A year after trying and failing to sign him from Lech Poznan, Celtic have secured the services of Aleksandar Tonev from Aston Villa. Tonev has blistering pace, a right footer who is usually used on the left, he is an archetypal counter-attacking player.
The player’s profile blossomed during the first six months of 2013, in particular after he scored a hat-trick for Bulgaria against Malta, which brought Villa and Celtic to the table. The step-up to the English Premier League from playing a speciality role for Poznan was, not surprisingly, too much.
Aleksandar plays the same position as Georgios Samaras, albeit he’s a completely different type of player, but we will look to him to do the same job – be an out ball away from home in Europe.
Ronny will have seen him only from DVDs, so he’ll be keen to get him onto the pitch tomorrow morning for a run-out ahead of St Johnstone. Let’s hope the manager likes what he sees…. It’s a worry. The most promising part of deal is that Aleksandar has a point to prove, I’d rather hungry players with a point to prove than those who’ve too much on the clock.
Welcome to Celtic, Aleks.
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67Heaven
Nobody on this blog wants Celtic to fail.
Thats the reason posters are going mental ffs.
I want Celtic to flourish…not rely on a old firm agenda.
Give us a break.
Its you thats being negative:)
HH
emdy got PHIL’S latest.
joe filippis haircut
10:54 on 12 August, 2014
On Wedensday we had ‘Celtic supporters’ cracking jokes on here as we where getting knocked out the CL, the place is crawling at the minute HH
This Blog was almost universal in hailing the arrival of Ronny, its now almost universal in slagging him off. Have all the Ronny fans taken a break from the blog or were all the Ronny slaggers on a break when he was brought in. Nobody that I have seen has put their hand up and said I was really enthusiastic about Ronny’s appointment but I was wrong. I have strong memories about this cos I was one of the few who did voice strong reservations about the appointment and I can assure ye CQN was a lonely place for the few who took that stand.
Strangely enough even though I had and have reservations, I think the calls for his head so soon after his arrival demeans us as supporters.
The signing of the Man.City player I find quite interesting. He was highly rated in Belgium and has been an integral part of the City development squad coached by Patrick Vierra. We have played them on occasion I believe. Yesterday City spent over £30m on a defender; their young players have less chance than ours of breaking through but they’ll maintain a development squad anyway. This is worth a go and if the 19 yr old id ready for the first team and enjoys it here it could be win/win. Thanks for the scouting City. Here’s what they think of him:
City on Denayer:
In his short time at City, Belgian centre half Jason Denayer has proved himself to be a classy operator on the ball and an excellent reader of the game at the heart of the back four.
The 19-year old struck up an excellent partnership with Shay Facey in defence throughout the 2013/14 season as the boy Blues went deep in four competitions at home and abroad.
He scored his first goal for the club in the 6-0 UEFA Youth League win over Bayern Munich at the start of October and continued to shine throughout the season, earning himself opportunities to train with the first-team at Carrington.
A Belgian youth international, the ambitious Denayer will be hoping for an opportunity to make his first-team debut in 2014/15.
He was nominated for the EDS Player of the Year award after a fantastic 2013/14 campaign.
67 heaven
okay then , the board is all yours 67, give us something positive about the 4 games so far.
lets hear why we “spoiled” fans should be raising the rafters about our performances
go on, go on
it shouldn’t take you long right enough it will only be a short post i think! and mostly based on UEFAs gift to us
Ernie,
you didn’t reply to my point. Nevertheless, to answer your question out of courtesy, ST sales are reported in the Annual Report each year. Until then the figure is generally kept under wraps. We’ll know soon enough what last year’s uptake was, but we’ll most need to wait a year before this coming season’s is reported.
Syd,
Accounts are retrospective. The net cash number to end June will be reported in the annual Report, out in a few weeks. Whatever the terms of the Forster sale, it’s a 2015 transaction and will be noted only as a post-balance sheet event.
I think there is concern at the club that the diminishing revenue from domestic football makes the club reliant on UCL to run at a profit. We run at a considerable deficit on domestic football. Spending cash in the absence of UCL dough serves to compound the problem.
Nevertheless, the problem needs a solution, and we’re not seeing much sign that the club has a solution in mind.
Offski…
TBB
• The Green Man
10:57 on 12 August, 2014
67Heaven
Nobody on this blog wants Celtic to fail.
