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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Celtic Underground @celticrumours 1m
Rumours in Edinburgh that talks have taken place between Celtic and Hibs about griffiths going to Easter road on loan.
If true, what the hell is going on?
We’ve been given an undeserved and unexpected second chance in the CL. We need to make the most of it.
If we send the same players out against Maribor we’ll probably be knocked out again. If we play with the same poor attitude we’ll definitely be out.
A few new players are needed to take advantage of this chance and some of the old guard to look interested wouldn’t hurt.
big joe
10:51 on 10 August, 2014
..and 8 is my lucky number…..we’re gonnae win this, and then go on tae win the World Cup…
I dont feel sorry in the slightest for Legia Warsaw I do feel sorry for there fans as I know how I would feel if it happened the other way.On the point that Celtic should do the right thing and not participate in the Cl what nonsense Celtic have done nothing wrong so why punish ourselves.Craig Gordon will do a fine job for us and its good that we will have another Scot in the team.H.H.
£10 treble…
Hearts
Aberdeen
Wolves
The last time I backed Hearts @ 7/2, they won easy at Partick.
sipsini
10:59 on 10 August, 2014
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.
——-
Sips
You hit the nail on the head with this post mhate. A good – and to my mind perfect – combo of the realistic, optimistic and pi88ed off…..esp agree with the final line.
Maybe it’s time to ditch the old happy clappers versus mineshafters caste system.
Maybe most of us are a bit of a hybrid – mineclappers if you will (happy shafters just didn’t sound right!)
;-)
HH jamesgang
CU tweet
2 rumours that might be the same – we are looking at a Croat who plays in Germany & I’ve been told that we are looking at a Mainz player.
snake plissken
11:17 on 10 August, 2014
To ensure Hibs win the league….. Hahahahahahahaha …quelle joie !!!
67Heaven
How does that square with team Old Firm?
Never thought id ever say this-CMON THE JAMBOS!!!
Give us a laugh
Snake Plissken
Thats the same source who last night claimed Big Fraz wanted to stay for Maribor game but the club told him he was going now, Only for the Big man to say we did all we could to keep him but he decided it was the right time to go.
In saying that the LG story would not be the biggest shock in the world to me even though I think he will score a barrowload for us in the SPL
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
10:42 on
10 August, 2014
If Sammi is as good as he, his agent and some punters here think he is, why has he failed to get another club.
Should he return, it may well create a chicken and egg conundrum.
Will he get as much or more than he was previously offered.
Or will he get even less.
Snake
I like that one.
Could it be RD doesn’t rate LG as good enough, and he’s clearing the path for
a better striker?
Not too difficult to imagine.
Hope the mineshafters stick around for when the money is being spent.
Had the misfortune to watch Tonev play for the Villa a couple of times last season.
This guy would make Steve Guppy look like Gareth Bale.
Avoid this bullet please Celtic…..
Really awful player
BTW
C.McManamen of Wigan, was another red herring to placate the gullible.
PLC playing their silly wee strategy again.
Businessmen who know knothing about football, and nothing about Celtic.
I cannot believe that PL is being praised and romanticised yet again…for what exactly?
Its simple….buy some decent players, or resign Peter….you owe the supporters…big time.
No more bs and lies.
Enough.
HH
Surely ronnie should have near 15m to spend.. 10m from fraser then another 5 for european money plus i hope he had some kind of budget when he took over
We really need a good 4/5 signings
Boruc on loan.. We pay half they pay half would be good deal.
bournesouprecipe
Might very well be. I just find it a bit unusual because he was signed in January.
Then again he has had a couple of questionable incidents in that time.
If it made Sevco’s life harder then it would be very funny.
The same source also says some dude from Mainz is on the radar whose goal-scoring record is worse than Bangura’s.
Gary67
It’s getting beyond parody………scrabbling around at the last minute again.
I’d assumed that Deila would take some time to assess the squad, which is the correct thing to do. Then he would attempt to capture his already identified options.
The emergence of Tonev as a possible loan deal, suggests the targets are the club’s, not Deila’s.
bournesouprecipe
11:24 on 10 August, 2014
I think it’s obvious RD doesn’t rate LG. He has played Stokes & Pukki ahead of him as striker.
ryecatcher
11:25 on 10 August, 2014
—
I remember we were linked with him but he apparntly chose villa instead, i kept a watch on the games he played and was really out of his depth.
Shooting from everywhere when he had the ball.
As i said last nyt.. We need a left winger and wont spend much.. James mcclean would do a very good job for us
Daily Record Fri Aug 8-14
CELTIC OUTED FROM EUROPE AS THEY PLAYED A SUSPENDED PLAYER.
Astonishing Celtic are out of the CL as they broke the tournament rules how on earth could a club at this level make such a stupid mistake like that is beyond comprehension, ok we know they beat the opposition home and away handsomely in a 7-1 aggregate but that is neither here nor there, and you can have no crying about rules, this is the same club who where the leaders of the integrity campaign when RFC was liquidated and where made to reapply for a licence to play in the lower league in Scotland, this has nothing to do with the opposition as they automatically qualify for the next round and rightfully so as they played by the rules.
