Signing a great backup goalkeeper seldom makes the difference between a successful or unsuccessful season, but things felt differently in season 2020-21. After Fraser Forster left Lennoxtown, where two years ago this week he returned for preseason training, rejecting the chance to remain at Celtic, the club were plunged into turmoil. Travel restrictions make proper scouting and we ended up paying €5m for Vasilis Barkas.
As the season progressed, Vasilis was swapped out for Scott Bain and Conor Hazard. To be fair, the defence was sufficiently dysfunctional to make it difficult to impress as a keeper.
Benjamin Siegrist made a clear impact on the Celtic support two days before his 30th birthday in January, where he denied to would-be champions until Liel Abada’s 89th minute winner. He is now mobile and commanding, enjoying a position that looked unlikely five years ago.
On joining Aston Villa at 20, he was loaned out to four lower and non-league English clubs before escaping to Vaduz in his native Switzerland. After a season, he lost his place at the club. Recovery started a year later with two seasons in the Championship with Dundee United, before promotion and two seasons in the Premiership. Before arriving at United as a 25-year-old, he made 52 appearances in senior football, just 10 more than he made last season alone.
Benjamin got a lot of things wrong in his career before blossoming in his late 20s. He is a lesson to a lot of players, and a lot of scouts.
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MADMITCH on 22ND JUNE 2022 3:09 PM
VS widely reported in the €8m+ range and the city group clearly hesitant to let him go for that or even of any agreed fee in that region. I would assume because they think he could be a potential player for City after some development.
m
When Paul67 is blaming Covid for everything, at least he’s giving the SNP a break.
Ho hum.
I hope Siegrist is a genuine late developer and will be a deputy who gets used in some cup games but…………..
Scott Bain was a decent keeper for Dundee and a popular back room influence. Ben Siegrist had a couple of reasonable seasons at United. There is no clear improvement as yet.
My concern is that Ilowayemi needs game development time at a higher standard than Liwland league. He and Bosun Lawal and Owen Moffat need game time at a higher competitive level- they have a better chance of reaching SPFL level than either Siegrist or Bain
Sousa would be a great signing but he made it clear early on that he was reluctant – would love him to be persuaded but fear we may be scrambling to gets lower rated signing in in late in the window
MB @ 3.20
Can of worms.
EUR2.5mill = 60% economic rights.
Plus EUR1.5mill = another 20% of the economic rights.
So what happens to the final 20%?
Has all the hallmarks of a dog’s breakfast or 21st century slavery / indentured servitude.
Feudal economics — any more complex and we would be heading towards AmWay of old.
Not quite getting the development angle — MC / CG send him out to a second string Belgium league club who then loan him out further down the food chain.
Why should we take him on loan without any possibility of keeping him?
If this gets any more complex then he becomes an NFT rather than a person.
New article ?
SFTB @ 3.48
Back up GK — BS is huge step up from SB.
SB might be popular with some but he is too small and too limited to be good enough for us.
He has not grown into the jersey during our time with us.
In fact I think that he has shrunk somewhat.
As for the B Team — hopefully the new coaching will make a huge difference.
Talent would not appear to be the issue — application / focus / attitude is what is needed in spades. The game against the TFOD2.1 B team at P/head showed up a lot of issues.
We were the team that couldn’t handle the noise or the pressure not them
Plus I think that the Lowland League will be a much more competitive environment in the coming season as better players will be drawn to the publicity and scrutiny that the league is now generating.
Consequently for me TO should stay with the B Team while BL and OM need some time with the fist team squad and a much more intense training regime when they are with the B team squad.
The issues below the first team have been there for a number of years — the High School Musical vibe from StN’s and the “pal as coach” angle have not helped.
However the scrutiny on the reserves that the LL generated has brought the issues to the fore and all the evidence suggests that AP has asked for a total transformation with SMcM and DO’D being put in to deliver it.
Here’s hoping.
I want Fani
KINGLuBO
Kinglubo
Don’t we all😂
🤣
Cantlay was wheeled out to talk about LIV Tour,wearing a Goldman Sachs cap…….i think that they lost more people in the Twin Towers than any other company……he will get major grief if he jumps ship.
BRRB and Leggy, Kelly’s Bar, Howard Street.
https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/qUhr8SGB3ppb
And now the Imperial. Is there no end to this folly?
Bada Bing
Cantor Fitzgerald were by a long way had the most murdered in Twin Towers.
My uncle and his AON colleagues were third or fourth . Not sure Goldman Sachs were in that building. They have a huge building round Wall Street i think
Coneybhoy- just checked, you are correct, getting mixed up re post 9/11 possibly, thanks
An Tearman @ ages ago
Jetting in, Adidas Friday I’d assume
Velcome Siegrist
Are you a Pole vaulter?