Thats the reason posters are going mental ffs.
I want Celtic to flourish…not rely on a old firm agenda.
Give us a break.
Its you thats being negative:)
HH
Really………………….
And you believe that…………………..
Readthepostsman
Barcabhoy
8.09 & 8.30
(and to all who agreed since)
WELL SAID m8.
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Reading so many moans and groans on here…reminds me of lis
Natknow. When I talk about forwards I mean about strikers and wingers. Must be about 20duds in 5 years. Awefull scouting
The Battered Bunnet
11:01 on 12 August, 2014
I was trying to establish how much of your point was based on fact and how much on supposition.
It seems neither of us know how many season books have been sold.
Roy Croppie
The squeezing out of talent at the big clubs provides us with an opportunity. It may mean that we are accommodating players beyond our budget on loan for a season or more but we wold be mad to ignore the opportunity.
Requires a mindset change (on here as well) as to how we acquire and use talent in the footballing marketplace where the game is changing at an ever faster rate.
It’s how the world of work will evolve, why would football be any different ?
corkcelt
when RD arrived i was against him of for him, mainly because i had never heard of him
i could understand a widespread enthusiasm because i felt that we didnt have enough to base a decsion on. He was an unknown.
i did voice that
So far (and it is early days) there is not a lot to enthuse about
I fully expect him to win the SPL
IMO he has it all to prove, and the only place to prove anything at Celtic nowadays is in Europe. He fell at the first, no one can deny that. He has been given a golden opportunity. He must not repeat the same mistakes again.
I have absolutely no doubt that young centre half from man city is brought in to replace the forthcoming gap in the squad created when VVD is sold.
Same type of player, centre half, composed on the ball.
big wavy
Exactly, I have no problem with it and it seems to be a route we should be exploring as they throw crazy cash around the EPL.
tamrabam
10:50 on 12 August, 2014
Blimey, youre a hard taskmaster?
Hard to imagine Celtic without O’neil, WGS and Lenny!
Mccoist had been under the cardigan’s wing for years so was well prepared for his post.
I don’t know yet if RD is up to the Celtic job, but to sack him before we’ve played a league game seems a bit knee jerk and would cause a worse scenario. What happens if the next guy loses to Maribor, sack him?
cork celt
sorry for typo, should have said when RD arrived i wasnt against him or in favour he was unknown.
Big joe
There are hunfiltraitors…no doubt.
But the vast majority…like myself, are absolutely Celtic daft.
I cannot stand seeing how badly we performed against Legia…done my head right in.
So…we cant allow that to happen again.
And you can be sure..Celtic fans will go mental, when the team play like that.
As for the huns on the blog…they are only idiots…not hard to deal with.
HH
Oopps…reminds me of listening to idiots on radio phone ins (something I stopped doing years ago)
I’d hate to see this site deteriorate to a similar level…
Criticism, I welcome…but only if it is constructive with an opinion on how we improve.
So much moaning for the sake of it…with no follow up opinion on a realistic alternative….it beggars belief at times.
PS…..tamrabam…never have I seen a more appropriate moniker
I gather that both players were signed in time – any confirmation of that?
Still want a wildcard striker haha!
Not sure what I make of the Man City defender, obviously a talent BUT
1) Very inexperienced for CL
2) What message does it send to other youth players eg O’Connell(sp) who looked good
3) Will only have him for a year, maybe two with another loan
HH
I wonder if Ronny feels he is getting backed 100% right now?
Huv we got first dibs oan Denayer tae? I hope sae. This lad can play and I can see Ronny Bhoy working his magic Scandinavian pixie dust all over the bhoy.
moonbeams wd. wee oscar’s our bhoy and kano’s our mhan.
10:54 on 12 August, 2014
They already know who they are …… Just as I know I am a Happy-Clapper, who just loves EVERYTHING about Celtic ……… However, nothing’s perfect, and our Board (indeed any Board) are not going to get everything right…..but overall, they’re doing a grand old job of leading us through this recession / bigotry / corruption…of course I have reservations but I don’t repeatedly spout them ad nausea on here…….. for example, we should be vehemently challenging the SFA on sevco stealing oldco’s history, just as the creditors should be demanding the sale of ipox etc to pay them……..but I am patiently waiting for the spivs to do what spivs do …(they’re all like vultures picking away at the carcass) …..BDO are an appalling disgrace, incidentally…..
southside
i agree in that i dont know if RD is up to the job
we signed an unknown
he fell at the first
he has a second chance
if he falls again, im afraid I would reckon he is not up to the job.
if he gets through, he buys himself some time. Im not expecting last 16, but i do expect to defeat maribor in a 20 million quid tie. is there anyone on here who doesnt?
