There is an argument that Kieran Tierney should have been operated on earlier in the season, when the extent of his injury became clear, but if he is fit to start against Hearts on Saturday, he should play. A few days delay to his op and convalescence will make little difference.
The same is not true of Mikael Lustig. Mikael has been injured four times since November and is clearly in a fragile state. Starting him on Saturday risks a repeat of a scene we have become familiar with: Mikael hobbling off early in a game and curtailing the manager’s tactical options.
Jeremy Toljan and Anthony Ralston can both deputise at Hampden, one of whom should start. Neither Mikael or Neil Lennon will know for sure if the full back will remain at Celtic after the Cup Final, but thoughts of an on-field farewell should be kept until after the game is won.
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FRANNYB67 on 22ND MAY 2019 1:56 PM
IMO if NFL has his way on Saturday there will be no loanees in the squad HH
—————
Burke should be chased and Toljian a distressed sub from the bench. I’d like Benkovic to play. A class act that big fella.
Franny – he might well prefer that, but it would leave him with no cover at centre back, full back or centre forward. I reckon he’d rather win the Cup with loanees than lose it with signed players.
Oops sorry Bhoys forgot about Big Ben ? HH
Pick your best team, loan players or not….
Tony Ralston linked up well with Mikey Johnston, the first 20/25 minutes of Sunday’s game.
Admittedly he went on to have a poor 2nd half. Looked a tad rusty. But if M.L isn’t fully fit, then lets not risk Lustig. As the chances of him pulling up injured is high.
——————-Bain———————
Ralston Jozo Ajer Tierney
——-Broony McGregor———-
Forrest Rogic Sinclair
———-Edouard——————-
Lets hope for a performance from Rogic and Sinclair.
I wouldn’t be slow in swapping M.Johnston for Sinclair if the latter isn’t cutting it.
Paul67 et al
You have got it back to front Paul, and not for the first time. Michael Lustig if declared fit on the Friday should start and Kieran Tierney should consider find himself lucky if he finds himself a place on the bench. What kind of logic are we applying here if any? A player needing surgery is fit to play. Lustig has had his problems too of course but he’s still played as many games as in previous seasons. And he is a potential match winner. Kieran has not been fit all season, developed an unprofessional attitude, and continually offered himself forward for gametime when he was patently not up to it. Poor management by Brendan et al. My reading of it is that a combination of a love for Celtic, a love for playing, overplayed while he was still growing, and the difficulty of diagnosing pelvic, groinal (I bet that’s a first use on here) and hernial injuries have left Kieran in a position it took Andy Murray ten years to get to. Mad Mitch pointed most of this out earlier in the season, perceptively noting that Kieran had changed his style of running during matches, the direct result of adjusting to pain. We’ve all done it, and the older we get the more we are likely to do so. Walk with a limp that is. Less so at twenty one. So, Michael to start on the right, Hayes on the left, Kieran to sit this one out. For the cause I hope you understand.
TIMALOY29 @ 1:41 PM,
With all due respect I don’t think that is what the article meant by strategic vision. Getting Compper and Hendry as back-up centre halfs seems more like a half baked idea than strategic planning.
Also the point is neither BR nor any other manager, nor whomever they bring in, should not be shaping the strategic planning. From my point of view, they should be fitting in and enhancing it.
Hail Hail
AULDHEID @ 1:45 PM,
Well that’s very interesting and something that I’ve suspected could be the case. Disappointing to hear it verified though.
The disconnects over contracts and transfers etc seemed so disjointed and obtuse that it was either borne out of ignorance or a communications breakdown.
There was a piece by Paul67, a while back that stated the executive had little idea how badly the Manager wanted John McGinn in.
I worked on BCP (business continuity planning) on the technology side for many bluechips, normally financials, banks. Now of course BCP was a hugely important part of the business and the would have a Director on the Board appointed to this function.
Celtic are not a big business but a PLC with a £100Miĺlion pound turnover should have dedicated resource to this function.
Hearing about micro-management and poor communications makes me cringe, the lack of awareness of it makes you shudder…
It does though, explain an awful lot though and it sounds like we’re light years away from strategic planning. Sad, as you say, these things don’t cost in the medium long term, they mitigate losses.
Enjoyed the orchestra metaphor… Will run it past the saxmhan.
Hail Hail
Sevilla, along with Real Betis, now also looking for a new manager.
A real draw for a high profile manager with a budget to match. Interesting to see who they get.
HH
In ither news……………
“Tierney……chooses to turn oot for that foreign club rather than play for his country…”
Aye…….
oh, and…there’s a guy doon our Chip Shop swears he’s Rafa Benitez.
:0
HH
Celtic Mac
I am no expert in managing hernia injuries.
