I was asked to contribute a piece on John Guidetti to a German magazine last month. John was on his way to winning the European U21 Championships with Sweden, while being every inch the football personality. The German publisher wanted to know why Celtic, Stoke and Manchester City had decided against re-employing a striker with a flattering pedigree.
During last season it looked like John was destined for the English lower leagues, or perhaps one of the resting homes in Turkey, but a few weeks at a tournament later he’s won himself a five year deal with Celta de Vigo.
Guidetti is a better player than he looked at Celtic last season. We don’t play a system which lends itself to a classic, British style, penalty box striker, which is what John is, but would you give him a five year contract to play in La Liga? Of course not. You’ve watched the player way more than Celta’s scouts and you know better than they do.
This is the truism in scouting, people who watch a player week-in, week-out, know vastly more than a scout who only gets to see a month’s games, or a handful of games across the season, or worse, a selection of DVDs provided by the agent, or TV highlights.
What’s made John Guidetti is his outlier season, 2011-12, when on loan at Feyenoord he smacked home an astonishing 20 goals in 23 games. Without that season, the Celta scouts wouldn’t even know his name. Maybe the serious illness he subsequently suffered robbed him of his mojo, maybe he’s a pound or two heavier than his fighting weight, but my money’s on Vigo suffering buyers regret soon enough.
The best of luck to John in Galicia, but I suspect he’ll be available for loan this time next year.
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Bobby M’s first ever pint of stout:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VNqlR4WDJM0
Happy birthday mo chara.
:D
HH.
16 ROADS
IIRC,my first taste of alcohol was cider,the scrumpy version wi bits in it. I must have been about ten.
Obviously,thinking it was joooooost apple juice,I asked my Dad for a taste.
He wisnae too pleased,had to order another pint.
You know what,he didnae get me one. Some things never change(!)
Joking about the last bit,Dad….
16 Roads: not sure if you saw my post to you a few days ago. You mentioned RayMac in connection with Easter Dublin2016. If you have contact details for him maybe you could pass them on to me and cloghercelt at
dublin2016@mail.com
lennon’s passion 19:36
Yesterday I watched Supercup Lech Poznan against Legia Warsaw. Poznan were by a mile the better team yesterday.
1. I’m not that sure Duglas would want to be back to Scotland? What I hear he does well in Poznan personally and on the pitch. Of course, the money at Lech and at Celtic is different.
2. There is 10 percent chance Celtic is going to meet Lech after comming round. If it’s going to happend, Celtic will face similar to Legia last year class opponent. I remember, last year this time, some were telling – Celtic should wipe the floor with these kind of teams :-( It is a warning from me.
WHATISTHESTARS
I’ve posted this before,boxing is also thuggery. But art,comradeship,hatred,and something primal.
But respect most of all,IMO.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aGKJfst9kL8
Douglas would be good player for Celtic.
ALMORE
TBH,I didnae wear it today in case I missed my mouth. Good chance the way things are going.
Kodi users-What is the best most reliable add-on for UK and Irish TV?
Thank you,
CaliBhoy
BMCUWP,
Just logged on after 2 weeks of no mobile or net connection in our wee haven in N Yorkshire, Many Happy Returns Young Yin! I hope you have a lovely time, D and me are just about raise a glass to you, cheers M x
Almore – I don’t know RM personally, think he is a Felons man though. Maybe G1998 would know him?
Best voice in Ireland, bar none. It would be incredible if we could get him booked for 2016 Dublin, obviously if he still does gigs.
HH.
On another subject. This week I noticed that Crvena Zvezda Belgrade made one of the biggest flops in European football. Team whe won Europa Cup in the past was already knocked out of Europe this year.
flicking through t.v channels… and see womans doubles final at wimbledon…
can’t help but think, Martina Hingis…. you just would !
and wouldnae stop.
Calibhoy, Phoenix imo. Hail Hail from central valley
ZBYSZEK
One or two may have said that,many of us had serious concerns.
And we will in future too.
Most of us expect to win every game we go into,but we don’t expect to win every game we play-if that makes sense. All we can do in our current situation is take one game at a time,and hope we don’t say Sweet Jesus after it.
Pau l67 et al
Not often I find myself in Paisley on a Friday night but it was worth the effort to be there. Mixed performance in the first half, whole lot better in the second especially in the last half hour. Good first impressions of Boyota, and Ciftci, Janko showed up too. Might be able to get a good balance in the team this season. On another note, I see from his earlier post that Jamesgang was in Caledon Pub before the match. We were in the one just along the street, but walked past the door on the way to the ground. Yet another narrow escape!
Zbyszek @20 09 .
Saw the highlights of both of Red Star’ s Europa League games . All that history , all those great players and now reduced to looking like a pub team.
16 Roads: Cheers for info. If I see Gearöid on I’ll mention it to him.
If JG had wanted to be here, he’d still be here. His overall contribution to the attack was better than anybody else in the team by a considerable margin. I’m not buying the story that he wasn’t fancied or didn’t fit the system.
