Gustaf Lagerbielke left an unhappy 2-year stay at Celtic behind him yesterday with a permanent move to Braga, who last season finished fourth, behind Portugal’s big three. The reported €2.6m fee received is close to what we paid Elfsborg for him two years ago.
Gus and Maik Nawrocki arrived early in Brendan Rodgers’ second term in charge but both right footers lost out to leftie Liam Scales for the role of left sided central defender. A loan move to Twente last season restored Gus to the Sweden national team and gave him a the visibility he required to get the move to Braga.
Four league starts and three substitute appearances offered little insight on what kind of player we signed. The arrival of Nat Phillips late in the summer 2023 transfer window dislodged Gus from the reckoning, for a while, before a period where Nat, Liam, Gus and Maik all saw action in central defence. Tomoki Iwata even played there on occasion, as Cameron Carter-Vickers was nursed through injury. Sometimes, less is more.
A red card at Feyenoord was followed by a winning goal when the Dutch side played at Celtic Park. We hoped this would be a platform, but it proved to be a bookend to Gus’s Celtic career.
Not all signings are successful, but if we continue to receive much the same as we pay for so-called ‘flops’, we are on the right path.
Oldtim
Our good friend Oldtim, Dave Morrison, passed away in the early hours of this morning. Dave became a friend of the blog in our early weeks. His first post remains in the memory, as he took to the online world with trepidation at feeling ‘too old’. That was 21 years ago, more than a few of us caught up with his ‘old’ status since then. Generous to a fault, Dave’s stories, including the drive to Lisbon in 1967, ensured he made friends wherever he went. No funeral details are available yet. Rest in Peace, Dave.
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Mon the hoops! 😃🇮🇪⚽️🍀
RIP OldTim
RIP OldTim – Sad news.
Lovely mention of OLDTIM
Usain bolt couldn’t beat him to the bar to get 1st round in,or the 2nd.
Gin and cucumber CSC
Sad to hear the news of OldTim67’s passing. Always a welcome contributor to CQN.
May he rest in peace.
RIP Oldtim.. always a joy to read his posts.
Dave Morrison, what a guy, and what sad news.
Generous to a fault, his party piece was bidding to win the most valued item at charity auction, only to immediately return it for a rerun, having paid the price bid.
I well remember the time he offered to show DBBIA his astonishing collection of haemorroids one afternoon. ‘Like a punnet of plums’ he said. DBBIA ensured that professional clinical standards saved the denizens of Babbity Bowster a trauma. Would have been enough to put you off your beer, that.
Such stories, humour and humanity. A lovely man. Rest in peace, Dave.
Very sad news regarding, Davie, OLDTIM67.
The first time I met Davie was in Lisbon during the 50th anniversary tour. When I saw his name on the back of his Celtic shirt at first I was a bit reluctant to approach such CQN Royalty. I needn’t have worried as, I’m sure everyone will testify, Davie was such wonderful company.
The last time I met Davie was in the Blane Valley along with Blantyre Tim and The Lurking Tim. I was with my eight year old grandson and unbeknownst to me Davie gave him a gift to buy himself something from the superstore to remember his first competitive game at Paradise. He bought a pair of goalkeeper gloves and has been a goalkeeper ever since – winning goalkeeper of the tournament at a recent football festival in Ayrshire.
Davie, you touched so many people through your love of your beloved football club. May You Fondly Rest In Peace.
Good afternoon all from the Brazen Head. Raising a glass to a fine Celtic man. Davie Morrison may you rest in eternal peace.
An Dún on 8th July 2025 9:26 pm
The only two places in Ireland where Celtic are the largest supported Club is West Belfast and Donegal. Everywhere else we’re a distant thought behind the EPL. That’s been my experience anyway.
Parkheadcumsalford on 8th July 2025 9:31 pm
AN DUN,
That has been my impression for a long time.
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I do not know that this is particularly true.
Derry, Tyrone, Armagh, any scan around the Celtic park stands on a match day reveals supporters there from all over Ireland.
Be at Celtic park early on a match day and you will witness hundreds of Irish (and English) supporters alighting from dozens of busses.. The Kano has also hosted many many irish kids.
The AICSC has over 80 clubs.
The Celtic bars list 36 cscs in the north and a further 71 in the republic.
that they all cant be at celtic park all the timeis tickets, logistics and cost.
metro dublin seems to have big suuport for liverpool and united, and a lot of other crowds will see a random tricolour, qpr i used to find funny.
i do think though we could do more to connect with ourirish support. summer tours and training for sure, i wonder why we bother with sweltering italy, portugal, even germany in high summer.
Very sorry to read of Oltim’s passing .
Davy was a wonderful human being and a great Celtic supporter .
I had the pleasure of sitting close to him at Celtic park .
Like many I temember his generosity .
R.I.P. Davie
Japanese media reporting Kawasaki Fontale striker Shin Arata Yamada will join Celtic
Rest in peace Davie Morrison. It was a pleasure to know him.
Rest in Peace Oldtim
A thing I always wonder about transfer fees is that people say ‘we bought for X, so if we get X on sale then we made a motzah or lost a modest sum’.
Surely there’s the players wages and signing on fees to consider?
