I got my wish last night, that Leigh Griffiths would reach the 40 goal mark for the season, and what a great goal it was too, memories of Love St ’86. Also delighted Leigh was aware-enough to mimic Henrik’s ” five zero” gesticulation when he reached 50 in 2001.
40 goals for Celtic in a season is a very rare achievement, as Paul John Dykes pointed out this morning, it’s now only been done 13 times in 128 years. Jimmy McGrory (four times, three in a row) and Henrik Larsson (three times, two in a row), are the only two who have achieved this more than once in their Celtic careers, so Leigh knows what he needs to do next season to get a really special place in the history books.
As for the other pertinent points from last night’s game in Perth, I can cut Stefan Johansen some slack. McDiarmid Park was a farmer’s field not so long ago, and St Johnstone’s first goal looked like it came as a result of a plough intervention.
Efe Ambrose is another story. Last night’s decision to challenge (Logan Bailly) for a ball inside his own six-yard box was inexplicable but consistent with his general awareness this season. When the new manager is in place, someone inside Lennoxtown needs to find the earliest possible moment to sit him down and play the Efe highlights video.
We have a good central defender in Erik Sviatchenko (club captain in the making), and one who could become so in Jozo Simunovic. If Jozo gets himself fit for July we should be well-placed for the qualifiers, but those two aside, we are struggling in central defence.
Out of contract Charlie Mulgrew is in the latter stages of his career, but can be trusted to do a job without causing unnecessary alarm every week. Mikael Lustig’s days as a rampaging full back may be limited by his persistent hip issues, so playing as auxiliary central defender, as he often does for Sweden, works on paper.
I’d be far from confident facing Champions League qualifiers with Efe or Dedryk Boyata, who could still makes Belgium’s Euro’s squad, but if Jozo’s fit, signing a right back, with Mikael covering central defence, feels like an appropriate use of resources.
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Please stay Ronny, if the alternative is Keane.
Did say earlier in the week that there would be other interviews not just in the Sun. Also said club would be onside Res 12.
Interesting the anti Res 12 spin these papers are making of it.
After spells at Newcastle, Metz, Wolves and most recently Norwich, 29-year-old Sebastian Bassong has suffered an outrageous SIX relegations in a decade.
It’s an early start today for the Cyber Branch of the Lawwell Defence League (or what remains of it) on here.
I read Peter Lawwell speaking of online trolls in the press the other day.
He neglected to mention that some of these trolls have their heads so far up his backside that all you can see are their toenails.
Some of you may remember,a few weeks,back,that KITALBA made a heart-rending plea on behalf of some orphans where he currently lives in Azebaijan
Below is an update-sorry I can’t include the photos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are a few photographs that were taken at the Bina Orphanage, Azerbaijan, Saturday past. The six girls I am standing with are the committee responsible for raising emergency funds to keep the place ticking over; and at best that is all it is doing.
The attached photos are of the sewage sump which you can see is starting to seep or weep, I couldn’t tell which. They need AZN300 per month just to pump it out but they can’t always afford the cash. The only solution is to make the sump bigger. Not an easy, or cheap task. The sump seeps into the kids play area. Raw sewerage coats the ground. It really is revolting.
Following our visit to the orphanage last Saturday, it became painfully apparent that the staff there catered for the 44 children in their care with the most primitive (or none) appliances. This orphanage is located adjacent to the airport at Bina. A small isolated village that lies outside of the city limits and hence does not attract privileged patronage.
The orphanage is virtually self-funded except for a government subsidy of AZN 2000 per month.
44 kids/AZN2000. No i-phones there then.
They do not have a working fridge. 44 kids/0 (zero) fridge
44 kids/4 gas rings.
They have 1 (one) toilet. 44 kids/1 (one) toilet.
44 kids/0 (zero) kettle.
44 kids/0 (zero) microwave.
44 kids/0 (zero) washing machine.
44 kids/air con that does not work and the temperature can reach 42c.
Come what may, come hell or high water, I will get this orphanage what it needs. It will be easier on me with a wee bit of help. Every penny I can get will be spent on goods for the orphanage.
