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Michael Nicholson’s biggest challenge

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

The glut of youth players we have lost to England and Germany in recent years is disappointing but feels far from critical. Great talent seldom emerges above the background noise in the teenage years. For some, it takes a lot longer.

Henrik Larsson was 25 and had endured a season spent mainly as a Feyenoord substitute in 1997. He contemplated returning to Sweden when Wim Jansen took him to Scotland. That development story seems inconceivable; Henrik always had talent, he played a World Cup semi-final three years earlier, but his value was far from obvious, even in a tier two league.

Kyogo was four months older than Henrik when he arrived in Glasgow and had been first choice at Vissel Kobe for just 2.5 years. Vissel took a £150k punt on him from the third tier. His reputation in Europe is still vastly greater than in Japan, where he is a national team outlier.

There is a lot of snobbery in football. Half the scouts in Europe had watched and overlooked Larsson before he came to Celtic. How good could a player that has been watched that many times actually be? He was just shy of his 33rd birthday when Barcelona eventually moved.

I am hopeful we hold onto our double Player of The Year for similar reasons. Kyogo has ‘done it’ in Scotland, but so has Kevin van Veen, the 31-year-old Motherwell great and Scunthorpe journeyman. Snobbery will count against Kyogo, as will his slight build, at least until he troubles goalkeepers in the Champions League.

That day could be here within four months, but before then, Michael Nicholson will want to address the biggest challenge he faces, extending Kyogo’s contract beyond 2025.

The Road to Seville cyclists are nearing the end of their incredible journey. After a greulling day through the Spanish mountains yesterday, they have a more modest 44 mile journey to Talavera de Reina, which is just about the middle point in the country.

More importantly, their efforts have already raised over £64k for the Celtic FC Foundation. That’s an incredible sum which will help the Foundation carry out its life-enhancing work. Today we hear from cyclist Clare Sweeney and Foundation chief executive, Tony Hamilton. They share the values which inspire them in their football and daily lives, and bear witness to what this Celtic thing is all about.

I hope you enjoy the interview. You can donate to the team’s efforts here and follow their progress on Twitter here.  Thank you all your support.

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  10. Celtic Mac on

    The discrimination against Women’s football in both Scotland and England from the 1920’s through to the 1970s was and is still a scandal of the highest order. Not only, if female, could you not play for Rangers FC, you could not play for anyone. And, I would argue it negatively affected women’s football in these parts for more than a generation or two after that. The Women FAs in both Scotland and England should sue both the SFA and the FA for the loss opportunity, income etc over the best part of a century, one based on discrimination at all age levels.

     

    Welcome the competition in Scottish Women’s football, including the progress by our Celtic side, but, like others on here, not too comfortable about the direction it is currently taking promotion wise.

  13. Melvin Udall on

    Just read an article on Jason Cummings on James Forrest’s site and thought I’d post his hilarious attempt at a panenka at Hampden for a laugh.

     

     

    What a complete tool!

     

    😂😂😂

     

     

    https://youtu.be/mkY9K1ju05w

  16. Greenpinata on

    CELTIC MAC on 16TH MAY 2023 11:17 PM

     

     

    Not too long ago Glasgow City applied to join the English set up citing lack of ambition of others in Scotland.

     

     

    They now have a challenge although I too worry about the direction its taking.

     

    As pioneers of the Ladies game in Scotland and virtually carrying the Ladies flag in Europe i wish them well.

     

     

    Like others I am acutely aware that the Ultras have an agenda in populating the lower Jock Stein.

     

     

    HH.

  18. Melbourne Mick on

    Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    G’day GG, Great read back there this morning bhoys.

     

    Keep it up, that’s what makes this blog a must visit.

     

    And you realise every day is a learning day.

     

    Wonder if der hun realise their just ugly everyday 🤣

     

    H H. Mick

  20. DeniaBhoy on

    Glasgow City must feel a bit like the local supermarket when Tesco and Sainsburys move in. Has client loyalty and loads of goodwill but there is a certain inevitabilty about what will happen.

     

     

    In other news, newco are storming ahead in the pre- post-season transfer wars. Players snubbing mega-bucks Chelsea and Norwich for the chance to be part of Beale’s new world order to keep the old world record out of our reach.

  21. Coneybhoy on

    Note; if buying CF ticket today, use the link in the email, there is nothing on the Ticket section of Celtic site

  25. Tom McLaughlin on

    CONEYBHOY

     

    Note; if buying CF ticket today, use the link in the email, there is nothing on the Ticket section of Celtic site

     

     

    It works from the Tickets tab at the top of the page.

  26. Tom McLaughlin on

    Cup Final ticket purchased. Front row South Stand upper to right of centre.

     

     

    Means I don’t need to stand which is great for an auld fecker like me.

  27. An Tearmann on

    HRVATSKI JIM on 16TH MAY 2023 8:23 PM

     

     

    I wish to join SS and Auldheid in lamenting that Glasgow City will be overtaken by us and rangers when they could have been a common cause that all of Glasgow could support.

     

     

    Will back you up there it is sad.

     

    Glasgow City may well become the Queens Park which will be sad.My friend Jim trained and took woman’s football teams up to 4 or 5 years ago,for prev 20 years always lamenting why support from sfa was dire and pitiful.Years of coaching which started when his daughters wanted to play. Always fund raising to keep going with minimal support from football heirarchy.Some of the girls went to England.

     

    Suddenly football decide woman exist and decide to support it.it had a vibrant history within those who played, coached and organised,it was growing organically,getting to a larger community.

     

    Our club should have been in there from the start.

     

    They are hitching on.

     

    When they started they took 4 of my friends ladies,which was unsettling for all at the time.

     

    I am with you Glasgow City would have been a good vehicle to promote the game(say if it was funded by both)

     

    Hope you and yours are good Jim

     

     

    HH

  31. !!Bada Bing!! on

    A rumour, Ange,Michael Nicholson, and Dermot Desmond have arrived at CP, new deal for Ange?

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