a loan player. I still believe that to be the case.
It took time for Forster to grow on me. I think the penalty save v Hearts in 2011 was a turning point. He seemed to grow in stature after that and he was excellent in one-on-one situations. Still ropy at kick outs, mind you and I think £10 million was too good to turn down.
Interesting to see if he automatically dislodges Boruc as no 1 or if he has to bide his time.
Paul67,
Great article and a real insight into things.
Isn’t it ironic that as RD and JC come in, the hardest working professional first team player, moves on.
I already reckon Fraser is the best English goalie, I expect him to be their number 1 by the end of the season.
On the Champions League shebawz…
My feelings are equally split between sympathy for Legia and ignominy at seeing Celtic in the draw.
Facts are that Legia obtained an advantage in the ties against St Pats by not including the suspended player in their squad, hence having a man advantage.
Against Celtic, the player had no influence on the outcome of the match or the tie. Celtic were roundly beaten home and away, performances that ought to have been written in Legia’s annals, and certainly goes down as a record European pumping for Celtic.
Legia earned their place in the competition through their performances. Celtic deserve nothing from ours.
In terms of acting in the best interests of shareholders, Celtic can do nothing but participate following UEFA’s ruling.
Personally, I’d rather we withdrew from the tournament. We have no business being there.
Want to show Ronny Deila how it should be done? Think your better than Stein? Do you have the luck of Celtic or the administration talents of Legia? Then here is the invite code to the CQN Championship Fantasy Football League, we are now approaching 90 teams entered.
296638-123206
You have 7 days left to register your team & join the league.
http://fantasy.premierleague.com/
As an added incentive I’ve decided to offer some prizes for the top 3 come the end of the season. The winners will each receive items of their choosing from the Official Celtic Webstore to the tune of
1st £100
2nd £75
3rd £50
Or alternatively, winners can choose to donate any winnings to a Celtic charity of their choice.
Also if by some miracle I end up in the top 3, the winnings will be passed onto the next placed team.
HH
I would like to record my thanks and best wishes to Fraser Gerald Forster on St. Patrick’s Day. A credit to your profession and to Celtic.
Good luck to you big man.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
FF price tag £10m
Charlie Green raising £10m
Coincidence? I think not.
Expect a last minute bid.
• BIG-CUP-WINNERS
12:26 on 9 August, 2014
Big Joe
Think that is what Ronny is demanding and why some of them are railing against change.
OK, didn’t know that……………….
I suppose you have to have them WANT to do it,
As apposed to making them do it.
Just as well I not in charge……………….
TheywouldBEfoooked
Joe Hart has been that’s his number 1 place is up for grabs at City so can see him being dropped first shaky spell his has this season, hopefully FF has a cracking season and takes the England spot (though that is never fun for any of them)
Video clip of Waterboys at Kelvingrove Bandstand last night. Cracking venue and they boys were superb. I might post the clip of their last song later as you might notice the cameraman has had a tipple or 2….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIT6GA5LwNs&feature=youtu.be
Born on…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
10.00 -16.30 half a days work
BB.
Legia were inept and unprofessional.
Enjoy watching Coronation Street while we look forward to Maribor.
Rules are rules.
Time to stop being patronising to Legia now. They blew it. GIRFU their wee cheat who dived.
• notthebus
12:51 on 9 August, 2014
FF price tag £10m
Charlie Green raising £10m
Coincidence? I think not.
Expect a last minute bid.
\the 10 million is just to keep the lights on……….
No WAR CHEST for the angry mob
WhyareTHAYalwaysRagingAbootSomthing
I would add that we must invest some of the Fraser Forster transfer fee into signing a new goalkeeper and we must do it before the CL qualifier deadline.
Craig Gordon is an unknown quantity in terms of his fitness. Hardly any competitive games in the last 4 years means he is not match sharp.
Zaluska causes panic in our defence and his unreliability is proven. Look at his part in the 3 goals we lost at St Johnstone. He was in between the sticks in the 4-0 losses to St Mirren and Utrecht (where he gave away 2 penalties) and the 3-0 loss to Braga.
It would be dicing with disaster not to sort this out ASAP.
New byline on the DR front page:
Real Poles Read The Record
The Battered Bunnet
If the suspended player scored a last minute winner to taken them through,would you still have the same view?
I suspect the answer is no.
The fact is the principle is the same, they broke the rules.
Jokey piece on the transformation of Gareth Bale since going to Madrid, amazing that all players don’t train train and train again.
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/early-doors/brittle-boy-beefcake-incredible-transformation-gareth-bale-162423723.html
And another thing…
Was working down in foreign this week, and didn’t get to the game v Legia.
Because the game was not on the TV (free to air or subscription) I figured I’d listen to it on the radio via the BBC Scotland feed on the internet.
Nope. BBC had radio broadcast rights only, not internet rights, and there was radio silence.
The remaining options were:
1) Illegal internet stream, complete with porn advertising and virus attacks.
2) Buying an annual subscription for Celtic TV, which was offering audio only coverage of the game in the UK.
3) Relying on text and blog updates.
In effect, Celtic elected to squeeze the fans for £40 to encourage uptake of the Celtic TV channel.
I was not so encouraged…
Big Joe 12:55 on 9 August, 2014
“No WAR CHEST for the angry mob
“WhyareTHAYalwaysRagingAbootSomthing”
Some folk as just miserable, we have plenty on here.
Zombies are miserable and angry though – a deadly combination.
Totally back big fraser in whatever he chooses, did great for us and now wants new challange and claim that england spot so fair play.. Anyway even if he wanted to stay we would not let him.. 10m is what our club wants.
Joe hart will be bricking himself espcially if england keeper coach is at southampton
Callum mcmenamin
Looked very good when i saw him couple seasons ago but he is right sided player as far as i know .. Not exactly what we need with lustig, fisher, matthews , brown and forrest.
Much rather have james mcclean.. Good direct left winger who scores couple of goals here and there and would run thru brick walls to make sure he gets a cross in. Saw him regurly for derry and while i didnt think he was premiership material i knew he would make it somewere. Spl would suit him perfectly.
The Battered Bunnet:-
Sympathy for Legia is fine, but having had players sent off in Europe last season and the season before, they were well aware of the rules in terms of listing suspended players in match squads.
For whatever reason they made an awful schoolboy error this time around and once the UEFA delegate spotted in their fate was sealed.
We should not look this gift house in the mouth.
Sorry to see big Fraser go. It’s important to have a great goalkeeper at one end if you are misfiring at the other end.
I fear we are weaker now but wish all the best to his replacement, especially when he goes up for corners.