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.
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Macjay
Hope all is good with you and the family …
Brendan is here for as many in a row as possible … 8 would be a good start and see what happens next
Peter Lawell ??? More of a Celtic fan than some contributors on the Celtic inter web :-)
Goals Galore 4
Friday Night Reminder
Anyone who has yet to make a pick in Round 5 will have received an e-mail reminder earlier this evening.
If anyone needs reminding of who they’ve picked so far, just mail us at cqnpredictor@gmail.com and we can let you know.
HH
Bateen Bhoy and CRC
Hello again all you young rebels.
Great to see P67 back commenting on the blog again and hopefully
it becomes a regular feature.
Took a little sabbatical myself while the transfer window was open
it makes CQN a very angst ridden place, but it’s closed now and
maybe we can all enjoy our roasted/toasted cheese again without
all the rancour 8-))
OZ TIMS
Another great Sunday ahead for our CSC on the 17th Feb.
We’re back at the Mornington golf club for lunch with an ex head
chef from Celtic park cooking for us again.
And then probably back to the Dubliner for some tunes.
Expecting some luminaries to attend from the U.K and hopefully
one special CQN’r from France so anybody else wishing to attend
let me or Paddymacoz know asap as table bookings are limited.
H.H Mick
P.S belated 80th birthday wishes to a great auld Celt and Peninsula
legend Shuggie Murnie.
Kilmarnock v Hearts :Watching the respective managers being interviewed . How lucky we are to have Brendan. Substance and style.
HH.
Greenpinata 10.01pm
Brendan is not perfect but for some Celtic fans they don’t seem to enjoy what they have … every single domestic trophy in his tenure… for me the league / skol cup is just a trophy but it was Brendan’s first and he celebrated it like a fan … argue all day about performances & formations ?? We have a terrific manager who wants to be at Celtic … we should enjoy before the body language brigada have him off to Leicester or Newcastle
Brendan knows his job and we should enjoy his workings
GFTB on 1ST FEBRUARY 2019 9:44 PM
All good here , thanks.
Brendan has achieved everything we hoped for on his arrival .
Those who speculate about his imminent departure do Celtic no good whatsoever.
You have to wonder if they have the wit to realise that the speculation in itself is harmful to our cause.
The ” ten in a row ” is an albatross round our necks. And its all about ” beating ” Rangers nine .
Understandable , but it gives them an importance they don`t deserve .
Eight in a row is failure ?
Not for me. I remember none in a row.
:-)
Peter Lawwell is the constant for the seven , not to mention the other trophies.
The ingratitude shown towards him reminds me of the booing of Fergus.
Hail Hail to your goodself .
I’m generally happy with the acquisitions.
I’m unhappy that Brendan is likely to be unhappy at having so many players to work with, given what he has stated.
I’m Happy about how we are playing @ Home, after so many poor performances @ Home Last Season.
I’m unhappy about our away form this Season, I’m excited about turning this around now with the extra firepower – and the signing of ( I hope to be) a KT style Fullback on the otherside – Come on down Tony Bhoy and keep the Dortmund lad out the side when yer back fit.
We have had horrendous injury problems and it is a MASSIVE MASSIVE Credit to Brendan that we are in pole position to get the 8.
Great article Today Paul67.
GFTB @ 9:16 PM,
Yes, it’s funny when you take comments out of their environment. That kinda statement and sarcasm doesn’t go down too well in the home counties. Only took me thirty odd years to realise:)
No I’m not a relative of Brian McClair and I’m not sure about that link. Though glad you liked it, think Liam’s a talented lad who was not too shabby a footballer.
At the end of the day it’s where your passions lie.
Possibly shouldn’t have mentioned it as they are a very private family and that’s the way it should be.
The reason I did was twofold, BMcC took some stick on here comparing him to le petite merde. Brian was transferred from Celtic to Man U, it was very much a tradition in those days and it was kind of living the dream.
To play for Celtic for the tradition and honour and then to move to a top English side to test yourself and your families future.
