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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petec
09:34 on 29 May, 2013
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Please keep sprinkling yer magic-dust over the blog :)
The ole – GSH – his faither was supposed to be a guid
Cellic player ?
Class, Class n More Class – CSC
I hear Rod Stewart has been trying all sorts of asiatic delicacies said to enhance long life and happiness recently…though he is back on the egg and chips as he was getting terrible Pangolin wind….
PlacesToGoCSC
.
A Stor Mo Chroi
09:25 on
29 May, 2013
001
Eddie McGuire is a big Celtic Supporter.
..
Yes Eddie tell Us he is a Celtic Supporter..Hmmmm
He used to write Old Firm articles with The Heral Sun..(And Slag Rangers Supporters for Errrrmmm..He asked us to take our CSC Club to the MCG with Collingwood..l have met Ole Ed a few times..
Can You Imagine Peter Lawwell comparing a Opponents player to King Kong..3 Days after a Celtic Supporter racially abused the said Player..ffs just showing himself up for what he is..
Summa
TootingTim
09:40 on 29 May, 2013
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The nearest I’ve ever been to Rod was when, we played for a season at Hamdump and at half-time there would be an impersonator brought on.
I can mind of – Rod – Elvis – Michael Jackson ?(I think)
The impersonators would do their stuff and then end with – YNWA
They were the days – CSC
Willie Wallace will be on the blog, in person, in around 15 minutes.
TSOAL
Not sure what you mean by “the new email option”. If you mean below: Create Mail then, no, I cannot see anything there. Also, the box which says Some pictures have been excluded etc fails to appear!
JJ
KevJungle
09:40
I kill blogs, I certainly don’t mean to. ;))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEgiNag27WI
It is when the Secret Societies get people to empty their minds, and replace with their , step by step indoctrination, you huv tae worry.
Hail Hail m8ty.
Paul67
Maybe Willie can sort my PC problem 0:-)
And here was me thinking you get a couple of trial games to see if a team likes you then if they fancy you they sign you, shesh! what did I know…Mr Bryson has cleared that up for me you sign a 3 year contract THEN you become a trialist,……..Honestly it beggars belief.
There are two people named Alexander Bryson who are/were Rangers shareholders in 2008.
Just saying like.
Alex Thompson Blog
@alextomo: TOMOBLOG: RANGERS LBA EXCLUSIVE http://t.co/vDd6mWydWF
sandy.bryson@scottishfa.co.uk has been sent an email by me. It hasn`t been returned (yet) so I am assuming the address is correct if anyone else would like to ask him how a player on a three year contract can be considered a trialist.
JJ
001
Diegos: “A lot of our hard nosed soccer readers out there would be thinking, ‘McGuire’s a good bloke, but what the hell would he be doing on the Diegos’.
Our research department tells us that you are a descendant from a long line of Scottish coal miners that either supported Glasgow Celtic or Glasgow Rangers.
What’s it going to be Eddie – Mark Viduka’s Celtic or Tony Vidmar’s Rangers?”
McGuire: ”You are either one or the other, there’s no half measures there, just ask Mo Johnson!
I’m a big Glasgow Celtic boy. My father is from Glasgow and was asked to go down to Celtic but the war got in the way. My family is very staunch Celtic supporters.
I actually had Mark Viduka as my guest at a Collingwood match just before he went back to Parkhead. It was all quite interesting because I rang my cousin in Scotland who is a mad Celt and asked him if he wanted a word with the V-Bomber. The first thing he asked him wasn’t, ‘how are things going etc etc’… but instead… ‘What the hell are you doing over there your supposed to be back here training.”
All this talk about folk getting their nicks in a twist about saying something racial ?
I believe that there was – still is – a lobby on this blog to remove – Kojo – for saying
n## n## at Bobo Baldie – 4 years ago ?
Well – I attended both the home and away legs of our Uefa Cup games with N. Forest
in 1983 and – at both games – two thirds of the Celtic support made m#nkey noises at
Viv Anderson every time he touched the ball ?!?!?
So – going by the Kojo / Law on here – should all of those Celtic fans have been banned from CP ?
Btw – Kojo is one of the MOST – learned / perceptive / spade is a spade- types – on here.
I look forward to what he has to say about the MOST important area of the club – on the
pitch !!!
I expect an avalanche after this but – that’s nothing new.
Hail Hail
Injuries have slowed James Forrests progress i think all agree with that. He had a poor game against Juve at Celtic Park and wasn’t the only one, we got it wrong that night and a lot of frustration comes from that .
