Brendan Rodgers has settled into a regular starting 11 for his important games. If you take Kasper Schmeichel out, who at 38-years-old is an outlier, there is a significant consistency in the outfield players’ ages.
Johnston, Trusty, Carter-Vickers, Hatate, Taylor and Maeda are all either 26 or 27. Kyogo (29) and McGregor (31) are the senior outfield players. Kuhn is 24, leaving 21-year-old Arne Engels the other outlier.
There are a couple of things to unpick from this. The first 11 are as close to their physical peak as you are ever likely to find in a team; there is not much more in the way of development Brendan will be able to squeeze out of them.
Arne Engels is so much younger than the rest of the team he will have more than just Scottish idioms to cope with as he adjusts to life at Celtic. Expect variances in form as he matures. In fact, if he successfully follows Nicolas Kuhn’s development path, expect it for years.
Only Kuhn and Engels fall into the ‘development’ category. That’s a problem for the manager two years from now – Brendan or otherwise. Recruitment is the front end of the football success process. The player development pathway comes next. Development imposes a tax on current results, but taxes are worth paying – ask David Murray.
Paulo Bernardo and Yang are both 22 and on the bench most games. They might step up, but we are highly unlikely to see Adam Idah (23) appreciate in value. Arne’s ticket price also makes the value appreciation strategy more difficult.
Recruitment and development work today determines results two years out. The 2025 transfer windows will tell us lots about where we will be in the medium term.
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03 Dec 2024, 11:54 am
An Evening with Henrik Larsson is available to stream now on Celtic TV!
Whether you want to relive the magic or couldn’t make it along in person to the sold-out event, you can catch up on all the action from the King of Kings’ night in Glasgow and hear fascinating stories from his time at the club.
Leighton Clarkson confident Aberdeen can rock Celtic as he issues Pittodrie demand
The Dons have won every home game this season and Clarkson knows when the Red Army are behind their team it is a formidable place to be, as was shown when they took care of Rangers.
Odsonne Edouard’s post-Celtic career has taken another twist: his loan spell at Leicester City could be cut short.
The French striker joined the newly promoted English Premier League outfit in the summer after being confirmed not to be in Oliver Glasner’s plans at Crystal Palace.
Brendan Rodgers says there is absolutely no doubt that Luke McCowan can play for Scotland, as he tipped the Celtic midfielder to win a call-up to Steve Clarke’s national side.
Rodgers has been massively impressed by the contribution of the former Dundee captain since he made the move to his boyhood heroes in the summer, and he put in another eye-catching display as he grabbed a goal and three assists in the 5-0 rout of Ross County at the weekend.
And the Celtic manager believes that the 26-year-old has all the attributes required to represent his country.
“I don’t think there’s any question of that,” Rodgers said.
“I think if you look at the tools that he has, because I’ve seen it for many years, that every good player can’t play at international level.
“International level for me is about technique, the technical idea and having a level of speed that allows you mobility to get around the field.
in
adi_dassler not for 2nd best @ 2:58 pm
We should buy Falkirk and let JMcG develop the talent.
——
AD – Brilliant idea out of left field.
I’m not entirely sober but if I was …..
…. IMHO, this would still be a brilliant idea out of left field.
I can just imagine the Falkirk hun reaction to that. 🤣
Question from earlier….
Goalkeeper…..Ernie McGarr. HRVATSKI JIM @6:08 good answer.
Sorry for taking long time with answer.
Kev could you do everyone a favour please and fuck off ,thanks.
SCULLYBHOY
Thank you for your message from earlier.I am not sure if I can make the Carol service,due to other engagements.Once more many thanks for your kind invite.
Kneecap playing TRNSMT next year, I predict a riot…
Still watching this in awe
Celtic 3-1 RB Leipzig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wRcfEUt7Cg
Has anyone watched the ” Kneecap” film.
Its brilliant.
Should be great at TRNSMT.
TURKEYBHOY on 3RD DECEMBER 2024 11:11 PM
Has anyone watched the ” Kneecap” film.
Its brilliant.
Should be great at TRNSMT.
—————
Watched it a few weeks ago and thought it was brilliant. Funny, clever and a very good depiction of life in Belfast for Fenians. 😂👍
Very clever bhoys and can see them becoming massive. Their lyrics and music are class. They have huge potential. 🍀🇮🇪😁👍
Almore av been listening…I’ll take it 15th…if it’s avaialable ;-))
H.H.
Am not greedy ;-))
H.H.
Good morning from a misty North Staffs
Relieved that Vale managed a 90+ minute equaliser last night
Good luck to the bhoys tonight – full strength team.
Good morning CQN
Game day.
12 hours to go.
Tick tock.
Can’t wait
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c5y83g42j22o
I find this quite sad.
To me, it highlights a couple of things ….