No I’m German, but how did you know that my name was Walter.
theoldonesaretheoldones CSC
As CCV never seems to get injured, it is interesting that Julienn seems to want to stay and fight for a game. He always played on the RHS and was never given a LHS slot when Duffy played
If i was him, I would be looking to leave on potentially his last contract
I prefer having Welsh and Murray taking opportunities when CCV or Starfelt get rare injuries
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 22ND JUNE 2022 5:34 PM
Are yous on a MEADA pub crawl
Hic Hic
Spare a thought for poor ole Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair.
After arriving in a hotel in Manchester, he went to the bar and asked for a pint of Guinness.
The barman nodded and said, “That will be £1 please, Mr. O’Leary.”
Somewhat taken aback, O’Leary replied, “That’s very cheap,” and handed over his money.
“Well, we do try to stay ahead of the competition”, said the barman. “And we are serving free pints every Wednesday from 6 pm until 8 pm. We have the cheapest beer in England”.
“That is remarkable value”, Michael comments.
“I see you don’t seem to have a glass, so you’ll probably need one of ours. That will be £3 please.”
O’Leary scowled, but paid up.
He took his drink and walked towards a seat. “Ah, you want to sit down?” said the barman. “That’ll be an extra £2. You could have pre-booked the seat, and it would have only cost you £1.”
“I think you may be too big for the seat sir, can I ask you to sit in this frame please”.
Michael attempts to sit down but the frame is too small and when he can’t squeeze in, he complains “Nobody would fit in that little frame”.
“I’m afraid if you can’t fit in the frame you’ll have to pay an extra surcharge of £4 for your seat sir”.
O’Leary swore to himself, but paid up. “I see that you have brought your laptop with you” added the barman. “And since that wasn’t pre-booked either, that will be another £3.”
O’Leary was so incensed that he walked back to the bar, slammed his drink on the counter, and yelled, “This is ridiculous, I want to speak to the manager”.
“I see you want to use the counter,” says the barman, “that will be £2 please.”
O’Leary’s face was red with rage. “Do you know who I am?”
“Of course I do Mr. O’Leary.”
“I’ve had enough! What sort of a Hotel is this? I come in for a quiet drink and you treat me like this. I insist on speaking to a manager!”
“Here is his e-mail address, or if you wish, you can contact him between 9.00 am and 9.01am every morning, Monday to Tuesday at this free phone number. Calls are free, until they are answered, then there is a talking charge of only £1 per second, or part thereof”.
“I will never use this bar again”.
“OK sir, but do remember, we are the only hotel in England selling pints for £1.”
😂😂😂😂
BADA 😂😂
I take it he held his P**H in
Laurieston Bar for pie, peas n gravy with vinegar. And lovely Guinness. Maybe Neesons for a nightcap. My life is a social whirl.
Saw a clip of the bhoy from Argentina and I think it’s safe to say Ange ain’t for turning .
Between him and Meada I think we will see the disco lights diming and flickering next season when we go forward
LithiumbunniesCSC
BRRB
Jeezo that just made me hungry and i’ve a train journey before my tea; which will be feckin salad pre holiday fare🙄
FSTB, I was faster than Daizen as a young chap. Unfortunately, beer, women and good living made me even faster. 🤣
Coneybhoy, to hell with salad. Demand pie, chips and peas/beans/gravy. It’s your constitutional right. 🤣
BRRB
😎 she said it’s too hot weather for a pie. Taking this to CAS
Coneybhoy 🤣🤣
We still need 2/3 players in to improve the team.
Not just players to fill the squad
Evening all.
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 22ND JUNE 2022 5:18 PM
BRRB and Leggy, Kelly’s Bar, Howard Street.
https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/qUhr8SGB3ppb
==================================================
It’s taken me while to remember who the wanderlust duo reminded me of.
However can’t work out who’s who. :)
Lobey Dosser and Rank Bajin
!!BADA BING!! on 22ND JUNE 2022 6:52 PM
Belter mate :)
BIGRAILROADRUNNERBLUES
BEEP BEEP
FSTB 🤣
BRRB and Leggy, Kelly’s Bar, Howard Street.
https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/qUhr8SGB3ppb
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Good to put a face on each ruffian’s moniker, but which is which?
Iniquitousiv, me on left, Leggy on right. About the only time he’s ever been right.
BRRB
Thanks. You are a dead ringer for an old mate of mine, name of Joe Anderson. Uncanny resemblance. So you have a Doppelgänger in the States. One major difference – Joe disnae drink!😊
Iniquitousiv, no relation. And some mornings I wish I didnae drink. 😂