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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Celtic_First:
Badr El Kaddouri he wasn’t Dutch was he?
TBB,
are you involved with EKFC?
My bhoy’s a goalie with 2003 blues.
Gordy
oh about 8 am this morning I think
Celtic_First
13:21 on
20 June, 2013
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.
A truer statement I’ve never read
31003,
Yep. These players in EPL like Benayoun etc.. at a stage now where it’s more money playing for say a stoke or Hull or decent wage what i would call at Celtic for medals and CL football.
Lionel Messi summoned to court regarding alleged tax offences.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22987229
A Stor Mo Chroi
13:23
Eh naw. There the flow of my argument breaks down. True for you.
The Battered Bunnet –
I’ll definitely be going along to some of their (our?) games, won’t even have to drive as it’s just a stroll from Chateau Baldie.
Any estimation of the likely prices for their home games? And do you have a link to the EKQuickNews site?
TBB
Great stuff. 15 years too late for my lad and 50 years too late for me but the facilities are great and I wish them lots of success and will pop along to watch at some time.
EKQuickNews is in meltdown as EKFC fail to secure the signature of Stevie Smith, snatched from under their noses by that team that can’t sign anyone.
Stein.
Cheers,pal,
Kip time.
Dreams of future glory for the Tims.
Stevie, yip. 1997s.
KK – “The gates of Hell are open night and day; smooth the descent and easy is the way.”
publius vergilius maro
Hail Hail
TTTT
Jamie McCarthy 20 million and EPL have cheek to offer 10 million for Victor. He’s played in the CL and was outstanding in both legs against Barca.
McCarthy just been relegated.
…..hate tae say it but….every time I’ve seen van Dijk playing…..he’s fallin over a poufé
The Boy Jinky, I’m not on it!
Vmhan, ha!
Chairbhoy, thanks.
Auldheid, that works!
Pierre van Hooijdonk @pierrevh17 3m
#Celtic does a great job signing Virgil van Dijk.Strong centre-half who is comfortable with ball at his feet.Worth a lot in couple of years
CFC signing exciting young talent
Sevco….signing (in Sept) ..has been former players
spot the difference ….and its a wonderful difference
The name Virgil conjures up contrasting images in my mind. Going to school I had to learn Latin and that bugger Virgil wrote some sh**e. On the other hand one of my favourite songs kicks off with “Virgil Kane is the name and I served on the Danville train”. Perhaps the Green Brigade could cook up a song to the air of “The Day they drove old Dixie Down.
@PeterMc: Feyenoord star striker Graziano Pelle said months ago that Virgil van Dijk was the only defender in Holland to have given him a real test.
Not a bad recommendation.
TBB
A fantastic effort from all involved keep it up. As I’m sure you’re well aware the rewards are unquantifiable. For the children that is :-)
Ps think I may be getting roped back into the weans football as of next season.
corkcelt
Ah’d a ran old Dixie down efter he missed that penalty against Inter……
TnT,cheers I will go have a look
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000 :
Even in jest sometimes language can be important. I mean I would hate for ignorant people to ever bracket Big Vic in the same category as… well as for example -Jean Alain-Boumsong.
Estadio Nacional
Sorry to hear you walked away from the original CQN Facebook page. I understand it has a few dozen participants.
The CQN Magazine page this week reached 46,593 and regularly goes over 100k.
I don’t agree with the conclusion you reach on current posts – are you lumping Hearts in with them? Hearts is a story this week – we mention them – crime of the century. We mention the GS article and a subsequent amusing tweet conversation – and used the words of a Celtic song to highlight what is happening in Scottish football. I note that this was lifted and used on Twitter by Keith Maciver and re-tweeted 266 times!
I looked back to March and can assure you that the majority of posts are about Celtic but you keep your blinkers on.
Celtic Football Club @celticfc
pic.twitter.com/RFd2eoil9c
Looks like it will be the multi- striped top then :(
https://twitter.com/celticfc/status/347692672452005888/photo/1
31003
The one I have is more than enough
India on top of Sri Lanka at the cricket. I wish they would play in the colours of their Flag. Mon the Ashokan Lions!
Twists N Turns.
Yes as definitely as definitely can be I’m going to Hamilton. My two lines for today are.
Coulsty…………….2.30…7/1.
Wentworth……… 4.25…7/2.
Remote……………5.00…7/2.
Waila………………3.05…12/1.
Aaim to Prosper 3.45…50/1.
Redrunaway…….5.35…20/1.
Liking what I’m hearing about Van Dijk. In fact, it’s exciting times at the back when you consider we didn’t lose many goals in Europe last season – hopefully an improvement next season.
Forster
Lustig/Mat V.Dijk Wilson/Mulgrew Izzy
Looks good to me!
Celtic_First:
Apologies mate, I was responding to Gordon_j and his list of Dutch players that had played for Celtic, I misunderstood your post.
Peter McVitie @PeterMcVitie 8m Khalid Boulahrouz will be allowed to leave Sporting Lisbon this summer and has apparently received offers from Holland, Scotland and Russia.
Jayawardene oot! Timbered whilst trying to pull Sri Lanka 119 for 4. Ashokan Lions roar! This is just the aperitif before the main course when they eat the English/Irish/South African select.
Thanks to those who posted some info on Virgil.
There was a time in the dim and distant past when i wouldn’t have to ask
winning captains:
Just a wee question, not a dig in anyway – don’t you think that the more CQN branches out, the magazine, the videos, facebook, don’t you think that it dilutes the essence ot the blog itself. I appreciate that they might be a revenue earner as such, but is that the primary motivation or is it to increase exposure or some other reason?
Until nopw my favourite Virgil has been Virgil Starkwell…
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/five-of-my-top-20-movies-of-all-time-1.3496525
In a wee while, I’m going to repeat the exercise of yesterday, pretend CQN is a newspaper and write a report on yesterday’s Charlotte revelations on the alleged capital expenditure crisis at Ibrox from the point of view of a journalist interested in the material.
Whenever I have time, I will try to do this to contribute to Charlotte’s efforts to chip away at the lies that engulf Scottish football because far too many people are drawing their salaries but failing to do their jobs because they’re either enthralled by or afraid of Sevco and the Rangers fans that now follow it.
I believe the truth will set us free. If Charlotte’s claims are untrue, let those concerned step forward and say so. If Charlotte’s claims are true, the silence and the ennui could allow liars and cheats to continue to lie and cheat with impunity. Which would be a shame.
If it turns into a series, I might call it Tell All the Huns You Know.
If it was Celtic, wouldn’t you prefer to know the truth?