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.
324 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- »
Fantastic
Big Moussa will sell for millions
We get a good slice
Bank manager will be delighted
……meanwhile tumbleweed blows through the open transfer window
31003 – a little something for a rainy day.
Losing players who play is weekening the squad. Quite easy to understand. meansmaneger has to play the players who were below him on list. Or play injured player. 2 injured , injury porone wingers. 2 injured injury prone CFs. You should mot count these players as being in squad. Much like Jozo. Great when fit but out more than in
Chelsea, Juve and Spurs fighting over Moussa. Worrying in the sense that I strongly believe Lyon will come in for Edouard. In May it was unthinkable that Kieran would go, by July he was wanting away. Things can change quickly.
31003 on 10TH JANUARY 2020 9:35 AM
Fantastic
Big Moussa will sell for millions
We get a good slice
Bank manager will be delighted
……meanwhile tumbleweed blows through the open transfer window
____
Nothing has happened with Moussa. Currently, it’s all rumors.
Cajones = drawers or big boxes
Cojones = balls
Thank you…
Celtic won’t sell Eddy mid-season.
If Lyon buys a Dembele replacement it’s likely to be Mariano from Real Madrid.
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS on 10TH JANUARY 2020 10:26 AM
Cajones = drawers or big boxes
Cojones = balls
Thank you…
——-
And store the latter in the former?🤷🏼♂️
Re the Influence thing……………….
I’d imagine part of the bigger picture for our opponents is the social media realm.
Realistically, places like this.
To better achieve their aims -they first need to convince us we’re already “beaten” or “dominated”, by an un-catchable better force….. next up comes “humbled” etc etc etc.
All the wee bad news stories accumulate in the general psyche of Timdom.
……..the negative press can help with that. In scoddland they do it well. It’s a small market dominated by one or two main players.
Remember, when we were “invincible” we were still kept scared by regular doses of hunguffery.
I’m not saying the guff becomes a self-fulfilling thing…it just creates an atmosphere which may help turn an attitude for success within Timdom into one of anxiety, fear and weakness. While in itself this might not be” Job Done for Mr Hun” but it might add up to a wee bit of advantage doon thur sleekit road.
HH
Better thining we are struggling,, and doing something about it than thinking we are fine and don’t need to buy anyone just sell sell sell..
Last summer we should have had players lined up for day one to transfer window. But left it too late ..
had 6 months to plan for this and doing the same. what do the club do in intervening months??.
How to store /transport the latter-
https://images.app.goo.gl/4v2xFCvKSuMHp5qbA
we need 2 CF and a CH this month plus at least one winger. (Fit) if NL wont play Taylor a LB too.
If you wanna manage your stress levels this January, treat the board’s performance up until the end of the window, meaning we are likely to still be negotiating on the last day on ins and outs. It’s just the way we work.
Treat anything in the next couple of weeks as a Brucie bonus.
I want us to be stronger (as does everyone) which means lose the deadwood and reinvest in a CH, CM and CF. New spine please.
James Gang and SOT…you guys understand…
How does someone, an organisation like ours, in the human trading “business” we are in, plan such an erratic, variable and vulnerable situation?
In Scotlandshire.
Can we stockpile attractive prospects in a neat line and have them on-hold till we get thru them? Even after Disneyland Utd have picked the cream of the crop?
How do we do that,…….with any success, that’s not just informed luck and a bit of experience?
MARADOMINIC on 10TH JANUARY 2020 10:34 AM
Last summer we should have had players lined up for day one to transfer window. But left it too late ..
had 6 months to plan for this and doing the same. what do the club do in intervening months??.
___
Generally, that’s not how the window works. Agents will use time as a lever against clubs.
And the cajon is percussion box used in Flamenco…
SoT
I just KNEW that was the image that was going to open!!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂👏
HH jg
If we cleared out the deadwood and signed a striker who can have an impact its probably a good window.
Ideally, we’d bring in two strikers.
So far we have moved Morgan and Sinclair out , and signed a 15 year old . Reading Newsnow , cold water poured on Soro , Sporar and Ki. Would be nice not only to strengthen the squad but have some time in Dubai for the newcomers.
A striker ?
Sane and sensible and not prone to punting made up guff italian media outlets have Spurs offering £28 million plus Wanyama in exchange for Milan’s out of favour striker -Krystof Piatek . It’s claimed that in response , Milan have said -” not nearly enough and we certainly don’t want Wanyama “.
Piatek is an interesting case -rattled them in for Cracovia ,Genoa and then Milan ( who paid 35 million euros for him ) He looked super duper and worthy of the new Lewandowski hype . Linked with all the big boys – PSG / Barca / Real Madrid / Bayern Munich and Manchester City . He then totally lost form and looks like a total tottie every time a crap Milan team are desperate enough to play him..
Your Friday morning choon – EL BANG BANG –
https://youtu.be/AwaQxfv0vD4
The news regarding Elhamed is really disappointing. If we do lose the title this season, the effect of injuries to key players at key times, will quite rightly be a hot topic.
The other hot topic might be the diametrically opposed philosophies of Celtic & The Rangers, both the clubs and the fans.
The Rangers want to win at ANY cost and under ANY circumstances.
Regardless of huge losses, outstanding loans, serious court cases, restriction of merchandising income, no banking safety-net, no stock-market listing and a chairman who’s ‘cold shoulder” by the financial industry has forced him to resign & run, they still make it a priority to put everything they’ve got on the pitch and in the dugout.
Their fan base back them to the hilt. The Rangers supporters don’t give a toss how they win, only winning matters. There is no shame felt over the cheating EBT years, side-letters and ‘imperfect registrations’, no shame over defrauding taxes, indeed there is utter hypocrisy on show when they ‘celebrate’ their annual Armed Forces Day – Armed Forces that they would not pay their due tax to support.
