We’ve known for a while the strategic alliance Celtic have had with Manchester City, but how we have burrowed into the France international youth setup is, frankly, highly unlikely for a Scottish club.
First came Moussa, then Olivier.
Olivier Ntcham (21) will have known Moussa Dembele (21) from the French youth setup, and Patrick Roberts from their time at Man City. How both flourished at Celtic last season was a prime motivator for the player to head north.
With Olivier and Moussa flourishing in Glasgow, Brendan Rodgers was able to convince a third French youth international, Odsonne Edouard (19), to come to Celtic. We are now an attractive destination for players graduating from one of the world’s most productive international academy environments.
Edouard is here on loan. Celtic have the option secured with both Paris Saint-Germain and the player to turn this into a permanent transfer, should he developed as hoped over the next season.
The story is a little more complicated than just this, however. Odsonne was convicted of shooting someone with an air gun in July and given a suspended sentence. This, frankly, is grossly irresponsible and a suspended sentence is one of the better outcomes for Odsonne. Whatever influences were in his life leading up to this point, a new course needs to be taken in Glasgow.
I have no doubt that this conviction thinned the heard of some potential suitors, unprepared to take the risk on him. He has a year to develop his potential and set himself a new course. If he does, Celtic will acquire a remarkable talent for what in the current market, is a snip.
Patrick Roberts back on loan means that we have retained all first team players from last season, while augmenting the squad with several others. Patrick agreed terms to join permanently, but Manchester City were not prepared to let him go. They, like many others, believe there could be enormous potential on Celtic’s right wing this season. What happens next summer is too far away to contemplate with any certainty.
Jonny Hayes now looks third choice for the right wing slot, but he’s more likely to be utilised as backup for Scott Sinclair on the left. While Patrick Roberts was pursued throughout the summer, we were always going to have to wait until City made their decisions. This left us with only James Forrest for the right wing position for the qualifiers – and James is no stranger to injury. Jonny was available early in the window, so was an appropriate acquisition.
Kundai Benyu (19) arrived from Ipswich after a season on loan at Aldershot. Like Hayes, he can cover for Sinclair in left mid.
Rivaldo Coetzee (20) is the one that got away. He would have competed with Kristofer Ajer for the fourth central defender berth. With Simunovic fit, and Boyata and Sviatchenko both back from injury this month, there was no chance of us splurging big on a central defender. A strategic purchase, like Coetzee, was another matter.
The litmus test for any transfer window is, did we come out of it better than we went into it? Such outcomes are seldom evident the day after the window closes, but having retained all, and added such potential, we have delivered.
What we need to do now is develop Ntcham, Edouard and the others, win the league, perform well in the Champions League, and solidify our position as a club where outstanding talent will flourish and succeed. This is what success looks like for an economically disenfranchised giant in a highly dysfunctional industry.
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Just back home after a great night among fellow Tims at Sacred Heart Hall in Girvan , raised a good few quid for Crohn’s and Colitis , great local band called The Mix , a great night was had by all who were there HH !
Here’s one for the Clydebank & Dumbarton Massif…
Apparently the Gear is still relevant (Rutherglen excepted):-))))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icBL4ahIWTU
CCSC
Bella Ciao bella ciao hh
Art of War
Sincere condolences on the loss of your Mum in law take care of your good lady.
Roy Croppie
Where the fek you been ya spekky bassa …on holiday all Summer ,you could have
spent some time with the troops on CQN.HH
Love to the family. :O)
War is ever the enemy of progress. It is only possible when humanity is stifled, when the common interests of the human race are denied. The first blast of the bugles of war is also the requiem note of human brotherhood. It is but a step, and a short step, from exulting in the sufferings of a foreign enemy to contemptuous indifference to the sights and sounds of suffering amongst our own poor in our own streets. The poor of the world would be well advised, upon the declaration of war in any country, as their first steps to peace, to hang the Foreign Minister and Cabinet whose secret diplomacy produced such a result. If each country hanged its own Foreign Minister and Cabinet before setting out to the front, wars would not last long; and if a jingo editor were hanged each week it lasted, the most jingo being the first to hang, not many angry passions would be stirred up to make the work of peaceful understanding difficult.
James Connolly
Fine words still relevant over a hundred years since it was printed.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iYH5h-5Dz40
DBHOY
Can you send them to North Kora,please?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/sep/03/north-korea-nuclear-test-south-korea-yohap-kim-jong-un-live
BMCW
Hopefully no more than a case of ‘ sabre rattling ‘ from NK as another poster mentioned the other day
BHOY on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2017 6:25 AM
BMCW
Hopefully no more than a case of ‘ sabre rattling ‘ from NK as another poster mentioned the other day
==========================================================================
Fraid not.
Explosion detected.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/rangers/how-billy-connolly-helped-walter-smith-manage-paul-gascoigne-1-4549342
Good morning CQN from a dull, wet and dreich East Devon.
Liam Henderson.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/aidan-smith-the-window-s-shut-get-out-there-and-play-guys-1-4549373
Macjay
Whether there was an explosion or not doesn’t exclude the possibility of this latest test being anything more than a show of military strength ( sabre rattling )
Art of War,
So sorry to read of Peggy.
My sincere condolences.
Peggy RIP.
Morning all.
I notice your trainer McCain is still having a few winners.
I hope you are doing well.
Hail Hail
DBHOY on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2017 7:05 AM
Macjay
Whether there was an explosion or not doesn’t exclude the possibility of this latest test being anything more than a show of military strength ( sabre rattling )
============================================================
O.K.
Has IMPOTIS reacted to Kim’s H-bomb test or is he still creating fame for his supporters down in the South?
MWD
I await Donald Trumps next move with baited breath…. as will most of the world.
