Paperwork for Croatian central defender, Jozo Simunovic, 21, is being drawn up and will be submitted before the European and Scottish transfer windows close tonight. This has been the most tortuous signing since, well, since Celtic signed fellow Balkan Stefan Scepovic a year ago.
Simunovic was the first choice replacement for Virgil and I hear the coaching staff are delighted to get him.
The transfer is the most expensive in Scotland in 8 years and takes Celtic’s spend this window to over £8m.
We’ll go into detail on all of this tomorrow.
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As far as I can ascertain, the only club that can be said to have definiitively come out of this window stronger, is, Manchester City.
Celtic has made good efforts to give their manager what he wants – if some players don’t want to come to Scotland, who can blame them? – it is Scotland, and our ‘tuppenny-ha’penny’ football set-up, and not Celtic, that turns players off.
I think we have done rather well under very difficult circumstances.
Get the impression that the defeat to Malmo has blown a lot of plans badly off course – can’t believe that this is the transfer window Celtic envisaged at the beginning of August.
Maybe those in the know can tell us who we really wanted…
Cifci and Stokes.
Shameful.
Sick of it.
A lot of the success over the next few months of our season, domestically as well as in Europe, is dependant on Lustig staying fit, and the chances of that are slim. Our best defender by a mile, who’s experience will be invaluable to the young inexperienced signings.
GM
VVD or Simunovic is probably the most significant mate.
Whey let Scepovic go with a replacement not in place,
good night all
CQN used to be like home……….
….but the squatters have moved in and trashed the place.
Very sad that players…yet to put on the jersey…. have been rubbished already.
Some posters of long standing have thrown the toys oot the pram because they didn’t get what they wanted when they should really know better. Other posters spout their usual negative shite cos that is just a reflection of their personality. Boo hoo. Reality check required.
TCR – hope your getting back to health mate!
BCW I was going to say why are you surprised. But I have to say even I am surprised by the sheer cheek of PL here.
The board it seems are emboldened to go further and further down the path of taking the mick.
Well we have let them away with this for a few years. So our fault I guess.
Of the new signings it is likely that Blackett and Simunovic will start at Pittodrie with any International knocks or injuries being factored into the mix.
Lets hope everyone we have comes back fit.
AOW
Happy birthday to your old man
I take it its Irish whiskey and not Scottish Whisky
Hail Hail
HAMILTONTIM on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2015 11:04 PM
Honestly can’t see him starting. He’ll only meet up with his new teammates a couple of days before game. I think we’ll see Boyata and Mulgrew in central defence at Pittodrie. But then Ajax is right after Pittodrie and you wouldn’t want Boyata and Mulgrew in that game.
There is a bit of criticism flying around towards Ciftci at the moment.
I wasn’t particularly keen on us signing him, but now that he is here, he deserves a chance.
Two things I would question are his attitude and fitness.
His fitness will hopefully come with games played, but he needs to up his attitude as he has an ‘ I’ve arrived look about him’, and he needs to show more passion to get a start.
One last one, if Boerrighter is still about, it’s probably because we have spent our impairment budget.
Fred quimby.
We have done well????
Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah……………
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Good one man, good one.
Never a dull moment. Can’t please everyone all of the time.
8 players were scouted and purchased. Prize asset sold for a whopping profit and some dead wood taken care of. Yet, some people still find room for complaint.
As someone else said earlier, maybe we are lucky to have PL at the helm.
HT,
Oh aye. Defo.
That’s why I never mentioned defence :)
I like the big guy. If we made the cl I’d be devastated if he still went.
I’m not running down the EL…there could be a few scary nights ahead.
HH
AoW
Every Tim I’ve spoken to at games this season has stated that we need another striker in. I don’t think it’s chucking the toys out to be thoroughly pissed off that we’ve not addressed that.
Says a lot ,when bhoys complaining about letting Scepovic go….
Jordan Larsson.
Should have taken the King’s DNA on loan.
new article posted.
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2015 10:47 PM
Mine too…:)
HAMILTONTIM on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2015 10:52 PM
Please to meet you my name is Priscilla…
I was going to wait until tomorrow, will probably post again then. However, I am too being likened to a Drama Queen.
We are going into a European competition with a Manager who either refuses to or is unable to change tactics. We go into the competition with a weekend side that we had for the UCL qualifiers. We do so with a relatively young squad, despite Ronny saying we needed to get some experience in to help the young Bhoys. Who has failed us Ronny, The Board, both.
To cap it all off we we have failed to strengthen the one remaining area after Left Back position that we have yearned to strengthen since when.
I have posted before, we gambled on black and it came up red.
I have posted before we have to speculate to accumulate. Not asking to spend what we cannot afford but come on, spend a few quid to show we mean to take the UCL/Europe seriously, not play at it.
It was said last year we have a year to prepare for the qualifiers. Now we are saying the same. Only things is we now only have January to prepare, leaves us about 4 months to bed the Players in for the qualifiers.
