I don’t know anything about Stefan Johansen, who is one of several central midfield players Celtic are tracking, but I’m pleased we’re scouting for this area. There’s no question we are missing a penalty box predator but you could make a case that the sense of calm and control exerted by Victor Wanyama in the middle of the park is a more telling absence.
Nir Biton has all the potential to get there eventually but it’s going to take him time. He reminds me of Ki, who a couple of seasons ago was fifth choice central mid for Celtic, behind Brown, Wanyama, Ledley and Kayal. This season I’ve watched him collect and distribute, close space and bring shape to a struggling Sunderland team.
I’ve also watched a bit of Barry Robson since his return to Aberdeen. Despite his advancing years he remains one of the most intelligent footballers in the game. His arrival in the Celtic midfield six years ago changed Celtic into a winning team. You don’t need Pele for this role, just a tactically aware athlete.
How many accountants does it take to tell you that losing circa £1m per month is not a good idea? Lots, apparently.
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In Crossmaglen the fire burns true..
Ernie
Preppers, now I am a reasonable kinda bloke, but sometimes I can only take so much >}
……………….
Sandman
Ha, no I was being serious, they can do all you say and more, trust me.
There are wheans of vids about them, they are magic so they are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfAHASx50B8
HH
TCR
away you to your bed and stop trying to start a sing song at this time of night
!!Bada Bing!!@22:47
“In your opinion a forward Coach is not worth trying ? Warm downs and ice baths were not about 10 years ago,times move on,some new ideas can work IMO.HH”
Voodoo dolls are a new idea too. I answered that point in my reply to PFAyr.
The effectiveness of warm downs and ice baths were researched and proven helpful by sports scientists and physios before they got adopted in a more widespread fashion manner. At the moment, there is no evidence base to recommend the efficacy of forwards coaches any more than voodoo dolls.
It is only a punter topic on football blogs; it is not a common debate within the pro game for football or basketball. Why is that?
TTTT
I understand you took offence mate. I was telling you that I offered none. I could have retaliated with the same line that you were bullying me by disagreeing with me but my point was, it’s just the internet and it’s just an opinion, even though I am right :-)
g’night
Only saw the second half live, as it was a 2:30am kick-off here.
What about Biton’s Pele-esque shot from his own half which only just cleared the crossbar?
What about Amido’s penalty?
Have you ever seen a goalkeeper, in the middle of a penalty shoot-out, applaud an opponent who had just made him look silly? No, me neither. But that is what happened last night.
Amazing performance from the bhoys.
Hail Hail
NFL on CQN
American conference final next week will be in Denver between the Broncos and Patriots.
National conference final will be in Seattle between the Seahawks and 49ers.
THE EXILED TIM
Build one yourself!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9uh2VExcdbY&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9uh2VExcdbY
‘gg
Sorry to hear about your health issues earlier.
What’s the latest on yer potential superstar relation?
CELTIC’S kids didn’t just hold their own against one Galatasaray team.
They matched TWO. But like the actual Antalya Cup, Neil Lennon’s rookies were left shattered at time up.
They couldn’t be beaten over 90 minutes by the big spending Turkish champions.
Roberto Mancini even changed his ENTIRE line-up at half-time in a bid to lift the trophy which was smacked by a stray ball and wrecked during the pre-match the warm-up.
James Forrest’s missed penalty saw Celts lose 5-4 on spot-kicks in a cruel end.
The Scotland star had been sensational all night, a real thorn in the side of Mancini’s men.
But you know it’s a young Celtic line-up when Forrest is wearing the skipper’s armband as the most experienced man.
The back four read like a Who’s He of Scottish football.
John Herron, Eochan O’Connell, Marcus Fraser and Darnell Fischer are all kids with huge potential but this was some test.
Youngster Liam Henderson also anchored midfield alongside Nir Biton inbetween Derk Boerrigter and Forrest on the flanks.
