Whatever plans Celtic had for the summer of 2020, the pandemic and a 6’ 7” goalkeeper put paid to them. Fraser Forster spent the previous season performing miracles for Celtic on loan from Southampton. Both were keen to extend his stay, so much so that Fraser’s pal and understudy, Craig Gordon, accepted lesser terms from Hearts than were on offer from Celtic to get some football.
A week after Craig left, Southampton gave Celtic the green light on a fresh loan, but on taking the call, Fraser about turned, he had heard of interest from Chelsea and wanted to pursue that option to a conclusion.
Without two keepers, and with a ban on international travel, Celtic had to go to market for a replacement without the ability to watch players. The list came down to the best from the Scottish market, or theimpressive AEK Athens keeper when they eliminated us from the Champions League qualifiers two years earlier. The Є5m plus wages spent on Vasilis Barkas will remain a lesson for years to come.
Fresh from a domestic crisis, Shane Duffy arrived on loan from Brighton. The Celtic supporter suffered a torrid time alone in Glasgow that spilled into his play.
We needed a striker and money was available with two options under consideration: Peterborough’s Ivan Toney, or West Ham’s Albian Ajeti. Toney was banging them in, in the English third tier, whereas Ajeti had just spent a wasted year at West Ham. Ajeti, though, was a full Swiss international, who got the move to West Ham on the back of two great seasons at Basel, where he had also gained Champions League experience.
Albian was the man the manager and scouts all wanted, a rare unanimous nomination, they were delighted to get his signature. How you can score 26 in 32 starts for Basel, then do nothing for four years between spells at West Ham, Celtic and on loan at Sturn Graz, is another red flag. Toney became a sensation in the EPL and a full England international. He is currently serving an 11 month ban from the game for betting transgressions. Red flags, eh?
With Ajeti is set to leave for Turkish football this week, the lessons from him, Duffy and Barkas, not to mention Forster and Toney, paint a picture of the many pitfalls in the sport. It’s only easy on paper, once the whistle goes, normal rules are off. Maybe we should stick to players Benfica are prepared to cut loose after one league start.
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St Stivs
Naw. I’m usually too pissed to remember what I posted for you. 🤣
Snake
For sure but it’s not gonna happen
BRRB
If you don’t mind, please post the photograph of your New York ancestors.
Mr Capone’s pals.
Don’t mess with the N.Y. McGuire’s
:) :)
Brian
TET
It is Celtic . I think we know.
We would look a bit silly buying a bloke who scored 7 goals in 40 odd games while offloading Ajeti. His form must be about the same. Did Ajeti get enough of a chance? How many games did he start? Seem to remember most of his goals came in a short run of games. Something went wrong somewhere.
How many directors do we have? And what is their remit? Eg finance director, HR director, anything other than football director?
Over at the US Open Andy Murray serving faster than BRRB’s barman…
You dont get much quicker than that
Celtic Mac
🤣🤣
This transfer window has turned has turned into a real nail-biter. Who saw this coming?
Westcraigs
Me 🤭
BelmontBrian
My NYC ancestors would have laughed at the fat Chicago no mark.🤣
Good evening Ghuys,
I have not been on here since GG died. Pamela, GG’s (Ronnie Docherty) daughter has reached out to me to see if anyone can help for the Kilkie game on 07th October. She refers to her kids but they’re not kids. The tickets are for herself, her daughter and her Partner and for Pamela’s Son. Ideally 4 together or 2 pairs. This is her message:
Hi there…..me again!! Wondering if u have a contact for game tickets? I’m looking for 4 tickets for the Kilmarnock game on 7th oct – my kids & I wanna go for my dad x. If anyone can help please messages me.
They’ve looked at hospitality for Jock Stein Stand at £105 each but I said I would ask around.
If anyone can help please email me at lennybhoycfc@gmail.com
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Lennybhoy,
I think Marc/Jobo are good for organising something Special.
GG’ is missed.
I’m happy to give a wee bit back to what GG’ gave Celtic supporters all Around the World.
Watching 17 million quoted,Rieder,of Young Boys v Maccabi.He was anonymous 1st game,nearly same here.
Vastly overpriced.
PETEC on 29TH AUGUST 2023 8:38 PM:
Got your email, thank you. I have reached out to CRC, Jobo and a few others.
Thanks for your email.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
scraping the barrel at the last minutes and having to pay well over the odds due to desperation.
Not sure how I feel about rumours Pierre van Hooijdonk’s boy might be a target.
Sometimes it can work but not always.
Rumour has it, years ago, we were interested in signing Gil Heron’s son ….
… but decided against it when he turned up for a trial with his piano, his poetry and almost zero footballing talent.
