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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TBJ
Surely mr integrity and transparency would have no problem in neil revealing what was whispered in his ear that joyous night.
On the subject of strikers anyone have any ideas on who we should be looking at?
I like the look of Matej Vydra at Watford (on loan from Udinese). Not sure if we’d be able to sign him with the 3 club rule. Also the same guy owns Udinese and Watford and is probably hoping him and Troy Deeney shoot them to promotion. Good young striker with 4 goals in 11 international games for Czech Rep.
el maestro
our mutual friend also says that Stevie May knows the way to goal (which is better than most of the strikers we have at the moment).
You could say of Stevie, his first touch is woeful, his second touch is in the back of the net!
jamesgang
09:12 on
10 August, 2014
The great Ozzie phrase about the habits of the lesser spotted wombat……….
“Eats roots and leaves”
Half yer luck,pal.
I gather there are rumours of Sammi being brought back into the fold. I DO hope so. It is not for the SPFL that he is needed. It is Europe, where we were so badly exposed by Legia. We have plenty of players competent at the domestic level. We have a dearth competent at European level. That was only too obvious at Murrayfield. It is also why Sammi was marked so closely last season. He was recognised as our only serious threat. We need him, although I will only believe we are serious about signing him when he arrives at Celtic Park.
to be honest el maestro Stevie May reminds me of Frank McGarvey in that respect.
Remember Frankie’s flying header from Davie Ps free-kick against Dundee United, Off the top of his head, could have gone anywhere but bulleted behind the wonderful Hamish MacAlpine.
lilys grandpa 09:19 on 10 August, 2014
“Spot on,bit of a shocker, I mean the dress;)”
At least the shoes match…
He/She’s brave. I’ll say that much.
macjay1
;-)
I should stress that only old exam papers were rooted around for/with!
I did nothing that would have seem me getting disbarred!
HH pal jamesgang
I’m guessing last season NL decided Griffiths is a better player than May. Not sure if I would disagree with that!!
Today I will be mostly supporting…..
> Feyenoord (on live at 11.30am – 10/11)
> Hearts (on dead at 1.30pm – 7/2)
> Aberdeen (not on at all at 3.00pm – 11/10); and
> Wolves (to devour the Canaries at 4.00pm – 13/10).
Oh and later I’ll be hoping that Rory wins another Major (tee off at 7.55pm Celtic Park Time).
cardsonthetableCSC
Steinreignedsupreme
09:10 on
10 August, 2014
God,I know mate.
Any chance we could all just settle down and have a laugh about it.
Was there ever a better time than this?
Celebrate,ya bass.
niallo83
You are probably correct. Don’t like Griffiths as a person but he is our only natural goalscorer at the moment.
We used to play with two strikers…..don’t see why we couldn’t again.
Big Sammie as magic. A real Celt, in every ay, one of us for sure. Movin forward we need a direct goalscorer/poacher/ mucher centre forward. Can’t see Pukki doing that but would be very happy of he proved me wrong. Still think Leigh G can do it given the game time. We are in the same market as leagues with disproportionate wealth so no level playing field. Thought Snodgrass would have be a good one for us. Our only affordable option ( sorry negatrons just gettin real) is prospects or Celtic daft boys. Hope we get some and get them right. Hail Hail
Re NFL’s interview ………. I was somewhat dissapointed to hear our former manager and Celtic legend refer to the wee sleekit hun bassa as Ally throughout the transcript as well as reffering to the died club as RFC …. I firmly believe that he has formally agreed Not to speak about certain things eminating from his tenure in the hotseat @ CP and this aspect of Neil’s departure only leads the cynical part of me to further question Celtic’s motives in all areas of the ” great institutions ” demise …… their silence strikes me as deafening and defining in equal measure ……
on another is issue…….. I’ve read with interest that Legia have no recourse for appeal ..in that the nature of their offence is for all inents and puposes un – appealable … they have elected to appeal nonetheless and I’m interested in discovering the time frame of this appeal …… any of you ghuys put me in the picture here ? thanks in advance HH .
jamesgang.
They then later freaked me right out when they told me I was a bit of a spunk! A compliment apparently!
=============================================================
I take it you were teaching the visually impaired.
I let my bhoy have a wee party for his seventeenth birthday last night, about ten I went over to jonny the tims and left them to it.
All went well…phew, bodies everywhere all the same, reckon most have just fallen asleep.
Ach well, tidy up time, but first a tenner on hertz half time, full time.
macjay1
It was c15 years ago!
Used2LookAweeBitBetterCSC!
HH jamesgang
Tim tanium,
We probably will at times in SPFL.
Can’t really in Europe or we will get overrun in midfield. Can’t think of any successful team (at a high level) recently who played with two strikers.
