Anthony Stokes is in the best form of his Celtic career at the moment, arguably the best form of his life if you overlook his stunning cameo at Falkirk. It’s hard to know if this is related to no longer being in the shadow of a more favoured son, or if Anthony has just got his ‘stuff’ together, but his intervention was absolutely crucial in our only Champions League win so far. He had all the wisdom necessary to bate an opponent into a clumsy foul.
The psychology of a three year contract, worth more money, before performance bonuses, than the player will be able to spend is not always a good thing for a footballer, but the competition for a starting berth up front for Celtic is acute. On the back of his winning goal on Sunday Amido Balde has been talking about his ambitions to secure a regular place, Teemu Pukki is guaranteed nothing while Georgios Samaras has been used regularly as a striker. Anthony will remain under pressure to perform.
All of this competition will come into sharp focus in Amsterdam next week. Celtic will come under pressure for most of the game, but this is something they are comfortable with. We will need someone to exploit the openings Ajax will leave in their defence. Put your money on Anthony for the George McCluskey role.
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TT…100 bangers says your wrong and its the charity of your choice :)
Looked at the Hun media there , thems not happy, one of there rocket scientists said….wait for it nowwwwww……..” How much money will we get for those semis, let’s show our class…(wait for it here it comes)….. And give the money to our charities” wooooft, I nearly fell off my kitchen stool, irony?
Surely it is time for Celtic to have a second eleven playing in Scotland’s lower leagues.
Every club & every town in the country would benefit from this kind of initiative. Obviously there could not be any question of them being promoted beyond the third, or maybe even the second tier, but like the present Sevco they would give clubs in whichever league they played a very significant financial boost.
Celtic would obviously benefit by having their youngsters & fringe players playing against the mixture of seasoned old pro’s & young guys bent on improving themselves.
I don’t think there is any club ( & certainly no club treasurer) that would not welcome the chance to play against possible future Celtic stars on a regular basis.
Is there an impediment to such a scheme ?
None that I can foresee.
Is it not unusual for the venues for Scottish Cup semis to be announced so early ?
Re. The venues for SC semis and final..
In the past, they were locked into Hampden even although a match could have been Ross county and ICT.
It would have made more sense to have a couple of stadia on standby.
Just spotted the flaw in my argument ………… It would have made more sense
Kilbowie Kelt,
The only impediment is that we would have a Celtic one two at the top of the league after 4 years.
Paul67
Great news on Stokesy, he also provided the spark of genius to play in Jamesy for the really, really, really crucial goal v Karagandy, worth zillions of dosh and fond memories.
He totally deserves his 3 years and good luck to him. I like his style.
but Hmmmmmm :-)
Right here, right now, we are as weak as watter in the front line; that issue is still smoldering away and the decision makers at Celtic will be critically judged on what they do at the next available opportunity.
I am not knocking Pukki or Blade, as I can see merit on both players, they may blossom into Celtic legends- they might not! Therein lies the problem. It will take time either way to find out and we are in the middle of a CL campaign with 2014/15 campaign at risk this early if they don’t cut it.
It’s mid-season and I understand why we prefer not to raise such thorny issues, lest it deflects focus from much needed support for the existing squad. I don’t intend to create disruption when so many other things are going so well for us…
However, when I see blog leader:
” ..but the competition for a starting berth up front for Celtic is acute..”
That cannot be left unchallenged!!
We have needed, we knew we needed, a quality striker – with a bag full of properly endorsed and stamped qualification ‘papers’ – we certainly did not get that, and not to put too fine a point on it, not enough was done to make it happen.
All the bluster about players not wanting to come to us is not acceptable- we are a CL team and if we pay the right money we will get targets, not all of them will want to come regardless of how much offered.. I accept that, but some will.
We must raise the salary ceiling for goalscorers and creative mid players. If a few squad players don’t like that principle,then sell them on!!
Sooooo, I agree with much/most of what you write and really enjoy and value your hospitality. I vehemently disagree on the above point.
At the moment our front line is almost bereft of power and creativity; hanging onto Stokesy is a positive, but is is not enough. No way is there “acute” competition for a striking berth. I am a surprised that you believe there really is serious competition between strikers at CP.
Anyway, onwards and upwards- keep up the good work.
The next window is vital for the second half of this term and bedding in the 2014/15 season.
HH
~On that hun site somebody posted a link to, my favourite comment came from `TrueBlue` who posted
I, for one, cannot wait until we are ruling the roost once more and that bawbag liewell implodes.
===================================================
Err, cannot wait? Methinks you`re going to have to wait. And wait. And wait. (repeat to fade)
I was at the game in Amsterdam when McCluskey scored the winner in the dying minutes. Johan Cruffy had just been subituted. From memory Graham Sinclair had a great game.
it was 2-2 in the first game at Celtic park. I think they had the Danes Soren Lerby & Jesper Olsen playing for them
Kilbowie Kelt
13:23 on 30 October, 2013
Maybe the SPFL, they wouldn’t want us to impede on the establishment team, that’s why my suggestion earlier about playing teams in the championship etc.
Your suggestion is much better but I think somehow they would try and block it
HH
gsu
Another appalling decision from the SFA. The final at CP is a sop – the real reasoning here is to give two gates to the Zombies, just at the time when they might be about to run out of cash completely.
Absolutely no reason why all three games could not have been played at Murrayfield – a genuinely neutral venue, big enough to accommodate any two teams. Instead, as much money as possible is being poured down the Black Hole of Ibrox.
The reaction from Stockbridge is risible. Read it again and marvel at the unadulterated 24-carat arrogance of it. And they wonder why no-one likes them?
