Celtic’s January transfer window saw seven new players sign deals, although only four will be at the club for the remainder of this season, and only one of those, Vakoun Issouf Bayo, is on a permanent deal.
Bayo is a classic centre forward-target man, unlike Leigh Griffiths or Odsonne Edouard, who like to play in the channels. He has not played for two months, so it is likely to be a couple of weeks before we see him. He is here because of our Ivorian Connection through Kolo Toure, who is a coach at both Celtic and Ivory Coast. That being the case, the club should know more about him than most new signings, which should mitigate the risk inherent in any signing.
Since the resumption of action after the winter break, we have seen Oliver Burke and Timothy Weah fulfil the striker role, each on loan, from West Brom and Paris Saint-Germain respectively. Neither player is here to play the striker role long-term; expect them to supplement the wide positions after we return to a more normal compliment up front.
With minutes to spare, Jeremy Toljan signed on loan from Borussia Dortmund. This is a player who great things were expected from when he left Hoffenhiem 18 months ago, but Dortmund is a different beast and he did not find the move easy.
That’s not dissuaded many of his talent, which means Celtic’s chances of securing his services on a permanent basis are slim. I also believe the player is on pretty decent (cough) contract. He will not be here beyond May.
Maryann Shved, 21, arrived this week from Karpaty Lviv in Ukraine, where he has returned to stay until the summer. We moved early for Maryann, interest in the player was generated in only 38 competitive games. Players grow up on the football field and Maryann needs as many opportunities as he can get right now. With the manager having so many wide options for the remainder of the season, loaning him back to Karpaty was an easy decision.
Two American full backs were signed yesterday, Andrew Gutman (22) and Manny Perez (19), both loaned back to US clubs.
So all these loans arrivals, signings-only-to-be-loaned out, what’s the plan?
The top-level plan is to win the league, do our best to win the two cups and to give us the best chance of qualifying for the Champions League. Everything else is a consequence of this. Two decades ago, when Martin O’Neill set his mind to the same task, he signed talent who were at the peak of their physical capabilities. Many of those who arrived not only had experience in the English Premiership, they were top performers there.
By the time Gordon Strachan took over, signing strikers who were recently top scorers in England was no longer possible. Gordon took to Poland (as well as Easter Road), as we searched for talent in value markets.
Neil Lennon’s term saw the transitioning to where we are now. Neil found African talent, and successfully raided the lower leagues in England, but under his tenure we embarked on what would become one of the mainstays of our recruitment planning – loaning young players (Fraser Forster) who were not getting a sniff at wealthier clubs.
Many doors have closed to us in the last 20 years. There will be no more Chris Suttons, while competition for players across Eastern Europe is vastly greater than it was when we signed Artur Boruc.
The news is not all bad, in fact, significant things are much better than they were 20 years ago, most specifically, the development of young talent. Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney and James Forrest are more successful than any player Paul McStay and Aiden McGeady – and both of them were notable as exceptions for their eras.
The ‘Fraser Forster strategy’ – scout teams too distracted elsewhere to give opportunities to players, has been very productive. Olivier Ntcham, Odsonne Edouard and Dedryck Boyata all fall into this category (we’ll reserve comment on Daniel Arzani). We managed to get Odsonne on a try-before-you-buy loan first. During his loan he did enough to convince Brendan Rodgers to beak our transfer record on him. Celtic think this will continue to be a productive furrow for them.
Not all signings are Development Projects
Not all loans fall into this category. Some, like Jeremy Toljan, are here to do a job for a specific period. Development Projects are not the only game in town, sometimes you just have to plug a hole to strengthen the team.
There were choices for the right back role. Lech Poznan’s Robert Gumny was looked at and liked, but the player failed a medical a year ago and has not played enough football since a subsequent operation to convince anyone he would be fitter than Jozo Simunovic. Or we could have tried to find a nugget elsewhere, but Jeremy got the nod.
