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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Ah WITS , it seems like we are going to have a meet up, I should be in Blane Valley at that stage.
I’ll leave my gun at home if you do likewise. Do we have a deal.
Dallas
You are bang on the money.
So is Colin. ;))
Corkcelt
OldTim runs the BV. No dude shoots up his saloon. :))
Had to jump on and share this.
Wunderbar :))
https://t.co/l3pJRFzKdb?amp=1
DELANEYSDUNKY
Unless he’s outside having a smoke…
Delaney’s , haha how true .
Corkcelt and Art of War. Heartwarming posts earlier.
STV2 has a programe on currently called The Silence . A typical tv programe about the huns and
their demise
I know DD, I’ve been there & seen him in action. Great ghuy, just messing with Wits, he knows what I’m on about. At least I hope he does.
Corkcelt/Wits,
I’ll bring a couple of banjo’s…..if it comes to it ;-))….shoutin out for a ticket/unused season ticket for the PSG geme…..TIA
H.H.
I have a pretty early start in the morning, so I’m hitting my leaba, catch WIT’S wit manyana.
Good Night & God Bless All.
BMCUW
In fairness, OldTim and I love a puff on European nights. Reminds us of being in Amsterdam Arena. ;)
DELANEYSDUNKY
Aye. Or anywhere else you’ve been!
Reminds me of a night in The Three Judges. I was scared to have a smoke outside at the same time as you due to the fumes!
Corkie
My gun slinging days are long over
Be a pleasure to buy you a pint
BMCUW
The smell fae the fumes fae the Kelvin and Clyde rivers at Partick X can be mingin sometimes. ;)
WITS
Lookin like a few good bhoys meeting up before we pump the Parisiens. Nice one!
Delaneys
Looking forward to it
Take care G.
BMCUW
Tell CCB to get in Bodhran Pub Benidorm, near Old Town, 100 yards from beach. Celtic pub with good rebel singer post match. My daughter Julie’s favourite pub in Spain. :)
WITS
This is how it feels to be Celtic!
Inspiral Carpets Oldham CSC
DELANEYDUNKY
Will do,mate. Thanks for the tip-off.
To be honest,it’s any port in a storm for him. My Mum drags him about the shops/markets,and if she takes her eyes off him for a second,he dives into the nearest pub!
BMCUW
He will like this pub. The Scot/Irish couple who run it will love your da. My granddaughter Rhiannon’s favourite pub too, as well as her ma. Family friendly fenian pub in the sun. Magic
DELANEYSDUNKY
Sold!!!
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/09/03/brendan-rodgers-says-celtics-top-deal-could-not-be-done-at-30-mi/
Interesting commentary on something I had wondered about too.
https://thecelticblog.com/2017/09/blogs/the-curious-case-of-free-agent-joe-ledley-who-left-celtic-under-a-cloud/
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/09/03/alan-brazil-comments-on-celtics-move-for-patrick-roberts/
Delaneys,
Pumping the Parisians has a nice ring to it…..competing with them over 90 satisfies this glass half full Tim ;-))
H.H.
Aye,
An that sunday mail pr*ck….parks…..he reads here…..and took my tongue in cheek post about PR7’s lack of ambition and ran down sh*t alley with it….;-))
Seems we are all journalists…..just some of us have better standards than tomorrows chip papers ;-))
H.H.
Man,
Constant coughing over 8 days….leads to an easy 6 Pak….too bad a keep dreading the next bout….it hurts like a bass ;-))
H.H.
Cold Chisel – Khe Sanh (1978)…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=RDEMO5imsDsc_hJjEnwUU6K35Q¶ms=OAFIAVgo&v=BNA4ELdkYCo&mode=NORMAL
THELURKINTIM on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2017 8:52 PM
WITS,
Whit’s a disco ;-))
H.H.
……………………………………………..
A Disco was a place where I would show aff my hot moves….and steal other guys burdz and wives.
HH
Did someone post on here the other day that they have a spare Season Book for the game v Ross County on 16th September ?
If so, I would love to have it for myself, and I’ll buy the donor a few Beers etc.
HH
I’ll be in the BV before PSG game, but I’ll be sticking to the Guinness as the Caledonia Best wisnae…the best !
More fake news prior to Hungary v Portugal in the Daily Rectum as they told us that Alves was ill ?
Shocking match…with Alves finding it hard to mess up v 10 men and having acres of space to pass 5 yards…no doubt the huns will claim he looked classy ? Hahaha.
In the last minute of injury time, Hungary final put in a cross/free kick into Portugals box…they nearly scored to make it 1-1…..Alves posted missing at said cross.
What a diddy he is, but we knew that before he signed for the deid club.
HH
Good morning CQN from a damp mist shrouded East Devon.
http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/paean-for-paddy/
Morning bump HH
AoW
Brilliant story about glencoe mate.
HH jamesgang
Hat Trick The Griff tonight is 11/1 with bet365.
I took a piece of that.
HH
Kris Commons has revealed that his move to Celtic in 2011 was forced through by Derby County.
As the January transfer window was coming to a close the midfielder was hoping to agree a new deal with the Championship.
Having switched from Nottingham Forest three years earlier Commons was settled at Derby when he was called into a meeting with the chairman.
Last week Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Sanchez both discovered the power of a club to hold on to a player but in the case of Commons it was the opposite experience.
“I’ve had first-hand experience of this situation,” he explained in the Daily Mail. “My transfer from Derby County to Celtic back in 2011 was far from normal. On the day of the transfer I had no idea what was in store. I trained in the morning as normal and once completed was called into the chairman’s office.
“I sat down hoping a new contract was about to be offered but he came straight out and told me that they had accepted a bid from Celtic and I was ‘free to go’.
“To say that was unexpected would be an understatement. I went back into the changing room to clear out my locker. My head was all over the place, we had a young family and my partner Lisa was heavily pregnant. All our family and friends lived near us and we had a very happy and settled life.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thank God it was forced through and that Kris didn’t resist – our history during that time would have been a lot worse in my opinion.
BIGJIMMY
COSYCORNERBHOY was the poster. I think you have his phone number.
I’ll let him know you’ve got dibs if it’s still available.
DD, condolences on the sad loss of your pal Kenny Weir. Off to Crete today, so will miss the PSG game, but represented by son and his Arsenal supporter mate from Leicester. See you on 16 Sep
HH
OOOOOOOFT!
https://johnjamessite.com/author/sitonfence/