The shattered Antalya trophy
With Teemu Pukki and Amido Balde up front it was as inexperienced a side as Lennon could have out.
He’d allowed nine first team players to return home after Thursday’s victory over Trabzonspor and it was a gamble.
But Lennon wasn’t let down by anyone. By half-time — before the Turkish big-hitters changed their line-up — there was nothing between the sides.
Truth be told Celtic had the better opportunities to take the lead before the break.
A debatable off-side decision denied Pukki giving them the lead in five minutes.
And at the other end Lukasz Zaluska did well to tip over a shot from Nourredin Amrabat.
Then Hoops left-back Fisher hauled down Aydin Yilmaz on the edge of the box — but ref Murat Erdogan gave a free-kick.
There was a moment of controversy on the half-hour mark when Henderson took a quick free-kick which gave Balde a sight of goal. Galatasaray’s bench were furious, insisting the game had stopped to allow treatment to injured Emre Can Coskun.
The incident saw Balde hauled down for a free-kick, but there would have been uproar had the big striker scored.
For the last 15 minutes of the first-half, though, it was virtually all Celtic and they really should have taken the lead.
Boerrigter fired a ball across goal Pukki should have done better with.
Next Biton — who patrolled midfield brilliantly all game — put the Finnish hitman through on goal only to watch him delay his shot which was saved.
Then in 37 minutes the best chance of all, Henderson feeding a pass out to Forrest who laid it on a plate for Boerrigter.
Unmarked and with the goal at his mercy the ex-Ajax winger somehow managed to miss the target from inside the six-yard box.
Holland superstar Wesley Sneijder and ten others then got stripped for action for the second half with Celts immediately under the cosh.
Keeper Zaluska blocked an effort from Umut Bulut seconds after the restart as Lennon breathed a sigh of relief.
But next to do that was Galatasaray’s Uruguayan back-up keeper Fernando Muslera.
He was almost caught out when Biton tried a sensational effort from just inside his own half, the Israeli’s cheeky attempt only a yard too high.
Had it gone in it would have been the strike of his life.
Silky Sneijder then played two one-twos on the edge of the Celtic box with his shot at goal no more than a yard wide.
But it wasn’t all sweetness from the Turkish champs. They started to throw their weight around in a bid to try and intimidate the young Hoops. With ten minutes to go Boerrigter clashed with midfielder Emre Colak with the Celtic man shoved in the face off the ball.
It was all too much for the officials to handle with the home fans screaming for everything.
Celtic were doing well to hold on but with ten minutes left they broke forward and had a great chance to win it.
Forrest put Balde through but his shot was tipped over.
Lennon threw on his SIXTH teenager of the night in 86 minutes when Calvin Miller was handed his debut just three days after he turned 16.
When it went to penalties Henderson, Balde, Biton and sub Bahrudin Atajic all scored — but Forrest missed.
Organisers then patched together the broken trophy before Galatasary lifted it. Carefully.
Bobby Murdoch what a player what a man.
I was rejoicing in his start today although out of position.
Due to attendance at mass for the first time in a few weeks I missed the game.
I will be watching it in full tomorrow afternoon.
I hope he shines and gets a few more starts.
Balde penalty. ( hope the link works ok)
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/celtics-amido-balde-scores-delightful-panenka-penalty-galatasaray-keeper-muslera-applauds-it-gif/?
Ps
When I said What a player what a man I meant Bobby of course.
He was the engine room of the Lions with a powerful and accurate shot.
How Gavin Masterton almost killed Celtic
Date: 12th January 2014 at 3:21 pm
Written by: Joe McHugh
Fresh evidence has emerged of just how close Gavin Masterton came to closing Celtic.
In the early nineties, as a director of Bank of Scotland, Masterton was effectively the king-maker of Scottish football controlling the banking facilities for almost all of the top clubs with Bank of Scotland becoming the first sponsor of the SPL in 1998.
Credit was easy to come by in those days for those with the right connections with David Murray, the shining star of the Thatcherite era, the golden boy of the banking community.