Buy a player for 2mill or so, then pay him 20k a week for him not to break into the side, then it’s an overall loss. Reverse if you sell them for Jota, Kuhn or O’Riley dought tho.
Sad to learn of OldTim passing; not one of the names you’d whizz-scroll by. Seemed a gent; may he RIP.
Afternoon all.
OLDTIM67 Rest In Peace.
as an aside, if the anecdotal evidence is based on football kit seen, then greeock if a solid barcelona supporting enclave.
I met Oldtim a few years ago,at a birthday party he was celebrating, he invited me and my company into a bar in the city centre, to make a good day memorable, the Original Holy Goalie was there with the Big Cup.A generous gentleman was Davie,condolences to his family, and his many friends on here.RIP Davie
Old Tim.💚☘️
RIP Old Tim.
Sad to hear of the passing of OldTim.
A top, top bloke and a tremendous voice on the site.
Condolences to his friends and family. YNWA.
So sad to hear of Old Tim’s passing. Many on here knew him better than me but my experiences endorse all that has been said. A generous and good person. Huge credit to those CQN guys who visited him and connected in his last few months. An T and others. You know who you are.
Balikwisha,( Not the one from Govan Stebhoy was on about.this one is rapid )pulled from training today,as news that Jansen,£ 3 million dearer,has been bought by some daft French mob.
C,mon the Balik.
‘Kawasaki forward Arata Yamada to move to Celtic after E-1 Championship ends… Striker who scored 19 goals last season.
It was revealed on the 8th that Scottish first division club Celtic is close to acquiring Japanese national team forward Arata Yamada (25) of Kawasaki. Scottish media had reported by this day that Yamada may leave Kawasaki after the E-1 Championship (Korea, which ends on the 16th), for which he was selected for the first time. Yamada scored 19 goals last season, third in the J1 League. So far this season, he has scored two goals in the league.
Celtic manager Rodgers (52) was reportedly looking for a replacement striker for striker Kyogo Furuhashi (currently at Birmingham), who left the club in January this year. If the transfer is confirmed, he will be the second Japanese player to join the club this summer, following defender Junto Inamura (23), who joined from Niigata.
Yamada Shin Born on May 30, 2000 in Yokohama. 25 years old. Started playing soccer at age 4. Moved to Toin Yokohama University from Kawasaki’s youth academy, won the All Japan University Championship in his fourth year and was named MVP. Joined Kawasaki in 2011 and scored 25 goals in 86 J1 games. 175cm’.
Yamada, 25, is currently with Kawasaki Frontale, Reo Hatate’s former club – And while some fans might raise an eyebrow at his modest return of two goals so far this season, a little context is important here.
Last season, he was one of the standout performers in the J1 League, bagging an impressive 19 goals – the third-highest tally in the division. Those are impressive numbers, and not to be overlooked in the conversation about what he might bring to Celtic.
His form has earned him a first call-up to the Japanese national side for this month’s E-1 Championship, where he came off the bench at the start of the second half, in Japan’s 6-1 win over Hong Kong. While he didn’t find the net, his presence in a competitive international setup speaks to the level he’s been playing at.
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I’ve just seen the news about DAVIE ( OLDTIM67).
Such a warm and generous Celtic man, who I had met a few times in the Blane Valley.
DAVIE had one ” Fault” …..he would try and stop anyone else from paying for a round, by getting to the Bar as quickly as he possibly could. so that HE could order and pay for round after round.
You had to try and keep your eye on DAVIE, as he was very capable of sneaking up to the Bar and placing an order and paying for a round of drinks, for whoever was in his company time after time. He had a great sense of humour and was always great company.
DAVIE BHOY, you were loved by everyone who met you, and you will never be forgotten.
We have lost yet another Celtic Gentleman, who will not be forgotten.
DAVIE R.I.P.
OLDTIM67 YNWA.
Last time I saw OLDTIM67 was at a HOOT in McCHUILLS in the High St. The air inside was very stuffy as Dave had to go outside to meet Delanys Donkey for some fresh air
RIP OLDTIM67
RIP DELANEYS DONKEY
RIP Oldtim…so obviously a gentleman and a contributer from the early days …the world is a lesser place today ….sincere condolences to his family and close friends.
RIP OLDTIM67
Fess19
Aye, Garry liked the fresh air. 😂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVzTjOLcPk8
RIP OLDTIM
Another CQN legend gone.
Sincere condolences to all his many friends and family.
RIP Oldtim
Paul: nice tribute to Davie/OldTim. Fair play.
I met Davie a few times and he was exactly as Big Jimmy above described him.
Ar dheis láimh Dhé go raibh a anam uasal. 🙏🙏
I was at the match yesterday. It was only our second preseason friendly so I won’t be criticising the performance. Great turnout of supporters on a beautiful summer’s day. Kneecap balaclavas did a roaring trade outside the stadium and the young crew had great fun with them.
PCS: I met CorkCelt before and after the game. He enjoyed himself back in the Rebel City. I also bumped into KölnCelt of this parish.
🍀🍀
Scott McKenna 😳🤦🏻♂️
!Bada Bing!! on 9th July 2025 2:02 pm
Scott McKenna
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Better late than never. He was one that got away and one we could have moulded into a leader.
HH.
And they gave us OLDTIM 67
RIP Davie