40 years ago, with Aberdeen and Dundee United strutting their stuff, the mantra was ‘Celtic and Rangers ruin young players’. The Glasgow clubs had the talent market on their doorstep, but had an appalling record of development. By contrast, young players were given extended runs in the first team by Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean; which worked.
Gustaf Lagerbielke is on his way out of Celtic today having withered on the Lennoxtown vines. It is a story as old as the game itself and is why we were able to sign Callum Osmand from Fulham this week. Callum knew his likely fate at Craven Cottage (or more likely a non-descript pitch somewhere else in London) and fancied his chances at Celtic more. This is a considerable compensation; Callum clearly spoke to Matt O’Riley, not Gus, or a few others we could mention.
Gus will look back on his 10 appearances for Celtic and remember partnering Liam Scales to a pivotal win at Ibrox and scoring a late winner to record Celtic’s first home Champions League win in a decade. The rest of his time will soon drop from memory. Few of us would be able to give a proper assessment of the player, as we saw so little of him. Maybe signing three central defenders while losing one in the same window was a tactical blunder. Sometimes, less is more.
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Yes Paul!
“Maybe signing three central defenders while losing one in the same window was a tactical blunder. Sometimes, less is more.”
———-
No, really???!!!
HMmmm
Or maybe giving someone a job based on their surname rather than their ability to do the job was a tactical blunder
Tony Bloom’s computer crunches through terabytes of data to identify a player for Hearts who spent the last three years at….. Hearts!!!
GARY67.
Ah the old nepotism rears its ugly head again. A different take on ” The Celtic Family”.
Paul didn’t you just say a day or so back, in defending the Timothy Chalamet school of signing players, that there is a high failure rate built in therein, or something to that effect. Now it is a sad fact that only a very few players succeed from our inhouse development approach, but at least it gives opportunities to local footballers, and some do go on to have professional careers, but to keep signing player after player for the same positions, and for whatever reason see them fail, at Celtic, cannot be the way forward. Now we are reportedly signing a left sided defender, who apparently can play across the back four, and might well play at left back, presumably when KT cannot, when we have just allowed a young left back to leave just does not make for a coordinating way of thinking. Then again if we had wanted to adopt a back five our signings make that a possibility.
https://youtu.be/57W1GB78Gkc?si=cTyZ4Oyr3YGqhs9u
Interesting interview with a Japanese football expert about Hayto Inamura. One man’s opinion, but he’s suggesting he’s a centre back and not a left back.
Also says that Japanese players are leaving the J-League earlier and earlier in their career, which may explain why we’re trying to get them further upstream of teams from the bigger European leagues. Its far from an untapped market these days but the academy system which includes universities means that they often come into regular first team football in the j league at a later age
Warning: contains data analytics as well as well-informed personal opinion
what about Montgomery? i liked him.
On another tangent.
Vardy is an interesting one. 38 years of age would normally mean career over unless you are a very good goalkeeper.
in his case, he looks very fit and fast still. if R2ngers do sign him, he will score a lot domestically but might struggle in Europe.
You would expect h0oe to go to the middle east of USA for a hatful of cash but again he probably thinks he can compete in Europe.
No way we would sign him but we do need a proven striker next season – no idea who that would be though
“Sometimes, less is more.”
If we have a manager who will only sign and develop players with a lower risk of failing then that would make sense. Silly to spend resources on large numbers of players with a longer time horizon who have a very poor chance of making it
We’ll miss out, but at least there will be some element of development in our planning, and done properly, not just lip service
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/july/03/what-s-the-story-with-the-new-celtic-view—-it-s-time-to-roll-with-it-/
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Paul67
What larks Paul! What larks
Good afternoon all.
Rest in peace Diogo and Andre.
BIG JIMMY
WOMEN EH?
Enjoyed reading of your battles with the bookie.
Back in the 90s my family were in Ireland for a family wedding. Friday afternoon in the local pub, my Irish nephew gave my da and me a “strong tip” for a horse running that afternoon in Doncaster.
My dad, 2 brothers and a cousin went to the bookies along the road and piled on.
About an hour later we were watching the pub TV as they approached the stalls. It seemed everyone was on it.
Just at that, my 3rd brother entered the pub with his wife. We were at great pains to quickly tell him about the tip. He shot out the door to get in on the action.
About 2 minutes later they were off. Our horse romped home at 11/2. The pub was in an uproar as it crossed the winning line.
A minute later my brother returned and told us he was too just late and missed the off.
His wife, my sister-in-law, who knew nothing about sport of any kind, came out with the following gem…
“Can you not go back and tell them you were going to bet the horse?”
The Funeral Mass for Celtic legend, John Clark, will be held this Friday, July 4.
While the service will take place at St Mary’s Church in the Calton at 12noon, we ask supporters to be mindful that space at the church is limited.