Celtic, on the other hand, seemingly only want to win when all the relevant boxes are ticked. We don’t really know the precise nature of all these boxes, but it is safe to assume that the most important is financial probity. Winning domestically has been relatively easy over the last eight years and therefore most financial decisions have been easy to make.
However as a real and seemingly sustained challenge develops, there is little evidence of an appetite at Celtic to match The Rangers, i.e. put it all on the pitch and in the dugout. Celtic of course are in an infinitely stronger financial position than The Rangers.
In my opion, Celtic supporters, or, the vast majority, would not countenance our club acting in the way that Rangers/The Rangers have over the years. We are not a win at ANY cost and under ANY circumstances group.
Celtic are not a Kamikaze lot, however The Rangers, in pursuit of success over Celtic, appear to be – “the big hoose must stay open” reminds us all of the Ibrox philosophy – will it win them the title?
Ewan Graham discusses VAR in Scotland
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jan/09/var-scotland-rangers-spfl-celtic
HH
Our chances of signing a well established striker isn’t easy if we are to continue playing 1 up front. Unless that striker takes the centre forward role and Eddie moves out to the left. Otherwise the incoming player has to accept that he wont normally feature in the starting 11.
Personally I’d like us to rely more on playing 3-5-2. Our 2 full backs tend to bomb forward even in a 4-5-1. So, end of January title winning line up could be –
In goal – Forster
Back 3 – Jullien, BIG GUY, Ajer
5 across the middle – Frimpong, Brown (captain), McGregor, Christie, Forrest (escaped goat)
Up front – NEW GUY and Eddie.
Back to workin’ and lurkin’…..
More Friday morning BANG BANG –
#1 -https://youtu.be/MenOmqIBmIM
# 2-https://youtu.be/Jp0A4rCKVkU
Off oot to buy a John Dory
oopla !
https://youtu.be/MenOmqIBmIM
https://youtu.be/Jp0A4rCKVkU
MCNUT at 11:11
Interesting points. Where I would, respectfully, disagree is that there are more then the 2 alternatives.
To want Celtic to do more does not mean I want to see the reckless abandon as witnessed elsewhere.
I simply want Celtic to be the best version of themselves they can be. In my opinion, we are some way behind that currently.
Sevco the institution versus Celtic the plc looks right now like a battle between a hyena and a panda.
No rabid beastie was ever beaten into submission by bamboo shoots.
HH jg
Sinclair was treated badly this season for me, a guy who scored seventeen goals last season as a bit part player, obviously kept on to maximise his transfer value, which didn’t work out.
Good luck Scotty Sinclair!
Lewis Morgan was a bad buy in the first place, nowhere near good enough to play for Celtic, if he’s being sold then good luck son.
Robinbhoy
I agree with both points. You’re a long time retired as a footballer. And as he moves towards the end of his shirt career, Scott Sinclair was seemingly frozen out for the last 6 months on the basis of PL’s gamble to make an extra buck or many.
HH jg
JAMESGANG on 10TH JANUARY 2020 11:24 AM
Sevco the institution versus Celtic the plc looks right now like a battle between a hyena and a panda.
No rabid beastie was ever beaten into submission by bamboo shoots.
HH jg
___
Sorry I seem to have missed something… who won the last 10 domestic trophies?
So we are going to Kilmarnock on Wednesday week. Johnson is injured, Elyonoussi is not back in training, and Christie is suspended. Sinclair away and Morgan next to go. Shved still in exile. Better hope James Forrest has one of his good days.
One more Bang Bang — from Tbilisi ( with the assistance of Nancy Sinatra )
Off oot-
https://youtu.be/ljJUcABxUHA
Hot Smoked
Re Greg Taylor:
I would note that Taylor played 3 home games for Celtic vs St. Mirren, Livi and Hamilton plus one away outing at Ross County, where he was rated as having a middling untroubled performance. These are, mostly bottom 6 clubs where he was being allowed to find his feet. He has not been trusted enough to be tested against tougher teams or tougher away fixtures. I would suggest that the quality of opposition faced by Hayes and Bolingoli is of the type that forces more errors from players.
That’s not to say that Taylor will not eventuallly make the position his own. I just feel that, at the moment, he is not performing sufficiently well to impress the manager that he is the answer but, I am sure he will get his chance.
Timaloy29
We did. But if you read what I actually wrote, the metaphor refers principally to the struggle off the pitch. Now. Realistically, this has been the first season that sevco has been able to mount a significant league challenge. Supported, of course by SFA ‘decisions’ and MSM frenzy.
And we’ve been supine in our response. On and off the park. And as we all know, don’t be supine in a fun fight!
HH jg
Gun even!!!
MCNUT
“Celtic, on the other hand, seemingly only want to win when all the relevant boxes are ticked. We don’t really know the precise nature of all these boxes, but it is safe to assume that the most important is financial probity. ”
If we don’t know what the boxes are, then we cannot know when they have been ticked. We cannot know if they are indeed boxes requiring a tick and we do not know what level of “probity” needs to be reached before a tick can be applied.
That’s an awful lot of unknowns on which to base a deduction.
As for “hey still make it a priority to put everything they’ve got on the pitch and in the dugout.”- Most analyses would suggest that they are putting everything they “HAVEN’T” into their spending.
Finally, if their philosophy was guided by the principle that “the big hoose must stay open” , they would be sensible to spend within their means to acheive that end. It is unlikely they would be given a second go at the liquidation/continuity myth if they bust themselves again.
And winning a league title does not guarantee them any meaningful money in return.