Just over 37 hours to get the manager the players he needs to at least give us a chance of qualifying for CL.
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooood morning
C…………………………………
Q………………………………………
N………………………………….
From the sweltering costas………………………
BigJoeinDaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahouse.
Sips
From what I can see through my step daughter and her pals, kids don’t seem to be doing much of the old house wrecking parties these days!
Or maybe they know what we’d do to them if they tried?!?
;-)
HH jamesgang
Morning to Big Joe
;-)
HH jamesgang
jamesgang
09:37 on
10 August, 2014
Would have thoroughly enjoyed sharing a schooner.
Them`s the breaks.
If you`re ever back in town…………….
Cheers,my fellow Tim.
macjay1
Would love to take the family to Oz one day, esp Sydney.
If so, deffo a schooner or two!
HH jamesgang
gary67
C’mon mate. Who’s gonna sign? Who’d come to the Sell-tic? We are back water back of the bus! Who do you think will come? Go get em! You not been reading CQN?
MWD says AYE
• Tim Tanium
09:27 on 10 August, 2014
to be honest el maestro Stevie May reminds me of Frank McGarvey in that respect.
Remember Frankie’s flying header from Davie Ps free-kick against Dundee United, Off the top of his head, could have gone anywhere but bulleted behind the wonderful Hamish MacAlpine.
Remember it…………………..
Il never bloody forget it…………………………..
bigjoewasbaskigintheHamdensunshine
,Steinreignedsupreme,
oh for sure.,Right just diving out to speak to a better person, Ill put in a word for you all,;)
lilys
Been out the loop and comms for a while so please slap me………..
Qustion…………………………
Why don’t we have a game this weekend?????????????????
bigjoesabitSLOW
big Joe
Nae where to balance the sheets.
MWD says AYE
• TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels
06:45 on 10 August, 2014
Macjay
I think Celtic would be excluded from all Uefa comps if they refused the CL place and legia certainly would not have been allowed in
If legia are so determined to fight this … Do you reckon they will refuse the Europa league place ?
Fantastic poit…………………………………
Why cant I thinks stuff like that…………
bigjoesAbotslow…….Morecoffeeneeded
So it is a done deal.
You really could not make it up.
A miracle reprieve in CL and you immediately weaken your squad before possible Maribor play off.
F the team and the fans. It is a great move for the balance sheet.
Never yet saw a balance sheet holding a trophy above its head.
Good morning
Good luck Fraser Forster, even bigger luck to Craig Gordon.
I hate this feeling I have that wee Celtic have become a feeder club to big Southampton.
Rupert Murdoch is happy with that scenario though.
Big Joe
09:51 on
10 August, 2014
• TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels
06:45 on 10 August, 2014
Macjay
I think Celtic would be excluded from all Uefa comps if they refused the CL place and legia certainly would not have been allowed in
If legia are so determined to fight this … Do you reckon they will refuse the Europa league place ?
Fantastic poit…………………………………
Why cant I thinks stuff like that…………
bigjoesAbotslow…….Morecoffeeneeded
You certainly won’t find PL and DD testing any of these theories.
Penalty in thems game £4 @5/2……thems to score with a penalty £4 @ 11/2 the draw £4 @ 11/4. Red card in the game to their cousins £5 @ 11/2, all singles , wouldent give me accums. Strange eh?
Mixed feelings if Sammi comes back. Don’t think we should’ve let him go, given the weaknesses in the squad. Had we strengthened, I may have felt differently in view of his generally inconsistent nature.
But, we are where we are- just over 36 hours to strengthen the squad for Maribor, a squad exposed on every level last week. (if Sammi is without contract can we sign ,him at any stage? Presumably we would have a time limit for registration for Maribor nonetheless??).
The club consistently tells us that they have been working hard “identifying” targets since May. What does this mean exactly?
“Wouldn’t Messi be great?”
“Aye.”
This is groundhog day. An ignominious scramble for someone, anyone, to placate the fans in the last 24 hours. We continually fall for it too. Mugs.
Quonno
For all I am not happy with PLC £10M is a no brainier over holding onto an unhappy goalkeeper who’d have likely have mumped about at opportunity to not go to play and train with England’s International goalkeeping coach. I believe for once it’s not about the money for FF but his own career and international prospects. Good luck to the big man.
MWD says AYE
A wee prediction.
Despite all THEIR supposed woes, THEY will win THEIR league by at least 15 points.
Having done so, THEY will immediately at least try to strengthen THEIR squad to compete with US.
jamesgang,
That’s all my bins full now, need to creep about and fill the neighbours:)
I reckon the kids must have had a few reb songs on last night, as my hun neighbour is playing rather loud hun music for a Sunday morning…bless him…;)