And then there were four. Ivory Coast’s Vakoun Issouf Bayo (22 tomorrow) arrived yesterday on a four year contract from Slovak club Dunajska Streda, bolstering Celtic’s striker count to four, after the arrival earlier this week of Timothy Weah. With the continued absence of Leigh Griffiths and injury to Odsonne Edouard, the club were forced to play teenage winger Mikey Johnston as striker last month.
I normally avoid YouTube videos of a prospect as they are notoriously edited, but we are able to view all of Vakoun’s goals online. What’s clear is that a higher percentage of his goals are headed than any player I’ve known. He made his Ivory Coast debut as a late substitute in a African Cup of Nations qualifier in October.
Celtic’s policy here was to be fleet of foot. They spent a reported £2m on a player who left African football 10 months ago and has played only 32 games in Europe. Had they continued to scout the player – and his form continued on its current trajectory, competition for his signature would have grown exponentially.
What has been more important on this occasion was the player’s African connections. Ivorian superstar Kolo Toure continued his stay in Glasgow as a Celtic coach after his playing career ended. He also coaches the Ivory Coast national and under-23 teams, so has witnessed Bayo’s progress through the ranks.
Every deal is a risk, but with Kolo’s assistance Vakoun has an excellent chance to settle into life in Glasgow.
221 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- »
St Stivs
The ginger goalie was a fella called Mick Smith
Speaking of keepers,was very impressed with this young lad last year
16 years old,played a few league games,kept clean sheets ( including penalty save away to Cork) played in Europa league and did really well,.he’s been snapped up by Man City for €300,000.00 ( big money for rovers)
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/shamrock-rovers-goalkeeper-gavin-bazunu-to-join-man-city-1.3603076
Hopefully Duff will bring something fresh to our youth set up.
In Scotland my nephew has 3 boys age 8,13 my and 16.
The youngest is considered one of the best in Scotland for his age.
Celtic have tried to sign him but his dad refused.
In context his mum, dad and other brothers are all Celtic season ticket holders.
My nephews two brothers both were on Celtic’s book’s.One made it all the way to a few seasons in the reserve team and his younger brother had a medical condition that forced retirement.
The reason my nephew declined the offer was the experience of his brothers and that of his 13 year old who played for Celtic over two seasons.
He told me he felt Celtic overreached the kid and he saw the enjoyment of the game go out of the boy.
He also said the politics and ego’s put him off and he said it was difficult to see a clear path to making the first team at Celtic.
His older boy has a few offers from Scottish teams when he is old enough to turn pro.
The middle one has had offers from various academies in Scotland and England.
And the youngest has seen some very big hitters contact the family.
For now my nephew is happy where they play as all really love the game.
fan a tic.
is your nephews the mcginns ?
-))))))
Overcoached not overreached
Blooming autocollect!
st. Stivs
Ireland was probably the furthest north that the Romans got … but, come on …Ireland as the land of winter?! Ireland is not THAT cold … what a bunch of softies those romans were … just imagine what an empire they could have built if they had worn long johns and brought along a thermos of hot coffee!
(Things you dont read in the history books at school).
GREENINBINGLEYINOSLO. – nae wukin’ furries pal !!
WITS – indeed :-)))) – Ggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr……
SoT – yes, the mood music seems to be suggesting him staying somewhere on the continent. Maybe Paul’s right in this case after all – if our interst is in the press already, then it’s a load of bollix.
Anyway – despite the loanee nature of two of our signings, it has been important to get some new faces in – all seem young, fit, powerful and fast, and to a greater or lesser extent, skillful – importantly, all three seem to have differing playing characteristics.
A much needed boost for the squad. Style and variety of play has become a wee bit stale at parts of this season, and therefore easier to combat. Good therefore to have options that haven’t been sussed out already by our opponents – keep them on the back feet and guessing what we are going to do.
HH
BGFC
St Stivs
Young lad at Rovers called Brandon Kavanagh,just turned 18,made a few first team appearnces,bags of skill and trickery…hopefully not too lightweight
MIT,
Or geography either in your case!
Al
:)))
Can’t see us signing Castagne. He doesn’t fit the profile of the type of player we sign and his wage demands will be over and above our structure. He is the type of player Brendan would want to sign i would imagine so that’s pretty much where we are as a Club just now.
MiT,, hah. That is funny. Juggling squirrels. The new tag line ;)
I remember reading about a great Houdini trick. Take a turkey and give it gas to fall asleep. WhIle passed out pluck it and paint it’s skin brown as if it’s been roasted.
He threw a party. Before the main course went back and hypnotised the bird ( easy done they say ) and tucked it’s head under its wing. Surrounded it with cold potatoes and vegetables and when put on the dining table it looked like a roast turkey and all the trimmings on a platter.
He would hush his guests , announce he has cracked the secret of reincarnation, bringing the dead to life, and will give an example.
He then poked the turkey with a sharp knife at which point it would wake up and start running around the tablw while his guests screamed ! ;)
Haul Hail pal
the billy connolly comment on the other nights tv was funny.
The Scotti, who gave their name to scotland. living in north west ireland, looking across at the water, someone says “lets head over there, ive heard its wetter and colder and even more miserable”.
cant find the clip.
