Targeting development on the left back slot

365

For decades, some of us have wondered why we have been unable to develop a striker capable of regularly holding down a place in the team. While this remains so, we appear to have the magic formula for developing full backs.

Two months after Kieran Tierney left his 20s behind, Calvin Miller (19) and Anthony Ralston (18) look to have been hued from the same tree as the much-celebrated Tierney. And by the look for the three of them, that tree is oak. There is a physicality to them, which sets them apart from years of scrawny, but skilful, hopefuls.

I know the opposition was only Kilmarnock on Saturday, but Tierney came through a similar school only two years ago, marking his progress at the same staging posts.

Part of this apparent success may be explained by the fact that Miller (and Tierney, for that matter), was not always a full back. Calvin first emerged as a striker, but instead of burning out waiting for his chance there, was reprogrammed as a defender.

Celtic, and much of the world, had a vacancy at left back for years; we were always on the lookout. We targeted this position through the development system, which explains where the success has come from.

We might never be able to produce a top striker, but we have tolerate that if we are able to produce top talents elsewhere on the field.

NEW CQN PODCAST JUST RELEASED PAUL DYKES PRESENTS WITH FORMER CELTIC CAPTAIN ANDY LYNCH AND SPECIAL GUEST PAT STANTON

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365 Comments

  1. Cigalas por favor.

     

     

    Well, she’s got 20 years on me, and ah’m defin-ate-ly no’ in mine!

  2. Bliddy impossible to pick the best photo of wee Claudia Cardinale in her prime. There’s too many.

     

     

    Incidentally I share the same initials as her!

     

     

    HH!!

  3. cigalasporfavor on

    Bet there’s a few whippersnappers googling oor Claudia the now.

     

    Think she was in the year above senor Alves?

  4. Cigalasporfavor

     

     

    Aye, but only because she didnae huv tae repeat first and second year.

  5. Just had a look at Scotland squad. The sooner we are put out of our agony in the failed qualifying campaign the better. We can then replace the manager and his band of favourites, the tried and failed group, half of whom can’t get a game for their club side.

     

    Hanley, Martins (both), Berra, Bannon, Fletchers (both), McArthur, Snodgrass, all been there and failed multiple times. We need a new, younger manager, who will play players on form, bring in some younger players and bin the current manager’s obsession with English Championship standard players.

  6. Ajax Cape Town IS extremely proud to announce an agreement with Glasgow Celtic, for the sale of defender Rivaldo Coetzee HAS BEEN CONCLUDED .

     

     

    The Urban Warriors have since it’s inception in 1999 paved the way for African stars to make their way to the riches of the European Leagues, and Coetzee will now join the likes of Steven Pienaar, Daylon Claasen, Eyong Enoh and Thulani Serero in making the move abroad from the Parow-based club.

     

     

    Entrenched in our vision – Our Youth Our Future – is nurturing players to eventually ply their trade in the top leagues of world football.

     

     

    Coetzee, who joined Ajax Cape Town as a fresh faced 15-year-old, will now be aiming to make a name for himself at one of the globe’s most iconic and successful club side’s.

     

     

    Celtic, who are the reigning Scottish League Champions, are currently on a 52 game unbeaten run following a 2-0 win over Kilmarnock FC this past weekend.

     

     

    ‘The Hoops’ have won their country’s top division title on 48 occasions with their trophy cabinet boasting a further 37 Scottish Cup crowns, 16 Scottish League Cup titles and 1 European Cup for their victory in the 1967 final in Lisbon.

     

     

    Former Liverpool head coach ,Brendan Rodgers, is currently in charge at Celtic Park, with the Northern Irishman having closely monitored Coetzee’s progress with club representatives having traveled to the Mother City this year.

     

     

    Rodgers believes Coetzee is a perfect fit for Celtic as he is a ball-playing dual-footed centre-back with an impressive range of pass – set to bolster the club’s ranks.

     

     

    Going beyond their domestic success, Celtic have in the past few season’s offered a valuable launching pad to players boasting aspirations of playing in the English Premier League.

     

     

    Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Fraser Foster all made a name for themselves in Glasgow before making the switch across to England’s top-flight.