Such is life as we don’t know it and their life isn’t drowning in smiles each and every day of their existence.
I’ll write something for CQN as soon as I can,but it is not toys and cloths I need… it is funds. I’ve now ran out of disposable money and am down to my credit cards and using them.
I hope we can make this work.
Regards
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KITALBA’s original plan was for us to collect and send over toys,clothes,etc to make the lives of these kids more bearable. There have been a number of obstacles in this,mainly the cost of shipping/transport,and the reluctance of the authorities to accept such. Margaret from The Anglo-Azerbaijan Society has been of immense help in this regard.
Accordingly,the plan is to set up a JustGiving page,perhaps with an additional for a small monthly subscription. We’ll be working on this over the next few days. I will also be hectoring a fair few people I know who aren’t CQNers,and hope that when everything is set up,some of you will do the same.
KITALBA has a heart of gold,but he cannot do this alone.
Ooooops….
AZN2000 is about £900 per month. That’s for all 44 kids,plus staff.
AZN300 is about £140,to operate the pump.
There are some awesome Partick Thistle Supporters and not just my Brother in Law.
So who to believe – the SMSM or an unabridged answer in the Mail Online?
Those who claim I sign the players at Celtic are talking ‘garbage’, says chief executive Peter Lawwell.
‘The manager has said it – every manager has said it – I have said it.
‘I do not sign the players. Categorically, I do not sign the players.
‘My only involvement in players coming and going is doing the financial negotiation and the contracts and transfer fees.
‘The manager picks the players and has the final say.’
Chris Sutton has spoken of the perception Lawwell and Football Development Manager John Park have control over the club’s transfers, with John Hartson insisting the club need a ‘strong’ manager to fight his corner.
Lawwell insists that’s not the case, however, adding: ‘We have a scouting system which reports to the manager, we find options and the manager makes the call.
‘It’s total nonsense to suggest otherwise.
‘I don’t have the experience or the qualifications or the ability to pick players.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3588059/Those-claim-sign-players-Celtic-talking-garbage-says-chief-executive-Peter-Lawwell.html#ixzz48WBXLrIr
We find options
Eh we tell him who we have found for him
Why did RD sign Scott Allan?
What we need is a manager who has the ability to say no to the CEO and Park
There’s something of the McCarthy about your approach. And I don’t mean Mick or James.
HH jamesgang
You making comparisons on someone you don’t know? Mystic Meg?
Read Lawwell’s comments… disgusted. A complete liar. Shameful. After all these years it is true CFC have helped the Huns Old and New.
So he doesn’t sign players? He does the negotiatons and he chooses them! the manager does not select players .. but given an option sign him or no one. so he takes the crap he is offered
Refuses to discuss the most important thing SFA corruption…enjoy the blazer peter.
Where’s all the accusers who said PL spoke to the Sun for two hours about res. 12? Aye! Nowhere to be seen, kite flyers the lot of them, PL gave it to you tight, told you it is what it is, the level 5 guys just sit back and let the malcontents do they’r work for them, one thing I’ll say about level 5, they are playing a blinder, unfortunately that’s the way it is, some get it, and some will never get it.
My friends in Celtic,
I have always maintained that Celltic winning the league this season was never in doubt if we performed to anywhere close to our potential.
The best most consistant team overall always wins the league. ( No exception Even in TB’s time )
The sheep have now lost 10 games to date. Never in a month of Sundays a title winning team, despite the sometimes hysterical reactions from some on here who predicted Aberdeen to win the league after every minor setback we had.
Nevertheless improvement is a must. Onwards and upwards.
Hail Hail to all. Overreactioncsc.
MARADOMINIC on 13TH MAY 2016 8:32 AM
Refuses to discuss the most important thing SFA corruption…enjoy the blazer peter
Nice spin, …..at this moment in time he won’t talk about it, you honestly just don’t get it, CFC and PL are all over res.12, how’s not the time.
How’s ….now’s
So disingenuous is the order of the day on CQN?
I merely provided the links to a more comprehensive Q&A session than was portrayed in the SMSM.
I made no comment on the content. Pointless really – civility and structured debate is as rare as a hobby-horse’s sh!te on the blog these days!
