Minutes before the stock of Japanese football rose to unparalleled levels, Celtic confirmed the signature of their fifth player from the country (subject to clearance). Left sided central defender, Yuki Kobayashi (22) will join when the transfer window opens in January.
Yuki was first choice for Vissel Kobe in the season just ended and spend 18 months in the topflight when Ange Postecoglou was in Japan (a year of which they were city rivals), so he is a player Ange will have personal experience of.
Celtic fast becoming the easiest place for Japanese players to settle west of the Sea of Japan, so the normal caveats of a young player moving from a different continent, not even sharing an alphabet, should be tempered. Still, he is at least two years younger than any of our other Japanese’ were when they arrived in Glasgow. We all need time to settle.
He becomes the youngest of a young central defensive pool. Stephen Welsh is six months older, Moritz Jenz is 23, Cameron Carter-Vickers is 24 (for another month), leaving 27-year-old Carl Starfelt in what would be considered prime for a central def. He is also the only leftie, a clear advantage.
My one concern from his stats is his height: 6’ 1”, the smallest of a relatively small CD population. Let’s hope he can leap like a Newco commercial contract (unerringly from file to Court of Session). A decade ago we went into the Champions League as the tallest side in the competition – and qualified for the knockout stage. Am I alone in being concerned or has football moved in a direction I’ve missed?
It is highly unlikely Yuki will see into too much strenuous action before the title is secured this season. Ange often tells us how new arrivals need many months before we see the best of them. The challenge will be to find his way into the starting line-up as next season kicks off.
Delighted for Daizen Maeda and his Japanese teammates back in Glasgow on their historic national team win over Germany yesterday. They might want to chill their jets before facing Spain, we don’t want too many scouts looking east.
Another day, another day in court for Newco. Elite Sports went to the Court of Session to force Newco to disclose sales figures achieved by Castore since 2020 in a £9.5m action against the club for failure to perform a retail deal signed in 2018. Elite, themselves, failed to perform their retail activities for Southampton, who ceased thier partnership on Monday. Perhaps as a consequence, Elite were unable to meet their obligations and went into administration yesterday. That £9.5m will be eyed by administrators seeking compensation for creditors (and their own fees, of course). An Elite director secured a floating charge over the company assets in September.
Dave King was the man in charge when the Elite contract was signed. Douglas Park must wonder what the world would be like if his “She’s a lovely runner, Sir” charm could be extrapolated across thousands of football fans. £9.5m on top of the £8m recently noted for Sports Direct, jeez! I think we should shamelessly join the campaign to get Dave King back in charge.
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!!BADA BING!! on 24TH NOVEMBER 2022 10:34 PM
Wee Murdo back home with his family
…………..
GREAT News, and I certainly wish him well in his recovery.
A Celtic Hunskelper and LEGEND.
HH MURDO BHOY.
I am hoping that The USA give Engurland a run for their money Tonight ?
While I hope for a USA VICTORY, I wouldnt be surprised to see a DRAW ? Engurland have a few dangerous players going forward, but their ” Defence” is nothing to write home about IMHO ?
TIMOTHY WEAH to Score at ANYTIME with the Bookies Odds of 11/2….Ive grabbed a piece of that.
Im gonna have another look to see what price/odds Timothy is to Score at LEAST TWO Goals ?
Wouldnt that be FUN ?
HH
USA’s Timothy Weah is 80/1 to Score at least TWO Goals Tonight against Engurland, so Ive staked a small wager on that.
I have also noticed that Wales KIEFFER MOORE, is 20/1 to Score at least Two Goals against IRAN Today….so I’ve also done a wee ” DOUBLE” for a wee laugh ?
Wales’s Kieffer Moore caused the USA a few problems when he came on for the 2nd half a few days ago.
Wales looked a real threat when he came on as a Half Time Sub, but it is still doubtful if he will START Todays game against IRAN ?
IF I was the Welsh Manager, I would have him in the starting line up, a big strong, RAW Laddie who is very good in the air, and who gets ” Stuck In” !
My kind of Centre Forward.
HH
BIG JIMMY on 23RD NOVEMBER 2022 3:14 PM
I am now gonna place a Bet on Costa Rica to beat Spain 2-1….and maybe a 2nd bet of 3-2.
HH
– – – – – –
Must have been a senior moment right enough, though I recalled it wrongly, I thought you said 3-1. No doubt it was in jest, as was my reply.
Good luck today with your bets, especially hope the Weah one comes to fruition. England normally have one bad result in their group, will be tight, maybe a score draw.
Have a smashing day.
DENIABHOY on 25TH NOVEMBER 2022 8:01 AM
BIG JIMMY on 23RD NOVEMBER 2022 3:14 PM
I am now gonna place a Bet on Costa Rica to beat Spain 2-1….and maybe a 2nd bet of 3-2.
………………..
I honestly do NOT remember Posting the above, and I don’t remember betting Costa Rica to beat Spain but….
