There is always a worry when your players go to the World Cup. Every scout on the planet watches every kick of the ball. Some will have databases, some work from spreadsheet, but most have notepads full of scribbles.
Eyes will be drawn to previously undervalued talent – you bet Iran’s players will be well researched today. Eyes are also drawn to players with little time on their contracts, which is why getting Tom Rogic signed up before the tournament was so important.
It is a truism of the game that fortunes can change quickly for players. Three months ago Dedryck Boyata struggled to find support, apart from Brendan Rodgers, who assured us he “would improve” following a difficult afternoon at Ibrox.
Today he is the defensive pivot of one of the tournament’s fancied teams. He also has one year left on his Celtic contract. There will be interest in him. Such is the market in England (on ending his Aberdeen loan spell last year James Maddison played 44 lower league games for Norwich before Leicester bought him for £24m), anything could happen.
I hope Dedryck has a great tournament and I hope he signs a new long-term contract at Celtic when he returns. But there is a lot of money sloshing around English football right now, let’s hope it all heads to Iran.
CQN Golf Annual Charity Open
This year’s CQN Open is set for Friday 29 June at the first class Aberdour Golf Club once again. It is a day of sport, entertainment, Celtic chat and is always good fun.
After the golf, we head up the road to the CQN friendly Woodside Hotel for our evening meal. We’ve the usual round up of all things Celtic by Paul67, and our very funny after dinner speaker is Willie Allan. Then musical entertainment from Scoogz, who you may have seen if you’ve been to Celtic Park entertainment nights. Plus all the usual prizes and charity fundraising, for the Petrov Foundation this year. Cost is £40 night only and £80 all day including golf. Please contact cqnopen2018@outlook.com if you’d like to attend this fun event.
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Maradona had better players around him than Messi has…
adi_dassler on 21st June 2018 3:58 pm
TRADITIONALIST88 on 21ST JUNE 2018 3:35 PM
Gary67
Same as KOLO TOURE ??
Struggled in bigger games and he was an organiser.
Anyway..opinions…opinions.
HH
=======================
John Terry is not Kolo Toure.
People said we shouldn’t have signed Lewis Morgan because Ryan Christie hasnt made the breakthrough yet.
Bizarre logic.
Judge each on their own merit.
HH
Ajer, Boyata, Henry, and Simunovic or any other four Celtic CB’s for that matter have never had a fifth major partner, and its pretty clear BR will wait and see which one of he sells between Boyata and Simunovic. If neither goes, it seems to me Brendan will start the season with Marvin Compper (if he is still there) the fifth player, to fight for two spaces.
We’ve never been better off for CB’s in number if not quality and only time will tell if BR has gotten ‘the problem position’ right and a historical double treble says he has, but arguably is it right for European football after Christmas?
Club links for Dembele and Armstrong are easily written and seldom proved when it comes to Celtic assets but as usual every year we await the Celtic gazebo signing, the Celtic player that separates the wheat from the chaff, in Scotland.
What happened to the Musonda money? CSC
Good morning friends from a bright, gloriously sunny East Kilbride. Great to be back home and will enjoy my final day’s annual leave from work.
A gentle return to work next week – 4 days as, of course, 1 week today (aka 7 more sleeps) is the CQN Open. If you’ve never been before it’s worth considering. Aberdour is a great wee place, accessible by train, a few stops from Edinburgh over the Forth rail bridge. It’s a cracking day out, lovely course, harbour, beach and village. Non golfers are welcome to come down the course during the day, have a drink and watch the sea of green golfers hack their way round between 11am and 4pm. I understand that there are still a few golfer places available but more evening places. Evening is at The Woodside Hotel and is £40 for dinner, speaker, live music and a good Tim night–oot, with a raffle raising money for the Celtic Foundation and Stiliyan Petrov foundation. Happy for anyone interested to email me on jobobaldie@yahoo.co.uk and I’ll pass on to the organisers.
Personally, I’ve not hit a golf ball since the 90-odd that I hit there last year so don’t let ability stand in your way!
bournesouprecipe on 21st June 2018 5:42 pm
SAINT STIVS
Dedryk is one of an elite group of Celtic players that got picked every week by an expert
manager saw off weaker mortals but gets panned on the internet for mistakes he’s yet to make.
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I think you’ll find theres plenty evidence in the past that point to the fact that Boyata is a liability.
Short of a crystal ball in this case past performance is a decent indicator of what Boyata brings to the table. Hes 28 in a few months and isn’t going to turn into Franco Baresi any time soon.
But never mind, hes 6ft+, he must be good!
HH
Chairbhoy
Ronaldo did nothing against us when with United whereas Messi has torn us apart on more than one occasion in Europe. I will concede however your point about Messi being blessed with the Barcelona players around him.