Yes next season is a big one for him but so is every season
He has many of the attributes to be a top player , we just need to be patient and supportive.
I heard that Gary Hooper is happier when James plays.
Has Sevco’s player registration ban hindered them in any way?
Some punishment that was!
@JorgeCadete11: Hi Celtic Fans, look the surprise i do 2 U
http://t.co/puAwLyyJyd
Jorge says thanks to the fans.
JJ
Have you switched your navigation pain off?
TSOAL
What and where is that?
JJ
I’d like to thank the Celtic supporters for all their support over the years and Paul and everyone on CQN for getting behind my book. I can’t believe the number of copies that I have to sign for the supporters on CQN. I am here until 12 o’clock then I have to go and meet Tom English for an interview that Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan set up for me.
If you have any questions this morning let me know and I will answer.
Does anyone else find it surreal that Sandy Bryson is clarifying how Rangers can get around their signing ban?
Is this guy for real?
In any other country his comments would be followed by some anger that this loophole exists and a pledge to close it off as soon as possible, but not in Scotland, here the head of registrations actually outlines how you can escape the ban imposed on you by his own bosses.
Only in Scotland………….
borgo67
09:59 on 29 May, 2013
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I don’t think that JF was fit v’s Juve ?
I also think that – when your main man in the CL
is out injured – you don’t hen go with – 3 strikers
2 of whom were injured. I think that Neil was too
gallus wi his tactics and he played Efe with no
protection from midfield in front of him ?
Because we beat Barca – dizny allow us to think
that we’re a – big noise in the CL. Neil should have
known that. imo
The 1st game v’s Juve at CP – we should have parked
the bus and took our chance from any breaks. imo
What do I know – CSC
JJ
Click on View
hen=then
typo
sorry
Ooops sorry for that rant Willie just as you arrived, cheers for Lisbon still the best day our club has ever known.
Welcome to the site. What was it like to play with such a Grafter like Stevie Chalmers?
Welcome to the blog, Willie, great to meet you on Saturday, so many great stories. The boys are still talking about you, they are coming to Waterstones in Stirling for your signing session on Thursday evening.
Question:
Who from the current squad would get near the Lions team?
Willie Wallace
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The negative – KevJungle has gone – Off oot
And he has been replaced by the – happy clapping – KevJungle :)))
Hail Hail n Thanks For EVERYTHING M8.
Mr Wallace –
Welcome to the best football site on planet earth. And thanks for bringing some Australian sunshine with you!
An honour to be on the blog at the same time as you.
Jobo Baldie
ps – how’s Sydney Tim doing? ;-)
Willie – did we underestimate Feyenoord in 1970?
Maybe someone could ask Willie Wallace about his first ? goal in the euro cup semi.
It comes from a free-kick taken by Bertie. Forever imprinted on my mind.
Bertie looks as if he is going to chip the ball into the box but at the last moment he stops bends down as if to reposition the the ball with his hand but he instead taps the ball sideways to the on-rushing Willie Wallace who arrows a shot into the net.
Was it a pre-planned move ? Or spur-of-the-moment improvisation?
Other memories of that game was the great (former European player of the year) Josef Masopust dictating the play for much of the first half . Luckly the skill ,class and energy of Celtic prevailed 3-1.
Hi Willie, I met you the last time you where in Vegas for the North American Convention I am heading back there next week, will you be there Willie?
was going to ask “THE QUESTION ” to newcomers .
couldn’t ask a legend !!
TSOAL
Tried that. Everything seemed OK so Ilogged off, logged back on and now I am not receiving any messages!
Not fair to talk of this whilst Willie is available so I will leave it for now. Thanks very much for your efforts.
JJ
Willie do you still get joy from watching football or do y
Stevie Chalmers – I made a comment yesterday that Joe and I was supposed to be matched up yet the way it all worked out Stevie was brilliant – vastly underrated player, read the game really well, played really well – Steve worked all day long and was a good goalscorer. I played with him when i was 16 in the juniors for Rob Roy – we played a game where we won 10-3 against Blantye Celtic – I scored a couple but Stevie scored 4 or 5. He was the senior player and I was just a boy though!
Willie do you still enjoy watching football or do you think they are all overpaid prima donnas?
kev jungle
i agree with you . Just cant bring myself to be critical of Neil in a public forum even amongst friends .
Sorry didn’t mean to get in the way of Willie Wallace