IF I did place such a Bet on Costa Rica to beat Spain, it would have been part of a so called ” COMEDY BET”, with me placing THAT Comedy bet on FOUR UNDERDOGS to beat any BIG GUNS …..Just in case there were MULTIPULE SHOCK Results/Score Lines…with a VERY SMALL Amount staked ?
I would have NO PROBLEM in PROVING to anyone that I had Spain to Beat Costa Rica 7-0 @ 50/1….or indeed my Bet last night for Portugal to beat Ghana 3-2 @ 33/1.
My BETTING HISTORY can be found very easily on my Tablet/Computer…or my Phone….I just cant be arsed trawling thru it.
As I say, over MANY years….i have enjoyed placing ” COMEDY BETS” with BIG ODDS….. with very small stakes OUTWITH my MAIN Bets, whether it is on Fitba and/or The Horses ?
WARNING: THIS POST IS ABOUT SEVCO !!!
I see that Sevco KO before us in every one of the next four games ( the last of the four is only by 15 minutes but the others are all at least a day earlier). I am confident that this scenario has been played out all season so far but would be grateful if one of the more statistically adept posters would be willing to dig into this for all the League games this season so far.
Must dash. Golf eckons.
Cheerio for now.
Hail Hail
Melbourne Mick – Good morning – Sorry for no reply earlier, I ha to hit the coal face.
Hope you enjoy yer break.
D :)
Hot smoked,
The TV companies make the calls.Also the CL games falling on Tues and Wed result in who plays the Sat and Sun before.
Not that I think it makes a difference.
Wales got lucky there!
Iran cannot possibly play as bad as they did against England today. And yet haven’t said that even at 3-0 down they had a terrific chance just before half-time to pull a goal back, and a similar chance late in the second, but on both occasions did a Ryan Christie and sent it skyward. Meanwhile, on Radio 5, Pat Nevin turns up, again. Cannot see the BBC’s love affair wi Pat (Hibee) Nevin. Now, if the World Cup was in Babylon instead of Qatar, and ye needed sumdy tae babble on Pat would be first choice. But it isn’t.
“ I couldn’t settle in Italy – it was like living in a foreign country.”
Ian Rush
Celtic
Again, like Saudi Arabia, the Iranians don’t mind putting it about a bit to makeup for skill deficiencies.
Pretty robust and tousy playing style – with Quieroz strategy to beat Wales via one-on-ones could pay aff.
We haven’t signed anyone in that region further East or South of Israel.
But some of these ME lads look more durable and energetic as yer Bittons or Abd Elhameds.
QUADROPHENIAN
England made Iran look like a pub team, they’re up against a very ordinary Wales team today playing in away we’re unlikely to face at all during the season
https://totalfootballanalysis.com/match-analysis/fifa-world-cup-2022-brazil-vs-serbia-tactical-analysis-tactics
Some analysis of how Brazil overcame Serbia’s agressive and very effective low block
Basically the answer is inverted full backs
CELTIC40ME
I missed the Engerland game. I agree Iran are not fluent exponents of the beautiful game.
I am seeing, tho, really good dig and stamina in a few of their players that looks better than what we have from Abildgaard, Guchi or McCarthy.
Iran look the more likely to sneak one.
Terrific game this.Big Ange correct again about the football talent in Iran.
Sorry,I think Iran are a veryskillfull team.
TB – rather than skillful, Iran remind me of how the buns were last year.
Physical, unnaturally strong and v direct.
Ramsay has been gassed since the 8th minute, ye he’s still on.
QUADROPHENIAN on 25TH NOVEMBER 2022 11:32 AM
They do look more likely, and they’ve definitely got more energy and intensity than Wales. Still 15 minutes left to go though
You wonder if they’re able to handle the heat better. I think most of their starters play for European teams
How is that a yellow card?
That was like Schumacher against France
Heaps of drama here.
VAR inspired red for Welsh goalie after Kemar Roofe-ing the Iran CF…
Ref gives yellow card for head high challenge by Wales keeper outside his box- forced to go to VAR to overturn it but how he thought it was yellow- was beyond me. Maybe as an Argentine ref- this is normal
Whit’s the gaolie daein Tam ;))
CELT40ME – coping better with the heat will stand the IR in good stead with this 9mins extra time.
Great tension.
I had Iran to beat Wales in my Work’s Predictor but they’ve had no luck- clearly the better team
Yeeees- they score 1:0 Iran
Don’t need luck SFTB when Joe Allen tees up free shots for them like that!!
Best game so far by a mile.Great winner.Well deserved.
new article posted.
The better team wins. Deservedly.
2-0.
All over.
2:0- goals score in the 8th and 12th minute of added on time
Welsh first touches were very poor throughout the game.
Skill levels?
Very well deserved 2-0
I thought the standard was poor overall, Iran the much better team.
Bale should only be coming on around 60 mins, he offers nothing these days, meaning Wales are playing with a man down for large chunks of the match.