Celtic were invincible domestically in season 2016-17. Players like Tierney, Dembele, Roberts and Rogic lit up the league, but Scott Sinclair was unequivocally Player of the Year. His impact on the team was immediate, scoring 20 minutes after coming on at Tynecastle on his debut and turning up on all the big occasions.
His partnership with Tierney on the left forced opponents to become preoccupied with stopping Celtic down that wing, which allowed others freedom elsewhere.
One moment in particular stood out. Celtic were 65 games into their unbeaten domestic run when they faced Motherwell at Fir Park in November 2017. The same teams met three days earlier in the League Cup Final, which was settled when Scott won a penalty, converted by Moussa Dembele, which saw Cedric Kipre ordered off.
At Fir Park, the Motherwell fans jeered Scott every time he touched the ball, blaming him for making the most of the contact from Kipre. It must have been a torrid experience for the player. An own goal by Mikeal Lustig gave the home team a lead on 78 minutes but Celtic won a penalty with two minutes remaining.
When many players hide under that kind of scrutiny, Scott grabbed the ball, scored the penalty and extended our unbeaten run. It was a great moment in our treble treble years. He was a player who never hid.
The decision to take up the option to extend his contract by a year in May looked obvious. He was a known resource at a time when the team faced a number of changes. I have no idea why Neil Lennon left him out so much this season. Mikey Johnston and Mohamed Elyounoussi are at the top of their game, but have been out injured simultaneously. Still, Scott was only used for a meaningless Europa League fixture.
He leaves for Preston a Celtic great.
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We’ve managed fine without him
Lewis Morgan has contributed absolutely nothing in any game
that I have seen him start or come on as a sub. His inclusion at centre forward
in the couple final was a joke.
Miami or Glasgow.H,mm let me think.Good luck Lewis.
I had forgotten just how good he was in his first couple of seasons until I saw a highlights video the other day. Absolutely deadly cutting in and a fantastic finisher. Why it all stopped is one of life’s great mysteries
I hope he’s as successful in his first season at his new club as he was here
@ CELTIC40ME on 9TH JANUARY 2020 3:40 PM
We have not rotated enough this year. It has been a common theme on this blog in the last few weeks. Lack of rotation may also explain the dip in form during a hectic December.
We have missed MJ since September (coming back in fits and starts in Dec). ME was out since mid-November. SS is nowhere near his prime, but still would have been a good option on the left wing instead of JF, particularly at home against the likes of Hibs etc. SS certainly merited a place ahead of LM who has not contributed anything of substance.
It’s disingenuous to cite the 2-0 game as being representative of his quality. It was a different first 11 and a dead rubber.
the whole Morgan thing is bizaare – play him in key games in December and then sell him at a loss in January.
Its all about the money the money the money. Hopefully clearing the decks for Paddy to return and keep Mr. Forrrest honest.
Unusual lyrics for a football song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FeFVuF1-xA
The ole Sellic revolving door in full swing
Hot Smokie………
I agree with all your points.
I’d add in some personal perspective.
Our success sticks in the throat of many – not just the mouth-breathers of the hun wurld.
The traditional on-going, low intensity conflict we suffer from ( See anything emanating from the SFA / Shortie etc) is probably best augmented digitally, on opinion forming sites like this one. There are those people who are paid to influence certain areas. The political sphere, perhaps the best example.
Those that work for our opponents not only have to bolster the tawdry reputation of their clients but also foment , encourage, spread disharmony and rabble rouse within our ranks.
Again – this is difficult to discern as many of the gripes are rightly but genuinely shared with actual Tims.
HH
A great? Not for me.
A great signing? Yes.
Great season? Yes
In a great side? Yes.
However, I think his contribution and importance waned recently.
For some he became a better player when he was in the stands.
He never seemed to grasp what limited opportunities he was handed.
He definitely leaves with everyone’s best wishes that he will revive his career and make an impact and contribution to a lesser team than Celtic.
A blind man and his dog could see Scott Sinclair was frozen out of the team, as he wouldn’t play ball with the board, be it a wage drop or just f off as we want a transfer deal for you.
The boy stood his ground and fair play to him.
As for Morgan as our striker, as said before by others C’mon to F….
Thanks and best wishes to Scott Sinclair, hun skelper.
Maradominic
and where are these two striker going to play?What class striker will come to be 2nd or 3rd choice?
Easy to open your gub,and dream.Reality ,much different.
Playing football in the heat and humidity of Miami in summer can only be uncomfortable.
Fortunately outside the June to September months it will have compensations.
No February trips to Dingwall.