Clash city,
Nope. Normally announced pre-season;)
Kk, I’ve been wanting that for years. If Germany and Spain do it then it’s good enough for me.
Scottish Cup Final at CP and semis at the Bigotdome.
We can speculate as to why Ayebroke Park has been selected to stage both Scottish Cup semis when the capacity requirement for the games has yet to be determined.
It is noteworthy though that the ties will be played in April, at the very time RIFC will be down to its last dollar (assuming there are no unforecasted expenses meantime)
Let’s say total crowds between both matches are 70,000 which is typical, at £25 per ticket, of which 20% goes to the venue owner. That’s £350K.
Add in margin delivered from catering and stalls, say £2 per head, and RIFC will likely get in the order of £500,000 cash at the very moment when cash is most needed.
Can’t imagine though that this was at any point a consideration by those who selected the venues.
Should Celtic reach the semi-finals would it not be the ideal opportunity for the support to unite with a boycott of the game at poundland. Highlight to wider audience outwith this country the corrupt way the SFA broke their own rules to give Sevco a licence to play, duped UEFA to allow oldco a European licence they shouldn’t have got in 10/11 season and finally bring to a head the continuing delusion that they are still the same team.
What happens if Celtic get to the final and the opposing team decide to protest about the venue. Will the SFA change their mind (in the spirit of fair play of course) and play it at Ibrox. This assumption is based on the almost certain fact that despite their Herculean efforts to reach the Harry Ramsdens final, that they’ll be knocked out in either the 1st or second round.
Ross County v ICT semi at Ibrokes? Doesn;t make sense does it?
Surely Pittodrie or Perth would be a better option.
Hypothetical of course but semi final venues should not be at the national stadium.
LB
Greensideup
If we were to get the young team, under 19′s playing friendly matches against Championship sides or League One sides in England on a regular basis it would further player development and expand the brand more
I posted a whole back asking, since we don’t have a reserve league, could we apply to join the English reserve/ under 21 League?
The Battered Bunnet
As much as I love Celtic I would not be going to Ibrokes to see them in the SFA Cup semi or final.
I doubt many other Celtic supporters will feel the same as will many fans of other teams.
LB
desertbhoy
10:30 on 30 October, 2013
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
you been to that oranjie restaurant in TimLand yet??
——————————————————–
DB, sorry for my late reply, had to go off oot. No, not yet but a wee break to TimLand is on the cards and I’ll give you the lowdown :-)
Surely if/when we get to the Scottish Cup Semi Final we should boycott the bigotdome?? Would hate to give those scumbags any of my hard earned cash HH
Well said Kayal33, I’m with you pal HH
Commonsense decision would have been to announce the final at CP as the largest ground.
Leave open the semis to be decided once the semis finalists are known.
SFA and common sense are rarely in the same sentence. SFA and corruption often are.
Hutchybhoy
Knowing the SFA if our support boycott the Semi we would get less tickets for the final.
It’s just the way they operate.
LB
Big Anton Rogan
I was at both those games too. Graeme Sinclair had his finest 90 minutes of his career in Amsterdam, marking the great Cruyff out of the game. My first ever Euro away game. Apart from the football, I remember the huge derogatory banner against the Pope, and ducking to avoid bricks after the final whistle.
There’s no one who can’t stand them more than me in either their past or present form but other than both semis AND final played at Celtic park (and that’s just not gonna happen) I can’t see any other solution.
That said, I won’t be attending any game not played at Celtic park.
yorkbhoy
More exposure at a competitive level can only be a good thing for the club. Regular schedule of fixtures would also give the support an opportunity to travel with the reserves also and show what the Celtic experience is all about. Could possibly pave the way for the big squad also
HH
gsu
If Rangers win the Ramsden’s cup will there be an open top bus celebration down Paisley Rd, half days for the skool weans and free steak bakes for McCoist.
Kayal33 & Hutchybhoy
Totally with you there Bhoys.
I will never set foot inside the bigotdome ever again.
Ideal Scottish cup last 4 – Annan, Brechin, Forfar, Elgin.
Bosco,
Let’s hope we never find out.:)
Im sure we all have our own reasons…but im so glad, that I wont ever have to see those vile bigots again, with their twisted broken faces screaming with hatred.
We have suffered their poison for many, many years, but its a victory to consign them to the dustbin of history, by totally ignoring them…..in my eyes, they don’t exist.
Celtic, are a well loved and respected team, who play at the top table in the champions league, where we belong……while they, are the death rattle of bigotry.
C,mon the Hoops
HH
Sandman
Ideal if you hate the sfa more than you love Celtic.
Geordie Munro
If Celtic are in the CL final I would settle for the Sandman prediction for Scottish cup semis.
LB
Boscobhoy
Can’t see that happening for 2 reasons.
1. Raith Rovers will pump them. IF
2. The zombies are still on the go in April? Doubtful.
ideal Scottish Cup last 4- St Kilda Athletic, Rockall Rovers, Locomotive Gruinard and Third Lanark
Congratulations to Anto on his new contract, complete with a good helping of extra Nando’s vouchers. Let’s hope he doesn’t succumb to the ole traditional ‘new contract in the back pocket’ form slump.
As for the final of the esteemed Ramsdens Cup, do we know whether this clashes with either the Champions League final or the next Great British Bake Off final, and if so which one will the MSM give priority to??
Kilbowie Kelt
13:23 on
I regularly go to games in the lower leagues, I have over the years visited every single 1 of the 42 senior club grounds in our country. I have had this discussion, Celtic playing second string team in lower league, and I can assure you among the fans of the smaller clubs there is no appetite for this. The boards of these clubs may well see the financial sense in it but the fans are totally opposed to it.