Anyway, there are still a few twists and turns left in this World Cup before final judgements can be made.
The World Cups
Good Morning
Seems like it’s business as usual in our parochial press. There appears to be only one team in Scotland, double page spreads every day in the midst of the World Cup all about them. Celtic would have been castigated had they signed the boy Flanagan as would the boy himself. I personally have no interest in who they sign as I am sure that Celtic are keeping their powder dry regarding signings. Just let them carry on down the road to self destruction.
I think that we will see some reasonable amounts of money spent on quality this summer along with a good few fringe leaving for cash or on loan.
Mr Gerrard is getting it easy as pre season training won’t involve much management as his coaching team will be taking most of the strain getting players prepared for the doings that lie ahead. I am confident it will be business as usual for us. The goings on at the doomdome will only drive Brendan and the team on to greater heights.
Big Jimmy,
Woof Woof.
(I can get away with that because my name is Jim too).
BIGJIMMY
Staying in on a Friday? The young yin wear you out yesterday?
Yeh..lots of stuff’s bizarre :)
Aye.. especially like watching videos of Kolo Toure when thinking about signing John Terry :)
Flanigan being discussed on radio shortbread
Huns saying he deserves another chance
Thats bull
He is a player they would otherwise not be able to afford
If there was a transfer fee relative to his worth he would not be there
Big Jimmy- Horses for today?
BMCUW- Glad to be home M? Hope your still on a steady health upturn. We are still here in Mayo for a couple of more days.
Fairhill Bhoy- good news about your sister.
HH
TURKEYBHOY…Cheers mate for your kind words.
BMCUWP, Aye, I’ll probably stay at home today although it’s Friday. I had approx 35 pints of Belhaven Best Beer between Monday and Tuesday this week,and some Caffreys also. I also spent about 25 quid on my locals Jukebox on those two days, so Ive been giving my wallet and Liver a wee break….although ????? LOL
I know what your saying about it being Friday etc, but since I was forced to stop working 9 years ago, most days just feel the same to me, same as Bank Holidays etc ?
Yes, the young lady is a real handful ( in a great way ! ), but she is worth the effort. She has put a real spring in my step and boosted my Ego and confidence. She is a woman that I could take anyway, as shes quite shy , classy and dresses to thrill !
I might be in Love ???/ LOL.
As I said yesterday, I know that I only have her “On Loan” for a while until some young handsome Stud comes along, and then it will be MY Contract that expires LOL.
Anyway, til that day comes, I am gonna enjoy myself and treat her like a Queen. She says that I am a “Funny Guy” ? with my Patter, Stories and Quickfire Wit.
She enjoys my taste in music….and she is also a Celtic Ghirl !
Whats not to enjoy ?
HH Mate, hope your good.
HH
ONEMALLOY,
Ascot has not been kind to me this week, although in fairness…. I have been somewhat “Distracted” LOL
as for Today, I have just backed Aiden Obrien and Ryan Moore as Jockey today, except the 5.35 in which I took Dettoris horse. I can’t remember the names of any of these nags, as I said I have been a we bit “Distracted” and my heid is full of wee motors crashing into each other ( in a good way /) ? LOL
I did manage to Bet the Aussies to draw 1-1 yesterday at 11/2.
Hail Hail mate.
ME 9.59….Anyway ???…..I meant ANYWHERE ! ..Oooops.
HH
We will get a good looks the Swiss CH tonight when they face Serbia.A tough game.Looking forward to Brazil today.There were flashes of the old Samba there.Could explode into life today.
I’ve been mightily impressed with Croatia, and it’s got me thinking how a country with a population of 4.2 million – a million less than Scotland – can produce players like Modric and Rakitic…and others.
What’s their secret?
HH!!
Apart from all that Jimmy,how is she at “Dain the windies”.
The media in this country go out of there way to give them a platform to spout what they are going to do . Imagine that Raman chappie ,away over there with them to a training camp . Still he will have to go where traynor sends him . Absolutely scandalous that a national broadcasting company picks one team over the rest in Scotland . Kinda apartheid like this one way reporting . BBC the same . Yet we open the door to them , the rags as well . Tea , coffee , buns . And Show them way more respect than they are due , it’s time our football club , and other clubs .showed them the door , this mr nice guy mode will have to stop . For gods sake celtic ,start treating these people ,the same way they are treating you . Also I have held a season ticket for more years than I care to mention . Like thousands others I dug deep to purchase shares in our club . Like thousands of others , I have followed our club everywhere ,when the celts ran out to play ,we were there . So what right have the jacksons , leckie,s . Waddells . Raman bardwahs, et al have to getting information on our club before me , us . It’s time dermot , peter ,and the rest realised ,these guys hate us , these guys would give anything to finish us , and at present are in the process of trying it . Time our club fought back . To quote the late great mick mcgahey . “THEY WILL STOP CHASING , WHEN WE STOP RUNNING .