Murray International Metals were given limitless funds which Murray channelled towards winning the European Cup for Rangers with Duncan Ferguson, at £4.2m in the summer of 1993 the most expensive player in British football.
The old Celtic board would have struggled to run a corner shop as they lapsed from one disaster to the next with the sacking of Liam Brady and appointment of Lou Macari, who brought in Carl Muggleton, Lee Martin and Wayne Biggins, summing up the direction the club was going.
The early days of 1994 were particularly difficult for the old dynasties with performances on the pitch nosediving under Macari while the malcontents among the support invested their faith in the ‘dream-team’ partnership of Brian Dempsey and Fergus McCann.
Crisis point came after a Scottish Cup third round defeat at Motherwell while the overdraft approached it’s limit with continued backing from fans and sponsors under threat.
Picking up the story in the Sunday Mail Celtic director Brian Wilson reveals McCann’s anger twenty years on at the way the club was treated by the Edinburgh establishment of the Bank of Scotland.
Roland Mitchell, head of BOS Glasgow, was charged with the task of closing Celtic down, no doubt with the approval of Masterton through at Bank of Scotland HQ.
Wilson explained: “On March 3, Mitchell told club chairman Kevin Kelly that cheques would only continue to be honoured if “by 12 noon tomorrow a cash collateralised or otherwise acceptably supported guarantee for the sum of £1million is put in place to support the bank’s overdraft”.
“The other condition was that McCann “superseded” this with “a £5million cash collateralised guarantee” the following week. McCann flew in from Canada to meet that challenge.
“But he remains bitter about his treatment by BoS who, he believes, did not wish him to succeed in buying the club. He recalls: “I had taken them completely off the hook. They were never going to collect the £5.2million they were owed otherwise. Ten months later, after the bank had been fully paid off, Charles Barnett, Celtic’s interim financial director, went to BoS to learn what they could offer in loan finance.
“Their proposal was £2.5million fully secured – little more than an insult. Later, we obtained £10million unsecured from the Co-op Bank in Manchester.
“What I resented enormously was trying to do a business deal in Scotland and being treated that way.”
Masterton’s power came to a halt when Halifax took over the Bank of Scotland and started to examine the unique business practices that were commonplace in Scotland, especially through football.
Further pain came when Lloyds TSB took over HBOS with the banking collapse of 2008 requiring the government to take over the entire Lloyds TSB group.
Without the unquestioning backing of Masterton Murray’s empire came under proper financial scrutiny with Craig Whyte finally buying Rangers in 2011 for £1- five years after Murray had first attempted to sell the club.
Less than a year after taking over Rangers Whyte put Rangers into administration with liquidation following soon after.
Liam Henderson: Bhoys were brilliant
By: Mark Henderson on 12 Jan, 2014 21:32
AN ELATED Liam Henderson says Celtic´s young guns showed that they could they could shine on the big stage after their impressive display against Galatasaray in the Antalya Cup final.
The talented teenager was one of nine Celtic Youth Academy graduates who featured against the Turkish champions, with Neil Lennon keen for them to experience facing top-class opposition.
And despite going up against established internationalists, including Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder, the young Hoops more than held their own, earning a goal-less draw against Robero Mancini´s men before going down 5-4 on penalty kicks.
And speaking exclusively to the official Celtic website after the game, Henderson said: “It was different-class. I thought all the boys did brilliant, and in front of an unbelievable crowd, we showed we could handle it.
“I played with a lot of the boys last year and knew that we were all capable of playing, but I never expected it to go as well as it did. But everyone played for each other and we just fought it out as a team.
“The way Galatasaray played and the pace they played at was frightening, but it was obviously a great experience for myself and the other boys. It´s something that will live with me forever.”
The young midfielder turned in a hugely impressive performance against the Istanbul outfit and he also savoured the chance of going head-to-head with one of his football idols in Sneijder.