Example… TQSG
Davie Hay did it
Kenny Dalglish did it
Lou Macari did it
What a wee bit of fore thought in the minds of Celtic executives might have meant… but it is what it is… and still is;)
The other thing was the hard time folk from Airdrie were getting, you’d know the elements, genuine Airdrieonians who were just excited to go and watch a big game, from whatever tradition didn’t deserve it.
So when DD made the comparison thought it was worth mentioning…
…having said all that, Brian has three tall, smart beautiful children and so do I. They are second cousins.
In that respect we are equally blessed…
Have A good one…
Hail Hail
Chairbhoy 10.13pm
I take it the other way, am glad you mentioned it everything was there on Wikipedia and for me it was a subtle link :-) there are not many things on here I chase up or click on links but an glad I did with that and wish Liam all the best… if his songs are getting aired at Old Trafford it’s not a secret… I mentioned your post to Dallas Dallas on here and we both know a few Airdrie fans who are far from the usual right wing mob so I can understand Brian McClair being an Airdrie fan …… but shooorly he has something in common with Mo Johnston he played with Motherwell .. not many Airdrie fans cross that devide :-)
Macjay
We will just hopefully keep enjoy Celtic collecting silverware leave the experts to sort out the language of body :-)
GFTB
Hi Gerry luv the new nom de blog makes it much easier answering
you lol.
I think a lot of the angst ridden or negative posts are more to do
with peoples fear of losing what we have now, a brilliant manager a
well run club, and season after season of trophies.
I well remember the opposite before big Jock and after him, it won’t
last forever but we are in a good position and like yourself i’ll enjoy
it while it lasts.
H.H Mick
I remember Gordon Strachan saying whilst Celtic manager near the end of his tenure something along the lines of, “It’s going to get unbelievably tough for Celtic in the years ahead due to UEFA’s strategy”.
Obvious foresight from someone who knows the game inside out.
UEFA have been a great leveller with the exception of the elite clubs at the top table.
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 1ST FEBRUARY 2019 10:10 PM
Peter Lawwell is the constant for the seven , not to mention the other trophies.
FOOL TIME WHISTLE on 1ST FEBRUARY 2019 9:23 PM
Smart assessment of the current state of the fitba` game.
As far as I can see , Celtic take an intelligent approach to recruitment .
A pragmatic approach .
A combination of current needs , which change on an almost daily basis , and future needs .
IMHO we are very well represented .
DAVID17 on 1ST FEBRUARY 2019 10:38 PM
Aye , OK.
:-)
When Brendan told Chris Davies he was going to ask Peter for more transfer funds…
Mikael Lustig has been an absolute Stalwart for Celtic and I don’t think he will stay but I’d defo offer him 1 more year.
His Goal @ Hatesville was incredible.
He is daft and Crazy and even got an all seeing eye tattoo he exposed to Everyone – he is just Daft and had no IDEA what he was getting inked onto his Body.
Kojo.CSC
Look @ your Compilation albums
Yesterday I took the Celtic Park tour as i tend to do once a season. Afterwards as i sat in the Jock Stein suite sipping on my beverage, the Double Treble DVD was playing on the screen. Peter Lawwell, Brendan and Desmond all fawning about how great is was to hump the Huns 5-1 and Desmondo even saying it was the ‘benchmark’ for Celtic managers in the past and so hinting it was now but not actually saying it. Do they not read CQN ffs.
Melbourne Mick 10.31pm
My daughter MissGFTB is 10yrs old, through Johnbay of this parish he hit us tickets for the legends game in May, the wee blade was more interested in the superstore than the fitba … but through her primary school and the Kano foundation she is going to the Celtic v Hibs game next Wednesday … she is a slow burn always tells me she doesn’t like football but calls her Mums team “them” and Celtic “us” for a lot of us who don’t appreciate Celtic and complain about the refs, the establishment, Scotland …. the Kano foundation are educating our kids, am over the moon she thinks am am eijit (many do) … but she knows the Huns cheated and she knows Celtic didn’t … on the matter of weeks the Kano foundation and St Augustine’s school have done more than me in her 10yes here :-)
Johnbay … they get a new scarf but she is wearing yours against the Hibees
Hail & Hail
David 17 10.47pm
Very few Celtic fans read CQN
Once a season for the Celtic tour, am just glad you aren’t the Tour Guide :-)
GFTB on 1ST FEBRUARY 2019 10:51 PM
When the tour guide was asking questions i had all the answers, it wasn’t my first time :))
Ps. sat in Peter’s seat in the Directors box, shockingly no sign of heated seats!