It is going to be a long Season.
Drama Queen, that’s me, guilty as charged.
Disappointed, just a tad…:(
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Stringer Bell
I bumped into backpack collection bhoys on sat,told them i didnt know they were collecting and i had 5 wee packs made up to go,
he gave me his own number and will arrange to have them picked up at weekend,
im in ml5 he is ml4
Must be no strikers in world football at the minute
Our scouting staff have had 3 years to find one and of the ones signed to date have recommended naff ones.
Fresh pair of eyes needed within the scouting network (and boardroom) me thinks.
The mismanagement of scarce resources as a result is scandalous to the extent we are now scared to take a punt on anyone outside our own awful and dross league!!
Incidentally I’d Have the striker we paid money for, then paid money to release – mo bangura in the team ahead of the diving cifti, who we paid money for.
should we remember, with transfers, that you have to pay every penny you pay, but don’t get to keep every penny you collect. there are lots of possible deductions so you can’t do an income outcome difference, based on transfer fees alone, to calculate profit or loss.
Bailly not first pick
Janko not first pick
Jozo probably first pick
Boyata first pick
Allen not first pick
Christie not even at Celtic
Blackett who knows
Ciftci not first pick
SAYS IT ALL REALLY
I should just cut and paste
Looks like another shambles
Wage bill been substantially reduced and costs cut. Sorry Paul67 8m. What planet are you on
Are you taking account wages. Then you must include wages saved
VVD sold to make up CL money with no experienced replacement
Upfront. Sorry but how long must this go on
Neill ask lawell 5 years ago that he needed a 2nd striker alongside hooper nope sold hooper Replaced him with Pukki and balde
Done nothing since. Is this lazyness or incompetence ??
Bet you AGM will be moved to away from Europa league time
A very poor inexperinced side with a lack of Center halfs or goal scorers about to face experience in CL
Lawwell has a nerve what he has done to our team and taking his massive salary plus bonus
The real enemy to our team is peter lawell
I think this is going to be a difficult season.
Our three strikers have 5 goals between them in 48 European appearances. One of these strikers faces ongoing criminal proceedings in the Republic of Ireland, the other in Scotland. I`m not saying this will definitely affect their game but it cant help.
The third striker is still finding his feet at the club but has a history of disciplinary problems. Factor in injuries and we wont often have 3 to choose from so it may be a very good time to be a striker in the development squad; first time football might never be easier to achieve for a young striker at Celtic.
Add in the ongoing fragility of arguably our best remaining outfield player – Lustig – and a defence that is full of new and inexperienced personnel then even the Europa League looks well beyond us this season. We will in my view do well to keep the score down in Amsterdam and Istanbul. While getting horsed by Barcelona in the CL is painful, there is no shame in it. Getting pumped by Fenerbahce and Ajax is a different matter but I think damage limitation has to be the order of the day in these games, we don`t have the quality to keep the ball up the other end of the park as the performance in Malmo showed.
Fingers crossed we don’t pick up injuries in this round of international games. Difficult trips to Amsterdam and Aberdeen await.
CORKCELT @ 11:00 PM,
I take what you say, and I’m too are disappointed – yet the fact is we were assured we’d be building for UCL qualification.
Now, the team that was embarrassed in Malmo has been weakened.
We lost £15M pound because of that game a figure that the VvD transfer can mitigate.
But what do we do next year. Everyone of the taw leaf readers, told us we’d be stronger by the end of this transfer window, everyone said we’d be preparing for UCL qualification, which was where we HAD to be.
All of them were duped – who fed them the nonsense?
Hail Hail
Mncelt yes he has done a sterling job of improving the team each transfer window and qualifying for the CL every year…….oh wait!
But at least he has presided.over good attendances at CP……..oh wait.
But the squad is clearly filled with quality valuable players……oh wait
Well at least he treats the supporters with the respect they deserve…….oh wait
At least he made sure he buried the Huns when they died……oh wait.
But we are the most ethical club in the world…….oh wait.
I’m struggling MNcelt. Maybe he got that extra 100k non contractual bonus for putting up,so,e posters around the ground.
Lawwell weakens team again. Best player sold replaced by ifs, buts and maybes. No striker signed …a complete joke.
VIrgil fee should have been front loaded to ensure CL success and the £30M prize.
How long are we going to allow Lawwell to destry Celtic.
Ps. Congratulations to Lawwell for securing his bonus again. Can he turn the lights off on his way out.
Art of war
Yip, that’s me. we are getting the proverbial taking out of us mate.
There is no acceptable reason for the negligence not to sign a forward.
we have been bereft of one since Hooper left. Now Leigh is a trier and I’ve been heartened by him, but he isn’t what we really need e??
Scepovic away with no replacement?
I laughed earlier when I read Michu and Fletcher didn’t fancy up here..
JUST AS WELL THEY LEFT IT TO 10:30 TO REVEAL THAT…
Pity somebody think to ask them 2 months ago, or 1 year ago or 2 years ago….