We sign a lot of players
Two American full backs on the same day we sign a German full back, “millions of wingers”. This has been going on for a while. You, me, Celtic and the players know, not all of them are going to make it. Football, for a century, has harvested talent, picked the cherries and cast the darnel aside.
I remember Martin O’Neill, flush with the success of his early signings and before his Ulrik Laursen and David Fernandez period, told us that every signing a football club makes needs to be a success. Yes, if you have the wisdom and insight, the luck and the money, maybe you can be so bold. But there is a real world out there full of scouts and managers who each carry the weight of experience of players who just didn’t work out.
There are formulas, some better than others, but we should know that just putting a Celtic jersey onto a player will not, and has never, made him a certain success. Martin would have been more accurate by saying ;You have to kiss a lot of frogs in this business’, just do your best to get some handsome frogs in the first place.
We have exceptional domestic talent: Scott Brown, Kieran Tierney, James Forrest, Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie – better than any Scottish team in 30 years, and we have done very well to retain them.
There is room for others to follow. The opportunity is there for Scott Bain and Tony Ralston.
As well as developing our own talent, we have cooperated with two of the world’s richest, Manchester City and PSG, to foster young players who are not getting a chance at their parent club. This is affordable, enhances the squad, and has helped achieve our football objectives.
We have five young players out on loan: Lewis Morgan, Calvin Miller, Andrew Gutman and Manny Perez, and Maryann Shved. The hope is some develop into first-team regulars, like Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie did.
That’s the strategy. Is it better than signing the best permanent players we can? Like you, I prefer the good ones to be tied down to long-term contracts at Celtic, but despite this, the answer is a clear yes. We need to work angles with PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Man City. We need to take risks on players with only a few dozen games under their belt. When an opportunity to sign a Ntcham or Boyata arises, take it. And we need to continue to do what we are doing with youth development.
Will it deliver 8-in-a-row? You bet your bum it will.
687 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- »
Macjay
Ronny = 4 & 5
And actually managed Kieran a bit better than his successor … just my opinion :-)
TEUCHTER ÁR LÁ on 2ND FEBRUARY 2019 10:32 PM
At one point Chris said ” Well spotted ” when the other guy stated the bleeding obvious.
? The injury to Broadfoot ?
Couldn`t stop laughing .
” A lesson for us all :-) ”
Is that a suggestion ?
:-)
GFTB on 2ND FEBRUARY 2019 10:47 PM
I get the impression that it`s damn difficult to stop Kieran from playing .
I take your point though.
Hopefully the lesson is learned .
Watched the first half of the sevvie game. They were utter gash.
Defoe may be only 33 years young but he has the look of a guy of 43.
I repeat- gash.
See Barton, krancjar, senderos, alves….
Gash
That is all.
The hun could be given penalties from now until the end season….Levien and Clark will do the moaning…..maybe they have left late……..has Oran Kearney gone into hiding……not a cheep
left it too late
Macjay 10.52pm
Whether he wants to play or not isn’t the issue … I suppose it’s easy being wise after the event but why was he even on the bench to the bigotdome.. again if Kieran wants to play all the time what use is it when he is out for so long because of it … I have no complaints with BR but sometimes young players need to be managed and am afraid I think KT has been mismanaged in the last season or two
Hope our number 63 is back soon, the bhoy is one of us :-)
Topkat 10.56pm
Oran Kearney interview was played on Clyde SSB around 5.56pm as the show was ending … he was pretty measured but wasn’t happy at numerous penalty decisions, although I think he held back so it didn’t look like he was using the pens as an excuse … he did question Master Dallas
MacJay
Thought to myself that when Michael Stewart was trying to be smart with Chris, The big man was was miles ahead by merely smiling.
I find myself repeat g things my late father would tell me :-)
HH
BP1
You’re Scottish?
Jimmie Rodgers. Gamblin’ bar room blues
https://youtu.be/078MsA9m2t0
There is no reason the spfl should be accepting the SFA referees.