!!Bada Bing!!
11:11 on 12 August, 2014
‘I wonder if Ronny feels he is getting backed 100% right now?’
###
Backed by whom?
The support or the board?
SO I am CEO of a company awating the outcome of a planning appeal for a major development . I am being asked to sign off on a several million capital spend prior to the decision. Would I? Darn tooting I wouldn’t.
corkcelt
10:58 on 12 August, 2014,
Most of the negative posts are about our lack of spending in the transfer market.
Ye, i do realise there is three weeks left and we can bring in one player before we play Maribor, I reckon the board are waiting to see the outcome of the appeal before putting out…then again!
Most of my mates are getting despondent with the penny pinching, I’ve already watched a few drift away.
The board need to speculate to accumulate or Celtic park will be like a morgue as the season goes on.
I support Rony he is the Celtic manager and after only four games it is much to early to expect him to be fired. The manager is making changes and I agree that in Europe we have players who just dont cut it that I would expect given time he will replace and also given time he will change our style of play. What we the support need is to be patient and let the new management team have time it is a big job and wont happen in just four games.H.H.
bada bing
do you mean backed by the board or by the fans?
Patrick27
As someone mentioned earlier the message might be that the much vaunted youth setup isn’t good enough yet. Harsh but as everyone here is pointing out, it’s a results business and why would Ronny get sentimental about the youngsters if they are not good enough.
Patrick27
‘Wildcard’ signing may come after the Legia appeal…
Perhaps our youth players are not ready for the first team and this is too good an opportunity to miss.
HH
derbyshirebhoy
11:12 on 12 August, 2014
‘SO I am CEO of a company awating the outcome of a planning appeal for a major development . I am being asked to sign off on a several million capital spend prior to the decision. Would I? Darn tooting I wouldn’t.’
###
What if you would be unable to complete the development without committing to the investment now, before the outcome of the planning decision?
joe filippis haircut
11:13 on 12 August, 2014
The spoiled supporters can’t wait they need results, fast attacking football with a team of youngsters who will never lose a game and if Ronny can’t deliver that in 4 games he should be sacked and give the next guy 4 games to see if he can HH
big wavy
True, just I feel CB is most unusual position to get a youth guy in – could be very exposed in CL and one mistake = goal. But like you said, could be RDs way of saying our lot aren’t up for it!
Roy croppie
Valid point about wildcard. Could be – have to wait and find out!
HH
joe fillip
the same players were good enough to quailify for the CL for the past few seasons, why do you think they are now not good enough.
do you Ronni inherited a pile of mince?
anyway by the time maribor comes around he will have played more than 4 games and they will be the most important games to be played this season. I cant see any games being more important this season that the maribor tie
“he fell at the first
he has a second chance
if he falls again, im afraid I would reckon he is not up to the job.”
Tam,
Do you mean in a Wim Jansen kind of way or in a Neil lennon kind of way?
ernie lynch
10:57 on 12 August, 2014
I’m surprised that anyone’s surprised that a prospective manager would try to get a heads up from a former manager.
It seems glaringly obvious that it might happen.
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Yeah – me too!
I’m also surprised that anyone would give credence to an anti-Celtic story in the Daily Record that was based on a comment in Bulgarian interview, and infer that the reason the prospective manager didn’t join Celtic is to do with a single comment by the previous manager rather than than the cash he was being offered by the the world’s richest country per capita – a country of 1.8m people hitherto unknown as a footballing paradise. But people do.
A year long chase eh? If anyone has any doubt that the manager has full control over who comes and goes there’s yer proof right there that he certainly disnae. Mibee Ronny wiz consulted before the deal was made and gave his blessing. Then again….. mibee no.
If it’s mibee no then WTF is going on? If only we had Monsieur Stakebake to demand who is sanctioning these deals.