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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ryecatcher –
forgot about that one. Stunning finish.
• Delaneys Dunky
10:37 on 10 August, 2014
Big Joe
I heard that we were possibly back in the CL at 8 o clock on the 8th of the 8th :)
It’s a sign………………………….
It’s a sign………………………………..
BigJoenowALLhippyISH
This week saw the passing of an old friend, a tried and trusted cliché: ‘you can’t win football matches on paper’ #RIP
I agree, Celtic should do the honourable thing and decline their place in the CL.
As I recall, many years ago Rapid Vienna did the honourable thing when a bottle which landed nowhere near any of their players resulted in the result being quashed and Celtic having to play the tie again in England.
Years earlier, having kicked Celtic players off the park, Atletico Madrid did the honourable thing to allow Celtic their just place in the next round.
Arsenal did the honourable thing after seeing their player take a blatant dive which earned them a result.
Neymar did the honourable thing when he acted like he’d been struck my Mike Tyson after a clash with Broonie.
Come on Celtic, every other club in Europe is busy doing the honourable thing.
Why aren’t you?
I’d personally like to see us go back to two up front and give them an extended run, try and get a bit of consistency going
Cheers Jobo!
A lot of EPL fans I’ve talked to have trotted out the line that “Celtic should do the decent thing” i.e. refuse to play in the next round. My understanding is that our club are simply caught in the middle and have on option but to do as instructed by UEFA.
Personally, with the way football finances are today, I believe that this is an opportunity we must grab with both hands. There’s simply too much to loose in terms of income, coefficient points, ability to attract better players etc. I feel for Legia. This will surely become a major part of their folklore long after we’ve forgotten about it!
Rye catcher,
I stand corrected!! What a goal.
I still think his record against non SPFL also rans is pretty poor…..even going back to Sunderland days and loans in English Championship
As much as I liked big Samaras,i don’t think its a good move for him to come back to Celtic, just my opinion ,the centre forward at Dundee Utd , a bit of tinkering here and there could do a job for us, the other chap Armstrong ,not for me, was hiding in the game against St Johnstone, and I think Mc Ginn at St Mirren is another decent player, and I cant understand why Niall McGinn was allowed to leave Celtic.
• Turkeybhoy
10:42 on 10 August, 2014
Sick to death of supposed Celtic fans going on about Craig Gordons injury.The guy has been training playing now for months.Any reactions?.No.We let Pletikosa slip away because of the same mumpings.How has he turned out?.
People with very strange agendas on Gordon nearly salivating about him picking up an injury.For once Celtic actually looked ahead.Knew Forster was going and brought in a fantastic replacement for him for free.Just how were we supposed to find a like for like replacement.When we do a shrewd bit of business,still get the whingers.
Great point mate……………………..
However, the mineshafters will always look for the negative in everything, its not their fault, its just the way they thing.
I for one think Gordon will be great……………………………
1craigGordon……………………….
Thanks for the replies. I can now focus fully on being a 90 minute Jambo…
delaneys dunky
hope u had a good holiday :-)))
your wee point on stevie woods re craig gordon ….bang on the money
had the same wee talk with my bro on sat about it
some people just not got a clue about training and fitness
they would rather believe a fat hack at the DR or the scum
than take a proffesional trainers opinion on how fit craig is
on the re instatement in the champions league qualifier
THEM’S THE RULES
jam67
Peter Lawell’s favourite song……
I’m all right Jack…..Get your hands offa my stack…..
Pink Floyd – Money – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy04c-6DEgE
turkeybhoy
10:42 on 10 August, 2014,
With you on that. Celtic did a shrewd bit of business regarding Craig Gordon, if he does keep injury free! we have won a watch.
The money that we got for the of sale FF should be spent on players immediately, as our scouting system have surely targeted players.
If not, we are getting the p**s taken out of us.