Don’t be surprised if he’s a huge success in Spain
TheBarcaMole
18:07 on
11 July, 2015
Hi Pal
Good to see you posting always good formation in the team.You are Celtic you are the Best and the fans Exspec you are Best so go and show them WE ARE THE BEST
HH
SENGA
Absolutely brilliant to see ya back on here,pal. Give D my best and tell her hauf the vino’s mine. (You can have it,just don’t tell her)
Thanks and get some practice in for three months time. I know that’s quite a short sentence for you,which you can do standing on your head,but stay outa trouble for once and you,me and the Judges will be cool.
HH
zbyszek
20:05 on 11 July, 2015
From what I hear we have a real interest in Douglas.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Thanks Mahe the Madman. I have Phoenix. It seems to be hit or miss for me. It has been
hot down in the Central Valley lately. Hope you are staying cool inside.
I was at the game last night…
and first things first, what a tidy wee set-up / ground St Mirren have. Shame not a team to match.
However of the game, the first half hour, for any fan had to be a concern. 30mins of getting the run around. Every tic player 10 / 15 yards off their opponent.
2nd half, much better. In fact, 2nd half i’d say we were dominant team.
You ask yourself however, was this because the spaniards are literally in their first week of pre-season.?? Maybe
Or did Celtic finally get to grips..(knowing how pre-season can make you feel a bit leggy).. maybe it took half an hour for the fitness to show.
Either way, the most important fact, for me on the night is that there was 6 or 7 players that look to be close to full pelt, whilst guys like Lustig, Boyata, Mulgrew and a couple of others, definately need games.
That said, i think Boyata will do just fine, on what in saw last night.
Lustig as we know, will come good once the match sharpness returns.
BMCUWP
Hi a Verry big happy Birthday to You.
Sorry a bit late .
HH
B M C U W
Happy Birthday, Sir.
Nonetheless, I hope the lesson is learned.
South of Tunis
Few days back I read very long article about Red Star Belgrade. They were so similar to Real Madrid in the past. Huge rivalry but the politics got them lost.
Lennybhoy
If true, it will be tough work to get this guy back.
Bobbio as that yon Jamesgangsta youth calls you, we spent the past 2 weeks bevvying for Scotland in the company of the finest swally merchants in Yorkshire and beyond (those Norwegians I told you about are lethal, you need to meet them but they really are man mad…..) so October should be a doddle ahem. Looking forward to it M, take care bud
Zbyszek
20:04 on 11 July, 2015
lennon’s passion 19:36
Yesterday I watched Supercup Lech Poznan against Legia Warsaw. Poznan were by a mile the better team yesterday.
1. I’m not that sure Duglas would want to be back to Scotland? What I hear he does well in Poznan personally and on the pitch. Of course, the money at Lech and at Celtic is different.
2. There is 10 percent chance Celtic is going to meet Lech after comming round. If it’s going to happend, Celtic will face similar to Legia last year class opponent. I remember, last year this time, some were telling – Celtic should wipe the floor with these kind of teams :-( It is a warning from me.
—————-
You know that you never listen to the blowhards on here, lots of talk then lots of complaining.
Every game is tough for Celtic in Europe this early in the season, always seems to take us 2-3 months to click into gear.
BUTSYBHOY
It’s fine,mate. Yer three hours early,in fact!
Had a guid wee convo wi our Philippines correspondent earlier. Not as long as last week,but less expensive(!)
Hope yer fine and dandy and raring to go for the new season. They come around so fast,but not bliddy quick enough!
ruggygman
20:09 on 11 July, 2015…
Her playing partner is tidy aswell.
ruggyman
Quite impressed with skill and movement of Real in the first half, certainly down their left side. Good effort from Davie Moyes’ team. Obviously another month of prep would put us in better shape, which we do not have. Not good having to use European games as part of that but that is where we are. Still believe we can put out a decent team on Wednesday though.
Sipsini
hear what ur saying…although Martina all day for me.
Good game eh
Almore
Thanks for the Badges
.( checked my bag thought i came a bag of Gold) had a wee look at some of them to day fecking stunning.
Keep the good work going.
you are a star
YNWA
SENGA
Yer jooooost a bliddy tease,man-mad Norwegian ladies and you left them in Yorkshire?
I thought you were my pal,do anything for a mate.
Huffed now. And I reckon one or two others might feel the same way.
Glad you had a guid time. Canny beat a wee break from the drudgery.
Get that vino affa D and tell her XXX from me.
See this Mhans best friend thing
This wee Shug the Dug is going to liquidate me, as I just return from the emergency vet again
Wonder if he could come back as wee Shugo the Dugo :-)
Hail Hail
ruggygman…
Hope they can do it.
Bobby Murdoch, happy birthday. I hope you are not working this weekend so you can celebrate in style.
In my opinion John Guidetti took too many touches of the ball in an opponents penalty box.
I don’t know if this was his normal playing style or a lack of confidence after being out injured for so long. I saw some of the Euro under 21 final. A ball was played into John which he should have taken first time with his left foot but let it run across to his right foot. This gave a defender time to block his right footed shot.
Confident goal scorers would have taken a shot early with his less strong foot.
I hope he does well in his career and he gave us a much needed lift last October into November.
Does anyone believe in Omens (good or bad) before a round of golf.
I am playing tomorrow on the Honda Classic course, a buddy made the booking.
Tomorrow is the 12th and the tee time is 12:12…….I am doomed……..??
ZBYSZEK
Hail,hail good fellow,I hope to meet you some fine day.