Back to lurking and scrolling for me. H!H!
TONYDONNELLY67 on 13TH MAY 2016 8:28 AM
There’s something of the McCarthy about your approach. And I don’t mean Mick or James.
HH jamesgang
You making comparisons on someone you don’t know? Mystic Meg?
—–
As a man who doesn’t do irony your line in unintended irony is priceless.
You splatter your views about people on a blog like a wean with the squits and then talk about someone else passing judgement on those they haven’t met in person.
I’m away. Work to do.
Stay safe. Try not to stay so angry!
GrrrrrrrRarrrrrCSC
HH jamesgang
Winning Captain
He gave an exclusive interview to The Sun.
The bloody Sun!!!!
Absolutely disgusting.
Regardless of whether PL signs players or not, whoever was responsible for presenting Carlton Cole to our manager should be looking for a new position outwith our club.
WC
Is the Guardian “Ad” going to be accompanied by an Guardian Online article? I can’t see additional mileage on the subject if it’s only an ad in the “hard copy”.
Thelastnotefadesawaybutmyheartkeepsonsingingcsc
HH
I think, without needing to call PL a liar on transfers, we can see what truth has been hidden by the way he presents the narrative.
I think it was The Exiled Tim (forgive me if it was not) who dissected this straw argument early on.
He (and I) are quite prepared to believe that the manager has the final say in who comes to CP. However, he works from a restricted list, drawn up by the scouting team, within financial parameters set by the CEO in advance. Therefore the sequence is:-
1) CEO sets the financial parameters from which signings can be targeted by the scouting team. Anyone whose transfer fee is going to be above this limit will be ruled out of consideration. Anyone looking for a wage level above a pre-set limit will be ruled out. Unless they are an exceptional talent (at a Larsson level) and willing to come to CP on those terms. Stage One is not the end of the CEO involvement, however.
2) The Scouts go out and do the donkey work (no pun intended). They unearth the best of the players that they think may be available within these parameters. But the Scouts may find out what the current expected transfer fee and likely wage demands might be but they cannot know or find out what the actual fee is, unless there is an unexpectedly low transfer trigger clause, and they cannot know what the player and agent will demand in order for the guy to come to CP.
So there is some room for the CEO influence to re-appear at both stage 2 and 3, to test out these factors, and for a decision to be taken, joint or executive (who really knows?), that this player has proven too rich for our blood, even if the manager fancies him.
3) The scouted player list will be presented to the manager- a restricted palate- not only will there be no mention of Messi or Ibrahimovic being near the end of their contract, there will be no mention of any player, including most EPL, who already enjoy salary levels above our cap, as there would be no point. Even if they were of a Larsson/ McStay calibre, Celtic Park would not be the destination they, or their agents, would be looking at once they had become players of such quality. Nor would our salaries or playing environment.
If players from the scouted list, during negotiations, make demands for wages likely to be above what we thought, or their club raises the transfer fee, the CEO would undoubtedly have influence again and a veto.
That is how I think it works.
That is how I think it works in most clubs that do not have indulgent sugar daddies and a superstar manager who needs to be appeased.
And that strategy won’t change with the appointment of a Keane or a Rogers. Sure Dermot (and Peter?) might approve a temporary increase in transfer funds to head off dissatisfaction amongst fans but this will be top-loaded and will have to be paid back, somewhere down the line.
I have no inside facts to back up any of this. Just an attempt to study the way football clubs have been talking about their finances in the modern era.
There will be no return to the days of an angry demanding manager at war with their Board and CEO, a caricature of the Brian Clough era and it’s long gone.
Even, if Keane comes. PL will not be proven a liar (on this matter). He may, however, be guilty of being less than fulsome in disclosing his influence.
Just my view.
Praecepta
There are plenty of hobby horses dwelt upon on here, and enough sh!te to go round. Fill yer boots…
SFTB
Yep, that’s my view.
SFTB
Plus 1 here too
And if the signings don’t come straight from PL’s pannini sticker album he is still the CEO with overall responsibility for a scouting system that’s produced consistent success with regards to strikers for exsmole on a par with the Brits in Eurovision!
