A crucial aspect of the season just past was the form of goalkeeper, Fraser Forster. Fraser has been Celtic’s first choice goalkeeper since joining on loan from Newcastle United as a 22-year-old but his deal was only made permanent 11 months ago, when he was secured for a fee reported as £2m.
Now 25, the keeper has enjoyed a dream campaign. Celtic’s major achievements this season were winning the league and qualifying for the Champions League group stage, but for Fraser more than anyone else at the club, that night against Barcelona produced an outstanding personal performance. La Gran Muralla had arrived.
Now a regular member of the England international squad, Fraser is the identikit of what Celtic are about right now. Scout players with potential and provide them with the opportunity to mature to Champions League standard. The added bonus of picking Rangers International’s partner-investor, Sports Direct’s pocket makes the deal sweeter.
Fraser has it all: presence, fast reflexes and an instinct for angles, but the most important item in a keeper’s armoury is a relationship with a rock solid defence. Celtic demonstrated they could deliver on this front on Champions League duty, until they faced Juventus, but the picture has been far less convincing in the SPL.
The most striking aspect of Fraser is his sheer physical size. His 6’7” he fills the goal frame, considerably reducing the space between keeper and post at penalty kicks, which his stats are well above average for.
Fraser was disappointed not to be included in the England squad for friendly games against Ireland and Brazil over the next week but Roy Hodgson will be mindful that Celtic have a shorter summer break than any other club he will be following, and Fraser will need some break-time before preseason starts in around three weeks. This is good squad management. The keeper is likely to make his full England debut as his country prepare for the 2014 World Cup, leading to a whole raft of revised comments on the Scottish game.
Have you bought a raffle ticket for the framed Celtic top signed by the Seville squad? It costs you £1, or £10 for 10!! All to benefit the 125415 campaign, aligning Celtic with our 125-year-old heritage.
Not only that, but………….
We have a framed Messi top signed by the great player who was able to breach La Gran Muralla after 183 minutes trying, available for auction. It’s not often you can buy such a memento of the world’s greatest footballer, and help Celtic charities too.
The Seville strip raffle closes on Friday but you have until Monday to bid on the Messi auction.
Willie Wallace, Heart of a Lion, available below.
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I get no kick from Champagne…
Haaaaaaarrrrrrruuuuuuuppppppphhhhhhh
125 years of unbroken history
hail hail
jam67
It’s been a long season, but 2012/13 is now in the history books. And there is much to remember.
Celtic’s Double – A Review Of The Season
Nearly.
Stupid iPhone Csc
BMCUWP, When ACGR turned up at my door wearing the onesie, Mrs Doc was standing behind me, she disnt say anything, but I knew what she was thinking:-D
Balls, not even a podium.
birthday joy
Willie wallace book ordered Paul,any signed copies left? or has Wispy’s erm fell aff lol.
Just back from hols. Paul, I purchased the Willie Wallace book about 2 weeks ago, I think the first day you put it up on the suite, but still no sign of it in the post. I’m living in Dublin. Has anybody else had it delivered to an Irish address yet ?
Not often I am in the top ten
By the way here is a link to me talking rubbish on Billy No’well’s Desert island Tims.
http://www.spreaker.com/user/billynowell/desert_island_tims_with_brogan_rogan_mp3
Wonder if the lovely Charlotte will drop any snippets ahead of the board meeting tomorrow at spivco
For “suite”, read “site”!
Against Juventus ,i think the home tie first killed us ,the crowds anticipation and knowing we couldn’t sit back,we played into juventus’s hand and they knew it.they gave us the ball let us play with it.
How we got as far as we did was by playing deep at the back and hit on the break,from the qualifiers right through the group stage,the same thing happend when we went to Benfica,we only needed a point and we shot our selfs in the foot.we dont have the quality to play football against this calibre of opposition.
Sit back hit on the break ,..its the way forward ,for us..
Hail Hail
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
12:31 on 28 May, 2013
Gonnae tell my wife that……she hides the chocolate from me …….(justifiably, I might add…..!!!!)
Paul
I remember visiting a chinese restaurant in lanzarote called La Gran Muralla …..
Meaningless trivia …. close seasonitis ;)
POTY – Charlie Mulgrew
YPOTY – Victor Wanyama
Best Game – Barcelona 2-1
Not many people wanting to talk football at work today.
Funny that.
Double expresso for lunch.
EC67
Paul 67
The MSM today are full of big FF heading back to the EPL because playing in Scotland is keeping him out of the England squad. Thanks for redressing the balance with your more factual and logical assessment!
HHHooopppeeeerrr 2-0 great again from Stokesy.
By the way Broony totally bossing the midfield.
HH
Tiocfaidh Allah!
Well done to Neil and the players for a great season,Armageddon huh.
Anyone else noticed the DJ playing lynyrd skynyrd’s still unbroken as the team was parading the trophy
subtleasfekcsc
“The added bonus of picking Rangers International’s partner-investor, Sports Direct’s pocket makes the deal sweeter.”
That’s a cracker, Paul.