     

     

    Add to the equation the fact that Celtic could be play UEFA Champions League football this season, a move to Scotland is an exciting one for our reigning Player and Player’s Player of the Season.

     

     

    Coetzee, 20, made his debut for the club in February 2014 having graduated to the First Team from the club’s Youth Academy – starting from the onset in a 2-0 win over Polokwane City.

     

     

    The Kakamas-born defender would go onto make close to 100 appearances for the club, scoring his only goal in a 1-1 draw at home to Golden Arrows at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening. The match would prove to be his swansong in the red and white of the Urban Warriors.

     

     

    Coetzee, who was the youngest ever Bafana Bafana player – a record later broke by Fagrie Lakay – made his debut for he country’s National Team in a 2-0 win over Congo-Brazzaville on the 11th of October 2014, aged 17.

     

     

    In total, he has racked up 16 Senior Team appearances, notable representing South Africa at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

     

     

    Moreover, Coetzee captained the successful 2016 COSAFA Cup winning team while also making a name for himself at the Rio Olympics in Brazil later that same year.

     

     

    Coetzee, who also traveled to Amsterdam with the Young Ajax squad on a couple of occasions, will join Celtic on a permanent deal, subject to the defender receiving a work permit and completing a medical.

     

     

    Everyone at Ajax Cape Town is extremely proud to see one of our own take the next step in their football career and wishes Coetzee all the best in his future endeavours. Good luck and make us proud ‘Riva’!

  7. Perdón!

     

     

    What brings you to this Celtic site, don Claudio?

     

     

    Looking for tax advice?

  8. ZIGGYDOC1 on 21ST AUGUST 2017 1:00 PM

     

    I’d prefer my Legia to be on Astana place but see no surprise there. We did lose four key players in the last year and did not find the replacements for them. God help us we knock out awful Sheriff Tyraspol and play in UEFA Europe League.

  9. PL MUST LOVE BR, AS IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE SPENDING LESS THAN WE BRING IN ON TRANSFERS, WHERE DID THE CL MONEY GO MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A REASONABLE QUESTION .

     

     

    SERIOUSLY IF WE QUALIFY FOR THE OLD CLOTHES SURELY WE WILL BE SEEING THE HOTEL, SUPERSTORE MUSEUM ETC… GOING UP SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

     

     

    60 MILLION FOR 2 YEARS PARTICIPATION NEEDS SPENDING

     

     

    HH

  10. embramike supporting Res 12 on

    Ajax Cape Town website reports:

     

    OFFICIAL: Rivaldo Coetzee joins Glasgow Celtic

     

    Ajax Cape Town IS extremely proud to announce an agreement with Glasgow Celtic, for the sale of defender Rivaldo Coetzee HAS BEEN CONCLUDED .

  11. I wonder if they were waiting till they came back from Astana and announce the singing. Oops

     

     

    KLV

  12. Baden Gillion @BadenGillion

     

     

    For all the @celticfc fans…Rivaldo is already the best defender in SA at 20, very good on the ball, excellent passing range off both feet

     

     

    Can spray the ball with both feet and is decent in the air….very composed on the ball and already an excellent reader of the game…

  13. Claudia googled . Very easy on the eye .

     

     

    Interest in a Scotland squad at the minimum . Thoughts of Regan and corruption , cloud any interest apart from hoping our players return free from injury .

     

     

    Less than 24 hours till our biggest game of the season so far . Pre match tension ???

     

    Not a jot . ;-)))

  14. How come we haven’t announced the SA fella ?

     

     

    Checked out the old YouTube…very Van Dyke-esque….

     

     

    All for a third of a fat mexican hun too…….niiiiiiiccceee

  15. ‘Wee’ Rivaldo Coatzee looks a hardy bhoy.

     

     

    Nearly as hardy as Anthony Ralston.

     

     

    Who would win in a fight between those two?!

     

     

    HH!!

     

     

    Ps Welcome to Celtic RC!

     

     

    Pps Is he I wonder?

  16. So Rivaldo Coetzee, Paddy and a Striker. No information on Striker but understand we are speaking to two.

     

    Sounds about right.

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

    Hail Hail!