When Celtic sign young players, we discuss how many games they have played, and by implication, how many times we could possibly have watched them. There was a sweet spot (think Virgil and Moussa) of around 60 appearances, where you and I suspected we would likely have watched the players around a dozen times. Had we waited longer for Virgil or Moussa it is likely both would have been out of reach, you snooze, you lose. That window of opportunity has been growing ever shorter.
Last night we signed a pre-contract with Sheffield Wednesdays’ Liam Shaw, who will be 20 next month and joins Celtic in the summer. Liam made his debut from the bench in July and has made 10 starts since his first in November. Scouting opportunities have been rare, but as we know, snooze/lose. At £300k this has to be the model going forward. More, please.
I discussed crowd sourcing knowledge with a friend this week. Brighton fans knew things about Shane Duffy that Celtic did not before we signed him. The same is true of Jeremie Frimpong, not one of us would pay anything near the money Leverkusen parted with for his deceptively flattering lack of service into the box. By that rule of thumb, Wednesday fans’ considerable upset at losing Liam Shaw is encouraging.
At 6’3” his profile is similar to Kristofer Ajer’s when he arrived in Glasgow from Start, both tall central midfielders with a potential to move to central defence. Some of us remember big Billy bequeathing us 19-year-old Brian McClair a few weeks before he resigned in 1983. Lenny has a lot on his plate before the end of the season.
Don’t get caught out with the early kick off tonight, 6pm against a team who have not scored in 463 minutes of Scottish Premiership ‘action’, so what can go wrong?
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https://twitter.com/CelticFC/status/1362080665810960384?s=08
@CelticFC v Aberdeen line up …
Bain, Kenny, Ajer, Welsh, Taylor, Soro, McGregor, Turnbull, Christie, Edouard, Ajeti
Subs: Barkas, Ralston, Duffy, Brown, Laxalt, Elyounoussi, Rogic, Klimala, Griffiths
Ideal game for Brown,Ferguson and McCrorie will put it about from the first whistle
Brown reinstated, win 4 games in a row…Brown dropped!
Rogic MOTM contender 2 games in a row- Rogic dropped
COYBIG
D :)
Three expensive loan signings on the bench, Money well spent ?
Anyway. COYBIG
SB67 @ 16.45
Thanks for the detailed reply — although it means I have more issues …
Who are the players we have lost a 16?
Seems to me a recent issue with players going to Germany.
Players not making it — not loan players but the annual clearout of 20 year olds.
18 months ago when this happened most ended up in the SPFL Championship aged 20/21.
That would suggest that our performance levels that season were shocking.
My thoughts are that the youth set up is poor.
I don’t think we have quality in the coaching set up.
Unprofessional attitudes to the fore — lack of leadership.
Where are the issues — intial selection at early ages?
Poor selection and scouting at 12 / 14 / 16?
Poor coaching and development of the talent we do have?
We seem to scout in England / Ireland for more experienced nplayers at 17 / 18 / 19.
Some have worked and progressed but others seem to stagnate and have issues with social media.
Again that would suggest a lack of coaching and leadership.
We need to up our game and provide more urgency and focus to the youths.
If they cannot handle a SPL game at 18 or 19 then they are not where they should be.
Not asking them to run the show — just put in a performance to support the team.
Consequently I fear we are getting it wrong at every level.
Too cosy and comfortable with a lack of quality quality coaching and development.
I fear we are fat and happy as a youth set up — getting there means many think they have made it.
Hoping SW starts tonight.
Sink or swim for him and so far so good — he is waving.
Two up front, never😱
live updates up
Only surprise is Brown dropped
Neil must think that Ferguson & McCrorie do not need a lot of battling- just beaten with skill.
Welsh for Duffy was the marginal call and it’s made now.
Rogic is a little unlucky but so would Turnbull be if he was dropped. Both are best suited to the top of the diamond role
Could be a game to match aggression but than can lead to scrappy mid exchanges and often does against them. Quickly moving ball around their “diggers” might mean better football from us..just at thought…might be wrong😉
COYBIG🍀
embdy havin a prob with celtic tv????