A well deserved rest for big Fraser is exactly what’s needed at this stage. He’ll get called up on Engerland duty soon enough.
thecarfintim
Careless individual errors, most notably from big Efe and a ref who thought he was a wrestling referee at corners cost us the tie in that first leg
thecarfintim
12:50 on 28 May, 2013
Against Juventus ,i think the home tie first killed us ,the crowds anticipation and knowing we couldn’t sit back,we played into juventus’s hand and they knew it.they gave us the ball let us play with it.
How we got as far as we did was by playing deep at the back and hit on the break,from the qualifiers right through the group stage,the same thing happend when we went to Benfica,we only needed a point and we shot our selfs in the foot.we dont have the quality to play football against this caliber of opposition.
Sit back hit on the break ,..its the way forward ,for us..
Hail Hail
NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A SENSIBLE POST…..
I’ve been banging that drum for a year…..
Well said sir…..
thecarfintim
And, with respect, remember that when the boot’s on the other foot in the SPL!
bognorbhouyle
12:43 on 28 May, 2013
fishermhan
11:45 on 28 May, 2013
bognorbhouyle
11:29 on
28 May, 2013
MWD smashing pics
anybody know how to refresh the page on a kindle fire ?
on the black tab on the top of the screen tap the x this opens a larger tab the refresh is on the right hand side of this tab
hope this helps ye
HH
THANKS FOR THE REPLY
bmcuw right on time I was and loved it all
mighty tim
might get up for a qualifier, the sister arrived today( A .M B)
other sister arrives Thursday (T.B) Chris’s daughter on Saturday don’t know how i’ll cope!!
Marti Sandino,
I think they were only signed on Friday – so take in mind a few Bhoys recovering post Cup Final and Bank Holiday in UK yesterday, you’ll probably be looking at the end of this week at the earliest…
HH
Remember reading the Italian sports papers the day after the Barca game.
Fraser was ‘Il grande muro’ – Italian for ‘la gran muralla’ funnily enough!
Italian and Spanish belong to the same language group – but ‘wall’ in Italian is masculine, and feminine in Spanish!
Weird – eh?!
HH!!
What’s the latest on the Achill Islam ‘banner controversy’?
HH!!
Tallahbhoy.
bognorbhouyle
Lol you will manage fine P that’s what families are all about. If you are up for qualifier give e a call. I will be back from holiday for the qualifiers mate.
HH
Hi Paul67,
“…..The Gran Muralla had arrived”
Sure had, he was awesome but Fraser’s form seemed to dip after his injury, he looked back to his best on Sunday though, on that form with his presence hehas a touch of Schmichel (sp) about him.
He has a decade of playing at the highest level in front of him, he is imo the outstanding candidate for England’s No1.
Once he gets his chance they’ll be no looking back I’m sure.
Hail! Hail!
Just in case you haven’t sen yet
Aleksander Tonev close to £2m Celtic deal
Celtic are close to signing a deal to secure winger Aleksander Tonev from Lech Poznan. The Polish side are understood to have agreed to sell Tonev, a Bulgarian international with 11 caps to his name. The midfielder has been monitored by several sides on the continent, including Lazio, Fiorentina, Werder Bremen and Malaga, but Tonev looks set for Parkhead after declaring his interest in moving to Glasgow.
“It’s important I consistently play Champions League football. Celtic is somewhere I could achieve that.”
Meanwhile, Thomas Rogne is looking for a new club as the expiration of his contract looms. The defender did not feature in the Scottish Cup final squad and is set to be moved on by Lennon. (Daily Record, Daily Express)
‘New evidence’ surfaces in Rangers investigation
An investigation looking into links between former Rangers chief executive Charles Green and Craig Whyte may be delayed after claims from Whyte’s camp that fresh evidence will cast doubt on Green’s account of the affair. The report, compiled by QC Roy Martin, is expected to be published in the next 48 hours, but Worthingon Group plc – the company pursuing Whyte’s claim – have promised to produce prima facie evidence of links between Green and Whyte.
A leak of the report suggests Green will be cleared of wrongdoing, after which he could be free to return to the Rangers board. (Daily Mail)
List of the unseeded teams that celtic may draw in the second round of the CL. Celtic’s coefficient is 37.53 points
Unseeded teams country coef.
Zeljeznicar Sarajevo Bos 4.566
FH Hafnarfjardar Isl 4.083
ETO Györ Hun 3.850
The New Saints Wal 3.766
Ludogorets Razgrad Bul 3.450
Sligo Rovers Irl 3.225
Shakhtyor Karaganda Kaz 2.941
Skënderbeu Korçë Alb 2.833
Birkirkara Mlt 2.541
EB Streymur * Far 2.316
Cliftonville Nir 2.116
Daugava Daugavpils Lat 1.658
Tre Penne * Sma 1.383
Kalju Nomme Est 1.191
CS Fola Esch Lux 0.925
Tallybhoy
13:01 on
28 May, 2013
Not only do you get great team information and all things CELTIC.
Now we get Italian and Spanish lessons…. superb!
Keep up my education cheils
Thanks Celbridge Celt for the info!
Marti
sitting at the bbc waiting to watch filming of a quiz show
will this get me banned from ibrokes?
gerry s
13:09 on 28 May, 2013
sitting at the bbc waiting to watch filming of a quiz show
will this get me banned from ibrokes?
…………..
Is the show called “are you a Hun?