No Hun referees
Sipsini,
Utter nonsense.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 9TH JANUARY 2020 3:52 PM
@ CELTIC40ME on 9TH JANUARY 2020 3:40 PM
We have not rotated enough this year. It has been a common theme on this blog in the last few weeks. Lack of rotation may also explain the dip in form during a hectic December.
We have missed MJ since September (coming back in fits and starts in Dec). ME was out since mid-November. SS is nowhere near his prime, but still would have been a good option on the left wing instead of JF, particularly at home against the likes of Hibs etc. SS certainly merited a place ahead of LM who has not contributed anything of substance.
It’s disingenuous to cite the 2-0 game as being representative of his quality. It was a different first 11 and a dead rubber.
Which 2-0 Match are you referring too?
Mikey Johnston is too light weight especially against Sevco he gets shoved off the ball to
easy (horses for courses) he needs to build up his mussles & learn to hold up the ball
well tall Eadie can teach him how to be strong on the ball in other words not easly being
pushed aside cause he will get no protection from the cheating SFA Officials that’s for
sure & his decision making with the ball is poor he needs to do better with the ball
basically I see Mikey Johnston as a work in progress as for Lewis Morgan he scored
an important goal in Europe for us however he certainly not a natural Striker & I can’t
see him being a first team regular & Lewis Morgan has had a fair amount of opportunities
to see what he can do however over the piece his performances have been mainly poor
Marion Shved has not been given a run out in the first Team regularly in-fact Shved
has hardly been on the Bench which is a mystery considering he was scoring a lot of
goals for his previous Club he also came off the bench to score a good individual goal
away from home in an earlier CL Qualifier yet he has not been given a chance what’s
the script with Marion Shved? There is something no right behind the scenes or
Neil Lennon keeps sticking with his favourites bredth of awareness is a required
Managerial skill & should not be overlooked never mind about favourites its a
case of going with the players who on any given day will produce the necessary
goods to get the Job done after all we are operating in a results industry where
failure is not an option
THCHWTECS,
We have missed MJ?.When?Three times against the Huns,never got a kick.Don’t miss him at all.When he learns to man up,go looking to make a difference when things not going your way,then he will become the player he can be.Bulk up and get involved.The odd trick or flick does not cut it with Celtic.
Looks likely that Lewis Morgan will leave for a sunnier and less pressured environment . Since it came out of left field , I wonder if Celtic let it be known (on the quiet) that he was available? Maybe a few furtive phone calls behind the scenes? Despite the often deserved stick he gets , I didn’t see that coming .
Maybe any incomings will take us just as much by surprise.
GDT – more like clearing out the left field 😂
TURKEYBHOY on 9TH JANUARY 2020 4:28 PM
THCHWTECS,
We have missed MJ?.When?Three times against the Huns,never got a kick.Don’t miss him at all.When he learns to man up,go looking to make a difference when things not going your way,then he will become the player he can be.Bulk up and get involved.The odd trick or flick does not cut it with Celtic.
You are damn tooting Turkeybhoy showboating when we are up against it is ridiculous
& inappropriate MJ must have been impressed with that youngster BR took on loan from
Chelsea then was sent back come January yes MJ Man Up its not a childs playing field out
there its serious business Mikel Lustig like doing the Raboner yeah when we where
cruising in matches with comfortable scorelines however when things are not going so
well then that’s when its all hands to the pump & wise up
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 9TH JANUARY 2020 3:52 PM
We have not rotated enough this year
Please explain how starting Scott Sinclair in place of the two injured first choice left wingers helps with rotation.
Sinclair was a brilliant signing but last year he had completely lost his mojo. This blog was full of quotes like what has Sinclair got to do to get dropped. The mistake Celtic made was to invoke a clause in his contract for a 1 yr extension. That was done in the hope of selling him but obviously that plan backfired,
He should have been allowed leave with our thanks & his dignity intact.
However it is right that he goes now.
Best of luck Sincy, Thanks for the memories,
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 9TH JANUARY 2020 3:52 PM
More like the eyes can’t see what is going down on the playing field LOL
DeniaBhoy
I was quite pleased when LM signed for us , but that was on the basis of seeing him play a couple of times for St. Mirren in the championship . He looked like a pacy winger with a lethal shot in that environment but , IMO, just hasn’t managed to make the step up……and certainly not at CF.
CORKCELT
Only partially back fired as the sale was merely delayed from Summer to January.
Nothing personal strictly business.
Bonus points for Lenny……
Bonus boost for Big Pete…..
@ CELTIC40ME on 9TH JANUARY 2020 4:39 PM
Because MJ was injured in September and ME was being played game after game up until his injury in Nov. SS could have been used as an able deputy during that period, particularly at home against lesser opposition. Similarly, once both MJ and ME were injured, we played JF out of position on the left. Had we used SS, we could have rested JF and played a player in his correct position. Shved should also have been given some game time this year as well.
