Most scouted player in years, new keeper, Balzers wreaking havoc

A big Celtic welcome to our new goalkeeper, Logan Bailly, who joined from Belgian side Leuven yesterday, and to Nadir Ciftci, who was confirmed a Celtic player this morning, Ronny’s third and fourth signing of the summer.  And it’s only 9 July!

Craig Gordon will be difficult to shift as Celtic’s first choice keeper but Celtic rested him regularly last season, his first back in action after three years recuperating, so Logan will expect a chance to shine and stake his claim.

Nadir Ciftci should be expecting the most difficult preseason of his career.  The weeks ahead will be an intense step up from what he was used to at Dundee United, but if he responds he stands an excellent chance of leading the line on the third Champions League qualifying round, should Celtic overcome Icelanders Stjarnan.  Next week’s second round game might come too soon.

Ciftci’s every move, kick, pass and, erm…. disputed event, has been watched by Celtic for months.  They know as much about the player as it’s possible to know without actually employing him.  They will also have had the opportunity to take references from Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong.  In short, if we have another Pukki-Balde-Scepovic on our hands, we have more acute problems than simply another striker who didn’t work out.

For this reason, I’m sure Ciftci will deliver what’s expected of him.

Delighted to hear former Fifa executive committee member Chuck Blazer has been banned for life by the game’s governing body.  Blazer ‘came to a favourable arrangement’ (I think that’s the appropriate phrase on these occasions) with US prosecutors when convicted of tax evasion, money laundering and bribery.

Unfortunately, Fifa’s structure, which gives the Cayman Islands, the Cook Islands and Comoros more combined voting power than Germany and Spain, encourages corrupt patronage to thrive.  The money flushing through tiny countries in order to ‘develop the game’ ensures wealthy people are created, given powerful positions, from where they can be relied upon to vote the ‘right’ way.

Still, at least no one with Blazer’s rap sheet would be allowed to exploit the patronage to hand out blazers in order to wreak havoc on a vulnerable Scottish club (laughs away to himself for weeks).