“It was a dream come true. I remember watching him in the World Cup final, and I thought, ´what a player´.
“He´s at the peak of his powers, playing in the last 16 of the Champions League and for his county. It was unbelievable just being on the same pitch as him.”
The young Celts were helped along by a smattering of senior stars, with Henderson partnered in central midfield by Israeli Nir Biton.
“Nir was different class and was always talking during the game, taking time to give me advice,” he added. “You can learn so much from these players.”
Exciting two or three weeks ahead in sports.
Conference finals next weekend in the NFL
Australian Open for the next two weeks. Venus out in first round BTW.
Will Andy Murray have enough match fitness to survive the heat?
Will my daytime naps allow me to watch games overnight?
And of course Celtic games against Motherwell, Hibs and Kilmarnock.
Will the youngsters be rewarded for their Turkish heroics by getting starts?
gg
Certainly hope that a couple of the kids get a chance to strut their stuff in the SPL. Mind you, big Fra might be hoping to stick with the more experienced bhoys , at least until his attempt to break Van Der Sar’s world record for clean sheets is over!
1311 minutes is the magic number.
Good morning friends from a damp and drizzly East Kilbride. But at least it’s above freezing and so frost free.
The record number of comments on one CQN article is 2243.
Getting close now.
Youths strutting their stuff in a youth league can look like world beaters. It’s when they step up a level and face bigger and more experienced opponents that is the acid test. We’ve seen it so many times before.
Those kids last night. They can pass a ball, can tackle and looked cool under pressure. I was reminded of the Quality Street Kids. I am excited about the future. I know I’m not alone in that.
And to think a couple of posters were slaughtering the board for short-changing the supporters by undertaking this trip to Turkey.
Liam Henderson = David Hay 1968.
How many supporters were outraged at missing out on Celtic v Kilmarnock on Saturday?
BTW I am sitting at Brisbane Airport awaiting my partner’s delayed flight. Nobody to talk to so CQN it is.
tom,
Are you trying to get to 2243 yourself?
AR
Tom,
I didn’t see the game last night, no facility where I am at present but there is definitely some talent among our young Bhoys, the crux will be, will we give any of them some meaningful game time?
Here’s hoping we do.
AR
ar –
That wasn’t my intention, but I was beginning to see it that way :-)
Regarding last nights game and the opportunities afforded our youth players to break int the first team. How many of those players gave got a decent shot at first team football (apart from D. Fisher) after their great performance against LFC at the Aviva earlier in the season ?
DontPatmadug,
Spot on bud, we need to let these guys take the next step, I believe that any player needs about ten games to settle into a team and to be allowed to show what he has got. If we just give them one game ( or 5 minutes) then it’s no different from your first day at a new job where you find yourself wandering about and if you’re like me, you forget the name of the guy you were introduced to two minutes ago, pretty daunting.
Let the Bhoys play!
AR
Tom
I’m sure the bhoys from far afield who had booked flights and hotels for the weekend would rather have watched Celtic in person.
antipodean red
Some of them have shown themselves to be more than competent against far better opposition than they would face in the SPFL . Would think given the financial restraints we operate under a homegrown player making waves in the first team would be beneficial to all.
Sad news…my first love Alexandra Bastido died yesterday.
DontPatmadug,
There’s nothing I love more than to see a youngster come in and make an impact, Dalglish, McStay, Nicholas, Burns, etc, etc.
Love those guys
AR
Just noticed that 5 of our next 6 games are at Celtic Park. Which is nice.
VOGUEPUNTER
Top photie,White bikini.
http://dirtyprettythingsuk.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/pirelli-calendar-1970/
Voguepunter…
Oh no!
dontpatmadug
07:45 on 13 January, 2014
Difficult to maintain ‘wins’ if you chop and change to accommodate young players getting regular development games.(whilst ensuring established players play as often as necessary)……balancing act, which NEIL has handled really well…..
BT
Why would anybody in their right mind buy a flight to an event before the date and time is confirmed?