Instead they should be going to Professional Game Match Officials Limited and hire referees from them.
TEUCHTER ÁR LÁ on 2ND FEBRUARY 2019 11:06 PM
I find myself repeat g things my late father would tell me :-)
==============================================================
I do the same with my kids.
And happy to do so .
hi threesy, unfortunately yes, how are you pal, no arguments tonight.hh.
Big Packy
Growing up I never regarded myself as Scottish but as I get older the more Scottish I feel …. don’t let the bigots influence our Scottishness :-)
TEUCHTER ÁR LÁ on 2ND FEBRUARY 2019 11:31 PM
St. James infirmary .
GERRY, hear hear, and hail hail.
BP1
Pullin yer leg old boy……how ya doin?
31003, had a feeling you were, all fine here, how about you.hh,
BP1
Sobering up from a long afternoon. Chillin out watchin Rocky 2 for the millionth time……da da da da da da dada da…..
Morning 31003
Were you out with SMB by any chance?
HH
CRC
Morning, just went from 40 degrees to minus 6 brrr freezing ? , anyway in my humble opinion if we win tomorrow and wed we take away most of their hope , 4 pens dearie me surely that’s them played the joker ☃️??
I was saddened at the grumping and groaning when Lustig got the ball midweek.
This guy loves the Hoops. Please don’t sully his fantastic time with us.
A joker gets played once, no way that’s the end of it :O)
CRC
Indeed I was sir
Weebawbabity 12.10am
Welcome home … get the thermals on Wishy will be Baltic :-)
GFTB , freezing m8 still l know I am lucky enough to get away for some sun , hope you are well . Don’t know what happened to T ET , seen a few posts offering support, prayers and thoughts to one of the best posters on here and s! Cel!!s HH
Fred C
Well said pal – love the guy.
https://youtu.be/jUFNPg_DrvI
Nae volume… Eh! Well here’s nae commentary
https://youtu.be/3go2MuWK_g0
TEUCHTER ÁR LÁ,
If he is to leave let it be with our best wishes.
I would keep him for another season at the very least.
Hail Hail.
Fred C
Totally agree.
Some folk aren’t happy unless they’re mumping and moaning about something, it’s really annoying when it’s vocal at the games.
It detracts from the atmosphere/enjoyment of the game.
HH
Weebawbabbity
No guaranteed sun for us this year wee 3yr old granddaughter not got a passport yet and no way we can go without her as she still has not forgiven us for going to Tenerife without her last summer so Craig Tara is booked first week in August so hoping to catch up with PR67 & Angelgabriel in the Market Inn hopefully for a CL qualifier in August … AG have already sounded PR67 out about this :-)
The huddle, unfortunately you are correct ?☹️HH ,
DBHOY,
Love the guy, as do most Hoops fans.
Lets let him know it :-)
GFTB , used to have s caravan in pebbles, brilliant holidays anyway sleep time HH and two wins next week and we will get the title IMOP unless they Knuts get a cple penalty’s per game, couldn’t happen could it ????
Talking of enjoyment. I seen John Butler trio and UB40 at two separate shows this weekend, thoroughly enjoyed both but the John Butler show was a standout. What a brilliant musician.
For anyone with an interest in music and a spare ten minutes, checkout this instrumental he started playing when he was busking in the streets of Fremantle…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YeG9xlMN5Ys
HH
ROADS. on 2ND FEBRUARY 2019 10:34 PM
GFTB on 2ND FEBRUARY 2019 10:16 PM
VAR would cost that zombie club between 15-20 points a season, minimum.
No way it would cost them 15-20 points, we would have the same cheating gits on the var panel.
Hail hail,
C’mon the hoops,
???
100 Trophies (should be many more)
Spot on
Cheats then, Cheats now, Cheats in the future
Celtic … keep collecting domestic trophies…. break them ?