When an unexpected name flies into the frame from left field there’s always a concern about what you’ve written about him before. I still remember the day we signed Kenny Miller, and an earlier blog with my assessment of the player (subsequently found to be on the money). While it’s important to be fair when assessing players, I’m not in the business of trashing them before they kick a ball for Celtic, so Miller’s signing was not a comfortable one.
With this in mind, I typed “Leigh Griffiths” into the articles database to check what had been written. Apart from match reports, there was only one comment, the day after last season’s Scottish Cup Final:
“Leigh Griffiths has had plenty of uncomplimentary discourse written about him this season, most of it deserved, so it should be recorded that he was the first Hibs player to return applause in the direction of Celtic fans yesterday, closely followed by his team-mates.
“This is the way football should be. For too long our game has been poisoned by the unique kind of rivalry you got in Scotland. More of the same, please.”
He unquestionably did deserve the criticism that came his way last year. If he gets his move to Celtic he needs to grow as a person, as well as a player, which is a big challenge. His move towards the Celtic support at Hampden was a modest but necessary first step towards reassessing other people.
Having said this, don’t go ordering your ‘Griffiths’ shirt just yet, I reckon a deal has no more than a 50% chance of happening. Wolves didn’t invite our interest and our need is to be ready by June, not February. Neither club has an imperative to do this deal, which is often an omen for snags to get in the way. Patience required, as you know………
Reminder to everyone who booked tickets for the CQteN St Patrick’s Day Dinner that they have to be paid by this Friday! Let me know if you can’t find details, celticquicknews@gmail.com
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tonydonnelly67 11.00
Big Yogi, eh? I remember against Red Star Belgrade he made a run down the wing beating 3 or 4 players. He cut inside to the edge of the box. The whole stand was by now on its feet screaming. He swung a leg at the ball, hit fresh air and, I seem to recall, fell on his erchie. Screaming transformed to the biggest groan I ever heard. Exciting? No question. Frustrating? God aye!
Turkeybhoy @ 11.03
If he’s close to being a guaranteed scorer then clubs from leagues other than the EPL would also be sniffing around. Clubs like Hamburg and Bremen are not so far from Heerenveen and are both struggling.
I would not want to risk paying a huge fee for one player. I think Tony Watt has much more going for him than Finnbagasson did that that age.
Kit,
He probably asked what a green hun is because some guys are trying to rewrite history.
ST
Stokes scored 21 in his second season with us. Commons has scored 21 already this season
!!bada bing!!
10:50 on 29 January, 2014
blantyretim is praying for the knox family
10:40 on 29 January, 2014is it Lee WallaceI thought it was Lee McCulloch they bid for…
Buy Lee get one free…..
———————-
Iol, you might not be far off the mark there.
I reckon the LG deal will go through after some haggling, on the park he will be an addition.
I’m more concerned how he will handle the hurting huns.
Still, I think we have been let down by the board, we are crying out for a player that when he gets the ball your off your seat in expectation…it’s been a long time since I’ve felt that way at paradise…maybe one of the reasons why the crowds are dropping.
Hate to sound negative…just the way I see it around me at the games.
Weeminger,
I watch the Dutch league here every week,all Herenveens games because of the interest in him.He does play up front as the sole striker,with a deeper guy just behind,but the supporting midfielders get forward very quickly.This is the way we have been playing,one forward.Every time I see him now,I think,with Commons,now Johanssen,Forrest,playing with him,he would be ideal for our style.Still,its not going to happen.I will be happy with any striker who scores goals.
Have to disagree with you about Derk.I think he is gutless.Think thats his problem.
Ferenc Puskas scored something like 700 goals in about 710 games.
If he had joined us instead of Real Madrid in the 1950s, he probably would have reached 1000.
Mind you, Bob Kelly would probably have dropped him on a regular basis.
HH!!
Kayal. Commons is a midfield player
According to reports Celtic are looking to loan out Balde.That should start a few off.
Sydney
“Just checked back and indeed we have had only one goal scoring striker in last 4 years ( ie must score at least 20).”
One striker who has done it more than once or only once in 4 years has someone scored more than 20?
Never forget, all those ‘prospects’ were others youths who couldn’t break through either. If, in a one team race for the flag, we can’t introduce and hype and move on our youth – at profit – rather than buy in others rejects – at loss – and to the detriment of our very own youth system, then I think our system is stressed.
How many of our own youths could fill the bench at such a lesser cost in wage, never mind the transfer fee, than highly paid numbed buttocks?