Owed
TALLYBHOY
A ball playing football philosophy??
Add to that a real steel when the going gets tough??
And maybe even an F.A that supports their national game:)))
Word of The Day
Neoterise [nee-ot-uh-rahyz]
verb (used without object), ne·ot·er·ised, ne·ot·er·is·ing.
1. to coin new words, terms, or expressions; neologise.
Also especially British, ne·ot·er·ise.
Origin of neoterise
1870–75; < Greek neōterízein, equivalent to neṓter(os) (see neoteric) + -izein -ize
KTF
Croatia also produces top tennis players and AFAIK also has decent basketball and water polo teams.
Somebody said that they’re a tall people though that wouldn’t apply to Modric, of course.
TRADITIONALIST88
“I think you’ll find theres plenty evidence in the past that point to the fact that Boyata is a liability”.
=======================================
Can I ask you to kindly “name” them ?
? @ 10:43
How do we know you didn’t just make that up … ?
BIG JIMMY,Had a few winner’s yesterday,1 being Baghdad,9/1, should have taken it 11/1 ,but that’s how it goes,Done a few bets on the evening racing,not a winner,what they say about Bookies,is right ,they never lose,in saying that I will probably put a bet on this afternoon,take care Big Jimmy,and all my fellow Celtic Fan’s.
Re John Terry…
Centre back is probably the weakest area of our team. He would instantly add assurance to a sometimes shaky defence. On a wider level he would bring leadership that Broony aside this team lacks somewhat. If he comes It would ease that leadership burden that Broony carries.His knowledge would be invaluable to the likes of Ajer, KT and other youngsters at the club.
I’m basing this partly on what his last manager and previous team mates have said and what I’ve seen of him in games.
No brainer for me, he would be a great addition imo.
——–
WC
Hoping Brazil and Jesus get into gear tonight, bet them at 25/1 tourney winner and top scorer. Looking forward to the game.
HH
PETETHEBEAT on 22ND JUNE 2018 10:49 AM
The Dutch are currently ‘ the tallest ‘ nation on earth due to their government putting a growth hormone in the milk supply post WWII I believe or someone was taking the piss when I read about it.
HH
JIMTIM
Not saying you are wrong here mate but, perhaps considering there is a differnt reason for the SMSM devotion ?
Large chunks of the Celtic support no longer buy their keech Jackson. There’s still a sizeable swathe of Tims who do though; not as sizeable as the Deady Bears fans ?
Maybe they are pandering to their remaining customers ? In other words self preservation.
If you scan the On-line version of the Daily Ranger. Articles with no relevance to either club often catch the eye with the depiction of a club jersey…….or even the word “Celtic” or “Still the Same club”…….
They know how many hits the additional “eye-catcher” gathers.
CQN was full of stories heralding the demise of eh SMSM. And that’s fair enough. But we can’t decry the reporters for backing what keeps them going ?
Do Celtic take no 1 spot with world cup pundits :
MON
KOK
Ian Wright
Roy Keane
Maybe more with a Celtic connection
HH.
TALLYBHOY
You asked what the secret with Croatia was, well part of it is hunger and desire, sadly missing in British kids. No hunger and spoiled rotten, no need to work !!!
A friend of mine’s young son (16) was with the young English prospects and was telling me that a few of the lads who are with Chelsea and the likes and maybe just about 18, are on £16K a week, so how hard do the UK kids neeed to work, really.
KINGLuBO
Tallybhoy and Petethebeat
Croatia does produce more than its fair share of elite sportspeople in football, tennis, skiing and handball in particular.
As far as I can see, there are a few reasons:
Climate is good for all outdoor sports pretty much all year round.
Indoor facilities are good – my small town has a Davis Cup levei venue for indoor events and there are indoor tennis courts also at one of the hotels. There are lots of small and full size football pitches.
Outdoor – almost every village has a 5-aside/basketball/tennis court size facility
Schools (certainly where I go to) have extensive after school sports activities. Lessons finish about 15.30 but many of the children go on to the sportsfields.
People eat a more Mediterranean diet, especially near the coast.
They do seem to have a group of people (male and female) who are exceptionally tall and athletic.
Above all, I think that the culture is still more family oriented than in many other countries which helps as the children get support from the extended family taking them to sports etc.
Just my observations.
Croatian skill force in football at least imho is down to coaching…ie growing up in Croatia you are unlikely to come across a member of the largs mafia were skill and freedom to express your talent is a distant second to their doctrine…..
H.H
JT in Glasgow rumour….
new article posted.