Re MJ being missed- I should have said ‘injured’ since September, as opposed to missed. I agree that MJ falls into the category of great prospect but long way off being a 1st choice player.
There is a section near where I sit for the Blind bless them which gets running
commentry through ear pieces for matches maybe eyes can’t see what’s going
down on the field should move into said Section wait if Gerry McCulloch is
doing the commentry then scratch that suggestion cause Gerry McCulloch’s
Commentry gets on ones nerves I was watching the Bhoys playing an away
European CL Qualifier earlier this Season via Celtic TV never again he must
have repeated incidents through the match untold amount of times & was
counting down every second during the course of the match I was about to
search for some prozac to cam my nerves ffs even Sevco & The Sheep’s TV
Commentry is much better than that Sevco Co have some wee fellow who
looks & has the build of Humpty Dumpty & comes out with oh look the
Mighty Teddy Bears opponents Goal Mouth is leading a charmmed life
& the Sheep’s Commentry gives an insight into past Aberdeen’s European
Adventures in other words facts & interesting stories & we have Gerry
Gets on your nerves McCulloch I was of the opinion that the Celtic
Stadium snack bars served up rubbish but wait now Celtic TV are @ it
as well we are looking for quality not quantaty
Mikey has so much natural ability but we see examples of it only every now and again. He reminds me of some Celtic youngsters in the past, particularly Vic Davidson. He had all the ability in the world but for some reason unlike other Quality Street Gang members like Dalglish, Macari, McGrain & Hay, just couldn’t make the final transition to the ‘finished article’
It’s early days yet and with his new five-year contract, he’s already a wealthy young man. Let’s hope he can settle and fulfil his promise – mind you, he looked very eager to get off the park on the 29th.
Just a quick one before I go – I’m keeping a close eye on Ryan Christie. I’ve been told (I know the old taxi driver thing) that he was been ‘tapped up’ by a BIG club around November time – time will tell.
Pierre Van Hooijdonk signed 25 years ago today
🎵 Pierre there’s only one Pierre 🎵
The Revolving Door CSC
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 9TH JANUARY 2020 5:00 PM
ME started six games in a row before his foot injury, before that he’d started once for us. I’m not sure that really puts him in the “needs a rest” category.
Is your solution to having two first choice left wingers out inured really to rest our only first choice right winger at the same time?
I’d be extremely worried if Lenny thought that playing Sinclair and Shved at the same time was a good idea when Forrest was fit. Even Sydney Tim would see the madness in that. Or maybe not
Bourne on the beer today so not up to speed. Have we got a fee for Sincy? Thought that was most likely termination of contract by mutual consent.
I will always remember tall Pierre’s goal in the Scottish Cup final of 1995 when
he rised up in the air to plant a perfect text book header pass the opponents
not bad shot stopper then enter a bedlam roar went up as well fond memories
Also tall Pierre was good @ the free kicks as well & scored a few goals in his
time @ Celtic yeah their certainly was only one Pierre
@ CELTIC40ME on 9TH JANUARY 2020 5:11 PM
JF has played 57 and 55 games respectively in the last two seasons. He has been subbed a lot this year- maybe representative of the amount of games he has played. His performances have blown hot and cold as well. He has not had real competition (Morgan doesn’t count) since Paddy left.
Much like McGregor, it is not a badge of honour for Celtic players to play circa 60 games a year, year on year. SS is an established winger who, while nowhere near his former form, still was a solid option for the SPFL home games against lesser opposition.
Stevie G’s Sevco started with Brandon Barker on the wing against Porto at home and won the game; if they can get a result with him starting on the wing, Celtic should just about manage with Shved and Sinclair against the SPFL teams.
Lewis Morgan getting the game time ho got – shop window material – is someone picking the team for Lenny??
I sincerely hope not and do not think he would stand for that.
D. :)
CORKCELT
Hoopy Birthday.
No fee mentioned, so we’re all guessing, but I doubt very much that a ‘financial’ whizz like Peter Lawwell didn’t at the very least recoup the wages SS received from July to January is n the extension.
‘Undisclosed Fee’ my bet for future Wikipedia and the annual accounts.
Celtic40Me
So what games & how many appearences has Marion Shved played for Celtic
According to reports from where he came from his scoring record was very
good Marion Shved has not been given a chance or a run in the first team
& that’s a fact
CORKCELT on 9TH JANUARY 2020 5:13 PM
Bourne on the beer today so not up to speed. Have we got a fee for Sincy? Thought that was most likely termination of contract by mutual consent.
I would imagine we got over £1,000,000 for him if less then I would be surprised
how much did we pay for SS 3.5/4.5 Million?