Likely summer signing number two, Virgil van Dijk, arrived in Glasgow this morning for a medical after terms were agreed with the player and his club, Groningen. The 6’4” player, who will be 22 next month, is a Dutch under-21 international.
Virgil is two weeks younger than Victor Wanyama and emerged into the Groningen team around the same time Victor pitched up in Glasgow, they have made almost exactly the same number of appearances for their respective clubs, 62 top flight games in total, in the case of Virgil.
62 games is an interesting figure. Enough to bed in, catch local scouts’ eyes and have well-travelled men from Glasgow watch several times before making a recommendation. Not enough to catch the eyes of less well-organised, but no less resourceful, scouts in the bottom half of the English Premier League, who Celtic now seem to compete for talent with.
If Virgil is the real deal, another couple of dozen games might have changed the competition for his signature.
Is there a 50-80 game window which can deliver sufficient evidence of a player’s talent, but not too much evidence, which evaporates the value gap? This hypothesis would be easy to test and if it holds would provide an interesting filter on the hundreds of names pushed to the club each year.
Have you booked for the Lions Roar event at Celtic Park tomorrow night? Last and precious opportunity to watch how the European Cup was won with the men who did the work. In short, priceless. Tickets available here.
Speaking of the men who won it, buy Heart of a Lion here:
[calameo code=0003901713852289beccb lang=en page=10 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
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Vmhan
Reminiscent of ye old days. .. jinkysboy on gold with Vmhan a close second. ;)
31003
abbreviations. How bad can it get? Youngsters now text me with “k”. Apparently it’s an abbreviation for ….ok.
Hmmmmmm…or should I just say hmm.
Catman
If 8/10 Cats prefer Whiskas…do the other 2 prefer Lesley Judd?
HalfManHalfBiscuit CSC
Vmhan
12:51 on
20 June, 2013
Paul67 your leader gives too much of our scouting strategy away. Sevco eg might try and copy our successful strategy, eh! Naw forget about it :>)
V
I think you’ll find by the time 60 games are played the sevco mob will have died and re-formed, and a new scout hired
SOAL – it’s fairly obvious that TBJ has had one Magnum too many…! :-)
T4
Welcome Viril van Dijk – hope you manage to step forth with your step-up, you have all the credentials.
Hi Paul67,
Great to another top prospect joining, hope he hits the sweet spot…
“Is there a 50-80 game window which can deliver sufficient evidence of a player’s talent, but not too much evidence, which evaporates the value gap? This hypothesis would be easy to test and if it holds would provide an interesting filter on the hundreds of names pushed to the club each year.”
When Amido Balde joined a week or so ago I posted that he looked just the sort we needed but surly we should have a “plethora” of 22 year old former Academy players in and around the First Team.
Livibhoy responded to the comments I made.
Thought his comments were spot-on but it all seemed a little unambitious to me. When I responded to his reply, I said what I meant, and meant what I said in regard to the lack of Celtic First Team players who were Lennoxtown Acolytes
BUT
Now reading the Jim McGuinness piece in today’s Scotsman has got me to consider that Livibhoy’s description of the set-up and output from the Academy is pretty accurate.
He said [to paraphrase] – that the most of the Academy bhoys move on and the better ones ply their trade in Leagues North and South of the border, we will only uncover a few gems from time to time –
Now if you compare that with Jim McGuiness’s general statement on the workings of the Academy….
“……….. There’s a development plan in place there. Celtic are now bringing players in and they’re trying to develop them. They’re trying to get as much money for them as possible and they’re trying to sell them on,”.
Then you look at his specific role within that set-up….
“It’s a tough environment.[My job is about] working through that and keeping them [the Academy bhoys] positive and strong whenever they have an injury or their form is not good.”
You can certainly draw the conclusion that the current Academy is functioning the way Celtic want it to, a quality boys club that gives us competitive Teams at all levels up to U21s, from there they are joined by scouted prospects that bring us to NextGen standard.
The older members of this team are then sold off for what profit can be realised (which hopfully makes the Academy Financially viable) and the good prospects (i.e. Watt, McGeoch) a are put through to the first team, to be joined by more scouted talent around the 22 y.o. “Sweet Spot” (i.e. Amido Balde and Virgil Van Dyke).
Although the model is not how PL described how Lennoxtown would function Victor Wanyama proves just how successful this model can be.
Hail! Hail!
A Stor
From previous thread.
When I say a Belgian side “released” Wanyama– I mean that they sold him for very little indeed — although there maybe a chunky sell on clause.
Those sell on clauses will be something for Celtic to watch going forward especially if we get a reputation for taking good young talent and selling them on at a big profit.
Amongst the flotsam of the past 2 years in Scottish football, there are some positive stories. Celtic’s Champions League performances may still be at the front of minds, but the introduction of the Scottish Lowland League and the corollary pathway to the SPFL for ambitious clubs in the country is significant.
The Lowland League kicks off its inaugural season in August, and the following season will see playoffs introduced between the winners of the new division and the winners of the Highland League for a place in the SPFL: The so-called pyramid system will be a reality.
For well run clubs like Spartans FC, at last the chance to progress is real and tangible.
East Kilbride Football Club was established only 4 years ago by the merger of 2 local youth football clubs. In the intervening period, the club has developed into a SFA Community club, and provides training, development and competition for over 650 players from first touches through to adult, male and female.
The player development pathway at the club is accredited and extensive.
The club’s fundraising has been supported by considerable local benefaction, and 2 years ago the state of the art K Park Football Academy in Calderglen Park, East Kilbride was opened, now managed by the EK Community Trust. The facilities include a UEFA standard 3G pitch, covered seating for 400, a 7 aside cage, warm up area, and a pavilion that includes changing areas, physiotherapy and gym.