The club seem he’ll bent on making Scottish football competitive that’s for sure.
I HEARD HE WAS DEAD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2015 10:50 PM
Michu was injury prone and Fletcher is finished as a hungry sportsman for me.
——–
Careful with that hungry talk fella. That way lies Kris Boyd!
And while talking of talk. Our new centre back. I think he’ll be good. But our recent tendency to sign scandis and Dutch/Belgians has removed the real issue of language.
Can the new kid speak English?
Will he develop a lingua Franca or lingua Flemish with boyatta?
And how will he cope with the ‘salt n sass’ dialect favoured by Le Griff and Broonie.
And all joking aside. I’m not joking.
And finally. Loved (no I didn’t !) post on earlier blog that sought to attribute the blame for malmo’s 95th goal to boyatta. You’re wasted (perhaps!) dude, you should be writing the script for Miss Marple!
UnlikelyPlotlineCSC
HH jamesgang
Evening Blog
Well what a dismal place this has become.
Just waiting for the 1st post demanding a sack the board demonstration at the gates of Celtic park.
Been an avid supporter of celtic all my days and will still be one in the morning.
The club has signed 8 players in this transfer window.
Lets give them a chance to settle in before we crucify them. Long long time lurker of cqn and occasional poster. Felt the need to say my piece.
We have three great young kids out on loan for experience in fisher o’connell and Henderson. They will return ready for the 1st team squad. We have not seen our new bhoys in any great number of games and i trust the manager to bring it all together. We will coast the league this year in spite of all the msm Aberdeen hype.
Get a grip guys
HH
3 posts from the trumpet Neganon.All slaughtering Celtic.Every post since he came onto this blog,the same.Am I the only one who sees this?.Numbnuts,as for me being a”Board lover”,you could not be further from the truth.I love Celtic,good or bad,win or lose,always have done,always will.They are a joy to me.You,a fekin misery.
Now p!ss off and mump in your sleep.
Hamiltontim
I hope the internet hasn’t influenced you, remember the worst offending negativists on CQN aren’t Celtic supporters in any true meaningful sense, and make no mistake they know who they are.
The EL is an inconvenience, it’s damage limitation, and a few bob for Celtic, we cannot spend £ for £ on incoming, and you only need to look round CP to see why.
We are already joint outsiders with Molde for the group? Any points we get, will be bonus points.
European football for Celtic, is a stolen dream, stolen many years ago.
The quality of striker we require for Europe isn’t available, that’s why we took
a punt on Ciftci, early doors, and yes it’s much more complex ,than labelling or drama queening.
Simunovic is our biggest buy for years, and sadly Paul67 is, spot on.
Our forthcoming trip to Pitoddrie is more important.
Hail Hail
I watch the U20s more than the 1st team so I’ve seen Scepovic often. Cant see him making it here. Not to say he wont succeed elsewhere just not here. Great to admit that and put him back in his comfort zone. If he succeeds, we sell and look elsewhere. That does not say he’s a dud or we failed. its where we are. We have to gamble with guys off the radar. I hope he succeeds and stays there.
Also need to give credit to Steve Frail who has done a great job with the U20s and is now leaving. Sense there is a backstory there somehow but the main thing is to recognise his motivational and tactical skills and his fantastic contribution to the Club. Thanks Steve. You nurtured and developed some great talent and deserved more recognition. I will never understand why so few fans follow the U20s.
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 20s20 seconds ago
BREAKING NEWS: Celtic sign Jozo Simunovic http://www.celticfc.net/news/8992
Would be interesting to go back and read the blog from the last couple of years when we signed Virgil (unknown) and Deneyer (Man Ceteh reserve) I think you’ll find that people were shouting for us to sign that Turkish guy from Dundee Utd (who’s now shite before playing a league game) or ex dundee Utd player Jonny Russell.
Scepovic has been slated as a donkey on here many times and the board were slated for signing him, now he is unsellable. Oh and we’re all idiots who go to watch Celtic these days, whilst the smart arses watch on their Android boxes telling us we’re all mugs, racists and bigots who can’t wait for the hun to come back…
Bringing 8 players in isn’t anything to brag about. It exemplifies a strategy where the objectives are business rather than football related. All about milking that EPL cow. We’re not in the business of building a formidable football team, we’ve become a shop window for EPL wannabes. How depressing. I remain to be convinced that a boy who couldn’t command a game at Dinamo Zagreb (a great club in the communist era, minnows ever since) has been bought for huge money. Even if he is great (I hope he is), who really believes the offer to him was any different than to VVD – stay 2 years and get your move to England? Who really wanted Celtic to become a nursery club for the EPL? It’s a self defeating ‘strategy’ that has made us weaker each year of Lawwell’s time as CEO, takes us for fools and robs us of any possibility of stability. As others have said, despite 8 signings, none of them is a striker. I include Ciftci in that. The latest in a long line of dud forwards. My prediction is he’ll be out on loan this time next year.