Greenpinta,
Ajeti was not much good with us,but Hammers paid 7 million for him,obviously on the back of his form at Basle.Barkas WAS a very good keeper in Greece,so much so,that the Greek media named him The Wall”
What happened to both of them is anyones guess.Wont be the first or last.
i wish rangers were playing tonight, and depending on their outcome we can decide who we will buy.
a theory on the timternet
lennybhoy nice to see you again in friday, that was a table of super celts, well to me anyway,
and we got the big boat to park there just so you had a view out the windae
CELTIC40ME @ 3:38 & 3:40 PM,
I thought that one was beyond debate now
A few points, Ange wanted us to improve and to make us “a Champions League club.”
We haven’t improved and Ange is no longer with us
So if you mean that it was an abject failure, well yes, that is beyond debate
We have lost Gio, Jura, Jenz, Starfelt, Jota, Mooy, we are expecting bids for some of our first team before the transfer window closes.
We have brought in 45 mn to supplement our 60 mn in the bank and 40 mn we will get from UCL participation
Hatate and CCV are injured
I make that eight of the team that Ange wanted to improve, out for Ibrox this week and the UCL later this month
We have replaced Jura with Alistair Johnston
We have replaced Starfelt with Nawrocki
We have brought in Iwata as a replacement for Mooy and utility player but he hasn’t settled or flourished in Glasgow yet
So he and the seven prospects we have brought in are a work in progress
We all hope they make it obviously but they do look a mixed bag and it certainly would be unfair to expect them to shine this season.
Hail Hail
PVH’s son couldn’t be as big an a@@@hole as PVH proved to be with his comments about wages and homeless people.
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 29TH AUGUST 2023 9:15 PM
PVH’s son couldn’t be as big an a@@@hole as PVH proved to be with his comments about wages and homeless people.
————-
i met PVH twice and had a chat both times, he bitterly regretted that statement and claimed he was mis-represented in the press.
then again he is dutch so know knows.
RC,
Don’t see any barrels being scraped.
When are people going to wise up.Lambert keeps on about 60 million to spend.Even if that were true,which is bollox,that money gets you a couple of players,which will not be good enough to make any dent in CL,as many would wish,and expect.
Their wages combined would be around 8 million a year.
If they fail,what next?.
Fed up listening to this I’ll thought out pish.We operate in a market we can afford,if its not good enough,go watch Man City.
Chairbhoy,
Again with Mooy,how great has he become in 2\3 of a season.A 6 month legend.Next statue on the Celtic Way.
Seems we are trying to negotiate a loan for Portuguese boy,with a realistic price to buy him,hopefully he gives Jota a bell….
Celtic need to be signing projects with high ceilings or players who are intended to be immediate upgrades to the first team.
Everything in between is a waste of time and money with the very odd (emergency) exception.
When you buy squad fillers you end up with deadwood. Buy better and you existing first team theoretically become your backup, or they step up and you’ve brought in at least an able deputy.
When your deadwood are so far out the picture you end up having to pay them to leave.
TURKEYBHOY @ 9:27 PM,
Well P67 tends to be more gushing than I when it comes to Aaron
All I’d say, he was Head and shoulders above the handful of defensive midfielders on our books
Ange brought him in to do a job and he did it, a fine swansong season for him
We’d be looking for younger and better for this seasons UCL campaign that’s for sure but having him in the squad would have been no bad thing.
The point is, he needed replaced by a quality, experienced midfielder and for various reasons that hasn’t happened.
Hail Hail
Who’s the Portuguese player?
Names being floated as the 4 signings are:
Palma
Bernardo
Jonny (Wolves LB)
Podence
BADA
If we buy a Jonny for LB we should be well-protected there !
Let’s go for it; no pulling out ;))
Quad- he’s too wee anyway….
https://www.wolves.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/jonny/
https://youtu.be/odtMn8jyCjs?feature=shared
1 minute 18 seconds in.
What we’re up against on Sunday.
No referee awards a penalty for this unless primed beforehand to award a penalty.
His career should have ended there and then.
But, of course, a bad decision that hurts Celtic will NEVER damage your career at the SFA.
https://twitter.com/AnthonyRJoseph/status/1696627454402527482?t=-DVOMa-8MJ7eoEd-yxXExQ&s=19
Portuguese MF looks interesting…
Quarry men in the Champions League
Back to Basics- https://thecelticstar.com/the-scottish-fa-tag-team-from-rugby-park-get-their-reward/
2 minutes 25 seconds in.
https://youtu.be/pEQ0hcjOOEc?feature=shared
The eagle eyed VAR on Sunday.
TNT commentator hoping for some heroic performances in Eindhoven.
Think he meant from PSV players.?
Can’t Brenda convince Mr Evans to come here for a year with more guaranteed playing time and chance to mentor Gus and Maik ?
Then we could rubber-stamp deals for 2 Jonnys.
…getting ma coat