Great business for Celtic re FF. Given the paucity of our ambition we hardly need a £10m keeper. I simply don’t believe PL tried to keep him. It would be entirely opposite to everything we know about how he operates. Bit of an insult to the intelligence that one. Between that and the miracle reprieve on Friday we now have some in the bank money to play with. I doubt it’s enough to improve the team in time for Maribor though. We’ve let the team slide too much to make a difference on those timescales. I know it’s not at all easy to persuade good players to come to Scotland, but I do question how we’ve got ourselves to the point where we are underdogs against a team like Maribor from an even smaller country than ours. Slovenia is 4 places below Scotland in the Uefa rankings. Losing to Maribor after the miracle of Legia truly would be Lawwell’s disgrace. Sadly that’s exactly what I expect to happen.
Rye
I sat in Murrayfield on Wed, and watched a fat uninterested non trier called Tony Stokes.
timbhoy2
for the same reasons as bcw I dont see there being any way Sammi’s coming back, wouldnt make any sort of sense. As for Niall McGinn, agreed, but cant remember too many lamenting it at the time
HH
I was hoping Southampton wanted both FF and VVD and we did a deal.
1 million for Fraser and 19 million for VVD?
I think that might have upset our good friends from Geordie land and annoyed Sevco because everything annoys them.
Peter Lawell’s choice of song dedicated to our fabulous Green Brigade
Pink Floyd – “Us And Them” – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Yayz5o-l0
And of course, Celtic are fully aware that had Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool etc… been in the same position, of course they would forfeit their place in the next round.
Who makes up this crap?
We are nowhere near as bad as many making out.We had two disasters,it happens.The rest of the pre-season,and 1st two CL games went well.We are missing Broony and Forrest,we have a new manager trying to get across new ideas.We still have basically the team that won the league by nearly 30 points,we WILL come good again.
I think the Legia defeats,and subsequent reinstatement could be the kick ip the Harris PL needs.Lets see.A couple of good signings and we could be flying.
Legia a far superior team to Maribor.If you think the SPL is bad have a look at their league.Never even heard of any of the other teams.I have no worries about getting by this mob.Over to you PL.
Morning all..
Quick question. Would I be correct or incorrect in saying that all footballers based in the UK are subject to European Employment Law and are guaranteed 28 days annual leave? The reason I ask is, with regards to summer football and the difficulty this might cause. The players themselves, through PFA Scotland, wouldn’t vote to have their annual leave entitlement in the winter months would they?
DD……
Fortunately,I didn’t have to sit through the Murrayfield ‘event’
There’s something seriously wrong at Celtic if Anto is fat and indifferent…….
He’s had his faults in the past but they were never thus.
Mea Culpa
11:02 on 10 August, 2014
And of course, Celtic are fully aware that had Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool etc… been in the same position, of course they would forfeit their place in the next round.
Who makes up this crap?
Hurtin Huns :))))
Jungle Jam
A fit Craig Gordon will do me till Stevie Woods has young Leo first team ready. Had a brill family holiday bud. Need a few pints soon wi you and your bro. Molly sends her love.
turkeybhoy
11:02 on 10 August, 2014
We are nowhere near as bad as many making out.We had two disasters,it happens.The rest of the pre-season,and 1st two CL games went well.We are missing Broony and Forrest,we have a new manager trying to get across new ideas.We still have basically the team that won the league by nearly 30 points,we WILL come good again.
I think the Legia defeats,and subsequent reinstatement could be the kick ip the Harris PL needs.Lets see.A couple of good signings and we could be flying.
Legia a far superior team to Maribor.If you think the SPL is bad have a look at their league.Never even heard of any of the other teams.I have no worries about getting by this mob.Over to you PL.
Great post Turkeybhoy…..I’m with you on this one:-)
Willo Flood, Barry Robson and Paddy McCourt spotted at Ross Hall.
Eidur Gudjohnssen and Craig Bellamy failed medicals.
Oh by the way.I mentioned before.After watching Hearts V Man City,if the Jambos play anywhere near that level,they will pass that hun mob to death.Neilsen has done wonders in a short time.The keeper NEVER kicks the ball out.Always pass and move.One game,but I was really impressed.
• ryecatcher
10:59 on 10 August, 2014
Peter Lawell’s favourite song……
I’m all right Jack…..Get your hands offa my stack…..