1. How absolute peak conditioning is required of elite athletes at all times and how hard it is to sustain that.
“They’re not machines” (Tommy Burns)
2. The precarious nature of every footballer’s career.
This guy is a brilliant player … but his body is broken.
Modern day Paul McGrath.
Good morning all from Govanhill. Gerrintaethum Celtic!!!!
Good Matchday mornin .
Looking forward to a hard fought game tonight.
Aberdeen have slipped up of late so will be hoping to put a stop to the Green Mean Winning Machine tonight…….busy day ahead so will look forward to the “GG” live up dates later .
KASPER
AJ
CCV
TRUSTY
VALLE
McCOWAN
CALMAC
BERNARDO
KHUN
KYOGO
MAEDA
Three points please although a draw wouldn’t be a disaster .
COYBIG.
18-year-old Daniel Cummings is making waves in Celtic’s B team, and he has found himself at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war.
With a staggering 22 goals in 20 games this season, Cummings is rapidly becoming one of the hottest young prospects in Scotland. However, his future at Celtic Park hangs in the balance, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season.
Cummings’ goal-scoring exploits have caught the attention of several English clubs, including Wolves, Fulham, Ipswich Town, Sunderland, and Burnley. [MailSport]
These teams are reportedly monitoring his situation closely, as they could secure him for a minimal cross-border compensation fee if he signs a pre-contract agreement in January.
This scenario mirrors the recent exits of promising Celtic talents like Rocco Vata and Daniel Kelly, who left amid concerns over their pathway to the first team.
James Forrest ignored the call from one Celtic legend because he’s more determined to catch up with a couple of other Hoops heroes.
The Celtic star revealed he had old pal Scott Brown on the phone chancing his arm by trying to tempt the winger to sign for his Ayr United side before the contract extension came up at Parkhead instead. Forrest told Broony to hold fire for a while yet as he still has unfinished business with Celtic – like equalling incredible records held by legends Paul McStay and Jimmy McGrory.
BELFAST JOE
I am sorry that you cannot get to the Carol Service, but do call at Reception asap as there is a Christmas present there for you to collect.
Hope to meet up a some stage to tour the Clonard.
Enjoying being a Celt, hope we never take it for granted.
BTW, I would take any sort of win tonight (a draw would not be the worst result).
HH
This is a conversation I had with my friends after the RBL game at CP, and for me it is a huge positive. I appreciate the point you are making Paul, but the facts are that when we have players that have been at the club for two years plus and/or are more experienced we get better performances domestically and better results in Europe.
I want to watch a Celtic team that is playing as close to it’s maximum as possible and not just one that is developing players to sell on. I appreciate the balance isn’t easy but for several seasons between 2012 and 2022 the balance was not there, which is partly why we did so badly in Europe.
The only time the Scottish league becomes competitive is when we drop our standards – such as our recruitment in the summer of 2023.
So, yes we will need to look at younger players in January and next summer but to surely complement what we have. The core should never be youth.
McCowan (26) has the ability to impact us like Barry Robson and Paul Hartley did in 2008 and Bernardo has the potential to develop and impact us equally.
Clearly the fees for Engels and Idah is an issue for you, and if we look at Edouard I can see your point. Net we made something like £2-4m off that deal which is not how we ordinarily operate. But, that player gave us some big moments (other than his last season) and that MUST be a big consideration.
Balance. Lennon Miller should be signed – if we can. He ticks every box.
We certainly need to look at left back, left wing and up top in the next 12 months.
It’s all good though. In the here and now we are getting the club some respect back in Europe – and that is important.
I like the fact that this Top of the Table clash is between ourselves and Aberdeen. Makes a pleasant change.
Golf beckons on a cold but pleasant Arbroath morning.
Cheerio for now.
P.S. Idah will probably not get us a bigger fee than we paid – or certainly not much net profit. Engels I think has the potential to do so but it is much harder – as you have stated. But if we had not signed the former this season could have been much different. He is second choice but he has had many positives already.
The new article will be up at noon.
Idah was unlucky not to get three goals at the weekend – denied by the woodwork and some exceptional saves. If you pick a team based on form rather than reputation, Idah looks more likely to score than Kyogo at present. Kyogo is missing a lot of chances that he would have buried when on form.
Start Idah tonight.
Same goes with Paolo and Luke, they are playing better than Arne and Reo. They cover more ground, are more aggressive and are more of a goal threat. At least one if not both of them deserve to start. In a week or two or next month it might be different yet again. Play the players on form, not on reputation.
Any empty seats at the Larsson event?😉
Good morning all from the Queens Park Cafe. Had a stroll around the park, a rather chilly morning in old Glasgow Town. 🥶
Adam Idah,if he keeps scoring,and playing well,will go in the future for a great profit.What’s this nonsense” We won’t make much”.Big,strong,skillful,has decent pace,scores goals.Keeps improving at this rate,teams will be queuing up.
Strikers like him are gold dust.Do you
watch any other football?.Have any idea what clubs pay?.