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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Just back from Thurles, great win for Cork, Thank God/. Happy as a pig in sh*t.
Jimmyquinnsbits
Re Irish music in Chile my uncle from Arranmore worked for Wimpey on projects abroad one was the runway at Basra airport , he worked inChile and Brazil in the 50s and 60s and told me if he did not have a family he would not have come home , the people were brilliant and treated everyone the same.
Papajoe55
Do you know the Guaghan’s from Arranmore ?
Good friends
Hail Hail
Weefra
Canny beat forgive n forget
Thatswotamtokinboutcsc
31003
YES, I remember commenting to our esteemed Swindon CSC Chairman about your post. He assured me, and explained your Monicker to assure my issues. Apols for not responding sooner. KTF.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
31003
My Papa looked younger than me! And he had a 70 year start on me!!
You coming out to get slagged in person on 10/10 or wot? Bring yer pals,you’ll need them.
(To buy the round,obviously)
clogher celt
23:11 on 11 July, 2015
Gerryfaethebrig,
There is nothing taught in any schools, all the teaching comes from in the home, my wee daughter is a credit to myself and her mother, her mother is the most important person on this earth, before I met her she used to go to the “walk” by the way she has more brains than I will ever have but as a kid some people told them that’s what you do….. Role models are from the home and thankfully my wife was more disgusted than me today, I have always hated them for one simple reason, they hate you without even knowing you !
The world is achanging, why are people scared of others being their equal
Hail Hail
Corkcelt: I’m even happier, even if a team in blue beat a team in green and white:-)
Dublin 1 17, Limerick 1 16.
Oíche mhaith
Evening all.
Mr. Z. – wishing you a speedy recovery.
Weefra – wishing you congratulations on the win.
BMCUWP – wishing you a happy birthday.
31003
Cheers buddy. Hope to meet you at CP this season. :-)))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
80’s music…..canny whack it…..n tae think we slagged it at the time…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ2ZNCip9YM
On the andean Irish bar, way back in the mid 90’s I was in my local one night, in Lurgan, and it was a trad night and all were welcome. In walked the owners wife with a bunch of Chilean folk musicians. Woolly hats, pan pipes the lot. It seemed that she was the arts co-ordinator for Craigavon council and they were having a folk festival and she had invited them over to the bar. By the end of the night the lads were being taught rebel tunes and one was learning how to play the Bodhran (spelling) and the owner’s wife was disgusted. Then again the bar manager had done 10 years for membership what was she expecting ;-)
Cowiebhoy
No sorry my trips to Arranmore as an adult are scarce as family moved all over place . Been to Dungloe a few times , Sweeneys Coaches run a twice yearly trip to his cousins hotel there which my brother is a regular 4 day trip and 3 weeks to recover. H H
And another….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ-1DYwaxrE
The White Elephant was my dance hall of choice….
31003
Seriously,that was the 80s? How long had that garbage passed as music,no wonder punk and new wave took over.
For example,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7by_5vLKBE
Just before I hit the cot, what is the reasoning for the different colours on the STs. I was in the Celtic shop in EK on thursday and commented to the ghuy in the store that the front of the ST was very poor. Can hardly see the Celtic Way. He said that different categories had different colours. His young laddie had a white ticket, so why do I have a grey one??? When I asked him that, he burst out laughing. You young yins have nae respect. Hahahahaha. Had a busy and productive day. Shattered. Cot now. KTF all of you. :-)))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
31003
The White Elephant was often my dance partner of choice
good piece in the greenock telegraph tonight,ronny ,scott brown, n leigh griffiths were down at cappielow promoting the morton kitmans testimonial,ronny has said there will be a few well known names taking part,cifti could get a run out.broony is taking the deveoment squad along with stevie frail.mr gilmour said hes met broony at a few functions over the summer and our captain has been great with him.ronny wasnt meant to be at the photoshoot but showed up to show his support.game is monday night 7.30 kick off,some of the gate is going to charity.ps its meant to be dry,in GREENOCK never.
Guys and gals. Not my normal style , normally it’s the begging bowl , but I’d be grateful and humbled if you could find a space in your thoughts for my aunt , Helen Sweeney (nee Gilmartin) who passed away this morning . Like most Gilmartin women ( both born and married into) she was formidable and forthright as well as possessing a heart of gold. Wife to Michael , mother to Anthony, Claire, Michael and Martin and granny to Grace , you left a legacy of love and family. Rest in peace Helen. I’m a better person for knowing you.
John Paul
WEEFRATHETIM
Grey tickets are for the good guys. Rest assured,old bean.
Papajoe55
Just heading to ma scratcher, was at one of their weddings quite a few years ago, married a St Ninains ( Stirling ) ghirl, who was my wife’s best friend, wedding on Arranmore, with reception in the Hotel looking into the bay at Dungloe ( can’t remember the name of it) come to think of it, canny remember much about the weekend, I drank at that time :-))
the St Ninians Ghirls family also originally from there (Mckeowans), they are settled back on the island
Right away to my bed, wee Shug also needs the rest :-))
Hail Hail
Ah jeez, that was a bad one
I’m gonnie boot myself in the baws for that one
Apropos of nothing at all. After I had introduced my now wife, who is from Cork, to the aforementioned bar manager I explained that he had done 10 years in jail. “what for” says she, “shoplifting ” I replied. “10 years for shoplifting? “, “well he did lift the shop by about 4 feet” said I with the biggest gotcha grin I could muster.
owen,
Great post.
Clogher
BMCUW.
Happy birthday mucker.hope you had a great day.
you even produce one of my favourite songs to finish it off
WORLD PEACE IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS
Anytime I hear the notorious weather in Greenock being referred to always reminds me of the line in A Sense Of Freedom.
You’ll know the one.
zbyszek
23:12 on 11 July, 2015
Gerryfaethebrig
Cheers, he is a massive loss to the blog, I only started posting at the start of the year and as one of the bosses I used to wonder what was on his screen, can’t believe the chancer was in Cqn and not work, I just thought his work spreadsheets were green !
Bmcuwp
How dare you sir…….
Tell me…just once…you never danced to this?????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ-1DYwaxrE
Sanna, just caught your post
Helen Sweeney, Rest in Peace and May Perpetual Light Shine upon your Soul
I will light a candle for the family at mass Sunday
ps- is the Bhoy now in Lourdes ?
Sorry….meant this….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3orT13OMoa4
Papajoe,
Thank’s I have the e mail.
I will come back to you tommorow.
Don’t worry we will find out what happened.
Thanks
HH,
Clogher
Rip Helen. You’ll never walk alone. May she rest in peace. Hail Hail
SANNABHOY
I’m humbled by your tribute to your Aunt Helen.
That’s love and affection which you can only really have wi family,and the close ones at that.
R I P Helen Sweeney
Sannabhoy
Sorry for your loss. Condolences from me and the mini Cork Schumacher.
Cowiebhoy
Will catch up another time as your hitting the sack
JP
So sorry to hear of your loss friend.
RIP Helen.
HH jamesgang
31003
No,mate. Didnae dance once I realised how garbage I was at it.
I relied on my chat-up lines instead.
And pity.