This will now escalate in my opinion…..and escalate at a rate of knots
Celtic star Patrick Roberts has shown a lack of ambition by returning to Scotland
The winger opted for a second stint in Glasgow rather than trying his hand abroad.
By Gordon Parks 06:00, 3 SEP 2017
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
What a sad excuse for a journalist. Instead of talking up the game in his own country, he actually comments,
‘Bluntly, our game is where bigger names arrive for career rehabilitation or last resort.’
Great PR work or just bitterness towards Celtic?
Still we always win, even if we lose and the dogs bark but the caravan keeps going forward.
Donald Trump tasked with cleaning up the global mess created by Obama`s disastrous eight years of showing a green light to the world`s despots.
Twisty
IMPOTIS will be considering how he can keep his punters alive to pay for his wine, his hotel rooms and his golf rounds after mutual destruction (once someone explains to him what mutual destruction means). It will be a difficult one for the white supremicist to calculate while trying to clean up the mess of 8 years of the First American Black president.
MWD
I wonder if IMPOTUS views the H-bomb test as ‘EPIC’ like he thought hurricane Harvey.
“It’s historic. It’s epic, what happened, but I will tell you it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything,”
I’m pretty sure he must have meant catastrophic but just couldn’t think of the word due to the number of letters it contains.
This Third World War and mutual destruction is going to be EPIC.
MWD
I read that Gordon Parks article and the vision of @parksy327 crying over his bowl of ready break made me laugh.
MWD
Morning chaps…who’s the North Korean barber? :-)
Looking forward to our first CLG game this year. Hoping we are cheering and applauding the Bhoys off the field this time round rather than applauding PSG off.
MWD
morning
Too much time on my hands this morning – got me wondering if Hibs are the real reason Celtic can’t go public over the continuity myth.
Hibs badge states 1875 but that club went out of business in 1891. The hibs of today started in 1893 but claim the history of the first club.
So my point is this, if celtic were to speak out about the same club myth it could easily be put down to bad blood against the old firm rival as we have never in 130 years spoke out against hibs.
possible!!?
WBC
I know a German barber by the name of Herr Cut :-)
We as Celtic supporters show a real lack of ambition in only supporting Celtic all our lives .
Suggested to my Mrs about my own lack of ambition in only being married to her for twenty years, the withering look from her said it all.
The only reason I’ve heard of this guy Parks is because he has been mentioned before on here.
Stopped buying newspapers years ago and not just because of the football content.
Not sure if true but North Korean’s are allowed to choose from 15 hair styles. They are not allowed however to copy Kim’s hairstyle because his is so cool.
MWD
SCULLYBHOY on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2017 8:03 AM,
As initially jaw dropping as that article is it merely serves as a reminder to the bitterness that exists among rank and file sports ‘journalists’ and the editorial line being taken by the rags. They’ve nailed their colours to the mast and will go down with the ship.
Our next home game will be one of the biggest in world football that week and an international press pack will descend on Celtic Park for the occasion to witness the ambition of Celtic Football Club.
MWD
With the atmosphere that a European night in paradise brings it’s very possible for us to win despite the disparity in resources between the two clubs.
I’m sure there’s a script written somewhere that has Odsonne coming on as a sub to score the winner…
HH
N Korea ,Venezuela, Syria getting demonised by our wonderful press-governments . Could the reality be that the real aggressors -war mongers are actually closer to home?
I want to play football in front of full houses most weeks home and away,
I want to play football in the champions league.
I want to play football in front of fans who love my style of play.
I want to win leagues and trophys for those fans.
I Dont want skleves on my backside watching others play in front of me.
I HAVE NO AMBITION.
@@@@@@@@@@@.
Aye right you are ya numpty
H.H
For Celtic reasons, I’ve never enjoyed Jose Mourinho’s personality but his efforts to entertain the crowd, as a substitute goalkeeper, in the Game4Grenhill have rehabilitated him to my eyes.
Booked for time-wasting, arguing an equaliser was offside and scoring a penalty in the shoot-out, watching fans must’ve had a good laugh. Well played, Jose.
I think, as well, the halftime entertainment has raised the bar for our Foundation staff – a Marcus Mumford, Emeli Sande and Rita Ora singalong. Not that I think it was a singalong to their own songs. Who would know the words to join in?
Dbhoy… :-)
MWD…they all look the same to me…(haircuts, that is)…wouldn’t like to nick his ear…could end up on the pointy end of an intercontinental missile…
Former Hoops striker Sutton has since hit out at Parks’ article on his personal Twitter account by labelling it as “utter nonsense”.
Follow
Chris Sutton ✔ @chris_sutton73
Utter nonsense…. https://twitter.com/sundaymailsport/status/904230956529221636 …
11:02 – 3 Sep 2017
156 156 Replies 121 121 Retweets 751 751 likes
Cracked me up in a dark sense the other day….NK missile overflies japanese air boundaries. Trump spokeswoman tells how no nation should have to suffer missiles flying overhead…..
I sat there thinking…….last few decades…..apart Her Majesty’s Glorious Britannia, there’s really only one nation in the world that has had a habit of firing missiles over and into other nations.
Remember Cuba? Around this time the USA had about 7,000 nuclear munitions stationed around the soviet unions European borders. A soviet general once lectured me at length about the effect this had on their military planning.
What may seem like seem comfortable western hegemony to a few on here and many in America looks and feels like aggressive expansionism to most of the rest of the world. Now with a fully certified megalomaniac nutter at the helm.
HH jamesgang
Police Hunland
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15511510.Police_officer_probed_over_claim_he_told_Orange_Order___39_Nazi__39__complainant_to_focus_on_ex_Celtic_boss_Neil_Lennon/?ref=twtrec
MWD