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.
123 Comments- Pages:
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CELTIC40ME on 23RD JUNE 2022 10:57 AM
The statement to the stock exchange is because our financial results are brilliant up to now but we’re about to spend a packet on players between now and the year end of June 30, meaning we wont be posting a juicy profit, which we otherwise would have.
Exciting news if true, which it almost certainly isn’t.
If Celtic spend money on new player registrations by 30th June, that will not affect the profits declared in the year to 30th June 2022. The cost of those registrations will be written off over the lengths of the players’ contracts in future years.
HRVATSKI JIM on 23RD JUNE 2022 11:19 AM
Shhh
We’re selling the deadwood for big money to boost profits then. Or looking at a big hit on our cash at bank.
Anyway you look at it its exciting news.
Loved the Celtic Stars reporting on the Stock Exchange report.
“Celtic PLC,that’s,”Celtic,”or” The Club”.
Ange should invite Mick Lynch up to the next Press Conference.Can you imagine the Hacks facing those two?
TURKEYBHOY
Ange should invite Mick Lynch up to the next Press Conference.Can you imagine the Hacks facing those two?
I’d pay to watch that.
Yes saw Mick Lynch on newsnight, kept telling the Minister (well I assume he was) he was lying giving examples. Poor Kristy Wark was bemused😱
Prestonpans
That’s what happens when the govt spokesman isn’t into the detail like Mick
new article posted.
SE statement — I think that it shows that AP has found Wee FMcC’s Growth Agenda Part 2 stuffed down the back of a couch where PL had hidden it as he didn’t understand the concepts or the language or in fact the need for it.
And guess what it has worked — Stupid / stupid man was our PL.
Aus angle = interest from a far away place through the roof.
Japan angle = interest from a huge population far away through the roof.
Sure we have had some of this before but the AP mantra comes into play — “We never stop”.
AP football = full house signs now out for every game / better hospitality numbers.
Adidas = Much bigger / better merchandising offering more readily available.
PPV angle = interesting new revenue stream,
The only downside was the B/G ConL debacle but lessons would appear to have been learned all round.
Interesting that the accounts will come out in mid Sept — more than month after the usual timing of a few years ago.
The 21/22 figures won’t change just a case that a more complete picture will be available from the post reporting day events to provide a better forward understanding of 22/23.
If we buy players in June that means that we are shi**ing cash and want to get rid of some to help our tax position / end of year cash position. CCV now / SB in 2007 seemed to be a similar transaction.
There is also the point that moving some of the deadwood on at a loss in June will also help our tax position in the current financial year.
One to watch / quite a few to watch?
AA / VB / IS / CJ / JMcC — I know, I know — all need to move on.
And then there is the clear out that is badly needed with the in-betweeners / loaners.
Plus the JF / MJ re-incarnations which are the miracles I would love to see.
The later publication of the accounts means that we will have the full picture of our summer transfer window activities — players coming in and also players going out as mentioned above.
We need a spare GK / LB / CB / DM or two plus a 20yr old striker aka LA Mk2.
Plus work the loan angle again — the CL angle means that we are a great destination.
And then there are all the holes in the B Team / youth grades to fill.
We don’t stop so we need to fix the production line to the 1st team.
And quickly — the big recent improvement is the fact that the issue as now been recognised.
Big issue would be an offer we can’t refuse for one of our newer first team players.
One will definitely come — just a case of how our squad management will handle it.
Consequently interesting times ahead.
It is all down to us — no excuses for not making progress.
The only issue is how much.