No doubt Celtic fans will be out raged, but the only ones that they can point the finger to are the lack of knowing the competition rules done by their own leaders, Celtic will supporters will feel hard done to, but rules are rules, it’s a hard lesson, and I for one hope they learn from it, and good luck to their opponents in the next round as they didn’t look all that bad.
Am I close?
21-5-79
Spooky……
Exact same treble as me, mate.
Good Luck
If Tonev deal is true, and I really hope it isn’t, then it would leave a bad taste in the mouth. This is the guy who along with his agent agreed a deal to join us last summer only to take this deal and use it you punt him across the lower reaches of the EPL. He signed for Villa and was a flop. No way should we even be thinking about resurrecting a deal with him.
Jeromek67
10:11 on
10 August, 2014
Quonno 09.57
Still waiting for coherent explanation of my posts not fooling anyone.
You posted it. Now explain it.
Snake
I work in Edinburgh and have had Hibs fans telling me for a few weeks that Hibs were trying to get Griffiths on loan. I thought it was all wishful thinking on their part.
They also say that they were set to sign Griffiths outright for £200,000 last summer, the deal was almost done when Dean Saunders got the sack and the new manager refused to sell anyone until he had a chance to judge them.
If we`re putting him out on loan then it appears to be another error of judgement in the transfer market by Celtic.
Six months later we`re signing Griffiths for the best of £1 million.
Not sure if posted but this from UEFA
“Slovenia’s Maribor must close sector Jug of their stadium after racist behaviour when Zrinjski of Bosnia-Herzegovina visited.”
This will apply in our match over there.
HH
I RECKON THE SMSM will spin the UCL Legia story the way they spin the Sevco WERE punished via relegation mince..
As we know, The team in div 3, should not have been there. As a NEW club ,others were more worthy,but we re fed the guff that this is punishment ..
Legia,broke rules,and guess what the punishment was actually enforced..SFA,take note..
We should all stand up to the media spin…
Spare a thought as I ve to drive near grey skull today..
Today will let us know the attitude of the other teams to Sevco ,my guess is they re all inti to facilitate Sevco..
HH
Jungle Jam
Thanks bud, will take you up on that offer of a lift to Paradise on Saturday.
Will there be room for my son Ryan?
Dalmuir always has been, and always will be Green & White thankfully. :))
proudbhoy
11:26 on
10 August, 2014
Some folk still just don’t get it.
First priority for incoming money is the balance sheet not the team sheet.
• Snake Plissken
11:17 on 10 August, 2014
Celtic Underground @celticrumours 1m
Rumours in Edinburgh that talks have taken place between Celtic and Hibs about griffiths going to Easter road on loan.
If true, what the hell is going on?
if true…………………………….
Then its because he is NOT following the Ronny philosophy
AND, hopefully freeing up some cash for my 30 goal a season goal machine..
weliveinHOPE.
jamesgang,
All any of us want…is to go and see our team play entertaining football and compete in Europe at a level that is realistic to our income.
Of late, that has not been the case…the penny pinching in the transfer market is turning fans away.
The board have to open their eyes and the purse strings and spend to entertain us.
Every man and his dug knows no matter how pish thems are, their new format are a coming and if we are not in a place to humiliate thems, I for one will be a very unhappy chappy.
Hail Hail.
From twitter. So it must be true!
Doesn’t make me feel loved or wanted as a club:-(.
But quelle surprise to coin a phrase…
@tiertwofooty: FRANCE: The Jeff Louis to Standar Liege transfers is in doubt over a bonus wanted by Nancy, Celtic came back in yesterday but Louis refused.
HH jamesgang
What is going on at Celtic. Tonev?? Are we getting someone to keep Boerrighter company in the stands?
ArranmoreBhoyLXV11
11:33 on
10 August, 2014
HH
I RECKON THE SMSM will spin the UCL Legia story the way they spin the Sevco WERE punished via relegation mince..
As we know, The team in div 3, should not have been there. As a NEW club ,others were more worthy,but we re fed the guff that this is punishment ..
Legia,broke rules,and guess what the punishment was actually enforced..SFA,take note..
We should all stand up to the media spin…
Spare a thought as I ve to drive near grey skull today..
Today will let us know the attitude of the other teams to Sevco ,my guess is they re all inti to facilitate Sevco..
HH
Why shouldn’t they be when Celtic are.
This strategy of signing crap loan players is not working..ffs
I tell you seriously, its beyond a joke.
Just what is the point of this…we are going backwards at speed.
Buy three good players…established players…then develop the younger players.to support them.
Think football and the standing of Celtic…not the return to the biscuit tin.
Do right by the supporters…or face the righteous anger.
Enough…before I go completely doolally
HH
Sips
Couldn’t disagree with a single word you say mhate.
Now there’s something you don’t often read on CQN!
HH jamesgang
Was it Mr Z who warned us against Tonev last year and said we had dodged a bullet?
The only problem I have with Griffiths potentially leaving is we need goal-scorers in the SPFL.
He can do that.
So can Stokes but they both appear to be out of favour or unfancied for whatever reason.