Strikers can be a bit of a lottery but it was encouraging to learn that Kolo Toure has worked with young Bayo at various grades at international level with Ivory Coast. Celtic score very few headed goals of late and it can be a big plus that Bayo is good in the air and hopefully can lay on chances for other teamates and nod a few in himself.
@ DAVID17 on 9TH JANUARY 2019 5:10 PM
Re unaffordable wages, not necessarily:
https://www.football-italia.net/127532/ronaldo-tops-serie-earnings
Reading say anyone who wants to buy Neal Maupay (me neither),will have to pay more than £20mil……more than we got for Dembele. So let’s not buy into the SMSM bollox, that he only plays in Scotland, blah blah blah. You’re buying the player,not the league he plays in.
fanatic
thats a shame for us, is this going on just now or pre br.
very on topic for us,
chris mccart joins radio clyde for the 2nd half of tonights show, i hope madmitch calls up and tells him its all shit and he should produce 2 players a season for the first team while dominating youth honours (why).
here is your chance mad mitch, call him up.
Celtic hit new transfer market slump.
BADA BING
There in lies the issue.
The English media have no problem overselling their leagues and players.
Whereas the opposite is true in Scotland with the exception of one club.
Valuations of KT and Moussa were constantly ridiculed and downplayed by mssm
This type of behavior was also the reason why many EPL clubs were reluctant on VVD.
So far no English club has been swayed by their efforts on behalf of Tavernier and Morelos and this is possibly due to the mssm promoting duds like Boumsong and Wilson who were worth a fraction of cost.
You cant fool all of the people all of the time unless they are of the wasp variety.The real losers of the mssm’s dishonesty are the other Scottish teams who often receive far less than the value of player sold.
An increased value would bring more money and help improve the game in Scotland but the mess’s could not care less as sevco being top is their only aim.
WASP SHOULD BE WATP.
Autocorrect is a nuisance.
TIMHORTON
It is the present.
BIGBHOY on 9TH JANUARY 2019 3:39 PM
You’re right enough, there aren’t that many squirrels in Pollok Park, bad example. Lots in Queens Park, my back garden and a couple of other areas in the south side ; )
Think the sfa will ignore Celtic’s request like several other occasions, and it will up to us to persue justice.
SAINT STIVS @6-06pm
MADMITCH is more than capable to defend himself but that’s a spiteful and petty post.
FAN-A-TIC
Same Peepil
i dont think it is, Mitch has been on all week making broad sweeping comment on the celtic youth set up.
the head of it will be on the radio in the next hour, if their taking calls why not call them up.
i enjoyed your insights into your family experience with the set up, that was interesting.
EFL ownership rules under scrutiny ‘rogue chairman’
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jan/09/bolton-ken-anderson-efl-ownership-forest-green-christian-doidge
She works hard for the money
So hard for it, honey
She works hard for the money
A great line from WITS “Juggling Squirrels” article:-
“Squirrels in northern regions can hibernate for more than six months, with brief moments of arousal when they get up for a bit before dropping right back into a virtual coma.”
I’ve worked with people like that.
hi ghuys, its good that bayo can score with the auld napper, I was lucky to see billy mcneil score some wonderful goals with his head, against Dunfermline in the cup, and against Vojvodina at parkhead ,also think Henrik was brilliant in the air, but I believe jimmy mcgrory scored a lot of goals with his head maybe more than billy or Henrik, tontine tim will know, anyway welcome to paradise mr bayo.hh.
Fan-a-tic
WASP works too…!
HH
I am not unhappy with Burke Weah and Bayo – the outlay from Celtic is £2m plus wages
So not a lot of financial risk and without seeing any of them play I would assume we are a better team with them than without
So as of Jan 9 – so far so good
However come the summer I understand 2 of them will return to their home club
So we have bought time not a strike force
But I understand where we are
Going into the next 3 weeks I would like to see us concentrate on our defence
Not potential players but experienced established (yes they will cost a few quid) probably current Internationals but solid pro’s similar to Benkovic
67ECW
Callum Wilson of Bouremouth to Chelsea for 50 mill. Good grief.
https://twitter.com/celticfc/status/1083046727077236743?s=12
Tim nutmeg on Broonie…
It’s funny how women always manage to get their way. The wife has put in her notice in in Brunei and was told her finishing date would be 7th April, my birthday.
I said to her that she could probably leave earlier due to her leave entitlement. Her reply – if you are not going to come over then I’ll use my leave for some long weekends in South Korea and Bangkok, however, if you come over we could visit India or Australia. Looks like I’ll be having one last visit to Ming’s Cafe in Miri in March. Just need to decide which part of Oz to visit (first time) though I have cousins in Perth.
I didn’t tell her I plan to go to Valencia for a few days in late February ? ???????
Ps Happy Hoopy Birthday Corkcelt
love it BD
Hoopy Birthday Corkcelt
CorkCelt: Breithlá sona duit.
Cork Celt
Happy Hoopy Birthday.
HH
Happy Birthday Corkcelt from me and Wee BGFC – a voice of reason always :-) (you, that is – not Wee BGFC!!!)
HH
BGFC