Pink Floyd – Money – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy04c-6DEgE
Its easy to poke fun at Big Peter, but he has done a fantastic bob, in my opinion………………..
His only problem, as I see it is……………………….
We won’t go that extra mile and sine a quality striker……….
WeneedA30GoalaseasonStriker
I see Man Utd are having a clear out. A player I would love to see in the hoops is Shinji Kagawa. Will never happen though.
Looks like nothing will change on the strategy front.
Sell your best players, replace them with loan signings.
And of course…the old..we tried routine.
Pretend that you are interested in a promising young player…c.mcmanaman,make a weak bid
Then persue the loan player you had in mind in the first place. ..tonev.
Sad and pathetic…absolutely no ambition whatsoever.
We have a great chance to get to cl, after we were totally battered.
Will the plc do the right thing and endeavour to strengthen Celtic with decent players?
Lets see
HH
Neilmcallumlennon….
VVD would be better developing into a top class operator at Celtic for next couple of seasons at least.
He is still young and has bags of potential.He lacks experience and composure at the top level…..the evidence is there for everyone to see.
Nowhere near good enough for the level that some think he is capable of at the minute.
Turkeybhoy
11:09 on 10 August, 2014
Oh by the way.I mentioned before.After watching Hearts V Man City,if the Jambos play anywhere near that level,they will pass that hun mob to death.Neilsen has done wonders in a short time.The keeper NEVER kicks the ball out.Always pass and move.One game,but I was really impressed.
I 2 watched that game, and came to the same conclusion…………
thats why I going to stick a few bob on them to beet the new Club / company PLC……whatever
bookiebashing
Rye
Agree fully, something is just no right at oor club. The same description of AS on Wed, could be applied to Kris and Virgil.
Something is rotten at Celtic just now.
• Dexter
11:09 on 10 August, 2014
Willo Flood, Barry Robson and Paddy McCourt spotted at Ross Hall.
Eidur Gudjohnssen and Craig Bellamy failed medicals.
LOL……….. its 2 early in the window for the Ross Hall jokes surly………..
bigjelovesITthough
the green man
11:11 on 10 August, 2014
Looks like nothing will change on the strategy front.
Sell your best players, replace them with loan signings.
And of course…the old..we tried routine.
Pretend that you are interested in a promising young player…c.mcmanaman,make a weak bid
Then persue the loan player you had in mind in the first place. ..tonev.
Sad and pathetic…absolutely no ambition whatsoever.
We have a great chance to get to cl, after we were totally battered.
Will the plc do the right thing and endeavour to strengthen Celtic with decent players?
Lets see
——-
The answer is, most probably, no.
No doubt we will be fed the usual lines;
“It’s not about bringing in numbers…it’s about bringing in players who will improve the squad….the CL qualifiers make it difficult….EPL inflates transfer fees….wage structure….agents….been working on a number of targets….January may be more realistic….”
We. Are. Mugs.
onydonnelly67
10:07 on
10 August, 2014
Sorry. Don’t understand your another one absent remark.
Naaaa didn’t think you would, let’s just say you missed a good day.
Stop talking in riddles and for God sake spell it out in big letters for me.
delaneys dunky
going to game next saturday if u need a lift to paradise
really need a few pints mate….need a late pass as well;-)))
your mum a great wee lady…always will be…they not make them like they used to do;-)))
sorry to hear about ur dad passing away
never knew a thing about it…will explain when we meet up mate
dalmuir is green and white
jam67
Turkeybhoy 11:02 on 10 August, 2014
“We are nowhere near as bad as many making out.We had two disasters,it happens.The rest of the pre-season,and 1st two CL games went well.We are missing Broony and Forrest,we have a new manager trying to get across new ideas.We still have basically the team that won the league by nearly 30 points,we WILL come good again.
I think the Legia defeats,and subsequent reinstatement could be the kick ip the Harris PL needs.Lets see.A couple of good signings and we could be flying.”
Glad to see you’ve got over the youth team’s defeat to Tottenham last week.