Geordie Munro:
Must’ve missed that, can you expand?
Sydney Tim
In the games I’ve been to/seen on TV I’d say he’s played more as a forward this season. Very rarely comes deep anymore, even rarer that he plays wide.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS ………FC not PLC 11:15 on 29 January, 2014
The night Swindon became Swinedon.
Kit,
The way I eat I most certainly can.
doctorwhat…
You’d have Big Yogi now though wouldn’t you?!?!
Turkeybhoy
11:18 on 29 January, 2014
Loaning out Balde to a Championship/League One side down south would benefit us in the long term. He needs game time and he needs to get used to the speed and physical nature of football in Britain.
My only concern is that in recent years if a Celtic player goes out on loan, he never returns.
GEORDIE MUNRO
I reckoned it was time up for John Hartson in 2006 when he only managed 20 goals despite being our first-choice striker.
My reasoning being that any Celtic striker should race past that tally with ease.
And I still believe that!
If you ever get the notion as to just how much money we have flushed down the toilet on prospects, then soccerbase.com is a good starting point to do your arithmetic. But never mind the pound notes that we’ve blown on fancy, what about the wasted dreams and lives of the youth who dared dream the dream and saw us through all those u’19 leagues to have their league winners medals creamed with their P45’s.
STEINREIGNEDSUPREME
Swine,naw. I made a reference to another animal. A heifer.
At least it sounded summat like that!
Bobby,
I agree.
We should have someone who bangs in 20+ a season.
Or 3 who score very high ‘teens’
But the difference with me is I don’t give a rats ass who gets them or where he plays.
IF, repeat IF, Nottingham F have bid £900k…its not a coincidence that an ex-hun Manages that club.
They look after their own. If I was chairman of NF I’d be asking some questions!
kitalba 11:20 on 29 January, 2014
A sweeping statement.
Players arrive and depart clubs in different circumstances. Some managers get more out of a player than others.
I mean look at Chris Sutton. He was garbage. That’s what any Chelsea fan will tell you.
He wasn’t garbage at Celtic though or Blackburn or Nowrich..
Kitalba,
Is that the same soccerbase that has John Reid as our chairman?
R*NGERS SHARES ALERT.
Now trading at 25p
The Five Bob Mob.
Not long now…..
Geordie Munro:
:-) aye okay, I won’t tell you how I’m now sliding down the scales by thirteen kilos and counting. The way it’s going there will soon be no jails bar that can hold me back.
The dick didn’t even know the meaning of the term ‘green hun’ three months ago, now in his rancid arrogance the Prince Dick accuses others of abuse when never in the history of CQN did anybody ever abuse Neil Lennon like he did.
As always I still have the posts.
Justafan
I loved the guy. It was just my digestive system that struggled sometimes.
Geordie Munro:
I said it was a good starting point, I never said it was up to date. Now there are some sho would argue that he was our worst ever signing.
Dr Whatfor & Justafan
Big Yogi
One of my all time heroes. He seemed to thrive on the heavy winter pitches but, for a big man, he had some lovely touches. What would he be worth today?
Steinreignedsupreme:
It is not a sweeping statement at all.
Morning champions from a cold but dry Lower Saxony….great post from TBB…
The Battered Bunnet
10:59 on
29 January, 2014
one might even say braw…..
hittingnailonheidcfc….
GEORDIE MUNRO
Fair enough,I canny argue wi that!
justafan 11:27 on 29 January, 2014
“IF, repeat IF, Nottingham F have bid £900k…its not a coincidence that an ex-hun Manages that club.
“They look after their own. If I was chairman of NF I’d be asking some questions!”
Forest have made a bid and it is nowhere near that figure, and they will not have to get anywhere near it to seal the deal.
As for their manager, he has a budget and he certainly doesn’t control the purse strings at the club.
Steinreignedsupreme:
Chelsea played thru’ the middle when Sutton was there, that was the undoing of Chris Sutton at Stamford Bridge, not his lack of skill or guts.
TBB great post thoughtful and well written. ST so a “non scoring striker” is one who scores under 20 per season?? Your mangling of English is breathtaking. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Kit,
Who are you referring to?
I think I’ve missed out.
Jungle Jim
Sorry, will not be at game tonight due to night shift, and other things.
I hardly miss a home game, but hope to say hello to you on Sunday,
All the best,
HH
Ps I am away to my bed
justafan@11:27
The’ve got previous for that sort of thing (well, when they were r***ers)
Trying to offload Boyd comes to mind, with a compliant McLeish starting the bidding.