Tom, Nir, James. Identity in the dressing room

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Tom Rogic (29) leaves us tomorrow, 8 months shy of a decade at Celtic.  After a couple of loan spells back in Australia he became a mainstay of the Celtic side in Ronny Delia’s second term.  Tom will be remembered as an artisan, a throwback to an earlier era, when grace was more common.

His goals stick in the mind more vividly than most.  The league winner at Kilmarnock, the last-minute winner at Motherwell, he was the scourge of Newco, scoring against them at three different venues.  He leaves Scottish football as one of four nominees by his fellow professionals as Player of the Year.  This season, outstanding performances against Hibs, Dundee United, Motherwell and Ross County all come to mind.  He harvested votes across the season.

Nir Bitton (30) also wears a Celtic shirt in battle for the final time tomorrow.  He arrived seven months after Tom and leaves on a high, bookending his career here with a controlled cameo at Ibrox that saw Celtic comfortably over the line.

Their contemporary, James Forrest (30), signed a new deal yesterday that will keep him at the club until 2025.  All three have more to offer the game.  None were likely to be first choice at Celtic next season, but, when fit, James has the ability, pace, experience and goalscoring threat that the manager values.

Having watched Scott Brown interact with the rest of the squad, I also believe there is an important role in maintaining an identity about the club, one that is best secured from within the dressing room.

You will have lots of memories to deal with tomorrow, none more than the incredible Hampden moment in May 2017, when Tom ran from 30 yards out, evaded two challenges and slipped the ball into the net to secure the invincible treble!  Some heroes are destined to inspire long after they leave.

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338 Comments

  1. SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 13TH MAY 2022 4:07 PM

     

     

    Totally agree with that. Refreshing to read some good football analysis.

  2. RIMTIMTIM

     

     

    SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 13TH MAY 2022 4:07 PM

     

     

    Totally agree with that. Refreshing to read some good football analysis.

     

     

    **********************************

     

     

    It wis a load of egotistical pish.

     

     

    Dan

  3. Ange “I wanted James to stick around. Part of building a team and culture is you need people who understand this football club.I see how he trains. How he goes about his business. He has a lot to offer us. I was delighted. When his career ends he’ll go down as one of the greats.

     

     

    Ange “This summer we will be recruiting players who will improve the quality of the squad. Increase the quality of our starting 11 and make our squad more robust”

     

     

    Ange responding to reporter about the Champions League “And besides all that mate. Champions League at Celtic Park. It’s gonna be bloody brilliant”

  4. The media always looking for the negative and big Angè hits them with positives, he takes no shite and I love it.

     

     

    HH

  5. I wonder if anyone is going to ask bbc journo Alasdair Lamont if he thinks Celtic are worthy champions this season?

     

     

    As we often ask ourselves here on CQN; where do the bbc get these sportsound and sportscene guys??? So I had a look at their origins and among the main presenters the nameplaces were; Aberdeen, The Shetland islands, Invergordon, Edinburgh and Kircaldy. All very well, but Glasgow? Lanarkshire maybe? These bozos do not know anything about football!! They just want to look sharp in their shirts.

  6. Juliens comments don’t seem out of order to me. I read it as manager picks a more versatile player to leave himself more options?

     

     

    The manager prefers that. It isn’t that big a deal.

  7. Ange “I wanted Tom and Nir to go in the right manner and give them the send off they deserve. At Celtic Park, as champions, in front of 60,000 supporters”.

  8. ETIMS ON TWITTER “Would be a fitting tribute to big Tom Rogic if we all depart around 70 minutes..”

     

     

    Made me laugh.

  9. I am shocked by the news today. Really sad and strange, especially with the Champions League spot there.

  10. Re Goldson …. He is a big oaf who humps the ball and needs 2 covering midfielders to protect his area …. Never in a month of Sundays a potential Celtic player ….

     

     

    Sayitasyouseeitcfc

  11. never say never…turns out bbc bozo Lamont is actually from Glasgow. More the reason for someone at the BEEb to replace him now with a better professional from the dear green place.

  12. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Lamont was the hun who flagged up to UEFA about flares at a game,hoping for a ban…

  13. Statistically, it would be easy to say that Ange decided to purge all the Lennon signings , including Julienn.

     

     

    This falls down as an analysis when we see the trust, and vast improvement in Taylor

     

     

    I think Ange assessed everyone and Taylor was the only ‘player with an eye’ that Lennon bought

  14. Arrive early to get the party started with music on the Celtic Way from 9:30am, plus balloon artists and face painters from 10am to keep the Celtic family entertained ahead of the stadium opening at 10:45am.

     

     

    Mon the face painters CSC

  15. I see the Huns are getting to watch their game in Seville at another stadium with beamback

     

     

    Clearly a reaction to a risk assessment and bad behaviour being rewarded

     

     

    Probably a good decision to box them in but gives them another ‘no surrender’ win

  16. park the bus 442 on

    Make a move for Scott Pittman the tidy, attacking, workhorse, midfielder at Livi who is capable of chipping in a few clever goals.

     

    Or are we too snooty to look at SPFL players??

     

     

    Nir and Tom might be the signs of a son of Lawwell austerity slow lane coming soon??