Funding is now in place to build a new all seater stadium at Langlands, together with an indoor full size pitch and further facilities, subject to planning approval, to be shared with Clyde FC when they relocate to the town.
Having been elected into the South of Scotland League only last month, the club were the surprise package when the membership of the new Scottish Lowland League was announced last week. As of this coming season, EKFC will compete in the Scottish Lowland League. Senior football is coming to East Kilbride.
For the kids in the town, the opportunity now presents itself to work their way from local youth football to senior football without moving club, the collaboration with Clyde FC providing two routes into the senior game.
The EKFC 1997s group is recruiting players for the coming season. If you have a lad who has talent and wants to get onto the EKFC pathway at under 17 level, the chance is now.
Get in touch referencing EKFC 1997 Golds via the contact page on the club’s website here: http://eastkilbridefootballclub01.businesscatalyst.com/ContactUs.htm
Cheers,
TBB
Quite excited with this signing.
Well done Celtic, especially if they have managed to snaffle a good player under the noses from Ajax and PSV on this.
On their own patch and lost a possible belter of a player. Given the success Gronigen have had of players moving to teams like Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV over the years then receiving another cut when they make it big, Celtic have done well here.
Smashy – bearing in mind the name of our new CB, should that not be Valerie Singleton instead of Lesley Judd?!
T4
Thunderbhoy 2…my favourite green machine ! sturdy ,dependable and versatile .
Pilots name ….Virgil…Thunberbhoys are go!
I blame this heat….braw!
catman….I was feline fine til’ that smashie person posted…if only he’d paws for thought…..I told him once that he was a fool…he replied “Me…’Ow”….the tails he posts on here are generally rubbij…….he’s already been banned from the site on no fewer than 8 occasions…P67 said he’s got 1 more chance
mug punter alert
CELTIC FELLA… 6-00FOS LAS
Would love we attacked Holland again and went for PSV’s young left back Jetro Willems
tommytwiststommyturns
13:07 on 20 June, 2013
Smashy – bearing in mind the name of our new CB, should that not be Valerie Singleton instead of Lesley Judd?!
—————————————————
Valerie Singleton? Shep pumped her
Damaged Goods
Welcome back to work our Double. Winning Champions!! Hope the big dutchmhan signs on with us and settles in well along with big Baldè h.h
31003 12:59 on 20 June, 2013
……and another thing, posters on this blog use far too many abreivs when typing….full words only please…
The scouts must’ve watched plenty of VVD on DVD :-)
WEEMINGER
the impression i get is that the judiciary are very much against this legislation and that it will take a very strong cron case to succeed
doesntstop the craven Mulholland and his acolytes appealling sound acquittals
The chuckle brothers may be funny to you..to me?
macjay1 for Neil Lennon 13:02 on 20 June, 2013
Not sure about Judas – he is probably on a par with Lou Macari, John Collins, Alan McInally and Murdo MacLeod. They all did alright.
Pat Crerand won the big cup right enough.
It’s good to know there is something other than an Opera House in Perth.
TBB
Very good. Congratulations to all.
Will EKFC play in the Scottish Cup?
WGS……Do you ever watch Celtic?
Paul67
I think the formula is (JPx(NL+PL □ go) x 62 )÷CQN.
The latter being an unquantifiable variable depending on whereabouts of KevJungle & Kojo at any point in blog time and space where e=mc□.
No easy to predict……
TnT….lighten up mhan….yuv oanly goat 1 life…..(unless yer catman of course)
31003,
:) Aye.
Watch all football me. Can’t get enough. Right into Serie A these days.
C_F
Cheers. Yes, Scottish Cup and League Cup (whatever it becomes). Could be some fun days ahead.
Wigan value James McCarthy – fine young player that he is – at £20 million.
So how much is Victor worth?
Neil reckons at least £25 million.
Clubs -allegedly – coming in and offering £10 million for him should be told to GTF!
He’ll stay anyway!
HH!!
Wgs….ah know that….just pullin yer chain…
lunchtime ‘rush’ over.
Does anyone know what side of defence big Virgil plays and is he quick?
TBB
That is a great success story at East Kilbride and sounds very exciting going forward.
Well done to all of you who are involved and who have put a lot of effort into that.
Every best wish in the future with it too.
Tic van Dijk,welcome to Celtic.
31003,
Think our left hand side with a winger and left back needs strenthed as well. Then if Hooper goes we will have to get another striker.
Wonder if Behrang Safri has ever got a mention at CP towers. Given the success we have had with Swedish players as well. Good player can play left wing back, left back and left mid.
TBB
I hope they lose narrowly to Celtic in both finals.
Kick out the bankers, sharks, spivs, agents, media numpties, blazer-wearing brown-noses, UEFA, FIFA, SFA, DFS, and greedy mercenary players.
Give people back the game they love.
31003
12:59 on
20 June, 2013
……and another thing, posters on this blog use far too many abreivs when typing….full words only please…
————————
K
HH
Twists n Turns,have you posted your fancies for today,if so around about what time did you post them
Smashed
You were pals with Alex Cameron???????
He’s just gone right down in my estimations.
‘Trust not too much to appearances.’
‘They succeed, because they think they can.’
‘Fortune favours the bold.’
Seems like a smart guy, this Virgil.
Talks a good game.
He’ll do OK.
WGS
Chelski are releasing wee Yossi…ah’d take him in a heartbeat….ah know ah know probably too expensive….worth askin though