GFTB,
I’m really looking forward to the game against St Johnstone.
I rate their Manager if he disnae like the media.
Celtic have Options – Mega Options.
I think Celtic will go full points winning if we get through Sunday (and the LRA manipulation).
If I was Willie, If only I was Willie. Being a Religious Education Teacher – Radical Times – tell the Truth?
Forget where yer next meal comes from.
Hearing the story about Lennys departure from Hibs.
After laying in to Kamberi, the player told Dempster he was quitting, when she approached Neil, he called her a dyke.
petec on 1st February 2019 10:42 pm
We need Lustig to play the John Clark role in central defense with so many injuries to deal with presently.
GFTB
She’s got the Celtic bug Gerry you can be sure of that, she’s just
winding you up like little madam’s do.
My own wee Grace gets into our car ” right papa get my songs on ”
i know she means Grace, Johhny Thompson, and the Fields, and i’ll
spend the rest of the journey answering all the same questions
she asks every time, but i’m happy i know i’m educating her.
Talking about educating, putting our nets up the other night for a
pre season friendly and started telling an Aussie who was helping me
about why the ragers went defunct, the players were coming out on
the park and the nets were still lying there lol.
H.H Mick
David 17 10.56pm
I knew you would have known the answers …
Great answer :-)
Petec 11.00pm
29/12/18 was the law of averages, our team come back from the winter break stronger… one of these days we might not win our league but not under Brendan or Broonys watch :-) Scott Brown was the most significant signing of this windae :-) (fact) ?
Neil Lennon was Fantastic for Celtic and Hibernians as a Manager.
Neil is a hero to petec.
That Speech is right up there because it was from the Heart.
Not everbody is in the place yet but lets Go
Melbourne Mick
My wee yin was born 10/09/2008 her middle name is Grace from the story of that somg, and I can assure you she knew the words of the love song long before the Green Brigade .. in fact there was a poster (much missed) from these pages that educated me on many things … I wonder what Clogher Celt is up to these days :-)
everbody – everybody – aww shucks. Patience is a virtue
LUBO
PETEC on 1ST FEBRUARY 2019 10:43 PM
Magical moment .
For him.
For us .
The icing .
MELBOURNE MICK on 1ST FEBRUARY 2019 11:02 PM
Good.
You got your priorities right .
Education before nets .
:-)
Hail Hail
PETEC
Neil will always be a hero to Celtic fans, not many people could
endure the vitriol that man has.
GFTB
Hopefully Clogher Celt makes a comeback.
Blistering hot here in Melbourne today so need to go and slip, slap
and slurp, thats the suncream, the slurp is the Guinness, and while
i’m at it i’ll educate a few more EPL fuds about the mighty Celtic.
H.H Mick
Agree with many on here, Scott Brown signing a new contract with Celtic is a tremendous lift for everyone that knows the game. One of the most influential Celtic Captains to have graced Celtic Park.
In many different forms I could easily say Melbourne Mick, Petec & Macjay are my type of Celtic fans … funnily enough Macjay is the only one I have met and I would hope to meet the other two if our paths every met ?
Henry Joy
I have thought that Scott Brown would be our next manager, for a few years now.
Leader of men. Get him involved in coaching now, in preparation.
YNWA
MACJAY1
My wee Grace started first day at prep school this week
she wasn’t very happy with her teacher who told her to
stop talking.
Must be a Scottish thing, she does luv a blether 8-))
H.H Mick
This song always remind me of Neil Francis Lennon, it just suits him. A fighter. Ave Ave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=5T38impfHJ4