HH jamesgang
So, really it was just bad luck that our last two managers took a liking to Dudu Dahan’s clients…
By the way, I’ve said all along that Lawwell does not sign players. The recruitment proceedure is as follows
– Lawwell gives the coach a budget
– The coach decides what he’s looking for in a certain position
– He informs Parks, the analysts and the Scouts of the search criteria
– Parks recommends a few to the coach
– The coach decides who he wants
– Lawwell does the deal
SETTINGFREETHEBEARS
Pretty much concur. Budget is set by non-footballing decision-maker.
Manager tells scouts which type of player he wants,scouts identify such and report back.
Those who don’t fall within the above parameters are automatically discarded.
Those who meet them,by and large,should be-as we have seen way too often over the last few years.
Put simply,the strategy is too inflexible to have any merit. It relies too heavily on a virtuous circle,where signings are successful. As soon as they fail-and the money for replacements is therefore removed-so the budget-and the noose-tightens.
Using that analogy,Celtic are slowly but surely strangling themselves.
My understanding was signings were decided by committee. Manager identifies positions, types of player for those positions and any other criteria. CEO sets budgetary criteria. Scouts find what they decide are suitable candidates and put them to the manager. Then a decision between the manager, his assistant and the head of football development discuss the pros and cons and decide who is priority signing. Manager can veto the other two if they say sign a player and he doesn’t want him.
The problem arises with the quality of player and the research being done. If scouting entails phoning the head of football development’s favourite agent, then that is where some of the problems will begin.
The signing committee is common amongst many clubs, Brendan Rodgers had it at Liverpool and some of the players he wanted he didn’t get, instead he was given someone else, eg he wanted Ashley Williams as centre half, he got Sakho.
Well, he omitted the definite article, but at least he didn’t say “back”.
Hamiltontim
Preaching to the converted on that one.
The Record are out of favour do the logic appears to give something to their rivals.
An own goal of Willie Gardner proportions.
Hopefully we will have our own CQN Q&A shortly.
Davidopolous
What proportion of signings came from the Duhan stable?
I am aware of Kayal, Biton and Ambrose (yes- even Efe- see the Barca fixtures)- 3 decent signings which served us well. If the Israeli league was one of the overlooked areas by the Big Leagues, it is unsurprising that we would be, disproportionately, looking there and would, therefore, have to deal with one of their top agents.
I think we were interested in a few of his clients (Temed? Damari?) who ended up elsewhere. But, on the surface, our Duhan signings seem to enjoy a higher success rate than we had with the agents who sold us Boerigter, Balde and Bangura.
SFTB – you characterise life as a nuanced, balanced, eternally shifting series of subtle conflicts that are not easily resolved. Surely not? Surely life is good or evil, black or white, dead or alive – that’s what this blog screams. I’m surprised you haven’t been banned.
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
Actually signed:
Bitton
Kayal
Gershon (loan)
Ambrose
Colin Kazim-Richards
Possible link from days playing in Israel with Ashdod (same club Bitton and Ambrose played for):
Scepovic
Linked with over the years:
Omer Damari
Maor Melikson
Juwon Oshaniwa (now of Hearts)
Marko Suler (from Maribor)
Olarenwaju KAYODE
Is it normal to have such a close relationship to a single agent? Probably.
Is it healthy?
SFTB
Interesting summary of the signing policy… but a) how does it explain the plethora of midfielders in the Celtic squad, and b) the Man. City signings/loan deals seem to not fit into this reasoning, and c) surely the manager may have some personal input e.g. RD with Berget and Kjaer?
It seems that we are discussing what PL wrote in the Sun. To reitterate I dont buy or like the Sun newspaper.
However what is the quickest, most efficent way of communicating with most people and Celtic supporters in particular. ?
How many Celtic supporters are in the Scottish Sun’s daily readership of close to 700k. ? ( The largest circulation )
How many Celtic ST holders read the Sun ?
Was this researched and subsequently the Sun was chosen as the best vehicle to get his message over.
I don’t know, but I would expect answers would be available from Celtic.
Again I don’t like the Sun or what it stans for but, Its not as if PL held the paper up to endorse it ?
HH.