The Funeral Mass will, however, be broadcast live on the club’s official YouTube channel, giving supporters everywhere the opportunity to join the club in remembering a true legend.
For those wishing to pay their respects, John’s funeral cortege will travel down The Celtic Way at approximately 1.15pm, and fans are welcome to gather at Celtic Park to say a final farewell to one of the club’s greatest ever servants.
I know we list Carl and signed Maik and Gustaf?
Who was the other CB signed in that window?
BTW – Nothing nonsensical about replacing a very well used (perhaps overused) CB with two youngish guys from decent leagues.
On paper, looks like proactive squad management.
Only problem?
The manager didn’t rate either.
I’m slightly sorry to see Gustaf leave.
Didn’t see enough to fully judge (though when does that stop a fan) …
… but, generally, I like centre backs who appear calm when doing their job and, IMHO, he was.
These boys who go all Bambi when they are either harried or turned do my head in.
Imagine gulping and going jelly legged when being asked to do your job?
Must be a terrible experience.
How many big giant serious clubs are trying to prize Rodgers away from us today then?
Has big risky Ange got a job yet?
If David Martindale had been lucky enough to get his hands on Lagerbiekle level of rich kid money he would have properly utilised it to recruit a team full of hard bassas and went on to win the league by playing smart, street wise, low block, long out ball, on the break,football and mugged the asses off of the spoiled child, tippy-tappy, borefest.
Martindale learned that by not playing this way Livingston got relegated.
Has your all conquering mate wee bad way got a job yet ?
Yajobby
Bad way should be bawwwy , I’ll go and sit in the corner 😵😜
bournesouprecipe
From yesterdays blog re Adam, Matthew and Mitch……
Was pretty much in agreement with you until…..
“collective group of experts…”mmmm
I’m with Mikey Gove on that front
serious cases of false memories.
40 years ago aberdeen and united at their peak but Celtic regularly had first teams were the majority of players were home grown.
sure the dons had a scouting network here but who did Celtic miss out on ?
super joe ? the two franks ?
who at united ?
is that an austriand 2nd tier club the bhoy is away for ?
ambition my erchie
Just watched Andy Farrell’s presser.
Looks like our manager has company in thinking Tom English is a fud.
Football, rugby and golf; he covers them all and knows nothing about any of them.
🏴Catherine McKernan
@IndyAsapScot
4h
“What surprises me (although maybe it really shouldn’t), is how shockingly cheap it is to buy an entire Government.” 🤷♀️
https://x.com/IndyAsapScot/status/1940699070957605371#m
Tom McLaughlin on 3rd July 2025 2:06 pm
………..
Very good mate.
LOL.
HH.
I don’t have battles with bookies. I never fooking win.😂
saint stivs
Try to pay attention to details
Helps avoiding the facts getting in the way of your er opinions….
Tom McLaughlin on 3rd July 2025 2:06 pm
Excellent :-))))
Celtic Mac on 3rd July 2025 3:31 pm
saint stivs
Try to pay attention to details
Helps avoiding the facts getting in the way of your er opinions….
————————————-
up the port and greenocks east end back in the 70s/80s you still had morton players living in the schemes, and several Greenock Shamrock, Port Rangers youths who ended up on the books of Celtic, Aberdeen, StMirren, Kilmarnck, Clydebank, Dumbarton , and the juniors.
It ran to dozens and dozens of good footballers,
Personal opinion, Celtic didnt lose out to Aberdeen and United, but a terrible terrible Rangers team did.
No doubt Ferguson knew EVERYTHING about the Glasgow Leagues, and every player. He turned up several times at Parklea at the most ordinary games.
Much maligned Willie M|iller tells great stories of how he was never a Celtic or Rangers supporter and was very happy to go to Aberdeen at the time, before Billy or Alex.
It is some leap to compare our squad of 40 years ago, checks team pick to find 22 home grown youths in the 1982 group with the other 8 being transfers in. In the year of 1983 we made 1 Signing for a fee, Sinclair.
It is a completely different environment now.
Also, I cant get over excited that youths leave, so be it. None of them go and do anything outstanding in the game. I get the feeling with Doak, he is going to be known for big transfer fees akin to Gilmour.
Listening to the podcasts today, hmmm again.
The cry is a replacement for Kyogo.
So, what is the expectation of this player, what should he be ? what return would we expect in his first season ? what fee should we pay ?
Lets start at £10m we received as a fee, who should we buy , who is it ?
Kuhn to Como,€19 million plus add ons
Rocky’s another one I don’t understand
16.3 million quid if that is a true figure, true value or not enough?
Will we make a trading profit in this window?
Will the squad be stronger or weaker?
Stay tuned
more than the market rate being quoted for him of 12m. profit of 400% and sell on fees, I would be asking the others now, and open up a bidding war, unless of course heas has that price as a release clause in the contract,
either way, i am fine with it, cheerio.