However I believe although it is likely to cause K.T pain and discomfort, it is something that can be played through without causing additional damage.
If the medical staff at Celtic Park, didn’t think K.T could play through it, then his operation would have been scheduled weeks ago.
The medical staff at Celtic Park, I believe are the experts (certainly know more than you or I on the subject).
And as I write this, I’ve just heard the Clyde news update… K.T fit to play. Start.
His Op rules him out of Scotland duty however.
if JH is to play in the final it should be at left wing and nowhere near left back.
or biggest concern for the final is that we don’t have a natural No.9
Ron67
Just spluttered my afternoon tea.
I thought your JH was Jack Hendry !!!!
Don’t go all MadMitch on us….
Play this guy on Saturday
https://youtu.be/pnrQ5B5iB94
Celtic mac-KT has delayed his opp to make sure he plays in the final,trust me ??♂️
ruggyman
Don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Any good, Celtic-minded bars in Stoke in which to watch the game on Saturday?
Asking for a friend, of course ;-))
HH
BGFC
RUGGYMAN- I told all this to a fellow blogger weeks ago,no way was he going to play after final ??♂️??♂️?
fairhill bhoy
And therein lies the problem.
CELTIC MAC on 22ND MAY 2019 3:27 PM
fairhill bhoy
And therein lies the problem.
=======
Yeah. Hes having an operation. After the final.
HH
Ralston was rank on sunday, which was no doubt down to rustiness and thats me being generous. ML to start.
im quite happy to stick with Lennybhoy’s “confirmation” that it wont be NFL, though id love him to be part of the set up somewhere, if it suited him.
CELTIC MAC-there is no problem,he is having the opp after the final
Traditionalist88
So he’s fit enough to have surgery? Good news!
CELTIC MAC on 22ND MAY 2019 2:44 PM – good post, completely agree.
Hutchybhoy-you brought the weather ?
The offer of a beer still stands ?☀️☀️☀️
yup, lustig’s broke.
rock tree bhoy
Thank you! Kieran’s long term future is surely more important than the Scottish Cup Final.
There will be more of them. There is only one Kieran Tierney!
Celtic Mac 2.44pm
Would be a bit pointless really to appraise the management of KT’s injury problems without factoring in professional opinion of the clubs medical staff.
KT doesn’t pick the team and whoever our manager is is quite within their rights to ask them how they’re feeling.
HH
Is ‘rustiness’ the new ‘pish’ ???
T88- it’s all been factored in ?
Big Wavy
Fans can be an un-forgiving lot.
I’m not sure what level of football you have ever played. But in my own experience it can take more than 1 game to put in a level of performance that does yourself justice.
Like most players, he’d benefit from a run of games.
Pretty much Big Wavy
He’s more inconsistent than a winger
Hopefully Kieran needing an operation will scare away the clubs interested in buying him
Its a real shame big Chris can’t manage….
Sutton said: “When I arrived I wanted to put Rangers in their place. I felt strongly about this. I came to Scotland to be a winner and be successful.
“I had a bad year at Chelsea the previous season and wasn’t ready for another. We beat Rangers 6-2 at Parkhead in my first Old Firm game. In that match I was up against Lorenzo and Bert Konterman.
“I found Amoruso to be a good motivation. He fancied himself and had a real arrogance about him.
“That was like a red rag to a bull for me. I wanted to dominate him, show him who was boss.
“I had it in my mind before that game that I wanted to get on the pitch and smash him around. Winning personal battles on the pitch was a big part of my game.
“I used to think about how I was going to get the better of my direct opponent, to out-think, out-muscle and even out-manoeuvre him. We won and I scored twice.”
“I also liked playing at Ibrox. The surface was usually good and the atmosphere was always volatile.
“I played on the winning side there on several occasions under O’Neill.
“There was something sweet about stepping in to the lions’ den and beating Rangers on their own turf.
“It gave me a great level of satisfaction to know how much the Rangers fans were hurting after we’d beaten their team. Beating Rangers was great.
“Knowing I’d helped to make hundreds of thousands of Celtic fans happy was extremely satisfying.
Well said Chris, imo this is exactly the frame of mind our next manager must have, in spades.
Ruggyman
My brevity never does me justice but on this occassion I don’t see anything more than a decent pro who’ll end up at a Dundee or St Mirren. Next season I would like that position resolved with a bit of investment rather than Ralston’s development path.
BIGBHOY-dont count on it
Anyway back up to room and have been left a bottle of castell d’ ordal.
Cheep plonk on yir birthday ???
Just in case anyone had forgotten
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13110164.spiers-on-sport-rangers-new-club-or-old-and-the-bbc
Eurochamps67