Those of you have given up on Patrick Roberts joining Celtic before tomorrows Astana clash might well be right.
Those of you who have given up on Roberts joining Celtic this month are wrong.
Have a little patience, there’s still a few details that need sorting out. It’s like we’ve been saying. Manchester City are playing hardball.
The “Girona Threat ” has surfaced, which is where the English club send their surplus talent, but if olivier Ntcham can resist it, then so can Patrick Roberts.
The transfer merry go round is a strange one. Take this quote from Sion defender and captain Reto Zeigler.
He is been at the centre of a row with his club for a couple of months after he commented on offers he had received from Real Betis and….Celtic;
“That’s true. But before I meet with these two clubs, I will be working with the leaders of Sion. In the next two weeks I’ll know more.
“The offers (from Celtic and Betis) also honour me. But without wanting to sound bigheaded: I think I deserve it, I’ve played a good season.”
Oddly enough, we never heard of that one at the time, though it was in the Swiss newspapers.
We do keep hearing about Danny Ings, the Liverpool forward who played for Rodgers previously, and who has suffered a couple of injuries that have stalled his career.
Perhaps a short term loan to provide cover and to help his fitness, but I’d be surprised if it was anything more than that.
Say about a fortnight or something.
Then there’s the link with Miquel Nelom of Feyenoord. Or, to give him his full name Paddy Miquel Nelom. The young left back/centre half has been “tracked ” by Celtic , according to the Herald, but not anyone else.
All this transfer specualtion is noted today because one or two supporters seem to be panicking about the lack of top class cover in central defence and in attack.
There have been a couple of injuries, and all of a sudden, fans are clamouring for Rodgers to go out and spend big money ahead of the most crucial tie of the season.
Yeah, chuck a new centre half in alongside Simunovic. One that you signed the week before.
That would make everything alright.
What is is what is.
Nir Biton may have had a momentary lapse the other day, but its nothing to worry about.
Up front there isn’t a top class striker in the world who would come to Celtic and pay third fiddle to Dembele and Griffiths.
Or even an ambitious young one.
We’re stuck with what we have for this game, and as the team have only conceded once in seven games, and replied with seventeen goals, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.
After all, we can always count on plenty of support in the media..( Evening times )
Astana out for revenge after losing to Celtic a year ago
They asked a guy who only joined them two months ago for some insight into the club…
Hungarian International Laszlo Kleinheisler has Celtic in his sights just two months after arriving at the club, though he is aware of the task ahead for his new side.
“I believe I have signed for a very good team. As well as it being a beautiful city where I have settled in well thanks to a group of kind and helpful people, it is an ambitious club.
“Previously I had only played in the Europa League qualifiers during my time in Hungary with Videoton. These games coming up against Celtic will be a great platform and opportunity to show what we can do on the European stage.
“I am always very motivated when it comes to massive games like these. I’m aware of what happened last year with the last-minute goal. Perhaps some of my team-mates will feel they owe Celtic for that one! We certainly want to show that we deserve to play in the Champions’ League group stages.”
You can see why sometimes a team is described by the media as an “unknown quantity “-it’s because they can;t be arsed doing some real research and reporting.
Astana beat Legia Warsaw in the last round, and the danger is that they are now becoming a little more adept at negotiating these high pressure two legged ties than they were last year, when Celtic squeezed past them in the third qualifying round.
But then again, so are Celtic…
The Rosenborg result shows how much the team have improved mentally and physically. There is now not only a desire to win, but a belief in themselves and the players around them.
They trust the manager, and the manager trusts them to do the job he asks.
For confirmation of this, watch the reaction of the manager when James Forrest scored the winner against Rosenborg.
He merely applauds and nods, in a sort of “there it is ” , like a man who knew something was going to happen, but not exactly when.
Whereas we, as supporters, probably allowed ourselves a little more exubarence.
Thats the difference between last years campaign and this years.
We’re not making it up as we go along this time.
We’re sticking with the plan.
And with these guys…
| Position | Celtic players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Gordon, de Vries |
| Defenders | Simunovic, Bitton, Tierney, Lustig, Ajer, Ralston, Miller, Boyata, Sviatchenko, Gamboa |
| Midfielders | Brown, Sinclair, Armstrong, Hayes, Ntcham, Benyu, McGregor, Forrest, Henderson, Kouassie |
| Forwards | Rogic, Griffiths, Dembele, Nesbitt, Miller, Aitchison, Cifti |
Hang on, Ciftci ?
Nadir Ciftci ?
In the Champions League squad ?
Are we about to see the greatest comeback since Lazarus ?
Many are suggesting a two or three goal win will be needed to make the tie safe. I’d be happy just not to concede, but of course a win would be nice.
Due to the complications of travelling so far west, the Khazak side will have their body clocks a wee bit disrupted by the long flight and the five hour time difference.
They are five hours ahead of us, meaning when the game kicks off they’ll think its a quarter to one in the morning, and they’ll probably have gone to bed .
They are quite thankful its Celtic they’re playing, and not the new club from the other side of the city, where they’d be about three hundred years ahead, which is a little much to ask even the best sports scientist to compensate for.
As before, the manager is quietly getting the preparation done, and there’s no need for any fuss.
Do you remember that advert years ago when that big fat orange man went around scaring people ?
No, not that one..
This one..
The advert was pulled because members of the public suddenly found it hilarious to go around slapping people, and the company behind the product, Tango orange, decided they didn’t want an array of law suits.
We’re hearing reports that a similar craze is sweeping the world as people are being tormented by highly offensive earcupping, and there was even a massive revenge attack by “rangers ” supporters on Neil Lennon, the irresponsible idiot who began this carnage..
Some people are even taking it further than that..
The police are stretched, unable to cope with the constant demand for help and protection..
It’s not the only craze. There is talk also of ladies showing their contempt towards people by emulating the Partick Thistle mascot, but I’m fucked if i can find them.
I’ve looked for hours.
Why can’t we all be friends, like in the old days ?
Why can’t we stop ridiculing each other ?
We should acknowledge not only what we achieve, but what others have achieved…
Great deeds should be immortalised…
We should be nice to each other. no one deserves abuse because of who he or she is.
That goes especially for Anthony Stokes…
First he attacked an Elvis impersonator, now he attacks Rangers impersonators…..a clear trend emerging.
No one is better than anyone else, no matter what they try to tell you…
The caption yesterday showed another craze which was once popular in Glasgow.
Caption: New from JML the green boot cleaner! Fancy a shiny pair of green boots but want to avoid fuss and mess then JML has the answer. Simply insert your green boot into the ‘testi-buffer™’ turn it to ‘goad’ and in seconds you will be able to see your face in them or select the Barton/Diouf setting instead for special occasions. Please note this product is unavailable in Govan or Auchenhowie.
Today..
Before we go, I’d like to say hello-singular to a long time reader out there in the deep blue yonder on the oil boats. Doug Young-some of you might remember played Jim Farry in the Anyone but Celtic film, is OPM on the Seawell boat and is currently studying my idea to pipe all the oil to Stoke so I can set up an independent republic.