     

     

    Keep your guard up CSC

  17. Rimtimtim

     

     

    You should look back to 2012 regarding the BBC Trust,they decided to treat the club -rfc sold for one hundred pence prior to a ‘billionaire businessman’putting them into administration then liquidation,- as the same entity as Toiletrfc,a lie,an invention from the ubend that is Sfa’s work.it has no base in any law.a seperate entity it is to

  18. RTT

     

    That David Murray ended

     

    Jeez what you’d do for a 20buck credit check.

     

     

    The BBC Trust decision is a media play to the horde.

     

    And not a fact in history

     

    So much fawning of establishment they are banned from toilet rfc,

     

     

    I could post the list of bets but I am sure you’d already have knowledge of who the unbiased pundits are

     

     

    HH

  19. CONEYBHOY on 13TH MAY 2022 7:11 PM

     

     

    They are literally herding in the dangerous animals.

     

     

    Only problem is they then have to come back into the town.

     

     

    Sad that those are my fellow Scots and minority blah blah blah – it will be a mess.

  20. On the departure of Tom and Nir

     

    Tom has given us all memories we will cherish till our numbers up

     

    In saying that I had considered his departure a few seasons ago was more or less a done deal [very glad he stayed] lnjuries and stamina were always a problem but what a talent one of the best

     

     

    Nir talented player but seemed to be Recognised as a squad player than a first choice

     

     

    On his day a talent on another day a man short took his medicine and never sput the dummy

     

     

    Thanks to the Bhoys a very successful time to be a Celt good luck and may their

     

    God go with them

     

    tothefuture CSC

  21. Hrvatski Jim on

    It’s wonderful to see a sell out crowd at Arbroath tonight.

     

     

    I had my holidays there every year from 66 to 70.

     

     

    I went to my first professional match on my own at Gayfield which was a preseason friendly with Doncaster Rovers

     

     

    I’ve always had an affection for Arbroath.

     

     

    One Sunday, coming out from Mass in the wonderfully named Dishlandtown Street, my dad pointed at a man and said “that’s Becchi, the man who broke Jimmy Delaney’s arm.” Apparently it was an accident and Attilio Becchi was a Celtic fan.

     

     

    I had the pleasure 3 years ago of taking my grandson to see Thomas the tank engine at Brechin and then going to Arbroath harbour to meet Hot Smoked, have the best fish supper I have had in this millennium and buying smokeys to take home.

     

     

    Come on Arbroath.

  22. Saint Stivs

     

    It must pre 1940 as the floodlights aren’t up and we know they were used to guide the Luftwaffe.

  23. James Forrest is now official ‘keeper of the soul’. I like the direction that Ange is taking our club. There’s always room for sentiment if you’re smart.

  24. No trophy ever, in the history of football, in even the greatest tournaments, in the most famous stadiums, has ever , and i mean ever, been lifted on a podium , into the air, in such a glorious way , by the most beautiful of men, Nothing compares to this.

     

     

    The old movie makers could not have done it better.

     

     

     

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1524270376129372161

  25. at a Euorpean tie with my Brother in law [who is the hardest man I know] when Cesar walked by your man was returned to a besotted 12 year old again what a presence

  26. BOGNORBHOY

     

     

    Ange “This summer we will be recruiting players who will improve the quality of the squad. Increase the quality of our starting 11 and make our squad more robust”

     

     

    Ange responding to reporter about the Champions League “And besides all that mate. Champions League at Celtic Park. It’s gonna be bloody brilliant”

     

    ==============================================

     

     

    I love this Ghuy sooooo much!!!!!

  27. Thank you and best wishes to Tom and Nir.

     

    I don’t think it’s too much of a surprise as Ange plans his first close season.

     

     

    We are on the Ange journey and change is inevitable.

     

    We never stop. That includes change and we can expect more.

     

     

    Christopher Jullien: Any news is welcome to clarify a peculiar situation. I would like to hear the Manager’s and backroom staff’s take on the situation.

     

    Just before a title party is a strange time for such a statement.

     

     

    We all have a vested interest in our second highest transfer outlay.

     

     

    HH to all, the journey continues.

  28. Evening all

     

     

    Sorry to here both Tom and Nir are for the off, particularly Tom.

     

     

    Tom falls into the category of ‘hunskelper’ ala, Alan Thompson. Many of us, well me. bought into the narrative that Tom was a ’60 minute player, Ange put that one to bed.

     

     

    Tom, thanks.

     

     

    Nir Biton, I must admit, I was never his greatest fan, however I believe that his versatility was his, maybe not his, but our, non appreciation of a really good footballer. Now I might be wrong, but did we not sign him not long after played for Israel under 21s against ‘Engerland’ at central midfield and ripped them a new one. There is no doubt that Nir had the occasional rush of blood to the head, but he’s ours.

     

     

    Our manager does not tell lies. At the turn of the season I was always worried that if one of our central defenders were injured, what was our back up? Welsh, Scales, Julienne, Ange as an emergency Centre half. selected (Niro), not ever a centre half but someone he could trust.

     

     

    Now, Tin Hat on, Christopher became a better CH when he became unavailable for selection, (who decided that?)

     

     

    For me, John Kennedy, was never going to be the next ‘Cesar’ that some predicted. I wish John well, if Ange believes that he is a positive for Celtic going forward HH John

     

     

    Brian